Truck drivers as ballet stars

Truck drivers as ballet stars
03-Jun-05

Have you ever watched a ballet? I confess I've never seen one live, only portions on television. But, I'm sure that most truck drivers are really failed ballet stars. We are forced by Federal rules to take a 10 hour break after driving up to 11 hours, and I don't sleep 10 hours, so the rest of the time is spent eating, showering, computering (is that a word?), or just sitting around watching the sights in the parking lot. Most truckers prefer to back into a spot rather than pull in, and it's fun to watch the different techniques used. In a small lot with little traffic, it's all solo action. When you get into a larger lot with heavy traffic, there are always many trying to park at once--in different spots, of course. Each of them becomes a prima ballerina and it totally unchoreographed in relation to the other drivers. The most intriguing ones to watch are the ones with supreme self-confidence who make it seem so simple, and who can do it in one perfectly seamless motion with no corrections or repositioning pullups. The most fascinating to me are the ones who pull up and look at the spot, then immediately start making a large tight turn away from the spot. The tractor will at times make a 90 degree (or more) angle with the trailer, and you will only be able to see one side in your mirrors. They can position their trailer so that it's almost lined up for a "straight back" which is the simplest time. They will then, if there is enough forward room, straighten up the tractor and trailer and smoothly enter the empty space. There are other varieties of backing into a spot including the 45 and the 90, named for the angle of the trailer to the empty hole when the backing process begins. The 45 wasn't taught to me in driving school since it's not covered on my state's CDL test, but it's much simpler than the 90. There are times when the 90 is the only choice you have and is the most difficult one to do, but can be mastered with enough practice. But the simplest parking place to occupy is the "pull through" where there aren't two rows of tractors and attached trailers back to back between two traffic lanes. The pull through can be tricky if there isn't enough room to swing wide while lining up with it, but since it doesn't involve backing, it's the spot of choice for most truckers. As I was taught in school, the first rule of backing a large 70 foot combination vehicle is don't do it unless you have to!