Tips for rookie drivers.....

I work to/from an auto maker in The South. I've been doing it for 12 plus years. Out of maybe 200-300 lost drivers I've witnessed trying to find the auto plant in that time, maybe 5 have had their CB on to ask/receive help from the dozens of other trucks around them. <shaking my head>

Why isn't it obvious, if you have a CB, are lost, are surrounded by other trucks, use the dang CB. Most of the trucks I'm talking about have CBs on the dash or big stupid fancy antennas. I had one driver stop in the road in front of me. I stopped because he was blocking me. He got out of the truck to ask me about directions and I helped him. I asked him to turn on his CB and I would walk him through the turns to the plant. Then another driver wanted to fight ME, for blocking the 2 lane road and drove into the oncoming traffic putting other trucks in the grass to drive around the lost driver now listening to his CB. WTF?!

It would be one thing if you could explain stupid driver tricks with laziness. But it seems many drivers do nothing, if they can avoid it, except when doing nothing would accidentally be the right thing to do. That is when they will work overtime to mess something up, like going out of their way to park in the way or leaving trailer legs so high you could use the trailer for a ski jump. There's not a day that goes by new levels of stupidity are achieved in this industry. You don't have to be stupid to be a driver, but being stupid isn't a disqualification so we collect more than our share.

 

Five hundred page book must only be volume one.

 

It seems that alot of people these days (not just youngsters) have little or no problem solving skills. They have no idea how to get themselves out of a jam because they're used to someone telling them what to do. I call this the "mommy syndrome".

Back in "the day" we had real truckstops where our "old guys" met and "talked shop" about all the daily probs and how they handled it. We listened and grew wise and occasionally we asked questions. We got answers because we didn't mouth off about things we didn't know.

But over the years I've watched things gradually become more and more insular. Truck stops became "gas n go" glorified fuel bars. Everybody's in a big rush to get back in their truck and into their own little electronic world. Nobody talks to anybody anymore; hell, they barely even look at each other.

It's a whole different world these days.

 

The best piece of advice I can give to any driver is to run your headlights any time the vehicle is moving. It makes you more visible to others on the road.

 

x2,it is a good habit!!!

 

Take your time and admit your new and have much to learn.
When talking to an old hand we will just stop talking if you stop listening.
You will learn more with your ears than your mouth.
Having been a manager at a burger joint or any other job you had in no way translates to wheeling 80k down the road.

 

Lemmie rephrase this....

Sad thing is, it's not just newbs and rookies that are making what should be newbie and rookie mistakes.

 

You've really seen these things? You're taught to look out your side mirrors often. Every few seconds. How in the hell does someone forget to close their doors, and then proceed to drive with them open? And a hub on fire? I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

Personally, I see 4-wheelers do more dumb #### in a days time than anyone else. The gov't is regulating, and trying to educate us about safety, when they need to be educating 4-wheelers on how to drive with trucks on the road. 1/4 of 4 wheeler drivers have no business being behind the wheel of a car.

 

I'm new...he__ I'm still in school (one more week left) but I find that many people...young or old...have a hard time admitting that they are wrong, let alone that they are new. It's a pride thing. People think they have pride in NOT asking for directions, but in reality they have NO pride if they don't ask.

I'm stuck in the middle of young and old, but I have enough pride to admit that I know nothing...If I was a "know-it-all" I would not be getting in this industry, but there are two in my class that are Know-it-all's and are PO'd at me because I passed my skills tests and they have not. Why? I ask questions...how do you do this, and why should I do it this way?

I fancy myself as a Jack-of-all...I know a little about alot...but I'm the first that will admit that I have much more to learn...something I hope to avoid are major problems that will cost me my career in this industry...if you don't know...ASK