I have discovered that I don't NEED experience to whine and complain and (so forth). But then, I DO have 50 years practice at it!

 

That's not a stupid question

I'm talking about Elgin Pelican broom sweepers. Big ol' street sweepers. I still gotta get a picture of my whole setup, dump truck, tilt trailer, and sweeper all loaded up.

--Dave.

 

I can't speak for the other guys. If you've read a couple of MY threads, I have tried to give out good, sound, information about driving in bad weather.

In the truck stops, I've usually been one of the guys that will get out of my truck and help you back into a space for the night. But, I've also seen you guys pull into a space, and back into someone else's grill when backing out in the morning. Idle-Aire spaces are especially good for this. Some fool designed them so that you must pull in, and back out.

I've also been a trainer for new drivers. "UNDER-TRAINED"? I've had school graduates that could not even find reverse on the shifter, much less back into a space. I've also had to reach over and pull the "trolley bar" to stop them from taking the fender and hood of the next truck with them on the way out of a space.

It's not the drivers I tend to complain about, but the level of training they receive. And, DOT is considering relaxing the requirements even more. Yet, they MUST go through an approved school. They'd get far better training going "ONE-ON-ONE" with a seasoned driver in a truck. Seasoned meaning at least five years experience... YA HEAR THAT, (not so) SWIFT AND C R ENGLAND??? Six months is not nearly enough experience to be a trainer.

As to the mohawks and tatooes, you'll find that there are as many types of people driving a truck as there are people driving them. I guess we're a lot like SNOWFLAKES... No two are exactly alike. That also means that ANY ATTIRE IS APPROPRIATE.... Well, that is... As long as it's not a collection of dirty rags.

 

I think that in every trade the rookie catches crap from the experienced, and it may seem that you are catchin more than anyone else but yer not, only seems like it because yer new. When will it cease? It wont, but it will slacken, and in time you will become the thrower instead of the catcher.But remember when you do become the thrower,and take heart that you were once in that man er womens shoes.

I still after 14yrs consider myself a rookie, and I probably will till I die in my sleeper.

I spent 3 days with a cdl book and an old COE Ford then went an took my test an the only training I received was a drawing of the shift pattern. Nobody sat beside me an showed me what to do. Everything that I have learned I've had to do it by myself. An I think I've done a pretty good job of training my self.

Have I given crap to rookies? I have, but mostly to the ones who will not listen to free advice given and insist that they were taught the right way.
If you will not listen then I have nothing to offer an you can learn the hard way.



Eric

 

Many years ago when I started driving a big truck it wasn't a pretty sight. I just turned 16 and had a learners permit. One afternoon Dad's C/O Pete was sitting there in the yard and I figured "Hell I can do this, I've ridden and seen him do it, I've been driving his P/U for two weeks and know all this s@@t". Wellllllll ended up kinda leaning in the ditch on the side of the driveway :sad: No way to hide it when he came home. Was kinda pi$$ed. Well, after the wooping, he said "You wana drive truck you are coming with me for your summer vacation". Spent two month with him and got lots of windshield time, right seat, turns out my job was securing all the loads, tarping all that had to be, all P/T's, tire changes etc. The last week we came out of a truck stop and he climbed in the right seat and said "Drive. Grind a gear and I'll bang your hand, curb a trailer tire and I'll bang your head", and he did. When we got done he said "Next year we will do it again, maybe I'll let you drive more" and we did.
After all these years, 48, I'll still be driving and catch a trailer tire and hear him say "Goddamit you curbed a tire" and will duck to the left Oh, my name is Goddamit, my brother was Jesuschrist
Don't knock the newbies, offer help and advice. In my day it was a wack on the head that drove it in, today it is more "Don't you think it might have been better if ???". We all had to learn some way or another and in 48 years I have yet to meet a driver that climed into his cab for the first time and did everything perfect.

 

Wow...you've been driving twice as long as I've been alive...... :shock:

 

Thanks TomB985, I think I will go out and shoot myself now

 

Glad to help!

 

Since I drive "local" and have for almost 4 years I probably back in to docks more times in a day than most otr drivers do in a week.

That said, I still have times where I can't seem to do a straight back with even 5 pull ups and 40 acres of ground.

I have set and watched others try to back up and have gone over and offered to either guide them in or to back for them. 95% of the drivers have thanked me for the help. The other five are too stubborn or I guess too proud to accept help from an "old guy".

So be it. I just sit and smoke and watch. I tried to help, thats all I can do.

Codger

 

That's why I pull the trailer I do, I don't do backing