On Wednesday I was in a situation I was unsure how to get out of. I’d pulled in to a lane do a delivery, the lane was off the A12 at Woodbridge, in the 40mph zone. On turning into the lane, it quickly became obvious that not only was it tight getting in, but that I’d be unable to reach my drop, and I’d have to reverse out onto the A12. When it came to it, having reversed back, and taken a few moments to assess the situation, I’d need to shunt a couple of times to get straight before I could move off. My mate (who isn’t confident seeing me back at the best of times) was refusing to get out and help, and I know I myself wouldn’t be too happy walking out into a dual carriageway to stop traffic, so after weighing up the situation, and having persuaded my mate to at least stand on the verge and do something useful, I crept out slowly, hazards on, hoping (and extremely grateful to the van driver who stopped) I wouldn’t cause an accident. As it happened, people stopped, and disaster was averted, but it left me wondering if there was a better way I could have dealt with the situation? My supervisor was completely useless on the phone, when I called to ask for advice, so over to you lot. The only part I had a real issue with was the fact it is a dual carriageway. The vehicle in question is a 18t rigid.
Were you using a car sat nav in a truck?
The boss could have Google mapped the drop to see if the truck was wide enough.
If in doubt why did you not get out and walk to see if it was ok for the truck.
The drivers mate was correct in not stopping traffic and risk being run over.
A call to the police to help you stop traffic to reverse out which is illegal but you had no choice.
Hard to say without seeing the junction, but whenever I’ve had to reverse out onto a road I’ve always edged out very slightly so road users can see and act without obstructing the traffic. Admittedly if a drivers mate was useless that would have been half the problem.
Maybe next time turning in evaluate it and don’t rush yourself turning in. If you have any doubts, just keep going and look for an alternative route, if none go back and take another look. If I get in a pickle I check maps on my phone which usually shows a good idea of what the road can be like.
Get a new mate.
I would’ve pulled over and gone for a walk BEFORE I went up the lane! I did it the other day delivering to a college. Walked up the lane, saw that I could turn around, found the bloke i needed to do the drop and he put my mind at rest.
If it was as narrow as you say, you would’ve seen this on the walk. Then on seeing turning round was impossible I would’ve took the decision to reverse in OFF the main road!
Oh, and i suggest you educate your “mate” in the ways of waggons… OR get a new one!
B…
I would have taken the mate 200 yards up the A12 and pushed him into the traffic, then reversed out while the road was blocked 
Seriously though, in the situation you found yourself it sounds as if you did about the only thing you could do, but it would have been better to have checked the road before going into it, you can usually tell if a road is going to be tight.
Having said that, as has been said, without knowing the road it’s hard to give an objective opinion 
The road is Prentices Lane, on the A12 at Woodbridge. There was nowhere to stop (or not that I can remember) to enable me to have a look beforehand.
And yes I was following a car satnav, soon to be replaced with a proper lorry satnav.
And my mate was given the push on Friday,
Looks like there’s just enough room for a rigid to get in and out both those entries and exits. Presumably the corners were the problem, street view isn’t available for them but it looks like it might be too tight.
I’d have probably tried to reverse out and try and turn myself round a bit on those verges given there’s enough space to take the front out on the offside.
SuffolkLad:
And yes I was following a car satnav,
There’s a big clue here 
If the mate had stopped the traffic and caused an accident, who would have got the blame if someone was killed or injured.I thought it was only the Police that can stop traffic.Not having a go.Just thinking aloud which is allowed.
I would have used the safest option once in that situation - call cops and get them or HA to assist
As others have said, take a walk and look see.
That said it aint always possible and you can end up with a situation to sort out (as you discovered.
For me it would of depended on how busy the road was and what sort of speed stuff was moving at.
I did come face to face with an unsigned bridge that left me with a blind sider into a busy t junction, called the plod.
They arrived like the sweeney and had me on my way in no time.