My First Bad Rookie Story

Ok so lets talk about the things you did correctly:

- You decided not to make a U-turn in the middle of the night at the crest of a hill in an area you were unfamiliar with. - Once you realized proceeding further down the goat path was potentially career limiting, you stopped and called the Police. Right there is where many rookies get into a pickle. You stopped, checked your ego, and called the cops. - You backed your truck for about 1 contiguous mile in the dark, without breaking anything. Something I have never done and likely consistent with most drivers here. I will gladly live vicariously through your mid-night backing maneuver and purposely avoid that rodeo. - You didn't panic or attempt to back out and onto a public thoroughfare without the help of the authorities. - You learned from it and had the courage to share your story with us.

Deep breath fellow Swiftie...everyone makes mistakes. What matters most is how you recover from them. Although not pretty, you did your job. And the old cop who was flustered? He couldn't have been too upset otherwise he would have come up with a reason to cite you. He was probably ticked because you took him away from guarding the local Dunkin Donuts.

He was probably ticked because you took him away from guarding the local Dunkin Donuts.

BTW Nice job Paul getting yourself out of a jam.

Excellent reason for No U-turn right there! That and the traffic. It's like Russian Roulette, isn't it?

Yes that's a great analogy! Haha

Ok so lets talk about the things you did correctly:

- You decided not to make a U-turn in the middle of the night at the crest of a hill in an area you were unfamiliar with. - Once you realized proceeding further down the goat path was potentially career limiting, you stopped and called the Police. Right there is where many rookies get into a pickle. You stopped, checked your ego, and called the cops. - You backed your truck for about 1 contiguous mile in the dark, without breaking anything. Something I have never done and likely consistent with most drivers here. I will gladly live vicariously through your mid-night backing maneuver and purposely avoid that rodeo. - You didn't panic or attempt to back out and onto a public thoroughfare without the help of the authorities. - You learned from it and had the courage to share your story with us.

Deep breath fellow Swiftie...everyone makes mistakes. What matters most is how you recover from them. Although not pretty, you did your job. And the old cop who was flustered? He couldn't have been too upset otherwise he would have come up with a reason to cite you. He was probably ticked because you took him away from guarding the local Dunkin Donuts.

Thanks G-town! I guess I did more correctly than I originally realized. My main blunder was that I went too far down the road before stopping. Once I was on the road, I think it was ok to at least check it out. It really looked like a decent dirt road at first.

Like Errol said, I think I'll be much more wary of turning down little highways from now on.

Funny thing is, this was not the first time I almost called the police on this trip. On the way to the receiver I passed through Tuskegee, AL. I was originally going to take US-29 southbound from I-85 (I was coming from the east), but in the end decided to take AL-81 southbound through Tuskegee down to US-29. It looked like it would be quicker, and it also happened to be the "fuel route" Swift gave me.

As it turns out, that route takes you through downtown Tuskegee, right past the college, and it's TIGHT. So tight I debated calling the police. I gave it my best shot and made it, but I still feel I should have been able to predict the problem better.

So perhaps I need to work on trip planning.

As it turns out, that route takes you through downtown Tuskegee, right past the college, and it's TIGHT. So tight I debated calling the police. I gave it my best shot and made it, but I still feel I should have been able to predict the problem better.

Funny you should mention this...give me a 90 degree, blind-side offset back any day of the week over driving through narrow college town, tree-lined streets, with parked cars on both sides, on a Friday night at 10PM during the peak of party-time. Always a H*** S*** moment. I throw every light available onto the road, including high beams, fog lamps,4-ways, and utility lights. There are Walmart's in the heart of East Stroudsburg PA, Bloomsburg PA and Princeton NJ...all old college towns with lots of pubs, clubs, and bistros.

My favorite incident (early last spring) was when a carload of freshman directly in front of me stopped in the middle of the street and began to backup into a parallel parking spot that I was now blocking. Of course they never used their turn signal, just stopped. One of the male-kiddies got out of the car and demanded that I throw the beast in reverse because I was blocking their spot. Clearly flexing his Budweiser Brawn for the ladies witnessing his "lordship" belittle the peasant truck driver. I said , "fine, I will gladly call the Police to assist me with that. Would you like to sit for an hour in Daddy's Bimmer while we all wait for them to arrive? I got all night,... your call Son." The young man got back into his car taunting me, threatening to call Walmart and drove off. The small crowd that gathered was laughing at him...such entertainment. Little did he know, I had a camera video on him the entire time. Wish I had not erased it...

Happy that school has let out for the year,...'nuff said...!

As it turns out, that route takes you through downtown Tuskegee, right past the college, and it's TIGHT. So tight I debated calling the police. I gave it my best shot and made it, but I still feel I should have been able to predict the problem better.

Funny you should mention this...give me a 90 degree, blind-side offset back any day of the week over driving through narrow college town, tree-lined streets, with parked cars on both sides, on a Friday night at 10PM during the peak of party-time. Always a H*** S*** moment. I throw every light available onto the road, including high beams, fog lamps,4-ways, and utility lights. There are Walmart's in the heart of East Stroudsburg PA, Bloomsburg PA and Princeton NJ...all old college towns with lots of pubs, clubs, and bistros.

My favorite incident (early last spring) was when a carload of freshman directly in front of me stopped in the middle of the street and began to backup into a parallel parking spot that I was now blocking. Of course they never used their turn signal, just stopped. One of the male-kiddies got out of the car and demanded that I throw the beast in reverse because I was blocking their spot. Clearly flexing his Budweiser Brawn for the ladies witnessing his "lordship" belittle the peasant truck driver. I said , "fine, I will gladly call the Police to assist me with that. Would you like to sit for an hour in Daddy's Bimmer while we all wait for them to arrive? I got all night,... your call Son." The young man got back into his car taunting me, threatening to call Walmart and drove off. The small crowd that gathered was laughing at him...such entertainment. Little did he know, I had a camera video on him the entire time. Wish I had not erased it...

Happy that school has let out for the year,...'nuff said...!

"...Budweiser Brawn...", "...Daddy's Bimmer..." You've got me rolling!

My case wasn't nearly so bad--it was in broad daylight with little traffic. Just a left turn I didn't know if I could make without taking out a sign.

I think I'll take my police-assisted mile-long back through the woods over your college towns.

I've made so many u turns I can turn on a dime now. No one ever told me it was a no no... and both of my trainers made me do them when we got lost.

I drive at night with no traffic... make sure I'm really observant for lights.. and even where the shoulders widen. I've notice some places where other trucks did it and can see their tire marks in gravel. If I really need to... I try to do it at an intersection to give the widest room... but only if I can see all ways.

Hell.. I did a u turn on ft knox... across six lanes of traffic.... during the day with 55 mph cars. Just waited for right time and vision.

Most importantly don't hit anything and watch the clearance. . Stay on the pavement

I have had a few mega-blunders, with 2 call-the-cops assists, but Paul, YOU WIN!!

I have had a few mega-blunders, with 2 call-the-cops assists, but Paul, YOU WIN!!

I had one time where I was in New Hampshire and I missed the turn to get on the road to the interstate. I just kept going trying to find somewhere to turn around and ended up stopping in an intersection because it was a weight restricted road. I put on my hazards and got out to tell the cars behind me to go around until I could figure out what to do and one of the cars was actually a cop lol. He put on his lights and had me do a u turn right there. He didn't even know the road was posted with a weight restriction lol. So all turned out good there.