The budget "talks" in Washington are really getting on my nerves. John Boehner wants to give a short term increase on the Debt ceiling because republicans want it to be an issue again before the 2012 elections. President Obama and the Democrats want it to be a longer term deal because they don't want it to be an issue. Both sides are being disingenuous and playing games with our countries future, just so they can gain or maintain their power in the corrupt District of Columbia. President Obama brought up the fact that the debt limit was raised under Reagan 17 times (That works out to just over one every five months), while saying we needed a long term increase to the debt limit, because 6 months is too short a time.
Both plans currently on the table, while claiming to reduce spending by almost a Trillion dollars, are only decreasing the growth of spending. They are not actually cutting spending. By the way, that trillion dollars is over a ten year period. Besides not being enough to cover our deficit spending for one year, it does nothing to pay down our debt. So, if we aren't covering our deficit, that means we are doing nothing but adding to our debt. Great plan you idiots.
Cuts are needed across the board. Deep, painful cuts. I know my liberal, or progressive, or whatever you are calling yourself, friends will say that conservatives are trying to starve children, kill old people, and ruin the environment all in the name of giving the "wealthy" tax cuts. Whatever! That is a lie, pushed on you by a liberal media, that doesn't have anything else in their arsenal, so they fall back on the tried and true method of misrepresentation.
Cutting taxes, no matter WHO they are on always results in an increase in revenue to the Federal Government. Why? Lower taxes means more to spend. More to spend, means more things are bought. More things being bought means higher demand. Higher demand means more employees are needed to meet that demand. More people working means more taxes being paid and that results in higher revenues. By the way. The OPPOSITE happens when you raise taxes. But don't take my word for it. Here are the figures...
Year Revenue
2000 - 995.1 Billion
2001 - 1.028 Trillion
2002 - 1.064 Trillion
2003 - 1.114 Trillion
2004 - 1.186 Trillion
2005 - 1.263 Trillion
2006 - 1.339 Trillion
2007 - 1.407 Trillion
2008 - 1.436 Trillion
2009 - 1.411 Trillion
2010 - 1.466 Trillion
2011 - 1.507 Trillion (estimated)
These increases are under the Bush Tax Rates. Look....they go up, not down. Hmmm, maybe the problem isn't the tax rates. Maybe it is the spending. Nahhhh, I am just fear-mongering here. Trying to give the oil companies more subsidies. (Those do not exist by the way. Show them to me Mr. President. They get the same tax breaks ALL companies get, even GE, who paid almost NO Taxes last year. It is good to be F.O.O.)I recently presented these facts and figures to a liberal acquaintance of mine and the debate immediately switched from facts and figures to "I can't believe you conservatives actually stand up for the rich, who are destroying the middle class" crap. Don't let facts get in the way of a good theory.
I have said before and I will say it again, I would be more than willing to pay more in taxes if I believed that our elected officials would actually be responsible with the extra money and not be wasteful with it, like studying the habits of foreign prostitutes, or building treadmills for SHRIMP! (both of these were actual stimulus plan exenditures)
Wanna know how to pay off the deficit and keep the US at a Triple A credit rating? Balance the budget. Period. It isn't rocket science. Show you are serious about tackling the debt and keeping your finances in order, the rating will stay high. Keep spending and do nothing substative to tackle the debt, kiss the credit rating goodbye.
I guess what I am trying to say is this. Both sides got us into this. Neither side seems particularly anxious to get us out. Balancing the budget means no more "special" projects to win votes. Awwww, poor widdle politicians!
There is much more I could say about this, but I will leave it at this. Balance the budget you fools!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
4th of July thoughts
I am thankful to live in this country. No other country in the history of the world has accomplished what the United States has in such a short amount of time. No other country is as generous as the United States. All because a few very brave men put their "lives, fortunes and sacred honor" on the line.
Right now we are in a "fight" for our financial life as a country. Politicians, whose only goal is to stay in power, have promised all things to all people, and now the american people, and their children and childrens children are stuck with trying to pay off their promises. Now we are trusting these same politicians to make the right decisions as to how to pay off this debt and put us on sound financial footing. Fool me once......
"I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers to be feared. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labor and in our amusements. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy." -Thomas Jefferson
On this Independence day, we have saddled future generations with enormous public debt. Most americans believe that our children will NOT have things as good as we do. This is the first time in our history this has been thought of future generations. I worry for our kids future myself. We are already taxed on our food and drink, necessities and comforts, our labor and amusements. What else is there? Higher taxes on these things? We can tax the "rich" at 100% and still not have enought to pay our deficit for one year. (the top 1% already pay 50% of the income taxes in our country. The top 10% pay 80%. I think they are already paying their fair share)
Raise the debt ceiling? Neither option will end well. Yes, and congress will continue to spend, plunging us deeper in debt, and trashing our nations credit standing. No, and deep cuts in all programs and services will need to be implemented, which will also cause pain for a lot of people.
