Test some truckers for sleep apnea based on BMI

It's a joke. I'm your height (5'11") at 210. My natural weight is about 170. Even tho I impress at the gym; I couldn't hold a candle to your Vo2max abilities, so technically, you're in better shape than me. (powerlifters dont' like cardio, man!)
But I'll share this for you and Diesel: an old diabetic friend of mine told me to start looking around a while back and notice all the really old people you see. I did, and you know what? There are plenty of thin very old people around. Rather rare the other way.
Now is when the fools chime in and say "Well, I don't wanna get that old" or "You only live once"...but I'd rather not live with diabetes, hypoglycemia, disrespect from many, and die early of heart or liver failure.
Now is when someone mentions Bruce Lee or someone like that. Hey, it happens. But stats don't lie, and they say I should get a normal lifespan at least.
It's easy to say you don't wanna get old until it's time to go.

 

I had no idea Prime had such strict requirements. I'm a 400 pound guy so I guess they'd rule me out. I've been this way for ten years. My grandfather is 70 years old, and is a little bigger than I am, and he still climbs in and out of an International cabover every day. I was reasonably thin, around 220 pounds, I'm 6'1", until I started trucking. I also quit smoking around that time, so I'm not sure which one triggered the weight gain, maybe a combination of the two. I know I need to do something about it. I applied at ABF about 2 years ago, I think they were offering 57 cents a mile. When I walked into the terminal manager's office I knew even before I sat down I wasn't going to get the job, just by the way he eyeballed me. Anyhow, I start Nutrisystem next week. I bought a month's worth of the stuff. Someone told me it doesn't have to be refrigerated, which sounds perfect for me. I hope it works.

 

If you can pass a DOT physical who gives a rats ### who is fat and who isnt? I dint see them telling fatties that they cant drive thrir cars...WTF. Its time to move to New Zealand.

 

I have alot to say regarding this, but will keep it short. The following is based on opinions:

In the past before heavy regulations, many drivers were pushing themselves harder and harder each day in order to make a living. (Running multiple logs, etc.) As a result, when tired drivers should have stopped to take a nap, they instead were taking supplements and sometimes illegal drugs (speed, meth) to keep themselves awake. A recipe for disaster, supplements, drugs, and lack of sleep only made the situation worse as the remedy for driver fatigue is:......................sleep (duh). Skinny-short-fat-tall...doesn't matter. When you are tired, sleep.

Lack of sleep + falling asleep behind the wheel = lots of accidents, and many fatalities. So, some skinny self-righteous genius somewhere figured that "Hey, fat people snore. Fat people must have sleep apnea thus interrupting their sleep blah blah blah..." without taking into account that many drivers were cheating their logs and taking drugs or indulging in lots of caffeine in order to keep the truck running and the bills paid.

So, the simple solution according to the government is that fat people don't sleep well and cause wrecks on the highway. End of story. Collect paycheck, go home, and start the workday to propose more bogus legislation. Believing everything that comes from whoever made this garbage up, the FMCSA is now targeting fat people without any extra research regarding obesity, sleep apnea, and personal driving records. Let's just jump on the idiot bandwagon and have legislation proposed that states that if your BMI is not within a specific range, then you will be medically disqualified and not able to drive.

I really have more to say, but here is my final statement: Kicking fat people off of the road from a SEDENTARY JOB is like curing a chronic migraine by blowing your head off with a shotgun. Doesn't matter how much you work out, or how healthy you eat. You will spend MORE TIME SITTING behind the wheel than working out, especially for a job that pays by the mile and not by the hour. Not all fat people snore, or get tired easily. I'm speaking from experience. (255 lbs).

Coming up next from the good 'ol boys in congress: Trucks that are powered by a mechanism similar to a bicycle.

 

Neither. You went sedentary (trucking) and did not adjust your caloric intake, plus probably increased it by replacing smoking with food.
The old rule of calories in/calories out still stands. Quitting smoking is best done by replacing with exercise of some sort - for the sedentary, that would be started out by just walking. I actually LOST weight when I quit smoking because I started jogging a little. (as I wasn't sedentary; walking would do nothing for me)

 

I think being a fat sedentary congressman is far more dangerous than a fat truck driver. I also think that my fat ### can kick the #### out of any congressman. If they pass this legislation mark my words<threat of violence removed>. New Zealand here I come.

 

Boy, you have alot to learn.

They will not be the ones responsible for the law. I suggest you might want to spend some time and learn who will be.

 

Hey Don, mabe your CPAP pressure needs to be raised, you dont need another sleep study for that, just explain to our Doc, mabe they can adjust.

 

BTDT. All it did was make it harder for the mask to seal. Going back to him in a few weeks to see what he says.

Oh, as far as my statement about thinking about getting back into trucking, that is just a pipe dream, (sometimes a nightmare,) that is just not going to happen. To #### many other old man problems. . .

 

Some of you may have heard this today on RoadDog, but FMCSA has voted to study the sleep apnea situation and is siding with the government to require all 'high risk' drivers to be tested. High risk includes BMI as indicated by neck size, height/weight ratio.
The government is determined to get this criteria included in issuing medical cards.
Altho present studies don't show sleep apnea as a contributor to accidents or injuries, the government is determined to push ahead with the largest funded study ever.