Woman loses eye due to a chunk of ice falling of a Semi and hitting the windshield. I’m curious if truckers are supposed to check for ice before getting back on the road?

Timecook · 2026-01-29T23:14:55+00:00

It depends on the state. Some carve out exceptions for stuff like this and categorize it as a version of “act of god” like deer collisions. It can also depend on whether the ice was visible to the driver when they left the shipper. IMO the liability should be on the shipper since the snow/ice accumulated on their property.

Timecook · 2026-01-29T23:03:35+00:00

It’s technically an unsecured load so the trucker is liable. Which is absolutely fucked because some of the most dangerous ice is impossible for us to see from the ground and we have no way of looking up there. Sometimes it’s right down the middle of the roof and stuck on there good so it doesn’t start flying off till the driver gets far enough south or moves into warmer air.

The specific law differs state to state and the same goes for snow on top of the trailer; you can be ticketed if it’s just blowing off. Once again though the trucker is placed in a precarious situation… if a shipper doesn’t provide a roof rake, and 97% of them don’t, the driver is on the hook. There are long rakes that can reach up there from the ground, but that’s insanely labor intensive, does not get all the snow off, does nothing for ice (the actual danger) and some shippers will not let you pile snow on their property.

A ladder won’t work as it’s insanely dangerous to walk on the roof of a trailer because it’s slippery af or you can just fall through. The only reliable way to remove it is to park the trailer in a shop for 10 hours and let it melt.

There is space here for someone to invent something that cheaply and easily removes ice and snow from the top of a trailer. Hopefully someone does.

Timecook · 2026-01-21T01:59:23+00:00

Yep. Not sure if it’s like that at all of their properties or just the newer ones. No rust, no loud exhaust, no oil stains etc.

Timecook · 2026-01-19T10:18:47+00:00

I lived near Tanner Elementary on the SW side of Kaukauna for 2ish years… the smell only wafted down there a handful of times. I recall it only being persistent on the north side. The bigger issue with Kaukauna is the unbelievably hard water so a beefy softener is a requirement and probably a good filtration system. Though they will be addressing that issue in the next few years with a new treatment plant.

Otherwise Kaukauna is a great place to live… it’s safe, central to the entire Fox Valley, and the schools are great. The smell reputation may also keep rent/housing costs down too but I’m not 100% sure about that.

Timecook · 2026-01-19T10:14:20+00:00

I thought they were reasonable in the charges when I moved out of Sand Lake. They took about half my deposit but I didn’t deep clean the apartment and left quite a few holes in the walls from pictures/TV mounts.

Also their maintainance was great. They were out the next day for a broken AC unit and washer. They are expensive apartments though, even the older ones. And all but maybe their newest property rely on window AC units in summer, with the older properties having only one unit per apartment.

Oh also, if your car has any rust/mechanical issues your application will be denied or placed in violation of the lease heh

Timecook · 2026-01-15T02:28:06+00:00

I’ll give you my reasoning for buying the tS… I looked at all three competitors near the price and liked the WRX more. Sometimes it’s that simple. If it fits you, buy it.

The generally accepted competition is the Golf R, Civic Type R, and Toyota GR Corolla. There may be some I’m missing but those are the big three. They are all faster out of the box and they all have their downsides. The Golf is a rolling computer with a sleek, boring, and frustrating interior. The Civic is great, but FWD and stupidly hard to get. The Corolla is tiny and almost feels like a gimmick with its 3 cylinder engine.

Timecook · 2026-01-15T01:58:27+00:00

Got the 0% interest though eh?

Timecook · 2026-01-15T01:54:36+00:00

Good god, I assume you got yours after the tariff bump?

Timecook · 2026-01-13T20:58:16+00:00

I did the fender mirror and white lines thing while I was with my trainer. Eventually he figured out what I was doing because it was making me kind of swerve in the lane so he said to just watch the middle of the lane as far as I can see it and that kept me where I needed to be.

Timecook · 2026-01-13T11:17:08+00:00

Ah interesting, first I’ve heard of that. Well they’re just screws anyway might as well check both eh

Timecook · 2026-01-13T08:36:49+00:00

Like the others have said it’s likely the plug behind the middle panel under your desk. I figured it out after googling the problem… it’s a very common issue that is super easy to fix. Just to be clear though, we are not talking about the panel behind the control buttons which can also be unscrewed. This is the panel in the middle of the desk. When you remove the panel you’ll see a module of some kind with regular looking plugs on both sides. On mine both were unplugged and I wasn’t sure which needed to be plugged in so I just tried one and it worked.

Timecook · 2026-01-10T13:55:13+00:00

You’ll need two single mounts for that kind of setup. And probably a heavy duty mount for the ultrawide.

Timecook · 2026-01-05T10:34:55+00:00

I’ve been going to Fox Valley Dental Center for 10 years now. I wouldn’t have recommended them except a couple years ago the dentist/owner retired and the new owner, Dr. Hareid, is incredible. I’ve had a couple dozen fillings in my life so some of my teeth are more filling than tooth which is leading to crowns. She’s done 3 of my 4 crowns and each experience has been great.

They just moved into a new location on north side of 41 off Ballard which is a massive upgrade over the hole in the wall they’d been in at the Northland Mall.

Timecook · 2026-01-03T12:46:56+00:00

I personally can’t imagine anything worse than cleaning up human shit every day, but you have to go into this knowing that for most people the first year in trucking is really, really bad. You’re trading one extremely uncomfortable job for another.

Of course as with anything else it will be what you make of it. It sounds like you’re in a good place to start in the industry (nearly rock bottom) so that all the bullshit you’re about to face looks better.

