Well, here's your chance! (Dot and missing mudflaps)

I prefer the snooty British version, "calibre."

 

Vilhiem, I was just teasing you a little bit, and at the same time being a little serious.

Allow me to bore you with an old story.

In 1989, I was fresh faced young truck driver like yourself sitting in a one week orientation with CFI at Joplin, Mo. There was about 20 of us potential drivers sitting in a big room. In walks Herb Schmidt, who was Safety Director at CFI at that the time. Herb Schmidt talks to us for a few minutes, then asks all of us a question.

"How many of you drivers knows what an accident is, raise your hand" All 20 of us raise our hands.

Herb Schmidt randomly picks a driver with raised hand, "Joe, what do you think an accident is."

Joe: If you back your truck into someone else's truck.

Herb Schmidt: "Yes, that is correct." Herb picks another driver with a raised hand. "David, what do you think an accident is."

David: If you roll your tractor trailer over.

Herb Schmidt: Yes, you have definitely had an accident there.

Herb Schmidt: "How many of you think if you get stuck in the mud, but have no damage to the truck, you have had an accident?" Maybe one driver out of 20 raises there hand.

Herb Schmidt: Yes, if you get stuck in the mud, you have had an accident whether there is damage or not."

Herb Schmidt: "How many of you think if you lose a mudflap somewhere, you have had an accident?"

Not one driver raises his their hand.

Herb Schmidt: You are all incorrect. If you lose a mudflap, you have just had an accident and need to call the Safety Department immediately.

Now you might think that the CFI Safety Dept. was harsh, but actually they were not. But Mr. Schmidt did make a point. Trucking is all about Safety. It is all about arriving at the Shipper and the Receiver's docks safely, without any incident or accident, even if it is as minor as losing a mudflap. You new drivers, many of you are going to go all over the country to get your first couple of years experience. You will arrive at some shippers docks that were built in the 1950's, when most truckers were pulling 40 ft trailers. You may arrive somewhere and you will be told to back into a dock made of a mound of dirt. The crazy dock situations are endless and you will find out for yourself. When you arrive at a difficult dock situation, never ever be afraid to ask another driver to watch for you as you back in. Have the other driver watch your blind side, and use your mirror to watch your side. Some drivers may be a little embarrassed to ask for help or to Get Out And Look. To this day, I still get out and look at difficult situations, even sometimes at Truck Stops. Again, never be afraid to GOAL, or ask another driver to watch for you.
But now worries, Vilhiem. I am just certain yours were stolen, because you would have heard them pop off.

And I may as well make this post longer since I am at it. New drivers, go ahead and buy two or four 15 inch rubber straps w/ hooks. When a shipper tells you to run over a curb to back into a dock, take the rubber strap and hook it to the bottom of the mudflap, and hook the top of the strap to your mudflap bracket. This will raise your mudflap up several inches, and keep you from pinching them off when you back over a curb. If you must put a mudflap at risk, always pinch the one on the trailer and not the tractor. I have to driver that tractor everyday, and I don't know if I will ever see that trailer again. That's just me, though.

 

The one I bought at O'Reillys for ten bucks was a bargain then.

 

By the way in 1950 the trailers were shorter than 40 feet, just for reference. Also when you back over curbs it does damage tires, causing future blowouts. So when you have to back over a curb roll your mudflap up, place it in the gutter so you dont damage the tire. Or better yet put the head of the guy who told you to back over the curb there.

 

I can't help but shake my head. You really can't tell if the mud flap was ripped off or removed using tools? Is this the caliber of drivers out there on the road?

 

For Limited Time Offer, I have it as a 3 fer 1, Wireless Mudflaps, with 2 you get egg rolls. You simply peel and stick them right to the tyre so they can not be stolen since they wrap around the tyre and are cut tot fit.

I can outfit any truck for just 19.95