As for me, I would rather have the pain now, so our children can enjoy liberty like we have, instead of being enslaved by crushing debt.
I do not have all the answers, but as I watch my son Jack playing on the floor in front of me, I pray that his generation will enjoy their liberty, and not have to ask us why we didn't solve the problem when we had the chance.
Right now we are in a "fight" for our financial life as a country. Politicians, whose only goal is to stay in power, have promised all things to all people, and now the american people, and their children and childrens children are stuck with trying to pay off their promises. Now we are trusting these same politicians to make the right decisions as to how to pay off this debt and put us on sound financial footing. Fool me once......
"I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers to be feared. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labor and in our amusements. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy." -Thomas Jefferson
On this Independence day, we have saddled future generations with enormous public debt. Most americans believe that our children will NOT have things as good as we do. This is the first time in our history this has been thought of future generations. I worry for our kids future myself. We are already taxed on our food and drink, necessities and comforts, our labor and amusements. What else is there? Higher taxes on these things? We can tax the "rich" at 100% and still not have enought to pay our deficit for one year. (the top 1% already pay 50% of the income taxes in our country. The top 10% pay 80%. I think they are already paying their fair share)
Raise the debt ceiling? Neither option will end well. Yes, and congress will continue to spend, plunging us deeper in debt, and trashing our nations credit standing. No, and deep cuts in all programs and services will need to be implemented, which will also cause pain for a lot of people.
As for me, I would rather have the pain now, so our children can enjoy liberty like we have, instead of being enslaved by crushing debt.
I do not have all the answers, but as I watch my son Jack playing on the floor in front of me, I pray that his generation will enjoy their liberty, and not have to ask us why we didn't solve the problem when we had the chance.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Why I consider myself a conservative
On what would have been the 100Th birthday of Ronald Reagan, I feel compelled to tell why I consider myself a conservative.
Now if you listen to many in the media, since I am conservative, I am automatically a racist, homophobic who beats people over the head with my bible while holding a gun on them as I take the food out of babies mouths that are being held by their grandparents, whom I want to die because we can't afford to take care of them. Oh yeah, I want big business to get all the breaks and I also want to destroy the environment by drilling for oil in our own country, Mother Nature be damned.
Now if I were to address those issues one by one, this would be a long post indeed.
"Not gonna do it" -Dana Carvey imitating George H.W. Bush
I will try to keep this short.
I am a conservative because I believe that man CAN rule himself. Do we mess up? Yes. Have we made mistakes? Yes. Will we screw up again? Yes. Can we learn from our mistakes? Yes. Our founding fathers knew this. That is why we have the ability to amend our constitution. We can not just take amendments out though. They are left in so we can see the mistakes we have made and remember them. Remember prohibition? .
I believe in a limited government, one that protects our borders, keeps interstate commerce fair, and gives us the opportunities to pursue happiness. Government can not guarantee results, but it certainly tries to do so. Failure is a part of life. A very painful part of life, but also a very motivating part. As someone who at one point in my life totally messed things up ( I spent one thanksgiving eating jelly sandwiches on stale bread while I was living in a 40' travel trailer), if I had not hit bottom, I would have never decided to pick myself up. If we never allow people to fail, then we may never see their full potential. Does that mean I want people starving to death in the freezing cold? Of course not. But how much should government actually do? Shouldn't our churches and other charities step up to the plate? Shouldn't WE step up to the plate?
I believe capitalism works, when government stays out of it. Do we need regulations? Yes, but over regulation hampers capitalism and growth. Take my industry for example. Truck driving is one of the most regulated industries in the country. They are trying to add even more. More regulations will lead to a higher cost of doing business. Do you think trucking companies, or oil companies just absorb these cost? Nope. They pass the cost onto their customers, who pass that cost down the line until eventually it reaches you and I. Less money in our pockets means less money to buy things we need or want, and less money to help our fellow man.
As a conservative, I find it amazing that the only people bringing up race are the people on the left who claim they don't notice it. I believe that ALL men are created equal. It doesn't matter race, creed, sexual orientation, or religion. Affirmative action sounds in practice like a good idea. But how is giving someone extra consideration because of skin color or gender really helping them? Isn't that just saying, well, you can't get this job on your own, so we will give you a little extra boost. Let me give you a real life example how affirmative action really works.
Many years ago, I took a test to become an Air Traffic Controller. The test was difficult, time consuming and kind of overwhelming. It should be. Air Traffic Control is a very stressful, overwhelming kind of job. If you can't handle the stress of taking the test, you certainly can not handle the job. Well, I passed with flying colors. Not to brag, but I showed that test who was boss. On straight score, I was informed that my score was in the top half of the top one percent. My score was 98 or something ridiculous like that. HOWEVER, I am a white male. I did not get to go to training because I didn't get any of the bonus points. See, you were given points for being of ethnic decent, for being female, for being a vet, for being disabled. All of that sounds good, until you realize that people who scored less than I did are the ones actually landing your planes now. Now that is not to say they are not doing a fantastic job, but why can't we just ignore all the race, gender, religion, orientation crap and just give the job to the most qualified person, regardless of all that other stuff.
