Should DOT mandate 68mph speed limiters?

I'm all for it. My truck runs about 70 MPH flat out. That is plenty fast enough for me. The highest speed limit around here is 65. The trick to making good time is to start early and stay out of the truck stops.

 

It's choice that people make to speed. I'm not advocating speeding. What I do advocate is that it should be MY choice as to the capabilities of my vehicle, not the governments.
It's the fact that I bought the truck made the payments under one set of laws and they want to punish ME for someone else's actions and make another set of laws that further strip us as a people of more rights.

Everyday there are people that don't pay attention, not just in their driving but in Railroad, construction, mining, air traffic the list goes on and on and they kill.
Everyone has been guilty of a lack of attention, we are after all human. If we were to drill down through "accidents" to the actual cause we would see that somewhere in the chain of events someone did not focus on the job at hand whether it was the inspection of a bolt that was defective, which failed and was the actual cause of the incident or the failure of some one to read a gauge at a Nuclear Power Plant.
In some professions the repercussions are greater than others.Today's fast paced society mandates that we multitask from daylight until dusk. Often those demands are the true reasons for the actual accident.


Most will agree (I think) that the cars are more guilty of that then the trucks. I am not saying that the trucks don't do it but in the years I have been out here I've seen more cars do those maneuvers than trucks.

IF they are going to start mandating that the trucking industry be governed to a set speed then that should in compass ALL vehicles not just commercial vehicles. Cars, buses anything that uses the highways period.

My whole point is this: We as a country have sat back and allowed our government to remove God from schools, punished parents for disciplining children, passed eminent domain laws, and numerous other laws that further strip us of the rights that our forefathers determined we deserved as a people.
This proposal to me is just another way to inflict the will of the government upon the people. It's not about safety, it's about controlling who does what when and how.

IF indeed safety was the true goal, plain common sense tells me it would it be simpler to change the labor laws so that drivers are paid a fair wage, there by eliminating the need for speed? Yes there will be those that still speed, they would be much easier to single out as fewer would see the need for speed when they are being paid for every minute of the time that they involved in work duties.

I agree that my rights end where yours begin. Who can determine where that line is?
It angers and saddens me to see our country throw common sense out and have more concerned about the rights of immigrate workers, catastrophic disasters in other countries than the rights of our own people.

 

You don't have a right to drive your truck. You have to realize that before you can make your point what you want it to be. You can't take away a "right" that was never granted in the first place.

I'm not convinced that this will come to fruition. If it does, it will be largely in part because the insurance lobby will place some dollars in some politicians coffers.

Those of us that work in the transportation industries are held to much higher standards and are regulated to the hilt. We as truck drivers, are on the LOWEST scale of people that are regulated so tightly. Pilots, Bus Drivers, Captains of water vessels, and Locomotive Engineers are all held to even stricter standards than we are.

You have to realize as a driver yourself what has led to this. You're not blind to some of the behaviors that have literally teed of the public. Is it fair to those of us who do drive responsibly? No, but other tactics tried to stem these behaviors are not getting the job done.

I always make people mad when I say this, but every driver out there that either seeks or responds to a CB transmission for a "bear report" is an enabler to the kind of problems that plague us all. I don't give bear reports, nor do I give scale operation information. I WANT people that are speeding to be caught. I want those that are falsifying their logs to be caught.

I'm tired of the people out there that play the cat and mouse games, who make us all look bad. It's not a game anymore. Too many people are dying out there.

I wasn't going to say anything about this, but just last week I had a family member involved in a fatal accident involving a big truck. It happened here in Georgia. She was sixteen. Her boyfriend was 14. He died later during the night after the crash. She was relatively and amazingly unhurt, even though the car was cut in half.

As far as I know at this time, the truck driver was not at fault in this. She was blinded by the sun and was crossing a four lane highway and did not see the truck coming down the highway. He clipped the car and flipped it around the right side of his truck and trailer.

