Are You Sure.....

that is what you want to do?............



With the local and short runs I have been delivering the past two weeks, I have had to work additional days to maintain a decent paycheck... So, after running Bama, Tennessee and Kentucky, I return to Georgia for an additional gravy run.



I leave the plant with a load of billets and deliver it to Burlington, North Carolina.



There, I drop my trailer and pick up a load of scrap to deliver to our plant in Carthage, Tennessee.




After dumping the load, I return home to Georgia... with the empty trailer.



Considering that all three locations are on a 24/7 schedule, it works out very well, paying over 1000 miles, two drops and can be done at the driver's convenience. Ohhhhh sweeeeeet gravy!!

Upon returning this week, I was offered this option. So I grabbed it. There were two loads of billets to ship and after glancing over the paperwork, I choose the lighter load. (Lighter by one ton)...The total weight was not the problem.(43,000) It was the axles.... The tandems had 35, 500, which is overweight by 1500lbs.


Last week, I made the same run, but it was my trailer that was over weight on the tandems by 2800 lbs... These are very old, worn trailers complete with decades old rust deposits.. After an hour of labor and sweat, I finally got the tandems to slide to a legal weight.

Not this week, baby! So I grabbed the paperwork and stuck it in my truck. Hooked to the load and did a quick pre-trip inspection. It pays to be anal sometimes, and I found TWO flat tires along with three lights that did not work. I informed the mechanic and headed home for a bit to eat and a nice hot shower.


While I was away, the driver of the second billet load arrived and discovered the weight problems with the trailer. But not only was it over weight on the tandems, but it was 82,000 gross. He had the same amount of fuel, an identical trailer, and only 2000lbs more on his load, yet he weighed in 5000lbs more than me... HUH?? So, he is one ton over the legal gross weight for these loads, as we are not permitted to run heavy loads. Because the plant was closed down on the production side for the evening, his load could not be fixed until the next morning.

He then proceeds to ask the boss if he can take the OTHER load. "Sure", the boss replies. The driver then asks for the spare keys to MY truck. After the boss realized what the driver was going to do , he told him that he could not take the second load, because I was leaving with it in an hour.


That driver was going to take my load!!! After I checked it out of the plant, had the repairs made and left for a shower, he was going to unhook my truck and leave with it!!!!! At least the boss stopped him from doing it. And the boss agrees with me that I work with a bunch of bastages!! They are sneaky and conniving!


Ha!!


The last time a driver stole my load, he ended up with two flat tires and other mechanical problems... It cost him an extra 2 days, to make the same trip!


So, yeah buddy!! Go ahead, and I hope Karma kicks your ass!!


Anywho, upon returning to the shop to pick up my repaired trailer (yeah right). I headed off to deliver, but not before I noticed the tires had not been replaced, only aired up!! By the time I got to my destination, they were extremely low again!!! Oh well, I tried, as I do every week. Those stinkin mechanics only halfway patch things anyway. No wonder I get a shitty trailer every week!!

Come On Baby, Light My Fire

Waaaaaay back when, I just barely mentioned that one of our brand new trucks went up in flames, for unknown reasons.

Yesterday, I made it by the Tennessee facility where it is being "stored" and finally got around to taking some pictures..

Now, this was a BRAND NEW TRUCK on its inaugural run. It made is a total of 63 miles before burning to the ground. For an unknown reason!!

Kind of makes you feel all warm and fuzzy!!

A Girl After My Own Heart

Just thought I would post a few photos from last weekend's adventure....



During the course of the weekend, we dug out an old skateboard that had been abandoned, and commenced to displaying our mad skillzzzzzzz Z.



It seems that Jordan already had the moves and was strutting his stuff.




Bri-baby, on the other had, needed a little coaching After a few pointers, it wasn't long before she had some definite skate boarding babe action going on!!



Towards the end of the event, Bri-baby coaxed me into proving just how crazy I am and convinced me into come down the hill on the board, but I had to abandon ship rather quickly, as disaster was imminent.