Are there racist employers out there? Of course there are. But if you are a minority, do you really want to work for someone who would judge you simply because of skin color? I would rather know about those businesses, so I can choose to spend my money elsewhere. Same thing goes for restaurants, bars, gyms or any business for that matter. If you don't want to serve someone because of their race, I don't' want to spend my money in your establishment. That is how capitalism works. People and businesses like that would not last very long. So, at first blush, being anti-affirmative action sounds racist, but it is not.
Lastly, I am conservative because I do not believe that government is the answer, or even has the answer to all our problems. Man has the ability, when left alone, to rise above it all and excel. Men do make mistakes, and many times greed gets in the way and mankind loses it way. We always find our way back though.
NO government program can do that
I could go on and on. It is hard to explain conservatism in just a few words. I don't think liberals are bad people who want to destroy the country, although there are some out there who do. Look back to the 60's. Many of those people are in power now. Most of us want the same things, we just have different ideas how to get there.
Now if you listen to many in the media, since I am conservative, I am automatically a racist, homophobic who beats people over the head with my bible while holding a gun on them as I take the food out of babies mouths that are being held by their grandparents, whom I want to die because we can't afford to take care of them. Oh yeah, I want big business to get all the breaks and I also want to destroy the environment by drilling for oil in our own country, Mother Nature be damned.
Now if I were to address those issues one by one, this would be a long post indeed.
"Not gonna do it" -Dana Carvey imitating George H.W. Bush
I will try to keep this short.
I am a conservative because I believe that man CAN rule himself. Do we mess up? Yes. Have we made mistakes? Yes. Will we screw up again? Yes. Can we learn from our mistakes? Yes. Our founding fathers knew this. That is why we have the ability to amend our constitution. We can not just take amendments out though. They are left in so we can see the mistakes we have made and remember them. Remember prohibition? .
I believe in a limited government, one that protects our borders, keeps interstate commerce fair, and gives us the opportunities to pursue happiness. Government can not guarantee results, but it certainly tries to do so. Failure is a part of life. A very painful part of life, but also a very motivating part. As someone who at one point in my life totally messed things up ( I spent one thanksgiving eating jelly sandwiches on stale bread while I was living in a 40' travel trailer), if I had not hit bottom, I would have never decided to pick myself up. If we never allow people to fail, then we may never see their full potential. Does that mean I want people starving to death in the freezing cold? Of course not. But how much should government actually do? Shouldn't our churches and other charities step up to the plate? Shouldn't WE step up to the plate?
I believe capitalism works, when government stays out of it. Do we need regulations? Yes, but over regulation hampers capitalism and growth. Take my industry for example. Truck driving is one of the most regulated industries in the country. They are trying to add even more. More regulations will lead to a higher cost of doing business. Do you think trucking companies, or oil companies just absorb these cost? Nope. They pass the cost onto their customers, who pass that cost down the line until eventually it reaches you and I. Less money in our pockets means less money to buy things we need or want, and less money to help our fellow man.
As a conservative, I find it amazing that the only people bringing up race are the people on the left who claim they don't notice it. I believe that ALL men are created equal. It doesn't matter race, creed, sexual orientation, or religion. Affirmative action sounds in practice like a good idea. But how is giving someone extra consideration because of skin color or gender really helping them? Isn't that just saying, well, you can't get this job on your own, so we will give you a little extra boost. Let me give you a real life example how affirmative action really works.
Many years ago, I took a test to become an Air Traffic Controller. The test was difficult, time consuming and kind of overwhelming. It should be. Air Traffic Control is a very stressful, overwhelming kind of job. If you can't handle the stress of taking the test, you certainly can not handle the job. Well, I passed with flying colors. Not to brag, but I showed that test who was boss. On straight score, I was informed that my score was in the top half of the top one percent. My score was 98 or something ridiculous like that. HOWEVER, I am a white male. I did not get to go to training because I didn't get any of the bonus points. See, you were given points for being of ethnic decent, for being female, for being a vet, for being disabled. All of that sounds good, until you realize that people who scored less than I did are the ones actually landing your planes now. Now that is not to say they are not doing a fantastic job, but why can't we just ignore all the race, gender, religion, orientation crap and just give the job to the most qualified person, regardless of all that other stuff.
