Hype, Histeria from the FMCSA

That was Tennessee and not the federal people. I will agree that many states consider the federal rules as an excuse gain money.

 

No I'm not suggesting anything, I'm telling you sir, that what the op said has some merit, sir. I never said or implied that I thought it is "safe" to run any speed. Comfort has nothing to do with the difference in 20 mph change in speed limit. Neither does electrical nor frost plugs. As far as brakes, thanks for helping with the intented point of my post, they are still the same technology as they were back then. I'm telling you sir, that with the wave the magic wand from the FEDS it was suddenly "safe" to run 20 to 25 mph faster with some of the same equipment. I know you don't like having your opinions challenged (from reading some of your other posts and I do respect your knowledge of the regs, but...), I have 30+ years experience to in my field, which makes me qualified to tell you sir, that some the laws and regs and reasons for them were BS then and BS now.

 

Then we must agree to disagree

 

Here is another example of money over safety when it's convienent. I pull a bottle for living. When I haul propane I have to follow the FMCSR's HOS regs. When I pull ammonia I can work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day if I can stay awake ( Ag Exempt). I am no more or less safer with one or the other, but because farmers have a powerful lobby in Washington, the Feds exempt anhydrous from the HOS. Does it make any sense from purely a safety sandpoint ? Expain why, other than money and power that is o.k. and why the all powerful and all knowing FED DOT would sign off on that ? I am not trying to pick a fight, just pointing out the inequity in the system.

 

I know that any driver that has been out here for any length of time will agree.

 

What the Fed's fail to tell you (probably because they don't know) is it doesn't matter if a truck is traveling 55 or 65 mph if a car pulls in front of the truck , luck is the only thing that will save the car driver. There are no studies to prove one or the other (speed) made any difference .The biggest factor is mass difference, period!!!! . This whole thing about speed saves lives is only about revenue for the government.

 

If you don't know the answer to this then you are just one of the mindless sheep.

Mark

 

Now anybody with proper knowledge of speed and braking knows safe braking distance is not determined by the speed or distance between vehicles but by the time interval between them . So yes , any speed can be safe as far as braking is concerned if all the vehicles are going the same speed . It is much easier to keep a safe interval going the same speed as the flow of traffic and safer than going 10 m.p.h. slower than the flow and causing changes in speed and unsafe passing by the vehicles around you . That is the conclusion of every study done involving split speed limits and speed limiters .
The last time I saw properly adjusted brakes was the past level 1 inspections I had .Self adjusting slack adjusters will keep the brakes properly adjusted unless the adjuster or some other brake component is defective .

 

OMG I've been looking for an analogy to fit and you hit the nail right on the head! Perfect bro thanks. <mindless sheep> Perfect!

 

I have to agree with scotty. I was lucky with my last job because they were smart enough to realize that a driver with a million miles or 20 to 30 years safe driving was an asset and using these guys as driver trainers and then taking the best driver trainer and making that person a safety engineer. These guys know how to operate a truck better than most and better than all who has never driven. Then the company goes even further and employs a defensive driving program written by very expeienced drivers.

And then I've work for a company that uses young college grads and places them as safety director and these people have never even been inside a truck. So it doesn't take much to understand it's much better the first way so if I have a safety issue at least the boss will understand if I have to talk technical. Everything can't run from a book like some of these exec's feel.