Dateline 1982: 30 years ago. You were a new driver. Why were you....

I consider this a good turn for trucking. It was nice knowing help would come, but it's much better knowing it's already on the way.

 

I'm self taught. no schooling, just a mechanic who told me " this ain't synchro's like the 6 wheeler, figure it out".lol. got caught doing dumb stuff, DOT actually sat ya down and explained it.like, "log book,??health card, what's that'?" really happened.lol
but I also listened on the CB when I was told I was doing something stupid (nicely)and said thnx. didn't go on immediate defense mode and cuss them out ,like I knew everything already.

if u weave into someones lane, say oops sorry didn't mean to crowd ya. NOT u drive your truck I'll drive mine .

crap happens own up to it.

 

In 1982 I was in the U.S.M.C.
Driving a big truck was the furthest thing from my mind...
VMA 214 3rd Marine Air Wing El Toro Ca.
wow I sure miss those days.. What Life learning expirence that was..

 

The economy back then was pretty healthy. It was called trucking, we were truckers, and the word logistics wasn't peppered all over the place. And I would have to say that 80% or better of folks got into it for the love of trucking.

It was a brotherhood. The disrespect between drivers didn't exist like it does today. We helped each other.

And we respected the old hands. Today's generation of "new breed" trucker looks at the old hands as archaic rebel outlaws, obsolete, etc. I've seen it many a time.

Let me tell you something. You wouldn't be having a freakin' 18 page discussion about people defecating between trailer wheels and leaving piss bottles on the side of the road. That didn't happen. We didn't have drivers walking around in sandals and Wal-Mart sweat pants, two fingers pulling the skivvies out of the butt crack. It didn't take a guy 27 minutes to park in a truck stop parking spot, because those of us who got into it, spent all day on a Saturday practicing how to back up and hit a dock.

Great statement.

Someone mentioned in this thread about people being trainers with less than a years experience under their belt. The blind leading the blind, IMHO.

When I was a young pup, and an old salty crusty driver went to show me something, I shut my mouth, paid close attention, and to this day, still carry some of the things that we're passed down. And like you, if I go to pass that on to someone who doesn't want to listen, I save my breath.

That old crusty driver never referred to himself as a "trainer". He didn't have to have special embroidery on his jacket, usually a cup of coffee as a thank you was all that was required.

 

Lots of valid points, it is largely a generational thing, but in more than just an attitude/work ethic way. Back in the day, those whose aptitude was lacking rarely made it to the point of being out by themselves; either they or the person training them realized early on they just didn't have it, and they found something else to do. We see posts on here every day from newbies struggling with the most basic of tasks. I'm not knocking them, I can't imagine what's like to do a job you've realized you're not cut out for but feel you have no other choice.

As far as training goes, as MarmomMan pointed out, you have rookies training rookies. That doesn't preclude some of them becoming good drivers, but it leaves a mighty steep learning curve once they realize how woefully unprepared they are for what they're facing. I know I'm not the only one on here who basically got no training. I'd been driving hotshots for 2 months when the boss told me to "hop in Ol' Blue and make sure you can shift it, you'll be driving it tomorrow." I've got somewhere over 3 million miles since then, my only incident a minor lane change scrape (in my 4th year, that was caused by the unclothed buxom young lady laying across the doghouse distracting me by insisting I do like Pooh bear.)
I was fortunate that much of early driving included off-road and poor condition dirt roads; I learned a lot about the dynamics of a truck on the edge of control. I can do things with a truck and trailer that will scare the crap out of you, your trainer, and a good number of Ol Crusties. And I'm not the only one with little or no training who has those abilities. It's all about learning once you're on your own, you need to able to learn from what's happening in those panic situations that happen early in your career. Training teaches you walk on the sidewalk, experience teaches you how to run along the rocky trail, and either you learn or you fall down and break things.

The trucks being nicer does play a part as well: every one of us Crusties can remember the day when every truck had 9/16" wrench tucked somewhere handy. First thing you did when you picked up a drop trailer was adjust the brakes. We did a lot of minor repairs ourselves, because the alternative was to hitch a ride to a phone to call for help. Our attitude was get it going, get it fixed later. We tended to have a higher than average mechanical ability, and knew our equipment better. We tended to catch problems before a breakdown because of that. (This isn't pointed at you RHM, just to be clear.)

Otter™ pretty well Hammered® it: to be good at this, you have to want to learn! Look at our resident Injun, if it didn't say so in her info, you'd never know she'd only been trucking 5 years. She's not the only one here like that, just the first to come to mind, but it's all about attitude. She is far more knowledgeable than one of our young 'experts' who knows everything in just 3 short years. And now I'm in trouble for saying nice things again!

Edit: I was composing while Injun was posting...should've peeked for new stuff so I didn't look like such a suck up!LOL

 

I think it had more to do with him wearing buckskins during the battle. All the other bodies of uniformed soldiers were mutilated.

 

I had been driving for 9 years at that point...

 

Yea, but you were also hauling freight through Donner pass on a homemade flatbed wagon before it had a name.

 

Yeah....But you're still a "Big Dummy"!