How Did He Know?

People assume a lot of things when it comes to Truck drivers. Most of it is of a negative nature, but this is something that doesn't normally affect me.

I have also met many people who are truly grateful for what drivers do and go through with this industry. In fact, it is not only the small children in the backs of cars who want you to blow the horn. I have also encountered many others who will blow their horns and wave with glee when they see little ol me sitting up in that seat, driving my life away. People of all ages and social classes. My favorite is the the grandmotherly type who will point and wave and smile, yanking on her husbands sleeve until he notices me too. They give the biggest smiles and the friendliest waves.

Last night, on my way home, I encountered a vehicle with someone in it who made an assumption that drives me crazy.

On the final stretch of interstate on the home bound journey, there is a construction zone that places the Truckers in the two LEFT lanes. I am cruising in the middle lane with not a care in the world as I start to gain on the car in front of me. I move to the left to make the pass, assuming nothing out of the ordinary. I have 5 miles until my exit. Plenty of time to complete my task. Once I get halfway around the car, they speed up. We ride like this for about 2 miles. Thinking they will slow down, I remain in the left lane, intending to complete the pass, because this car has been unable to maintain a constant speed from the moment I first noticed it several miles back.

Nearing the sign indicating that my exit is looming just a few miles ahead, I turn my blinker on. I assumed that they would do one of two things. 1. Accelerate to give me room behind them or 2. Brake to let me in front of them.

They did neither. With only 2 miles left to go, I begin to slow down in order to fall in behind them, so I can move to the far right lane. At this point there is another Truck now in the middle lane behind the car. I tell the Trucker my intentions and he slows dramatically to allow me room to make my move. The car also slows to match my speed. I brake even harder, and with my blinker still clicking away, so does the car. The Big Truck has given me plenty of room, so I brake even harder and fall in behind the car.

At this point, he slams on his brakes. NOT ONCE, but Twice. This action quickly eliminated any comfort zone I had left for myself while merging in behind him. Thankfully, there had been no vehicles in the far right lane, as I had to quickly dive to the right to avoid hitting the car. I just narrowly missed a collision.

The car then slows down, so he is right beside my cab. Horn blaring and gesturing wildly, he tells me that I am number one, in a not so pleasant manner. I slow even more to let him move on, now running about 20 mph under the speed limit. The other Truck driver moves to the far left to avoid all of this and passes both the car and myself. He then merges back into the right lane, needing to make the exit himself. At this point, the car speeds up and passes both Trucks and gets in the right lane. He then proceeds to slow us down to a crawling 10 miles per hour down the exit ramp, which is rated at 45 and is almost a quarter mile long. He sits at the light and the rest of us turn right.

It is over.

How did this guy know, that I would do everything I could to keep from hitting him. How did he know that I would not just slam into the back of him while he was braking with such frenzy out on the interstate. Why would he assume that I would be able to avoid him. Had I been loaded, we would have needed paramedics to pull him from the wreckage or a crane to upright my truck and trailer.

I am not sure if he thought I was trying to intimidate him, by trying to pass, or signaling a lane change, but if he had been able to maintain a steady speed, I would have just rode behind him. If he had been in the Restricted Truck Lane, this would have never even been an issue. Was he just stupid? Maybe just easily intimidated by 18 wheelers? Did he has a deathwish?

I will never know, but I wish idiots in cars would leave the big trucks alone! We have the capacity (with our size, weight and momentum) to cause death and destruction in mere seconds, and we cannot always react as quickly as you think we should. This guy made an assumption and as a professional Truck Driver, it is my responsibility to make sure he was safe while in my vicinity. I did my job.

I can't wait to see the video....... *sigh*

I Just Don't Understand...

why some people just choose to be angry all the time. Angry about every little thing....

I personally don't let much affect me in a negative way. We all fuss at some point, and I do my share, I suppose. Ask my dispatch, they think I am always griping about something...Better check myself, because I don't feel like I am. And the things they think I am fussing about, are tiny little issues that I make snarky comments about. I am not happy about coming off this way to them. But I question how much of this is really me being whiny, because a few of the topics are seen in the reverse of what I would have said....