OH, and here is just another good looking dude, in a good looking car!!

A Special Thank You

Ahhhh, Memorial Day.

First long weekend to kick off the beginning of those long hot summer months. Sitting by the pool, grilling with friends and taking a day off from work.

But let's not forgot the true meaning of the day. To give Thanks and Remember all those who have served this country.

Thank You

So, I spent some time this morning commenting on a few military blogs and saying thanks to those strangers who give time and lives to protect us here at home. I would love to be one of those people who greets the military personnel when they return home at the end of their deployment. I would also love to be a penpal to those who are living on foreign soil protecting us from evil. If anyone has any suggestions as to how I might become a military penpal, please enlighten me! Afterall, it is the LEAST I can do.

Happy 26th Birthday

Last week my niece discovered just how old I really am and it disturbed her. "It just can't be!" she exclaimed. So it was decided that I am unofficially 26 this year.

Last Monday was my , ummm, 26th birthday and it worked out very nicely for me. I was on a short run through Alabama so I got to stop in at Dad's house and have dinner with my SIL and two nephews. They bought me a T-Shirt with the caption " I am not SHORT, I am Fun-Sized!!"

How True!

My mother sent me a box of Bath and Body Works goodies!! Yummy, and my Dad bought me some books on one of my wish lists!! Score!! My other SIL, knowing how much I love candles, bought me a collection of Yankee Candles. And to finish the week out, there was a family gathering at my Mothers' to celebrate all of the May Birthdays...

I purchased an MP3 player for my nephew, and I fear we have created a monster... He was delighted with it, as it is his first, and could be heard singing U2 for several hours on end. Not to mention the brownie points I scored with him!

Yes, I missed my beloved New England route, but as an alternate course, the Bama run worked out quite nicely...

I am doing it again this week!

Trigger Happy

Well, I thought it was those pesky exhaust fumes that were making me so irritable, but it seems that I am wrong. My exhaust leak was fixed with the turn of a screwdriver and yet I am still just as short fused as ever.

And everything is causing me to want to go ballistic. Stupidity, ignorance, redundancy, playing dumb, making excuses....... Everything....

I wish I could figure out what is causing this angst, because it is getting on my nerves along with everything else..

As a matter of fact, this past weekend we had a family cook-out during which I got a little mouthy on more than one occasion. Two of the people who took the brunt of my wrath are very emotional and probably got their feelings hurt, although I did not intend for that to happen.

Usually, I am pretty good at keeping myself in check....... But recently, nah, I just let er rip....I hope this tirade ends soon, because I feel really horrible for being so critical. It just isn't me.

Fluff-n-Stuff

You will never guess who was patiently waiting for me to come home last Wednesday night around 2am.....

Okay, so maybe you did. Yep, my furry little feline friend was camped out on my porch nestled all snug in the pillows on the chair. He was very happy to see me and just as verbal as ever. You should hear this little guy. Not your typical mews....

He is some body's baby, as he has been declawed!! The way he hangs about the place suggests to me that perhaps he has been abandoned. Skinny as a rail and starving for attention, he cautiously greets each resident to see if he might score a meal. To think that someone would abandon an animal who cannot defend himself infuriates me. Oh well, as long as he stick s around, I will provide for him.

Who knows, maybe he will make the trip to Bama come October.

Driver's Appreciation Day

On Saturday, The New Employer held a BBQ in honor of all of us awesome drivers on the Alum Co Account.

There were activities for the children (including a huge blow up playscape) and even some for the adults, which included a dunk tank which enabled us to show our boss man how we really feel!!The weather cooperated and it was a lovely day. (It has rained every weekend for the past month or so). Also the location on the banks of the Chattahoochee River offered some nice scenary. Plenty of food for all, and prizes were given a way, at random, to everyone including spouses. I myself scored a lovely $50 gift card to O' Charleys.... Anybody hungry?

It was a wonderful gesture, to which I have mixed emotions.

