Ouch! That hurt!

Okay...I've been a little lax on the postings here recently. Sorry about that. Been a lot going on in my mind that wasn't truck related. 

Weekend before last my youngest son was home for the weekend to visit. I had informed my dispatcher of this and he was only going to be there for two days...Saturday & Sunday. So what does the dispatcher do? He puts me on a run on Saturday. I was upset and only got more and more pissed as Friday night went on. I picked up the load I was scheduled to carry to Lordstown, OH the next morning and I kinda blew my top. I drove that load right down to Sidney and sent in a Qualcomm message that I was resigning. Night dispatcher pulled a good one and got me switched around to carry and empty down to Cincinnati and back to get my ass home. See that little period at the end of my sentences? That's how close I was to leaving the job. Never get between me and one of my kids. And that's what he had done. I'm not gonna play that game. Anyway...of course I thought we had it all resolved...I wasn't quitting. And that following week was my paid vacation but I was only taking part of it off. But guess what? They were quick to notify the departments that I had tendered a resignation but forgot to tell them that I had rescinded that. So when I came back in to my truck on Thursday it had been completely cleaned out. Logs didn't know that I was staying. So apparently only a few people really knew. ::sigh::

Oh yes...and when I was home that weekend...I had a letter waiting for me from the company giving me a first and only notice that if I used more than 10 gallons a fuel idling that I would be charged for every gallon over that 10 (whatever the going rate for fuel per gallon is). So really...who cares if I sit in a truck with the temps registering 104 deg. heat index outside and not allowed to idle to keep cool. Who cares that it's hard as hell to sleep when you're pouring sweat and soaking your mattress.

beeeeep....beeeep....beeeep...We interrupt this blog post to bring you this breaking news.
Tonight at the Flying J in Washington Courthouse, OH we have just witnessed a truck stop parking lot accident. Crete driver in truck number 85144 just backed into a flatbedder who was taking his 10 hours break...twice. Yes folks...he did it TWICE! He backed into him once...pulled up and did it again. According to witness on the other side of the Crete driver he also took out the corner & headlight of the other truck he was pulling in next to.

Want to know why I've never backed into anyone? Because I'm PARANOID! Paranoid about hitting someone. There is a VERY good reason why G.O.A.L. (Get Out And Look) is drilled into our heads in truck driving school. Tonight is a perfect example of that.

Willy Waver

You often hear the guy truck drivers talk about that pretty girl who passed in the convertible and sometimes even about the girl who flashed her boobs at them. Well I guess I got my equivalent yesterday. There was this little red piece-of-shit SUV (I mean it looked like shit) who started to pass me then all of a sudden slowed down and stayed right next to my cab. I didn't look down at first. We were going through construction and I was concentrating more on staying off the concrete barriers to my right. I was getting irritated that this guy was hanging right there back and forth...apparently trying to get my attention. When I did finally look down all I could see was his lap and what he was waving at me. I acted like I was ignoring him and he took off and went on his merry way. Of course as soon as he was way up ahead and laughed my fool head off. Now granted...he actually had something there to be proud of, but it's never a good idea to distract a truck driver like that. But I still laugh when I think about it. So I got my very first Willy Wave. I doubt I'll see one again as it's much less common than a girl showing what she's proud of. But it did make me laugh on a day that I was not the happiest for me.


There's been a helluva lot of rain coming across Northern/Central Ohio lately. As I came across today I saw some of the damage from last nights storms. Broken trees and limbs all over. Small rivers turned into torrents. A golf course who's sand trap was

now a water traps and ditches that now become rivers themselves. I did read that there were 4 confirmed tornado's yesterday. Thankfully I have not heard anything about any deaths resulting from it. But I did worry about my daughter and furbabies at home as four nights in a row I got text message alerts of flash flood warnings in our town. 

So that's it for today...unless I remember something later. Let me leave you with this pic I took earlier today that I found breathtaking at the time. It was as I was leaving today's receiver. Stay safe out there!

Philosophical Questions Of Trucking

A few things that I often wonder:

Four Wheelers 

(that would be any vehicle with 4 tires on it for you non-truckers)

~When a truck is doing the truck speed of 55 mph while the car speed is 65...why there always that four-wheeler  who would prefer to tailgate you thinking he can force you to faster?

Sorry...that only works on other vehicles of equal size. 

~When getting into a lane for a toll booth on a very busy highway...after you have already allowed 5 cars to jump in front of you...why is the guy in the tiny sports car that will pitch a fit if you don't let him in (even though there were other lines available that NO trucks were in)?

Yes...I blocked the little fucker from jumping in front of me by staying 4 feet from the car in front of me. So what does he do? He actually pulls up 5 inches next to my steers and thinks he's going to force me to move if he made me think I was going to run him over. Sorry...didn't work bub! Big truck ALWAYS wins over tiny sports car!

~Why do the four wheelers have to tie up traffic for miles back so they can slow down to 25 mph on a 70 mph interstate so they can get a good look at that accident on the other side of the highway?

I know, I know...they are hoping to see some carnage. Unfortunately they tend to cause more carnage by their actions.

~If you're driving in the express lanes through the city...why would you decide to do 10 mph UNDER the speed limit? How is that a speed worthy of using the express lanes?

Maybe I'm missing something here about what an express lane is?

Other Semi's

~Speaking of tailgating...why does another semi think by tailgating you that you are going to move faster? Do they plan on pushing you if you slow down? Why not just pull over to the next lane and fucking pass me?

Sorry driver...some of us actually drive the speed limit. Of course I've done 10 over the limit and STILL had some asshole trying to hook up to my idiot bar in the back.

