More unwanted advice from an old fart

Ok I will play. Truck drivers, there is this nifty little communication device called a CB radio, it is very useful for gathering information as to traffic conditions, directions etc etc as well as friendly conversation with your fellow truckers. Most of you have one hanging in your truck but it seems that you never turn it on. If you did have it on you wouldn't come to a stop at a traffic jam and ask "whats going on on the east/west/south/north bound side?" If you had that nifty communication device turned on in the first place you would have known about that backup a long time before you got there and possibly could have avoided it altogether. I know I'm gonna get all kinds of remarks about all the hate and discontent as well as profanity on 19 and my answer to that is BS. I ride around all day everyday with my radio on and you know what I here 99% of the time? nothing. The problem with trucking nowadays is truckers, they don't communicate like they once did. Turn that radio on, communicate with your fellow truckers, you never know you might learn something, get a lead on a good driving job or a load hell you might even make another friend. Or you will ignore this post and continue to ride around like a bunch of zombies in 80k boxes.

 

Every now and then you still get lucky. I talked to a guy not to long ago from Abilene clear into the 20/30 split west of FW. Good stuff RGRTim.

 

Yes sir, I talked to another driver for a couple hours across 20 in Alabama the other night. Still happens but not like it once did. I miss that about trucking nowadays.

 

I agree. First time driving across Wyoming on I-80 back in 1986, I carried on a conversation with a guy (middle of the night) for several hours. We were out in the middle of no where and I realize I'm about out of fuel (rookie mistake). I tell the driver what's going on and that I need to get off highway in the hopes of finding an open gas station. He tells me that he's gonna follow to make sure I don't get stranded.

I get off at the next exit and the station is closed. So we get back on 80 and he tells me there's a truck stop 30 miles down the road and he's gonna follow me to make sure I make it. We get off that exit and I get to the fuel pumps, he parks to get a cup of coffee and some chow and I join him. I was so grateful to him that I bought him breakfast.

We ran together to Salt Lake where my delivery was and he continued on to CA. Sure was nice having someone to talk to that night, and it was even nicer knowing that someone had my back. Too bad we don't see much of that anymore.

 

If someone wants to communicate use finger gestures and the truckers report. CB's?? Do they still have those things? If people wanted to hear blabbing they would get an office job and hang around the water cooler. If people wanted to hear US Marshal stories. They would sit at the counter in the restaurants. This is real deal holyfield gear jamming country music playin trucking we don't have time to be listening to chicken haulers ask for a bear report every five minutes, Or some dude with a big old radio. Who ask for a radio check every 5 minutes. If you are lonely get a local job or a dog. You want traffic reports. THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT.

 

You know...you really need to dismount that high horse you're riding.

Some of us don't want to play with $200 cell phones or pay monthly fees for having a "smart phone". Just because the phone is "smart" it doesn't mean the operator of it is that way.

There's been more than one time that I have been driving and have been alerted to an accident that was blocking the highway I was on by someone using a CB radio. In fact it just happened to me last week. Your "apps" in most cases do not provide instant communication and in most cases they are way behind actual time. Case in point...last winter here in Michigan there was a 20+ vehicle pile up on I-94 and it took the MDOT over thirty minutes to send out their advisory to all you folks glued to your "smart phones".

Furthermore, here in Michigan it is illegal to text and drive or use any devices that are handheld while driving...especially in a commercial vehicle. Why then does the MDOT and MSP send out text messages to people that they know full well are on the road and driving? It seems to me that they are encouraging drivers to break the law that they want to enforce. Sorry but your "apps" are part of the problem. If you have a CB in your rig and you don't like or want to hear what's coming out of it...be smarter than the radio and turn it off. Is that too much of a challenge for you?

Sorry...I've seen many of your posts and a majority of them I agree with. However, the world doesn't revolve around Dinomite and bashing other drivers because we use a CB while driving down the road is ignorant at best.

 

I'll go one step further....Out of old habit, I'll still try and hail big trucks I see on the shoulder broke down/with their hazards on, just to see if I may be able to help (I always have spare oil/coolant/grease/etc.- as well as a decent set of tools). I can't tell you the last time any of them even answered my call, let alone when I was able to help one out.....But I still give it a try regardless. It's just in my blood from back before everyone had cellphones and 20 different road service shops a call away. If someone thinks that makes me some "lonely chicken hauler that asks for a radio/bear check every five minutes" because I still use the original "wireless", well, that just displays their ignorance/arrogance.

Mudguppy..........I'm Gone!

 

Great thread. Must of dished out a dozen thanks.

 

Hmmm, a freight hauler by any standard.
Funny though, I rarely turn my CB off, and also rarely hear the junk you speak of. I do however, hear the odd decent driver telling folks if there is an accident ahead, bad weather, and so on. Once in a blue moon, another driver will give me a heads up that he is about to come around me when I am oversize. Rare, but still happens from time to time.
By the sound of it though, I for one will thank you for NOT having your CB turned on. Sounds like it would be cause to turn the volume down should you have a different view of it.

Martin

 

You should stick to your "slow trucking" fuel savings sermons and leave trucking to the big boyz. You obviously graduated from Mega Trucking 101 and decided to be a deacon for free.