If you’ve ever driven on the highway, you’ve most likely noticed a semi-truck or two. They’re not hard to miss with their enormous size and multiple car lengths that they occupy. It’s important that you know how to properly share the road with them. Safe driving is not only the best driving, it’s the only type of driving you should undertake. While most truck drivers are experienced and possess the necessary reaction time, the space in between a mistake and the proper action to correct it are very slim. Obeying the proper rules of the road is of the highest importance.

Give Them Space

Keeping a safe distance is very important when you’re on the road. It’s always a good idea to allow twice or three times the space you would normally allow another car. A good indication of safety is the mirrors on the side of a semi-truck. If you can’t see the driver, then he can’t see you. Traveling in a truck’s blind spot is dangerous and should never be done.

Don’t Pass up on Passing Protocol

It might have been a while since you last took a driving education course. Sometimes the rules and procedures get lost to memory. No matter, utilizing the SMOG system will allow you to remember what to do.

• Signal
• Mirrors
• Over your shoulder (take a glance)
• Go when it’s safe, and only then.

While most new cars come with driver assistance technology, they don’t cover up for human error. A semi-truck cannot stop on a dime, as a matter of fact, it can take up to 300 feet of space for a truck to come to a complete stop. This means that allowing trucks their necessary space and only passing when you have the clearance is very important. Arriving at your destination late might be frustrating, but arriving there safely and in one piece is what matters.

Waiting on Their Turn

Because of their enormous size, trucks need a lot of space to properly execute a turn. Drivers cannot see directly behind them when this is happening, so don’t try to cheat fate and squeeze by one when they’re turning. Your life is not worth tempting the odds.

The Truck Junction—The Necessary Function

If you’re in the Sarasota area and need a new truck, allow the experts at The Truck Junction to serve you. For inventory, sales, and even the chance to sell your truck on consignment, visit us at www.truckjunction.com. You can find us located at 4791 Clark Road in Sarasota!

Do you know how to parallel park your car? It’s a serious question because not everybody can do it, and that can be a huge stumbling block if you need to take a parking spot in a crowded city street.

So, let’s look at these tips that will help you parallel park like a pro. There are 4 basic steps:

Find The Best Possible Spot

Begin by locating the best possible spot. If you can avoid it, don’t choose that parallel space where another vehicle is already encroaching upon it (double-parked). If you find a spot that is 1 ½ times the length of the car, that will provide enough wiggle room to maneuver. Your start position is going to be next to the car you intend to park behind (get about three feet to their left side).

Get Your Car in Reverse

Sit up straight when you do this because you’ll need to be aware of other moving vehicles and pedestrians around you. Reverse your vehicle until your middle is aligned with the other car’s rear bumper.

Move Toward The Curb

Now comes the trickier part. You want to take a sharp 45-degree cut into the intended parking spot. Keep an eye on the car that will be behind you. Do this until you can see the other car’s headlights appear in the driver’s side mirror. You should now be mostly parked between the two cars.

Get It Nice And Straight

Finally, it’s time for finishing adjustments. You must make sure you are close enough to the curb. How close? If you’re within 12 to 18 inches of it, you should be fine in most states. Proceed slowly when doing this. You can allow your rear-right tire to tap the curb a little, and then straighten out your front tires from there. Done properly, you’ll have a small amount of room in front of you for that adjustment.

Since it might be a little hard to conceptualize the whole process from text, feel free to check out this video version of these instructions.

That’s just about it. The Truck Junction just wanted to help you with that because there is no reason to be intimidated by the prospect of parallel parking. We market the nicest used cars in the Sarasota area and we know you don’t want to damage them with a poor park job. If you find yourself needing a vehicle and want to shop with us, you can always check out our extensive inventory. Feel free to contact us with any questions at (941) 927-8785.