Overall, I felt really good about the entire event. I got to meet some of the wives of my co-workers, whom I have been working with for 6 years!! Being a little social butterfly, I made the rounds and greeted everyone. I did however, have reservations about a few of the wives. When I first joined the team, several of the wives wanted to kick me arse!! Talk about being redneck and/or trashy!. Damn Woman, I do not want your old man!! But I did not avoid these women... I sauntered right up and offered an introduction... Boy, it got chilly!! Even after all these years, you could have cut the tension with a knife.

Let me enlighten you as to what had happened to invoke such animosity and you be the judge. The first woman, wife of a 65 year old driver, I will refer to as Jessica Rabbit (although, there is no physical comparison)...... The very first trip I was assigned to led me to our plant in Kentland , Indiana. First trip, therefore I had no idea where it was at. I was to pick up a load there and deliver it in Iowa on Monday. I had to leave on Saturday to make my Monday appointments. The Boss had given me Roger Rabbit's phone number so he could assist me, as he was traveling the same route that week. I appreciated the offer to show me the ropes, but obviously Jessica did not. I placed a phone call to his home, and she answered. When I asked to speak to Roger, she went ballistic. He did indeed lead me to Kentland, but with not so much a single word spoken in polite conversation. She has never liked me since.

The second wife in question is the spouse of one of our mechanics. Years ago, I placed a late night phone call requesting help. I believe I had a flat tire on my trailer. We had been instructed to phone our mechanics as someone would be on call. A few weeks later, I started to receive anonymous phone calls, that were promptly cut off when answered... One such evening, I received a phone call. The caller ID told me it was from the Mechanic. So I answered. It was his wife. She asked who I was, as the number showed up on her phone bill and she did not recognize it. I explained that I was a driver and had requested a tire change late one evening. She seemed to be appeased at this point. But at 2AM, she called again, wanting to know who the hell I thought I was phoning her husband at inappropriate hours of the evening, and just what the hell I wanted... 2AM, people!!!! The first call, I let go unmentioned.. The second one made me angry. I reported it to Homer. Nothing was ever said to the Mechanic.

After a few more hang-up calls, I approached the Mechanic and told him I did not appreciate his wife calling me in the middle of the night and making crude insinuations about me. He was shocked, knowing nothing. Homer had never mentioned it to him. It seems Homer just thought I was trying to stir up trouble. I told the mechanic if he was having difficulties in his marriage to please keep me out of it. I am just here for a paycheck! Needless to say, she has never been friendly with me!

So, was it justified. Regardless, I approached both women and made a friendly gesture to each, it was regarded with scorn and hatred. Oh well, I tried.

Another aspect of the gathering that irritated me was the time frame. Our letter of invitation indicated the festivities would be from 11 to 3. I arrived at 12:30.. Two other Drivers arrived at 1:30. At approximately 1pm, everyone started to disperse. I was still around when the two families arrived late. The other drivers were leaving without so much as a hello to them... The last hour of the gathering was the best. It was me and the Boss's family, and the two late arrivals. I enjoyed playing with the children and you could tell the Boss' family was in a rush to leave, the food was all packed up. I promptly began unwrapping the goodies and serving the late arrivals. Damn, they drove an hour and a half to be here! Act like you are glad they came! We did manage to stretch the fun until 3pm, which is what our invitation stated to begin with, but the children's activities were all dismantled at 1pm. So we chased tadpoles through the streams. I guess you could say I sort of took over!

Were you really going to just leave them hanging, because they showed up later than you wanted them to? Ugh.... What is wrong with people today?

Okay, enough aggression.

I was astonished to see the Owner, President and two CEO's present at our little gathering. This is quite a large company, and to have them join us (out of their home state) on a Saturday Afternoon get together made me feel even better about my current employers. To speak with any of them, you would never realize the importance of any one of them. Just one big happy family.

In 5 years, the previous employer never once acknowledged our existence, much less the contributions we made to the company. Not Once!!

