Fender mirrors

Trainer? ROFLMAO! No such animal 20+ years ago! I came out of the Army drove everything we had except for tracked vehicles and asked a friend for a job. He handed me the keys to a truck gave me a route to drive and if I made it back without wrecking anything he then filled out whatever the form number was stating I had so many miles driving and got my chauffeurs license (No CDL's or class whatever's either). And then he put me in another truck handed me the keys, a couple of log books and a handful of little white pills. I had to ask him what the log book was for! My driving in the Army gave me the experience I needed and my "trainers" were the other drivers who I asked a question of!
A lot of the older drivers today had a parent or relative who showed them the ropes by letting them ride with them but they got to sleep in the seat while the "relative" slept in the sleeper as most sleepers until the 80's only had a single bunk.

Trainers???? ROFLMAO!

 

Bringing back memories here. I too started with a chauffeurs license and was grandfathered into what in now the CLD. Did Wis to Cal, left home sat morning, started drops in LA monday morning, 10 drops in all and empty on tues. Was back home drinking beer by noon friday.

And I did it without fender mirrors....(grin)

 

The only time that I liked fender mirrors is when I drove armored cars for Wells Fargo.You could see the bad guy coming.

 

According to what you always seem to hear on the news once a year they need mirrors to see the money flying when the back doors fly open.

 

The right fender mirror helps set up a blind back when neccesary and protects against that 4 wheeler coming from nowhere. Multi-highways and you're in the hammer lane, you can watch that 4 wheeler 2 lanes over or to see one coming down the ramp. I'm not out here to look pretty. I'm out here to work, make money and be safe. Some are happy out here with a pretty boy truck and a $200 paycheck ???

Some old drivers can't accept change. Grabbing suspenders, "this is the way it use to be". Things were different in your parents time, it's different today and will be different ten years from now. An open mind and willingness to accept change is good.

I see almost daily old school drivers messing up. You start out a dumb screw up. Thirty years later you are a dumb screw up with alot of mistakes behind you. There are many that just been barely getting by for years. Don't get me wrong, I'm just talking about a few. I love talking with elders and their experiences. I welcome newbs and try to help them instead of trying to demoralize them because they aren't exactly like you.

A single mirror doesn't dictate what kind of driver you are.

 

Your correct, making comments like "I'd think they would be practically mandatory. I for one, always had trouble seeing out of the cab" or "Some companies require their lease O/O's to have fender mirrors. I believe they are needed,would not want to drive with-out them." determines what kind of driver you are. If you like them, great I don't care if you cover your entire truck in useless mirrors! But to say something as stupid as they should be "practically mandatory"! Someone just like you felt the same way about the equally useless door mirror. Instead of just bolting one to their ghetto truck, they felt the need to force the stupidity on others. Probably the same type of person who drives in the rain/snow with their flashers on. As if nobody else could tell it was raining until they started blinking.

 

I've driven trucks with and without them. I prefer to have them, but I'll admit that the big ones that are drilled into the fenders are pretty ugly. The smaller ones that are mounted on the nose of the hood don't look bad and still serve a function, and I even think the ones on the Cascadia's look pretty good.

 

No sweat, pal....
So, you considered me as a "new loudmouth" simply because of my opinions and that I'm a newb?? Hmmmmm. Either way, it really dont matter at this point. Just cuz I dont have x amount of years under my belt doesn't dictate that I dont have some degree of knowledge. But thats cool, you ain't the first to show this kind of "respect" and I hardly doubt you'll be the last so again, its cool.

Exactly, People need to trim the feelers just a little or dont post.

Egh, I think not. I tend to like the "modern" age better. I prefer CD's to 8-tracks. I prefer A/C to rollin the winders down. I prefer power steering to gettin' Popeye arms from turnin a wheel without it. Not saying you dont, just trying to present an example/point. There may be a few things I probly woulda liked, but since this day and age is what I know and what I'm used to, I think I'll stick with it.

See, this is what I dont get. You act like all this modern technology is evil rather than helpful but its cool bro, whatever you like. Nobody's forcin any of this stuff on you.... Well, yet, anyways.

I'm glad you found that amusing!!

Maybe they didn't have trainers back then but I only said that because most people tend to treat newbs in the same manner in which they were treated..... Whether thats the case here or not, really has no relevance at this point....

You oughtta feel proud!!

But think of how much easier life woulda been if you had'em?

"What kind of driver we are"?? Just cuz we like a few amenities? Hmmm....

Sooo, trying to make himself/herself a little more visible to the other traffic especially if they are traveling a little slower never crossed your mind?? Why do I feel I'm not surprised...

Me too! I just wish I had one on the driver side.