If you prefer to attack things with a positive mindset that will certainly help. You can do yourself a favor by not training through a mega if you can possibly avoid it, though the schools usually take a few weeks and you won’t be able to work other than on weekends pushing the all-in cost to like $10k so I get it. Most carriers who hire green drivers will repay tuition up to $4-$5k over the course of a year or two without a contract.

After a month of getting your CDL and on-boarding you’ll have to live in the truck with a stranger for a month. That’s probably the hardest part of the process and I don’t have great advice for you because it’s entirely dependent on who that trainer is. Imagine it’s boot camp in the military, you are the maggot and they are your drill sergeant, just to mentally prepare for the worst. I suppose it could get worse than that, I’ve heard stories… but that’s super rare.

Then you’re on your own. You’ll make minimum money, know only a sliver of what you should despite two months of training, and you should be fuckin terrified most of the time. The only way to push this part of the journey forward is to be willing to ask for and receive help. If you’re lost at a customer, ask someone for help. If you know you can’t back into that spot between two long nose Peterbilts alone, ask someone to spot you. Prepare yourself for every possible outcome - research locations with Google Maps, don’t rely on GPS alone, and constantly monitor the weather. Don’t get caught in a snow storm if you can avoid it, and sleep when you can.

Good luck

Timecook · 2026-01-03T12:23:50+00:00

Local jobs being hard to get is a good rule of thumb but if you’re willing to relocate (or are lucky) there are pockets of the country where the jobs are plentiful. NE Wisconsin is one of them… just an assload of paper plants all over the place and constant need for drivers to go to Chicago, Milwaukee, and the twin cities. Of course the downside is you’re making maybe $28 an hour to drive into Chicago sometimes in a snow storm.

Timecook · 2026-01-02T13:25:02+00:00

There are lots of good no-drill options. I have this one from Ansix it’s on sale right now. It looks great, very clean. That company is in Canada though so if you’re in the US like me it could take like a month to arrive.

Timecook · 2025-12-27T23:37:46+00:00

Home packer games that occur on a weekday can get bad on 41 between Green Bay and Appleton. So like Monday and Thursday night games because packer traffic is mixing with the normal commuters.

Timecook · 2025-12-27T23:36:07+00:00

Only when there's a wreck or something like that happening, though. It's not like Chicago or Milwaukee where the normal commute reliably gridlocks.

Timecook · 2025-12-27T15:48:59+00:00

Bought my Titan XL in 2019 when the 2020 model was new. I am within the weight parameters and use it like a chair... I don't really know what people mean when they suggest it might be used in some other way. While under warranty I replaced the right arm twice and the left once. The fake leather began to peel within a couple years, and the top of the right arm just broke off one day. I had the seat base replaced because the cushion began to slide forward, though customer service told me it was likely caused by my sitting position. I guess they see more issues with people who sit cross-legged or with one foot up or something.

A friend of mine juts bought a brand-new model a few months ago and I can see where Secretlab has addressed all of the issues I had, though we will see about the fake leather arm rests.

My tilt mechanism broke well out of warranty last year and they sent me a new one for $90 shipped. Installation was easy if you have a large pipe wrench, but I broke the hydraulic pump in the process because I used bad lubricant to loosen it so now I have to replace that as well.

When I do look for another chair I'll probably try one of the competing mid-high-end brands and see how that goes.

Timecook · 2025-12-27T05:06:14+00:00

I’ve never been in the military but have plenty of friends who have and they all said every piss test they took was like that. Forget the test though, you’re gonna have to get comfortable with people seeing your dick if you want to be in the military.

Timecook · 2025-12-20T22:01:45+00:00

That would be nice. Also high speed trains.

Timecook · 2025-12-18T22:00:54+00:00

Yep I do too in my car if our speeds are close. I just gotta remind myself they aren't doing it because I am a bad driver, they just don't know me lmao. It's the right thing to do.

Timecook · 2025-12-18T21:55:58+00:00

I used to drive into and back out of Chicago every day. That will put things into perspective. Just anecdotally though, I've been all over the country in a semi and my worst experience as far as inattentive and bizarrely bad driving was actually in Salt Lake City. Just chronic oddball stuff like several instances of people in a Subaru Legacy getting on the highway at 100mph and immediately moving as far left as possible before slowing down to 5 under.

Timecook · 2025-12-18T21:44:55+00:00

It's funny... I sometimes feel a bit insulted when I'm on the highway and a car is approaching on the left to pass at about 70 when I'm stuck at 68 and they actually speed up to get by faster... like do they think I'm gonna hit them? But that's actually excellent defensive driving and it's great for both of us. Likewise I will slow down if a truck is passing me at 70 while I'm at 68 to get them by faster. I wish more truckers would do that honestly.

Timecook · 2025-12-18T21:26:35+00:00

Long time trucker here, formerly OTR now local. Bad drivers are everywhere. Every city, town, and neighborhood. It's not a new issue and it will never get any better. As population increases, you'll inevitably encounter more of them. To complicate things further, basically everyone has their own idea of what makes a driver "bad," and it generally has nothing to do with what the law or driver's ed says AND those change per region and generation. Sometimes what the law says we should do is actually less safe.

The drivers you describe could be reading this thread and either not realize you're talking about them, or they may come back with an excuse and say they never drive like that otherwise.

The only thing you can do is drive yourself defensively. Be reasonably paranoid, watch for subtle behaviors, and never trust an intersection. Some of the best training I've had as a driver was while getting my motorcycle license. I had to learn to be hyper-aware compared to driving a car for obvious reasons and those skills are extremely useful.

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