And on a personal note, everyone of the White Collar variety sought me out and told me how they had heard such wonderful things about little ol' me! Not many folks want to attempt to run the Concrete Jungle, and to have such a pleasant driver on the route sure did please them to no end!!! Hey, just doing my job!! But it sure felt good to have them pat me on the back and mention my name... I am not just another driver.. woot woot!!

I Pity The Fool.....

Yes, we are in a recession, but remember The Alum Co thrives on natural disaster. With no major hurricanes in the recent past, we are definitely experiencing more of a decline than other industries.

With freight slowing into Florida, JH (whom I will now refer to as Mr. T, because he IS an angry black man) normally grabs the Philly-Jersey route if only for a week or two. Last time, he damaged his truck by running into a toll booth. Millions of drivers pass through these booths daily...Why he couldn't is a mystery to me. He has been driving 20 years. But I digress......

So when Mr. T takes that route, it's regular driver, AA, opts to run my beloved New England run. I do not begrudge him of this, AA that is.

Word on the street is that Mr. T has been banned from Florida, for behaving like a belligerent idiot to one of our top accounts. With that in mind, I may not see NE for awhile..

Here's hoping he will piss someone else off, and soon!! He has received warning that if he is called in on one more time, he is gone (like a freight train), fired, terminated....Adios!!

The bright side to this tale is that with my touring of the Southern States this week, I will promptly land at my Father's House on Monday evening.. Just in time to celebrate my birthday. Woot Woot!! My Sil and Nephews will be joining us for dinner out on the town!!!

Running Scared

I have been trying to really stick with my running this year... Only being home three days a week and tons of thunderstorms has not yet deterred me... Okay, so I am only running 50 miles a month, but I just haven't seemed to be able to talk myself into running while out on the road....

I am averaging about 6 miles per run, so I am doing very well in that aspect.

Still a bit s.....l.....o......w.........

Last week, while enjoying my barely more than a walk pace ,an older man approached from the opposite direction and asked if he could join me.... Upon looking at him I deducted, Yeah, I could take him if he turned out to be a perv..... Quick kick to the knee and he would drop like a little girl. But, he did look like a legitimate runner, so I said, "Sure, but I am slow".

He was a great deal taller than me, but who isn't, so naturally his stride was longer... As always I was 3 steps to his 2 (story of my life)... His pace was slow to start, but quickly began to build. He glanced over his shoulder and urged me to keep up.... I tried, really I did....And pacing myself to another individual always motivates me, so we went at it for a mile. An intense, leg quivering, heart pounding mile...

Then he left.....

I finished up my run a little faster than my previous turtle pace and felt really exhilarated...

This week, I decided to check myself. So, I set out at a comfortable pace, and slowly built speed. At the end of 5 miles, I was astonished to find out it took 54 minutes... I know, I know..... An eleven minute mile... I got short legs!!!! I was thrilled, thinking I had shaved quite a bit off my 5 mile time from the previous year.. I just knew I had!!!!

But according to my previous post on running the Helen Keller 5 mile, I had only finished one minute quicker.... HUH????

The good news is that I am no longer walking!! I can run the entire distance at a snail's pace...But hey, I am running it.....

Now to quicken my pace!!

TigerLily

I made a new friend today......

I don't know where he lives, but he has been meandering about quite a bit lately, and a tad bit on the thin side....

He is the most affectionate little darling . I have never heard a cat talk so much.....Like a dog, he will stand on his hind legs and beg you to pick him up....with his paws placed on your legs ,of course.

He has spent most of the day indoors with me, and I feed him some treats.. Wouldn't hurt my feelings if he didn't leave, but the door is open if he so chooses....

Just another reminder of why I am wanting to move to Bama... So I can have a pet!! Right now he is curled up in my lap sleeping like a baby..

Back In The Game

My exhaust leak was fixed in a matter of minutes. That was , of course, after they had the truck for three days....

