Who Do These Truckers Think They're Kidding? Trucker Hater!

I think the only happy medium between a feller like Johnny Lawyer and us big truck drivers would be one of them there after-life ghost talking to sorts also known as a medium.

Like Forrest Gump says, "I'm not a smart man, but I know what love (of driving a big truck) is." Funny thing about love is the deepness of that there emotion. No one but a fellow trucker knows that love. It's the love of our life, if you will. And since it's that deep, we take great offense to anyone puttin' down that love.

Imagine it like this: (I've caught Shocky's digression syndrom)

Say you and your lovely new bride are out at a restaurant. She's the apple of your eye and the one thing that keeps your heart beatin' (and blood pumpin' through that...uh...member).

Some high falutin' feller comes by and tells you how she ain't worth spit and that you oughtta trade her in.
What's more, yer an idiot for even wastin' yer time with such a piece of trash.

I don't imagine too many fellers would just say how right that high falutin' fella was, or even try to find a happy medium.

Instead, I reckon that feller would kindly introduce his fist to that prissy feller's lip. Maybe let his groin meet his knee.

The only talkin' that'd be done would be from his pride n joy who'd say how proud she is of her love for standin' up and defendin' her.

Rough and tough
meets
High and mighty.

My money's on tough.

 

You know, Scarecrow, I think that sums it up quite nicely. It's almost like part of our blood has turned to deisel fuel, and we just can't get it burned any other way than in a truck. Even fifteen years later, I've still got that burning desire to DRIVE!!! And if anyone wants to insult my love, I'll certainly be planting the "fist" in their face.

 

Can we say Love Makes The Wheels Go 'Round?

Love is what it is and it does what it does. And as much as I understand the call of the road, there is writing on the wall that the love affair, as we once knew it, just might be coming to an end sooner than we thought.

No doubt BIG companies are more capable of survival, and profits are their main concern, even if it sometimes takes a loss.

In a fleet of 5,000 Big trucks, if 15% to 20% aren't turning a profit at any given time -- 80% to 85% of them are.

In a fleet of one or two Big trucks, if even ONE isn't turning a profit at any given time -- well, you do the math.

I think the Independent Trucker's days are numbered -- except for the nitch companies, and folks with connections, their own authority and honest brokers behind them.

My great-great grandparent used to love making high button shoe hooks and buggy whips. But there came a day when those companies moved --- somewhere or on.
One isn't used anymore and the other can be whipped out (pardon the pun) on a machine at a fraction of the cost, and quicker, than grandparent could do on their best day.

Progress, I suppose.
Steam locomotive engineers faced the same situation about fifty years ago. Phased out. No longer needed. Too late in life to retrain for the diesel-electric future. Too young to afford to be able to retire.
And that might be the situation today.
Big truck drivers drive Big trucks.
But, what else can they do?

Some might have other skills to fall back on. But I'm thinkin' the majority who are 40 years old, or older, ...... would be hard-pressed to have to start over and be retrained for something else.
And with the economy the way it is now, WHAT else?

After pulling in $50,000 to $80,000 per year, then going to minimum wage ($8.00 an hour in California), that has to be a culture shock. From the penthouse to the outhouse.
If it hasn't been foreclosed.

We have China competing for the oil, and both China and Mexico increasing their orders for corn, as WE explore how to make a fuel out of our food stuffs.

Supply & Demand.
Short supply -- big demand --- and the prices go UP.

Keeping that in mind, I wonder why O/O's are, or were, willing to haul cheap freight at a loss?
If NObody would haul cheap freight, it'll just sit somewhere until the shipping rate is increased, and/or more of the profit margin gets past the brokers.

But if a Big truck truckin' company can get their costs down to, say a buck a mile, and the O/O needs a buck fifty, how many O/O's will be in demand?

Just say NO to cheap freight.
Let the big companies wing it on a buck, consistently, if they can. But, believe me, when and if only a few BIG companies remain, you can bet they'll raise the shipping rates pronto. Who else is gonna haul it? The O/O's went out of business when they were undercut.

