Question

[layoutshooter]

Chaining up to drive into bad weather has never made sense to me. If I ever chain up it will be for one reason only, just to get out of the mess and find a place to stop. If the roads are so bad that they require chains it is too bad and unsafe to drive.

I use chains often when driving on lakes ice fishing. We always chain all four tires. No use having traction on your drive wheels and not your steers. Our trucks are all 4 wheel drive as well.

When hauling freight, chains are a last resort to get out of trouble. Our carriers should make that policy. Park it if chains are required.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Real Men, Drive Real Trucks..anytime, anywhere...

besides you have to get that Picasso to that museum!!!

 

[layoutshooter]

I took a 200 mile detour on an art load last month, to avoid driving into a blizzard. I still got the load there on time. I would not have if I had stayed on my original route. I-40 was closed. I would have been stopped for 24-36 hours. With an additional passenger. That would not have been a good thing. I will always go out of my way if possible to avoid dangerous driving conditions. I think that driving into a blizzard just shows me that someone is just 3 cards short of a full deck.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I guess we'll never make the Col's army

 

[ebsprintin]

I would be interested in hearing from other fleet owners and companies, since they're invested in the game as well. What is their definition of "whusses"? I'd like to see the definition in writing.

eb

 

[geo]

always being safe first is the only question that has tobe ans
when i was with fedex cc i had one load i was hauling customer said , we are closing and we want driver to pull over and wait until it is safe to run again


had a customer who didn't care about me only wanted the load there it was in pa and they plow the road's not very well and i was over 2 hours late and he wanted 1/2 off for being late

when i started to pickup took hour to get out of parking lot as a truck was stuck and had to have a tow truck come and pull him out he had entrance to parking lot block and no could get out or in until he was pull out

one other tiime in nc troopers came on cb and said pull off at next exit as we are closing down i40 as it is not safe to be out here
pullin to truckstop and a fedexcc driver was on phone with
dispatch and they were telling him we don't care what trooper said you got to go

he asked me what are you doing stopping until road opens up again, so i took phone and told dispatcher trooper said off the road now, and here was his phone number and tell your dispatcher to call me

also told dispatcher i have called my wife and told her what was going on if anything happen she would sue her the dispatcher

so dispatcher so things my way

 

[layoutshooter]

It would be interesting to see carriers chime in with their policies.

 

[x06col]

As has been typed by one of the fellas on here several times "trust but verify". There are way too many out there that would like nothing better than to make a lengthy straight thru load into a couple day load IF any kind of crutch exists. They would do this for many reasons, including just plain laziness, and, some get anal at the first sight of a snowflake. Obviously, if the polzi have closed a road, then that's that!! As has been typed in this thread, IF your skill level does not allow you to negotiate {some} bad conditions...then what are you doing out there???? States require you to carry chains. And, the reason is NOT, because they don't do any good!!!! Nothing wrong with throwing chains to get over a pass to reletive safety, or, to get past a short ice stretch for that matter. Problem is, as I read responses, seems some just CHOOSE not to. My guestion would simply be.....IF you don't have the equipment, skill level, or, DESIRE to carry thru.....then what ARE you doing out there.

 

[Shadowpanda]

States require you to carry chains. And, the reason is NOT, because they don't do any good!!!! Nothing wrong with throwing chains to get over a pass to reletive safety, or, to get past a short ice stretch for that matter. Problem is, as I read responses, seems some just CHOOSE not to. My guestion would simply be.....IF you don't have the equipment, skill level, or, DESIRE to carry thru.....then what ARE you doing out there.

If I am reading your intentions right when you say these things then I would have to judge you as a manifestly UNSAFE driver and your apparent 'push through at all costs' attitude is gonna get you or someone else hurt.
I can tell you three things about carrier policies regarding chains. Covenant Transport will fire a driver if they are seen driving with chains on. Schneider won't fire a driver for chaining if there was absolutely NO safe place to pull over. IF he/she chained and gets into an accident and there was a safe place for them to have shut down, thats a preventable leading to termination.
FECC dispatchers may try to push a driver, though they are told very specifically not to. If one gets on your nerves, a call to the safety dept will set them straight in a flaming hurry.
Are you getting the idea here? If conditions suck that bad, what are YOU doing out there?
Furthermore I resent the hell out of your asinine insinuation that someone is lazy because they don't wish to chain. Forgive me if I have this insane desire to not slide screaming and crapping myself down a 7% grade to an untimely death! You can go down a mountain too slowly for conditions an infinite number of times. You only go down a mountain too fast for conditions ONCE!
You also demonstrate complete arrogance when talking about someone's skill level. Where you born an expert truck driver? Whatever you are now, you don't come across as expert, more like a complete boor who's attitude towards safety is a bit lacking and thoroughly unprofessional.

