Old days of trucking vs. New days?

I am quoting from memory so I might not be 100% accurate. I think most of the changes made by the Motor Carrier act of 1980 caused most of this damage. A lot of things happened during the 80s. This can be a very difficult topic because there is a lot of ignorance. Ignorance is not a bad word. It does not mean a person is stupid or lacks gray matter, it just means they don't know something.

 

We were next to Blue Diamond which did a great deal of regulation trucking among other things in the 70's as a child I grew up in the tavern listening to all them drivers telling the stories. It aint long before I developed by 6 that Im going to end up working as one.

Deregulation created such a talk that lasted some years, some of it not fit for a child of me to hear. They did what they could telling me stories. Sometimes I think I show up at the DMV and told a story to the tester for the Class A back then for all the things he didnt do during that road test.

 

Sometimes they would most times they wouldn't you need remember serial killers been around for ages they are not a new thing pulling over kinda stop mostly due to that very reason theres good samaritan then as there are now who will risk it sometimes. those samaritans try help but thats reason people don't want to help is because people have tried to help and the people they try to help have killed people trying to help. Nowadays everyone has cell phone even those prepaid ones you can call for help. despite what people think all new prepaid phone car trackable once you dial they can locate you if need be.

To be honest I rather a cop help then some random stranger who you don't know there motive to even be there. Had one my previous ladies I was dating her anyways stranger pulls up after he sees her on side the road ask if she needs lift she said no she had someone coming he states he's a cop she ask for badge he says he's off duty said jump in car. She goes trunk grabs the pistol from her purse points it at him. tells him he either can leave willing or she will make him leave then other way he drives off. In all my years knowing cops as buddies they always had there badges on them somewhere or a gun somewhere on there person. They certainly would have never told her jump into car so quickly certainly without proof they a public servant. Who know what would have happen if she got in that car if he was a cop I am certain there would been more cops to arrest her.

 

One thing about this topic is a reminder to try to not mix eras and remember this also happens with 4 wheelers as well. Today a trucker has a QC or/and a cell phone to get help. Stopping on the side of the road is dangerous and can lead to some heavy liability if somebody were to hit you. As the previous comment said, in today's world you never know who it is that is stopping. Since I would have already made contact I really rather a driver keep the hammer down and stay out of my way. Now I know this is a hot button topic for drivers. I know there are drivers that feel otherwise, I just don't agree with them.

 

One hill I got hot. Coming down. My first.

The radio lit up. I recieved an education that run downhill. one in front prepared to execute a form of safe stop on me if I really screwed the pooch another pacing me giving me what I needed to know and one running ahead on the radio to clear the lane runaways a coming.

I learned mountains. But I didnt know anything for a while. And learned some more.

Sitting here today in the Ozark hills... Im just not right. Need me some mountain run. Taint too far up. I could never do the flat.

The cause? Needing to downshift. RRRRRMMMM Zcratch! zerrrp.. ah #### speedo starts gaining, spend some air holding it as it crept up even slower.. red light on time to tell the boys what's up in the radio.

So simple. I kick myself now thinking on it.

Not enough redline for any gear but top which only encourages more speed down. Not enough gear tree to get anything else. Not enough air. Hm... not good. Then a wheel starts smoking off it's pad. And another.

Todays brakes take a whole lot before they finally get that far gone.

 

I remember when my kids gave me a GPS for Christmas, I thought to myself, "what am I gonna do with this?" I had a road atlas before I had a CB. Did learn to appreciate the gps though, because it always gives an ETA, which comes in handy sometimes. One thing I do miss from my earlier days (late 70's-early 80's) is all the places we used to be able to pull into to get off the road. Stores, diners, restaurants, convenient stores/gas stations...These days, all these places have curbs out front and TINY little entrances to keep us out...

 

had a satchel full of city and state maps. lol.

phone numbers on 3X5 cards with directions. helpful hints, fuel and good eats.

calling in to dispatch in phone booth at a rest area. 0 degrees and the wind blowing and he puts you hold. lol. at least it was fully enclosed booth.

then they came out with the little half shell booth. just stick your head in to get out of the rain and try to write it all down.
most truck stops had a phone at the booths to use, while enjoying a cup of java or a real meal. not fast food.

 

The old days? Better people, worse equipment.

 

I think this was a victim of the 14 hour rule. Before you could stop the clock, but once you can't, drivers can't stop anymore, and still drive their hours.

I also believe that there were fewer people doing this than we remember. Kinda like remembering my first girlfriend. She was a total psycho, but after we broke up, the bad times were forgotten, but the good times became more prominent.