So, Saturday I had to catch a ride into Atlanta to pick up my girl!

It seems there was just a loose clamp and with the turn of a screw, she was all better....

(That really could have been fixed at our local shop) but I don't make the decisions.

When I arrived at the facility, I was happy to find that she had indeed been left outside of the gate. They had closed at 6pm, and I couldn't pick her up beforehand?! They were supposed to leave my key in a predetermined location. They did not!! But they did however, leave the windows rolled down, and the door unlocked..... Just no keys!!

So, she got a nice bath, inside and out!! Thunderstorms had been moving through the area all day. And did I mention she was parked on the South Side of the ATL, only a few blocks from where the prostitutes and drug dealers walk the streets in broad daylight.

NICE!!!!!

Thankfully, I picked her up before anyone noticed how accessible she was.... I had borrowed a $400 radio to use until mine is returned to me..... I am glad that I did not have to replace the radio.....

Speaking of which, until I get my route back, my radio is unobtainable...dammit!!

Picking Up The Pieces

One of the reasons that I love my route soooooo much, is that I never have interference from other drivers. Well, with the exception of one (AA) and he treats the customers as I would, so there is no repercussions if he happens to take my load.

This week he is taking my load......

Because someone else took his normal route.......

Bastages......

Seems that we are in the midst of a recession, and freight is slowing down......So I may just be flying at random for the next few weeks. Damn, I can't catch a break... If I receive extra money, something happens with my insurance. and I have to pay out... If I feel confident about my finances, my load disappears, and there is nothing worse than running random routes weekly.... I want my stability, my comfort zone. I want to know what my paycheck is going to be. I don't want to have to work 6 days to make up for my lost route.....Yes, I am a tad bit spoiled! But I only work four days a week with the NE route.

But before I stray too much.....

Last week, I had the privilege of picking up some prime aluminum at Fort McHenry in Baltimore.... I had a wonderful time as there were Military Personnel, Law Enforcement and Firemen all present... No, nothing major was happening, but we all know how I loves me a man in uniform..... sigh.....

While at the warehouse, I stumbled across three more of our Drivers... Two from the Tennessee plant, and one from Georgia.... The fellow Georgian was all chatty and pleasant, while the Tennessee drivers were acting as if they were spoiled rotten angry belligerent idiots... I really hate running into any of them, as they all seem to be stoopid!!

But I was absolutely appalled at the behavior of the TN drivers.... It seems there was some conflicting paperwork concerning his particular load and the lady in charge had to take a few additional minutes to get it all straightened out for him.... While she was doing this, he was (literally only feet away from her) belittling her, her gender, her race, her intelligence..... Just blatantly condescending. And for some unknown reason, he felt I should be the one to vent to. I could not believe how he presented himself....

I was so embarrassed...

After the TN drivers left, I tried to perform a little damage control.

You see, this is why I don't like anyone else to take my route. I have no idea how they will behave. My demeanor with the customers has earned me some very nice benefits when it comes to getting unloaded and the last thing I need is for one of those idiots to go up there and make them angry. of course, then they would be kicked off the route permanently, but I just don't want the headache of having to make excuses..

Come on guys, we all work for the same company..Show a little discretion!!

The Long Road Ahead

I get tickled when I stumble across those wet behind the ear truckdrivers who have not gained enough experience to breeze through the day without losing it. I remember being nervous and naive. I am not criticizing them, because I was a rookie too! A word of advice, take your time. You will learn the ropes if you don't let it stress you out...

This week I stumbled upon one such driver and I didn't have the heart to tell him he should quit while he is ahead.

Coming out of Milford Connecticut, I was berated and cursed for tailgating. Over the CB, I was told to back off or move over, just get the hell away from him. He did not appreciate cars tailgating him and could not understand why a Truck Driver would do it. It is dangerous. What if he had to slam on the breaks? What if he blew a tire? What if he had to swerve to avoid a deer? What would I do, being stuck up his ass? I was an inconsiderate bitch. He attempted to move left and let me pass on the right, but he noticed I was already moving left, preparing to merge with freeway traffic. So he slowed and literally waved me by with one finger furiously gesturing at me. His CB tirade lasted for a few minutes.

