Big Don;
Thanks for the long response. Sometimes I wish I blew my top such as you have above. When I see some of the remarks in these forums I want to yell & scream at the stupidity of it all.
Perhaps some of these people that think nothing about what we did, and why we were there should be forced to see a few of these happenings first hand, and be required to put on some latex gloves and receive some first-hand knowledge & get blood & body gore on their clothes. Then when they can't eat for 5 or 6 days after these happenings maybe they'll realize our jobs were truly for a purpose instead of merely having someone about which some idiots may complain.
Paul
Husband got 2 tickets on top of Grapevine in CA- question? Please read!!?!
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by woofless, Dec 9, 2008.
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I'm thinkin' the monetary rewards not awarded here, will be well compensated later --- like eternity.
Ya reckon.
And
MerrY Christmas!
psanderson Thanks this. -
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ShuX HowdY, Rollover, ain't you never heard of a blind date?
This thread may be dated, but it's also timeless -- IMO
This is a Big truck truckin' related website, and as such there are many Big truck truckers who read and post here, as one would expect. But there are also others who read and respond to the posts as well. Drivers of four-wheelers, for example, and I for one, appreciate that they take the time to join us here at The Trucker's Report. Among the masses who spend time with us, we are fortunate to have former and present LEO's (Law Enforcement Officers) who obviously are concerned enough to bare their souls, so to speak, giving us an insight into what it's like out on the highways from a different perspective we may not have considered, -- that being from behind a badge that most of us only view from the front, -- a guided, behind the scene excursion into reality most of us can only imagine.
As a child growing up, my parents taught me to respect the laws and especially those who enforce those laws. For awhile I thought of becoming a police officer. That is until a cousin of mine who did just that, and who climbed the ranks to Captain before he retired after 30 years of service, clued me in as to what to expect, both good and not so good, if I followed through with my plans.
Needless to say there was waayyy more to being a sworn officer than I had previously imagined, and a LOT more to it than first meets the eye. And on top of all there is to be aware of, the number one thing he stressed is to never, NEVER tarnish the badge worn over the heart. A badge is much more than a fancy metal object pinned to a uniform, it's a symbol that one aspires to live up to, -- a lifestyle to be lived up to by example, not by mere words, but by actions while on duty as well as off duty.
That's a pretty tall order to fill, and an order I wasn't sure I could deliver, -- especially after he explained how I should consider there will be friends who will turn their backs on me if I were to become a LEO for no other reason than the badge I'd be wearing.
Obviously I reconsidered my plans, as here I am a Big truck truck driver who supports the laws of the highways by doin' the right thing, -- even when no one is looking, and encouraging others to do the same.
As for dredging up posts in old(er) threads as Truckingpopeye has done, I say Right ON! Good for him. And good for all of us. I think it's great that folks read what's been posted in the past that can affect the future, and this particular thread is an excellent example for review.
To Truckingpopeye I say THANX!
And welcome to the forums.
I'm glad you found us and sincerely hope you remain here and contribute often.
Big Don Thanks this. -
For what it's worth- I'm the original poster. In case anybody else stumbles here & wants to know what happened, we did get a lawyer. We did get the violations reduced to non-points violations & fines under $200 for both infractions. So yes- others who find themselves in a similar spot, getting a lawyer is a good idea.
And he continues to drive today, with no problems. Despite switching companies & driving an *ungoverned* Peterbilt flatbed for the past year. That truck'll probably do 120 mph yet I guess he's managed to contain his "stupidity" enough to keep it pointed in the right direction & not get any tickets in a year.
45 MPH going UPHILL while empty is not really a "stupid speed" IMO.....it's not like he was grossed out flying DOWN the other side at 80 without a care in the world. The cop got him at the top of the hill before he had a chance to slow down.
Not making excuses for him breaking the law, but for what it's worth, I've seen plenty worse cases of dangerous "stupidity" out on the road in my 5 yrs OTR than that. Was he driving with his head up his bum on those two occasions, and missed the sign? Yeah- and I believe he & I both acknowledged that. No need to be rude about it.
He was also stressed out beyond belief at the time, on his last couple weeks working for a shady 3-truck operation owned by two of the biggest crooks in the trucking industry. Going 2-3 weeks without pay, not getting paid the appropriate amount when they managed to pay us, being forced to run fuel tanks down to empty due to lack of funds, driving ridiculously unsafe, shoddy equipment, etc etc etc....
I was at home unable to find a job myself, pay bills or eat anything better than ramen noodles and mac & cheese. No doubt this was all weighing on his mind, stressing him out and frustrating him to no end. Bad, bad situation overall & his stress and worry about other things no doubt made an impact on his judgement & focus on the road.
We wouldn't have been able to get the lawyer at all ($1000) had my grandma not helped us out.
Working for those people for less than 4 months is what put ME off the road permanently after 5 yrs OTR. I put up with a LOT with different companies while I was a driver and always came out on top, yet these folks just took every last bit of spirit I had, chewed it up & spit it out and stomped on it. We initially went there as a TEAM and I got so stressed out I ended up having severe panic attacks every time I got behind the wheel of any vehicle. Rather than depend on Xanax for the rest of my life I decided to get off the road & figure things out. (All good on that front- I can drive with no problems, lost 60 lbs & I am now apprenticing to be a dog trainer with a well respected bird dog trainer, something I've wanted to do since I was a kid). I could write a book about these people- we have both worked for several small companies & have seen a LOT of garbage, been lied to, cheated & treated like ####....but these two dunderheads took the cake.
Again, I'm not making excuses for the actual incident....he should have known better....but there was also a LOT more going on at the time that at least explains why he wasn't in top form. Yeah he should have quit & gone elsewhere. But if you will all recall- the economy was in the middle of its brutal nose-dive at the time. Companies were closing their doors, laying off, going on hiring freezes, reducing their hiring ranges and it took a while to find a company that'd hire him out of rural South Dakota. Meanwhile all he could do was work and HOPE the boss would toss him a few hundred dollars if he was lucky.
Fortunately things got better for the most part. Unfortunately the flatbed company may be on its last legs as well after being hit hard last winter & not really recovering financially....so once again he's looking for another job. Wish him luck. Or, sling insults. I guess it doesn't really matter either way, we'll make it one way or another.
AfterShock, jtrnr1951 and doubledragon5 Thank this. -
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