Irrational Nervousness About TS

Wait..aren't you the one who likes to nose into spots? Haha

Yeah, that's me. I still do it sometimes, I just make sure I do it in a place where no one will park illegally in back of me. It's amazing how quiet a busy TS is when your sleeper is parked between two trailers.

Haha whatever works for you man. I pulled forward into a spot the other day when I was bobtailing and didn't like it at all. I like sitting up in the driver's seat for a little while just looking out the window. Nothing to see when I pull forward--my lonely trucker world just gets lonelier lol. Plus, if I were to back out into the open and someone rammed into the side of my trailer, Swift would probably label it as a preventable.

Yeah, I can see wanting to watch what's going on. I'm usually sleeping or in the bunk trying to fall asleep. And yeah, backing out is a risk. If I'm lucky the trucks next to me have left before me, otherwise I walk up check the situation just before I get in and start to back, then I go slowly. But it probably isn't really the smartest thing to do.

Tonight I'm in a flying j.... and the Swift across from me looks out farther than the others..... are any of u in NE???? Move ur truck back for me hahhaha

Damn Swift Drivers!

My worry is if my tandems are forward that I'll pull out and the back end will swing into something.

Same when I'm driving down a row and I try to set up for 45 back, I'll drive close to the trucks, then when I get to my spot, I'll do a sharp right then a sharp left. I'm always afraid that sharp right will cause the tail of the trailer to smack something.

This is especially concerning when I'm at a ship or receiver and have to find a place to put a trailer, I'll drive down the row and if I see a spot on the other side, I'll do a u turn in the row to set up for a sight side back, again, the worry about the overhang hitting something.

Don't worry do much, Sambo. If your tandems are set for legal loads, you won't have enough of that swing to worry about.

The worst thing about liking to start early is that the truck stops are generally full in the wee hours of the morning, plus it's dark. I'm a flatbedder, so I always look for a pull thru. I'm the guy who marks the truck stop full on Trucker Path when there's 20 open spots, since none of them are pull thrus. (Just kidding.) It's not that I can't back, it just seems safer to avoid backing if possible.

The only time I worry about tail swing is if I have a 53' stepdeck with the axles closed. But the bad thing about pulling a regular flatbed is that the rear wheels are always all the way back, at least 47'. And a spread axle turns slower, so while it's easier to avoid having the trailer swing quickly into the nose of the tractor next to you, it also takes a little more space.

I do what Errol said, swing a little right before turning left. At the Flying J in Denver last week, I had to back all the way back in and try again twice to avoid hitting anything. Whatever it takes to get out safely, including GOALing.

The worst thing about liking to start early is that the truck stops are generally full in the wee hours of the morning, plus it's dark. I'm a flatbedder, so I always look for a pull thru. I'm the guy who marks the truck stop full on Trucker Path when there's 20 open spots, since none of them are pull thrus. (Just kidding.) It's not that I can't back, it just seems safer to avoid backing if possible.

The only time I worry about tail swing is if I have a 53' stepdeck with the axles closed. But the bad thing about pulling a regular flatbed is that the rear wheels are always all the way back, at least 47'. And a spread axle turns slower, so while it's easier to avoid having the trailer swing quickly into the nose of the tractor next to you, it also takes a little more space.

I do what Errol said, swing a little right before turning left. At the Flying J in Denver last week, I had to back all the way back in and try again twice to avoid hitting anything. Whatever it takes to get out safely, including GOALing.

I'm headed to denver now my butt will park in Limon first b4 that denver FJ hahah

I hate when someone noses in beside me their trailer always sticks out 5 feet farther than if they had backed in. It makes it that much tighter getting out.

I hate when someone noses in beside me their trailer always sticks out 5 feet farther than if they had backed in. It makes it that much tighter getting out.

Yeah Buddy... Totally unprofessional, JV and inconsiderate.

I was noticing the other day; as difficult as a spot might be backing in, because of the tight quarters, it's usually pretty easy to get out of in the dark, early morning hours.

For me the key is to watch where my tandems are when I start to cut the wheel. I usually pull as far forward as possible before turning the wheel. If it's really dark, I'll put on my utility light on (on my Cascadia, I've got them on the outside of the cab, so it let's me see down the trailer). Occasionally I will pull up, then back up just a few feet (with my wheel cut hard right for a left turn) to give me just enough angle and room in front, then go forward and I'm out.

I hope this helps.

I'm headed to denver now my butt will park in Limon first b4 that denver FJ hahah

Heh. If there isn't any overnight parking at my receiver in Denver, and I can't make it to the Denver TA before 5PM, I stage in the Loves, I-80, exit 304. I think that's a lot closer than Limon.