You truck drivin people

[NA4BH]

I was traveling the Interstate today and saw an over-sized load with escort front and back. The front vehicle had the mast that checks for bridge and overpass height on it. The truck was not that far behind. My question is, what if the front vehicle finds a structure that is too low for the load, what do they do? This truck had already passed the last interchange (by a mile or two) and the median (or medium as you hear quite often ) was such that he could not drive through it to reverse route.

Does the load become a new tourist attraction where it sits, or does the driver hope his back up skills are perfect?

[NQ6U]

If the pilot car driver has done his homework properly, he already knew of any impaired vertical clearances before they even started the trip. The mast is just sort of a double-check, looking for something that wasn't previously noted, low-hanging wires being the most common thing encountered. And although it's a less than ideal situation, any truck driver worth his salt can easily back up a trailer for a mile or two if necessary.

[N2CHX]

any truck driver worth his salt can easily back up a trailer for a mile or two if necessary.

And this, my friends, is why I don't drive a truck for a living.

[KG4CGC]

what if the front vehicle finds a structure that is too low for the load, what do they do?

Depending on how much clearance they need, the first order of business is to see if deflating the tires will get them through.

[NQ6U]

And this, my friends, is why I don't drive a truck for a living.

Kelli, if you're backing in a straight line, it's actually easier to back up a 53' semi-trailer than it is the type of trailer you might pull behind your car. They react to steering input much more slowly than something like a boat trailer so they aren't so likely to get you all crossed up.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

I have had to back a truck up nearly a mile. ;)
Sorry people but it comes with the job.

[N2CHX]

Kelli, if you're backing in a straight line, it's actually easier to back up a 53' semi-trailer than it is the type of trailer you might pull behind your car. They react to steering input much more slowly than something like a boat trailer so they aren't so likely to get you all crossed up.

Really? I didn't know that. I figured it would be much more difficult to back up a tractor-trailer. The very thought of it makes me cringe. I can back up a small trailer -- another thing my father taught me. One day I was parked behind a store, getting boxes from a cardboard dumpster for moving. This truck pulled up and was trying to back up to the loading dock. He must have been inexperienced because he backed up and pulled forward for -- I swear -- like 10 minutes trying to line the truck up. After seeing that I figured it must be next to impossible to back one of those things up and make it go the way you want it.

[N2CHX]

Hello.

I have had to back a truck up nearly a mile. ;)
Sorry people but it comes with the job.

Oh Rudy >swoon<

[NQ6U]

Really? I didn't know that. I figured it would be much more difficult to back up a tractor-trailer. The very thought of it makes me cringe. I can back up a small trailer -- another thing my father taught me. One day I was parked behind a store, getting boxes from a cardboard dumpster for moving. This truck pulled up and was trying to back up to the loading dock. He must have been inexperienced because he backed up and pulled forward for -- I swear -- like 10 minutes trying to line the truck up. After seeing that I figured it must be next to impossible to back one of those things up and make it go the way you want it.

Backing into a dock is a whole different kettle of fish. Depending on how it's set up, that can be a real bitch. I've had a few where it took me ten or more tries to hit the door properly, especially if it required blind-side backing or there was limited pull-up space in front of the dock.

[N2CHX]

Backing into a dock is a whole different kettle of fish. Depending on how it's set up, that can be a real bitch. I've had a few where it took me ten or more tries to hit the door properly, especially if where required blind-side backing or there was limited pull-up space in front of the dock.

Well, shows you how much I know about trucks (not much). I've had (and have) truck driver friends, but never even rode in one much less tried to drive one. Ice Road Truckers is an interesting show though.