Taking a turn in 3rd gear

The pic I posted in the other thread was me. Turned the corner at 20 mph and the container went over and took me with it. Turns out it was overloaded (crushed cans to the roof) and had not been secured to the chassis. No one told me this when I picked it up. My third day on the job. I have turned that same corner in a dry van 100 times . I hate containers.

 

Your not the only 1 T in T. Pu a sealed can years ago got on the Interstate went around a corner overpass & a couple of wheels came off the ground. Maybe 100 ft to the other Interstate, straight down. Come to find out it was loaded on 1 side in the nose with boat motors. After that no haul cans without inspection of product. Then reseal. I tell ya that crap we go through.

 

Sorry, but no. If a trainer has a minimum speed to take a corner he needs to not train anyway. Too bad for the company. Maybe if they picked better trainers this would not have happened.

 

Odds are that trainer has zero accidents, so the op asking for a new trainer is really going to make him stick out. Do the training and get to work.
When I started here I rode out to Missouri twice with a man that’s worked here 15 some years. I will never take a corner as fast as he did. I braced myself on every turn and I survived.

 

That guy's an idiot.

I've trained quite a few drivers at this point in my life and the very first highest most fundamental rule is to be safe and to be in control of the vehicle at all times.

If for whatever reason you feel that you need to go a little slower then you go a little slower. If you feel that you need to get out and look get out and look even for you have to get out and look 10 times get out and look.

Because if for whatever reason you don't feel safe something very possibly and very probably will happen.

I've got a lot of time behind the wheel and I take my time when I make turns or go on off ramps or that type of thing. I see plenty of guys that go a lot faster. And I also see plenty of wrecks and people flipped over and all kinds of stuff.

If you get from A to B and you are safe and the truck is safe you did your job.

If I was training you I'd be happy that you were more careful and in control of the truck..

You did exactly the right thing.

Be safe

 

Yeah, you acted in a manner you felt was reasonable and safe. This guy retaliated against you for engaging in a protected act basically. You were making a safety complaint on some level, and there is no objective evidence which would suggest you need to take that in 3rd and not 4th. 4th gear gives the truck more power than 3rd, if accelerating. Did this guy terminate you for this? If so you should file an OSHA 11(c)complaint. Shoot the guy an email and see if he responds confirming any details of what happened. Reiterate that you are sorry and you felt you were only acting in the safest way possible. Be exceedingly polite. Get his response. Then go talk to an employment attorney, because I'm not a lawyer, but I know it when I see it. This is some BS

 

Wait, if the OP is in Canada then don't file with OSHA, they can't help you haha.... but I'm sure your Province has a similar act. Look up what OSHA 11(c) whistleblower statue would translate to under Canadian Law.

 

Not only that. Guess who's record it goes on? Never let anyone drive your truck, and that means with advice. I cannot fathom someone telling you to speed up. I have never seen another trucker make fun of someone for being cautious, but they will for being reckless.

 

That happened to me on the second day. Lumber mill in Kentucky loaded me and when I made a turn the left wheels were off the ground. A true WTF moment. I took pics and sent them to the owner. I said this thing is leaning, what should I do? His advice was to drive careful and avoid the scales. Wish I had quit that day. I drive 50 back to Nashville and had a flat too. An omen?