Blindside backing
 

I have ran into (no pun) a few shippers/cosignees in the past few weeks where blindside backing was not an option, you HAD to do it.

I saw somewhere on YouTube, that one driver came up with the idea of putting a mirror on the passenger side sun-visor that was a 12-18in wide and 4-6in tall. Not sure how much more visibility you'd get, but i just bought a $5 mirror that i will have to trim down, and attack via velcro or elastic.

anybody have any thoughts about blindside backing? any tips, etc.?

One place i was at, I had already bumped the dock, and another swift driver blind sided right next to me. He was a mentor, and he looked like he knew what he was doing. He'd back up 2-3 feet...then GOAL. back another 2-3 feet and GOAL. took forever, but he got it in without hitting anything. without this mirror idea, that is how i would go about it....thought maybe there was a better idea out there somewhere......

A mirror inside your truck isn't going to really help. Beyond GOAL, if you have power mirrors, you can simply adjust your mirror as you back up. But that doesn't replace GOAL.

As stated above, NOTHING replaces GOAL.

As far as mirrors go, I find that I get a whole lot more use out of my convex mirror than I do the flat one...but stuff is really, really small, so it's extremely important to get out every couple of feet.

Ahh another reason i love driving a daycab with back window and a flatbed. You can see everything. If i was blindsidin' a big van with a sleeper i would definalty ask for a spotter from the forklift driver. Espicailly if it was a tight dock with lots of crap around

Spotter's a great idea, but at the end of the day if he backs you right into something...it's still your fault!

Spoter, yeh, that's ok But remember not to take his/her word 100%. If you hit something you might get a pat on the back and some heartfelt simpathy but you are still resposable. Roll down right side mirror, look out, if you can't see the back of the truck or just uncomfortable with the window, GOAL, I use both. Remember, use everything at your disposal, even if you have to take 40+ min to back and have a long line of drivers blowing the horn as long as you haven't hit something you weren't ment to hit you did your job.

Make a few trips to LA and you will surprise yourself at fast you learn how to back a trailer.

About all the docks in LA are a challenge and some are a nightmare.

The place I load at in the morning has 1 dock and you back in off the street. When you bump the dock your tractor is still in the street. They give you a orange cone to put in front of your truck.

Blindside backing is not that hard. Before you move the truck look at the surroundings and picture the back in your head. Like Rev said use your power mirror on the passenger side. Go slow and remember what you pictured in your head. If any doubt GOAL.

I am a self taught O/O who drove a flatbed for 4 weeks with a guy who bought a truck while we were still in trucking school. He was scared to hit the road by himself so I went with him and we scared eachother. LOL

I bought a truck and took off to LA. I go to LA everyweek and haven't had too many problems in the 6 months I have been doing it. I very seldom even turn on the GPS. I only go to about 6 different places and know my way to them now. I bet I could fill out my logbook for next week and be within 2 hours of every stop I make.

This week I seen different scenery because I was a chicken after I looked at the weather forecast for FLAG and I took the southern route across I-10. 200 miles further but no snow. I seen on the weather report Flagstaff got almost 2 feet of snow in the last 24 hours. Home the southern way tomorrow.

I once had a safety director that said "THERE IS NEVER ANY REASON A DRIVER SHOULD BLIND-SIDE INTO ANYWHERE". Of course, it had been a number of years since he had been out in the real world.

The electric mirrors that rotate do not go far enough to serve you well enough to use them instead of GOAL. I had never heard of a mirror in the passenger's side visor. It might actually be very helpful. Something I might want to try myself. If properly mounted, I can imagine it would be very helpful when the trailer swings beyond the view of the outside mirror.

Something else that I have done, when I have another experienced driver that I know and trust, is to give him a hand-held radio and listen to his instructions over the CB. Using this, I've backed a 13' wide load into a 14' opening for a door, without having the tarp on the load touch the sides. Unfortunately, this is usable on rare ocassions only.

Back up a couple of feet, get out and look, back up a couple of more feet, get out and look...

I have a couple of stores i have to blind side back into.. one store i have to 90 DEGREE BLINDSIDE back into!!

But together with Goal i also use my Bottom Side View Mirror but when i feel like i'm getting close to something i'll get out and look... and i will say the first time i went to that 90 degree blindside back it took me well of 30 mins to dock that trailer!!!

I could not imagine anyone giving tips on how to back-in somewhere, on the blind side. That's something that you will have to figure out. I know some guys can't back up a trailer to save their life. Others, are a natural. Other than GOAL, just know your surroundings, and keep an eye in your mirrors.

