About Me
- Shannon
- I'm a slightly mad pagan trucker with an unhealthy obsession with yarn.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Policing ourselves
11:05 PM | 
Posted by
Shannon
Today I did something I've never done before. I called in on another driver. It was just the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. While sitting in a short backup coming into a construction zone, a driver came up the left lane, passing 2 cars trying to get in the right lane. He was still doing 55 & passed them by running onto the lefthand shoulder, just so he could get to the front of the line.
This is something that is seen on a daily basis. So called professional drivers, acting in an unprofessional & unsafe manor. But as drivers what do we do? Most of the time nothing is said, other than bitching on the radio. Then the driver that says something about it is told to "shut up & drive your truck & I'll drive mine." Yet more unprofessional behavior. So what options are left? One could call the cops, but unless it's a drunk driver they generally are not interested. So calling the company is the only 'option'. And yes, companies do take these calls seriously.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating calling in for a minor "oh crap, I had my head up my butt" moment. Because we all have those from time to time. But if someone is driving recklessly that is a different story. While this recklessness is in itself a serious issue the bigger problem are companies & driving schools. Companies are under pressure to keep a driver in the truck & driving schools are cranking out student drivers at an extremely high rate. While many of these drivers will mature into very good drivers, the ones that don't make the rest of us look bad. But most of these companies have no idea of the unsafe nature of their drivers. I know it seems as though most companies only want a warm body in the truck, but most of them want that warm body to do the job in a safe & professional manner. So if nobody is telling them, how are they going to know?
So unless we start policing ourselves, no one else is going to.
This is something that is seen on a daily basis. So called professional drivers, acting in an unprofessional & unsafe manor. But as drivers what do we do? Most of the time nothing is said, other than bitching on the radio. Then the driver that says something about it is told to "shut up & drive your truck & I'll drive mine." Yet more unprofessional behavior. So what options are left? One could call the cops, but unless it's a drunk driver they generally are not interested. So calling the company is the only 'option'. And yes, companies do take these calls seriously.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating calling in for a minor "oh crap, I had my head up my butt" moment. Because we all have those from time to time. But if someone is driving recklessly that is a different story. While this recklessness is in itself a serious issue the bigger problem are companies & driving schools. Companies are under pressure to keep a driver in the truck & driving schools are cranking out student drivers at an extremely high rate. While many of these drivers will mature into very good drivers, the ones that don't make the rest of us look bad. But most of these companies have no idea of the unsafe nature of their drivers. I know it seems as though most companies only want a warm body in the truck, but most of them want that warm body to do the job in a safe & professional manner. So if nobody is telling them, how are they going to know?
So unless we start policing ourselves, no one else is going to.
Labels: crochet, yarn
Monday, May 11, 2009
A letter to those who ask why............
Dear Sir or Madam,
You have inquired as to why I would ever want to drive a truck. So let me ask you a few questions.
Have you ever chased a sunset across Montana??
Awoken on top of the hill at daybreak looking down on Albuquerque on the morning of the annual balloon festival??
Seen the sun rise off the Maine coast??
What about driving thru California farm country & seeing nothing but beautiful, fragrant roses as far as the eye can see?
There are many more breathtaking sights I have seen crossing this country & lots of others have seen these same things. But how many can say they got paid to see them?
Being a truck driver epitomizes the American spirit of freedom & independence. Yes, there are many things (the layovers, crummy truck stops, the impossible delivery schedules)that are not so glamorous about trucking. Many days it’s a dirty, thankless job. You may see a slow & lumbering truck as something of a nuisance, but please remember this, without trucks you wouldn’t have that nice car you’re driving or the clothes on your back. So next time you’re tempted to give one of us a wave, let us see all of your fingers & not just one.
Sincerely yours,
Gypsy
You have inquired as to why I would ever want to drive a truck. So let me ask you a few questions.
Have you ever chased a sunset across Montana??
Awoken on top of the hill at daybreak looking down on Albuquerque on the morning of the annual balloon festival??
Seen the sun rise off the Maine coast??
What about driving thru California farm country & seeing nothing but beautiful, fragrant roses as far as the eye can see?
There are many more breathtaking sights I have seen crossing this country & lots of others have seen these same things. But how many can say they got paid to see them?
Being a truck driver epitomizes the American spirit of freedom & independence. Yes, there are many things (the layovers, crummy truck stops, the impossible delivery schedules)that are not so glamorous about trucking. Many days it’s a dirty, thankless job. You may see a slow & lumbering truck as something of a nuisance, but please remember this, without trucks you wouldn’t have that nice car you’re driving or the clothes on your back. So next time you’re tempted to give one of us a wave, let us see all of your fingers & not just one.
Sincerely yours,
Gypsy
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Scathing Response
@TruckerDesiree’s response is just……so……uh wow…………..
Seeing as how she won’t post anything in a public forum, I figured I would share her response with you all. The following was sent to me via direct message on Twitter. Complete with typos so that way she can’t say I misquoted her.
