Recently I needed to use my truck as a display for a function on behalf of Freightliner. I knew that the path into the facility where the event would be held in Hilton Head, SC was not a normal destination for a tractor trailer. Knowing this was not a normal route for a 53’ trailer I did my best due diligence in planning the final few miles. This process started with dialog between me and the event planners. The next step in this process was to talk to the management of the resort who then put me in touch with their security department.
On the day of my arrival I called security at the resort to make sure the place where I was to park the truck and trailer was open. At this point I was less than a mile from where I was to park. The security person said they would stay on the phone and guide me in. At this point I was following their step by step directions through the meandering roads which were surrounded by spectacular/expensive landscaping. As I continued through this breath-taking scenery the tree limbs continued to get lower and the road way continued to get narrower. I continued to ask security if this was the right way in and informed them again of overall dimensions.
Then I finally got to an intersection where I needed to make a right-hand turn to go through a culvert style tunnel which was much lower than the height of my truck and trailer. The height of the tunnel did not matter though as there was no way I could make the right-hand turn to get to the tunnel. At this point I told the security officer this was not going to work. The funny thing was where I needed to park was just on the other side of the tunnel. I put on my four-way flashers and got out to look and see how I could get turned around without rearranging any of the resorts landscaping.
In a stroke of good fortune several golfers came off of the course and offered to watch my blind spots as I turned around in this intersection. With their assistance I was able to accomplish this task in a much more expedient manner than could have been accomplished without assistance. After getting turned around I called back to the security office at the resort and they told me they should have brought me in the other way which turned out to be still tight but very doable.
In the end with a little assistance from people that interrupted their golf game to help me my mission was completed without incident. Sometimes your help comes from the least expected places.