Parking

~Why do some of the biggest and busiest shippers/receivers always seem to have the smallest parking areas for docking?

Really...who cares that you come close to backing into another truck or docked trailer while trying to get docked yourself. Or that it raises my anxiety levels sky high!

~Why do truck stops located in some of the busiest areas only accommodate 10 - 20 trucks?

Tried to get into one tonight in Cleveland...5 pm and it was full.

Driving Rules

~Why do all these little towns prohibit jake brakes...ESPECIALLY ones with steep hills.

Those with steep hills should APPRECIATE those jake brakes...they help keep that truck slowed down enough that they don't slam into your car or house at the bottom of the hill.

~Why would you put a stop light/sign on a 55 mph main road?

Good lord...lower the speed limit if you're gonna have stop lights/signs! Especially if that light/sign is just after a curve!

Okay...that's all the philosophical questions for now. :-)

Dole Some More of That Out Sugar

Was a very short run for the 4th. Springfield, OH to Louisville, KY. Carrying what? Products from Dole Fresh Vegetables. And of course...that was it for the day. Definitely going to be a small paycheck since I took 3 days for the weekend and then the holiday had nothing to offer for loads. I've asked them tonight if they could find me a load that goes south or west because I could use a change in scenery. And the answer? "We'll see what we can do moving forward." What exactly does that mean? I'm not really sure...but I guess we shall see.

When I was walking into the shipping/receiving office at Dole and black gentleman was sitting outside for his break and he asked me "What's a pretty lady like you doing driving a truck?" My answer? "It pays better than Walmart".

So after dropping the load they told me to go ahead and park for the night. Closest truck stop? Simpsonville, KY which I've had the privilege of staying at previously. As a matter of fact...it's the same truck stop I encountered the raccoon family crossing the bridge. And of course being a holiday there were actually a few spaces open at 1am! Love it when I can get that lucky. 

Of course three of those spaces available can't be parked in due to two other trucks. The one to the right is carrying an oversize load which he has to have two spots for which is totally understandable. And of course his truck sticks WAY out there. But the idiot to the left is what chaps my hide. Again my opinion of drivers who pull into a spot front first instead of backing to me is the epitome of laziness. Had he backed in he would not be sticking out as far as he does into the parking lot.

Now let me say...to you seasoned veterans I know backing into the space I went into is no big deal. But to me...it was a major accomplishment. It wasn't all that long ago I would have struggled with backing into a space that is offset like this one navigating around those two trucks sticking out. I'm proud of myself. Not only that it only took me a few minutes to get into it which of course is another thing I'm proud of. My backing has definitely improved as I find myself not taking 20 minutes to get into a spot

anymore...even ones that I can't straight back into. And the picture really doesn't accurately show how I had to angle to get into the space. And I for sure could have parked over to my right  more with the space between me and the oversize...but I refuse to take up two parking spots as I find it rude and inconsiderate of any truck that is not carrying an oversize load to take up more than one parking space. So I made sure to keep it between the lines for that parking space that way in the morning when the oversize is gone...the space next to me will not be blocked by my truck.

So now here I sit at a truck stop again...even though I spent all day yesterday sitting until 6pm. Yep...small paycheck coming up.
 

Let Freedom Ring...or Maybe Not

This is not a ramble out trucking but instead of my own personal views about our freedoms on this day that we celebrate them.

It's Independence Day and I hope everyone has a great one! Let's remember what that means. It means FREEDOM...freedom of religious expression, freedom of the nation to be the person they are, freedom from persecution. And yet...we still do not abide to that freedom even today. We find more and more regulations stifling many of our basic freedoms (and this was happening long before Obama folks). We persecute those who go against the grain of what we define as "acceptable social norms"...and my friends...social norms change from decade to decade...this has been happening for centuries (think on it...once upon a time it was against the norm for women to wear pants or vote).  And we still continue to evolve as a nation...and as a species. But there are those who still fight against the evolution of our present and future. Who wish to crush the hopes, dreams and personal freedoms we all are supposed to have.

In America...the land of the free...we celebrate our freedoms...except for when it suits us. Freedom to love or marry who we wish (not talking about people marrying pets as one Republican government official as said will occur when we open the door to gays marrying...yea right...that's just downright silly!). Freedom to express and debate opposing views with how one views the world around us and the politics that govern us without others screaming you are stupid, ignorant, or sheeple. Freedom to be equal to all others within this great land regardless of race, sexual orientation or gender.

"The Bible says..."
"The Constitution says..."
Again and again...we pick and choose to point out the parts of both that support our own personal views on our society while ignoring the parts that don't. It has always been one of my own personal goals to keep an open mind, to not bash others around me for having opposing views and I hope will not bash me for expressing mine. I might dislike one set of people or a particular political party. And I may often express those views...and that's my right to do so. But do I have the right to work everyday at pushing those people into an oblivion where I do not have to see or hear them? No. They too have the freedom to exist, to believe as they wish and to express those beliefs without being persecuted by the rest of society.

Freedom is the basis of the United States. Some say "That is not what our founding fathers had in mind" and that may be true. But then in their time period they did not face many of these situations and obstacles we now face today. So how can we equate their ideals with the ideals of today? They had not meant for the blacks to have freedom...and yet today they do. They had not meant for women to have the freedoms we so enjoy today. We have evolved those freedoms to accept ALL people...or so we try to think...because in reality we have not. The people of our nation still try to crush segments that do not fall into what they believe is acceptable...normal...is opposite of what we believe is what the nature of our friends and neighbors should be.

So my finale is this...
Stop to think about what freedom is supposed to mean. Does it mean you support freedom...as long as it goes with your own personal beliefs? Or do you support a freedom that all of us should be able to share and celebrate?