I'm a trucker. Ask me anything about trucking,

[Droopy]

These threads are usually fun. I've been a trucker for about 11.5 years. I know more than some and less than others, I guess. Fire away.

[Deja Q]

1. I'll let Parche copycat this one, but I must ask,

what's the most irritating traffic jam/crash/pile-up/et cetera you had to sit through?

[Droopy]

2. Any time I'm in Chicago at rush hour

When I was running out that way I would try to get through Chicago at night. It's a huge metropolitan area and it takes about 45 minutes to get through there when there is very little traffic. Hit it at rush hour and you will be there for three hours trying to get through to the other side. Same goes for LA, but I've got a lot more experience with Chicago.

[zanne]

3. Do you have a sleeper cab?

Do you honk your horn for little kids? Do truckers still have CB's?

[Droopy]

4. I drive both a sleeper cab and a day cab

I team drive to a drop point and hop out of the sleeper cab and into a day cab to do a delivery route. When finished I meet the other driver back at the drop point and we team back up again and go home. We haul double trailers and each take one to do our routes.

Yes, I honk the horn for little kids and most truckers still have CBs.

[Catsbrains]

5. Do you pick up hitch hikers?

[Droopy]

6. I have in the past, but I don't do that anymore

It's not just me in the truck most of the time now days. I have a co-driver to think about.

[Catsbrains]

7. Picked up any weirdos?

[Droopy]

8. Not really

A musician trying to get to a friend's house in California. A struggling actor from LA trying to get to his home town in Dallas. A homeless man from Florida trying to find work in the north.

[Catsbrains]

9. That's pretty interesting. I'll bet most people haven't met people such as these.

[grannylib]

84. That's what I was going to ask; I used to do a lot of hitching and

the truckers were always so fun to ride with! I met some really decent people on the road (this was between about 1973-1978 or so) and only had one bad experience (not w/a trucker).

I was always surprised at how many older women would stop, at least for another female.

Many happy hours spent sitting in a cab of a big rig, watching the world go by :hi:

[shanine]

10. Anything, huh?

Do you know if the truck with the tastefully done airbrushed naked lady is still operating?
:hi:

[Droopy]

11. I haven't seen that one, but I've seen a lot of trucks with murals

Usually operated by independents and owner/operators. If I owned a truck I think it would be cool to have a mural on it. Sort of like a tattoo for your truck. But I bet it's damned expensive to get it done.

[Catsbrains]

12. What would your mural look like?

[Droopy]

14. Probably a nature scene like you'd see out west.

But I haven't given it a lot of thought.

[shanine]

13. Yes it was an independent

working under Sonny P. in MN . .
thanks.:smoke:

[yellowcanine]

15. My Dad and his brothers and my Grandfather were all truckers. It is one

reason why I am not one.  I saw how hard it was on them.  I have a lot of respect for truckers.  My Dad actually died of a massive heart attack in his truck at the docks in New York City in 1968.  The company he was hauling for had one of their drivers bring his F Model Mack home to Pennsylvania.  It had an almost new Detroit Diesel in it so Mom didn't have any difficulty selling it.  But it sure was sad seeing it sitting there in the drive.  Dad also had an old green B-61 that Mom sold with a little more difficulty.  In 1968 it wasn't yet old enough to be a classic.  The B had two gear shifts.  Dad would hook one arm through the steering wheel in order to work both shift sticks and no power steering.  Trucking wasn't for sissies then either.  That was also before CB radios or cell phones of course.  A trucker was pretty much on his own unless he pulled into a truck stop.  Dad would pick up hitch hikers mostly for the company. But he had to watch it because some the firms he hauled for didn't allow it and they had insurance safety inspectors who would check up on the drivers on the road.

[Droopy]

16. I've heard of those two stick deals

They were actually still around in the 80s I think, but they don't make them anymore. Sorry about your dad. I don't know if it was trucking that killed him, but I do know that's it's done in a lot of drivers. It's a lot harder to take care of yourself out on the road. When you combine stress with an unhealthy lifestyle it will get you quick.

