Dirty Truckers

[Axis714]

Im sorry to wreck your illusions of grandeur "ladies", but after a verbal assault like that, I feel the need to politely respond to the naive, newbie statements.
Let me start by stateing there are 2 types of drivers.
#1 Drives for show
#2 Drives for dough
Personally, I choose the latter, but if playing the chrome,bells and whistles,and big radio games is your bag, Giddy-Up!

cheri1122-"You and your fellow "filthy pig" drivers offend me in every way!" - All the more reason to go back to selling Mary Kay and haveing Tupperware parties!
"you can work at a junkyard, landfill, or county dump" - To make a brief point, these guys dont sleep in a parking lot every night, and on average make a higher wage with better retirement and benefits than a freight hauler.

klippencott-"How about posting your route and schedule" - The mere fact that you use these terms leads me to believe you understand quite little about expediting.
"a factory job gives you a 15 min. brake and a 30 min. lunch."- If its breaks and lunch youre worried about a State job might suit you well.
"I assure you that I have no respect for you!"- AWWW, darn it. And its the admiration and respect of other drivers that Ive been desperately seeking all these years out here. I guess I blew it!

1 response I do agree with happens to be the mods "Keep it between the lines"

Respectfully,
Axis

 

[aquawarrior7]

I had to respond to this topic.
Just 2 days ago my partner and I went into the flying J and decided we were going to save ourselves from infections and such by not eating the buffet that day thanks to reading this. Well about 6 hours after sharing a chicken salad and some boiled eggs from the deli area my stomah began to ache. A little later cause I started eating about 15 minutes before her, my partner started having problems. We had to go OOS so we could stay near the Restroom for about a day and a half.
Then it was funny we finally felt like we might be able to handle regular food again as all we could eat was soup, we headed for a shower and a buffet. Partner decided at the table not very couth I know to brush her hair a little. The waitress came up and told her not to cause, "You know hair flies around and might get into someones food." There was no one around and besides The food THEY sered gave us FOOD POISIONING.

 

[Packmule]

Let me say in defense of most Truckstops (Larger Chains, Ta's,FlyinJ's etc.) They do put forth an effort to keep the locations clean and meet health code requirements. But let's face it guys, they are out numbered 500 to 1 on a daily basis. That is why I feel it is important for our benifit and our fellow truckers, to do everything we can to keep the primises clean. We know to wash our hands after using the restroom, and before eating. We know to cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze. We know that we have to take time to bath, no matter how hard you run this you can make time for that.
And let me ask you this, Would you Pee in your bedroom? Well when you pee in the parking lot of a truck stop you just did!!! Not only your bedroom but about 150-200 other truckers who are sleeping there.
You don't think as you walk through that parking lot what you are stepping in, or the fact that you are taking someone elses urine right into your living quarters when you get back in your truck.
Truckstops put garbage cans out for our use...so use them, Don't just chunk your garbage on the ground as you are pulling out. It's just the little things that we can do to help each others lifes on the road be a little easier.
Yes I agree with the statement about being in a hurry and the need to get it eat it use it and go...but we are not talking downtime here, we are talking seconds maybe even a minute or two to do things your Momma raised you to do.
Some Truckstops have problems and get below par, but for the most part they do try. When we find one that is far below standards it is our duty to report them to the Manager or Corporate. Remember we pay for the standards with every Gal.of fuel, every drink, and anything purchased there. They have alotted a percentage of their profit to the overhead of maintiance. If it's not there...we are not getting what we paid for.
Some will never change, it is just not in their nature to care about or want to help his brother, so for them the rest may have to do a little more.

Down the road,
Dan

 

[cheri1122]

You didn't wreck "my illusions of grandeur" - never had any."Naive newbie" - maybe, maybe not - but does it mean I'm wrong? "2 kinds of drivers" - I've seen many combinations, few who are strictly one or the other."Go back to selling Mary Kay & having Tupperware parties" - this comment demonstrates your total ignorance of women in general, & me in particular. I obtained my CDL A with Hazmat in order to support myself & be independent, and I work hard to accomplish that. I am frequently in a big hurry, but I have time to keep myself & my clothes clean, wash my hands in the rest room, and dispose of my trash in a proper receptacle. I have respect for myself & my fellow human beings, drivers or not.
I won't respond on behalf of Klippencott - I think she can do a pretty good job of that herself.
I pity men like you, who cannot appreciate the capabilities of women, almost as much as I pity the women who get involved with men like you.

