What is the dumbest thing you've done while trucking?

Pulled out of a warehouse so I could finish tarping in a "nice breeze". As soon as I parked and got out the wind started howling, dust storm from nowhere and traps flying off the load. Jumped in the truck and put it back in the warehouse to tarp it again with lumber tarps; then had to go back out and chase down and roll up the wet tarps in the rain.

I don't know if was really that dumb but it felt like it.

 

I was on maybe my third ever load, delivering freight from a Home Depot DC to a store in Lewiston ID. Fresh off the trainers truck I thought I knew everything and drove like a madman up US 95. Lucky for me only got a ticket for 9 over going through some little Podunk town. About an hour later I pull into the HD for delivery, sit for half an hour until I got the green light... And proceed to go tear the open door off of my trailer pulling out of the dock. Fortunately the Gordon driver in the next dock was nice enough to help me throw the door into the back of the trailer(while he was laughing his ### off) AND I was lucky enough to pull this stunt 4 miles from a company yard. Oh, and did I mention (before I ripped the door off) the Home Depot folks pulled all of the freight from the trailer instead of the 6 pallets they should have? Awesome night all around!

 

Listening and believing my old boss that id be home at a decent time during the week and on weekends at my old hwy job!! YA RIGHT!!

 

One of my first loads when I started driving was hauling Christmas trees from OR down to Walmarts in CA, NV and AZ. They went straight to the stores and we unloaded in their parking lots. One of the stores I dropped at was the walmart I used to be a manager at before I started driving. So Im chatting with former co-workers and employees and I go to climb up into the trailer to count the trees against the BOL. Except I totally ate it and wacked my face into the trailer floor. Needless to say everybody got a good laugh at that.
Pulling reefer I ate it a lot the first couple months of unloads and have played dodge the runaway pallet a couple times.

 

Ok , you asked.....

This was back in the early 70's....was working for an out-fit running from NC to California. Team operation , and I was lucky enough to have a guy that was a good "friend" as a partner/co-driver. We were on the return round and as we came around Atlanta , I woke-up having to relieve myself. There were no bottles that I could use and re-cap , so I asked Mike to pull over and let me go...his answer was ( and I sort of agreed) it's 3:30 in the afternoon , can you hold it til we get around the "loop" so we don't get caught-up in rush hour traffic.

So , here we go....we finally got around the "loop" and he pulled through the rest area that used to be just past the exit that had a "Starvin Marvin" fuel stop. I hit the ground beside the fuel tank , and was just getting started when my buddy , my pal , my friend , decided to pull forward about 100 ft.....

picture this.....it's 4:30ish on a bright sunny fall afternoon...15 minutes north of 285..... you pass a man dressed in yellow boxers , no shirt , with a red baseball cap on taking a whiz on the side of the road....then you see him chasing down a semi that's seemingly pulled over......

When I got back into the cab of that Freightliner , Mike was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.....Myself....not so much....But , it's one thing I'll never ever forget ( or do again)....folks driving by probably won't either....

Moral to this story....never leave the running board to take a leak....no matter how much you trust your co-driver....

 

Dude you owe me a new Keyboard, I just spit coffee all over mine laughing!

 

That is funny I dont care who you are but thatvwas a good prank

 

Good one! LMAO!

 

On a Beautiful,Spring afternoon in 1993,I was loading rolls of paper in Philadelphia..(now anyone thats been down there on delaware ave knows exactly where I was)

i was in the dock awaiting the patient,Unionized dock personnel to enter my trailer in an impractrical manner..(But thats a different story for nother' day)

I Decided to.. ya know..Clean out the interior of my truck while i still had my patience and sanity..

While Wiping down my Gauge Cluster...I feel a Big "Bump"...I said "What the Heck" (Not exactly that word) I look up and see the nose of a white freightliner up against my front Bumper

my Gosh,I was stunned, I exited my Vehicle to see what the heck happened here.......

The Driver was NOT in the Cab....Only someone in the passenger seat....I Knocked on the passenger door, This Guy didn't even look at me

Im Thinkin to myself "The Hecks goin on here?"....I Open up the passenger Door and a Dog Biscuit Fell out of the Truck....I said "HEY,Your Truck is up against mine,What Happened?"

He didnt even turn his head to look At me....All i could See was a guy with Dark red Cheeks and Glasses on....now Im Getting Concerned

I Run into the Shipping office and Blurted out "Who's Driving that Munson Truck?" "I am" says another guy with Rosey Red Cheeks.. I said "Hey,Your Truck is plum up against my Bumper"

He said " Oh ####, I musta forgot to set my Brakes"in a very Relaxed prescribed manner... He came out with me to address the situation, He backed up, not really any damage to either truck...

So I said" Why didnt you set your Brakes? And WHY IS YOUR PASSENGER UNRESPONSIVE When I tried talking to Him?.........

he said absolutely Nothing.. But just looked at me and Smiled from ear to ear... I said "WTF is going on here?"

So i go Back to the Passenger Door of their truck, Opem it up and ask the other guy the Same question....he proceeded to look at me with his thick Glasses on and smiled at me with his Rosey red Cheeks





Next thing you know.............. All 3 of us are in my sleeper berth...... And in no time, My Cheeks became a deep shade of crimson as well

 

Well hell-o neighbor....good to see some folks from NC on here. Got a couple of deer hunting leases in Caswell , one not too far from Brigg's diner , and the other one off of Mtn. Hill rd. just outside of Milton.