My fears of becoming a trucker

I don't smoke or drink,but honestly think Holland is the only country,that got it right.All of the time and money wasted in the US on pot prosecution and incarceration is a crime.The revenue generated by taxing weed if legalized would be as much or more than cigarette tax revenue;but changing our countries rules and mindset would be next to impossible IMO.By the way Holland also got legalised prostitution right,taken away the pimps and organised crime aspect of it,and they are checked regularly by doctors for STDS. Maybe I'm predjudiced because I am of Dutch ancestry,but my wife lived there for a year with her relatives,and saw the smoke houses and redlight districts in AMersterdam.She felt safer there, than walking through cities in the us with prostitution and drug dealers controlling their territories.
The other thing hard core heroin users are give drug counciling and treatment programs,they can get their drug without having to steal for it,a big source of crime in the US would be eliminated if we would learn from the DUTCH .I know I'm going to catch flack for these views ,but before you respond,think about this;how well is the US war on drugs working now?We got it all wrong here people.

 

We're fighting the same losing war here in Canada, whosedog. My nephew went to work in the oil patch a few years ago and the recruiter offered "help" passing the drug test if needed. My nephew didn't need any help, but he did find himself working with crack and meth fiends. He changed companies pretty quick. The next place took the drug testing seriously and, oddly enough, he got to work with sober people. Now he's back home doing the O/O thing hauling for farmers and much happier.

The laws simply don't work and we need much tougher laws to keep the testing honest instead...like any company that offers "help" falsifying a drug test gets shut down. We need real education programs. We need harm reduction programs. We've been tossing people in jail for over a century now and the problem has gotten worse, not better.

 

I doubt that I'll live long enough to see it legalized. There is too much money, (on BOTH side of the law,) depending on keeping it illegal.

Which I think is just plain wrong. But there are jobs where ANY kind of impairment just can't be tolerated. Of course I guess there isn't much we can do about DWS. (Driving While Stupid.)

I really have to question if the OP has any seriousness at all about actually working in this industry. I sort of think he is just jerking chains...

 

i will comment on what i bolded...

since to o/p has been talking about smoking some weed or drinking, any little bit of respect i had for him when he first came here, is now out the window. i will at the very least give just a LITTLE BIT of respect to newbies here, but that slowly wanes away when i start reading posts about drugs, and alcohol. if a newbie here to these boards is a stand up straight up person, even an ex-con, they will gain more respect from me as time goes on, if they are sincere in obtaining a job in this industry.

but this o/p has proven (to me at least) he is not one to give up the smoke or the juice and wishes to continue to partake in such activities.

just another chain jerker in the crowd...

 

Speaking of alcohol.... I just did a pee test for my new gig... and their lease-on program requires an alcohol test as well - first time I've ever had to blow - weird. Never saw this on a DOT pre-employment. Had just eaten at Cracker Barrel with the wife, so all I would have blown was chicken and dumplings and a couple of biscuits... and Diet Coke... so it came up .000.

 

Back on topic.

1. For any little thing you lose your lively-hood

Nah, just fear tactics. Fact of the matter anymore, if you have a pulse you have a job. I was terminated from my first job for reasons I don't want to brag about, I was 22 and thought the whole "consequences of your actions" thing didn't apply to me as did most people in their early 20's I'm sure. 3 days later I was in company orentation.

You also summarized marrage with this question....I can touch up on that too if you'd like?

2. Crooked companies ripping you off etc etc just crooked ways.

Hell, they all steal from ya! The trick, or name of the game as some would call it is to find the one that steals the least. Or, if you're really set on ripping yourself off. Lease a truck from England.

3. If you get into a wreck, it's pretty much over for awhile or forever.

Once again, nah! Even in this "crap economy" there is always some good ol' John boy that'll give ya a chance if you don't mind working for pretty much free and running 2 logbooks. Or Swift, matter of fact. The more wrecks on your record the sooner you can become a driver trainer.

4. If somebody causes you to get into a wreck but then they say it's your fault.

This is where your backhand, or tire thumper come into play. Look at the bright side, you ever been to jail recently? Pilot could take a few notes, you get free shower shoes!

5. If you get a speeding ticket it's a huge deal.

Refer to question #3, so is getting a girl pregnant. Life goes on....

6. Just having the possibility of something screwing your career or your driving record up hanging over your head sucks, and the stress that causes added to the stress and problems you already have.

For me, drinking heavily solved this problem. Off duty and with a DD of course.

 

Great example of #3 today, from my 24 year old son who lives in Lansdale, PA and works for a big appliance supplier - they have the PECO contract, and he drives a 14 ft Isuzu cabover box truck with a helper, and they deliever and pick up appliances all day, all over eastern PA.

He was in Lower MacCungie Twp, near Allentown, looking for a delivery spot in a trailer park, and he pulled down a cable line (NOT power or phone)... he called his boss, followed prtocol, which is to call the police. Local PD, state troopers, even an ambulance and fire truck showed up... they must have thought it was a power line.

The state trooper handled most of it, and since the cable line had been hung by tenants, and was only 7-8 ft off the ground, the trooper ruled it a non-issue, blew the deal off, blaming the residents. Pretty cool, kid is off the hook - the trooper even called my son's boss and explained that it was hidden in the dge of a tree branch and couldn't be seen, and was hung too low.

The clincher, though, and where I'm going with all of this is that the nasty fat lady who lives in the trailer adjacent the incident.... told the state trooper she was out in the yard doing yard work (yeah, right...) and when my kid clipped the cable, it wrapped around her neck and he dragged her through her yard with his truck!

The trooper looked at my kid, rolled his eyes, and reminded the lady that if he writes that down, and witnesses differ in their story, she'll be charged with filing a false report.

This lady old thing decided that two young guys in a newer company truck might have been a payday for her.

 

So much about driving makes me stand back and gasp.....my gawdddd, what if I completely suck at it and I've wasted 5k or so on training?

 

The only limits are the ones you place on yourself. You can do it!

 

1.correct
2.correct
3.correct
4.can happen
5.correct
6.sounds about right

Welcome to trucking