Question:
Guys im new at this and will be going through driving school here shortly. I was wondering how do you drivers deal with right turns in the city with traffic. Also, how do you back up on a narrow bizzy city street like in the bigger cities where you have to do a 45 degree angle docking when traffic is heavy. Like what do you use as a reference point when turning and manuvering for both backing and making a right turn. Why I'm asking is because this might give me a leg up and make it a little easier during training....Thanks

Answer:
Well being new to this myself I dont know much but I can tell you what i do know. I just finished driving school and did quit a bit of driving in downtown Memphis. I made several right and left hand turns while in heavy traffic. If you manage your space properly and take your turns slow and watch your mirrors you will have no problem making turns in heavy traffic. Although no 2 turns are identical, and there is no such thing as a perfect turn.
As far as doing a 45 angle back while in a city ...well I would think that this is where pure skill and experience come into play. I know from practicing the 45 angle backing manuever its not so much reference points as it is just having a feel for when to correct the steering. And as usual...setup is key.
Btw the truck I drove downtown Memphis was a 2000 International eagle with a sleeper and a 53' traler with about 20,000 lbs in the box to give the students a bit of feel for weight.
Like I said I am very new at this and dont know much, but thats the little bit I do know.

Answer:
At this point in time, don't worry about it. That's what school and six to eight weeks with a company trainer are for.
When I was in a school in Alexandria, La., the trainers there knew where to take students to reinstall humility (right turn from multiple lane street to two way street, don't hit the powerpole smack on the corner with the trailer, don't hit the curb with the trailer tires, don't run over the oncoming cars) when the students head was getting bigger than their hat.
It's also my experience you may be told when to deliver (between 4 and 4:30 AM in Brooklyn, NY) so interaction with city traffic is minimal. BOL

Answer:
It simply takes experience. I know....that sounds trite. But it's TRUE.
The more you do it, the better you become. Eventually you'll be able to eye-ball a situation and know EXACTLY when and where to start turning and what you can 'clear' when you turn, etc.
In the meantime, NEVER move ANY part of your truck where you can't see exactly how close it is to ogher vehicles, poles, hydrants, etc...... And that means setting the brakes and getting out to lok, if necessary.
Like they said above, stay relaxed. You need to constantly apply good judgment, and that means keeping your brain focused and rational, despite the stress and pressure around you.

Answer:
Some web sites for you.
www.newbiedriver.com
www.truckcrash.com
www.bigcitydriver.com
Use GOOGLE, type in PIONEER SQUARE PERGOLA LEVELED BY TRUCK. Story of driver in seattle making right turn and knocking down a historic landmark. Three and a half million dollar accident. Seattle just finished rebuilding the pergola. Created work jobs for somebody to rebuild it.
Right turn, not sure by looking in mirrors, then stop in turn set brakes, roll down right window look out window, or you could be looking at a million dollar accident.
Print out copy of seattle pergola accident carry it in your truck.
Backing i was lucky, listened to experienced drivers advice when i got stuck in the beginning.

Answer:
Actually there are some turns that are designed for the tight right hand turn. The button hook is the one most schools teach. It's done by staying as far left as possible but in your lane. You pull forward past the point where you want to end up or turn into then swing the front end to the right watching you mirrors. As soon as you've cleared the trailer axles you bring the tractor into the right hand lane. It actually works very well but you'll nbeed to see it and do it to really know how it's done.
As far as backing in a 45 in traffic. It's called cajonas or something like that. When you get an opening you hit the flashers and make the moves. Not meaning to be smart but sometimes blocking traffic is fun. they deserve it. Sometimes you do what you have to do. Learning to not stress it and to just do it is part of getting experience.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:
Story of driver in seattle making right turn and knocking down a historic landmark. Three and a half million dollar accident. Seattle just finished rebuilding the pergola
I live in Seattle -- it was all over the news --- live pictures of the U.S, Express driver sitting in his cab talking on his cell phone and filling-out paperwork. He turned left onto 1st Avenue at the southeast corner of the pergola, in the wee hours of the morning. He was looking for a south Seattle adress in the industrial district, got mixed-up or something and headed downtown instead. There's plenty of sidewalk to ride over there, but he didn't look up to check his clearance. The antique pergola's glass roof hangs out over the antique pillars that hold-up the 100+ year old relic that's second only to the Space Needle as Seattle architectural's icon.
The sound of breaking glass must have been deafening.....poor guy.
It would have been cheaper for U.S if he'd just crippled a pedestrian....

