messed up a right hand turn in las vegas

[Brown67]

Careful with hand signals. UPS got sued, because a driver gave a hand signal to a car to go at a four way stop. Car went into intersection and was hit by another car going through. Guess we lost, because we had a morning meeting and were told to never hand signal a car at an intersection.

Just rack it up to experience. It's now something you will NEVER forget. I had read about stuff like this but wasn't until I was in Boston that I had to do it. I heard people talking about how many lanes to block and positioning my trailer in the right lane so nobody could get by and my tractor in the left lane but it wasn't until I actually had to do it that it sunk in. I was LUCKY that day I learned by fire, you too and now your won't forget.

[CannedSpam]

Anybody ever received a citation for taking up the whole road to make a turn? I had a city worker of some type tell me, while in Chicago off Division street, that if a law enforcment officer had seen me take up untold number of lanes to make an incredibly tight turn he would have cited me. I found that wildly amusing. I reckon they could give you an improper lane usage ticket or something but still, how else would you make the turn.

[Deus]

It is called a button hook turn. When making a right turn onto a one lane street in a city you will usually have to do one especially if there is a center divider on that street.

If there is not a center divider you can go into the oncoming lane onto the street you are turning onto to have enough room. if there are cars there make THEM back up to give you room. This is the preferred way to make the right hand turn.

The button hook although commonly used is a more riskier manuver. As it will require you to swing left into the travel lane on the drivers side about one truck length before the turn, to give the trailer enough room to swing around the turn. If you allow the trailer to get too far away from the curb this will allow a car to get by you on the right and possibly hit them during the turn and you will be found to be at fault.

Rememeber that it is better to pass up your turn and then go find a safe place to turn around and come back and make a left turn.

Also remember that 3 lefts make a right turn.

You got your termonlogy wrong. It is a jug handle that you described, button hook is the proper procedure, although sometimes you have to "cheat" and do the jughandle.

[Deus]

4 things to remember about driving in town.

1. Always think about what could be the worst case scenario you could encounter and think it out before you get there. This will help you in rush hour traffic when it seems as if the 4 wheelers are out to get you (which they really don't, it is just they have no idea how hard those turns are).

2. Remember if you get started in a turn and a vehicle runs up in the turn lane (Notice I did not say they were there already), but after you are committed to make the turn and a vehicle speeds up and blocks your path, DO NOT BACK UP!. You will always 100% be charged with the accident if you back into someone.

If you get blocked after getting into the turn, stop and wait them out, but do not back up! I have even pulled my brake valves and sat for a couple of minutes until either they went around me, or backed up. Not something I wanted to do, but it sure beats the heck out of a accident being charged to your record.

3. When you swing out pay very close attention to the right side of your Tractor/Trailer, as people will either get in a hurry or not pay attention to your turn signal and once you swing out to make the right turn, they will get in the turn lane and be crushed by you if your not watching them very close.

4. No matter how much you prepare, study, think and analyze it, you will wind up in some tough situations and sometimes it is not in town. Just remember that we all encounter these situations in our life, and it is how you react to them that will determine how you get out of them.

Good advice on the patience part.

I too have had tight turns where someone decided to be impatient and block me.

I had one time where I was in the intersection blocking traffic in all but one direction and this bit** that moved into my path would not get out of the way (I was already turning, she turned from a side street and didn't stop).

I just sat there, all sorts of traffic lining up waiting. I sure as hell wasn't going to back up not knowing if there was someone behind me, so screw it, everyone can wait. I'm not getting in an accident, PERIOD.

[Deus]

4 things to remember about driving in town.

1. Always think about what could be the worst case scenario you could encounter and think it out before you get there. This will help you in rush hour traffic when it seems as if the 4 wheelers are out to get you (which they really don't, it is just they have no idea how hard those turns are).

2. Remember if you get started in a turn and a vehicle runs up in the turn lane (Notice I did not say they were there already), but after you are committed to make the turn and a vehicle speeds up and blocks your path, DO NOT BACK UP!. You will always 100% be charged with the accident if you back into someone.

If you get blocked after getting into the turn, stop and wait them out, but do not back up! I have even pulled my brake valves and sat for a couple of minutes until either they went around me, or backed up. Not something I wanted to do, but it sure beats the heck out of a accident being charged to your record.

3. When you swing out pay very close attention to the right side of your Tractor/Trailer, as people will either get in a hurry or not pay attention to your turn signal and once you swing out to make the right turn, they will get in the turn lane and be crushed by you if your not watching them very close.