[yellowcanine]

17. It wasn't long distance trucking that was the hardest on my Dad. He had

a bad valve in his heart that today they would go in and replace. Plus earlier on he used to drive a lime truck which really messed up his lungs. He was pretty much in congestive heart failure the last couple years of his life. I think if anything the over the road trucking extended his life because he enjoyed it so much and it wasn't stressful for him. He was a big friendly guy who liked to meet new people and could talk to anybody.

[wain]

18. What can car drivers do to help truck drivers while on the road?

What do car drivers do that is annoying or hazardous? What common courtesies make the truck driver's job easier. What do you watch out for? What should a car driver watch out for?

Do you prefer daytime or nighttime driving?

Keep up the good work as a non-smoker. They literally did kill me 13 years ago, but I got lucky.

[Droopy]

19. Just give us plenty of room, wain

There are huge blind spots on some trucks so you don't want to ride along side them too long. You might be riding in a blind spot and get squished. This is especially important if you are on a motorcycle because your vehicle is so small and easily will get lost in a blind spot. Just motor right on past us.

What really helps me out on the road is when car drivers let me move over when I need to. When a trucker flips on that blinker, let him or her in. S/he could need the next exit or could need to get out of a lane to avoid people passing on the right.

I prefer 2nd shift type hours. I used to have a job driving 3pm to midnight. I loved those hours and I'd still be at that job if it paid enough. Now days I work 11pm to 11am. I don't like the hours, but pay and benefits wise it's the best job I've ever had.

[wain]

20. Thanks, Droopy

for the good advice. I try to remember that it's a job for the truck driver. I'm just commuting.

[KG]

21. is it true what they say about those truck-stop cuties?

[Droopy]

28. I've never gotten laid at a truck stop.

[Frank Cannon]

22. What is a "Jake Brake"?

And why are there signs posted on the highway telling you not to use them?

[Droopy]

29. Jake brakes are also referred to as engine brakes

I'm not exactly sure how they work, but what they do is increase back pressure in the engine so that when you let off the accelerator the engine has a braking effect on the truck. The reason why they are restricted in some communities is that they can be very loud on a truck that is just equipped with straight pipes for an exhaust system.

Their intended use is for when you are going down a mountain grade. An engine brake reduces the need to use your wheel brakes. The reason that is good is because wheel brakes on a truck can become over-heated if you use them too much causing the homocidal brake fade. The drums of the brakes get so hot that they expand making it harder and harder to brake the truck. Eventually, if you're not careful, you will lose all braking power and probably die an ugly death possibly taking other people with you.

[GOPisEvil]

48. Basically a Jake Brake vents engine compression.

Instead of using the compression to turn the engine, the compressed air/fuel is vented right out the top end of the engine so it assists in slowing the engine down. This is the reason they make so much noise and the reason they are banned in town.

[Pithlet]

105. Is that what you're doing when we hear that "BRWAAAAAAAAH brabrabraBRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"

:)

[Droopy]

106. Yes, hence the reason for the anti-engine brake laws in little towns

If you roll through there in the middle of the night and do that you'll wake up the whole town. :)

[Pithlet]

109. Makes sense. Thanks.

Fascinating thread!

[Bluzmann57]

23. Why are truckers who are not otr always in such a hurry?

I load trucks sometimes on my job and we have a grand total of zero otr truckers who come in and get loaded. In fact, it's mostly the same guys (and one woman) who come everyday, or mostly every day. And invariably, they are in a hurry to get loaded. We had a mandatory safety meeting the other day and sure enough, drivers were bitching because they had to wait. They do not get paid by the mile, but by load and hour. So they need to calm down. Just asking.

