Things you need to think about....

y'all are a WORLD of information...thanks for your time in responding to all us NEWBIES!

 

That's exctly what I'm talkin' about!

I can be a "harsh old cuss" at times.
I prefer it to being all warm and fuzzy and phony!

When I came up in this business, You didn't go to school...There weren't any schools that I ever heard of!
You found a driver and talked him into letting you ride along with him and you did all the flunky jobs that he told you to do and you might go to his house when he was at home and volunteer to wash his truck or help him service it or any other menial job that would get you around the truck and that you could learn from.

Then at some point he would start slowly showing you how to operate the truck and eventually he would let you get behind he wheel and see if you could drive it without tearing it up!
The old guy that taught me to drive would crack me in the side of the head if I scratched a gear or shifted rough and rocked the truck between gears!
That old man was a mean, ornery old bas+ard and never let anything "slide" If I made a mistake, I heard about it!

But you know what?

When he finally cut me loose and I started driving on my own at the tender age of 18...I was a competent and somewhat skilled driver!
He wasn't "nice" and he wasn't "gentle" but now, after 4,000,000 miles and more hard work, fun and many years of doing this without a chargeable accident and after not only driving but OWNING more cool trucks and trailers than I ever dreamed possible when I started...

I could never repay the debt that I owe that old man.
He's been dead now for more than 20 years but hardly a day goes by that I don't hear his voice giving me a hard time or telling me something that I'll never forget and have and will continue to pass on to new drivers and old drivers that are smart enough to know how much they still don't know.

If you think I'm harsh...So what?

I'll be the guy that stops and show you how to change a fuel filter or some other thing that has you stopped by the side of the road while all the "good buddies" roll past you doin' 70 and askin' if you're OK on the CB when they have no intention of stopping to help you...Even if they knew how!

 

i for one am glad that there are still guys like you out there w900

 

You may be a harsh ole cuss, but I'd rather have somebody tell me the truth, even if it hurts, instead of lie to me. You're one of a few folks here that I hope I get to meet one day.

 

Yes BW900 is right either you are or your not a driver there is no in between in this industry it is tough as hell and not getting any better...Not to be hard on ANYONE it takes time and lots of guts to make it in this .Everything he said is true more than ANY of you new drivers know and if you make it you will SOMEDAY understand how and why he said what he did as anyone can see he has run circles around me with JUST 15 going on 16 yrs out on the road and I still learn something new all the time .I respect BW900 and LISTEN to what he has to say he is one of the last AMERICAN TRUCK DRIVERS left out here ...Also there is alot on here I didnt call out be name but if you look and listen ( read ) what they say you will learn alot BEFORE you ever step foot in a truck .....I truly wish anyone who is thinking of becoming a trucker the BEST of luck with it ...Just remember it isnt all about you it affects EVERYONE around you .....

 

I'm a new driver but I've been a worker bee for nearly 45 years. I've had some jobs that were ###### important and affected more livelihoods than just mine. However, in all of those other jobs there was an "Oops Factor" that was tolerated. "Oops" can't be tolerated in trucking. When the rig is in motion everthing else must get shoved to a back burner. Thanks BW900!



(P.S. How did your step-child misspell Vagisil when he had the tube right there in his hand?)

 

He couldn't see it...Big hands, Small tube!


But YOU know all about that...

 

Yeah, and habeneros might be a little warm.....

 

you call yourself a driver? I did more driving in the last hour then you've done all month.

 

Why, ain't you just a busy lil' feller?