 

[Critter Truckin]

>there are a lot of nasty/filthy men out there(not just
>drivers)men who stand there and ##### all over the seats
>instead of using the urinals.Ive seen them coming out of the
>crapper, walk past the sinks and head straight to the buffet
>bar(which i never eat off of)and think nothing of it. I for
>one walk into the restrooms to do my business once finished
>touch nothing once my hands are washed(especially) the door
>handles.Come on america wise up and clean your nasty habits

They only ##### on the seats??? I've seen worse, and if I say what I saw in here, then I'll suffer the wrath of the censorship gods once again. I'm glad I'm laying up at home for the next few days!!!

Wait... STOMACH CRAMPS!!!

 

[Crazynuff]

>Hey Axis714,
>How about posting your route and schedule so the rest of us
>know to stay away!
>
>There's no job in the world that's so important that you
>can't take time to conduct very basic human disease
>prevention! How long does it take to wash your hands? Maybe
>a minute? If you don't have a minute maybe you need to look
>for a different job, a factory job gives you a 15 min. brake
>and a 30 min. lunch.
>
>I assure you that I have no respect for you!
I must have missed something in Axis714's post . Not agreeing with him but I never saw him say he didn't wash his hands .

 

[greg334]

It is funny that this thread is revived when I sit here wondering why I felt sick for the last couple days, maybe a mild case of something.

Look I have to tell you all that there are problems with this idea that a truck stop is just that – a truck stop. Not to beat up on anyone specifically, the fact is that the chains are moving away from exclusive service to truckers and want to welcome most travelers (i.e. families) into their establishments. Being a more family centric location allows them to make more money – the key here – and they try harder to attract the Smiths in their motor home going down to Orlando.

But I am going off in a different direction than I intended.

So I find three problems for many of us who want to stay out of the hospital;

lack of effort on the employee’s part to follow the basic hygiene and food prep rules

a lack of concern with many who accept mediocrity of the employees and don’t care about themselves by demonstrating a lack of basic decorum (washing their hands)

and finally the people who live like pigs, filthy, stinky people that look like they just got out of the manure pile. Sorry to sound so harsh but I sat next to one once and every time I moved he moved next to me and my van actually stunk for two days after.

I know I am not perfect but who is?

Sorry Flying J, Pilot and T/A I will buy your prepackaged food (like Slim Jims) and coffee but I RARLEY eat where I am stopped over simply because I don’t have control over what is going on and seen too many bad things that some employees do. Buffet, for get about it, I won’t eat at a buffet ever – you figure it out. A lot of times I will get carry out from a restaurant or health food (i.e. McDonalds/BK/White Castle), other times I have prepared food from home.

Well I have to say something else, the idea put forth that there are two types of truckers – I think that this is wrong. I am going to sound harsh again - I see several types of truckers;

the one who makes this a career and cares (which most of EO members are)

the one who treats this as just a job and just gets by

the idiot who has no other future in anything else (which seems to be a large number of them p***ing in a bottle and throwing out the window)

Because we are faced with serious issue of moving freight and a lack of drivers (or companies that care) the standards are moved down and I am afraid that it don’t matter who is behind a wheel of a truck to many of these companies. The acceptance and toleration of the dregs in this profession is baffling because a lot of times it directly affects all of us.

 

[Critter Truckin]

Wait... did you see me do that??? I better start hiding that from the outside world!!!

 

[ConfusedMuse]

Having read all the posts it seems that everyone thinks that just the men in our profession are the pigs. Wish it was so but, sadly us women at times can be just a filty as our male counterparts. That said, buffets are prime grounds for the breeding of a vast assortment of bacteria. Not only in hot foods but in the cold ones too. As for eating anything that is served in,under, or with a creme sauce rest assured it is yesterday's main meat reincarnated into today's special... stay far away unless your on excellent terms with the cook who prepared it. From a food preparation course I took a small thought to remember next time you eat an egg... every 10,000 egg is loaded to the hilt with salmonella. Only complete cooking will eradicate the bacteria. Excerpt from Scientific American Issue October 2005 Handwashing with soap and water significantly reduces the spread germs. It takes but a few minutes to make your world a safer place.

 

[Critter Truckin]

Thank the monkies that the buffet eggs are powdered!!!

 

[bryan]

Hi
Let me start by saying I'm a fairly clean person with a fairly clean truck and I wash my hands.Now with that out of the way.No matter where you eat or what you eat you are getting germs with your food.I just watched a show where they tested ice at fast food resterauts all had some human feces in them.So unless you go home for every meal and sterilize the water, the food and all the utinsils your going to get germs in your food and drinks.

