One question that drivers should be constantly asking … even long before a lawsuit situation develops, after an accident for example … is what am I doing now that is going to be used against me big time if I am sued?"
When a social media presence could hurt a driver or carrier
Social media has also cost MANY an athlete, politician, medical professional, civil service personnel, attorney, et al . . . . (suits, on down...) their career.
Sad, but true~!!
One question that drivers should be constantly asking … even long before a lawsuit situation develops, after an accident for example … is what am I doing now that is going to be used against me big time if I am sued?"
When a social media presence could hurt a driver or carrier
I'm a firm believer in being yourself. As long as your not doing anything illegal or something that can be considered disreputable Society needs to shape up and get educated. It's okay with everyone to publicly support LGBT, and other ill-concepts and everyone thinks it's liberal and moral (confused people), but when a US Senator or House Rep smokes a cigar and puts it out on a pile of papers 10000 pages long to ban tobacco until she 21 (including for active duty military) it's a bad? When someone drinks and makes a YouTube video it's bad? When someone has a Confederate flag on social media it's bad?
No Sir! Society needs to get educated, get there heads straight and widen up. I'm so tired of seeing immoral things online that everyone thinks is good and okay, and good people getting in trouble for tobacco, alcohol, and Confederate flags for no reason.
Best I can say, is always be yourself, stand for what you believe in, stand for your political and moral beliefs, and if a company fires you over it, move on to a better job or trucking company. People with cdls have the most doors open for employment in the United States than anyone else.
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices
I recall reading elsewhere about many drivers being fired over comments they made about how they would handle protesters blocking their way on the interstate and that they'd do it with a smile. A police chief in NW Iowa surprisingly kept his job after posting on the largest local news Facebook page to speed up, nothing but some speed bumps in regards to blocked roads. When you're the cause of a lawsuit in trucking everything about your past whether its tickets, failed inspections, lying on your DOT physical or breaking company policy, or social media posts will be used to portray you to be a danger on the roadway that should've been taken off long ago. I'm sure if I'm ever involved in litigation they'll pull up my post here on my RR crossing violation and try to use it against me.
The way my company handles it is that if we mention where we work online we then represent them and must do so accordingly. I've mentioned my employers name here so if I started being real insensitive or inappropriate it could lead to repercussions with my employer. There are some members here who wish to keep their employer private for this very reason.
Last year there was a college kid that had a sign at a college football game asking for money to buy a case of bud light. He ended up raising over a million dollars he donated to the University of Iowa's Children's Hospital. Posts that he made several years prior regarding a racial Dave Chappelle skit were uncovered and this guys name was dragged through the mud by a reporter trying to make a name for themselves.
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Four Words:
The Internet Is Forever.
Your politics, what you have for breakfast - we (as a society) have gotten into the (bad) habit of posting every little thing for the ENTIRE WORLD to see. And it DOESN'T GO AWAY.
We may laugh when "famous personalities" get jammed up for something they tweeted a decade ago. But it's not so funny when an "enemy" digs something up to show to your employer/spouse/police.
Once it's posted, the horse has left the barn.
I'm as guilty (or guiltier even) as the next guy - and I don't care personally (as long as the Secret Service doesn't come knocking). But you don't have to be FAMOUS to be SCREWED by posting something you thought was funny 8 years ago - that has BLM (for example) camped out in front of your house tomorrow.
I have a friend in the industry - that posts him enjoying a beer in the truckstop after a long day of driving. PRETTY SURE his employer doesn't want to see stuff like that - even if it is (technically) legal.
My $.02.
Rick
I recall reading elsewhere about many drivers being fired over comments they made about how they would handle protesters blocking their way on the interstate and that they'd do it with a smile. A police chief in NW Iowa surprisingly kept his job after posting on the largest local news Facebook page to speed up, nothing but some speed bumps in regards to blocked roads. When you're the cause of a lawsuit in trucking everything about your past whether its tickets, failed inspections, lying on your DOT physical or breaking company policy, or social media posts will be used to portray you to be a danger on the roadway that should've been taken off long ago. I'm sure if I'm ever involved in litigation they'll pull up my post here on my RR crossing violation and try to use it against me.
The way my company handles it is that if we mention where we work online we then represent them and must do so accordingly. I've mentioned my employers name here so if I started being real insensitive or inappropriate it could lead to repercussions with my employer. There are some members here who wish to keep their employer private for this very reason.
Last year there was a college kid that had a sign at a college football game asking for money to buy a case of bud light. He ended up raising over a million dollars he donated to the University of Iowa's Children's Hospital. Posts that he made several years prior regarding a racial Dave Chappelle skit were uncovered and this guys name was dragged through the mud by a reporter trying to make a name for themselves.
That is so true! I did see that on the news a few months ago. The trucker I saw was driving his route down the interstate which was being illegslly blocked by hundreds of BLM protesters. The driver could have ran them over if he wanted to (and I'm sure most people would want to), but he didn't. He eased on cautiously and they intentionally stood in his way, then broke into his truck on the highway.
Sure he should have called dispatch and backtracked, but I'm sure the company would have taken it out of his pay too. I don't see that that trucker broke any laws in what he did, AND he was hijacked. Now he has no job.
But people have personal lives, and they have the moral and constitutional right to share there personal lives on social media without having to be fired or fear of being fired. I'm not even going to get into the legal scale of things on this matter, because it's plain common sense. Now if someone defamed their company with a disreputable act where it wasn't illegal, then that's a different story.
Also sometimes things that are "controversial" and publicised by a worker has repurcusdions, even if what was publicised is true. I could make all the CSA posts in the world and express my values, views, and the morality of it, and the true history of it, and people who have differing views can punish me for it. That doesn't mean to stop standing for you believe is right and moral, it just means move on and find a better employer, not be so scared you can't express your politics online.
That's all I'm saying. America is on the fringe of censoring to the point the general public can't openly communicate, be honest, and can't express themselves in a peaceful manner without being fired or rebuked.
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices
Simple set your facebook etc to Private, friends only, whatever then the "Joe Public" has no access.... Me, myself, I say what I think, and don't give 2 hoots who don't like it.....How we were raised plain n simple.
All this politically correct BS evidently hasn't worked too well, or we wouldn't be in this free for all mess we're seeing now in the cities, and streets of America.
They don't like it here in the U.S.? easy, LEAVE, then see how good they had it here !
I have my Facebook set to NEVER.
Never been on it, and never will.
Lol PackRat my buddys the same I only got it in 2010 to keep in touch with old friends n family.
Now for my friends and contacts overseas who I hope to see soon as this virus craps old news n forgotten
Lol PackRat my buddys the same I only got it in 2010 to keep in touch with old friends n family.
Now for my friends and contacts overseas who I hope to see soon as this virus craps old news n forgotten
I got rid of Facebook last year. Ended up going back on 3 months ago for the reasons you mentioned and was bombarded with requests from old high school friends. Very rarely talked to them when I had FB the first time and haven't really done anything since I graduated 12 years ago. I figure if family is interested in what me or my kids are up to they can call. Not surprising I have nearly zero contact with any family other than my wife and kids. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have put everything right at our finger tips that people have forgotten how to pick up the phone. I ended up deleting it again within 2 weeks and have no interest in going back on.
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One question that drivers should be constantly asking … even long before a lawsuit situation develops, after an accident for example … is what am I doing now that is going to be used against me big time if I am sued?"
When a social media presence could hurt a driver or carrier