Driving the speed limit... does anyone? - Page 4 - Truckers' Trucking Forum | Message Board

passingtrucker · **^ Top** #31 08.24.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by AfterShock

I don't understand how your milking the system for more money.....You have a higher paying union gig, but that isn't enough? ......Some might consider that a tad dishonest.Like maybe the customers who are paying 5% to 10% extra so you can enjoy a bigger paycheck.

It's called "perspective." When you arrive at the grocery distribution warehouse, and lumpers for illegal-alien Lumper, Inc. charge you $400 to unload your trailer, you naturally feel you're being exploited. These illegals strongly disagree. You hire their services, they earn $$$ to pay rent, buy groceries, then send what's left to loved ones in Mexico. It's neither fair nor morally right, but it's the nature of most grocery DCs.

You get cited for 10 miles over the speed limit, you pay a $700 fine, while 4-wheelers pay a $300 fine for the same violation. It's exploitation to raise $$ to fund government revenue needs; we both know its not right, but we're powerless to change this. Law enforcement will likely dispute your argument. All these trucking ads claim truckers make big $$$, which leaves to reason you can easily afford to pay more than what 4-wheelers are paying.

Finally, the grocery supermarket chain I pull for only operates in suburban white-collar neighborhoods, where the average household income is a minimum $80,000 annual gross, and most couples are 2-income households. When I look at all the late model SUVs, sports cars, and luxury cars of the shoppers who patronize our grocery chain, I have no doubt they can easily afford to pay the extra 5 to 10% in higher grocery bills. These are the same white-collar business owners who hire illegal aliens, turning California into "illegal alien sanctuary" capital of USA. The extra $$ they pay in higher grocery bills are $$ they've saved from hiring illegals, instead of Americans. I'll take some of that ill-gotten $$$ back, by putting as much overtime as I can get away with.

Me and every Teamster driver are getting our 20+ hours in overtime, which these white-collar, college educated professionals can easily afford. If they don't want to pay the higher grocery bills, they can easily shop at a Walmart Supercenter, which is only 5 to 8 miles further out from their residence. If you look at grocery chains situated within 5 miles of a Wally-Supercenter, you'll observe they're still doing good business, in spite that shoppers can save more $$ shopping at Wally Supercenter. This is clear evidence people prefer to pay the extra 10 percent in higher grocery bills for convenience, instead of driving to Wally-Supercenter.

Another point I'd like to make, unlike white-collar professions like doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc... where people work with their educated expertise well into their 60s and 70s, trucking is a profession limited by my ability to pass a DOT health exam. Most truckers undergo forced retirement when they reach their 50s, because they're diagnosed with medical conditions that disqualifies them from trucking. I'm in my late 40s; statistically, I only have 8 years or less remaining before I'd likely come down with a health condition that precludes me from retaining my CDL. I need to grab as much overtime as I can, so when I fail my DOT medical exam, I'll have a sizeable nest egg saved up, where I can hold down a minimum-wage easy job (security guard ??) to subsidize my retirement savings.

PhilKenSebben · **^ Top** #32 08.24.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by passingtrucker

It's called "perspective." When you arrive at the grocery distribution warehouse, and lumpers for illegal-alien Lumper, Inc. charge you $400 to unload your trailer, you naturally feel you're being exploited. These illegals strongly disagree. You hire their services, they earn $$$ to pay rent, buy groceries, then send what's left to loved ones in Mexico. It's neither fair nor morally right, but it's the nature of most grocery DCs.

You get cited for 10 miles over the speed limit, you pay a $700 fine, while 4-wheelers pay a $300 fine for the same violation. It's exploitation to raise $$ to fund government revenue needs; we both know its not right, but we're powerless to change this. Law enforcement will likely dispute your argument. All these trucking ads claim truckers make big $$$, which leaves to reason you can easily afford to pay more than what 4-wheelers are paying.

Finally, the grocery supermarket chain I pull for only operates in suburban white-collar neighborhoods, where the average household income is a minimum $80,000 annual gross, and most couples are 2-income households. When I look at all the late model SUVs, sports cars, and luxury cars of the shoppers who patronize our grocery chain, I have no doubt they can easily afford to pay the extra 5 to 10% in higher grocery bills. These are the same white-collar business owners who hire illegal aliens, turning California into "illegal alien sanctuary" capital of USA. The extra $$ they pay in higher grocery bills are $$ they've saved from hiring illegals, instead of Americans. I'll take some of that ill-gotten $$$ back, by putting as much overtime as I can get away with.

Me and every Teamster driver are getting our 20+ hours in overtime, which these white-collar, college educated professionals can easily afford. If they don't want to pay the higher grocery bills, they can easily shop at a Walmart Supercenter, which is only 5 to 8 miles further out from their residence. If you look at grocery chains situated within 5 miles of a Wally-Supercenter, you'll observe they're still doing good business, in spite that shoppers can save more $$ shopping at Wally Supercenter. This is clear evidence people prefer to pay the extra 10 percent in higher grocery bills for convenience, instead of driving to Wally-Supercenter.

