Sleeping in a truck, what to expect?

You can expect lot lizards knocking on your door asking if you want company at any hour in the night, you can expect crack heads jumping on your running boards giving you a sob story asking for a few bucks. Also, a majority of the drivers hanging around the lunch counter or tv room are ex special forces, Navy SEALs, Delta Force, CIA, etc., keep a close eye on them.
Believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see.

 

By the time you complete your truck wheelholder school and the time out with a trainer you will know all this stuff.

You need clothing, sleeping bag, pillow, and a "shower kit" for now.
Never mind sheets and accessories until you have your own truck.
ALL the rest will work itself out.

 

Most lot lizzards have gone "hi-tek" now.
Not many are found in lots any more. At least not like the pre-cellphone days.

Cool saying.
I wonder who came up with that one ??

 

an old trick, may still work, wad up some tissues and drop them at the bottom of the drivers door.

or, get a bra, and hang it from the window.

of course, make sure when you get the bra, the gal was cooperative!

 

Or just a sign on your door.... Wake me up you die....

That works aswell...

 

Regarding the prositutues they usually knock on the passenger side in the dark in certain welcome centers depending on where it's darkest. You will not find them in the light. So if you see a parking area lit on both sides of a row then it's generally good to go.

It's a special nuisance for husband wife teams because one you have a wife back there with you and usually a marriage certificate with ID takes care of the prostitute question with police among other things. It's even easier when that wife is also a full CDL holder and a employee of same team with you.

Once I had a hooker ask me if i wanted some company at the Rochester Guiness Bullpen where tractors are held for the trailers to be loaded about a block away and I told her she needed to take off and no thank you, wife heard you through the open window, I suggest that you won't want to be around anymore for a while. She ran down the street fast enough and that was that. One driver she asked before me threatened her with a ball bat and was happy to see her gone. More than happy actually. That was almost 20 years ago, I would like to think that the area has aged out and no longer in the hooker business. YEesh lol.

 

What you'll quickly have to get used to is the noise of trucks engaging their brakes. I find that the loudest noise. It can wake you out of a dead sleep even if they are parking 3 or 4 parking spaces away. Ear plugs may be a good idea when starting out.

 

As a deaf man, reefers do not bother me, unless the cooling unit takes sick and they begin to literally cough. Especially if the high side begins to fail. There is only a limited time to get trailer to a shop qualified to handle that particular cooling unit you have on that trailer (Carrier, transicold etc) and save the load.

Noise is not the problem. It's people. That full airride technology makes the truck rock or lean just a little bit when someone puts a foot on the steps anywhere on the tractor or fools with the 5th wheel or the trailer doors. I'll come out with a thumper to see what you are up to. Most anyone has no business touching the tractor trailer but me.

Another problem is chemical attacks. In the old days starting fluid was sprayed into your cab intake or up into your sleeper vent until the cab is full. Wait until the snoring really gets loud as you get really unconsious. Then break in and see what money and valaubles are there.

If you examine the progression of technology to how tractors were built in the 70's and the differences they have today (Such as no grab irons on the sides of the cab etc) it is partly due to it's access being too easy for the bad guys. Sometimes they will get up there on the side and order you into a alley or something and there would be a pole, signs, or even my favorite, a tree to scrape em off. I'll worry about the replacement mirrior but you are coming off of there.

 

You don't see many ladies of the night in truck stops anymore.

 

lol