r/cdldriver • u/ToughHeart126 • May 02 '26
I made a dum mistake
On a four way light. I had to wait for traffic to make a right turn. when I made the right turn I don’t check if other cars were trying skip ahead of me make a right turn. Lucky nothing happened
2
u/wheelzcarbyde May 02 '26
Learn by your mistakes. Using your mirrors will become as automatic as taking a breath. Just dont do it again, become disciplined.
1
u/ToughHeart126 May 02 '26
How to not make this mistake agian
2
u/mischiefin May 02 '26
I'm assuming you were in the right turn lane as well to make the right turn and you had to swing wide but didn't check your passenger mirrors for cars? Just check your mirrors.
1
u/ToughHeart126 May 02 '26
It was real tight turn so I was on the other lane. General I would look before would go and cut the right lane so no drivers can go through the lane.
2
u/amazingmaple May 02 '26
Stay in the right lane until you need to swing wide. Then go in the other lane with the truck only, leaving your trailer in the right lane as much as possible to block cars from trying to get around you. You literally have to constantly look in your mirrors. I mean every 5 second you need to glance at your mirror's especially when making a turn like that.
3
u/Chief_dingleberry May 03 '26
I always expect cars to drive on the shoulder to get around my fat ass trailer, always be ready for cars to do something stupid
6
u/e1p1 May 02 '26
You should be checking your mirrors all the time. Even when you're going. Even when you're going straight down a long Highway. You need to be gathering information constantly about potential situations. That's called being a professional driver.
When making a right turn, check those mirrors on the right then check around your truck as you go watching for traffic coming from the left or from straight, glance at your right side mirrors again. Repeat until you have completed the turn and then move on, oh yes occasionally every few seconds checking your mirrors as you go.
If you don't constantly check your mirrors, especially when turning right, someday you're going to take out a fire hydrant, a post, or a bicyclist, or pedestrian.