Another point I'd like to make, unlike white-collar professions like doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc... where people work with their educated expertise well into their 60s and 70s, trucking is a profession limited by my ability to pass a DOT health exam. Most truckers undergo forced retirement when they reach their 50s, because they're diagnosed with medical conditions that disqualifies them from trucking. I'm in my late 40s; statistically, I only have 8 years or less remaining before I'd likely come down with a health condition that precludes me from retaining my CDL. I need to grab as much overtime as I can, so when I fail my DOT medical exam, I'll have a sizeable nest egg saved up, where I can hold down a minimum-wage easy job (security guard ??) to subsidize my retirement savings.

The Teamsters were created to give the drivers a voice in negotiations and to prevent companies like CRE from just slave-driving the drivers. Making yourself late for overtime pay isn't what it was created for. Congrats, you've let everyone know that you abuse the system and let us all take a real look at who you are as a person.

Just because you say your perspective allows you to believe something different, doesn't mean that because you believe that way, you're right. You're in the wrong, and you know it.

Lurchgs · **^ Top** #33 08.24.2008

lol -

I don't speed.

Of course, I CAN'T speed. I'm not even sure my truck could speed on a city street.

I'm very very definitely impeading as I drive in Wyoming. I'm governed at 60, so I might *average* 55.

I need to research and see if legally I need to have one of those orange triangles on the back of the trailer...

If I could, I'd probably be in the range of 5 mph over posted limit. Gonna depend on traffic, of course.

Big Don · **^ Top** #34 08.25.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lurchgs

lol -

(snipped)
I need to research and see if legally I need to have one of those orange triangles on the back of the trailer...

{snipped}

Those orange triangles are only legal on vehicles doing 25 MPH or less. . .

In other words on SWIFT er never mind. . .

Roadmedic · **^ Top** #35 08.25.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Don

Those orange triangles are only legal on vehicles doing 25 MPH or less. . .

In other words on SWIFT er never mind. . .

Maybe he was concerned because one may have passed him.

TrooperRat · **^ Top** #36 08.25.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by CadetTrucker

Greetings all...

Being a new member here I would like to relate something I recently saw and ask the 'whys and wherefores'.

I'm not posting this to get flamed or attacked... I'm trying to understand before I make the jump into the playing field.

I've been giving some thought to becoming a truck driver for the past couple of years but didn't have the opportunity to do so. There is a chance I might be able to within the next year, if I decide to.

I was recently on a trip to SE Ohio and back (to NE Kansas) and I drove my car to save money. Because it was an older car (1990) that I'd only had since January, I didn't pile on the speed... I drove between about 62 and 65 the whole trip. I didn't want to take the chance of blowing the engine.

Along the trip I saw many trucks, of all different setups.

The 1 thing that sticks in my mind is the fact that almost none of the trucks (at least the ones going the same direction I was going at the time) obeyed the posted speed limits.

(Mind you, not many of the regular cars & trucks did either so I'm not trying to sound like I'm singling out the truckers.)

Almost the whole trip, the posted speed limit for trucks was 55 or 60, below the 60 to 70 for cars, etc.

Is this because the trucks are scheduled so tight that they have to speed in order to get their loads delivered on time? Or is this a general lack of caring for the law?

Also, there were a few times that I had trucks on my bumper (within 10' or so) and I was doing faster than their posted speed limit. After a while they finally went around me, but they shouldn't have had to if they were obeying the limits.

Am I just a 'stick in the mud' for complaining about speed limits? I've been driving for about 30 years and have never received any type of moving violation (and I aim to keep it that way

)... why don't others feel the same way?

(BTW... I have about as much tact as a herd of elephants so please don't think this is an attack... I'm trying hard to word it 'tame')

Any thoughts are most welcome... I'm trying to learn what I can from you all so that I can make a better choice than without help.

Have a great weekend

A truck going 70 MPH should NOT be sitting 10 feet behind you. If you have to slam on your brakes for whatever reason, that truck is going to be all over you before you even know what happened.

I admit this will not sit particularly well with most people, but - I regularly drive over the speed limit. If the limit is 65, I'm going 70 or more. If the speed limit is 75, I have the truck going at it's maxed governed speed of 79 mph. I have passed by numerous DOT on the 75 roads going 79 and they have done zilch about it. That's because they're looking for the people going 90 plus.

My exception is if I have a heavy load on. Then, I am going below the posted speed limits. By at least 5mph. The line of work I am in has frequent "emergencies" in water or other types of pipe needing to be delivered - 5 minutes ago - so please get in the truck and get it there as quickly as possible. Mind you, no-one ever asks me to speed or even implies that I should, or that I ever have the feeling of it, but - I've been driving like that since I started trucking in the 80's, when speeding was quite acceptable and lines of trucks going 100 mph or more on open Interstate Highways was a common sight, well it was common to me, anyway.

We would get into "convoys" - 5 or more trucks that were going the same direction - and speed WAY up. The troopers we encountered never messed with us. We are, of course, in a completely different environment now, but I simply have no problem pushing the limit a little. Nothing near like I used to. My last ticket was 8 years ago, and that was in my own personal vehicle for not having a seat belt on.

For those that will, go ahead an blast me away, but whatever anyone has to say about isn't going to change my driving habits that have actually slowed WAY down over the years.

Big Don · **^ Top** #37 08.26.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadmedic

Maybe he was concerned because one may have passed him.

Snort, chuckle - not recently.

Moses · **^ Top** #38 08.28.2008

I wish my truck would do the speed limit.

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