Comments By Dutch

I have a question that's not related to the accident, but kind of related in that it's about T/S parking.

In the video the bobtail that was hit was parked in a full size spot. The lot wasn't full, and may rarely fill up, or there just may not be any bobtail spots, whatever. My question is this, if you have to park bobtail in a full size spot is it best to park as if you have a trailer - by the front of the spot, in the middle of the spot - like the victim here, or deep in the spot - as if your tractor was the rear of a trailer?

Anytime, I am bobtail, I like to back 1/3rd of the way in to a designated parking spot for 3 reasons.

#1 is because my company will charge me with a preventable accident, should I get hit parked in an area where I am not sitting between 2 yellow paint marks that indicate designated parking. If it is designated bobtail parking with yellow paint, then I will leave the full size spaces for drivers pulling trailers.

#2 is because if I am 1/3rd of the way in, there is less chance I can get clipped by someone's trailer, especially if I am parked in an "end of the row" parking spot.

#3 is because if I go deeper into the spot bobtail than 1/3rd, some Einstein will show up bobtail in the middle of the night and back in directly in front of me, preventing my exit when I get my clock back. This situation will always require me to preform a "cop knock," and I don't want to start my day cop knocking.

With all these drivers taking out bridges that their rig clearly won't clear, I am starting to think maybe they are all members of an Al-Qaeda cell.

Seriously though, I think the answer to the question of why do they continue ahead, when the bridge is clearly marked, has to do with them simply being afraid to stop in the street.

Sure, you can get a ticket for impeding traffic, but most law enforcement officers would rather catch you out of your truck with your hazards on, surveying the situation, than to call them because you took out a historic bridge like that moron did in Paoli, IN.

Drivers should never be afraid to stop and turn on the hazards if need be. Ditto on using the entire width of the road, to swing wide or square off. DOT spends millions of dollars to make the roads as wide as they do, and they do that for us, so we won't clip a light pole, or roll over someone's hood.

These drivers seem to think that once they are in motion, they simply cannot stop, but are forced to continue on. Yeah, they are driving a vehicle that is as long as a 7 story building is high, but it is still a vehicle with a parking break and a set of hazard lights.

I agree with what Rick has stated above. I suppose if a doctor specifically wanted to target a particular patient, to check to see if they had something in their bloodstream, they could test for that, but it isn't likely. 99% of the drug tests, check for drugs that either have resale value, addictive chemicals, or both. Since blood pressure meds are some of the cheapest meds available, even without prescription, it is highly unlikely a test for any of them would be performed.

The drugs they habitually check for, for a variety of reasons, fall into 2 categories. The first category they are checking on, is to see if you are actually taking what you are prescribed, if that drug has a potential resale value (such as pain meds.) If you actually need the drug, but it's not in your system, there is a good chance some or all of it is being sold on the street. Some drugs like oxycodone can kill someone the first time they take them, because the person has not been gradually introduced to the drug, the way prescription drugs are prescribed. This is the reason they want to stop the resale activity pronto.

The other drugs they are checking for, are illegal street drugs that are not available at all, without prescription. Most offenders will end up getting caught eventually, if they are not taking what they are prescribed within that realm, or partaking in the other category for recreational use.

Until you hear about people being able to chop up blood pressure meds and snort them for a high, I seriously doubt you will ever see someone blood or urine tested for them.

Also, what Rick said about blood pressure meds needing to be monitored by your GP is absolutely true. For instance you could double up on your blood pressure meds, and have all sorts of side effects, such as your ankles and feet swelling up to the point you can no longer put your shoes on.

The only reason I mentioned aspirin, is because it is over the counter and will definitely thin your blood, and in turn drop your blood pressure.

Also, blood pressure meds build up in your system, so what Rick said about needing to take it longer than 2 days to get results is true. My GP told me that my BP med will take a full 3 weeks for it to leave my system, were I to run completely out of my prescription.

Also, he told me that running out for a week is no big deal from a health standpoint. He said the danger is keeping high blood pressure week after week, month after month, year after year. The cumulative effect can set you up for a stroke, and strokes are serious business. He told me that years ago, the medical community thought what is now considered pre-hypertension was a safe level, but now they know it is not, and they begin to prescribe mild high blood pressure meds now for pre-hypertension, to prevent the long term cumulative effects that lead to stroke.

The reason I point this out, is that aspirin is only extra insurance to help drop your pressure before a test, but that's about it. You need to consult with your GP for safe long term treatment for high blood pressure.

Theron, Rick mentioned vitamins, and it is possible that you may have a Vitamin A deficiency. You can have blood work done by your GP, that will give you a list of any vitamins you are deficient in.

Also, sometimes prescription meds can strip all of a particular vitamin out of a persons body, so if you were to find out that you are taking something that is making it harder for you to absorb Vitamin A, that could be the culprit.

An example of this, is the Nexium I take for acid reflux. This particular drug is really hard on calcium absorption. Most folks need 750 to 1000 milligrams a day, but because I take Nexium, I have to take 5000 milligrams a day, in order for my body to absorb the 1000 it needs.

Another trick for lowering blood pressure before a test, is to take aspirin. Prescription blood pressure meds thin the blood, as does aspirin. I usually start putting aspirin in my system every 4 hours, starting 2 days before I am going to be tested. It always drops my BP quite a bit lower, than my prescription BP meds alone.

This can also be a good solution to help you pass your test, until you can get back in to see your doctor for a permanent solution to getting it below the threshold. I have talked to some guys who were stuck at the company terminal, and not allowed to drive, until they were retested and able to pass.

Be sincere, honest, and authentic. Remember, one of the best things you can say to any interviewer, is "I am looking for a company I can stay with!"

G-Town, great advice in the chess game that is trucking. Not all companies are set up to take advantage of the driver, but certain employees can always be of that persuasion no matter where a driver works.

While it is true that the DOT 10 Panel Drug Test is mandatory for all company standards, each individual company has their own company policies concerning a wide variety of topics, including prescription medication.

Large corporations hire law firms to protect their assets, and they take the advice given in most cases, because that's what they are paying for. If their attorney tells them, that drivers on certain medications are difficult to defend in cases involving fatalities, that could be all it takes to make certain medications off limits according to company policy.

If another company non trucking related were to deny an employee employment because they had a certain medical condition, that might be grounds for a lawsuit. However, when it comes to trucking, the companies have so much liability involved, including criminal as well as civil suits, they have a legal right to deny employment for certain job descriptions for a variety of reasons.

Add to that, attorneys are always reviewing current cases, which set new precedents in the U.S. courts. When a certain case swings a certain way, it can affect the outcome of other cases that are similar in nature.

Bottom line is, they don't have to get specific and give you a lot of detailed info, when it comes to certain issues. If you present a high risk to a trucking company, they simply pass you over for another candidate who presents less issues for them during the hiring process.

Like I always tell people, trucking companies and truck drivers are a dime a dozen, but exceptional trucking companies and exceptional drivers are not.

Also, here is some further reading, which I posted around this time last year on a pipe smoking forum I frequent, which will give further food for thought.

How to Become a Full Fledged Curmudgeon in 14 Steps

Abso-freakin-lutely Pixel! Not only can a curmudgeon be any age, they can also be any gender. Here is a link that will help you turn another corner, and send yourself in a curmudeonly direction.

How To Become a Curmudgeon