Are there racist employers out there? Of course there are. But if you are a minority, do you really want to work for someone who would judge you simply because of skin color? I would rather know about those businesses, so I can choose to spend my money elsewhere. Same thing goes for restaurants, bars, gyms or any business for that matter. If you don't want to serve someone because of their race, I don't' want to spend my money in your establishment. That is how capitalism works. People and businesses like that would not last very long. So, at first blush, being anti-affirmative action sounds racist, but it is not.
Lastly, I am conservative because I do not believe that government is the answer, or even has the answer to all our problems. Man has the ability, when left alone, to rise above it all and excel. Men do make mistakes, and many times greed gets in the way and mankind loses it way. We always find our way back though.
NO government program can do that
I could go on and on. It is hard to explain conservatism in just a few words. I don't think liberals are bad people who want to destroy the country, although there are some out there who do. Look back to the 60's. Many of those people are in power now. Most of us want the same things, we just have different ideas how to get there.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
White Collar Truck Driving
I woke up this morning to the sound of my cell phone alarm going off. Time to start another fun-filled day of white collar truck driving.
My commute to work is not a long one since I live in my office. It is kinda cramped in here, but I always have everything I need within easy reach. Tylenol, contact lens solution, butt wipes, Kleenex, toothpaste and toothbrush, water, food, and a bed are always within reach.
So I shut off my alarm and leave my house/office to go use the potty and get myself a cup of coffee. I must make sure I do this in proper order though. I don't really want to take a cup of coffee into a restroom that may or may not have been cleaned within the last year.
Brush my teeth, put in my contacts, throw on a hat and I am ready to begin my day. Today is not one of the days where I am lucky enough to grab a shower. Too many people waiting and I have to be to work on time. Oh well, no one else will be in my office today. It will just be me and my radio.
So I start my day. Now my time clock is a little different than most white collar workers. Once I start working I only have 14 hours to complete my 11 hours worth of work. "That should be easy to do" you say? We shall see.
My clock starts promptly at 7am today. Time to inspect my office and make sure all is in working order. All I need is for an equipment failure. That will surely chew up my 14 hours. It may also result in a tragic office accident. I don't need a copy machine blowing up and taking out a co-worker.
All my equipment seems to be in fine working order. 15 minutes or so are already taken off of my fourteen hours. Not to worry though, I still have plenty of time. Time to "clock" in. Now I can start earning money.
The first couple of hours go by without much fan-fare. Everything seems to be going as well as can be expected. Every once in a while someone will show up and slow me down a bit, but I keep plugging away. Then it happens......
My keyboard starts acting up and finally stops working. I can't do any work without the keyboard. Dag gum it. I need to call IT, but first, I have to clock out. See, if I am not working, I am not getting paid. While this joker takes his own sweet time figuring out the problem and then eventually fixing the problem, I am not getting paid. However, my 14 hours are still burning off of the clock.
Finally, 2 hours later, my keyboard is fixed. I can now clock back in and start getting paid again. My report is a little behind now, but if I work diligently and not take any breaks, I can still complete it on time. To be late with this report could get my boss in a little bit of trouble. If it is too late, it may cost him money or even loss of a very important account.
So I bust my butt and get the report done just in time. I didn't even stop to pee or anything. That's OK though. If I have to stop and go potty or even grab a bite to eat, I have to clock out and not clock back in until I go to work again.
I go to turn the report in, but before I do that I need to clock out again. 14 hours are still ticking away. I hope my boss doesn't take too long to check over the report.
No such luck. 4 hours later, my report is finally approved and I can get back on the clock. Only 2 hours left on my 14 though. Not much time to earn any more money.
14 hours goes by and my day is done. 14 hours and only 8 hours pay. Oh well, at least I can relax now for my mandatory 10 hours off before I must begin another day.
So I clock out and begin to take advantage of my downtime. Watch a little TV, play on the computer, talk to the family, grab a bite to eat. But my office is in New York. Since I am done working, I must shut off my air conditioning or heat (depending on time of year) or face a hefty fine from the local authorities. What do they care? They can keep their offices at a comfortable temperature year round, whether they are working or not.
My office only has a couple of windows. I had to buy screens for them myself. It was either that or get eaten up by bugs while I am trying to sleep. Open windows are of little use tonight though. It is warm and muggy with no breeze at all. Nothing I like more than sweating to death while trying to get rested enough to begin my next 14 hour day.
I awaken the next day and complete the report I had started the day before. Finished without a hitch in just a couple of hours. I call my boss and ask him what he would like for me to do next. "Nothing to do right now. Clock out and I will let you know as soon as some work comes up" 14 hours are ticking away quickly.
With 1 hour to go, the boss calls up and informs me there is more work to do. "Since you already have 10 hours off, looks like you can start another 14 hour shift. I hope you don't mind working all night, but this report must be done by 1st thing in the morning." So now I get to work all night after being up all day. This is gonna be a long night.
Oh well, at least the view from my office window keeps changing. That is the only thing keeping my sane!