While making the pass, I noticed him braking and moving even further to the right.

Yes, I was only ten feet behind him. At a traffic light, doing 10 mph. Gaining momentum for the freeway entrance ramp, he had a heavy load and was slow to shift. I was nearly empty and skipping gears. He cursed me the entire length of the ramp for tailgating. To which I responded, " Should I have waited for the next green light? "

I haven't noticed any deer grazing on the entrance ramps and is it really swerving at 10mph? You cannot blow a tire at 10mph, you may have a flat but probably would not notice it at this point?! And as for slamming on the brakes, once again I ask, can you do this at 10 MPH?

I can't help but wonder how long he will last as a Trucker, because when have you ever been stopped at a red light and not had someone "tailgate" you when it turned green. There is no way to avoid it!! I will admit, he did look terrified as I passed him. But seriously, if driving makes you that nervous, maybe you should not choose it as a profession...... hmmmmm

Where's Waldo?

A funny thing happened on the way out of town last week...

I lost my sense of global positioning. While driving down the road which leads to all points northeast, I was suddenly unable to discern just where exactly I was at. I am on this stretch of road for 7.2 miles. It takes me from the plant, to the interstate. I drive it twice a week. I have driven it over 500 times. Yet, I had no idea where I was at.

Once I got into Atlanta, I was unable to comprehend my lane positioning..... I had to ask the other NorthEast driver to lead me through town, so I could follow his trailer and maintain lane position.... I wanted to desperately turn around and head home! AA ( the other driver) stated that I was driving normally, but I felt I was all over the highway, weaving into the other lanes. He said I was maintaining a straight course as is usual for me. He did mention I was proceeding slower than is normal for my lead foot.

After about an hour of my delusions of (not so) grandeur, I finally came to my senses.

It seems that it is not conducive to your mental health and driving capabilities to inhale large amounts of exhaust in a short period of time. Yes, I have an exhaust leak. I can't find it while idling, but it is very noticeable when I am peddling down the road.

My little Truck is at the ATL Volvo shop waiting to be checked out. I hope they can find it!! I have had major headaches for a month and noticed just recently that my eyes were dry and irritated whenever I am in the truck. I have been extremely edgy recently too.. Even though motorists are typically more careless in the spring, I have never wanted to deliberately run someone off the road, which I have been considering lately. I have also had extreme difficulty waking up while sleeping in the truck... I just thought it was stress.... Turns out my anxiety is a direct result of breathing large amounts of carcinogens four days a week.

Anyhoo, I am very thankful that AA was there to guide me out of town, and although it gets a bit breezy at times, I have become accustomed to riding down the road with both windows open for the time being......

I hope my little Truck comes home soon!!

A Picture is Worth a ..........

lot less time of having to complain.... I have conceded!!





Here is a portion of last weeks' load.......










I am wasting my breath. It seems the more I "complain", the worse it becomes.



I reminded the guys on the dock that one particular customer requires his material to be loaded on the rear of the trailer for ease of unloading. After mentioning this three weeks ago, they have loaded his material in the most obscure and perilous configurations. To avoid having the freight rejected due to being unable to unload it, I simply charm one of my other customers into reloading my trailer..... I should NOT have to do this on a weekly basis, AND I am running out of folks to charm.....



This week, not only did they load it in a ludicrous manner, but they gave me a spring ride trailer with no center support posts to hold the load up. The trailer was very difficult to open or close and I have cuts and bruises all over me, just simply from trying to open the damn thing, but I will not complain ever again. My palms are bruised from pushing, and at one point I even struggled so hard, I walked right out of my shoes... That broke the tension in me, and reminded me to stop and laugh a little more. Who knew that when I finally got the trailer unloaded, I would find NINE support posts stacked in the nose of my trailer, unused!! I am sure they will testify that the trailer had support posts, and I am sure they will neglect to mention they opted not to use them!!



