Iam a trucker by trade for 20 years. train fan for ever and model railroader.
What gets me going is watching four wheelers and some truckers who run in front of trains at crossings.Or judge there distance from rail to hwy at a stop sign or stop light.Its like truckers out on the hwys when four wheelers cut truckers off,pull out in front of them,stop real fast etc,etc. We fight with each other with bright lights but one thing is we have in comin is getting cut off .
I would like to say that I am totally offended by your screen name. Just kidding. As Jeff Foxworthy used to say, authentic rednecks do not get mad when someone calls them a "redneck." They are proud of it, and wear it like a badge of honor. Anyway, I know of what you speak as the following five second video attests.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIWsGkitZl8&feature=related
vlmuke wrote:well truckers have an advantage in some respects when someone pulls in front of you or cuts you off you can swerve to aviod them on rails you just have grit you teeth and ride it out as you pretty much cant do anything about it but you are right really close calls get you pretty mad at people being stupid
Truckers may have the "advantage" regarding the ability to swerve, but the train crew has the advantage that they win most 'ties'.
Sometimes in a truck you cant swerve.Hauling coils you cant slam on the brakes (well shotgun you can but suicide.....)Hauling I beams not stopping too quick there either.
Been in both Trucks first trains now. Tie goes to the biggest mass. Simple physics.
Now dont cut off big trucks and dont run in front of a train.Failure to follow these rules could be the last rule you ever break
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
We used to have two words painted on the back of that there trailer. One right side: "Suicide" and "Life" on the left.
Believe me when I say that ignorant people take thier lives into thier hands to lose on my right side in some of the craziest and most dangerous spots. I remember one on the high ramp over Dallas for westbound I-30 from I-35 something. That car with 5 kids inside should have been turned into scrap stew and dumped over the side high above the city. But they got by "Jest this much" laughing as they roared onto the interstate.
What they didnt know was that I was considering staying put and leave them with no way out.... but a little voice said tighten it up a little to the left and try to save thier worthless lives.
After some time I decided that someone was going to die sooner or later but NOT under my wheels if I can help it. Im glad I dont have to worry about that anymore due to health.
Y6bs evergreen in my mind
Falls Valley RR wrote: We used to have two words painted on the back of that there trailer. One right side: "Suicide" and "Life" on the left.Believe me when I say that ignorant people take thier lives into thier hands to lose on my right side in some of the craziest and most dangerous spots. I remember one on the high ramp over Dallas for westbound I-30 from I-35 something. That car with 5 kids inside should have been turned into scrap stew and dumped over the side high above the city. But they got by "Jest this much" laughing as they roared onto the interstate.What they didnt know was that I was considering staying put and leave them with no way out.... but a little voice said tighten it up a little to the left and try to save thier worthless lives.After some time I decided that someone was going to die sooner or later but NOT under my wheels if I can help it. Im glad I dont have to worry about that anymore due to health.
I've seen this many times myself, and I'm not a truck driver. These are the same idiots that drive their pick-up trucks, mini-vans, and SUVs 3-inches from the person in front of them, and drive salalom style between the lanes. We've had quite a number of roll-overs and other serious accidents caused by this crowd.
John
One july 4th I was ordered to get out of my lane right now.
A convertable with 7 people inside hissed by at well over the speed limit and against me in my lane swerving a little to clear my trailer. Drunken and laughing.
I tell you there were number three and number 4 behind me. I dont know what happened to them I can only hope that they did what I did right then on that CB call. I know who my number one is that day who made that call on the radio, he is the reason Im not in jail or otherwise held responsible for 7 dead teenagers.
There will be other stupids saved with moments to spare after that first near miss. Sometimes IM the one who was stupid and needed saving. Enough was enough I say.
Cheers.
You would think that since the BLE has joined up with the TEAMSTERS "TRUCKERS UNION", there would be more information being put out there to the 18 wheelers that a train with 24 axles and 15,000 tons of 101 loaded coal would not be able to stop on a dime.
jp2153 wrote: You would think that since the BLE has joined up with the TEAMSTERS "TRUCKERS UNION", there would be more information being put out there to the 18 wheelers that a train with 24 axles and 15,000 tons of 101 loaded coal would not be able to stop on a dime.
Actually, Truckers make up only about 20% of the Teamsters Union. The Teamsters has 19 other Conferences including, a Railroad Conference, an Airline Conference. Car Haul, Freight, Soft Drink, Small Package, etc...
I'd bet you any amount, that most of the truckers hit by trains are not Union members. In my 30 years as a union driver, I only knew of one union driver that was hit by a train and he admitted he didn't notice the signals until it was too late to stop. There were no crossing gates at this crossing in the mid 80s.
Safety is paramount at union trucking companies just as it is at the railroads.
Falls Valley RR wrote:18 wheelers are not supposed to be DUMB. They avoid trains unless mentally impaired.
It is my humble opinion from observation that Union Drivers are very rare. When found, he or she may be driving equiptment that is rather sufficient for the day's work which isnt too difficult.
Personally I have not been part of any Union, however I have been around industry enough to meet many people who are active and they do good work for those who cannot. It imposes a sort of order in chaos like a ship dock ternimal.. everyone has a specific role to play.
Some workers are assigned a button or two on a control panel and there they sit all the workday. It might be something very important and no one else regardless of position is qualified to touch that panel. I dont know about you, but such basic work with little physical exercise is extremely rare in this non-union work world.
However... anyone is at risk for any kind of accident. I cannot tell you how many times I read or hear about something and think "HAHA IT aint ever gonna be me" only to see the situation start to unfold later in front of my windshield.
Sometimes truck stop stories have been the kernel of a inspiration in decision making during a pending wreck that will happen in a short time.
The last Union Driver I spoke with at a mill had a mack and a flatbed. He wasnt working too hard; in fact, if his COmpany ever had trouble maintaining thier business it will simply lock the doors and get into something else.
Maybe that is why we have so many Unions but not one for Walmart yet.
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