I Feel So Dumb

After a nice run to calexico, I get a short load to take. So whatever I'll take it, I say, but then it ends up being a load to Mexico so they cancel it. This leads to me re dropping the trailer. I forgot one thing however, I didn't remove the trailer lines.. so I pull forward and I ripped the glad hands and electrical line right off. I feel so stupid right now.

Ouch. That hurts. Learn from it. As Errol might say, "You will now be the expert in how to unhook a trailer."

I will make you feel better. On my first 34 hr reset I was at truck stop getting ready to head out. Started truck and released brakes(apparently) and the went into sleeper for something. Truck slowly rolled prob 300 feet into field luckily not hitting a damn thing. As I was leaving about 20 plus truckers were coming out of there trucks w a round of wonderful sarcastic applause. Thank god I left CB off. And this ladies and gentlemen is the first time this gem of a story has been released to the public right here live on trucking truth.

I will make you feel better. On my first 34 hr reset I was at truck stop getting ready to head out. Started truck and released brakes(apparently) and the went into sleeper for something. Truck slowly rolled prob 300 feet into field luckily not hitting a damn thing. As I was leaving about 20 plus truckers were coming out of there trucks w a round of wonderful sarcastic applause. Thank god I left CB off. And this ladies and gentlemen is the first time this gem of a story has been released to the public right here live on trucking truth.

Damn man. Nothing like a bone head move. Just part of being a rookie. Have to work on relaxing when things go wrong. I should know better now. Reminds me of a yard dog that didn't hook the air line and drag the trailer 10 feet haha. Live and learn.

Hey listen, everyone makes mistakes. If you pull a trailer long enough at some point you'll forget to connect or disconnect the lines. I've done it and I dare say pretty much everyone with any significant experience has done it. The most important thing is that you didn't make a big mistake, just a little one. You can live with it, your company can live with it, and everyone can move on just fine. No big deal.

Have to work on relaxing when things go wrong.

When you said this did you mean that you were angry about the situation with the Mexican load and let that distract you? I was thinking this might have been the case when you said things didn't work out with that load and then you made a mistake. That happens quite a bit out there. Something small goes wrong which aggravates you but then that distraction leads to bigger and bigger mistakes. It can be a terrible downward spiral.

In fact, many times when you talk to drivers about big mistakes they've made they will often begin the story earlier in the day or earlier in the week when something small went wrong causing them to get aggravated with things. Then it gets worse and worse until finally they make a monumental mistake.

Keeping your cool is a very big deal out there. The thing is, as the hours go by we all become mentally fatigued. We may not notice it in our driving most of the time, but our reactions become slower, our alertness starts to waver, and we become distracted more easily. If you allow yourself to get emotional when things go really well or really poorly you're fatiguing your mind at an accelerated pace.

So focus on keeping an even keel emotionally. You're going to catch some good breaks and some bad breaks every day out there. Try to just relax and roll with it. You want to conserve that mental energy so you're as alert and as safe as possible as the hours go by and the day gets long.

Devan and Chris - thanks to both of you for sharing those mistakes. It takes great character to stand in front of everyone and admit to it and I can assure you people will be more aware of what they're doing because of it. But hey, rest assured that every driver out there has a list of embarrassing mistakes.

In fact, one time I spent about an hour under a trailer beating on the brakes with a hammer and heating up the air lines with a small butane torch to get the frozen brakes to release. Turned out I had hooked up the air lines up backward! DUH!!!! I hooked em up properly and drove away wanting to take that same hammer and beat myself over the head with it!

Devan confesses:

I didn't remove the trailer lines.. so I pull forward and I ripped the glad hands and electrical line right off.

Join the ol' club, Devan! I've done the breakaway three times, so far. You have to develop some kind of iron clad routine.

The best I've come up with is to always take care of the air lines (both hook-up and drop) right after you get out of the cab. Always. Then look again as you get back up to the driver's seat.

You can forget lifting the landing gear, and there's little damage, just done loud scraping. But popping the air lines? A few hours lost waiting for new ones (even if you install them yourself), and something for your witnesses to laugh at.

Sorry you made that mistake Devan--that sucks. I think sometimes we beat ourselves up a ton over the little things because they are so easy to avoid, but you gotta understand something:

We are under so much pressure out here to do things right and safely every single time, always be on time, never even so much as touch something with our truck or trailer, manage our bodies, mind, and entire schedule around very imperfect hours of service regulations, act professional at all times, and so on--it's no wonder so many people quit trucking after merely weeks and many others after a few months. Many of those who don't quit switch companies before their first year is up, and many many truck drivers exhibit lousy attitudes and unprofessionalism as part of their daily routine.

You're doing great man! Keep up the good work and just make a habit of walking around the vehicle two or three times before you leave. It works wonders.

And try to get some rest man. My guess is you're still worrying too much about your job and not just shutting the curtain and hitting the sack like you should be when you're done with the day. The trailer will still be there in the morning (or evening) when you wake up.

And Chris, hahahaha your story was hilarious

Sorry you made that mistake Devan--that sucks. I think sometimes we beat ourselves up a ton over the little things because they are so easy to avoid, but you gotta understand something:

We are under so much pressure out here to do things right and safely every single time, always be on time, never even so much as touch something with our truck or trailer, manage our bodies, mind, and entire schedule around very imperfect hours of service regulations, act professional at all times, and so on--it's no wonder so many people quit trucking after merely weeks and many others after a few months. Many of those who don't quit switch companies before their first year is up, and many many truck drivers exhibit lousy attitudes and unprofessionalism as part of their daily routine.

You're doing great man! Keep up the good work and just make a habit of walking around the vehicle two or three times before you leave. It works wonders.

And try to get some rest man. My guess is you're still worrying too much about your job and not just shutting the curtain and hitting the sack like you should be when you're done with the day. The trailer will still be there in the morning (or evening) when you wake up.

And Chris, hahahaha your story was hilarious

Definitely. Actually been sleeping better, but yes I do toss and turn thinking about my next move.

On road guy just chuckled and said it happens everyday. Ready to get home for so much needed hometime.

And lastly my mentor told me his current student took off with the fuel hose at the Atlanta terminal haha. Live and learn.

Hey Devon,...lots of good advice for preventing this. Early on during my first couple of months I helped a driver replace some broken hoses from a rip away. He was so upset that every time I drop a trailer, I think of that.

I do exactly what Errol suggested; a routine that's repeated several times per day for me. The only time I run the risk of forgetting is when I allow myself to feel rushed or stressed.

I've seen guys from 1 month experience to 20 years do it or as Errol mentioned forget the landing gear....It happens