Changes coming to the DOT physical....

Computers have done more to make people antisocial than anything else. These days everybody owns multiple screens with 300 channels that stuff to look at or unlimited websites to explore. Add to that all the video games and texting and you pretty much don't even have to talk to anybody anymore. I love to go back the sixties have a great new music coming out every week awesome American-made cars with tons of horsepower and no effing screens.

 

Not to mention contributing to the decline of health, the incline of obesity, the decline in learning the importance of history, and learning the value of just plain learning.

 

That'll work until some jacked driver with a huge neck threatens to sue for malpractice and damages because you can't get a BMI from height/weight. Literally happened to a buddy, but it never came to the lawsuit.

 

One of the guys I started training with had this question. The doctor said his weight and height plus neck size were indications of a possible issue, then he removed his shirt. Dude was in very good shape. Dr retracted her worries.

Although I have to play devils advocate here. The thing with neck size isn't negated just because you are muscular and not soft. The issue itself is that the muscles relax when you hit deep sleep. I don't care how fit you are, if the muscles relax you'd have the same risk.

Now being in shape would (or should) negate a bad BMI, but we all know BMI in itself is a load of crap.


Ed

 

The sleep apnea thing is new for trucking. Nobody wants to be told you need a sleep test. Just saying it's not the end of trucking if someone is flagged for a sleep test. They make it sound like is a big deal or test and it's not.

 

I quit my job to start a new career in driving. I had my ducks in a row. I had a physical done prior to giving my notice at my old job because I figured that was the smart thing to do. I studied for a month or so to make sure I passed the DMV tests. I put money aside to cover the 3 weeks of unpaid training and the 5 weeks of low paid driver training. Then I was sent home and told to get an expensive test, after I lost my benefits mind you. I also now have to cover over 90 days of rent, car loan and various other bills that were not planned for.

But hey, I feel better now that you told me it isn't a big deal. Thanks.


Ed

 

We went to Disney World in June and standing in line with my son waiting on rides I was remembering the days when people in lines like that would talk and get to know each other, where your from, what do you do, etc., in the short time there was while waiting. Not now. Everybody has their heads down looking at their phones and maybe talking with whom they are with. It's funny in some cases that when you do try to talk to somebody it's like.....OMG! did, did he just speak to me? What does he want? People don't know how to do small talk anymore either, just communication in general I guess. And this is coming from someone who is extremely quiet and private but I always did enjoy getting to know new people.

 

Are you saying to skirt Darwin? I think we have for a long time. That's why the human race is devolving.

 

It IS a big deal, if a newbie is having to pay out of pocket for a SA test. They don't come cheap! And so when they mandate a certain individual MUST have the test, because of some BS statistics, it IS a big deal.
Sleep Apnea is a very real concern. It is a health hazard to the person that has it. It is a hazard to everybody else on the road, to have a driver that suffers from it, but is not being treated for it, be out on the road!
But as usual, they have taken a "shotgun" approach to it. And it has opened the doors for so many totally unscrupulous people to abuse the hell out of it.

 

Right, we keep going with technology and it will probably save more lives. Just like airplanes are more safe today. The computers can fly a plane better then a human most times. They can probably drive a car or truck better once the technology is better.