The airline industry is taking a hit, too. To keep flying, it seems, at least one airline, has cut their maintenance costs.
HaiL!
They're strugglin'!
SOMEbody has to pay for the upkeep on the airplanes. With limited amount of money available, what should they cut? Fuel?

But the gubmint has a handle on those floundering waskels. They're goin' broke, soooo, the OBVIOUS answer is to FINE them $10 million -- that, if they had it, they PROBABLY would have spent it on maintenance.

Ground 500 planes and strand more travelers. And WHO'S gonna get the blame for that?
My bet is the Airlines.
They just brought it on themselves for tryin' to keep 'em flying. While others folded their wings and went belly-up.

Why doesn't the gubment just run EVERYthing? All the better to help us (help them re-distribute the wealth.)

The future?
I think it's here.

2012?
Hmmmmmmmmm

 

This is what I wrote to the paper, in their "contact us" section.




This is in regards to a blog entitled"Truck drivers, who do they think they're kidding?" I just wanted to know how you could publish such vile,hate-mongering,uninformed,and fictional garbage? The author,John Piserchia,is obviously a b*g*t,albeit a college-educated b*g*t. Publishing this particular blog makes me wonder...if he had written such views about,say, Hispanics,or African-Americans,or women, would you have published THAT, as well??? I say, SHAME ON YOU!!!

 

Hey rember Opinions are like a- - holes every body has one.Lawers love truckers realy if you dont believe me watch tv They always mention trucks.Per say> If you get in a wreck with an 18 wheeler call me an I will get you millions.No matter whos falt call me.

 

What's your opinion of those folks who dial the numbers? Without clients, lawyers would dry up and blow away. Seems there are plenty of folks out there wanting a piece of the Big truck truckin' action if lawyers are doing as well as you claim.

Greed knows no boundaries.
Justice is blind.

I bet sticks and stones break more bones than Big trucks do. But how does one sue those things?

Maybe if the Big truck truck insurance carriers actually took a case to trial, instead of settling for millions OUT of court in some kind of (sweet) deal, we'd see a reversal in the get rich quick litigation.

Side bar,...............................

If YOU were injured by a Big truck, and a lawyer guaranteed you a cool million, how long would YOU have to think about it before you signed on the dotted line?

I rest my case.

 

Case in point Friend of mine hit by a Drunk driver BAC was.24 at autopsy doing 75 in a 45 in a construction zone no less guy who hit him not wearing a seat belt. However none of that was going to admissable at the trial since that evidence about the BAC was not collected properly. Meanwhile my friend was doing 14 mph at ponit of impact was hit hard enough to rip the cab off a 1979 Transtar 2 and spin it to face the frame then the guy had enough energy left to hit the trailer and bend the landing gear leg 90 degrees to the frame of the trailer. Ultimate case of the accident a Blown ariline on the Tractor on the Left frt 30/30 put the truck 2 inches over the centerline.

 

As I read thru the responses, LOL the whole time. I see that many can't handle the truth. Whether you agree or disagree with post, some of it is true. When I woke up this morning, I thought I was in the good ol USA, where we are free to have our own opinions. The childish name calling, is the backbone of the trucking industry. What are all of you 8 years old. You are welcome for the REALITY check.

 

Which one of your sentences had the REALITY check? I suppose since you graced us with your keyboard talent, we should read your paragraph and be so amazed, we'd all wake up to reality.

 

Rch!
That's amazing!
You came to that conclusion withOUT reading the sentence(s) with the reality check?
Talk about "talent".

Thank YOU for the "reality check".
Seems TruckinBiker was correct in his assessment of the Big truck truckin' industry -- in general.
Imagine that.

JohnLawyer wondered if we even vote in elections -- I'm wondering if YOU do.
If so, do you read the ballot?
If not, that might be another of those "reality checks".
Ya reckon.