This is what most truck drivers deal with every day. The only time we get paid is when the wheels are rolling. If we break down, or stop to go potty or grab a meal we are not getting paid. If we are held up at a shipper for hours, we are not getting paid, even though we are on the clock" When we are finally done, many times, either by government regulation or company policy, we have to shut off our trucks and swelter in the heat or freeze in the cold. Imagine if you have to do that at your job or in your house.
Drive safe out there!
My commute to work is not a long one since I live in my office. It is kinda cramped in here, but I always have everything I need within easy reach. Tylenol, contact lens solution, butt wipes, Kleenex, toothpaste and toothbrush, water, food, and a bed are always within reach.
So I shut off my alarm and leave my house/office to go use the potty and get myself a cup of coffee. I must make sure I do this in proper order though. I don't really want to take a cup of coffee into a restroom that may or may not have been cleaned within the last year.
Brush my teeth, put in my contacts, throw on a hat and I am ready to begin my day. Today is not one of the days where I am lucky enough to grab a shower. Too many people waiting and I have to be to work on time. Oh well, no one else will be in my office today. It will just be me and my radio.
So I start my day. Now my time clock is a little different than most white collar workers. Once I start working I only have 14 hours to complete my 11 hours worth of work. "That should be easy to do" you say? We shall see.
My clock starts promptly at 7am today. Time to inspect my office and make sure all is in working order. All I need is for an equipment failure. That will surely chew up my 14 hours. It may also result in a tragic office accident. I don't need a copy machine blowing up and taking out a co-worker.
All my equipment seems to be in fine working order. 15 minutes or so are already taken off of my fourteen hours. Not to worry though, I still have plenty of time. Time to "clock" in. Now I can start earning money.
The first couple of hours go by without much fan-fare. Everything seems to be going as well as can be expected. Every once in a while someone will show up and slow me down a bit, but I keep plugging away. Then it happens......
My keyboard starts acting up and finally stops working. I can't do any work without the keyboard. Dag gum it. I need to call IT, but first, I have to clock out. See, if I am not working, I am not getting paid. While this joker takes his own sweet time figuring out the problem and then eventually fixing the problem, I am not getting paid. However, my 14 hours are still burning off of the clock.
Finally, 2 hours later, my keyboard is fixed. I can now clock back in and start getting paid again. My report is a little behind now, but if I work diligently and not take any breaks, I can still complete it on time. To be late with this report could get my boss in a little bit of trouble. If it is too late, it may cost him money or even loss of a very important account.
So I bust my butt and get the report done just in time. I didn't even stop to pee or anything. That's OK though. If I have to stop and go potty or even grab a bite to eat, I have to clock out and not clock back in until I go to work again.
I go to turn the report in, but before I do that I need to clock out again. 14 hours are still ticking away. I hope my boss doesn't take too long to check over the report.
No such luck. 4 hours later, my report is finally approved and I can get back on the clock. Only 2 hours left on my 14 though. Not much time to earn any more money.
14 hours goes by and my day is done. 14 hours and only 8 hours pay. Oh well, at least I can relax now for my mandatory 10 hours off before I must begin another day.
So I clock out and begin to take advantage of my downtime. Watch a little TV, play on the computer, talk to the family, grab a bite to eat. But my office is in New York. Since I am done working, I must shut off my air conditioning or heat (depending on time of year) or face a hefty fine from the local authorities. What do they care? They can keep their offices at a comfortable temperature year round, whether they are working or not.
My office only has a couple of windows. I had to buy screens for them myself. It was either that or get eaten up by bugs while I am trying to sleep. Open windows are of little use tonight though. It is warm and muggy with no breeze at all. Nothing I like more than sweating to death while trying to get rested enough to begin my next 14 hour day.
I awaken the next day and complete the report I had started the day before. Finished without a hitch in just a couple of hours. I call my boss and ask him what he would like for me to do next. "Nothing to do right now. Clock out and I will let you know as soon as some work comes up" 14 hours are ticking away quickly.
With 1 hour to go, the boss calls up and informs me there is more work to do. "Since you already have 10 hours off, looks like you can start another 14 hour shift. I hope you don't mind working all night, but this report must be done by 1st thing in the morning." So now I get to work all night after being up all day. This is gonna be a long night.
Oh well, at least the view from my office window keeps changing. That is the only thing keeping my sane!
This is what most truck drivers deal with every day. The only time we get paid is when the wheels are rolling. If we break down, or stop to go potty or grab a meal we are not getting paid. If we are held up at a shipper for hours, we are not getting paid, even though we are on the clock" When we are finally done, many times, either by government regulation or company policy, we have to shut off our trucks and swelter in the heat or freeze in the cold. Imagine if you have to do that at your job or in your house.
Drive safe out there!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
I've got a big rear end.....
And I know it.