[Droopy]

30. They just want to do their job and go home like everyone else

The longer they sit at the dock the more you cut into their beer drinking time. And if they are getting paid by the load they may want to be loaded as quickly as possible so that they can run other loads and make more money.

But I understand how that could grate on a dock worker's nerves. I've never said a cross word to a dock worker and I think that has actually helped me get loaded quicker sometimes.

[Gormy Cuss]

24. Have you read "Uncommon Carriers" by John McPhee?

It's a series of stories with different forms of transportation. One piece is with a truck driver and it's really interesting.

[Droopy]

32. Nope. I'll have to check it out. Sounds interesting.

I've been meaning to pick up some new books.

[IzaSparrow]

25. do you ever drive with your pants off? nt

[IzaSparrow]

26. how many times per day do you honk your airhorn...

just for fun?

[Droopy]

33. No and none.

:)

[HeresyLives]

27. What does it cost

to fill up a truck these days, and how often do you have to do so?

[Droopy]

34. For a truck with a 200 gallon fuel tank capacity

It costs about $800 to fill up when empty. I just drive in Ohio and diesel prices are $4.00-$4.10 a gallon here.

For the average truck 200 gallons will take you 1200 miles and if you are busy that means about 2 days.

[Bennyboy]

31. Is the correct order really "Weed, whites and wine"?

Or can you mix and match them up?

[Droopy]

35. You can do whatever you want, but my pee is clean

:shrug:

[Bennyboy]

36. Have you been from Tuscon to Tucumcari?

[Droopy]

37. I've been through those two places.

Never had a load originating and destinating in them.

[BeachBaby]

38. Do you speed up when I'm trying to pass you?

Or are you one of the types who blows the horn and waves when you see the blonde in the sports car? ;)

:hi:

[Droopy]

39. I got the cruise set, baby

And I'm manly enough that I don't have to try to prove my masculinity to myself at every opportunity.

[Robb]

40. I've often wondered if it's frustrating

going uphill with a full load. I've seen guys put on a little extra speed at the bottom of a hill, knowing they're going to slow down, and up here in the Rockies that sometimes means like 20-25 for a good long spell.

Presumably you take that into account when planning a route, but I can't imagine knowing every time you hit the uphill it's down to a crawl... :shrug:

[Droopy]

42. You get used to it

It really sucks when you first start driving and realize how much downshifting and slow going it's going to be in the mountains. Especially when you have a truck that only has a 330 hp engine. That's what I started out in. But after a while it's no big deal. What you have to be careful for is the down grades. A lot of times out west you can't go down a hill much faster than you would climb it for fear of heating up the brakes and ending up in one of those runaway truck ramps- and that's if you're lucky.

[auntAgonist]

41. Here's one for you Droopy ... Did you ever

pull over and park behind another rig, say at the end of a ramp exiting the rest area, and lay over the steering wheel just to catch a quick nap... then suddenly be startled awake and convince yourself that you're about to bite the big one by running into a truck dead ahead of you? ... Grabbing the steering wheel, stompin' on the brake pedal, trying to wake up ....

happened to me ONCE ... good thing I didn't have a weak heart eh?

:rofl:

aA

[Droopy]

44. Yes, I have done that exactly that

And it will wake you up real quick. :) I've done that several times, actually, and pretty recently. I work the graveyard shift and I used to drive a day cab for the company I'm currently at. I would frequently pull off the road on a ramp shoulder to catch a nap because at that time of night you can't buy a parking slot at a rest area or a truck stop. And I'd wake up gasping for air and standing on the brake sometimes. ;)

[auntAgonist]

46. absolutely!! not for the weak hearted that's for sure!

:hug:

I miss driving ... I think.

heh

[Droopy]

47. There are times when I miss some things about trucking

I started out as an otr guy and did that for 3.5 years. Then I started desiring more home time and I took a local job. I've done local work ever since then except for one brief period a couple of years ago. From May 2006 to January 2007 I was an otr guy again. I got to thinking about it one day and how I missed seeing the beautiful country out west and I fell for it again. It took about 6 months for me to realize why I got out of otr trucking to begin with and I took another local job. Been there ever since.