Answer:
The only way you learn to back up is to back up.
Rule number one when you get out there on your own and you're backing in someplace: turn the CB off! You will get more guff than help from your fellow drivers.
Rule number two through 1,999: GET OUT AND LOOK!
You will get aggravated and frustrated. Stop, take a breather, and try again.
99% of backing is to set up properly in the first place. The real way to learn to set up is to do it many many times.
Even with all my experience, I still have trouble now and then. It happens to everyone. Most of the time, it is an easy hole to hit and I get over-confident.
Just stay calm and do not ever get in a hurry. That is when you will crunch your truck or those around you.
In your training, take every opportunity to back up you can get.
City driving and turning: WATCH YOUR MIRRORS!! Lean forward and check your blind spots. Keep your head on a swivel while also watching in front. Four wheelers (and trucks) do incredibly stupid things in heavy traffic.
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." pogo

Answer:
After running 'local' in L.A. for so many years I can give you a few tips on cornering and backing.
If you got to make a turn best thing to do is eyeball the area near the corner, look for pedestrians, fire hydrants, traffic controls & light poles. As you begin to enter the intersection be sure to maxumize your turning space, in other words...as wide as possible but at the same time keeping the last axle of your trailer close to the curb. You'll get used to it. After a couple of months of city driving you'll become aware of what you truck can do & cannot do.
As for 45 degree backing and straight backing. Be very cautious when backing, I used to back into allys in Downtown L.A. at 8:00am in the morning. Backing off the street is not a problem. The problem is while you're backing, pedestrians keep walking behind your trailer, cars & city buses keep passing in front of you, people are honking. It can become a little maddning, best thing to do is keep your cool, when the pressures on, you must ignore all negitivity honking, yelling or whatever one may hear out there. Pay attention to whats behind you, where you trailer is going. And the biggest one of all.....watch the last tire on your trailer, thats your guide. Wherever your trailer tire goes, thats the direction the whole truck will follow in.
Good luck.

Answer:
What happens in times when you are in heavy traffic and need to make a right turn. Do you wait as long as you have to to get a slow of traffic and if you have to turn wide right to make a turn in a downtown setting how can (if you need to) turn into oncomming traffic lane (before starting the turn right)to make the wide turn if traffic is heavy or would you just go straight ahead and try another intersection? Also, What happens if there are multiple turning lanes on your side of the road (you know what I mean. Example LEFT TURN lane, LEFT TURN Or STRAIGHT lane and RIGHT TURN or STRAIGHT lane) How would you make the turn then, if there cars next to you and you can't turn wide?
Also, Would you use the same methiods for backing in heavy traffic and how about a 2 lane street with cars on both sides?
Sorry guys for asking all this but, I'm really confused how drivers do it in tight settings in the city and I don't think driving school will give me enough time to master "City Driving" like I would want them to but, I know its so many hours of drive time with them? I Really Hope I'm not being a pain in the azz, I just don't want any problems in though situations that might cost me my job. Hope you guys can help me out. I know it takes time and practice....

Answer:
The school I just finished was 8 weeks long so there was plenty of turning opportunities although the traffic in this area was not all that heavy.
For one thing, consider the whole picture as you approach your turn and stage your approach accordingly. The street your turning from; the street your turning to; the potential hazards surrounding in or near the boundaries of your turn and the apparent awareness (or inattention) of other drivers.
In some cases setting the steer tires as close to the left side of the right lane is sufficient before entering the intersection. But there may be an occasion when you have to wait for the traffic to clear and then claim your space and cross the tractor over the left line limits of your lane in order to get the room within the intersection to swing the tractor out and around to the right and clear the trailer of the curb or other hazard. (GEEZE this sounds easier than I experience it to be) Yes every turn is different and heavy traffic complicates things but keeping cool and collected so one can think clearly is probably the hardest discipline for a newbie.
Good luck in school. Get all the experience you can while there.
I plan where I'm going
'Cause I know where I've been.

Answer:
For someone who's just completed truck school, you sure sound like a pro. Keep up that good attitude and you'll do fine.
(from the other post: Drivers are not "persons". They're replacable parts, that get replaced when necesary, just like everything else they install on their trucks. Any company that tells you diffrent is lying. Drivers nod their heads and say "great, sounds like the kidn of place I'd like to work...", but don't believe a word of it. This is a VERY rough business, especially now.)

Answer:
I still have a LOT of learning to do. Especially in the area of developing my calm under pressure.
Eight weeks was BARELY long enough for me. Don't know haw folks are able to get turned loose with 3-4 weeks w/o becoming a hazard to themselves and others
I plan where I'm going
'Cause I know where I've been.

Answer:
They stay calm. And you KNOW that, so you're way ahead of some folks. Now all you have to do is "make it so"....... ...and that's what we ALL struggle with every day.

Answer:
you wait for a break,you wait for a nice person that understands you gotta do what you gotta do
you take control of one lane at a time and than grab another one as it becomes available,you pisss people off,you do what you gotte do.
if you run into a moron that blocks your path on purpose and than insists you back up,just tell them that you ain't backing up and will go take a nap in your sleeper if they don't get out of the way or that you will just disconnect from the trailer and they can look at the thing all day if they want,your leaving.
The back dock where I work is a nightmare,I just wait for a break in oncoming traffic and swing over onto the left side of the road,I now control that lane and uncoming traffic has to stop or run head on into a parked truck,than when traffic coming around me has an opening,I shove the sucker in reverse and take control of that lane.
The look on ones guys face when he came around the corner and saw me sitting there was he wanted to kill me,than when I finally got out of his way the RR crossing gates next to our driveway dropped down in front of him,he just punched his steering wheel and I could see his lips a moving,just wasn't the guys day
Anyone blows horn,makes for 2 pullups
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"I ain't paying somebody to work"
Would sooner work and complain about not getting paid for it.