Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

TTR, for all its benefits, I think of as a mini-verse, a small, distant foreign island as far as the public is concerned. The public, the general public, doesn't get here. The bigger 'verse'--not the universe, but the bigger verse--is out there in social media, Twitter, FB (FaceBook, tho' I hate it), Pinterest, Instagram--that's the public. And the public would not approve if it knew more about the human cost in OTR.

Would not approve.

I'm amazed at all the good site names and humbled at my lack of a good, original name for a FB page, web site, etc. that could properly highlight the trucker plight in today's trucking world. Here, on TTR, everything is subject to debate, ridicule and bashing. Sad but true...

The advantage of social media is the ability to state a case without the attendant static. Twitter, in particular, is quick, nimble and when an idea catches fire has the legs to send it out through the culture--something TTR cannot do. You can reference photos, can you imagine all the trucking photos on any given day that would road tour the country in a matter of clicks--every single day? Potentially compelling.

Unfortunately, my page-naming sense has so far been feeble...

 

Have really only been active here on TTR from March through December of last year although I've been a member since 2008; decided to narrate my Gordon experience since I didn't see anything here on TTR that covered the ground I knew.

In that time there have been two incidents that should have moved over to social media but didn't. First was the scenario where Southern Refrigerated refused to assist the family recover the body of a driver who died on the road. Second was JustPj, where a Navajo Express trainer put her off the truck on a mountain-side, 11 pm at night, in 8 degree weather, 18 miles or so out of Cle Elum, Washington--according to JustPj.

JustPj's plight caught fire here but neither incident moved over to social media. I think that's what's needed. When a situation calls out for action... it won't happen here.

Public approval/disapproval is one of the most powerful forces in a free society. It is our biggest strength in my view. We shouldn't underestimate it.

 

I'm imagining a narrow column of rolling tweets from a twitter feed on the right side with links to photos, articles. Above that links to various web-cams across the country. The main body of the site a kaleidoscope of articles, stories, commentaries and lots and lots of trucking photos of all sorts, truck stops, trucks, truckers, vistas. Probably some wrecks and human interest. Of interest to the general public. I think the general public is, would be, interested in the trucking lifestyle. Shocked at the treatment of drivers, the turnover... the toll on driver health and long hours.

Guess I can dream. TTR is too flat, with navigation into one tunnel (thread) after another. Too difficult to get to the nuggets. I'm thinking something more dynamic, with lots of room for input but not locked into all this dialog. Easier to navigate, discover.

For some drivers, this (TTR) is their whole social life. Most drivers don't spend 10 minutes here a year, if at all. The public at-large totally absent. It's a honey-pot for wanna-be drivers, a place to learn about trucking and trucking companies.

So there's lots of static, too, and difficulty discerning the truth...

 

Actually, TTR's rules forbid promoting your outside business or web site.

TTR, however, does not forbid referencing outside businesses or web sites, the difference being a ban on blatantly promotional activities by members here.

Thanks for the encouragement. Tuesday is my 'check in' day, usually for 15 minutes and scram! Gonna scoot now but may check in throughout the day.

 

Maybe TTR's listening. Less wormholes (or rabbit holes), a twitter feed, links to photos, web cams, a site quicker to navigate. If not here, where... ??