"But Officer....."

Agreed!

 

Well I don't know what to say really! I guess my first question is, are you state,county,or leo? If you're state are you dot ? Because patrol and dot are two different breeds, patrol bust their ### and for the most part are pretty decent depending on the state! DOT is another thing all together, every now and then you'll get a decent officer at dot who has seen and heard it all and is pretty good, most think they have the power to do what ever the hel l they want and get away with it,,, like someone on this very forum who got written up for having a bungie strap that didn't have a rating tag on it, or writing someone up for operating 15 minutes past their HOS and they are 45 minutes from home. Are you common sense or by the book and add more to the book? Just asking!!

 

I am thinking the load securement is the most pressing issue. The two chains on rolling stock is a deadly accident waiting to happen regardless of the chain grade. An accident happens in feet not miles.


No way you should allow that equipment to move until it was secured correctly

 

@Observer1 Thank you for being in this forum. I personally am greatfull you are on here posting. We have a lot to learn from each other I think.

 

He already mentioned that he is with a city PD, certified to do inspections.

Granted, I live a sheltered life, but I'm not too sure I'd agree with you that patrol and dot are two different breeds. I've met quite a few officers over the years, and in my experience, its more to do with age. Whether its in years of life, or years on the job. The "rookies", whether they are highway patrol, county deputies, or city officers, always seem to feel the need to prove themselves, and show that they know everything that they are supposed to know... and more. And then, when they get more time in, they come to grips with the fact that they are the law, and don't feel the need to force it down your throat every time they get a chance. They understand life itself, isn't always black and white... there's a bit of gray here and there.

I'm glad that @Observer1 answered the way he did, by writing what he did. I know of two "one bullet Barney's", that are certified to do inspections in their respective cities, and they are considered by the locals to be the cities ATM's. Wish they would have picked more experienced officers for the job.

But hey... good help is hard to find everywhere!

 

Holy ####, and he's still able to drive?!?

Thank you for taking the time to understand what we go through.

 

Has nothing to do with his drivers license.

 

50 different violations, 18 OOS?! That driver sounds like a hazard out on the road to me

 

Those are against the company's safer score not necessarily (but probably him and others) that particular driver.

 

@Observer1 , I think that you will find by reading this forum, especially the Heavy Haul and Flatbed forums, that there is a lot of constructive criticism toward each other. Perhaps that is a bad way to put it, but a lot of drivers that have questions are willing to put them out on this forum, and accept the advice of others with more experience. It doesn't always end up peachy if the person asking the questions refuses to listen to the answers, but more often than not it becomes a learning experience for many of us. Some of the members can be a bit abrupt in sharing their advice, but it is not to put down an individual, but rather to make a stern point. How the person under scrutiny reacts to stern advice usually sets the tone for the rest of the conversation; if he/she accepts the advice, or replies with thoughtful consideration, the rest of the conversation is usually positive.

I suspect the same goes with your side of the equation. If you see something that needs to be corrected, and the driver responds with a positive and polite attitude, the solution can be constructive. On the other hand, If the law enforcement officer starts off with the attitude that because one drives a truck they are automatically a lower class citizen, then there cannot be a constructive outcome to the interaction.

I believe that we all agree there is a time when citations must be issued. But drivers are often put in impossible situations. Whether it be minor HOS violation due to circumstances that the driver could not control, or permit problems, or weight problems. It seems to me that action to most of these, if evaluated in regard to safety, can be dealt with amicably. 15 minutes over on hours, 1,000 pounds over weight, or having a side marker light out are not in my mind dangerous conditions, and should be dealt with accordingly. The violations that you cited in the beginning of this thread are in my opinion real safety concerns. Under securement with no direct tie downs and no functional tail lights are the kind of things that can hurt or kill someone, and should be corrected immediately.

I personally applaud you for coming on here with a good attitude and trying to understand a bit more of our side of things. Thanks!