[alphafemale]

125. My hubby tells one of waking up to the sight of a truck backing up toward him.

STOMP STOMP STOMP!!!!

:rofl:

[Arugula Latte]

43. What in the world ever became of Sweet Jane?

Also ... Do you got your chips cashed in?

[Droopy]

45. Sorry, I don't get the references.

Tell me about them.

[Bennyboy]

56. Livin on Reds, vitamin C and cocaine.....

All her friends can say is
ain't it a shame....

Truckin Grateful Dead...

[Arugula Latte]

79. Okay, sorry ... It was a reference to the Grateful Dead song "Truckin."

I was just being a smartass ... :hi:

Truckin got my chips cashed in. keep truckin, like the do-dah man
Together, more or less in line, just keep truckin on.

Arrows of neon and flashing marquees out on main street.
Chicago, new york, detroit and its all on the same street.
Your typical city involved in a typical daydream
Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.

Dallas, got a soft machine; houston, too close to new orleans;
New yorks got the ways and means; but just wont let you be, oh no.

Most of the cast that you meet on the streets speak of true love,
Most of the time theyre sittin and cryin at home.
One of these days they know they better get goin
Out of the door and down on the streets all alone.

Truckin, like the do-dah man. once told me youve got to play your hand
Sometimes your cards aint worth a dime, if you dont layem down,

Sometimes the lights all shinin on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip its been.

What in the world ever became of sweet jane?
She lost her sparkle, you know she isnt the same
Livin on reds, vitamin c, and cocaine,
All a friend can say is aint it a shame?

Truckin, up to buffalo. been thinkin, you got to mellow slow
Takes time, you pick a place to go, and just keep truckin on.

Sittin and starin out of the hotel window.
Got a tip theyre gonna kick the door in again
Id like to get some sleep before I travel,
But if you got a warrant, I guess youre gonna come in.

Busted, down on bourbon street, set up, like a bowlin pin.
Knocked down, it gets to wearin thin. they just wont let you be, oh no.

Youre sick of hangin around and youd like to travel;
Get tired of travelin and you want to settle down.
I guess they cant revoke your soul for tryin,
Get out of the door and light out and look all around.

Sometimes the lights all shinin on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip its been.

Truckin, Im a goin home. whoa whoa baby, back where I belong,
Back home, sit down and patch my bones, and get back truckin on.
Hey now get back truckin home.

[Ishoutandscream2]

49. This has been very educational. Thanks.

My granddad drove a truck for a few years in the 1940's. My grandmother made him quit so that he could be home more with the family. I never talked much to my granddad about those experiences. I do remember his references about driving large loads uphill. I sure wish he was still around so I could talk to him more.

[Skittles]

50. can you take a pet along on your trips? nt

[Droopy]

59. A lot of truckers do that

Most of the time they have a dog, but I've seen a few with cats. Most companies will allow pets in the truck, as far as I know. I wouldn't have one in a truck because of the extra care and time the pet would need. But some truckers find that a pet in the truck really enhances what they do for a living.

[Hobarticus]

51. Owner-operator, or fleet?

If owner-operator, how are you doing, business-wise, with gas the way it is?

If fleet, are you seeing any cutbacks soon?

Hang in there, either way. America needs truckers.

[Droopy]

60. I'm a company driver

I used to own my own truck, but I got out of it a long time ago. The way companies and owner operators deal with with rising fuel costs is to charge a fuel surcharge in combination with their usual freight rate. The only truckers that are hurting right now due to high fuel costs are those who attempt to operate at a cut rate to get business. They don't usually last very long.

[littlebit]

52. You have been driving

about 1 1/2 years longer than me. What area do you mainly run? I pretty much just run up and down I-95.

