Comments By Fatsquatch

The verdict will likely be thrown out on appeal, based on the legal precedent from the suit that hit Bhandal Bros. several years ago. Cliff's Notes version: a minivan with a family of 4 plowed into the back of a truck parked in a wide turnout on the side of >-210 in SoCal late at night. The kids were able to get out from the back seat, but the parents were trapped, the car caught on fire and the parents burned to death. CHP investigation found zero fault on the part of the Bhandal driver, but the surviving daughter was awarded a $150 million judgement when a lawsuit was filed. The award was subsequently found on appeal to be excessive and based on both animosity toward truck drivers and sympathy for the child, rather than on any kind of fact or merit, and was summarily dismissed in its entirety.

Honestly, all the "you ain't a real trucker unless/if" nonsense torques me off to no end. I am no more or less of a truck driver for being a company driver, pulling a reefer, driving a manual, managing my clock efficiently, being polite and courteous, driving safely, or any of the other myriad reasons people come up with for that particular scenario. Do you drive a truck for a living? You're a real truck driver. The end.

Man life is a yo-yo! Haven't been here to see this in a few weeks. Flexibility and patience at play lately. There's changes a brewing! Forgiveness is another one we forget. Mistakes happen.

Last week I had a sweet deal coming back to Oregon from near Morris, Illinois. I made my delivery early, and arrived at the shipper 5 hours early. They were more than happy to load me that early, but I had hauled onions 2 loads ago and the could still smell them. I had spent a night with the doors open and spread coffee to kill it. I am unable to smell it when it is that faint because I'm hauling onions every time I go East. So, I just let them do their thing and when they said they smelled garlic, I knew it was there.

I went down and got a washout and returned, they had me sit about 4 feet off the dock with the reefer running and the doors open for 2 more hours. They tried, but the manager could still smell it so after a few calls and more sniffing they finally just rejected it. In total I was there for 8 hours. I.was.HOT!

My DM found another load for the next morning out of Indianapolis and gave me the choice to try again with the next shift at the place I was or take Indy, so I boogied on Indy. Turns out they rejected 6 more trailers. Everything worked out fine for me though.

Because of the whole debacle I got a phone call from someone and got to learn more about how our freight actually moves for our company, and a few more bits about what's going on behind the scenes. It was good for me to get that info. It helped me be able to forgive the situation and leave it behind, be fair in asking for detention, and get on with it. All in all, I ended up gaining an extra 100 miles, and had that bummer day to talk to a realtor and my loan officer. Looks like I'll be buying a house real soon 😬🏜

I've had similar experiences with leftover odors. I pulled a load of frozen crab from the Oregon coast to a place in Sacramento a couple years ago. Even frozen solid, as soon as I opened the door the stank of fish hit me so hard I dry heaved. My next load was coming out of a bakery in Lodi, so I ran through the Blue Beacon there to get the box hosed out in the hopes that the smell would be gone. I ended up an hour late to my pickup because of the line at the truck wash, and they started to give me grief about it...until I pointed out that I didn't think they wanted their frozen rolls to smell like crab cakes when they got to their destination. Oddly enough, their attitude did a complete 180. Funny, that.

P A T I E N C E

You can't be That Guy, losing your cool and flipping out when (not if) something goes sideways and throws a monkey in your wrench. Screaming at the receiving clerk because you don't have your bills yet, laying on the air horn because the truck in front of you at the fuel island hasn't moved, snarling and throwing your permit book at the weighmaster when he pulls you in for an inspection: these things will only do more harm than good.

I call F O U L!!!!

Show me the smile please!

Clicked on the title thinking "poisoned a terminal rat" was a metaphor for shutting down a half-assed argument. Imagine my surprise in discovering you literally poisoned someone! Ye gods.

FWIW, it's kind of her own damn fault. People with food allergies, especially severe ones that could result in hospitalization, should really order their own food. It's just common sense.

Now, pass me those shrimp egg rolls and some Thai peanut sauce.

I just happened to come across this the other day in my permit book. You might find it useful. It doesn't answer the question of which axle(s), but it does give some insight as to states that don't play nice when it comes to APU exemptions.

Another one NOT to go to is the Las Vegas Pilot. Once they are two deep at the pumps, you can't even turn into the place.

If your ever assigned that Flying J , tell your manager ...oops...I missed the exit.

I totally agree with that one. That truck stop is tough in so many ways. I always avoid it. About four years ago I spent the night there. I heard air horns going off all night, as in "Hey buddy, you're about to hit my truck over here on your blind side!"

There are only a handful of places I absolutely refuse to fuel at, but that Pilot in Vegas is right at the top of the list. What a fustercluck. Also, pretty much all of the old "Broadway" Flying J locations in eastern WA. Not one of them has a pump that's less than 20 years old, more than 3 lanes, or pavement that's been upgraded since the Carter administration.

Another one to be careful at is the Love's in Ellensburg, WA. Not that it's hard to get in and out of or in bad shape, but the fuel lanes are NARROW. They're only maybe 10' wide. 9 times out of 10, you're going to whang the pump when you open your door.

Let's not forget the person who AFTER fueling feels the need to detail his truck while sitting in the fuel island. I'm not talking about the squeegee either. This person actually broke out the windex and started doing the inside of all his windows, instead of taking one of the many parking spots.

Or the guy who uses the squeegee to wash his truck. I'm not talking about washing of the spots where a little fuel might have splattered or dribbled, I'm talking top to bottom, nose to tail, full on squeegee powered truck wash.