No matter what I do I can not make it smaller. Maybe one of those mirrors with the words "Object in mirror may be closer than they appear" would do the trick, but alas, it would only be a trick.
I know a lot of truck drivers that have big rear ends. In fact, most of them do.
Now there is nothing wrong with a big rear end. They do serve a purpose, but sometimes they hide the problem that is laying in wait. Sometimes whole cars disappear behind my big rear end. When that happens, that can lead to a whole slew of problems that I hesitate to even go into here.
Why do I want to talk about my big rear end? Because it can affect you too.
Of course, those of you who have visual contact with me know I am not talking about ME. I have no butt. If I were skinnier I would look like a frog forced to stand up and wear clothes.
I am talking about the rear end of my truck. You have all seen them. They get in the way on your highways and streets. They make it impossible to see around and they ALWAYS seem to slow you down. Yet so many people seem to want to ride right behind them, as close as they can, because that is the best way to get around them........I guess
However, when you are that close to one, the driver can not see you. Seeing what is behind us helps us to make better decisions as drivers. I would think not following too closely would help people in cars make better decisions too. How can you make a good decision driving when you can not see what is ahead of you? Seems to me you are putting a whole lot of faith in the driver of the truck in front of you to make good decisions. I don't trust anyone that much.
Another problem could come in the form of mechanical failure. A blown tire or brake chamber could really put a crimp in your day.
One more thing about big rear ends. Don't try to squeeze between them and the car or truck you are trying to get in front of. Many time I have been just clear of the vehicle I just passed when someone will jimmy themselves in between me and the driver I just passed and then pass on the right. Bad Move!
Just because there is room to squeeze in there does not mean you should. Most truck drivers are waiting to clear the vehicle by a good margin before they pull back in front of it because that is the safe thing to do. When you "thread the needle" so to speak, and pass us on the right, for a few seconds you become invisible to us. Ever see a truck move over to the right hand lane and almost, or God Forbid, actually run someone off the road? More than likely it was because he could not see the other vehicle. If you must pass on the right, do it quickly. Don't just mosey on along.
That is really all I have to say about big rear ends for right now. All of us with big rear ends out here thank you.
Keep on Truckin......
No matter what I do I can not make it smaller. Maybe one of those mirrors with the words "Object in mirror may be closer than they appear" would do the trick, but alas, it would only be a trick.
I know a lot of truck drivers that have big rear ends. In fact, most of them do.
Now there is nothing wrong with a big rear end. They do serve a purpose, but sometimes they hide the problem that is laying in wait. Sometimes whole cars disappear behind my big rear end. When that happens, that can lead to a whole slew of problems that I hesitate to even go into here.
Why do I want to talk about my big rear end? Because it can affect you too.
Of course, those of you who have visual contact with me know I am not talking about ME. I have no butt. If I were skinnier I would look like a frog forced to stand up and wear clothes.
I am talking about the rear end of my truck. You have all seen them. They get in the way on your highways and streets. They make it impossible to see around and they ALWAYS seem to slow you down. Yet so many people seem to want to ride right behind them, as close as they can, because that is the best way to get around them........I guess
However, when you are that close to one, the driver can not see you. Seeing what is behind us helps us to make better decisions as drivers. I would think not following too closely would help people in cars make better decisions too. How can you make a good decision driving when you can not see what is ahead of you? Seems to me you are putting a whole lot of faith in the driver of the truck in front of you to make good decisions. I don't trust anyone that much.
Another problem could come in the form of mechanical failure. A blown tire or brake chamber could really put a crimp in your day.
One more thing about big rear ends. Don't try to squeeze between them and the car or truck you are trying to get in front of. Many time I have been just clear of the vehicle I just passed when someone will jimmy themselves in between me and the driver I just passed and then pass on the right. Bad Move!
Just because there is room to squeeze in there does not mean you should. Most truck drivers are waiting to clear the vehicle by a good margin before they pull back in front of it because that is the safe thing to do. When you "thread the needle" so to speak, and pass us on the right, for a few seconds you become invisible to us. Ever see a truck move over to the right hand lane and almost, or God Forbid, actually run someone off the road? More than likely it was because he could not see the other vehicle. If you must pass on the right, do it quickly. Don't just mosey on along.
That is really all I have to say about big rear ends for right now. All of us with big rear ends out here thank you.
Keep on Truckin......
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Dashing through the snow.......right into a ditch
So, this won't be a long post, but certainly one dear to my frozen, truck driving heart.
This past week in Iowa there was quite a bit of snow. Some, including the National Weather Service, would call it a blizzard. I would call it "Look at all the idiots drive" snow.
A foot or so of snow combined with 40 MPH winds make for white knuckle driving at best and deadly driving at worst.
After the storm, Interstate 80 looked like a demolition derby. Semis and cars were everywhere. In Ditches, in the median, in the woods in all sorts of positions. On their sides, tops and some were even still upright.
