Wide Swing On A Right Hand Turn.

So this just happened to me I was on my way to my next pick up in Buchanan NY. The route I take is Route 9 south and it basically takes you directly into Buchanan. The route takes you across the Hudson River once you get across Route 9 takes a sharp right hand turn. (Intersection with a dedicated right turn lane with a permanent green arrow). The road becomes a two lane. Anyway since my trailer is a triple axel heavy haul I'll swing out wide into the second lane clear the corner and get back into the right lane. Today there was incoming traffic so I stopped and waited for the lane to clear before I turned as soon as it was clear I made the turn cleared the corner and got back into the right lane. Well some 4 wheeler displayed his / her displeasure with a horn salute because I stopped and waited for traffic. Needless to say I let them know that they were Number One in my book!

Had to move into a loading dock so I didn't get a chance to finish my first post. So this right hand turn maybe if I was still pulling a dry van and my tandems were all the way up I could have cleared the corner easily but not with a fixed triple axel no way! I think that allot of people don't understand what it takes to make a turn and everything you are watching for especially off-tracking of the trailer on the turns. I'm sorry the delayed the 4 wheeler and extra 90 seconds NOT!! But I'll always do what is the safest course of action.

You are driving a vehicle that is 4x longer than the usual car. You'll often need more room around you to get safely down the road or around that corner. Keep this rule in mind:

I was here first.

Don't mind the people who don't know how to drive a 70 foot long car. You have a job to do, and are doing the best you can without crunching cars or telephone poles. One-finger or Boy Scout salutes ("read between the lines") don't help you and could lead to a driver complaint getting phoned in.

We all know how it is, some people are going to be upset if they're delayed no matter what the reason. As for "letting them know they're number one", I've decided to tell myself that waving and smiling means the same thing. So I wave and smile while I'm thinking the other thing.

I just laugh and shake my head.

I agree with Errol on this one. I had it happen to me a few years back exiting the toll booths on the Pa. Tpk. An elderly woman crossed from the far left toll booth completely to the right lane to exit quickly and almost had a multiple vehicle mishap. Of course I blew the air horn and threw my hands in the air and of course she got the company name and phone number off the truck. She called and complained about that and I was given 3 days off for not being professional. Go figure.

Errol V wrote:

You are driving a vehicle that is 4x longer than the usual car. You'll often need more room around you to get safely down the road or around that corner. Keep this rule in mind:

I was here first.

Don't mind the people who don't know how to drive a 70 foot long car. You have a job to do, and are doing the best you can without crunching cars or telephone poles. One-finger or Boy Scout salutes ("read between the lines") don't help you and could lead to a driver complaint getting phoned in.

I don't even think the guy in the 4 Wheeler even saw me he just laid on the horn and booked. I always keep an eye on trailer for off-tracking especially when making a right hand turn. This past summer im Watertown NY a driver from R&L was making a right hand turn at a busy intersection his trailer off tracked and he ran over and killed a woman. I don't know if the driver was a Rookie or experienced but one thing for sure he didn't as G-Town says " Watch his Wagon" and a fatality was the result. That's why I always take a little more time and extra space when I turn.