Another SRW bites the dust.

[FPettijohn]

This has nothing to do with rear wheel numbers and everything to do with tow vehicle wheel base. A 190" wheel base SRW will pull a bumper pull trailer better than a 100" DRW because of leverage and of course a 200" wheel base with tag and super singles would be the "perfect tow vehicle" right? By the way Harvey and Griz many truckers today are steering wheel holders not drivers. To many cell phones, dvd players, drugs and hiring people who just don't care.

Fred

 

[GAmes]

By the way Harvey and Griz many truckers today are steering wheel holders not drivers. To many cell phones, dvd players, drugs and hiring people who just don't care.

Despite your elitist opinion of today's truck drivers FMCSA statistics show that current truck accident rates are lower than they have been in over 10 years. In addition trucks have been at fault in less than 40% of truck/car collisions for a very long time.



Yesterday between Dallas and Texarkana I saw 4 wheelers dart ahead of 18 wheelers in the left lane and squeeze between them and the 18 wheelers being passed causing the truck drivers to have to apply their brakes on two separate occasions. Isn't it amazing that those "steering wheel holders" who were high on drugs were able to take the time from their cell phone call and watching a dvd movie to look into their mirrors and care enough to avoid crushing the morons who passed on the inside?

 

[AClayton]

I agree here... ... ... ... Truckers as a whole are much more experienced and diligent drivers than ordinary everyday drivers of 4 wheelers. The very small and minute percentage of 'Bad' truck drivers is overwhelmingly out-weighed by the very small and minute percentage of 4 wheeler drivers that would otherwise be considered as 'good' drivers. Truckers are my friends on the highway and will always be treated as such..... even if 1 in a 100 of em' were to cut me off. You simply cannot beat the massive amounts of experience these guys have driving large vehicles up and down our Interstates and having to share the them with ordinary citizens. In the law of percentages,I'd wager to say that a trucker on his cell phone is a whole lot safer than an immigrant,an oriental driver or a New Jersey tag holder:-laf:-laf



Alan

 

[surfbeetle]

I agree, when I drove professionally, I was Transit School Bus driver. I was able to watch where I was going, avoid the four wheelers and keep all 84 passengers safe on the bus whether they wanted to be safe or not. Here in California, if you hold a CDL and get a ticket, you don't get the option for traffic school, you get the privilege of paying the court and getting the point on your record so we tend to be more defensive drivers than non commercial drivers.

 

[HBarlow]

Some folks tend to forget . . . truckers drive approximately 500 - 600 miles per day, six days a week, in all weather, every day of the year behind the wheel of a monster rig about 70 - 80 feet long weighing 80,000 lbs. If they have more than a couple of accidents or receive more than one or two tickets they are no longer driving big trucks. It is a very tough way to make a living.

 

[FPettijohn]

GAmes

"Despite your elitist opinion of today's truck drivers" Harvey calls me drug names (LSD) and you call me elitist, we may have to restart the civil war I have a few years and a few million miles in several countries and while you say accidents involving trucks are down I believe it is because of the great job the local, state and federal agencies are doing in keeping unsafe trucks of the highways. Do you really believe the over the road driver today is as professional as drivers were 5 years ago? Yes the 4 wheeler don't care and will drive you crazy BUT that is not an excuse. Poor pay lack of regulation on driver hours and NAFTA are just a couple of reasons it's going to get worse before it gets better.

 

[HBarlow]

This is not the political forum or the place for labor union propaganda.

 

[GAmes]

Do you really believe the over the road driver today is as professional as drivers were 5 years ago?

Yes. They may not be as experienced but they are just as safe if not safer. The days of the outlaw driver are over.

 

[FPettijohn]

Harvey

Did you quit taking your medication this morning?? There was nothing political or any propaganda in my post! I was trying to say in a polite manner that Texans seem to want to put a label on everyone and you just proved my point!!

GAmes That is great news but like the 4wheelers that cut off the truckers it is usually caused by inattention to the road because of (fill in the blank) the long haul drivers are tempted by the same things. I do see a lot more teams now than in the past and I am sure that helps.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Truck Driver

As a truck driver the best thing that ANYONE can do is to pay ATTENTION to what you are suposed to be doing while in a Car,Truck,Motorcycle, and thats DRIVE Truck drivers of today are no where near what they used to be IMO. Most dont have the know how they dont want to do this or that just because its snowing out they dont want to drive. Well before I drove a truck in the snow I didnt know how. My advice is stay away from trucks and you might be allright. Like GAmes said the cowboy days are over but IMO the new ones are alot more to fear most of the young drivers at work I wouldn't let drive my lawn mower. They take out a good truck out in the AM and come PM the same truck has bent Rims scratched paint light missing and a host of other things wrong AND THESE ARE GAS TRUCKS sorry Ill get off the soap box now. If I can last just 3 more years Ill move to my property in MT and leave the great state of commiecalif to the crazys and the folks from south of San Diego. NOW Ill GET OFF THE SOAP BOX