Take for instance, this week's routing.. It is mixed up in such a way, that I will do good to be unloaded by Wednesday. I had a frustrated look on my face and was asked what was wrong....

"This is all backwards, why would you do this?"

I was told that this is the way I had previously requested it, so they were trying to accommodate me. ??? Now I am confused. The person who regularly routes my trip has fallen into a pattern that works perfectly, unless an unusual delivery is added. Such as throwing a NJ delivery in the middle of my NYC drops.... Otherwise, it is a perfect route...It was changed this week, for my benefit. But it will add much more time and some miles to complete it this way. So it is definitely not benefiting me. The route planner (this week) swears that I requested this.

I think I would know....But, maybe I am becoming forgetful? I don't think I would deliberately request to sabotage my own load. And the Loading Supervisor agreed with me, that this route should not have been planned this way. Hopefully, I can work around it and delivery it in the manner I am accustomed too, but since the freight is loaded backwards, that could be a huge obstacle for me....

They felt like I was complaining about nothing and I would be home as always, by Wednesday night. I hope so!!

But I digress.....

My intended topic featured the antics of Mr. T. He occasionally chooses a NorthEastern run, which results in my preferred route being taken away from me. He was "banned" from running Florida a while back for causing a major scene with some of our Sunshine State Customers.

Now, he has done it again. But this time it does benefit me. He caused a scene at one of our PA customers and will not be going back. That means my run is safe, unless he decides to head into NYC, which is unlikely.

At the beginning of the week, I meet him at the plant and had noticed that the pick-ups he was supposed to make had been added to my route, instead of his. So, I casually mentioned that he might want to make sure he had long pants with him, as he might be sent into Ravenswood to pick up, because I had his pick ups on my load. This was a slight jab at him, but I meant nothing by it. A few weeks ago, he was sent into Ravenswood for a pick-up. He was wearing shorts! Strictly against policy at this customer. He was told he couldn't load until he changed his clothing. He requested that OUR company be responsible for purchasing him some jeans, since it was a customer demand.....How Stupid!! Of course he was denied the reimbursement, and he magically found some long pants in his truck...This has been policy for years and he knew it before he ever went in there.......

So, I jabbed.....He then starts ranting and raving about unfair policies and practices and just kicks up a bunch of dust about nothing at all.

BUT, he then tells dispatch that I am angry about the pick-ups. I am not sure to what degree he elevated my anger in his portrayal to them, but supposedly I was absolutely livid.

The pick-ups did not bother me at all....I gained a few miles, some stop pay, and didn't have to wait. Why would I complain about that?

I just don't understand why he is sooooo angry. But then to look at the beginning of this post, I guess I could come off that way too.

Yeah, I think I better check myself. I thought I was making suggestive comments, but could it really be perceived as anger and bitching.................. The guys in the office make me feel that way.

I think from now on, I will keep all comments to myself. ALL COMMENTS.....because the ones I thought were harmless, apparently are not.

At Least I Got Paid

This week, after finishing my delivery route, I was offered the opportunity to make some quick easy extra income...

The objective was to supply a new account with plenty of empty trailers. My goal was to move as many trailers as I could from Duncan, South Carolina to Greenville, Tennessee.

So, for two days, I shuttled empty trailers north, and bob tailed back south.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself, as the route carried me through the mountains, and I love the mountains, especially with no loaded trailers.

The route paid 140 miles in each direction, but the first trip took nearly 190. Remember, it is through the mountains. Lots of restricted roads!!! I had asked several people the best way to get there, resulting in the longer route. I stumbled upon a shorter route and was thrilled with the drive. I love a good skinny scenic route. I was told of yet another route, but it was restricted. Not sure what the restriction was for, I opted for the second route.

After spending 2 days moving trailers, I was wore out. When I finally dropped my last trailer, I meet up with three company drivers who were picking up the trailers I had just dropped and taking them......




back south, to a location that was only 100 miles from where I picked them up.

WHAT??

Oh well, at least I got paid for my endeavors.... and I great some great video footage that I will post shortly.

The drivers who picked up my trailers where headed back south on the restricted route, so I decided to follow them. I was bobtail, after all, so I was no longer apprehensive about running this road. Surely, if they are pulling trailers along this route, I am legal to drive it too.