Oh well. Rumor has it that I have been given "The Most Difficult Driver To Please" award. Really? I render requests directly from the customer. My own complaints are kept silent. I abuse the customers I deliver to, by repeatedly asking them to reload my trailer.... I should not have to ask.. The load planner stated I have too many demands compared to the other drivers.....Could that be because I have more customers.... A typical Florida delivery has up to FOUR customers per trailer.... My load has between TWELVE to TWENTY every week....... Of course I have more requests......I care that the material arrives undamaged. I care that no one gets hurt unloading it..... I care, damn it!! A lot of our other drivers do not! But seriously, I have more customers to appease, that alone should count for something. Not to mention, I am unloading alot of my load double parked on city streets. Bad place for a load to fall off a trailer, if you ask me...



If a customer has to hand unload every piece of metal, I make the request to not load it underneath thousands of pounds of someone else's material, as they cannot physically remove the obstructed material by hand.... Please place "generic customer's" material on top.... They don't care.... I have to find someone en route to move it!! Can you tell this is infuriating me. I should not have to struggle so hard just to be good at what I do, but they keep throwing obstacles in my way.. I guess that is part of the reason our NE customers love me so... I always take the time to accommodate their individual needs.



Anyways, I just wanted to let out some steam...... I will inevitably be doing all of my bitching here, because I am sooooo difficult....

Damn the mules!!! Just load the wagon!!

Pardon Me, While I burst

into flames... I've had enough of this world and it's people's mindless games*


Really Now!

On my way to Bama for a quick weekend visit to see family, I was privileged to witness this particular incidence. Ironic, because not two hours before, I had posted on making illegal U-turns on the Interstate...

While traveling through a construction zone rated for 60 mph, a pick-up begins to pass me on the left. Just as he gets about 100 feet in front of me, he brakes hard and makes a left turn into the median. At first, I thought he might have been a construction vehicle, but as I continued to watch his progress, I noticed the item in the bed of his truck jumping around as he crossed the bumpy terrain. Once at the far side of the median, he then swings hard to the left again and reenters the roadway with minimal time to spare before colliding with eastbound traffic. The item in the bed of the truck was one of those vinyl siding cutters, molders (whatever).. Anyways, it is about 12 foot long and completely unsecured (not too mention it had nothing to do with road construction so he was not 'authorized' to make the u-turn) As he made the second left turn his equipment swings wildly out of the bed of the truck and flies into the side of a Big Rig, but only moments before the car behind him ran over it, surely causing an enormous amount of damage. Traffic stopped, but it looked like the driver of the pick-up did not even know he lost his cargo, and he just kept going.....

I wish my brother had witnessed this.......... sigh

*lyrics to 'Pardon Me', by Incubus

Ooooh, the Shame

I love my oldest Brother.

He is a JackAss... (don't worry, I tell him that personally!) and (He already knows this)

You cannot tell him anything! Because everyone is wrong, except him.

Here is an excerpt from a recent conversation....

Bro: They put a guard rail in the middle of the interstate

Me: Do you know why they did that?

Bro: NO

Me: So if you have an accident in the middle, you don't cross over and run into oncoming traffic.

Bro: But now I can't turn around if I need to

Me: It is illegal to make a U-turn in the median

Bro: Well, I am not driving 20 miles to the next exit just to turn around.

Me: But it is illegal, have you not ever noticed the sign stating 'Authorized Vehicles Only'?

Bro: So, who is authorized?

Me: Police, firetrucks, ambulances.....

Bro: I wish I could pay an extra hundred dollars to get a license that allowed me to drive 100 mph....

Me: You don't really turn around in the median do you?

Bro: Only when I need to!

He commutes 150 miles miles to work and does not have a clue! With all the crazies out on the road, it breaks my heart to know that my own flesh and blood is one of them!!