[Hobarticus]

54. How's business going for you? eom

[littlebit]

81. We are doing ok.

I got one account that is keeping us running a lot right now. Our fuel surcharge has been keeping up with fuel prices so we really are not taking much of a hit there.

[Hobarticus]

92. Good to hear. America needs truckers! eom

[Droopy]

61. I run mainly in Ohio now days

I have a dedicated run from Dayton to Cleveland and back. The company I work for is a large, logistics carrier that operates in several countries. Our little division of about 20 trucks operates in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky.

[littlebit]

83. That's a sweet little run.

Is it mainly drop and hook?

[Droopy]

87. Not drop and hook. Gotta unload the trailer myself.

But it's not too bad. I've got 4 stops at car dealers.

[littlebit]

97. That's cool

I have to unload racks out of mine also. It's usually only one or two at each stop so it's not to bad.

[LynneSin]

53. That song Convey - I'm guessing you truckers thought it was a dumb song too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convoy_(song)

[Droopy]

63. That was before my time

But I think a lot of the old timers actually like that song. One night on the Ohio turnpike I led a convoy of about 20 trucks across there.

[Robeson]

55. Maybe you could give some people a few tips for the road...

...a trucker was my roommate in college, and he always told me that instead of cars following him in order to go fast, he'd rather they get in front of him, so that he could see them, and then he'd let them know if trouble was up ahead. He said most truckers felt that way. It that true?

[Droopy]

64. Most truckers do not like cars to hang around them

Unless the car driver is a female wearing short shorts. :) Then it's okay to drive right along side the truck.

Seriously, cars can make a good front door. If some truckers see a car motor on past them at a good clip they will sometimes bump up the speed as well using the car as "bear bait." But generally speaking, don't hang around a truck out there on the highway if you can help it. There are a lot more things that can go wrong on a truck and you could find yourself in a world of hurt real quick if you hang around them too long.

[kentauros]

57. How about this one: Whatever happened to the "threat" of Mexican truckers

on our roads? I never heard any more after they were allowed to drive here...

[Droopy]

65. I don't think they are allowed to operate beyond the border yet

Last I heard, Mexican trucks were only allowed 10 miles into the U.S. The only threat Mexican drivers pose to us American truckers is to our wallets. That is if the Mexican drivers are proficient with the english language. Just another way NAFTA is screwing over the American working people.

[littlebit]

86. Certain carriers can operate inside the US.

It really isn't going to do any damage to american truckers though. They are only allowed to come in and deliver and then they have to grab a load going straight back to Mexico. American drivers have to do the same thing in Canada and Canadian drivers have to do the same in the US. As of right now there are only about 20 mexican companies that are part of the program. It isn't even putting a dent in the amout of freight that comes across the border.

[kentauros]

103. Okay, thanks for the information

The main concern I had read was not just how it would compete with American trucking, but the safety issue of truckers not versed in English or our traffic laws being allowed on our roads. I can certainly understand that issue what with the large number of reports of truck accidents on I-35 through Texas. I don't have anything to back that up with, though, just hearsay from family and friends that live in Central Texas.

[littlebit]

104. Your welcome

That was one of the biggest concerns in letting those companies run here. But the companies running over here had to meet certain guidelines in order to gain access. Being able to speak english and having safe equipment were just two of the many things they had to do. I-35 in central TX has alway had a lot af accidents. That's really nothing new.

[nytemare]

58. Do people who hang out in your "no zone" tick you off?

It amazes me how many cars will just hang out beside a truck, not thinking that if the truck has to avoid hitting something, the driver will come into them. I like to get by a truck and not hang out in the blind spots like a gnat.

[auntAgonist]

62. good rule of thumb, if he you can't see his mirrors, he cannot see you. n/t

[nytemare]

69. Yep

I almost want to honk at drivers who just hang out by them. If I was driving a truck, having people hang around would make me nervous. These drivers cause other drivers to have to hang out in the no zone. Not good!