4. No matter how much you prepare, study, think and analyze it, you will wind up in some tough situations and sometimes it is not in town. Just remember that we all encounter these situations in our life, and it is how you react to them that will determine how you get out of them.

Good advice on the patience part.

I too have had tight turns where someone decided to be impatient and block me.

I had one time where I was in the intersection blocking traffic in all but one direction and this bit** that moved into my path would not get out of the way (I was already turning, she turned from a side street and didn't stop).

I just sat there, all sorts of traffic lining up waiting. I sure as hell wasn't going to back up not knowing if there was someone behind me, so screw it, everyone can wait. I'm not getting in an accident, PERIOD.

[golfhobo]

generally the only direction I give to 4 wheelers is to stop. Sometimes its hard enough getting around a turn, or backing up without trying to figure out where the heck the 4 wheeler is or where he is going. I'll give'm a quick toot on the horn to get them to look at me and put my hand up in a stop gesture. once I see that they understand I want them to stay still for a minute then I get underway again.

Just out of curiosity do you remember where you almost took out the sidewalk, or the shipper you were going to?

Please RE-SIZE your picture, and import it to your SIGNATURE LINE. Please remove it from your AVATAR! In case you aren't aware of why the page is screwed up.... It's you.

[Crackaces]

Or sometimes the best way to make a right is to make three lefts...

In this case .. this was the best advice.

To start, with a 53 foot trailer and the tandems in the California position I find I need 1 1/2 to start and 1 1/2 lanes to complete a turn. So I am taking 1/2 of the lane to the left and I have to take a 1/2 lane as a complete the turn. If I only use a lane to start the turn I need two lanes to complete the turn. If I use two lanes to begin the turn I can get away with completing the turn in one lane.

There are two conditions that say "Danger Will Robinson" (This is an old line from the robot in Lost in Space).

The all the way back. Hmmm My hairs on the back of my neck are straight up. I am thinking like Fozzy. If I do not have two clear lanes to start and end a right turn I am making three lefts.

The right hand turn is some obtuse angle greater than 90 degrees. :shock: I see anything that cuts back greater than 90 and I am patiently going down the street and making 3 lefts.

One comment that I have not seen in this thread. If you get stuck .. Call the police! I guess it is a part of our XY chromozones that we think we have to solve the problem. The moment you think "I am stuck and this is really dangerous " is the time you need to be thinking "ok call the police" and get the intersection blocked. They are paid to direct traffic and deal with big dudes with gold chains.

[Snowman7]

Well Raider just be glad it happened in Vegas cause what happens there stays there! 8)

[jnk2001]

Just be happy you didn't hit anyone and move on. I'm sure other tense situations will come up....

[Deus]

Or sometimes the best way to make a right is to make three lefts...

In this case .. this was the best advice.

To start, with a 53 foot trailer and the tandems in the California position I find I need 1 1/2 to start and 1 1/2 lanes to complete a turn. So I am taking 1/2 of the lane to the left and I have to take a 1/2 lane as a complete the turn. If I only use a lane to start the turn I need two lanes to complete the turn. If I use two lanes to begin the turn I can get away with completing the turn in one lane.

There are two conditions that say "Danger Will Robinson" (This is an old line from the robot in Lost in Space).

The all the way back. Hmmm My hairs on the back of my neck are straight up. I am thinking like Fozzy. If I do not have two clear lanes to start and end a right turn I am making three lefts.

The right hand turn is some obtuse angle greater than 90 degrees. :shock: I see anything that cuts back greater than 90 and I am patiently going down the street and making 3 lefts.

One comment that I have not seen in this thread. If you get stuck .. Call the police! I guess it is a part of our XY chromozones that we think we have to solve the problem. The moment you think "I am stuck and this is really dangerous " is the time you need to be thinking "ok call the police" and get the intersection blocked. They are paid to direct traffic and deal with big dudes with gold chains.

That is a good point. Everything is better than an accident, and if you ever do get in a situation where you're stuck and can't do it, and think you're going to hit traffic or a fixed object trying to get out of the pickle you're in, call the local police and tell them you fu** up and need help as to not cause property damage.

You may feel like a jack ass, but at least no one is hurt and no property damaged.

I was in a little town in Maine a few months ago and had to make an impossible right hand turn with a little island in the middle of the road. I could have made it but it would have torn up the island which was in bad shape already. I called the customer and he said trucks chew it up all the time. I called the police and they stopped all the traffic so I could come across the intersection from the opposite side of the street and the opposite side of the island. The intersection wasn't a lined up four way, sort of offset. This was a very busy yuppie town.