You know, I’m sorry, but this really burns my butt! I saw a TV show about this tragedy last night. Why is it that people refuse to accept that they are too stupid to know how to drive when weather conditions aren’t good? They always want to find someone (or some company) to blame for their stupid judgement!
So much for warning signs in areas that are prone to problems. Some people just don’t want to pay attention. It’s people that think they are above it all that cause the problems. I’m so fed up with TV shows trying to portray companies as the bad guys when all it takes is just a little common sense on the part of the drivers on the road to prevent an accident.
A TV show about a tragic pileup on foggy I-75 in Tennessee talks about the mother of a truck driver trying to put the blame of the fog on a company in the direct vacinity. The show also talked of the warning signs about the fog in the area and to take action accordingly if you were driving that particular stretch of highway. The mother wanted the company to pay for the deaths of those people, even if their deaths occurred because they did not adapt their driving to the conditions they were driving in! I’m sorry, but I do not agree! People are so greedy for easy money that they’ll try to place blame where it has no place to be, just to be able to get a free ride for the rest of their life!
Fog! As a driver, whether of a four-wheeler or an eighteen-wheeler, what do all of the driver’s license books in every state of the union tell you to do? Come on, out with it! They all say that to drive safely in fog, you use your low-beam headlights and reduce your speed! I guarantee that any accident that occurs in fog happens because people choose to ignore these rules. “I’m late for work, I can’t slow down!” or ” I’ve got to make this delivery on time!” Why do so many people believe that these are good excuses to die, become handicapped or kill someone else? Maybe those people should seek psychiatric or psychological help because the reasons they give for not playing it safe on the highway are absolutely insane! There is something terribly wrong with a person who thinks this way!
Sorry, folks, but I had to vent here after seeing that show on TV! I’ve been there. I’ve driven in the fog and done it properly! I’ve hated having to drive that slow in order to prevent an accident, but I may not be talking to you now if I had decided that fog was not a good reason to slow down, that my load and my husband were not important enough to get there in one piece! No matter how soon they want that load, they’ll never get it if I’m too stupid to drive according to weather conditions. Better late than never, and I don’t care how much it pays, because if I die by my careless driving, I’m not going to get paid anyway!
About Author Tumbleweed
Hello, to all of you! I'm glad to see that you took some time out of truckin', or hopin' to be truckin' or even done with truckin', to stop in.
I've done my truckin'. I had several years "on the CB" before I even got to truckin', and that dad-blasted radio is the reason I've paid my dues. Me and my big mouth, that's what I get. I used to work about an hour from a very big city and I was always chattin' with the drivers and helpin' them get to places in town that they were trying to get to. I could get them around all the construction and any events that might be taking place at the fairgrounds or the convention center. Every now and then I'd stop and have coffee with one of the drivers. The last time I did that, we ended up talking for four hours! Two weeks later I was on the road with my future hubby.
Hubby had been driving big trucks for about seventeen years, by then. He's had the opportunity to drive the "double-stick" shift, he's hauled swingin' meat, gasoline, produce, dry goods, lumber, car engines, you-name-it. Then, I got to do it, too. Of course, I did know how to drive a straight stick and I think that helped some. I actually tried driving the big truck like it was a really, really big 5-speed. Took a little while to get used to double-clutchin', but once I got the hang of it, then I wanted to do it in the 5-speed, too. Geez.
I've been in Kenworths (KWs), Peterbilts (Petes), Western Stars (Star Cars), International Harvesters (IH's), and I think I even drove a Volvo once. My favorite truck as far as looks go…Western Star, hands down. But as far as driving and comfort, I go for the Petes.
Those of you who are or have been truckin' will understand what I give up in this blog. Those of you who haven't yet will get a little bit more education, maybe a laugh or two, and hopefully a little insight as to what you're in for. And if I know anything about truckers, it's that they love to talk about their experiences out on the road...the good, the bad AND the ugly. Come on in and let us hear from you. You don't have to start blogging, just add your own experiences for everyone to share.
I've been off the road now for nine years and for the most part, I don't miss it. However, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world. Truckin' is a life unto itself. Now, I'm livin' in the southwest with my hubby and takin' things one day at a time. I like it like that.
Please show TruckingTruth some luv now people! :-)
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Most Recent By Tumbleweed
You know, I actually saw a special once on driving in fog. Some reasearch firm did a study that showed many people actually unknowingly speed up in fog! They don’t look at the speedometer because they are trying to concentrait on the road, and the fog makes it appear as if they are going slower than they really are. So people will actually speed up in fog without realizing it. That’s some scary stuff.
That’s interesting, but it makes sense, in a way. Just goes to show that we REALLY have to be on our toes! It’s just not worth going home in a body bag. I wish I had seen that special, though. Let me know if you see it coming back on sometime in the future.
Excellent rant Tumbleweed!
I have a bone I tend to CHEW when it comes to safe driving.
The simple act of slowing down could save a life.
And if your so freakin’ worried about being late for work then leave earlier.
AAAHHHH!! Sometimes I could just shoot stupid people……..
but then I would be labeled the crazy one.
go figure
Thanks for the compliment, Pappy! Yep, every now and then I’ll disagree with something and I gotta blow some major steam! Gratefully, this doesn’t happen very often. I’m supposed to CONTROL my blood pressure!
AMEN!!!! I agree. I even saw on TV where someone was killed in the fog (also winter weather) and hit a semi and the comments were “THAT TRUCK SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OUT IN THIS WEATHER” I sure was having a tantrum in my living room after hearing that. If it was that bad, then why was that car out there?? Again it points at the truck drivers as everything is our fault.
Never a good idea to drive in heavy fog, unless it is a necessity.
Nice post !