My new, final resting place

It's already happened to me. While I was securing these beasts to the deck, two major things happened: I did not look up and in my haste to reposition myself, my head hit one of the monster tires and I was almost knocked out. I was knocked off the deck onto the ground. Fortunately, my early combat fight training kicked in and I broke my fall (and almost my elbow) while hitting my head on the ground.

I did not get hurt in any serious way (though I scared the bejeebers out of the guy helping me) and I learned important lessons. I am more careful now and do wear that ugly helmet they gave me...

 

There are benefits to both. I suppose it's a matter of executive privilege and preference. The snap binders get very tight and are easier to use when space is restricted...like on John Deere commercial farm implements. A driver for another company had ratchet binders on a similar load; getting between the tines and discs to get any pressure on the ratchet and chain was hard for him. My chains easily all went outside those obstructions.

The one remaining issue is their release. Some of the handles are in a somewhat awkward place. We are trained to apply from the ground and release from the deck because of the pressure, but that wasn't possible on this load, so safely releasing the pressure will be challenging.

 

And I would still much rather fuss with that PITA John Deere load than throw a tarp over any load.

 

Even though I've only been at this a month or so, it clearly isn't something I 'enjoy' doing, so I figure I'll start making quiet inquiries later in the year. Perhaps by then...

 

I know part of my feeling is the newness of it all...well, okay, falling off a truck and getting smacked by a binder didn't help...but I have the tendency to 'horribilize' things and I just know one day...

I also know why I got into this trucking business in the first place after retirement and I never really wanted to do flatbed, but it was the only thing available to me at the time.

Besides, I want a truck with an APU. This truck isn't bad as far as things go; it's a 2012 with only 250,000 miles on it, and wasn't abandoned or filthy and it has the small MCP50 Qualcomm. Those are good points, but I hate idling to stay warm or cool with a passion..and the Opti-idle in this one doesn't work right, anyway.

I also took my final road test in a Freightliner auto; I now want one of them, too. But for now, I know the position I'm in, so I will do what I have to do and do it well.

 

I didn't, Tow. After getting rejected by 15 or so, I kind of lost the taste for the application process and went Western.

 

Bloody #### hell. NOW I find out...