Your longest back

[Packmule]

So, in the spirit of avoiding backing, what would you estimate was the longest back you ever made?
For me, I'm guessing half a mile. Wintertime, started in on a dry gravel road. Once I got back under the trees, it turned to solid ice. One side of the road was a steep bank uphill. The other side a sharp drop off down into the creek 30 feet below. One lane winding road. Two feet of snow all around. One half hour of daylight left.
Take no chances! Back out nice and slow and steady.

 

[soberups]

I had to back about a mile and a half out of a driveway once, a tree had blown down and blocked the road. The fire department in my area requires private driveways of this length to have turnouts every 1/4 mile for fire trucks, but the owner of the property had broken down cars parked in every one of his.

 

[govols019]

Just a hair over one mile...flooded one lane road with no turn around spots.

 

[Packmule]

Gotta watch those blown down trees. Last winter about drove into one at just above windshield level off a hillside. I was looking down into the trees for deer and almost slammed into it. 4 wheel skid there!

 

[superballs63]

I've done a good few (almost) 1/4 mile backs. One of the routes I cover is a wealthy area, where you can't see any houses from the street and most have inadequate turnaround space. Take no chances, I back all the way to the house. Jusy hope nobody comes flying around the corner

 

[Indecisi0n]

3 king size bed lengths.

 

[TooTechie]

I had to back about a mile and a half out of a driveway once, a tree had blown down and blocked the road. The fire department in my area requires private driveways of this length to have turnouts every 1/4 mile for fire trucks, but the owner of the property had broken down cars parked in every one of his.

About 3/4 of a mile. Long long driveway in the woods that has multiple places at the end to turn around. I got all the way out there and they were having some construction being done at the same time as they were having a party. There were about 15 cars and 3 big trucks there. Annnnd, back we go.

 

[WorknLateHuh]

tomorrow i'm going to break the record with sandwich in hand.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

About a mile and the driveway seemed like it was never straight for more than 20 yards. There was a car loop in front of the house but it was blocked and a heavy rain storm the night before made backing up in the yard not an option.

 

[Harey73]

Winter in New England a few years ago. Overnight we got almost 3 feet of snow. The roads are a mess and anything that isnt a main road has had a single pass from the plows and are barely one lane. My first next day is a sig req pkg in a tight little area with only a couple ways in and out. I get to the house and of course the snow bank is 4 feet high with 3 feet of snow up to the door so I sheeted it EC as I didnt want to risk and injury climbing the loosely packed snow bank. As I drove around the next corner there was a tree down across the street. My only option from there was to back all the way out to the main street and it was probably a mile back.

Over the past 5 years or so we have had many snowy days like this where UPS insists we work and every other business in town is closed. We basically drive to our first business area which is always closed and kinda mess around until we are inevitably called in early.

 

[Brownslave688]

How in the hell do you people remember this?

I try to forget my day the second I clock out.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

How in the hell do you people remember this?

I try to forget my day the second I clock out.

Probably from the sup yelling at them for appearing on the back report.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Probably from the sup yelling at them for appearing on the back report.

Most of these stories are from the "pre-Telematics" era.

 

[Wally]

Anything over a few hundred feet in my book isn't a back, it's reverse driving.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Anything over a few hundred feet in my book isn't a back, it's reverse driving.

I take it you have never run a rural route.

 

[Wally]

I take it you have never run a rural route.

Oh sure I have. That's why I call it reverse driving.

Typically, I do it when worried about snow. Back up the grade so you can always go down.

 

[mjjlohn]

About 2 miles, fenced on both sides narrow farm road, backed up right to their front door and dropped off a pair of gun
cases.

 

[barnyard]

I had one that was 3/4 of a mile or so. I was following a plow grader and when we got to the crossing road, it was drifted closed with 8 foot drifts over 100 yards long on either side of the intersection. I backed to the crossroads behind me.

Seems like every winter there is a road that looks good till it does not and backing out is the best option.

 

[Covemastah]

tomorrow i'm going to break the record with sandwich in hand.

You should go intah feedahs !!

 

[DOK]

Most of these stories are from the "pre-Telematics" era.

For sure, we're forbidden backing more than 30' at any stop, period.