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A few questions from a wannabe.

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by jakewalker, Nov 21, 2010.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Nov 21, 2010 #1
    jakewalker

    jakewalker Bobtail Member

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    Nov 4, 2010
    0
    I'm looking into becoming an OTR driver... I do have a few concerns, such as, not having a bathroom, what if you have to take a crap in the middle of nowhere? I can understand peeing in a bottle, but taking a crap in a bag is just nasty, but if you gotta go, you gotta go. Can't be crapping your pants as an adult.:biggrin_2556:

    Okay, now my next concern is the showers. IS it possible to take a shower everyday, say if you work 14 hours a day (?), and run 2500-3500 miles (?) a week solo. How often will you be able to shower, while maintaining your hustle? Every other day? Once a week?:biggrin_25524:

    Now another concern I have is mountain driving. I won't lie, I am a little nervous about driving up and down a mountain with a steep fall, without any type of railing. I'm sure this is just a minor phobia that can be overcome with a few exposures. I'm a city boy that has never driven in mountains. I've heard a story from a guy that used to drive trucks in a different country, he told me one day he was going up a steep hill and, I'm not sure if he missed a gear or if his breaks went out, but he lost complete control of his truck and had to bail out of it. How often, if ever, does that happen? Maybe his truck was a piece of crap.
     
    jakewalker, Nov 21, 2010
    jakewalker, Nov 21, 2010
    #1
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  3. Nov 21, 2010 #2
    dancnoone

    dancnoone "Village Idiot"

    9,922
    3,713
    May 6, 2007
    Mississippi
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    Shower every day ?? What's that ??

    Unless you're willing to foot the bill for a motel room. You're going to find yourself in some really lacking areas of the country...for truck stops and showers. But if you run up and down the interstate all day, you can count on a shower.

    Bathroom. Get on a schedule...and pray last nights dinner doesn't change that schedule without your permission.
     
    dancnoone, Nov 21, 2010
    dancnoone, Nov 21, 2010
    #2
  4. Nov 21, 2010 #3
    American-Trucker

    American-Trucker Road Train Member

    10,371
    5,085
    Nov 8, 2009
    Charlotte, North Carolina
    0
    you can shower every day but if you don't have shower credits it adds up at $10 a piece......but deffinitly every other day at the most...

    For and emergency on road bathroom get a 5 gallon bucket and put a trash bag in it and presto a toilet!




    American Trucker
     
    American-Trucker, Nov 21, 2010
    American-Trucker, Nov 21, 2010
    #3
  5. Nov 22, 2010 #4
    Rerun8963

    Rerun8963 Road Train Member

    3,917
    2,012
    Mar 30, 2006
    ova-hereee
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    find a place to pull over and "do it". make sure you take at the minimum at least 2 rolls of toilet paper with you on the road. heck even take a roll with you INSIDE the truck stop as many times the toilet stalls CAN BE empty...!!

    you WILL NOT shower every day unless you want to pay for it. when you fuel up you "were supposed" to get a free shower, but i have been hearing that now showers have to be paid for. i hope this IS NOT really happening out there. but if so, and EACH shower costs you (say) $10.....do you really want to spend (on showers alone) $70 per week, then your food at (say) $150 per week...?? for a near total cost of $220 just to be on the road...?? what kind of paycheck would you think you'll end up with...???

    bailing out of a truck DOES NOT happen, he either told you a "truckers story" or he IS/WAS VERY INEPT at driving.....!!

    you would be taught on how to drive down mountains, and YOU WILL PAY ATTENTION...!!
     
    Rerun8963, Nov 22, 2010
    Rerun8963, Nov 22, 2010
    #4
  7. Nov 22, 2010 #5
    Kansas

    Kansas Road Train Member

    2,541
    2,585
    Apr 14, 2009
    aircap, Ks.
    0
    I have never pooped in a bag, but I have pooped in a box before. It happens... It aint fun, and yeah its nasty, but when ya gotta go, ya gotta go!

    I shower every other day. Rarely do I get a chance to shower every day. Even if I could it takes time to shower, and usually I want to put that time to better use.

    And yeah, I have never lost control on a mountain. Thats a truckers story, or some really freaky event. Thats not a truckers daily reality by any means.
     
    Kansas, Nov 22, 2010
    Kansas, Nov 22, 2010
    #5
  8. Nov 22, 2010 #6
    Kittyfoot

    Kittyfoot Crusty Ancient

    2,092
    3,056
    Sep 21, 2009
    Sorrento, Louisiana
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    Going up mountains is rough, going down is easy; there's this thing called..... gravity.:biggrin_25523::biggrin_2559:
     
    Kittyfoot, Nov 22, 2010
    Kittyfoot, Nov 22, 2010
    #6
  9. Nov 22, 2010 #7
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    10,679
    12,238
    May 28, 2009
    Rancho Mirage, Ca.
    0
    Dude, you can shower daily if you plan it. Occasionally, you'll find yourself somewhere with no shower available. Now the No.2 secenario is a tad different. In 32 years of trucking, I only had to crap once inside the truck and I used a small cooler and got rid of it pronto. It was that or squat down on Main street in small town, N.M. at high noon!. A side note here. You will be eating at various food joints and you will get the "runs" now and then, I mean life happens, right?
     
    Allow Me., Nov 22, 2010
    Allow Me., Nov 22, 2010
    #7
  10. Nov 22, 2010 #8
    wulfman75

    wulfman75 Road Train Member

    2,155
    2,701
    Jul 15, 2010
    Athens, GA
    0
    Wally World has a portable toilet for like 30 bucks I think. I'll be picking one up when I get on the road.

    Emergency use only and will pray I never have to use it. :biggrin_25525:
     
    wulfman75, Nov 22, 2010
    wulfman75, Nov 22, 2010
    #8
    bugsy siegel Thanks this.
  11. Nov 22, 2010 #9
    kirk cullum

    kirk cullum Light Load Member

    146
    20
    Sep 24, 2010
    saginaw,tx.
    0
    LMAO,LOL,THATS FUNNY:biggrin_2559:
     
    kirk cullum, Nov 22, 2010
    kirk cullum, Nov 22, 2010
    #9
  12. Nov 22, 2010 #10
    Hardlyevr

    Hardlyevr Road Train Member

    3,270
    2,540
    Jul 30, 2009
    Mapleton Depot,PA
    0
    Showers: once a week whether you need it or not!:biggrin_25521:
     
    Hardlyevr, Nov 22, 2010
    Hardlyevr, Nov 22, 2010
    #10
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