It's the little things.....

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by drivingmissdaisy, Jun 10, 2019.

  1. drivingmissdaisy

    drivingmissdaisy Road Train Member

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    Jun 10, 2019
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    .....that can ruin your afternoon.

    I'm needing a bite to eat and a potty break so I decide to pull into the next service plaza I get to in Jersey on the pike. I notice the sign says plaza next right so I click off my cruise and at that moment see flashing blue lights off in the distance in front of me. They pull into the service plaza ahead of me and I watched the DOT guy hop out of his SUV and immediately go straight to the rear tandem of the trailer. Even in passing by and parking with a quick glance I could see the guy had no mudflap on one side.

    This happened during the blitz. I ate lunch, even brushed my teeth and went back to my truck. An hour later I was pulling away and the DOT was now crawling UNDER the truck on a creeper.

    This poor prime driver earned him a level 3 inspection because of a missing mudflap. I don't know if he was passing or failing but I did notice the DOT guy had some rectangular looking booklet in his hand and he pointed to something on the trailer in the front and the driver nodded his head and the DOT guy wrote something down on said rectangular pad.

    I felt so bad for this dude. A pretrip could have saved him a headache. New drivers and old, let's not give the DOT something THAT obvious to pull us over for!
     
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  3. DTP

    DTP Road Train Member

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    I so don’t miss the northeast...
     
  4. starmac

    starmac Road Train Member

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    A pretrip might have saved him, if he was where he could get a mudflap.
    That is if it was gone when he left, which I assume it was unless he happened to have to back up on something when he pulled out, or let it roll back against a curb or something.
     
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  5. Western flyer

    Western flyer Road Train Member

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    Good job diesel cop.
    I'm behind you 100 percent.
    Missing mud flap on a 60 mph prime truck,
    Could do untold damage to the motoring public.

    I'm almost certain that if you didn't catch that
    Outlaw,drugged up , hardened criminal,
    When you did.
    He surely would have killed a school bus full
    Of kids before he made it to the petro to
    Get a new mudflap.

    Tax dollars hard at work.
     
  6. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Gettin' down westbound
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    Why does prime even need mud flaps is the question. I dont think they drive fast enough to kick up any rocks from the road
     
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  7. mitmaks

    mitmaks Road Train Member

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    DOT are same scum as welfare recipients, they suck tax dollars out of you and are total parasites.
     
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  8. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    No wonder our Nation seems to be unraveling at the seams when the best and brightest sprint to a busted or no mudflap. /sarcasm.
     
  9. Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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    Maybe He will start doing his pre trips now. An old mud flap found at any Truckstop parking lot, and a few HD zip ties and a few minutes time. Would have saved him a lot more than the effort it takes to slap a mudflap on. All the windshields I’ve bought, not to mention what a small rock can do to a Motorcycle Rider. No excuse. He deserved to be pulled over, for being stupid.
     
  10. S M D

    S M D Road Train Member

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    Lvl 3 is driver credentials only
    Level 2 they do lights tires basic walk around
    Level 1 is where they go under and check brakes air lines etc.
     
  11. Boondocker

    Boondocker Light Load Member

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    NE Pa
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    Yep I always find a spare mudflap ripped off ,strap one to my deck plate. Always picking up drop trailers sometimes flap is missing. Cordless drill and wala no wait time at the shop, Lights and flaps invitation to trouble. I like the zip ties idea tho.
     
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