What yanked my chain about the accident I posted this about, is the fact that the "GIRL" whom started the entire deal, was more concerned with her pityful SELF, than she was about the truck driver whom died, trying to NOT KILL her.

It actually took the Maryland authorities a couple days to make that worthless woman the focus of the accident investigation, instead of the driver whom died.


Whether GH supports the right of choice, for those whom to chose to drink in their sleeper, is irrelavant don't you think??

I was GOING to clarify my statements, but you told me NOT to! NOW you want me to explain the difference? I doubt seriously if you could UNDERSTAND the difference! At least your constant barrage over the last few weeks would indicate that you CANNOT.

A few short feet, AND something called "professionalism!" A quality that you (the Rev) don't seem to understand. Perhaps, for sheeple like YOU, it is best that you DO believe what you believe. Apparently, you NEED someone to tell you exactly what you CAN'T do, because you have no ability to make sensible decisions for yourself! You should have joined the Army. You would have made perfect cannonfodder! :roll:

Oh, BTW.... in a recent thread, someone pointed out that your generator might not meet DOT specs. Your answer was "screw 'em!" (paraphrased) So, the regs only apply to you when you WANT them to? :shock: :roll:

I say the Emperor wears no clothes! :shock:

And I COMMAND you to answer this post! :wink:

You can't figure out the difference between the right to have a LEGAL drink and driving a vehicle AFTER you're intoxicated? I thought you were smarter than that.

When I'm at home and in bed, but, more relevant to the point, at that time, I'm not in actual physical control of the vehicle.
Just accept that, as CMV operators, we're entrusted with a greater responsibility, and, as such, we have a higher level of accountability. It goes hand-in-hand with being a professional. Just deal with it.

Like I already said, if I'm at home and will be off at least 24hrs before I have to go out, then I may have a few beers. If I'm on the road, no.

However, if someone is doing a 34hr restart, they're in a truckstop or wherever and not going to be moving, who cares if they have a beer or 2.

Along that same point, what if a driver parks his truck then walks to a bar, gets drunk and gets back in his sleeper and sleeps it off. WTF is the difference?

Your paraphrase is wrong. I modified the generator to meet DOT regulations:

1. I put a fuel pump on it.
2. I am hauling less than 8 gallons of gasoline, so I don't have to placard.


So why don't you enlighten me as to how I am not DOT compliant?

I see no difference as I see both as being unprofessional. It is accidents such as this one that shine the spotlight on the trucking industry. We are held to higher standards than the rest of the motoring public, as we should be.

How do you think the public would react if they found out that the night before, he had been at the bar drinking? It wouldn't matter if he wasn't drunk. The fact that we are held to a higher standard in the public eye outweighs everything else.

I got NEWS for ya, Jeff.... and no offense intended, but fatalities in truck involved accidents PALE in comparison to the number of deaths in an Airliner crash, and THEY are under the SAME rules WE are! The Federal Government has put down RULES and regulations for ALL forms of "transportation" industries in this country, and they are ALL pretty much the same. Truckers are nothing "special" in this mix!

Now, once again for those on the short bus.... the Feds have a zero tolerance for alcohol in the sytem of a driver/pilot/conductor who is OPERATING his vehicle..... but, they "allow" for the fact that alcohol is a LEGAL drug of choice, and they cannot control ALL of your "off duty" time! Period!

Those who cannot be "professional" about their jobs, and "maintain" themselves while off duty, are a danger. That is what the "testing" regs are for!

Reasonable suspicion, probable cause, post accident tests, pre-employment tests, 4 hour prior to duty regs, less than .02 in the system.... ALL of these regs are designed to protect the public AND the industry from those who would abuse their rights..... but, WITHOUT infringing on the rights of citizens who happen to work in the transportation industry to partake of a LEGAL SUBSTANCE! Prohibition was REPEALED many years ago!

Society, and Regulators have decided that these regs are strict enough, IF followed! Who are YOU or any other prude on this board to supercede the consensus of the "professionals" who are tasked with transportation safety?

Where were you when drivers ate "bennies" like candy so they could drive 20 hours a day? How about caffeine abuse to keep one "wired" enough to drive all night? The only reason there were not more deaths on the roads back then, is that there was less TRAFFIC! Fewer stupid 4wheelers in a hurry to get somewhere!

I'm ALL for safety on the roads, and "professionalism" in drivers. But, I'll be damned if I'll let a few prudes tell me I have no rights as a citizen when off duty, JUST because I drive a TRUCK! I LOVE driving a truck, but I'd RATHER be flying a plane! Either way, the regs are the regs! And YOU need to "deal with it!" :roll:

I'm not saying that the regs protect "certified" alcoholics or drunks" as drivers! I'm NOT saying that these people have any business BEING in our industry! I'm just saying that, whether YOU like it or not, a driver has a right to pursue "activities of his own choosing" (per the regs) on his OWN time! If he abuses that RIGHT, he should be punished severely for it, and I hope he is caught before he causes an accident. But, I stop short of superceding the REGS concerning this issue, as I am NOT for a totalitarian form of government that controls every aspect of its citizens lives!

What was that thread recently.... How many hours have you driven with NO SLEEP? THAT happens EVERY day, by thousands if not more drivers! Compared to what, maybe 1% of all drivers with even a TRACE of alcohol in their system? Where are your priorities? :shock: :roll:

Drowsy drivers, both 4wheeler AND truckers, kill more people each year than DUI drivers of trucks! WHY, you might ask? Because there are REGS that control us, and MOST of us are professional enough to follow the regs! By that I mean that MOST drivers will obey the alcohol regs before and above their "professional" adherence to the HOS! :roll:

If you want to talk about "professionalism," let's start with the HOS! THAT has been the "culprit" in about 99% of all fatal accidents I've heard of since I started trucking! When you clean up THAT mess, you can talk to me about having a few beers at the Outback on my OFF DUTY time! :roll:

Scenario:

You are shit-faced drunk and passed out in your sleeper after about 18 beers, at some filthy truckstop.

All of a sudden, people are banging on the sides of your sleeper yelling to wake up. You woozily are able to comprehend that a rig behind you rolled free and a person is trapped between your trailer and the other trailer. The driver of the other rig can not be found. Your rig will HAVE to be moved for this person to survive.

This person's life can only be saved if you operate your CMV while intoxicated. But do you really have any choice? What do you do then. If you pop the brake and roll back a bit before going further and it is later found that your are intoxicated. You are in deep deep shit.

And only 30 seconds ago you were just sleeping it off in your sleeper on line 2. or 1...................or 5 :wink:

The Driver that died in Stan's Post wasn't drinking. So Who cares about being on a 34 and enjoying a cold one. The stupid girl who killed the truck driver is who all of you should be pissed at..not each other over sibling rivalry.