Staying safe while sleeping

When I worked for Werner, I would often have to park overnight in lousy parts of lousy cities. Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicagoland.... Woke up multiple times to gunshots outside, but I've never had anyone threaten me or my truck. Situational awareness, keep a blade at the ready when in nastier areas, and appropriate footwear.

 

I'm going to pick on that comment a minute. I hope you don't mind. I am directing my comments more to the rookies. If you stay in the trucking business you are going to run into Rambo's and CB radio Rambo's. Trust me most of the time it is 100% mouth. If you feel comfortable armed and can get it past your company go for it. I on the other hand always preferred a tire thumper. There are two truths about trucking you will do well to remember during your career. 1. There are those that do and there are those that just talk about it. 2. Those that think you know what you are doing are only in the way of those of us that actually do. My father AND his trucker friends I come to idolize growing up taught me those two truths.

Edited to add I ALWAYS HAD MY THUMPER JUST BEHIND MY SEAT AND IT CAME OUT MICROSECONDS AFTER I DID IF I FELT A THREAT. I had that thumper(or my hammer) in my right hand and my flashlight in my left when I was out doing pre/post trips at night. Either of them could put a quick hurting on you.

 

A sure noggin knocker fer sure!

 

Judge handles my issues. never needed it. no one bothers me, wherever I decide to park. been out here a long time, only people ever knocked on my door at nighy, or day, while I'm sleeping, we're ######. they were polite and even apologized. stop worrying.

 

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments of the constitution. So yes the right to keep and bare arms us in the Constitution. Its the 2nd amendment.

 

I read the whole thread. Op asked a fair question. The real answer is that trucking is really pretty safe. People are mainly good. The people who have had serious problems are very few.
Pay attention. Stay alert. Be careful. I do a threat analysis on everyone. Everyone. Its just my nature. The more you get comfortable with new areas you will see your uneasiness lessen.
Most of the stories at the lunch counter are very built up the sound like a tuff guy. My guess is that a very small percentage of drivers ever have a real serious threat to face. Walk with confidence. Look people in the eyes. See and be seen. Look like a victim and be a victim. As far as when you're sleeping, get a good nights sleep. Odds are you will never have a reason not to. Just be smart.

 

If a well lit truckstop is unavailable, or you're in Gary, IN or Oakland..... after dark, be in your truck and stay there .

 

The fear is really overblown.

There are 3 million truck drivers in the USA and far less than 20 of them get murdered every year. We WISH we would live in towns with that low a murder rate.

Don't go to stupid places, with stupid people, or do stupid things. Common sense will do you unless you just get incredibly unlucky.

That being said, as long as you aren't going to the NE or Chicago? I'd carry a gun, just in case.

 

I am in agreement with that I made bold. I have always advised to be careful and keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings but don't live in fear. However your number while correct gives a false impression. The real stat is What is the number of violent crimes against truck drivers. I think those numbers are much higher. What infuriates me though is people making a major problem out of just a few things to write a %$#@%^&* book.

Talk about painting with a broad brush. I hope some of you remember something I said in a previous thread. The best lie is a lie with just enough truth in it to make it east to swallow.

This author has took some facts that are true and has put them all in one place and has branded the trucking profession as full of evil people.

Not meaning to hijack the thread but this is the picture the general public is getting about trucking and it is why some of the anti trucker crap is coming down from the Congress and the FMCSA. I'm not popular on these boards and I know it. I can be and will remain hypercritical of some things trucking related I see and don't like. It is an unavoidable fact either the profession cleans itself up or the Feds is going to do it. And while retired and out of it I don't want to see the Feds get further involved in the micromanaging of this industry. Because most all of us know what happens when the higher ups start micromanaging.