[Droopy]

66. They irritate me

You've got the right idea. Just motor on by.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

67. Are you a REAL truck driver?

Little Johnny claimed to be but changed his tune
when Janey gave him the opportunity to prove himself. You? :evilgrin:

[Droopy]

68. I have no idea what you are talking about

:shrug:

[asteroid2003QQ47]

126. Than you're not a REAL truck driver!

Actually, it's a joke my truck driving friends used to tell
back in the sixties. Johnny has a wagon tied behind his trike,
he's riding on the sidewalk shouting, I'm a truck driver,
I'm a truck driver" when he meets Janey, picks her up and takes
her for a ride . . .

Now do you know?

[meegbear]

70. I have a question about rest stops, but they'd lock the thread

[littlebit]

99. The answer is.....

yes they do. There is also a lot of it going on in the truckstops.:rofl::rofl:

[Beer Snob-50]

71. is there really a law about paying a trucker in 10 days

or is that just a way to get paid quicker?

[Droopy]

74. I don't know of any such law

Most company drivers and owner/operators are paid weekly and some are paid twice a week.

[CatWoman]

72. My dad was a trucker too

I knew there was something I liked about you :)

:hi:

[Droopy]

75. Thanks, CatWoman

:hi:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

73. About how many miles do you cover in a month?

[Droopy]

76. I team drive for part of my route now days

We cover about 10,000 miles a month as a team and I cover about 6500 on my own. I've got a pretty sweet deal because I am paid for all miles the truck turns like I drove them all. Most drivers drive about 10,000 miles a month by themselves.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

85. Where does your route cover?

[Droopy]

88. I run from Dayton, Ohio to Cleveland, Ohio every night.

I deliver car parts to dealerships in the Cleveland area then turn around and come home.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

102. Dayton is where my novel takes place.

:D

[Inchworm]

77. What do lumpers charge nowadays?

I actually liked that part of it when with my dad, especially if I was able to see the inner workings of the place we delivered to.

My favorite factory was a textile plant. It was neat to see the green plastic pellets (recycled pop bottles) we delivered turn to thread/yarn. It was a little intimidating with all those threads in motion lining each walkway with about a foot clearence on each side if you stayed in the middle.

:hi:

[Droopy]

78. It's been a while since I've had to deal with a lumper

Now days I actually unload my truck every night. But over the years when I was an over-the-road driver I paid anywhere from $50-$200 for a lumper. That expense was actually covered by the trucking company that I worked for and they usually knew when they were going to get hit with a lumper bill before I got to the receiver. I would have the money in hand by the time I showed up to be unloaded.

[LynzM]

80. Hey Droopy...

How do you stay awake at nights? Nighttime highway driving makes me want to snooze in under an hour, guaranteed... :hi:

[Droopy]

90. I've conditioned myself to sleep during the day

because I've been working nights for a year and a half now. If I get drowsy I just throw a couple of caffeine pills down the hatch and I'm good to go.

[chemenger]

82. Why aren't you in front of the Capitol Building in D.C. today

with all the other truckers protesting $4.40/gallon for diesel.

[Droopy]

93. Because I have to work

Most drivers just can't drop everything for a protest. That includes political protests.

[DS1]

89. How mad do you get when you're obviously trying to keep a steady pace

in stop and go highway traffic by keeping a nice buffer between you and the car in front, and a bunch of cars hope in between you and screw it all up?

I'd get mad.

[Droopy]

94. You get over it after a while

There's just some things you have to learn how to deal with when you start trucking. The first thing you realize is that most people don't care about what you are trying to do. They just see a big, slow truck that's in their way. They don't care about anything else.

[DS1]

96. I figured as much

I don't do that to truckers, because it's just being a dick.

I do the light-flashy thing when you guys are clear to get in the lane in front of me, too. Road kharma and all that.