We did find out what the restriction was.....Nothing longer then 60 foot. Glad I didn't attempt it with a trailer, but it was such a fun road...Kiss your arse curves through the mountains....

*sigh*

I want to live in the mountains......

Truckers Gone Wild

A few months ago, it happened. I was caught on tape.. Video Tape.

Driving my Big Rig.

My Boss calls to tell me that he has received a video of me driving down Mont Eagle at excessive speeds in an offensive manner.

What me???? Are you sure? Actually, when he told me about this, I knew exactly what incident he was referring too!. I remembered it with crystal clear perception, or so I thought.

He told me I was filmed at a rate of 70+ mph .... That is LUDICROUS....

Anyone who knows this area will tell you that if you flew down this mountain, you would most assuredly lose your driving privileges and be placed underneath the jail. It just isn't done. Law enforcement pays particularly close attention to this stretch of interstate with its lower speed limits, and high volume of accidents. It is a 6% descent. not bad. It is a 55 mph zone for autos, and a 45, 35, 25 mph zone for Trucks depending on the weight of the load. It has, I believe, 3 runaway truck ramps.

But before I get ahead of my self...here is my recollection of the event.

I was pulling an empty trailer across Mont Eagle. There was a loaded flat bedder following me. As we approached the descent, there were slower moving vehicles I was trying to get around because the lanes are restricted on the downhill swing. I was speeding..I will admit that! I was trying to adhere to the 55 speed limit, because I was empty. And YES, the posted speed limit for Trucks is 45mph.... There was a SUV that kept hovering near my trailer. He was in the way, almost the whole way down the hill.

The Boss told me I WAS CAUGHT ON TAPE IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.

I defend my innocence.. I believe he had his speedometer re calibrated to show an increase in speed. The Boss said I was wrong, it was on tape and he invited me to view it.

So, that it was I did today.

What I saw is as follows...

At the beginning of the video, the guy shows his speedometer near 75 mph on top of the mountain... He is a quarter mile behind me, racing to catch up.... My speed was not 75......I was not racing to catch anyone.....So, it was not I who was speeding in a 55 zone.

Next we see me in the left lane, passing slower heavier trucks before the descent. He shows me to be doing about 60....I will agree with that. I was trying to get ahead of the slower vehicles because the lane restriction was looming just ahead, and I was required to be in one of the two right lanes....Yes, I was speeding, but not 75 mph......My truck is governed at 68 and could not do 75 on flat land...

We start down the hill, and you can very clearly see other Big Trucks pulling away from me...If I was doing 75, then those other Trucks were in excess of 80..... WRONG....He finally shows me running at about 57-60 mph...I will agree to that.

He also comments on how I had to slow down for the Police Officers, because I knew I was speeding.. I was actually not concerned about the Police Officers pulling me over. Because I am a shameless Daredevil, hell bent on reeking havoc on the roadways in an excessively fast and destructive manner... NO, I was not concerned about them because I was not doing 75 like some people seem to think. I was concerned about the SUV who was hovering at my trailer and constantly in the way. So, I did accelerate and brake in several attempts to get away from him.

All the while, other vehicles are continuing to descend the mountain at a quicker speed than myself.....

Finally, we reach the bottom of the decline, and as a general rule.....When you see the elevated speed limit sign, you "let it roll" Most Truckers would agree. No need to hold it back any longer, the speed limit is about to increase. The newly increased speed limit is 70............

So, he films me making the final descent and this time he does record me doing in excess of 70.....(about 73).In plain view of the increased speed limit sign, but he makes a snarky comment about how the limit has not increased just yet, and I am clearly out of my mind....Okay, I ad libbed that part, but he does point out the sign.....What he doesn't show you is the broken down big truck on the shoulder of the road, or my desire to get into the left lane to give this disabled vehicle plenty of room for safety's sake. BUT... there is an SUV hovering at my trailer who will not get out of the way to let me over...Plus there is another Big Rig behind me who is loaded and the last thing I want to do is make him slow down after heating up his brakes for the past 7 miles...Wrong time to be brake-checking a Big Truck. SO, YES..... I let it roll......in an attempt to get around the SUV, to clear up room for the disabled vehicle.....at the bottom of the Mont..