I have a question about how fast he was going. Trucks notoriously speed on that stretch of roadway, which is posted at 55 mph. I want to know why he did not change to the left lane to avoid her car. She was nearly across the roadway when the truck clipped her car. There were no witnesses to the crash.

See...I'm sitting here trying to not wanting to blame the driver of that truck, but I know that there may have been something he might could have done to avoid that crash. If he was speeding, and that will be determined accurately before the report is issued, or if he failed to change lanes to avoid hitting her, or if there was a mechanical defect in some of the brakes, it may change everything. Right now, she is under scrutiny for her crossing the road in front of that truck.

If he was speeding, then speed killed. Had he not, he wouldn't have been there at that exact moment and time to hit her. She would have still been blinded by the sun, but there wouldn't have been a truck behind that sun. He might have had time to react. There are all kinds of possibilities there, but a 14 year old boy would not be cold in his grave.

Truck drivers are among the best drivers out there. We drive for a living. At the same time, our over-confidence betrays our good sense. We don't allow for the mistakes of others. We don't allow for the fact that someone may be confused out there on the road. We know what we are doing, where we are going, what lanes to use, what speed is safe for the conditions....all that stuff. But we are often completely unforgiving of others around us who do not. I do it too....

Yes they do. Our safety numbers are going up as an industry. But it's the perception in the minds of the public that makes all the difference, and what sticks in people's minds. It's real hard to convince a politician that we are not the bad guys. He's too ticked off about being bullied on the freeway by a Peterbuilt with a sharkstooth bugscreen that tailgated him for five miles on the way to his office. Does anyone realize how many laws have been proposed by politicians simply because they had an encounter with a truck driver, or because of something that they observed out there on the road? We offer all the time that they are removed from reality, but there are times when reality is right there in their rear view mirror.

I agree, but I strive to insure that if the fateful day comes that I will be able to rest easy, in knowing that I did all I could do that day to have prevented what may occur. I've traded paint. I've dented doors. I've even turned a truck over in my driving history (Boy, what a story THAT was - I was run off the road), but I haven't been involved in an accident where there were injuries or worse.

I just want to see some common sense return to the brains of those that grace the seats of trucks out here. And if we can't do it voluntarily, then I'll support a forcing of the issue.

By a three to one margin too.

Agreed...wholeheartedly, but what do we do, and how are we to feel if ONE driver out here among us is stupid and takes a life while doing something stupid? I'd rather see him shoveling dirt for a living, but I don't get to make that call.

I'd agree with that, but I seriously doubt that it will ever come to pass. Why? Because those politicians don't drive trucks, but they do drive those SUV's and luxury cars, and they like to go fast too. It's pathetic, isn't it?

Different issues, and not quite on the same level as this issue is. Driving a motor vehicle isn't a granted "right"...

I understand how you feel, but if you were to sit down for a few minutes with people that work in other transportation fields, you might understand that they have a microscope up their hind ends to a much higher degree than this reduced speed proposal represents.

There was a time when I would have said that this would be the answer. But you see, I dodge so many of those LTL drivers on a daily basis that pull those "wiggle wagons", who speed through constructions zones as fast as those trucks will travel, who will speed in urban areas, and who also pass me by in Illinois at top speed too. These guys make the big bucks, and yet...they have those pedals pegged too.

What's up with that?

I hope we aren't going to get into a debate over how drivers are paid. I have some long held views on that subject, and I REALLY stir people up when I get started on that subject. But, I'll drop this much of a bomb on it;

If any driver out there counts minutes and hours and divides this into his pay, and he feels he is coming up shortchanged, then he needs to do one of two things. He either needs to get a job that pays by the hour where he can then punch a time clock every day and satisfy that issue in his mind, or he needs to look at things a little differently to ease his mind.

People that count all the minutes will drive themselves nuts. Salaried people do this, and they are rarely happy with what they make. The bottom line is that you have to widen your view and look at the big picture.

