Right turns at night...

[ecnalubma]

Hello everyone! I am still a fairly new driver and I still find right turns at night challenging to say the least. I find it very difficult to see if I am clearing the curb, poles, signs, etc. in the mirror. I know this will get easier with experience but I was wondering if anyone here could offer some advice on this. Knock-on-wood, I have never hit any curbs or anything else but I'd like to just feel a little more comfortable with this task of right turns at night. Thanks for any advice given!!

[GMAN]

It will become easier with experience. Try to keep an eye on your lights on the side of your trailer. They can help you to know exactly where you are.

[Uturn2001]

The number 1 piece of advice I have for you is to keep your window (inside and out) and mirror clean.

While I was driving I would clean the outside of both windows and the mirrors everyday within an hour of sundown, and the inside of the passenger side daily. The inside of the windshield and drivers side window would get cleaned everyother day or so.

The number 2 piece of advice is, use what you have. In the real world use what room you have to try to make sure you do not hit anything.

Number 3: Always use your turn signals. The extra light can give you a lot information once you get used to it.

[LOAD IT]

My advice is the same as GMAN and Uturn also if you go deep before you start your turn, a proper set-up before the turn and stay to the left of the lane you just turned onto will usually keep you off the curb if distance permits, tandems not spread out etc, etc. Sometimes you just cant miss that curb.

[Skywalker]

GMAN and Uturn are right.

I'll carry it a step further: This time of year (or really any time of year) its a very good idea to invest in a bottle of Rain-X and do your windows and mirrors...

Now, with regards to mirrors and being able to see my trailer, night or day, while turning...thats an issue of proper "mirror placement and alignment".

I have my mirrors set in such a fashion that I really can't see my truck when it is perfectly straight... I have no need to see it then. What I need to see whats around me... besides, at night...if you can see your side marker lights
and turn signals... you are diminishing your night vision capabilities. Now, that is relative to the large flat mirrors.

As far as the "spot" mirror mounted below the larger mirror, it too should be aligned so that you are maybe only seeing the very outer edge ot the trucks length....and if its angle is adjusted properly it will fill in the areas you need to see, to include alot of the blindspots.

If the spots are properly aligned (and this includes the front fender mounted ones too...) you can see your trailer tandems during the day, and marker lites at night while turning right or left...and can really keep track of where you are.

Keep these mirrors clean also. If you don't feel you have the visibility you need to see everything...get with your shop and have them mount the mirrors, or see your safety department about it. I have even gone to the extent of spending $30 or $40 bucks of my own money to add mirrors to the mounts....have almost always been reimbursed by the companies, and even if I hadn't been.... that $30 or $40 I spent....was far cheaper than any ticket I could get or fine or penalty if I had an accident or damaged something while moving..... Look at it as "an investment in YOUR future".

[BanditsCousin]

Its better to turn too wide rather than too short and "curb" a corner. After a while of driving, you'll get the feel for it and not 2nd guess it. the fact you're asking for help shows you want to be a courteous and safe driver. If you ever get a chance, get a orange road cone and practice in a empty truckstop during the day and "push it" making right turns until you finally hit the cone.

Getting a "feel" for an 18 wheeler comes in time, but you're on the right track. Sliding the tandems up a bit helps, and the 5th wheel :wink:

[ecnalubma]

Thank you all for your comments!! You've all been very friendly and helpful. I basically follow all the points you have mentioned so I guess I'm on the right track... especially taking all the room I can! Now all I need is experience and confidence! I kind of wondered if this was an issue only I had but it's reassuring to see that others find right turns at night a more difficult task. Thanks again!

[mike3fan]

3 lefts make a right.

[BanditsCousin]

One tiem in my 1st month of driving, I was in a truckstop (crowed gravel lot) and was looking for a spot. When I cut right too much it kinda "hit me" and I hit the brakes. Not watching my mirror as I made a right turn around some trucks circling the lot. Had I kept going, my trailer would have totally hit this parked truck, much like running over a curb (and hitting a light pole) on a right turn. So, as you stated, confidence will come and it will be 2nd nature.

Always watch your mirrors

[Crackaces]

Night or Day .. I have found that I need with a 70 foot rig 1 1/2 lanes of space. I can divide that space as 2 lanes going in and 1 lane going out, 1 lane going in and 2 going out or 1 1/2 going in and 1 1/2 going out. Think space.

At night, space is even more important because you have to think hazards. So as I start the turn I am thinking how much space do I know has no hazards, and everything I do not see -- I assume is bad. It's a big ditch, people I do not see, or a row of expensive cars.

Now I use as much space as I possibly can, steering the trailer through the space I have already scanned with my headlights. Now my clearance lights simply mark that the trailer is where I think it should be. If the trailer is not where it should be because of whatever .. I stop!

I would say I turn much wider at night. Still keeping the trailer in line to block aggressive traffic just waiting to pass on the right, but still at the very limit. I have a tendency to steal space from the other lane if possible and keep the trailer tandems left anticipating the turn.

In a foreign area you have to look low for ditches, and high for wires along with looking for concrete barriers, islands, poles, cars, ..... Nothing like making a perfect right hand turn that clips hanging wires .. these are a lot tougher to see at night.

[rvrjr7]

use your fender mirrors if your truck is equipped with them

[classicxl]

when turning at night I always watch the most right rear trailer light always keep in clean and make sure it works

[Toothpick]

1)Over compensate when turning in low visibility situations and when I say over compensate I mean turn wider than you normally would when possible.
2)Slow down or stop till the traffic is clear so that you can safely over compensate.
3)Take the turns much slower if you need to in order to ensure that you don’t hit a curb or other obstruction.

[Deus]

It will come in time, however I still always check my mirrors turning. You never know if something that wasn't there (like a person) is suddenly there while you turn. I've had joggers go out into the street as I'm taking my turn and I have to stop and it takes them a second to realize that they need to get back onto the sidewalk so as not to get run over. At night, there is going to always be some risk. I like the others over compensate. I take as much room as I possibly can just to be certain that I'm not going to hit something that maybe I didn't see as I came to the intersection. Sometimes you can miss things like low hanging wires or maybe something laying in the road that could damage a tire.

There is no real secret to it, turning, and driving in general is more risky at night.