But I am wrong....on so many levels....I am wrong....

I will defend my innocence until the grave....I was not flying down the mountain....It is clear in my mind, and ON VIDEO.....

It just infuriates me..........The asshole filming me was putting traffic at a higher elevated risk of danger by blocking the flow of traffic and hovering beside me. I was targeted and it clearly shows me that you can be incriminated for just about anything, as long as you present it in a certain way....

So forget all the obvious signs that this was overly exaggerated to show my reckless behavior....yeah, those other vehicles driving off ahead and leaving me in the dust were just a figment of my imagination, even though they were on film....And forget about me trying to give a disabled vehicle a little extra room, but could not because some guy in an SUV had to hover in order to get good video footage of me.....

In fact, the only thing you need to remember is that I am one crazy lunatic truck driver with a reckless streak a mile wide and I will run you over for the sheer entertainment value of it.

Bite Me JackAss.......

The Man of My Dreams.....

While traveling eastbound along I-40, through what is simply known as The Gorge to us Easterners, the following conversation took place.

"Watch out, there are a bunch of peanuts in the road......"

Me: Did you say Peanuts?

At this point another unfamiliar voice boomed out over the airwaves.....

PEANUT BUTTER

Me: Jelly

and in response

I GOT NOTHING

Me: What do you mean, you got nothing?

The unfamiliar voice then went on to state that he believed I was indeed his soul mate. He knew from my one word response Jelly, that I was the perfect mix of trucker, female and clown all wrapped up in one nice tiny package.

But then, the fantasy was shattered, as another driver remarked, " It would never work!! You (the unfamiliar voice) are headed west and she (me) is going east. There is no place to turn around for 30 miles....It just isn't meant to be"

Sadly, we both continued our predetermined directions, and faded out of site.....

I was so close to meeting the man of my dreams........soooo close.



Peanut... PeanutButter... Jelly.... Did you get the reference? Not to be confused with Peanut Butter Jelly Time..... Just so you know.


I am still unsure as to why we were supposed to fear the peanuts laying in the road, which I never saw......



The Gorge is a stretch of Interstate 40 running through western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. It is nestled in the heart of the Pisgah National Forest and is part of the mountainous area known as the "eastern Grand Canyon". I have never called it the Eastern Grand Canyon, that is just what the interwebs tell me.......But I do have a video or two....

Stay Tuned.

Vertically Challenged

I love being short. I really do. I think it is a big part of my personality.

It has never really hindered my ability to do anything, although it has made somethings a little more difficult to accomplish. But it has never stopped me.

Yesterday I posted that my legs have been aching lately , and actually, I do know the reason why. It is because I am short!!

HUH??

Yes, it is because I am built closer to the ground. This is a problem I have faced throughout my entire trucking career, but I have always managed to adjust.

When I first started driving, I had troubles reaching the fuel, brake and clutch. So, to accommodate, I strapped 4x6" wooden blocks onto the controls. By the time I got my second truck, I had learned to position myself in the seat to be able to reach the pedals. That first Truck, actually left my legs black and blue with bruises from the edge of the seat cutting into the backs of my thighs. It looked like someone was beating me on a regular basis.

I have found over the years that most trucks have seats that will adjust to fit my needs, and more and more Truck manufacturers are designing Big Rigs to be user friendly for people of all shapes and sizes. For example, the typical seat in a VOLVO will place me under the dash so I can indeed reach the pedals, the only problem with that is that the base of the seat itself is so high, that I cannot get low enough for comfort. Therefore, all though I am close enough, the seat itself presses into the backs of my thighs whilst I try to reach the floor or brake or fuel pedal, which is all the time!! And it cause my legs to be achy, cutting off my circulation.

The first time I ever drove a Volvo was quite amusing. My truck was a Peterbilt, and it was too long to get into a particular dock in OKC. So the broker I worked for, let me borrow one of their company trucks. A daycab volvo. While driving down the interstate to get back to the customer, I got some pretty strange looks from people. You see, every time I would hit a joint in the road, I would bounce inside the truck and mash on the accelerator..... Vrroooommmm Vrroooooommmmm vrrooooommmmmm... Which of course it about every 20 feet on the concrete surface. A police officer riding beside me decided he would see what I was up to. When I explained the situation, he let me go but not before laughing at my expense!! He had also tried to move the seat for me, but no adjustment would help.

