Alcohol prohibited from trucks during down time?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by JoeBlow, Aug 28, 2009.

  1. kwray

    kwray Medium Load Member

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    Hey, at least it was a light beer...
     
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  3. Rollover the Original

    Rollover the Original Road Train Member

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    The post above about the TA in WVA at Dallas Pike. That is a setup! I've watched on several occasions the county cops sit and watch a driver go back to his truck from the bar and they come up, and get him out and do a sobriety test on them and away they go!
    You should know the law for where you are before you decide to "tip a few!" Also I would wait before you put the key in the ingition and think, "can I blow a 0.0 if stopped?" That should tell you if it's worth loosing the CDL, a TON of money, sitting in a jail a few miles to far away from home, the loss of your job and the return trip to BFE where you have to go to court and the return trip home and then the biggie...looking for a job at Mickey D's as you aren't going to be driving a truck for a LONG time unless you're an O/O with friends in high places. Well that is if you still have the CDL!
     
  4. lego1970

    lego1970 Medium Load Member

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    I'll have a couple while working on the truck during my down time, but not at a Walmart, or a big truckstop. Normally at some little truckstop in some little town on the backlot. I don't put the beer inside the cab, although I'll have the key in the ingnition to listen to a little music while I'm working on the truck. I've never been bothered, matter of fact one time in a remote area of Wyoming I was parked in some empty lot drinking some beer and lubing the chassis. The cop saw my hood was up and pulled up to see what I was up to. I told him I was going to load in the morning across the street and thought I would have a few beers and work on the truck. Once he knew I was legit, he was the nicest guy in the world. He knew the people where I was loading and started telling me stories about them.

    I'll be honest and this isn't trying to talk tough or nothing, but if a cop gave me a DUI for hanging out on a Saturday night in some back parking lot drinking a few beers while polishing the tanks or what not, then that's fine. Because if that's the case, then I don't want to drive trucks anymore, shoot I'll find something else to do, afterall my p/u and motorcycle are paid for and I only have about 10 years left on the house. When I read subjects like this, it just makes me cringe to think that a guy minding his own business is subject to that kind of scrutiny. Like I said, I haven't had any problems, but I stay away from all the hootin and hollering type places and stay pretty low key.
     
    Ike Thanks this.
  5. TREE

    TREE Heavy Load Member

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    You used to be able to get away with alot more than you can now.

    I can remember sitting in public at 17 (on the hood of my car) drinking beer,and the worst was run off.
    Now a couple ounces will have you carted off to jail.
    4 wheeler or truck-driver i wouldnt drink anything ,or at least till i sit under my own roof.
     
  6. Rug_Trucker

    Rug_Trucker Road Train Member

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    That is the scummiest T/A I have been to so far. Stopped there with my sweetie and spent the night. Filthy, creepy looking inbreeds sitting around the picnic table gawking.

    I think I saw "Cletus the slack jawed yokel" there! :biggrin_25524:
     
  7. phroziac

    phroziac Road Train Member

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    my green book says 4 hours...
     
  8. jakebrake12

    jakebrake12 Road Train Member

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    My green book says I don't work till Monday night so have a case which I fully intend to do..lol.. I won't touch one during the work week though - never..

    Not sure who said it but I cannot believe 4 hours after the last drink is OK - better not be.. When I wake up 4 hours after the last drink I'm still trying to put the pieces together.. Dead minimum is about 20 hours for me during football season..
     
  9. phroziac

    phroziac Road Train Member

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    Gary, IN
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    It does say that. It also says that you dont drive with any detectable alcohol on you though. I can drink one drink and be perfectly sober 4 hours later. ONE........

    §382.207 Pre-duty use.
    No driver shall perform safety-sensitive functions within four hours after using alcohol. No employer having actual knowledge that a driver has used alcohol within four hours shall permit a driver to perform or continue to perform safety-sensitive functions.
     
  10. fulgrwnmn

    fulgrwnmn Light Load Member

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    personally my take of it is plain an simple..............get caught driving under it, your butt should go to the can!!!!!! However.............spend a day in NJ..........after 5 stops in places the devil won't go...............well..........i'll have me a ####tail or two after the day is over and i'm shut down for the day......... but you'll never, never ever, catch me moving the trk even a foot, if i had the slightest sip
     
  11. Rollover the Original

    Rollover the Original Road Train Member

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    http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...m-new-drivers/116455-beer-in-the-sleeper.html

    Page 6 post #52 DieselBear brings the regulation up and goes into it a little.
    Now you can read all you want into that stupid "4" or "8" or what ever hours you want to but you're thinking wrong if you think you can knock out a few whatevers and in 4 hours hit the road! The link I posted, DB goes into it pretty well. My borther in law story later in the thread is also a good point.

    Yah, go ahead and hit the road after your 10 was spent killing a sixer or a pint! Go ahead and sing "regulations said I could" to the cop thats sticking a straw between your lips to blow on just before he cuffs you and cans your arse in the back seat!

    You're an adult and should know that a few drinks takes time to get out of your system! I'll be blunt here, If you just HAVE to have a few beers or whatever then you need to decide right then if the load or liquid refreshment is more important! Is a buzz that big of a deal for you? Pull out your wallet and look at that CDL. How much did it cost you in money, time and hardship? Is it worth a few hours of "bliss" to loose, because you "THINK" 4,8,10 hours you're good to go?

    Back in 90 whenever it was when some morons wrote a "no alcohol in a CMV law" and made it read where even a bottle of rubbing alcohol was illegal I pretty much gave up my drinking ways as there were still truck stops with a lounge in it and it didn't mean TV's and pinball machines but full fledged bars! Yes there used to be some drunk truckers on the road back before the aearly 90's when NATSA (heck I can't remember the letters!) The truck stop association got together and most of them closed the bars and stopped selling liquor and beer over the counter due to public opinion and lawmakers starting to point fingers! That law lasted for about 6 months and got canned due to the wording.But it had us going crazy with alchol based mouth washes and other things and even cologne!

    Me, before I came off the road for these fun medical problems, I had a dedicated route to NYC. Monday afternoon about 1500 was when the truck was parked until 0500 and then Tuesday after 1600 if not preplanned on anything I'd park in Williamsburg and head to one of my favorite places and eat dinner and have a great imported draft and that's all I'd allow myself! I actually liked the taste of a good beer over most of the crapola domestic unless it's from a micro brewery! Especially that nasty stuff with the born on date! Now that crapola would be a stupid reason to be in jail! I think I'd rather go to jail for drinking something worthwhile than toilet water! And before you beer experts get your panties in a wad that's MY humble opinon! LOL

    But still screwing up a job for a cheap buzz just isn't worth it! If you can't give the time needed for it to get out of your system then is it really worth it?
     
    phroziac Thanks this.
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