Hanging out at truck stops for a better insight. Good idea?

I hate to stereotype and say that this is typical of truckers, but....but I don't know how to finish that sentence. trucking just attracts a certain element of society. when I drove, I showered every day....I mean EVERY day. I might miss 2 or 3 showers a year due to unforseen, uncontrollable circumstances. even if I had an 1100 mile run and didn't do anything but drive for a day, I still showered. I had absolutely nothing on my dash, no clutter anywhere. I kept my truck vacuumed and clean. clean glass, clean dash, changed my sheets every 2 weeks. some people are just unbelievably nasty. there's no excuse for it.

 

So it is possible to defy the stereotypes, chief. Just because you're surrounded by a group doesn't mean you have to become one of the group. At least that's what I'm getting from your post.

 

Hey man I say do it man get that cdl. Iv been kicking myself in the butt for not getting it sooner. I am in the process of getting it now. unlike you I have had family in the industry and have ridden shotgun many times . It is an amazing thing to ride in a rig iv always known that trucking was in my blood. But didn’t do any thin about it. I think really deep down inside we all know if we are made for trucking if we really have what it takes. Me I love trucks I love the smell, look, sounds. The fact that while all your friends spent summer vacation playing I spent it in a rig or while all your friends spent there Saturdays hanging out you spend it polishing chrome or u break your neck to look at every rig that passes you, or go out of your way to gas up at a truck stop. I love trucking and it sounds like you do to. don’t let the bad stop u for every bad thing there are 4 good it is what you make of it. Good luck man hope to see you on the road.

 

As far as what a driver's dashboard has on it...I could care less,as long as he leaves my mirror attached to my fender when he pulls outta his parking spot!

 

You're in the process of getting it and you have all that wisdom .
For every bad thing there are 4 good ? I don't see newbies posting 4 good things for every bad , more like 100 bad for every good .
There's that "is what you make of it " statement again .
Yes , it's what thousands of wannabes and CDL made it - an industry with a huge oversupply of desperate applicants that let the carriers cut back rates and benefits and terminate drivers for the least of petty rule violations . It gets worse by the day .

 

I'll chip in my opinion. I love to climb into a truck and drive down the road. Every morning, I cann't wait to drive that beast some more. Yeah, there are a lot of obstacles and dangers on the road. The best advise I can offer is to be yourself. No two truckers are alike. Read over this site...none of us agree on everything. YOU choose what kind of trucker and human being YOU want to be. Critics abound but the only opinion worth anything is your own. So, go out there and enjoy the adventure.

 

****from original poster***

This might be something you would see...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3mujWKFWFs&feature=fvw

 

I commend you on your journey, and I see you got a taste of the life. But I still don't think you realized the industry as it is or what it is like to actually sit in the drivers seat. It probably didn't hurt you to hang out at the TS's a little in the name of education.. but as already been stated.. Just make sure to watch your back when these TS's you are hanging out at are less than reputable.. and then watch it anyway! As far as taking road trips in a personal vehicle and hanging at truck stops, I think this will only show you a taste of our typical long days and our lonely and sometimes outrageous home life... Because THIS IS pretty much our home when out there and not so much the business side of trucking. If you walked through a TS parking lot, did you happen to glanced up at some of the drivers sitting in their truck, you can almost feel their loneliness or other feelings by the look on their face, huh?. I would suggest getting a bigger picture of the industry than just rolling down the road and hanging around our home, asking questions and BSing.. Chances are, you will hear and see many things you don't want or need to, that will most likely discourage your decision rather the facts are true or not! Make no mistake, "Its a hard life", and only a certian breed can do it. But again, I don't think you got to experience the full meal deal.. What I suggest, as others have already in this thread, before you totally give up your dream, and look back in the future and wish you had at least tried it is...

If you know anyone who drives a truck, see if it is possible if they will let you go on, say a week or so ride along with them. That should give you some prospective outlook about how we live each day and the industry as a whole.. Or "Hole" if you like... Everything from what you will have to deal with on a daily basis, to truck stops, to shippers and receivers... And even to the scale or layout of a typical cab..

BTW, always make sure the truck is stopped before you stand in front of it and try to get the scale or layout

Also, BTW... Driving a car 300 miles is way more tiring that driving than driving a truck 600 IMPO