This past week, I hauled two LTL loads. Now when I haul an LTL load, I deliver them. The first took me three days, and it consisted of ten hours of dock time. The second took me one day, and had 45 minutes of dock time. They each had three stops on the load. There were more miles involved on the first between stops, but not THAT many more. I was extremely aggravated for the first part of the week. Nothing went right. Friday, I was in heaven because everything went better than expected. The two combined for a pretty good week.

That's trucking. I know the score. I cannot hold my employer responsible for those cases where the customers simply did not want to take their product in a timely fashion. I dealt with the delays, because that's trucking as it can be sometimes. I've worked under this production oriented pay system for 28 years now. It's good. It's bad. It evens out to be what I expect most of the time.

The tradeoff? I am not beholden to a time clock. I set my pace. I can take a nap if I want. I can stop and eat a meal when I am hungry. I can light up a cigarette while I am doing my job. I can even, if so inclined, to fall in love and exercize a consummation of that, and I don't have to clock out to do it.

Okay...I'm off track here...but you get my drift.

The line is crossed when the behavior of more than a comfortable few, endanger the rights of others to be safe and secure, and the behavior risks a removal of their right to live a natural and long life. The fact is, we endure a record in which some 5,000 people die in wrecks with big truck each year. While they are not all the fault of the truck drivers involved in those crashes, something's got to be done try and drive that number down to ZERO. Realistic? No, but the goal of every driver in a truck should be at all times to do everything they can to avoid becoming one of those statistics.

I agree that more needs to be done to improve the behavior of all drivers out there, but we need to do our part too. We aren't doing it. We are also bigger, heavier, and more deadly. It starts with us. We used to be the ones that set the examples out there, and what has become of that?

You know...you're out there every week too....

 

My truck is governed at 70 mph. I choose to run at 63 mph so I can get my fuel bonus offered by my company. I am a considerate driver who gets out of the way as fast as I can and I try never to hold anyone else up. I am always amazed by the Billy Big Riggers out there who run right up on company trucks and then yell at them on the radio to get out of their way. I can speed up and I most times do but some times the insults are so bad I take my own sweet time passing that slow moving truck which is just a little slower than mine. These same drivers who spend all their time in the Hammer lane are usually the same ones who will ride right on the tail of a four wheeler when they are in their way....I am sorry but you cant stop a truck that fast and are risking the familys life in that mini van. I am sorry to vent but it seems like more and more of this happens every day, what happened to common manners and courtesy.
If you are a new driver please take your cues from the drivers who act in a professional manner. In the long run the professionalism will come back to you if not in deed than in the pride you take in your job because you are a PROFESSIONAL...Wonderman

 

Can I add to his post? Everything he said I totally agree with. There was nothing said in this post I could disagree with. It was sad, it was honest and it was from the heart! I LOVE THIS ONE! You will get credit. More drivers need to have this attitude. If he dies tomorrow in a big truck he will know he did what he could to be safe to him and other people on the road. He wasn't just looking out for himself.

For the family memember that was in the accident. Make sure you look at all options; logs, speed etc. Take it to the limit!

Good luck to you and I am glad there is about half drivers that understand the law and make my job easier because you understand it is not me, I am just doing my job like you are doing your job. PLEASE be careful and don't speed and watch out for crazy people like me. I am not really crazy, but to get my point crossed I am a 4 wheeler and I see to many 4 wheelers doing crazy things. This 4 wheeler may want you to hit him/her to get a good law suit which causes your DAC to go sour. So you all need to be aware of your surroundings
I am sorry I preach the way the drivers should handle things, but that is my passion! I am here as your friend and I am here to convince you to do the right thing. This is my passion and as my boss says. If the people that controlled 911 didn't have passion they would not have succeeded. I have passion and I plan to succeed one way or another. I just have the passion to get it through drivers to run legal and to understand split breaking. I know I am crazy right:biggrin100 (27):

HAVE A GREAT & SAFE NIGHT EVERYONE. TOODLES

 

It's a motto I live by, and will always live by.

It's all in the hands of the Georgia Motor Carrier Enforcement Division at the moment. When they look at all aspects of what happened, they will determine fault, or that it was completely unavoidable on both counts.

