Game: Stupid Things You Have Done On The Road

All right, I've tried to block this from my memory, but it still pops up.

During the summer, my A/C stopped working. For a few days I drove with the windows open, but no cool air. Finally sent in the Road Service macro. I was sent to a T/A to give them a look-see.

The mechanic looked under the hood, got out his voltmeter, pulled fuses, looked under the dash, checked the coolant pressure, all those things.

Then he came to me, and said "I don't think you pushed the the "ON" button." Turns out I was thinking the bunk blower button was the ON button! So I asked them to recharge the system so the work order didn't look stupid.

I just posted on another thread about leaving my laundry in the dryer at the terminal.

What stupid or funny things have you done on the road?

I'm out with my trainer now, about 178 hours into my 200 hours before upgrade with Swift. I signed on to the flatbed fleet and was sent with a dry van mentor, who then went regional dedicated reefer with Target. Well we have made the same run from Denton, Texas to New Orleans probably 6-7 times in the last 3 weeks. About a week ago, I was driving at about 0300 and suddenly there was a fog so thick that I couldn't see beyond 20 feet in front of the tractor. After probably 50 or so miles at 35-40mph, I decided I need to pull it over and let dispatch know I needed to shut it down before I was in an accident, because I had already passed quite a few of them and all of the more experienced drivers(aren't they all more experienced than me right now lol) were shut down on various ramps.

So I break out the Trucker's Path app and look for a truck stop to at least pull into the fuel island to send a message to dispatch(because if they tell me to do something dangerous or unsafe, I want my objection and their response for safety to see).

Well I'm in luck because Trucker's Path says there is a mom and pop truck stop right here at the exit I'm approaching, and they are far more likely to have parking. Take the exit, follow the route GPS is giving me. Take the service road and get ready to make the left into the truck stop... Weird, it's a dirt driveway. Ok maybe I'll drive to the next truck stop then. Satellite view says that this service road goes to the next exit and there is a Loves. So I drive about 3-4 miles down this service road and come to the next exit. Just kidding, it's a dead end. No place to turn around. No visibility to back up. I begin drafting my letter of resignation on the Qualcomm and wake my mentor up to let him know the situation and ask if he will back the trailer for me because I'm not confident that I can back it down a dark, winding road, with fog thick enough that you can take a bite out of it.

He's like screw that, I'm not getting a preventable. Long story moderately shorter... He stood outside in his underwear on a back road parallel to an alligator and snake infested swamp, in a thick fog, holding a maglight to mark the edge of the road and a steep drop into said swamp, and talked me back down 3 miles of road on the phone.

Wish I could say that's the dumbest thing that I've done. Certainly it's the dumbest thing that I'm willing to admit to ;)

Welcome to trucking Ralph!!! You are now officially a rookie lol.

I was in TX at night with fog and coyotes chased deer into the highway. So I'm going slow and trying to dodge deer and wild canines when one darts behind me and my trailer tandems run over a coyotes foot. I wasn't stopping to assess the damage....I'm not getting bit

I continue to a rest area that says "beware venomous snakes". Kanelin and I were on the phone and we have the same FM. I was like " what the hell? Last year he sent me to the tundras of WY, this year its wild kingdom with rabid dogs and poisonous snakes!!!"

I was backing into a Costco and the top of my hand grazed the Jake brake lever to the 3 setting as I was turning the wheel to straighten up to the door. When I went to leave I released my brakes to pull forward to close my trailer doors but my trailer wheels weren’t rolling. I was so ****ed because I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Checked to see if I was hooked to the door underneath..nope.. double checked to see if I didn’t remove my wheel Chocks...nope. I got back in and started the truck and said “let’s give it another go” that’s when I looked down and saw the Jake lever down and just took a deep sigh and said “I’m a f*****g idiot and smiled and turned the Jake off and just like that I was able to move forward no problem

On my first run ever, it took me forever to hook my set. Once it was hooked I couldn't get it to roll. I went over everything and couldn't figure it out. I was out there so long that dispatch sent somebody out to check on me because I hadn't hit the gate and I was already 2 hours late. After 45 minutes of trying to figure out what was wrong, the guy that came to check me pointed out that I didn't turn the valve to supply air to my dolly and rear trailer.

Today

Walked across the street to see what the shipper was yelling across to me. Got 3/4 of the way, turned to go back and heard tires screeching. Looked and there was a car bumper coming at me a foot away.

Luckily I thought fast and put bouts hands on the hood, jumped, spin sideways and landed by the drivers door.

Moral? Just because it was clear a half second ago doesn’t mean some young girl didn’t come flying down the street. She was more scared than I was.

I was backing into a Costco and the top of my hand grazed the Jake brake lever to the 3 setting as I was turning the wheel to straighten up to the door. When I went to leave I released my brakes to pull forward to close my trailer doors but my trailer wheels weren’t rolling. I was so ****ed because I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Checked to see if I was hooked to the door underneath..nope.. double checked to see if I didn’t remove my wheel Chocks...nope. I got back in and started the truck and said “let’s give it another go” that’s when I looked down and saw the Jake lever down and just took a deep sigh and said “I’m a f*****g idiot and smiled and turned the Jake off and just like that I was able to move forward no problem

You mean your trolley brake, right?

I forgot to lock my tandems once. They slid as I was coming to a stop. The result was a sound and a feeling of impact that had me thinking someone hit me.

The Swift main office put out a short safety video about driver cams recently. At the end, the announcer, in all seriousness said here is a series of videos of a mysterious event that is happening to drivers. Watch this.

You saw several drivers "minding their own business", then WHAM! They seem to have been rear ended! (Somebody forgot to lock those tandems!)

Some of our trailers after you lock the pins you have to walk back and push the lever (handle?) down into a locking slot. If you don’t and brake hard you can pop the pins loose.

Had my tandems slide back in a hard braking situation twice.

I forgot to lock my tandems once. They slid as I was coming to a stop. The result was a sound and a feeling of impact that had me thinking someone hit me.

The Swift main office put out a short safety video about driver cams recently. At the end, the announcer, in all seriousness said here is a series of videos of a mysterious event that is happening to drivers. Watch this.

You saw several drivers "minding their own business", then WHAM! They seem to have been rear ended! (Somebody forgot to lock those tandems!)

Some of our trailers after you lock the pins you have to walk back and push the lever (handle?) down into a locking slot. If you don’t and brake hard you can pop the pins loose.

Had my tandems slide back in a hard braking situation twice.

Forgot to mention I never knew you had to lock them down on those trailers.

I tried to open and eat a pack of powdered donuts with one hand while driving..........

I tried to open and eat a pack of powdered donuts with one hand while driving..........

I can't do powdered donuts at work, too messy. I go with plain old fashioned. No mess.