One type of vehicle I noticed a lot were four wheel drive SUV's and trucks. Why is that? 4 wheel drive is supposed to give you better traction right. I think they may also give a lot of drivers a false sense of security. Just because you have 4WD does not mean you are impervious to accidents.
So remember these tips when driving in snow and ice REGARDLESS of vehicle type.
1) SLOW DOWN!- That about says it. I don't have anything else to add. Don't go out if you don't have too. If you do have to go out, slow down and leave plenty of space between you and the other fella. The "stay home" part may be inconvenient, but it a much better option than the "End up in the hospital" option.
Be safe Ya'll
This past week in Iowa there was quite a bit of snow. Some, including the National Weather Service, would call it a blizzard. I would call it "Look at all the idiots drive" snow.
A foot or so of snow combined with 40 MPH winds make for white knuckle driving at best and deadly driving at worst.
After the storm, Interstate 80 looked like a demolition derby. Semis and cars were everywhere. In Ditches, in the median, in the woods in all sorts of positions. On their sides, tops and some were even still upright.
One type of vehicle I noticed a lot were four wheel drive SUV's and trucks. Why is that? 4 wheel drive is supposed to give you better traction right. I think they may also give a lot of drivers a false sense of security. Just because you have 4WD does not mean you are impervious to accidents.
So remember these tips when driving in snow and ice REGARDLESS of vehicle type.
1) SLOW DOWN!- That about says it. I don't have anything else to add. Don't go out if you don't have too. If you do have to go out, slow down and leave plenty of space between you and the other fella. The "stay home" part may be inconvenient, but it a much better option than the "End up in the hospital" option.
Be safe Ya'll
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Not much new, but plenty to say
I haven't posted on here lately. Lots of driving and heavy eyelids have made it kinda hard to do. Well, that and I have to keep up with my farm, my apartment, my fish tanks, my cafe, and my amusement park on Facebook. Being a restaurant owning, fish tank cleaning, amusement park running farmer takes a lot of work. All of that while being stranded on an island really takes it out of you.
But I wanted to update this with something that really irritated me this last week. I know it wasn't one of you, but maybe we can all learn something together here,
Earlier this week I was assigned a load picking up in Iowa and delivering to Laredo Texas. 1100 miles give or take. A nice little trip that takes a couple of days.
What made this load special was the cargo. I was given the privilege of hauling flammable resin. 26,000 pounds of a highly flammable chemical, packaged carefully in 55 gallon drums, bound to pallets and nailed and strapped into my trailer.
You have seen HazMat loads before. They are marked on all 4 sides of the trailer or tanker with placards that let Emergency responders know what kind of chemical is on the truck so they know what procedures to take in the case of an emergency.
As a HazMat driver, I also need to know what to do. I need to know how far downwind to keep people in the case of an inhalation hazard, or what to use to out out a fire in case one breaks out. Some of these chemicals are even more explosive when they come in contact with water, so knowing whether or not I can use water in kinda important.
Hazmat loads are also not permitted to travel certain roads. For instance, Fort Worth and San Antonio Texas do not allow hazardous materials to go through town, so you have to go around. As the driver, I am required to know all if this.
I am also not allowed to leave the vehicle for any extended period of time. I can go potty. I can grab a bite to eat. I can not watch a movie in a truck stop, or even eat a meal inside for that matter. If someone backs into the trailer and it starts to leak, the hazmat driver needs to be on hand to handle things until first responders can get there.
So I have told you all of this for a reason. There is a lot of responsibility in driving a HazMat load across the country. In addition to the careful manner I usually handle my truck, I also have the added responsibility of making sure this dangerous load gets where it is supposed to be without blowing up.
As I stated before, Hazmat loads are marked with placards on all four sides of the trailer. On this particular trip, my placards were bright red and read "Flammable" in big letters. When I see these loads I typically give the driver a little more room and try to get distance between us if I have to pass.
However, I can not tell you how many times I had drivers cut me off, or tailgate me, or ride next to me for extended periods of time. It is bad enough when people do these things to a truck with a normal load. To do it with a truck hauling flammable chemicals is just plain stupid.
So please remember these few suggestions when driving around ANY truck.
Give them plenty of room-We take longer to stop, longer to start, longer to change lanes, and can roll over very easily.
Don't ride beside us-If you are next to a truck, get around them or get back behind them. We may not be able to see you. We may have a tire blow out. If that happens you may end up with a blown tire flying through the air and hitting your windshield. I saw that very thing happen in Chicago and the driver of the car lost control and hit the jersey barrier in the median, causing extensive damage to his car. It could have cost him his life.
Don't tailgate us- If you are less than 100-150 feet behind us, we may not be able to see you. If we can't see you, we can not compensate for you being behind us. Why would you want to follow a truck that close anyways? You can't see around us, so what are you going to do if we have to slam on our brakes? Will you be able to stop in time? Hopefully, but why take that chance?