The family of the boy who was killed is devastated, and the relative has been basically tranquilized since that Wednesday evening. These two kids were high school sweethearts going all the way back to grade school. I'm quite sure that the truck driver has his a lot on his plate too, over this accident.

She was not supposed to have him in the car, under Georgia's graduated driver's license program for teen drivers. He had missed the school bus, and she was sneaking him home, because the trip was less than four miles from the school, and what can happen in such a short trip? We've always heard that most accidents happen within 25 miles of a person's home...

I'm not wanting to see this laid at anyone's feet, so much as I feel it should be ruled unavoidable because her line of sight was so limited, but she was so close to getting all the way across when he clipped the rear of that car, so I want to understand why there was no way for him to avoid hitting her...that's all. I saw the pictures taken at the scene, and it was a very violent crash. Neither of them should have lived, considering the condition of the car.

I presently work under one of the strictest Safety Departments I have ever encountered, but then that's absolutely fine with me. So many drivers resist the standards, when embracing them is so much less stressful.

Driving a truck with an EOBR on-board presents challenges sometimes, but as I wrote in another thread, there is a great deal of peace-of-mind that comes with having that electronic wonder recording all that I do. It keeps me legal, does all of my log calculations, and it will save my hind end if a circumstance presents itself in front of me, and my last eight days activities while behind the wheel of my truck are called into question.

Friday night, I left Greensboro, Georgia headed home with 3 hours and 27 minutes to get into my driveway, or I was going to have to shut down for ten hours. I hit friday night Atlanta traffic, and that is brutal to say the least. It took me more than an hour to get from the south side to above Cobb County on I-75. I didn't think I was going to make it. But luck was with me. I went off-duty with one minute to spare. Whew!!! I hate those close one's.

 

While I was driving, I notice in Ohio with the Cars doing 70 and Trucks doing 55 All the cars ending up under the trucks Trailers. Call that safe?

Restricting to the 2 right lanes also a dangerous factor as a Trucker and common 4 wheeler has to face. Done for safety, but it not really safe. Plus I notice prior to Charlot NC going to that, trafic move fairly nice, afterwards, it was 5 MPH if your lucky.

 

I was like that also. Now since I no longer drive and I get a tail gater on my bumper, I have my fun. They will have a passing area they can pass but do not. But they want to ride my bumper... So I do not speed up, I slow down. I see their fist go up in the air I start to laugh. They either back off or go around. Then I get back up to my speed of desire.

 

Those games are fun alright, until someone gets killed. Normally, the worst thing you will receive is that fist in your rear view mirror....One day, you might get a bullet for your trouble. I'm sure you've read the stories. It happens every now and then.

The only way to deal with ANY act of aggressive driving, is to move over and let them go.

Yeah they win, but so what?

And you never know WHY they are in a hurry. They may well be on the way to a hospital because a loved one was in a car accident, after THEY were shot by an aggressive driver.

 

Please re read this as I didn't say I had a right to drive the truck what I said was this "What I do advocate is that it should be MY choice as to the capabilities of my vehicle, not the governments.

No where did I say it was my right to drive.

Other than that I agree with you on MOST points to a certain degree.
I"ve run local, OTR, regional. I figure ALL my time from the time I get in the truck to the time I get back as by law I am on duty until I go to bed. SO that's how I compute my time. If I am on the truck I am working, period. Even if you are eating, sleeping you are responsible for the truck, trailer and the load.
As far as sleeper time, well I am not at home in my bed sleeping and it's a fact as we all know that even if you are sleeping in the truck everyone considers you working. NO on wakes me here at home and to me that's truly sleep time.
There are certain things that you can do as a driver that you can't do as a 9-5 worker I agree, but the total lack of privacy in a truck wears me out. It's like being a fish in a fish tank the whole time you are out there. At least at home I can close the blinds and KNOW except for GOD and my family I have privacy. That is truly OFF duty to me.


You are a great poster and I enjoy ALL of them even if sometimes I don't agree.
Happy Trails!