FMSCA video

Sie schlagen ihre Klingen in Plowshares und in ihre Stangen in Beschneidunghaken.

 

I've worked both sides- as a Law Enforcement Officer and a Commercial Driver. As I'm viewing the video I see the Feds "suggesting" a lot of things. Notice how many negative inferences there are before and after words like "truck, trucker, commercial driver, or trucks and buses".

"Achieving zero deaths on our nation's roads and highways" is a lofty goal- and not possible to ever accomplish. This justifies anything necessary to accomplish a goal that's actually out of reach.

It's suggested that traffic deaths are a plague upon Society and Policemen are asked to help the medical community to eradicate the epidemic. (Funny, but I was never before aware of such a nurturing bond between the medical community and Law Enforcement).

We're told how trucks cause messier crashes than smaller vehicles, then we're tested with a misleading question- first, you're introduced to a pair of speeding vehicles. "A three thousand pound passenger car or an eighty thousand pound truck." Then we're asked "Which poses the greatest threat to public safety?"

Hold on a minute- ALL trucks are loaded to the full maximum limit of 80 thousand pounds? ALL trucks? There are several classes of trucks and a lot of them are not capable of grossing eighty thousand pounds. Isn't maximizing something like this misleading? How about stopping one of the drivers because he (or she) is on a phone and speeding. Or how about stopping the driver who is driving aggressively- or weaving? Or the driver who is trying to pass the other vehicle to cut it off in front of the next exit?

Anyway, if you're paying attention at this point, LEO's are now told not to be intimidated by trucks "because size DOESN'T MATTER."

Funny, it mattered when compared to 3,000 lb passenger cars and it mattered when wrecks involving trucks were causing more damage and were harder to clean up.

And if you're REALLY paying attention you might get the impression that a truck driver who is committing a traffic violation (or violations) in a commercial vehicle is somehow one rung lower in society than a Traffic Enforcement Officer who is too lazy to investigate a violation.

"Pull over the truck, issue the citation- save a life. One citation at a time"

Next, they go to the big picture scenario and remind everyone that Police Officers uncover crimes and criminals in traffic stops. Ok, very true..

And here come pics of crashing trucks again (what year model is that tractor?) While your eyes are entertained with death destruction and trucks, the next wave of statistics start. Watch how carefully the pictures are timed and matched with descriptions of violations.

Later, LEO's are reminded to always make sure they note that they've stopped a CMV on the report or citation (so the Feds can justify bigger budgets in CMV enforcement).

I especially loved the end: "And we need your help to keep unsafe trucks and buses from operating."

Pardon me folks, but if all Truckers are criminals, if all trucks are deadly killing machines and if all Commercial Drivers need to be stopped, identified and searched, why are they even on public roadways?

Isn't this film the result of a Federal Training Program? "Federal"- as in the same Government that limits the size, weight and design of CMV's?

The same Federal Government that identifies, tests, licenses, regulates and punishes Commercial Drivers?

Here's my suggestion- treat drivers of all nine classes of motor vehicles as equals. No more segregation, no more "Traffic Enforcement Zones", vehicle inspections of ALL vehicles (including Gov't vehicles AND military). No more elevated fines for some classes of drivers.

Raise every drivers' fines and punishment to the level of a commercial driver's. If the punishment is too harsh for the general public, why is it inflicted upon us?

I see the same old classic pattern here. Big Government creates problems with regulation- then jumps in to solve the new problems it created. Regulation and enforcement for fun and profit..

If no man is above or below the law, why should any class of American Citizen be treated differently?

 

You ever hear of the "10% Rule" before?

 

See, that's what I was talking about. I didn't even have to watch the video to know that all that was in there. Doesn't even matter what the video is about. They use the same tactics in every video they put out. They've been doing it the same way for years. It's SOP and once you've been exposed to it long enough, you don't notice it anymore.

 

I don't post much on here, just usally read the stuff. I'm no different than most because I don't want more regulations. But, I watched that video three times to see if I was missing something about being labeled a terroist and I just don't see it. They mentioned oklahoma once. But what I saw was cops don't know much about trucks. Not cops like scalemaster, but like motorcycle cops and city cops. From some of the stuff I see around truck stops these days, no wonder people think of us differently. I take pride in my appearance and my driving. Some of these folks can't drive, can't back up and hell can't speak. I've been stopped numerous times throughout the years, and I have only received a citation twice. Most of my inspections are clean and never have a issue. I was stopped in a scale two weeks ago. Bears had 3 other trucks in their at the same time. I tried to talk to the other two drivr's as we waited on our paperwork and I'm still trying to figure out where the heck they are from.

Any vehicle can be deadly depending on the circumstance. I've held the wheel of a big truck a long time. I've seen some truly horrific accidents. I'm sure some of you have to. I have known a few drivers that have been killed wrecking their rig. I see both sides. I don't take sides and I try to understand the whole scenario. I'm tired of driving and can't wait until I can retire. So I have definately lived this side. I see the enforcement end as well. Sometimes I don't agree with it, but i have to deal with it.

I never thought i would live to see $5 a gallon fuel 15 years ago. But it sounds like we will. I never thought I would see a lot of things I have witnesed the last 10-12 years. This world we live in now is crazy maybe their is some truth to that 2012 movie. well i'm getting off my soapbox and getting some shut eye, got to get a quick nap and get on downthe road in a few.

 

5.00 a gallon fuel????? where were you in 2008??