 

[x06col]

Of the companys you mention, I understand their stance on this. I wouldn't want the "two week wonders" exceeding their skill levels either. I guess my point is here, Rather than so many beating that safety drum so hard, just type "I don't wanna". It would be way easier and quicker. Nobody is advocating doing stewpid stuff, just suggesting that people use the equipment available to get it done without damage to anything (except cold fingers) If possible, steada jes lying down.

 

[pelicn]

Col, our bag of chains say "do not open" We've pushed through snow storms before, but never to the point of feeling unsafe. Freezing rain/ice is a different matter.

 

[x06col]

I understand the part about the "do not open", it's way too common. Regardless, i'm wondering what part of "nobodys advocating doing any stewpid stuff" that y'all don't understand....it's not rocket science. To me it would be best to do what ya gotta do, to get out of a bad situation. And if it means using "tools" to be more secure, then....why not???

 

[x06col]

BTW, i've got eight pairs of never used chains in the shed if anyone needs some. Ya see...some of my drivers didn't think they needed them also.

 

[greg334]

FECC dispatchers may try to push a driver, though they are told very specifically not to. If one gets on your nerves, a call to the safety dept will set them straight in a flaming hurry.

Sorry Panda, this is not true. Even with Force Majeure in the contract, there may be a problem with the dispatcher and safety on the issue. It has been known to happen a number of times where the dispatcher said "drive it" and safety would back them. Not saying the Fed is the only one, they are not but some of these people are not trusting the contractors ability to make a judgment call.

Also there is a BIG difference between mainstream trucking companies and the 'expediter' companies. Many of the mainstream companies do not hire self-taught operators, where the expediter companies will without hessitation - our Star Successful Expediter is one of them. Having gotten your license by passing a simple written test and then a simple road test doesn't make one an intelligent driver and this is where I think is the biggest problem we have. I came to one conclusion that if the person can't pass a hazmat test, they should not be in the driver seat - the hazmat test is too easy - and if you can't pass that test, how can anyone expect to make decisions to be safe with a truck?

When you drive during inclement weather your safety depends on the abilities and judgment of every driver on the road .

This is my point about inexperienced drivers and how easy it is to get into the driver's seat.

 

[cheri1122]

Agree with Greg: it's not my own abilities that worry me, it's the other guys'. The ones we see going unintentionally offroading whenever the roads get icy. [And I've seen a LOT of them!]
When roads are seriously icy, I'd rather not take the risk of sharing them with idiots.

 

[pelicn]

Yes, the "other guys" abilities do scare me. When in bad weather, space space space.

 

[greg334]

Smith System - Driver Safety Training

 

[RLENT]

Smith System - Driver Safety Training

Should be part of the required training and competency to get any type of motor vehicle license.

 

[layoutshooter]

No matter how good your training is or not, no matter how good your test is or not, once you get on the road you are an inexperienced driver, period. It is no different in any other profession. I used to see people come out of college with this or that degree and come to work thinking that the degree was all that they needed, they knew it all already. Very few came out of school knowing that the degree was just the starting point and now the real learning begins.

Everyone starts new at some point. When they start their skills are not a good as they will be at some point out in time. That is assuming that they are capable of learning. This is a skilled profession. It takes time to develope the needed skills. Nothing can change that.

Yes, there is a need for better training, without a doubt. There is a need for better testing as well. Having both would help to jump start the learning process once you get out on the road. Those things will never replace experience. Time and miles are the only true way to gain better skills. Nothing can change that. The biggest thing that better training and testing can do, and it is very important, is giving a new driver a better starting point.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

nothing like that floating feeling as you skim over that black ice and your heart is in your throat and your heartbeat is in your ear!...I had that this morning..*LOL* It sure wakes one up real quick...