For the past 9-10 months I have been driving one such Volvo, but had no problems with the seat adjustment. The air controls in the seat were broken and the little bags looked like squishy brains hanging out of the side of it. But I was comfortable!!! Then, after having exhaust leaks for 2 months, my boss decided to put me back into my original truck from a year ago. This thing had problems from day one, but seemed to have had all the kinks worked out of her. The day I got back in her, my legs went numb!! It has a perfectly good seat with all controls working, the little bags make her seat up high, which is no good for me! I have been in pain and uncomfortable ever since.

Week In Review

Thankfully, the chaotic behavior of motorists I have been witnessing recently has subsided. How ever, the gravitational pull of the full moon continued to invade my personal space.

After having run somewhat locally the past few weeks, I was happy to get back to New England. The drive seemed longer than it use to be, but everyone was happy to see me.

Monday night, I was resting up in the bewitching town of Salem, Massachusetts with the Full Moon gazing down upon me ever so intently. This customer is located near the harbor and the view is exceptional. That night, while tucked away safely in my sleeper, not only did my refrigerator stop working (losing about $25.00 worth of food), but my CB also decided to take a dive. And here I thought I was all safe and secure, avoiding the pull of the moon!

Not only that, but I lost my cell phone! With all my numbers in it! I do not have a single number written down anywhere, and due to the convenience of modern technology, I have not taken the time to memorize any of them either. To top it off, the battery was dead, so I couldn't call myself to pinpoint its location. Okay, lost is not such a good choice of wording. Misplaced is better, because the phone was within 5 feet of me at all times. I searched everywhere umpteen dozen times, and not until I got home and decided to wash my truck bedding, did I find that little bugger nestled up inside my pillow ??

In other news..... I did manage to get some running in this week. My knees have been aching something terrible for the past few months, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. Maybe, it is a lack of running, being too sedentary? I just decided to overlook it and trudge along anyway. And I am so glad that I did. I remember now, why it is that I enjoy a nice brisk jog with the wind in my face. Because it cleanses the mind!!!!

Not much else to report. Maybe something exciting while drop out of the sky....

More Mayhem.....

and the saga continues....

I checked the calendar and the full moon is still a few days away, but it seems that the gravitational pull has affected a few more Truckers already....

I ran a short haul last night and on my way home this morning, I witnessed a few more "could have been avoided" occurrences.

~4. A jack-knifed Big Truck....Usually this is the result of poor driving conditions or erratic maneuvers involving other motorists. But NO!! This fellow was jack-knifed because after he slide his tandems at the truck stop, he forgot to lock his pins back into place....For those who don't know, the pins lock the sliding tandems into a carriage mounted underneath the trailer. The tandems slide in order to be able to adjust the weight of the load on each axle. So, after he left, he hit the brakes and they were obviously working very well. Well enough to indeed rip the tandems from underneath the trailer and send it sliding in a wide arc, blocking the freeway ramp!!

~5. A flatbed overturned in the median!! He has a big single coil of steel, probably weighing about 20 tons or better. The ones I hauled were usually about 42, 000, so that is my guesstimate.
He had it secured to his trailer using only 4" straps......A lot of them, but still.......My obvious problem with this is that it is completely illegal to haul a 40,000 pound steel coil with canvas straps.. It has been awhile, but I think you are actually required to use one chain/binder per every 5,000 pounds of weight....Well, something like that anyways... All it took was for that coil to shift a few inches and the trailer immediately begin to flip....The coil itself was shot through the median and came to rest just inches from on-coming traffic.


and finally

~6. While getting fuel, I noticed an Big Truck's horn ringing out a warning. I looked to see what the disturbance was, when I noticed that the Trucker toot toot tooting his horn was actually trying to clear traffic so he could exit the truck stop. He was sitting at the exit trying to cross over a four lane highway. After becoming impatient he then decided to dive out into traffic while blowing his horn in hopes traffic would stop for him....and it did......With smoking tires and squalling brakes, 3 cars slide to a stop to allow the USA TRUCK to cross the highway.... I have no idea what this guy was thinking, but I bet you he would have regretted this decision had he decapitated the occupants of any one of those vehicles....