I only block people who make a career from me because they have no life of their own. I'm tired of giving them free material when they could be foing something useful like taking care of their kids. BTW did you ever see your new friends post about how she felt about Trucker who crochet & have you easy going manner? That's the funny part. You morons don't even know where all the previous posts are that make you look like total fools. Also "Women in Trucking" um.. well, I will let you find out for yourself. Its a suprise. If you guys only have 5 brain cells between you instead of ... oh brother...
Where oh where do I start????
Ok first of all, you block people who have don’t buy into your line of crap, plain & simple. FYI I’ve made driving my career & you are just a minor annoyance along the way. By the way I can still see everything you post. Just because you’re not in my tweet stream doesn’t mind I can’t see your inane babble.
Number 2. I don’t have kids. Love them, just don’t want them. So if you’re going to try & put me ‘in place’ with a statement like that, just maybe you should find out a bit more about me.
Number 3. I’m not sure which new friend you’re talking about. But if someone has a problem with me because I crochet & knit & drive a truck…..bring it on.
Number 4. Well since I’m such a fool, why don’t you show me these posts. But I would rather look like a fool, than a misinformed ass with a persecution complex.
Number 5. A ‘suprise’ ooooooo I like SURPRISES!!!! So what are you going to do??? Drag my name thru the mud & post horrible things about me online or are you going to call my mommy & tell her I’ve been a bad girl?? (actually she already knows, where do you think I learned all my evilness from??) So whatever you decide to do, all I have to say to that is, BRING IT BITCH!!!!!!(that one’s for you Terry *grin*)
Number 6. I had more brain cells but they committed suicide after reading your tweets. I know that wasn’t very nice. But I couldn’t help myself.
You probably think that I’m doing this out of jealousy or something like that, but really I’m not. Or because your ‘girly’ & ‘feminist’, & all I have to say to that is PUH-LEEZ. I’m sure it would probably be a great shock to know that I’m exactly those things that you claim to be. I wear skirts, get my nails done, crochet & knit, & have worked twice as hard as you’ll ever have to just so ‘women’ like you can even be given half a chance. I am by no means one of the true pioneers of women in trucking. Maybe you should check out Lillie Drennan or some of the women here.
It just sickens me to see someone, under the guise of being a trucker, make crackpot statements against other drivers & the industry in general. I know it might actually shock you to know that we do agree that there are changes that need to be made in the industry. So those of us who have been working ‘behind the scenes’ to make the industry better will continue to do so, without feeling the need to bask in a spotlight.
"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." ~Charlotte Whitton
Seeing as how she won’t post anything in a public forum, I figured I would share her response with you all. The following was sent to me via direct message on Twitter. Complete with typos so that way she can’t say I misquoted her.
I only block people who make a career from me because they have no life of their own. I'm tired of giving them free material when they could be foing something useful like taking care of their kids. BTW did you ever see your new friends post about how she felt about Trucker who crochet & have you easy going manner? That's the funny part. You morons don't even know where all the previous posts are that make you look like total fools. Also "Women in Trucking" um.. well, I will let you find out for yourself. Its a suprise. If you guys only have 5 brain cells between you instead of ... oh brother...
Where oh where do I start????
Ok first of all, you block people who have don’t buy into your line of crap, plain & simple. FYI I’ve made driving my career & you are just a minor annoyance along the way. By the way I can still see everything you post. Just because you’re not in my tweet stream doesn’t mind I can’t see your inane babble.
Number 2. I don’t have kids. Love them, just don’t want them. So if you’re going to try & put me ‘in place’ with a statement like that, just maybe you should find out a bit more about me.
Number 3. I’m not sure which new friend you’re talking about. But if someone has a problem with me because I crochet & knit & drive a truck…..bring it on.
Number 4. Well since I’m such a fool, why don’t you show me these posts. But I would rather look like a fool, than a misinformed ass with a persecution complex.
Number 5. A ‘suprise’ ooooooo I like SURPRISES!!!! So what are you going to do??? Drag my name thru the mud & post horrible things about me online or are you going to call my mommy & tell her I’ve been a bad girl?? (actually she already knows, where do you think I learned all my evilness from??) So whatever you decide to do, all I have to say to that is, BRING IT BITCH!!!!!!(that one’s for you Terry *grin*)
Number 6. I had more brain cells but they committed suicide after reading your tweets. I know that wasn’t very nice. But I couldn’t help myself.
You probably think that I’m doing this out of jealousy or something like that, but really I’m not. Or because your ‘girly’ & ‘feminist’, & all I have to say to that is PUH-LEEZ. I’m sure it would probably be a great shock to know that I’m exactly those things that you claim to be. I wear skirts, get my nails done, crochet & knit, & have worked twice as hard as you’ll ever have to just so ‘women’ like you can even be given half a chance. I am by no means one of the true pioneers of women in trucking. Maybe you should check out Lillie Drennan or some of the women here.
It just sickens me to see someone, under the guise of being a trucker, make crackpot statements against other drivers & the industry in general. I know it might actually shock you to know that we do agree that there are changes that need to be made in the industry. So those of us who have been working ‘behind the scenes’ to make the industry better will continue to do so, without feeling the need to bask in a spotlight.
"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." ~Charlotte Whitton
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