Most importantly, at least in my opinion, Don't cut us off- We can not stop as quickly as you. If we are fully loaded and running at 60 miles an hour it is going to take us more than a footballs length to come to a stop. You should give trucks about half that distance before you pull in front of us. If you can't do that though, at least make sure you keep your speed up, and don't slow down. Our brakes do not engage the second we hit the peddle like a car does. They take a second before they begin working.
Most truck drivers are courteous and concerned with public safety. Some are not. If you see one of these drivers tailgating another truck or car, or weaving in and out of traffic, get away from them. They are dangerous. Don't try to "Show Him" and cut him off or intentionally slow down in front of him. Stay out of his way and let him go on. You will lose any fight you pick with a truck.
Here is an interesting statistic. 80% of all fatality accidents involving a tractor trailer were caused by a non commercial vehicle. Think about that next time you want to squeeze in between that truck and the car in front of him.
safe driving ya'll
But I wanted to update this with something that really irritated me this last week. I know it wasn't one of you, but maybe we can all learn something together here,
Earlier this week I was assigned a load picking up in Iowa and delivering to Laredo Texas. 1100 miles give or take. A nice little trip that takes a couple of days.
What made this load special was the cargo. I was given the privilege of hauling flammable resin. 26,000 pounds of a highly flammable chemical, packaged carefully in 55 gallon drums, bound to pallets and nailed and strapped into my trailer.
You have seen HazMat loads before. They are marked on all 4 sides of the trailer or tanker with placards that let Emergency responders know what kind of chemical is on the truck so they know what procedures to take in the case of an emergency.
As a HazMat driver, I also need to know what to do. I need to know how far downwind to keep people in the case of an inhalation hazard, or what to use to out out a fire in case one breaks out. Some of these chemicals are even more explosive when they come in contact with water, so knowing whether or not I can use water in kinda important.
Hazmat loads are also not permitted to travel certain roads. For instance, Fort Worth and San Antonio Texas do not allow hazardous materials to go through town, so you have to go around. As the driver, I am required to know all if this.
I am also not allowed to leave the vehicle for any extended period of time. I can go potty. I can grab a bite to eat. I can not watch a movie in a truck stop, or even eat a meal inside for that matter. If someone backs into the trailer and it starts to leak, the hazmat driver needs to be on hand to handle things until first responders can get there.
So I have told you all of this for a reason. There is a lot of responsibility in driving a HazMat load across the country. In addition to the careful manner I usually handle my truck, I also have the added responsibility of making sure this dangerous load gets where it is supposed to be without blowing up.
As I stated before, Hazmat loads are marked with placards on all four sides of the trailer. On this particular trip, my placards were bright red and read "Flammable" in big letters. When I see these loads I typically give the driver a little more room and try to get distance between us if I have to pass.
However, I can not tell you how many times I had drivers cut me off, or tailgate me, or ride next to me for extended periods of time. It is bad enough when people do these things to a truck with a normal load. To do it with a truck hauling flammable chemicals is just plain stupid.
So please remember these few suggestions when driving around ANY truck.
Give them plenty of room-We take longer to stop, longer to start, longer to change lanes, and can roll over very easily.
Don't ride beside us-If you are next to a truck, get around them or get back behind them. We may not be able to see you. We may have a tire blow out. If that happens you may end up with a blown tire flying through the air and hitting your windshield. I saw that very thing happen in Chicago and the driver of the car lost control and hit the jersey barrier in the median, causing extensive damage to his car. It could have cost him his life.
Don't tailgate us- If you are less than 100-150 feet behind us, we may not be able to see you. If we can't see you, we can not compensate for you being behind us. Why would you want to follow a truck that close anyways? You can't see around us, so what are you going to do if we have to slam on our brakes? Will you be able to stop in time? Hopefully, but why take that chance?
Most importantly, at least in my opinion, Don't cut us off- We can not stop as quickly as you. If we are fully loaded and running at 60 miles an hour it is going to take us more than a footballs length to come to a stop. You should give trucks about half that distance before you pull in front of us. If you can't do that though, at least make sure you keep your speed up, and don't slow down. Our brakes do not engage the second we hit the peddle like a car does. They take a second before they begin working.
Most truck drivers are courteous and concerned with public safety. Some are not. If you see one of these drivers tailgating another truck or car, or weaving in and out of traffic, get away from them. They are dangerous. Don't try to "Show Him" and cut him off or intentionally slow down in front of him. Stay out of his way and let him go on. You will lose any fight you pick with a truck.
Here is an interesting statistic. 80% of all fatality accidents involving a tractor trailer were caused by a non commercial vehicle. Think about that next time you want to squeeze in between that truck and the car in front of him.
safe driving ya'll
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