Well, My Rookie Mistake Finally Happened

Right there w/ you as well.

My qualcomm had me 26 miles longer from Baker City, OR to Lewiston, ID than my Rand McNally GPS. My gut immediately told me that's for good reason, but yet I still chose to make the rookie choice of following the Rand McNally...because after all, it's BASED UPON THE ATLAS!

Nope, sent me over rattlesnake pass to Wallowa, WA w/ a 60' length restriction, of which I'm much longer.

I left the dump valve on for 38'ish miles and somehow managed to not hit any rocks, guardrails, or cars coming in the opposite direction. The bad part is, the rand wants to route me back through there tomorrow, so I'm sitting w/ my atlas now to find an alt route south to Las Vegas.

Solo, what's the "dump valve" & how does that help?

Solo, what's the "dump valve" & how does that help?

It's what allows me to shorten the flatbed trailer from 48' to 43', by dumping the air out of the rear axle allowing the trailer to turn from the front spread axle, instead of turning/dragging rear spread axle.

Solo, what's the "dump valve" & how does that help?

It's what allows me to shorten the flatbed trailer from 48' to 43', by dumping the air out of the rear axle allowing the trailer to turn from the front spread axle, instead of turning/dragging rear spread axle.

That's crazy. Had no idea that was possible. Thanks for clarifying. You skateboarders have a lingo all your own. Lol. Learning about the issues you guys overcome daily is very interesting & helpful. Like Danielsahn's load not beginning from center & how off his weights were because of that. His cheat sheet was like alien language to me. Lol

Being a knucklehead & following GPS without double checking has gotten me into similar situations. Once I was even bobtailing & the roads I was on were so tight & curvy that I couldn't go above 25 mph in a 45.

Rand McNally...because after all, it's BASED UPON THE ATLAS!

This is a comment that makes no sense. ALL MAPS, ATLASES, GPS UNITS, have all of the same streets, Interstates, etc. in the EXACT SAME PLACE. A map or atlas will not pick a route for you. It shows you where all of the streets are. It is UP TO YOU to pick the route. It has been said here over and over. Do not trust the routing on any gps unit. ALWAYS double check the GPS routing against a map/atlas. Study the route on the map, pull up google satellite view, compare. Then, WRITE OUT step by step turn by turn directions and follow them. This will work 100% of the time. I guarantee it.

Rand McNally...because after all, it's BASED UPON THE ATLAS!

This is a comment that makes no sense. ALL MAPS, ATLASES, GPS UNITS, have all of the same streets, Interstates, etc. in the EXACT SAME PLACE. A map or atlas will not pick a route for you. It shows you where all of the streets are. It is UP TO YOU to pick the route. It has been said here over and over. Do not trust the routing on any gps unit. ALWAYS double check the GPS routing against a map/atlas. Study the route on the map, pull up google satellite view, compare. Then, WRITE OUT step by step turn by turn directions and follow them. This will work 100% of the time. I guarantee it.

It would make sense to you if I had added a bit more context, while also making sure to have added some tongue and cheek.

The GPS I use is a Rand McNally GPS unit that is advertised as being their road atlas in a GPS form...meaning, the GPS unit functions the same as the physical road atlas.

Clearly they've not got that coding figured out and why we should be even less concerned about self-driving semi trucks.

Going a bit further, the road atlas shows the road legal from Oregon to Washington with no restrictions.

If you go by state, there are no restrictions listed under Oregon, but if you go under Washington, they restrict the route south to the OR border.

So that would explain why the GPS unit put me on this route, but the atlas needs updating as there has LONG been a 60' length restriction heading north from OR to WA.

Solo, what's the "dump valve" & how does that help?

It's what allows me to shorten the flatbed trailer from 48' to 43', by dumping the air out of the rear axle allowing the trailer to turn from the front spread axle, instead of turning/dragging rear spread axle.

That's crazy. Had no idea that was possible. Thanks for clarifying. You skateboarders have a lingo all your own. Lol. Learning about the issues you guys overcome daily is very interesting & helpful. Like Danielsahn's load not beginning from center & how off his weights were because of that. His cheat sheet was like alien language to me. Lol

Being a knucklehead & following GPS without double checking has gotten me into similar situations. Once I was even bobtailing & the roads I was on were so tight & curvy that I couldn't go above 25 mph in a 45.

In some spots along this route yesterday was tight even for a bobtail , never mind a trailer. Really blows my mind that the Atlas shows it as a legal route.

Solo...

One of the most common rookie mistakes is fully trusting any GPS. I do not care if it’s Rand McNallly, NaviGo or Acme Brand; you cannot solely rely on them for accuracy and availability (uptime).

Use of a hard copy of Rand McNally’s Truckers Atlas in conjunction with a truck-route worthy GPS is mandatory for safe operation. Use of a sticky note backup within easy view is also highly recommended.

Use all of the tools; digital and analog.

Solo...

One of the most common rookie mistakes is fully trusting any GPS. I do not care if it’s Rand McNallly, NaviGo or Acme Brand; you cannot solely rely on them for accuracy and availability (uptime).

Use of a hard copy of Rand McNally’s Truckers Atlas in conjunction with a truck-route worthy GPS is mandatory for safe operation. Use of a sticky note backup within easy view is also highly recommended.

Use all of the tools; digital and analog.

If I had used the truck Atlas (Rands) in conjunction w/ my truck-specific GPS (rands), I still would have gone the same route. Atlas has OR-3 north onto 129 in Washington as legal/no restrictions.