Suicide By Truck And Having The Big Picture

Yes, any truck driving school instructor could regale us with tales of former students who lasted only a week or two before securing their exit from the program. There is a huge difference in the number of people who think they want to do this and those who actually finish their course and get licensed. Then that number is drastically reduced again down to those who actually stay in the industry for a full year.

Yes, and the road trainers could regale with tales of those who come to us, freshly minted CDL in hand, and then fail out of the training program in short order. I have met two general types so far....those who already know everything, and the completely clueless. Sadly, the results are the same for both groups. But if someone comes having educated themself from reading this forum and brings a coachable attitude, then they will have their own assigned equipment in short order.

I had the Smith System drilled into me at the age of 15 in Driver's Ed when I got my drivers permit back in the dinosaur age of 1975. It's been an ingrained habit for life, and as GTown said.. it's used EVERY SINGLE DAY.

To the doofus who asked, "When will I ever use that?", They don't need to be driving a go cart much less an 80,000 pound death machine.

I was also taught ... A . minimum of 3 car lengths apart (for driving cars, obviously). I'm going to be real blunt. People who speed and tailgate, positively disgust me. And as my company safety director would say, "The speed limit is the MAXIMUM speed you should be driving.".

Yet the crazy a**hat 4 wheelers in California don't understand when a sign says 55 Maximum for trucks it means 55 MAXIMUM.