Tips for turning?

Drive tires hit the double yellow.
Start turning left.

If you can't complete your turn without crossing your hands you are going too fast. Never cross your hands. That hand over hand crap is bush. Slide the wheel thru your hands thumbs outside the wheel at all times.

Do the above technique and you will never flip over during a turn or look like a ####### in a truckstop.

What I always tell ppl starting out who ask.

Try it see if it work for you.

 

Isn't the yellow line on the left side?

I don't think that would work out too well for me.

 

::facepalm::

Use common sense guy.

Go straight ....
Tires line up...
Turn.

Not hard.

 

I'm really trying to use 'common sense'.

If I'm going over the yellow, why would I turn to the left to go further over the yellow?
Or, are you referring to backing maybe?

 

Patience is the key, along with what everybody else has already said. I always try to take as much room as I can get. Remember, the cost of failure might not be just your ego or a tire, there are other things on the corners that change, like a person who walked up.

 

A good rule of thumb for a left is when your shoulder lines up with the center of the lane you wish to enter upon the turn. depending upon the section of intersection you may need to wait through a few green lights until there's enough room to swing the trailer if the road is too narrow to take the turn without off tracking into opposing lanes.

You should not be curbing tires on a left turn, a left should always grant you the space you need to complete. a right turn may be a different story. if you must curb you shop drop into 1st gear and do it as slow as possible.

some other helpful tips, before the turn position yourself as far as possible in your lane to the side oppsing the turn (ie if you are turning left, move yourself over as far to the right as you safely can in the lane on the originating street)

if possible wait until your tandems are almost clear of the originating street.

 

Small streets? First of all, those streetlights were already knocked over and as far as that mailbox, it shouldn't have been on the corner!

I mean...... I never ran over anything in Boston..........

 

53 footers need a lot of room. A lot of places today just don't have enough area for them. The problem is just as bad or worse in some docks.

 

Google "left turn with semi truck" and look at pictures and videos. You'll see plenty of bad examples and good examples.

Swinging too wide allows impatient four wheelers to sneak in where they might get squashed. That's probably what your trainer is trying to help you avoid.

Generally it is better to swing wide rather then cut it too short. Take it slow and keep a good eye on your mirrors and you will be fine. Eventually you'll just know.

Another watch out is right turns at night. If you can't see the trailer in your right mirror because of low light conditions you could put the trailer in the ditch on the right side. This can hang the bumper up in the dirt or even tip the truck over. If you are unsure, stop! Roll down the passenger window and shine a flashlight to see where your trailer is tracking. This is way safer than waiting for a tow truck.

 

@TurtlesLikeI - where was the curb? Was it one of those median divider-type curbs? That's the only kind of curb I can imagine getting close to when making a left turn.