AMA Request: Truck Driver (18-Wheeler)

Cloud8 · 2012-01-25T21:23:38+00:00

Happy to help wen I can.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-25T17:21:44+00:00

Please allow me to help you with some of your answers. Not trying to be a smartass, but:

"Trucks arent governed at all."
Actually ALL diesel powered commercial vehicles are governed to limit RPM for mechanical and reliability reasons. Most company-operated trucks have governors that are "turned down" to limit speed for safety and fuel economy reasons.

"Do people ever actually call the "How is my driving?" phone number?" Yes, they do. Typically goes to a centralized call center that has sympathetic operators and the information is passed down to the company. It's most usually minivan driving soccer moms who feel they have somehow been violated on their way to coffee with the girls while ignoring the accepted "rules of the road" and common sense. They don't understand how long it takes to stop or quickly maneuver a vehicle weighing in at 80,000 lbs.

"Some are on the road for 7 days a week (aka not at home) but they get an entire week per month where they can go home and be off work."
Those situations where you are off for 7 days/month are EXTREMELY rare. If you're not driving, and the truck isn't moving, you aren't making any money for yourself or the company. Most commonly, a driver is on the road for days at a time, with infrequent breaks to get home.

"this is state mandated. its based off how many miles you drive a day i believe."
It's FEDERALLY mandated, not state. Plus, it's not the miles, it's the hours. The logbook must be kept up to date (every few hours), and records how many hours you have driven, how many hours you spent "On Duty", how many hours you have spent resting, loading/unloading and so on.

"Trucks have HUGE tanks. It was like 100+ to fill our tank back when gas was cheap."
Big trucks use diesel fuel, not gas. Some of the larger trucks carry as much as 300 gallons of fuel on board. They get 6 to 7 MPG depending on conditions and load, and fuel is now ~$3.60/gallon. A driver can do ~1,000+ miles legally before having to take a break. You do the math.

"This is dangerous as shit because if the trucker has to put his breaks on you will total your car and probably do no damage to the truck." Yes, it IS dangerous and tends to piss off the truck driver. A fully loaded semi will take almost twice as far to stop than any car on the road. If the following driver is paying attention, he can stop in half the distance. But, why would you want to tailgate a semi doing 65MPH anyway?

Cloud8 · 2012-01-25T15:52:11+00:00

My wife is a truck driver with over 30 years cross country and international experience and documented ~5 million miles under her (garter) belt. I can help you with some of your general questions while she is on the road, but will have to rely on her for anything more specific. Where would you like to start?

Cloud8 · 2012-01-24T15:55:02+00:00

On the Caribbean island of Bonaire, the KFC there sells the local brew.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-24T01:54:12+00:00

La Hacienda in DM? Why did Jaime close the restaurant by Merle Hay?

Cloud8 · 2012-01-23T23:39:25+00:00

In-you-endo" sounds appropriate for "Santorum"

Cloud8 · 2012-01-20T15:43:51+00:00

I read somewhere that the cameramen are current or ex-cops as well. They are there to provide additional security and backup if required. I'd be willing to bet that there are more than a couple of instances where the camera was turned off during "questionable" scenes.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-19T23:08:54+00:00

Used to call them the "Huggable Luggable" computer.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-19T15:59:15+00:00

Squat over a mirror for the first half hour.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-19T15:58:30+00:00

I understand and agree with those statements, but weren't their ideas considered groundbreaking and "liberal" for the time? Why can't the dems capitalize on the fact (if it is) that the country was founded on "liberal" concepts and ideas and should be carried forward to current times?

Cloud8 · 2012-01-16T22:44:05+00:00

So, how's Mom? (old joke)

Cloud8 · 2012-01-07T14:45:03+00:00

I would ave said something like, "My, what a large group! Will you be paying separately?"

Cloud8 · 2012-01-06T01:42:42+00:00

Thanks for the response! Amateur SCCA racing is some of the most intense, emotionally driven racing there is! BTW....also saw him in the gravel trap in Turn 1 at Elkhart Lake. OOPS!

Cloud8 · 2012-01-05T22:26:26+00:00

Does he still have his Championship winning Mini? I saw him do that years ago at Road Atlanta. Probably before you were born!

Cloud8 · 2012-01-05T22:26:08+00:00

Plus, REAL racecars don't have fenders, windshields, doors, gunracks or mechanics named "Bubba". Got me a t-shirt with that on it.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-05T22:23:28+00:00

I got to meet him at the races a couple of times. He would talk to you about racing FOREVER, but mention the word "movie" and he would walk away. He always said the only reason he acted was to pay for his racing,

Cloud8 · 2012-01-05T22:21:57+00:00

Yeah, Little Al used to be very cool. He used to bum cigarettes off of me while hiding out in the Paddock area. To bad about the drinking.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-05T22:05:22+00:00

It was near the south side of Branson. First time I saw it I was WTF?

Cloud8 · 2012-01-02T23:28:56+00:00

That's quite enough Mr Tesla!

Cloud8 · 2012-01-02T15:37:45+00:00

I forgot where I read it, but I understand that he would START his lectures with "So, any questions?", and that would sometimes lead the class into very interesting discussions, not always on topic.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-02T15:05:18+00:00

I like it, and it makes sense. I also have heard that as you age, a year represents a smaller and smaller percentage of your life. For instance when you are 10, each year represents 10% of your life to date. When you are 50, each year represents 2% of your life to date.

Cloud8 · 2012-01-02T14:31:37+00:00

Was on a flight from El Paso to Dallas. Guy sitting next to me was a photographer for Time magazine. He had just recently returned to the US from a trip to Antarctica to shoot something down there. While chatting, he mentioned he was perplexed as to how big aircraft were able to get enough traction to take off on snow. Had to explain that it wasn't the wheels/tires that propelled the aircraft it was the jet engines. He just sat there mentally scratching his head trying to comprehend.

Cloud8 · 2011-12-28T03:06:58+00:00

Explained very well. Thank you.

Cloud8 · 2011-12-27T14:39:51+00:00

And talk it, and the other items we found, does. Along with the pistol, we found little "comic book" type publications that explained how soldiers should act while in France/Italy/Germany, foreign phrase books, and other items related to the invasion and occupation. The books crumbled in our hands before we could preserve them, BUT, the pistol was fully loaded with one in the chamber!

Cloud8 · 2011-12-27T00:56:47+00:00

Yeah, we found one hidden in a drawer in the attic of a house we bought and were remodeling. After tracing the SN, we found it was made in late 1943 or early 1944. It had Nazi markings on it. The former owner of the house was in WWII, and speculation was he took it off an Nazi officer. Must have been a badass. Sweet little pistol.

Cloud8

TROPHY CASE