[Droopy]

101. We appreciate it, DS1

:)

[AngryAmish]

91. Have you ever met CW McCall?

[Droopy]

95. Nope

[NoGOPZone]

98. Which state has the worst drivers?

[Droopy]

100. New Jersey drivers pay the highest insurance premiums in the country

I've found that the denser the population the more you are going to see bad drivers. But if I could turn opinion into a statistic I would say that each state has about the same bad driver per capita ratio. I've seen more bad drivers in the large metropolitan areas on the east and west coasts, but bad drivers are really everywhere.

[CBGLuthier]

107. Do J.B. Hunt drivers still have the reputation of being the worst truck drivers on the road?

Allegedly they would hire straight out of "trucking school."

[Droopy]

110. A lot of trucking companies hire straight out of trucking school

Ironically, J.B. Hunt isn't one of them now days. Last I heard you had to have a year experience to drive for J.B. Hunt. J.B. got a bad reputation in general back in the 80s when they aggressively started going after customers of other truckers by cutting freight rates.

[underpants]

112. They also aggressively recruited in the downsizing Army of the early 90's

I was this close to taking the offer-figured some alone time would be good- but I didn't.

[cynatnite]

118. I heard Swift holds the title...

Sure
Wish
I
Finished
Trucking School

:smoke:

[semillama]

108. My brother just became a trucker. He'd appreciate if I asked you

to give some general advice on how to drive more safely around trucks, since there's no shortage of idiots on the road who don't know about stopping distance and what not. Thanks!

[Droopy]

111. Just give us plenty of room

Don't cut us off, tail-gate us, or ride along side of us for an extended period of time. Just motor on by us or let us motor on by you. Don't pass on the right unless you have no choice. When you are coming up an on-ramp and are trying to merge remember it is your duty to yield to traffic. I'll move over for you if I can, but there are times when I cannot.

[semillama]

127. Great advice. Wish everyone was as aware of trucks as I've become

When I pass a truck, I never pull back over until I can see both of the trucks headlights in my rear view mirror, even if some idiot is riding my tail. What really yanks my chain is when I do that, and said idiot swerves around me, thus cutting off the truck I was passing AND keeping me from getting over!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

113. Do you own a trucker's hat?

Particularly one that reads "Damn Seagulls", like this one:

[Droopy]

114. Nope, I'm a non-hat wearin' trucker these days

The first few years I drove a truck I wore a hat. It was usually one with the logo of the company I was driving for on it.

[Westegg]

115. How's gas prices impacted your life? And follow-up question...

...What, if anything, can you truckers do about it? Strike?

I have it easy now-- I live in NYC and don't even own a car. But I lived in L.A. once, and drove constantly. I know truckers are hurting and have been for a while. I just read something today that suggested gas could go to $10 a gallon. What happens then?

[cynatnite]

116. If you see my husband out on the road, would you tell him something?

Slow down and keep his log book updated. He's been a driver for about ten years now and probably knows about as much as you. :) :hi:

[Miss Carly]

117. how much does it cost to fill your rig, and how far can you drive on a full tank?

Carly

[Robeson]

119. Kick. Cool thread with great info.

[Skittles]

120. you spoke earlier of hitchhikers

surely there is a company policy regarding hitchhiking?

[donheld]

121. Do you know very many gay truckers?

[IDemo]

122. Have you sent any of these out the cab?

You did say anything...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7912464/

[kskiska]

123. What's the most interesting thing you've seen when passing a car?

I've heard that truckers notice car occupants in sometimes compromising activities.

[CC]

124. They can see you right down to your

toes. Not sure what Droopy has seen but I saw an old grayed haired guy in GA driving his old beat up little pickup truck with not a stitch of clothing on, not even socks. :rofl: I hope he lived in the middle of no where cause I would hate to be his neighbor when he got in his truck. There was no clothing anywhere in that truck. The SO used to come home with stories but he hasn't seen much in a the last couple years.