knocking on a door. . . when?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Aireal, Jul 17, 2013.

  1. Aireal

    Aireal Medium Load Member

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    Here's the story. We pulled into the Pilot in Pacific, Mo on sunday. Parked at a 90* angle to a heavy haul. . . . Left two days later pulled back in tuesday evening and ended up parking next to the same heavy haul, he was in the same place.

    I had though about knocking on his door, for about 2 seconds, I do not wanna be mistaken for a lot lizard. I almost had my hubby talked into knocking to check on the driver, when he walked up from the TS.

    So what would you do? Whould you knock and check on the driver? Or just assume they were ok? Maybe on hometime or something.

    When I had a stationary home I always kept an eye out for my neighbors, so now all of you are my neighbors.
     
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  3. Mark Kling

    Mark Kling Technology Contributor

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    Never hurts to check on your neighbors. Too many drivers have died in their trucks while parked.
     
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  4. Blind Driver

    Blind Driver Road Train Member

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    Was the engine running? If not, don't worry about him.
     
  5. MNdriver

    MNdriver Road Train Member

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    I had to go and drive home a truck that one of our drivers passed away in when it was sitting in Clive IA.

    Sat there for 4 days before anyone thought to check on him. He sat leaned over on his pillow on the steering wheel with the truck running that entire time.
     
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  6. 25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Not everyone parks with the truck running when they are in it, and not running no longer discourages lizards and others seeking money or other assistance.


    Passing away while driving is usually noticed right away,unless the rig ends up hidden leaving no trail, my brother in law died while driving a truck on the 5th of July and was pronounced at the local hospital. He managedeto slow down enough that he didn't roll it but ended up in the ditch

    Parked trucks don't get much attention unless the driver has problems while outside.


    To the original poster, I'm glad you showed concern and also glad the driver of the parked truck was OK
     
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  7. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    was he loaded? i'm assuming he was empty. they can sit for days looking for a load.

    i personally don't knock if i'm not seeing anyone. they're either inside store or sleeping. or, like op stated. could be on hometime. i'd probably ask the store if that's his normal parking for hometime.

    there's a side to caution to exercise. while at the same time. a side to concern to also exercise.

    as stated above. never hurts to check on your neighbors. specially since it's getting to be a more common occurence of a driver passing away.

    that has to be the lousiest aspect of trucking. not being home to say your final goodbye and no one knows where your at.
     
  8. CertifiedSweetie

    CertifiedSweetie Road Train Member

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    I read a article about a driver who passed away in his truck in December and it wasn't noticed until may or June that the truck bad been there for awhile. The company he drove for reported the truck stolen and that was it they didn't even look for him. There was a load inside of his trailer too. I said maybe I need to make some friends because if I go missing I don't want to end up like that. Missing and non one even knew. But since I talk to my mom daily she'd know something's wrong if she doesn't hear from me at least once a day.
     
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  9. FatDaddy

    FatDaddy Road Train Member

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    If you don't want to knock you could always take down the truck number and call his company as they will be able to know if the driver is under a load or not.
     
  10. Raezzor

    Raezzor Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

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    Best bet would have been to get the company name and truck number and give them a ring to see what's up. Never hurts and the concern for one of their drivers just might make their day. Course, I guess they could be jerks and be angry about it, but such is life.
     
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  11. Aireal

    Aireal Medium Load Member

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    The reason I thought to ask ( and check on the driver in the 1st place), is that a co-worker of husbands died in his truck. The coroner later said that had someone checked on him, he may have lived. Now this was a cement company and he had been right behind my husband comming into the plant and had told him he was going to eat lunch before getting reloaded. 4 hrs later my husband came back and asked about Tom ( seeing his truck still where it had been) loader said he didn't know. No one thought to call or go see why his lunch was takeing so long.

    I probably would have tried calling, if their had been no response. I do realize that ppl go home, that it kight take a couple days for an O/O to find a job they want or heck some companies have been known to leave ppl setting.

    But if "we" don't care, then chances are no one else will.
     
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