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Question for the OTR drivers

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by road_runner, Jul 21, 2012.

  1. Jul 21, 2012 #1
    road_runner

    road_runner Road Train Member

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    I've only been a civilian driver for three weeks now... But I did notice something rather particular. I work for USF Reddaway as a line driver, and zig zag the great state of Montana. One thing I've noticed is that whenever I run into other LTL drivers on the road, They will flash their lights at me, or wave at me (mainly Conway, FedEx, or Old Dominion... And of course all the guys under the YRC umbrella).

    Maybe the OTR crowd pays better attention to the road, than the activities of other drivers... Or maybe you folks are just more busy... But it seems that I don't get much of an acknowledgment from OTR drivers. I respect the job you guys do, and I appreciate that you sacrifice so much of your time away from home to keep the country going. Don't take this as an attack, but some of the OTR crowd doesn't seem that friendly. One guy saw my truck parked outside of a truck stop, and as I was checking out with the cashier, he asked me if I was with Reddaway. After I told him "yes", he flat out sneered at me like I voted to increase the fuel tax nationwide.

    Maybe he didn't like my company, or maybe he didn't like LTL in general. I dunno. Is it just Reddaway, or does it just seem like a lot of the OTR crowd doesn't like the LTL crowd
     
    road_runner, Jul 21, 2012
    road_runner, Jul 21, 2012
    #1
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  3. Jul 21, 2012 #2
    ShootThis

    ShootThis Medium Load Member

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    Why would you say that,like some guy who has been driving 24 years is just gonna put 15 years on his profile because that is how many OTR years he has?That is just silly.:biggrin_25520:
     
    ShootThis, Jul 21, 2012
    ShootThis, Jul 21, 2012
    #2
  4. Jul 21, 2012 #3
    duckdiver

    duckdiver Road Train Member

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    i only wave at guys from my company, way too many #### trucks to wave at all of them
     
    duckdiver, Jul 21, 2012
    duckdiver, Jul 21, 2012
    #3
  5. Jul 21, 2012 #4
    MNdriver

    MNdriver Road Train Member

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    But you'd look like a town festival queen doing it.
     
    MNdriver, Jul 21, 2012
    MNdriver, Jul 21, 2012
    #4
    ShootThis Thanks this.
  7. Jul 21, 2012 #5
    -insert name-

    -insert name- ATM squishier

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    The light flashing means, "If want this lane, come on!" Normally the reply is flashing your tailights or turning on the 4-ways for a few seconds.
     
    -insert name-, Jul 21, 2012
    -insert name-, Jul 21, 2012
    #5
  8. Jul 21, 2012 #6
    road_runner

    road_runner Road Train Member

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    With the flashing I meant that LTL guys will do it on the opposite side on a divided highway. But thanks anyway.
     
    road_runner, Jul 21, 2012
    road_runner, Jul 21, 2012
    #6
  9. Jul 21, 2012 #7
    -insert name-

    -insert name- ATM squishier

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    SOMEWHERE
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    Oh. Well, a pen would know more about that than me.
     
    -insert name-, Jul 21, 2012
    -insert name-, Jul 21, 2012
    #7
  10. Jul 21, 2012 #8
    Lonesome

    Lonesome Mr. Sarcasm

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    Don't take it personal.
     
    Lonesome, Jul 21, 2012
    Lonesome, Jul 21, 2012
    #8
  11. Jul 23, 2012 #9
    cool35

    cool35 Heavy Load Member

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    I used to always wave back in the day. Seems a lot of OTR guys don't do it anymore. I still give the lights to come on over and always thank another driver if he does for me. Seems that a lot of guys don't do anything anymore not just OTR guys. When I was OTR, we all got along and there were a lot of considerate drivers out there. I think these companies pump these guys in and out of school so fast they never pick up the old trucking etiquette. A lot of them just quit a few months later or are so miserable from low pay and bad working conditions. I notice it is mainly with the large companies like Swift, etc. I get a lot of owner operators doing it too. They just hammer down and not even thank me, going to fast to wave lol. Most of the old timers retired or just got fed up with the job. Funny how time goes on, inflation goes up but OTR companies pay the same or less than I was making in 1998!!! I'm sure that puts a lot of those guys in a bad mood. Heck I'm at Reddaway and I make way less now than I was making at Yellow in 2007.
     
    cool35, Jul 23, 2012
    cool35, Jul 23, 2012
    #9
  12. Jul 23, 2012 #10
    nicholas_jordan

    nicholas_jordan Medium Load Member

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    temple texas
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    I asked a driver about this decades ago and did it for maybe ten years but we always hear those who say "dont flash your lights in my mirror" so I stopped signalling completely except on remote 2-lanes where it is obvious

    what I was told is 2 = emergency or other such as obstruction ahead & 3 = regulatory ahead / 1 is clear or as discussed in this thread,....I would signal with one flash as soon as tailgate clear of my vehicle as I can handle tight but of recent no one uses it on the interstate due to lots of room and is invitation for idiots there,.....

    seems as though old-style truckstops are museum-only ..... that would be the place to ask
     
    nicholas_jordan, Jul 23, 2012
    nicholas_jordan, Jul 23, 2012
    #10
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