Why Would Anyone Park Like This?

Wide-open parking lot... plenty of room to turn around, backup, whatever.

Pulled up to curb and snowbank with no way out to the front. Anything parked behind (in marked spaces) and you are STUCK!!!

Why would anyone (with any sense) choose to park like that? Maybe area WASN'T empty when he pulled in? (I doubt it)... It's kind of unused over-flow for stores around it. Best guess is it was empty when he pulled in!

If its overflow for stores he probably felt that was a better choice as he would be blocking the drive lane if he tried to park in spots designed for cars.......

If its overflow for stores he probably felt that was a better choice as he would be blocking the drive lane if he tried to park in spots designed for cars.......

Rob T., my question isn't about the lane or section of the lot where he parked... it was fine. Good call, actually.

It is about pulling all the way up to the curb and snowbank so that if anyone parked behind him in any of the legal spaces, he is STUCK!

Seems to me (with some experience pulling trailers with non-CMV's) and just common sense, that turning around and backing up to the same spot would have made WAY more sense. Failing that, at least backing up enough so he had room to swing out (there is an aisle between and around the rows of marked parking) so he could be assured of the ability to pull out seems to make more sense. I also sort of "announces" your desire/intent to get out! To anyone bothering to ponder it, he looks like he has no real intention of getting out anytime soon!

Just my $.02! Your mileage may vary!

If its overflow for stores he probably felt that was a better choice as he would be blocking the drive lane if he tried to park in spots designed for cars.......

Inexperience.

I frequently park parallel to the curb after a Walmart store delivery if I am taking a break. I always angle my tractor out, away from the curb to enable an easier exit. As seen below:

I am very close to the Wally trailer in front of me, however the angle makes it easy to pull away and proceed forward.

The stores are closed. he was probably exhausted and leaving before they open. my guess is a short nap

New or out of hours? Strange places sometimes just glad to find anywhere to sit not on the road side? Seen worse. Done worse.

I’m still going with some inexperience here. Parking in a retail store lot you must always leave yourself an “out”. Most people would think nothing of it to park behind the trailer blocking a safe exit.

I’m still going with some inexperience here. Parking in a retail store lot you must always leave yourself an “out”. Most people would think nothing of it to park behind the trailer blocking a safe exit.

Thanks "G". I gotta go with dead tired and poor judgment as I believe they are all OO. Don't think there are that many rookie OO's out there - you all have convinced most of them to start out as company drivers!

Out of hours? Thought you can go off duty and still creep. Is that true of both 11 and 14 hour clocks? If so... I don't think HOS explains it.

Not all OO trucks are run by the owners. Many have drivers run for them. I have a friend who owns her own fleet, but hires drivers for her truck. And it is cheaper to hire someone with 1 year than someone with 20 years experience. Like it or not, you are always learning in this career. So even someone with one year and exhausted could do something like this. And regardless of 14 hr rules, we have all had days of way past our hours. So if someone parked here and got off the road what is the big deal?

Ive been in customers and construction zones with bigger speed bumps and pot holes than that little barrier. I have seen drivers cut across the grass medians on I 285 in Atlanta to get around an accident. going over that little bump of a curb wouldnt stop some people.

Im am not advocating it, but this stuff happens.

For teaching reasons, yes, it makes no sense and we need to tell the readers to do it smartly. In the real world, some nights are so long and horrible, who cares? Have you seen some of these rest areas at night? Trucks block us in all the time. I had to bang on doors the other day to get people out of my way in the NJ turkpk service plaza. So you will get blocked in even when you give yourself a way out. Sometimes you are more concerned with sleeping. Even if he was blocked in, the chances that vehicle would be there longer than 10 hours is pretty low.

As far as HOS , no, Personal Conveyance is not there to get your butt out of a jam because you trip planned poorly. If HOS didnt matter, what would be the point of the clocks? What people do and what is legal are often two different things. And there is often a time limit on PC. But abuse your PC privileges and get caught, you can lose those privileges.

I’m still going with some inexperience here. Parking in a retail store lot you must always leave yourself an “out”. Most people would think nothing of it to park behind the trailer blocking a safe exit.

Thanks "G". I gotta go with dead tired and poor judgment as I believe they are all OO. Don't think there are that many rookie OO's out there - you all have convinced most of them to start out as company drivers!

Out of hours? Thought you can go off duty and still creep. Is that true of both 11 and 14 hour clocks? If so... I don't think HOS explains it.

You can go with whatever you want Marc. No experienced driver would paint themselves into a corner like that.