About the only thing you can do to keep youreself healthy out here is to eat 3 good meals a day, get plenty of rest and exercise.Also after suffering from what my doctor called trucker flu I now strip everything out of my truck twice a year and clean it with bleach and Lysol.Truckers flu is basicly a flu that just keeps coming back.You feel better for a day or two and then boom your sick again.Because the virus is living in the truck and so are you.I've drove trucks that I never got the flu in and I've drove trucks that I had to keep a small pharmacy in them.

PS: tolerance is a virtue

 

[cheri1122]

"Tolerance is a virtue" & I am pretty virtous - until your actions have a negative impact on my well-being, or that of my loved ones. After that, I'm not very nice anymore. That's who I am, & I'm too old to change now.....

 

[wahoofan]

Food poisoning strikes again, two innocent women get sick from eating food in a Helena, MT. truckstop. Friend of mine informed me of her recent experience eating at a truckstop. Both Diane and her mother have been awfully sick since they ate the food at this truckstop. T. Well she made the comment that they used to have good food at this particular stop, however it is under new ownership etc. I gave her a short lecture and warning about truckstop food, and in the future to be very careful about eating in truckstops. I realize it is not only truckstops that may serve food that will make you sick. I have gotten sick from eating at KFC buffets, buffets from mom and pop style restaurants etc.. It is no fun being so sick that you have the dry heaves, and are doubled over from vomiting so hard that you get muscle cramps. Everyone that has experienced this may be able to relate to this nightmare. I try to stay away from restaurants anymore and give truckstop buffets a pass. We are all responsible for our own hygiene and health. I am not so sure there is any real solution to this obstacle other than to prepare your own food.
Oh by the way you can report the particular truckstop or restaurant to the health department, for what good it does. I was interviewed over the phone and asked like 20 questions about my experience of getting sick from the food at a restaurant in town. Big deal, the health department representative explained to me, well there must be a pattern of sickness etc. and on and on and on. This restaurant is still serving their cocktail of sickness to this very day. I found out later from a local that used to work at this place while a student in high school of the hygiene practiced there or lack of hygiene implemented in daily food preparation. It was very intimidating listening to what he said about this place. (YUCK made me sick just listening to him tell his stories about this place!) Be Careful out there everyone. Many obstacles to this job of trucking etc. Be safe and hopefully profitable.

 

[Night_Runner36]

I have read all of the post's and it has been awhile since I have been back over the road ..it's been six years .. the last six I have been Hauling concrete and from day one I never ate My lunch in the break room as My ex fellow co workers were slobs and I was never so happy to stay hello to the open road again ...My first week out I was shocked at how some of the truck stops looked and not just the lots but the inside as well the worse by far was down in Alt Ga. OMG I had no choice but to stay at this TA has I was waiting to pick up a load from another driver needless to say I didnt get back out of the truck to eat or get a drink and only went in the use the rest room and I carried a paper towel with Me when I did from that day on I tend not to eat in the dinning rooms but cook My own in the truck same with drinks I buy what I need and eat in the truck unless when I pull into the truck stop and the lot looks good and dont knock Me out of the truck has soon as I open the door do I stay at the stop if it is bad I keep rolling along but .....the one thing I do is to always wash My hands and use the manners that both My grandmother and mother bestoled apon Me when I was growing up to always clean up after Myself and to leave the area clean when I leave ....stay safe and stay happy ....PS stay healthy and clean

 

[ATeam]

One of the guidelines I learned when I was in Boy Scouts was "Leave it cleaner than you found it." They were talking about campsites but it would be wonderful if truckers practiced the same ethic with their parking places and rest room use. It is not hard to do.

1. Don't urinate in the parking lot. Go inside and use the toilet.

2. Don't litter. Use the trash cans and dumpsters.

3. Pick up at least one item of litter or debris that someone else left behind.

If every trucker did that, truck stops would be much more pleasant for all who use them.

 

[Moot]

Phil,

Did you ever do the B.W.C.A. thing when you were in scouts. "Leave no trace".

 

[ATeam]

B.W.C.A. is on our to-do list. Before we got into expediting, we used to take vacation time and long weekends to paddle into the upper St. Croix flowage and base camp there. After getting into expediting, we have not taken a proper vacation in three years. How wierd is that?

 

[greg334]

I thought expediting was the vacation - how wierd.

 

[ATeam]

That was kind of the point. Sorry I made it poorly. If we felt the need for a formal vacation, we'd take one.

 

[Moot]

From "Dirty Truckers" to canoeing in the BWCA, only on E.O. Anyway, Phil, get yourself a roof rack for that new rig and throw a canoe on top and head NORTH young man. Now is the perfect time.

Told to me by a waitress in Duluth, MN.

What is the difference between a canoe and a Kunuck.

A canoe tips.