Driving In New York

Mr. Positive (Brett) - Great, just when I thought I mustered up some courage towards driving in NY, you had to write that long, descriptive dissertation of DOOM. Hoping I don't have to venture into trucking hell, but if I do, I'll make the best of it. I feel a panic attack coming on...

The thing I always used to remind myself to help keep calm is that ultimately there is only one thing that truly matters in the end - one golden rule - don't hit anything. That's it. If you're late, if you get lost, if you wander in circles for an hour - no harm done in the end. It will quickly be forgotten as if it never happened, as long as you don't hit anything. And that's not that hard as long as you maintain your composure and take your time.

I hope you know I was just laying on the sarcasm ;) But I do appreciate the final word of encouragement of just making sure not to hit anything.

Oh yeah - I knew you didn't mean anything by it. You know I always try to take a positive approach to everything while being brutally honest at the same time. In this case, to be brutally honest, driving a rig in NYC is awful. There's just no sugar coating it. I guess you could say if you want the greatest challenges and the broadest range of experiences trucking has to offer then NYC is an absolute must. Probably very near the top of your bucket list. And I'll say this - the first time I ever went into NYC I pretty much had everything go wrong that could go wrong except hitting something. And when I came back out across that George Washington bridge it was truly one of the most triumphant feelings of my life. I'll never forget looking back over my shoulder at Manhattan thinking, "OMG I DID IT!!! But by the grace of God I hope I never, ever, ever have to do that again!!!

But I did. Still didn't hit anything though!

Actually, here's the story of My first time in NYC. I was only 21 years old and had only been driving for a few months. That story seems to be everyone's favorite from my book.

I grew up in Brooklyn Brett. I am highly offended by your comments in this thread! lol. DON'T go into Brooklyn? Bronx? Queens? Really... c'mon man Manhattan is just filled with the stuff you've seen in the movies. Brooklyn and Queens is where the action is at. Best food, best bars, friendly (and not-so-friendly) neighborhoods, way more exciting than Manhattan.

Driving here is horrible though. It's 2014 and we don't have flying cars or jetpacks yet... highly disappointing!

Oh no question if you're from those Burroughs and you know the people, you know the culture....absolutely! If you said, "Hey man....come on down for a visit sometime and I'll show ya what Brooklyn is all about" I'd be all for it! But for someone from Salina, Kansas or St Joe, Missouri to say, "Hey, I'd love to go to NYC. I love that song "Angel Of Harlem" by U2. It was about a jazz singer from Harlem. We should go there and check out some jazz clubs!"

Oh no you shouldn't!!!!

....or

"Hey, Mike Tyson is from Brooklyn and I've heard the gym he trained at is still runnin. We should go visit it! Wouldn't that be cool???"

ummmm.........NO....it probably wouldn't!

There are some places you don't just wander into as a newbie with wide eyes all excited by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood movies or the cool song lyrics of your favorite band. I watched 30 for 30 yesterday on ESPN about Big East Basketball and they were talkin about when Ed Pinckney from the Bronx wanted to show his buddies how good Chris Mullin was who is from Brooklyn. Mullin didn't just stroll on down to the Bronx for a pickup game. Ed Pinckney met him on the way, escorted him in, and introduced him to everyone. If a 6' 6" dude from Brooklyn doesn't want to go wandering into the Bronx for a basketball game, I don't think some dude and his buddies from Omaha, Nebraska should go wandering in there either, ya know what I mean????

But every city is like that. If you go to New Orleans the French Quarter is awesome!!!! But if you wander two blocks in any direction out of the French Quarter you might not ever come back. Las Vegas is nothing but glitz and glamour and there is nothing on Earth like the main strip. But wander a few blocks in the wrong direction and it looks like "Night Of The Living Dead" all of a sudden. It gets sketchy in a hurry!!

That's all I'm sayin....

Lol yeah I know. Was just funny to read your post because I grew up in NYC.

Great. I just checked a box about 5 hours ago indicating my willingness to do NYC. And I'm a complete rookie and Brett the super trucker extraordinaire won't even go there. Hopefully PTL has enough sense to not Actually send me there.

Great. I just checked a box about 5 hours ago indicating my willingness to do NYC. And I'm a complete rookie and Brett the super trucker extraordinaire won't even go there. Hopefully PTL has enough sense to not Actually send me there.

It took my first company 11 1/2 months before they finally sent me to NYC. It's just luck of the draw.

Ooook Brett...couldn't help laughing at some of the experiences you went through (not coz they were funny) its the way you described them. I live in Jersey City (4 years now). Before that I lived in Long Island for 2 years, and 5 years in Queens. I suppose looking at it from a trucker's view its not easy driving in NY. I now get it. Thanks y'all..

I suppose looking at it from a trucker's view its not easy driving in NY

You suppose???? From a trucker's view??? So you're saying there's a view that can be had from somewhere in the world where driving in NYC is easy? You must be talking about the view from the couch, the back seat of a cab, or through some magical Disney windshield or somethin. Because I've been through New York in various types of vehicles and I couldn't find the "easy button" on any of em.

And what's the 2nd toughest city in the country to drive through? This is more up for debate but I would vote Pittsburgh. There are three rivers that converge in the middle of the mountains, creating the need for a maze of steep hills, tight streets, and bridges going in every which direction, many of which are restricted to trucks, that are a nightmare to navigate.

And when I say tough I don't mean just the volume of traffic. I mean obstacles to avoid, streets to navigate, and directions to follow.

And what city became much easier to navigate over the years? Almost none of em of course. But interestingly enough, Chicago used to have so many low bridges that the list in the back of the Rand McNally used to span like 3 columns. They've eliminated most of them and there are far fewer trailers getting "buzz cuts" nowadays than there used to be.

Another thing the newbies have to keep in mind - back in the day we had to do all of this without cell phones, GPS systems, Qualcomm , or highly accurate maps you could follow while driving. We had a pen & paper to write down directions and a calling card so we could stop at a payphone and call for directions if we got lost. Ever try to park a 70 foot rig in the middle of a maze of low bridges in downtown Chicago to get out and find a payphone because the directions they gave you were wrong? You certainly haven't. And I hope you never do.

Try unplugging all of the wonderful electronic navigation and communication devices you have around you and take a 3-stop load through Queens and The Bronx with directions given to you by someone who has never owned or driven a vehicle and barely speaks English. Then of course find a place to park it, walk to a pay phone, try to explain where you're at, and find your way back to where you're supposed to be when the directions were inevitably wrong. And don't forget to smile and wave to no less than half a dozen people who have literally been screaming at you, "Get that piece of sh*t out of the way you f*ckin *sshole! Are you f*ckin stupid????" the whole time you're waiting on the payphone and praying they find someone in the building who speaks English and knows how to get there from more than two blocks away. Oh, and when you're finally back on your way and you discover they took you to a low bridge, try backing out from under that bridge up a hill at 10:00 a.m. on a Monday with traffic screaming by you in all directions.

And did I mention I was 21 years old with a grand total of 3 months of OTR experience at the time?

But by the grace of God I never hit anything and the loads got delivered and picked up properly! In the end, that was the only thing that mattered. And here we are 20 years later and it's still the only thing that matters.

Brett, I know you were not trying to be funny but your story was hilarious. I live in Jersey City, was in Queens and Long Island for 7 yrs. Guess I now have to look at driving in NY from a trucker's point of view. Thanks again for your replies.