[mike3fan]

After 21 years I have had my share of alot of those including pulling out without unhooking airlines,or putting dollies down or up,I have ripped of a door backing into a dock,and ripped off mudflaps on snow banks/curbs backing into them but 3 incidents could've been career changing:

1st: I loaded a load of winshields going to Buick in Flint,Mi,I stopped for fuel at a local terminal and was getting back on the interstate via a cloveleaf ramp,the damn windshields are loaded 2 racks high making the trailer top heavy,only thing I heard was the driver behind me telling me I had it up on 2 wheels.I didn't look in the mirror just kept a steady hold on the wheel and made it(glad I didn't look).

2nd: Was delivering to the Hamtramck Cadalac plant in Detroit,got off the exit and made the first light following along the service drive where the road goes down hill before the next light where there is a T intersection,the road was fine but that damn hill was a sheet of ice,by the time I noticed it,it was too late luckily there was no traffic coming and I slid thru a red light and across 4 lanes of traffic and up a bank on the other side.No damage and simply backed down the slope and made the left to the plant.

3rd: and could've had the worst ramifications.I was delivering a 20' loaded container of Corrosive Hazmat material to the rail yard in Detroit,when we get to the rail yard the usual process is to stop at the gate and get checked in by the attendant,while they are checking out the container we would walk around and unlock the 4 pins that hold the container onto the chassis to be taken off by the crane,well after I did this there was some type of problem with the paperwork and was told to wait on the side for approval.

Well after 2 hours of waiting it was determined that I was to take the container to our yard until they could get the paperwork starightened out at a later time,so I drove the 15 miles from downtown Detroit to our yard out by the airport,when I get to our yard and check in the container to drop it I relize I had forgot to turn the locks locking the container to the chassis.I had driven a loaded hazmat load on the intersate around a cloverleaf exit and around maybe 6 intersection corners with it like that.If nothing else it atleast proves I don't take corners or exits too fast.

[line_transporter]

One mistake I did was that before I got going, I didn't check for emergency equipement. You may think you wont need it, but incidents may happen and you may need all the devices you can get. Have warning triangles and flares, fire fighting equipement, a CB in your truck, cell phone, extra supplies of water and food. It's best to be ready :idea:

[vavega]

i used to jockey for a co. that had 8 buildings in an industrial park in lakewood. because most of the buildings were right around the corner from each other, and the trailer was never full, i would leave the doors open. one day i had to move a double reach crown (stand up forklift with a big boom) from 1 blg to another that faced each other, but separated with a grass median strip which forced me to go out into the street and then immediately back into the next lot.

i go to blg 1 and get the forklift, the driver there telling me that he nailed it in with wood chocks. i take it over to blg. 2 and tell that driver, who says "well i can't use it, i can't get the chocks out". i give him my hammer and tell him, "page me when you're done, i'll be in the break room". when he's done, he gives me back my hammer, i ask if everything is in allright, he says yes and off i go. at the end of the parking lot i have to stop and wait for traffic, that clears and i pull out into the street and hear a big BOOM. wth? look back and see forklift all over the ground and battery acid flowing in the street. all right in front of the cafeteria with a wall of windows facing the street at lunch time. they finally figured out what happened when they asked the driver if he chocked it in and he told them no, he didn't have nails.

[mbadriver]

Fueling in Canada. Stick the nozzles in each tank and let 'em rip. Can't fuel both sides at the same time. Wondered why i ran out of fuel so quick.

Darn trailer brakes are locked up. Oops forgot to raise landing gear.

Every newbie has sweated their way into them first few docks totally forgetting to open the trailer doors.

[ChikinTrucka]

Worked for Direct Transit, averaging 1500 miles a week, 3 months later they went out of business!

When I was pulling doubles, hooking up a set at a terminal, I was pulling a dolly by hand over to the 1st trailer, slipped and dropped it. It rolled across the lot gaining speed, eventually jumping the curb and going down the bank into some trees. As far as I know, it's still there.

Then I thought you really didn't HAVE to go slow down the grapevine... with smoke rolling off all 5 axles and the brake pedal to the floor, I manged to make it down alive. A quick change of panties and a half hour or so for the brakes to cool and my adrenaline to come back down, and I was on my way.

It was time to switch (driving team) and the truck side of a N.M. rest area was full, so I thought, "What the hey, I'll pull into the car side, there's no cars in there, and we'll switch seats and be off!" I didn't know it was a horseshoe shaped lot with big boulders on the inside of the turn to keep vehicles off the grass. I wasn't about to unhook the set, so I drove the whole tractor up on the grass on the far side of the turn so the trailers would clear the rocks. With big fat dual trails of red dirt behind me, I drove up the road until there was no more dirt on the tires and then pulled onto a 'get-off' ramp and we switched there.

[ChikinTrucka]

Pulling a flatbed of lumber, 13-6 high, I missed my turn, and another trucker said to go ahead and take the next road, it goes to the same place you're looking for. So, at 1:00 AM I start down this road, so narrow, you couldn't get two trucks side by side on it. Then I start up the side of this mountain, I'm in Pennsylvania you see, where the roads go straight up and down, and this one did! I'm crawling up this insane hill, 1800 RPM in 3rd gear, just praying that nothing happens that requires me to stop.
Well, all of a sudden there's a sign that says "ONE LANE TUNNEL AHEAD".
Wholly crap! now what! This really old cement tunnel, probably about 100 feet long on the side of this mountain. Looked like about 8 feet wide and 12 feet high. I say "F- it! I'll go through it or die trying!" I hold the pedal to the medal and half way through the lumber starts scrapping on one wall, slowing me down. I grab the shifter and slam it hard into granny low, floor it and the wheels start to spin. So I back off the throttle and roll it on nice and steady. The tires hook up and I get trough it. Then I have to go back down this crazy mountain to the delivery. The wood on that side was all scratched up. I don't thing there's a ride at the Midway Carnival that could get me more scared than I was that night!

[Skywalker]

Not going to Medical School or Law School.... :P (Really)

Yep, I've popped the air-hoses...a couple of times.

Yep, I've done some other stupid stuff....uh-huh, yup, you betcha.

Thats all I'm going to 'fess up to. Its my story and I'm stickin' to it! 8)

[ChikinTrucka]

Just remembered another. Trying to get through the 'cars only' EZ pass lane on the Whitestone bridge, Long Island, NYC. I stopped right at the toll booths when I realized that my mirrors were going to hit both sides, really! (Who builds these things?) And then I had to back up over 100 yards to get around the stupid lane dividers to get into the right lane. Fortunately it was about 3:30 AM and there was very little traffic and no cops. Got out of that one unscathed!

In New York state, the signs say "EZ any open lane". So I go through any open lane and buzz right by at 10 or 15 MPH as posted. Recently, I was told (by a trucker, like they know, ha ha) that you have to stop, WITH EZ PASS, if you're not using the EZ pass lane. Don't know if that's true or not. Why would I stop with EZ pass? I imagine the company will be getting a bill in the mail if that's true, hope I don't get a ticket!

[mike3fan]

Originally Posted by ChikinTrucka

In New York state, the signs say "EZ any open lane". So I go through any open lane and buzz right by at 10 or 15 MPH as posted. Recently, I was told (by a trucker, like they know, ha ha) that you have to stop, WITH EZ PASS, if you're not using the EZ pass lane. Don't know if that's true or not. Why would I stop with EZ pass? I imagine the company will be getting a bill in the mail if that's true, hope I don't get a ticket!

Yes unless its marked ez pass only then you have to stop.others vary from 5to20mph.

[mike3fan]

Originally Posted by ChikinTrucka

As far as I know, it's still there.

Holy cow,I'm still laughing at that one...... :lol: