[Kevin0915]

The other day, I drop a load off at a DC, head to a truck stop 10 mi away, and BEEP...get a preplan. I accept, get the load assignment, and go thru my normal routine to get ready to depart. I get directions for both ends of the load, i jot down my fuel route on my windshield, etc. The directions to the shipper were pretty straight forward: I-30 to hwy 59 turn south to 7th st, turn east to Kilgore turn south, 3rd building on left.

Okay....i get to the turn onto Kilgore, and notice a barricade with "Road Closed to thru traffic" sign on it. The actual 'work' being done, is in an intersection 200 or so yards down the road. Looked to me like 3-4 buildings could have fit within the couple hundred feet i saw before seeing road work. So......i swing out to make the turn. I didnt swing enough, and stopped before knocking over a barricade. I was out of the lane of traffic from the road i was turning off, so i hit my 4 ways, parking brake, and got out and moved the barricade. As i get back into the truck, a city worker comes flying up, gets out, and says "road is closed.....where u going?" I told him, and he motions it is past the closed intersection down the road.

Great....now i have to back into traffic. So I think about it, then decide i had better call for help. I call 911, only for the operator to tell me that "normally, they dont help 18 wheelers back out into traffic." WHAT THE.........HUH?!?!?!?? did i just hear this lady tell me they dont normally lend assistance? Isnt that part of their ..uh... JOB?? after calling 911, i call the phone number to the shipper to ask for directions. THE DANG PHONE NUMBER GIVEN TO ME IN MY LOAD ASSIGNMENT IS NOT EVEN A VALID NUMBER !!!!! And nowhere in the directions does it mention anything about road construction and the need to take a detour.

Anyway, cop shows up, stopps traffic for MAYBE 30 seconds, and i proceed on around following the detour and get to my shipper. THEN i notice one of the trucks that had stopped in my path near the barricade, being followed by a city cop. I get out, and the cop walks up to me asking me if i was lost. I responded with a little chuckle, "not anymore". Already flipping thru his citation book to give me a ticket before he even stopped asking his question. Then asks me for my DL and insurance. ARE YOU F----LIPPIN KIDDING ME!??!?!?!??!? I do the right thing by calling 911 for help, and i'm getting a @#$ !@#$ ticket??? When i try to explain that it was an error in judgement that i tried making the turn, it was a judgement made with incomplete information. But anything i said went in one ear and out his @ZZ...cause he didnt even hesitate writing that ticket.
what bill shatner that is. And the kicker, he needs his hand held, so he calls a seargent, and then he calls someone to do an inspection on my truck/trailer.

I'm beside myself at this point. Still wondering just what in hell i did wrong to deserve a ticket. Not only is the guy doing the inspection going over my truck every little square inch....finding nothing wrong, i can tell he is getting agrivated. He finally finds one of my trailer tires "slightly" (his words) under 2/32". And then i get the ticket for "Disregard Barricade".

Still have yet to call and find out just how much the ticket for me is. As far as the equipment ticket, i am hoping i dont get tagged with paying it, but i am sure i will.

anybody have any suggestion to fighting this? maybe getting it reduced to a warning or something??

[Blacksheep]

What chicken sh*t state was this ?

[Syncrosonix]

you got yourself into that one. at this point in your job, you should already know not to ignore barricades. they're there for a reason.

situations like that are the reason i LOOOOOOOOOVE google maps. take down the directions as they are. compare them to the overhead image, write down other streets before and after the roads i'm supposed to turn on, and look for alternatives in case i miss my turn, and cannot get turned around.

oh yeah, there's a customer on las vegas' tropicana blvd that requires you to back into the dock with traffic going full steam ahead. the police will not help you. they'll watch only because they wanna see if you'll cause a wreck.

so, kev, did you learn anything from that experience?

also, why is this in the new drivers section? this should be posted in the comedy.

[Syncrosonix]

Originally Posted by Blacksheep

What chicken sh*t state was this ?

sounds like texas, somewhere near i-30.

[Orangetxguy]

My money is on Texarkana Arkansas.

[Kevin0915]

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy

My money is on Texarkana Arkansas.

ding ding ding ding.

barricades are there for a reason, true, BUT i assumed the shipper was still down that road. what was i to do?

what i will do now, is call the shipper and drop...and if the phone number isnt a valid number, i'll be making sure the company finds one that works. How was i do know unless i was told beforehand, that the shipper was around past the closed intersection 200 yards beyond the barricade saying 'closed to thru traffic'?

[Syncrosonix]

never assume things will be as is when you get there. it is your responsibility to make the proper decision when stuff like that occurs. i can't believe you actually dialed 911. i never listened to the idiots who claimed to have dialed it for situations like that.

remember, you're the professional driver. stuff like that doesn't exactly help swift's image, either.

[Snowman7]

You got out of your truck to move a detour sign and you wonder why the cop is pissed?

I would have called them. You said that didnt work. I would also try the CB. If it was only a couple hundred yards then I would have turned on the 4 ways and walked down there to check it out. If you were blocking traffic and couldnt leave the truck then you have to circle around and find a way to pull over, then get out and walk.

As for calling the police thats a judgement call. I'm not going to say you were wrong but most drivers get out of a jam on their own. When you have to back into traffic just make sure there is no one there, go slowly, turn on the flashers, toot the horn a few times and keep backing. Sometimes you have to bully your way out like you would at a concert or football game. If you sit there waiting no one is going to give you a break. They may not like waiting but they dont want to get run over either so they'll stay out of your way, barely. Yes it sucks and its nerve racking but any seasoned driver has had to do it. When I did P&D I had to stop traffic every day. I was nervous the first few times but now its second nature. They just have to wait, tough titties, sorry bout your luck.

[mike3fan]

I soooo what to comment, but someone will claim I just have it out for him..........

[Snowman7]

Originally Posted by mike3fan

I soooo what to comment, but someone will claim I just have it out for him..........

I hear ya! LOL! Notice how I showed restraint and tried to be helpful? I'm sure Kevin will spit it back in my face. HAHA. Oh well you cant say I dont try to help the newbie. I'm such a sucker! :rofl: