Jhill; DOn't get me wrong now. We all have to start somewhere. I don't have a problem with teaching someone the ropes. It's the damm fool stuff that these younger "bullet proof" drivers do. I had a driver in a semi pull out in front of me twice while I was about to pass him. He was going around slower traffic, and weaving between the 2 lane of I-76 out here in Ohio, passing all the slower vehicled in the right lane just daring anyone in the left lane to pass him! He'd start left then signal at 65 + MPH! This driver was ina hurry, and nothing was getting in his way!
In the past 2 years we had 2 drivers leave their beds up and go down the highway! Needles to say once they came to a sign, they were reminded! On a parking lot job I radioed with good radio that I was backing up, I waited for a moment for a reply, and bang hit one of our trucks screwing both tarps! If I would have waited until I seen the truck that I couldn't see, I wouldn't have hit him! I knew he was there, bur I wanted to get back on the road for the next load!
There is a difference between making mistakes, and risking life and limb! There was 3incidents back at the end od the last decade that stick in my mind. A guy that couldn't speak english, took a truck he was ordered to, with bad brakes, He ran over a grandma and 3 grandbabies all pre-schoolers, and killed them all. He's in prison right now because he didn't know he could refuse the truck, and still keep his job! Another driver was doing 20 MPH, with a legal load, he had 12 tons on a Ford L longnose. The mom had just picked up her kids at the pool, and puled out in front of the driver. He tried to stop, but there just wasn't enough room! He killed mom and the the front passenger, and the rear drivers side passenger! This man lived by the yard for the company I worked for at the time! His yard was always like a golf course. Well he went off the deep end! for weeks he'd come out in his backyard in his underwear and robe open, He hadn't shaved, or changed clothes in weeks, He looked like he'd been on a month long drunk! He went over the line. He blamed himself, even though the accident cops cleared him of all responibility! Then the last one, 2 seasons ago this summer. A laborer was sweeping the concrete debris from an expansion joint in a bridge. The laborer tripped and fell while a dump truck was backing up. The woman laborer died 6 hours after the accident in the hospital form internal injuries! Just an accident!
Yep, we are more than just steering wheel holders. There is a lot of responsibility in driving OTR, and more driving an asphalt bucket! OTR driver are a different breed than those of us who drive a dump. And the craziest of all ar the frameless semi dump drivers! Those things go over when the wind changes, and I have seen this happen first handed!
ointhead