Yeah, that no reason to ever blindside back sounds real good on paper,in a car or from behind a desk...that just isnt always true out in the real world like you said. I agree with all the others, best plan of action is to just stop,get out and look as many times as you need to. Dont feel bad if you have to be in someones way for a few minutes once you get started

We go by, Smith System safety. I think, it's a SYSCO thing. Anyhow, they tell us that we should avoid backing as possible. Or something..

What gets me, with all the restraunts, etc we deliver to, how ya get to the kitchen without backing in.

I've been asking that question for six years now. Still waiting for safety to give me an answer:lol:.

Yup....Nothing beats GOAL.......Personally,I avoid blindsides whenever possible.......I've never hit anything,but in the last 3-4 months,I've been bumped 4 times.....Oddly enough,the first 3 times were all Crete trucks...No damage...The last one rocked me out of my bunk,when the dimwit took out my front left fender......

Accueil Blindside Helper

Ask and you shall receive (ocassionally) :lol:

Wow. What a product. Not only did the driver in the video on their website never GOAL, but they actually use testimonials from people saying that they no longer have to GOAL. Relying on a mirror strapped to the visor is a great way to hit something.

Well, then.... just where DO you prefer to make a massive fool of yourself?? As long as I can be on line 5, I wanna come watch! :rofl:

sorry Flash , it won't happen again. LOL
was it really 3 Crete's in a row? Maybe that's why it's called tripleC!

at home.

Yeah, but what a great marketing approach. Any product that claims to reduce any effort on the part of the driver is bound to gain interest.

If the mirror is used in conjunction with GOAL, I don't think it would be a bad thing.

Go through the front door.

:lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:

If only it was that easy:smokin:

yes he did, 7 times to be exact. get off your ass and look.

while that helps to see on the far side, it does nothing for his near side. that sound you hear is the back corner of his trailer peeling open the next trailer like a can of cat food. :D

Yesterday, I found myself in a situation where I was blindsiding, and I thought I'd give this "mirror" thing a try. I lowered my passenger visor, which has a small mirror in it. While I was able to see the trailer for a few seconds, I found myself having to repeatedly adjust the mirror to keep the trailer edge in view. Eventually, I couldn't see it at all. At the angle the trailer was in relation to the truck, it was extremely difficult to judge "depth perception", and I kept overcorrecting.

It would be easier to GOAL, in my opinion.

you gonna keep hearing it GOAL. yeah is time consuming , but so is filing accident report. anytime anyone says anything to me i just look them in the eyes and tell them i am a rookie and this is my first time ever blind side backing. this usually gets me a lot of help, but, still i GOAL.

Man.....does size have to matter in EVERYTHING???? hahahaha....

maybe your mirror wasnt....uh.....big enough. ;-)

Daycab here so I have problems. With a sleeper and 53' trailer....hell any trailer.....I wouldn't ask anyone to spot. GOAL is the way to do it.

Yeah I tried it too. But I'm so damn good looking I couldn't stop watching myself instead of the trailer. Took me several pull ups before I had to abandon the mirror.:D

Well, at least I am not the only one. Isn't that why it's called a "Vanity" mirror. :lol:

I picked up one of those mirrors and it does help me. I don't see why everyone seems against the idea of actually being able to see when blind siding. Then again I don't see how reducing the amount of times you GOAL is being lazy either. It's not like it takes any real physical effort to get out and look. It does take time though.

Anything that helps me see the overall picture is only a plus in my books.

The issue I have with it, and I believe others do as well, is that the company who is selling them is advertising them as an alternative to GOAL. There is no such thing as an alternative to GOAL.

what the heck is GOAL ?

Are you serious? :confused:

Get Out And Look

alright, i have solved this problem. a little duct tape and some bungies.....check it out....

;-)

looks kinda gay, huh. HAHAHAAH

Yes it really was 3 Cretes in a row.....The Crete trucks bumped me while parked in the middle row and they were backing in to spots behind me,basically tapping their trailer against mine......Twice at the Flying J at exit 64 on I-45 in Houston,Tx...Once at the J in Baytown Texas......The blindsider who took out my fender got me at the TA in Terrel Texas........Those were just the times I was in the truck to see,or feel it....I have no idea what's happened while I was away from the truck......

Don't you guys think it is high time for the industry to put up back up cameras on these rigs and trailers and get out of the dark age ??