72 hr shake down

My apologies for your misunderstanding my post. I absolutely was not trying to call you a liar. I was, sadly, agreeing with you that not all troopers are honest. I would really like to believe they are, and yes, at one point in my career I did, but no longer.

So, just so we are clear, I do have respect for the job you do. I realize it is hard and the outrageous amount of federal, state and even local regulation you must follow is stifling.

What I was trying to say, not defend, is that those troopers who treat the professional drivers out there like trash learn it from somewhere. And it is my sincere belief that it comes from above them. The people in law enforcement who sit in an office, working 9-5, trying to make a name for themselves. They are the ones who put out unrealistic "goals" of stopping so many trucks and making so many inspections that the true reason trucks should get inspected is lost. It becomes a numbers game, not safety.

Again, not to defend, and fortunately I have not lost my integrity to a point where I fall into that category, but officers pushed to make so many stops will make stuff up to make those stops. When we are told to never turn in an inspection report that says "no violations", that is when you start to see the "no valve stem cover" crap.

 

Sorry, missed it.


I got several speeding tickets but I never blamed the man behind the badge. We were all out there trying to do our job.


The few bad incidents I had I always wondered if that man:


1. Had a bad night at home
2. The last person he stopped gave him a bad time


And he was taking it out on me, & whoever he stopped.


For instants here is a good incident, one evening I was going north on 101 to Salinas, CA to load lettuce. It was a Friday afternoon & when I called they told me if I would hurry up & get there I would get loaded, if not them it would be Monday before I would get loaded.


As I went though Santa Maria the traffic was a bit heavy, I slowed down running the speed limit. Unknown to me a trooper pulled out behind me quite a ways back. Several miles north he pulled me over. When he stopped me he told me, “When I 1st got behind you you were going the speed limit, & you kept speeding up to a fasted speed about ever 3 to 5 miles. When you hit 92 MPH I thought it was time to stop you. Can you tell me where your going?”


I told him what the lettuce cooler had told me. Them he looked at my drivers licenses, & amazedly, his grandfather was from Arkansas, even from my home town, & I knew him. We talked for a few minutes them he said, “I know you want to get loaded tonight, & I hope you do, I’m going to give you a warning ticket, & you will not see a trooper between here & Salinas, but do not go 92 MPH, if you will drive 70 to 75 you will be OK, if you drive faster it might be very bad for you. He also said I may still be around here if you come back this way tonight, if I am, & I’m not busy, I going to pull out & we will go have coffee.


I went to Salinas, got loaded, & came back, just north of Santa Maria he pulled up beside me & motion me to follow him. This was a summer time trip & my wife was with me. We went to a cafe & had a very wonderful visit. he could not believe he was talking to someone that knew his grandfather, & even went to church with him.


I had the feeling that this trooper would treat anyone & everyone fairly, even giving them a break when possible.


I will say this, during my time on the road, 60's, 70's, & 80's, more than 95 % of the people with badges were very good people & honest that treated me very nice. Some seem to think they are all bad, that is far from true. There’s many good ones out there


Its so sad that a few can give so many a bad name, whether its truck drivers, or lawmen.

 

I sent the clean inspection paper to my company