Normally, I cringe at the moves that four-wheelers make, and I really should not engage in Trucker bashing, but I cannot for the life of me understand some of the idiotic decisions being made on our roadways. In ten years as a Truck Driver, I have only been involved in ONE accident..and it could not have been avoided..Even the Smokey remarked on what an excellent job I did to maintain control and not hurt anyone including myself....

I will be in NYC when the Full Moon shows his little cheesy head! At least there, I already know what to expect!!


So do me a huge favor, and do not force me to blog about your next stupid move, cuz I will do it!!

Stupid Truck Drivers

Yes, you read that right!!

I am bashing truck drivers in this here rant, but if they would just behave, well, then, I wouldn't have too!!

I admit that I am not the most well behaved Truck Driver at all times, but I like to think I handle myself very well for the most part!

~ 1. There is a back road that I travel frequently while running local deliveries that has been under construction for quite a while now. They are rerouting the roadway to eliminate the use of a very skinny bridge that is probably about to collapse anyway, with all the truckers having discovered this route. But for now, the bridge is still in use. It is approximately 200 feet long and no more than 19 feet wide.
Normally when two Truckers meet on this stretch of road, one gives the other time to clear the bridge before proceeding across it. A lot of side mirrors have been destroyed on this bridge. Even the cars will give the trucks time to cross before attempting to pass!!
So, as I make my way towards the bridge, I notice an approaching Truck. I am going to make the crossing first, as I am visibly closer. Did I mention it is in a 35mph zone? So, I notice this guy is not going to give me any room and continues to accelerate towards me. I am now in the middle of the bridge when he enters from the other side with five tires in my lane.....
It is possible to make the crossing at the same time, if both drivers use caution, but this guy was not!! This is the point where if I had an older Truck, I would have reached out the window and tucked my mirror in, but the big plastic mounts won't budge!!
He continues in my lane, making the pass with a thud!! as our mirrors make slight contact. Not enough to do any damage to mine, but it did scare the crap out of me. AND, my right tires are scrapping the curbing of the 18" tall concrete guard rail, that would not have prevented me from cascading into the 10' ravine had he been any closer!
I then asked him over the airwaves if he "just got out of school yesterday?" But I will not publish his reply!! So, "Thanks a bunch JAMES R SMITH TRUCKING!! I hope your mirror falls off now!!" We had one of our trucks lose a mirror and driver side window on this same bridge 2 years ago!!

~ 2. While travelling through Indiana this week, I happened to notice one of those RED TRUCKS ( crete, knight, usxpress) wobbling and weaving back and forth in the roadway...Every time I would get close to his trailer, he would bobble into my lane....GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR....I finally saw an opportunity to get around him and I mashed on it....Continuing on my merry way, I looked in the mirrors and happen to notice him driving off into the ditch....NO! I did not cause him to run off the road......But him playing with his dash mounted laptop might have had something to do with it!

~ 3. Another wobbling Truck in Indiana caught my attention a few miles down the road. But this guy really had it bad. Instead of making nice gradual merges in and out of lanes, he was literally yanking his truck from side to side. Had he been loaded, I am sure he would have rolled it! Once again, I am pacing myself behind him! Then out of nowhere, he hits the brakes hard and jerks it onto the shoulder. There were two other trucks behind him and we all had to scatter to avoid a collision. The shoulder looked to be about 7' wide with a concrete wall. He was hanging out into the right lane a good foot or so!! When asked if he was okay or needed help, he replied "I missed my exit!"
The next thing you know, the CB comes alive with remarks being made about the stupid CELADON driver that is backing down the interstate! Sure, the next exit might have been 5 miles down the road, or even 20, but there are so many things wrong with what he was trying to do!

So, to each of you fellows, I appreciate your help in keeping the BAD Truck Driver reputation alive and well!!

Freaking idiots!! Rant Over.....

Tiny Trucker

Just a little video I put together with the help of my wonderful niece and a few of my YouTube Buddies!! Hope You Enjoy!!