Take your shoes off please!

[Streakn1]

Although the following situation is something any of us is faced with when we go into a facility that does vehicle searches, I'm going to pose this question as a hypothetical situation:

Its a rainy day and the ground is muddy at the shipper/receiver's vehicle inspection point. You are told to open all doors and wait outside the vehicle so they can do a "full" vehicle search. You never wear your own shoes past the drivers area of your truck so as not to track in dirt,grease, pee,etc from the ground into your sleeper. You politely ask this person(s) to remove their shoes at the front seats prior to entering your sleeper, explaining that shoes are not allowed to be worn in that area.

How far would you push the issue and stand your ground if met with resistance? How much say (control) do you have in this situation? Afterall, if you are not forbidding the search to be executed, rather you are only putting a reasonable condition as to how the search is to be done, don't you as the owner of the vehicle have the final say?

 

[wallytrucker1]

If I were the guard I would probaly tell you to turn and come back when you were ready to make your delivery. I don't wear shoes at home, but I don't think I would ask a repairman coming in to take his shoes off to do his job. You might not want some of these guards to take their shoes off( whewwww). Most often , they just jump up and look for passengers, rarely get one that goes too far in. Maybe your expierences have been different. Might ##### him off and really tear into your "home"..

 

[cheri1122]

How far would I push the issue? To the point where it becomes contentious. Because
How much control do you have? A lot - you can do it their way, or you can do it the hard (and extremely time-consuming) way.
It's not fair, but the cold, hard truth is that the inspectors can make you sorry you showed up, if they've a mind to.
Better you wipe up after them, than spend a lot longer putting the whole sleeper back the way it was, if you've pi**ed them off, IMO.

 

[greg334]

I wouldn't even consider saying a word to someone who inspects my truck unless you are conversing with them and they appear to be pleasant about what they are doing.

I have run into some who are so arrogant that even asking them to repeat their instructions gets them rather upset, so the shoe thing is out of the question.

Also just thinking about it, don't ask any customs agent to do that. If you get the someone who is rather not in the mood to deal with the request, they may decide to hold you up for a while so they can tear your truck apart. They do not have to explain what or why and they do not have to put it back together.

Many look at a truck as a tool, not a living room and it is not their job to worry about keeping your truck clean but to follow the rules they have to follow.

 

[Streakn1]

Great responses thus far! As for asking a Customs Officer or law enforcement ie, police, sherriff or highway patrol, thats a no brainer!

In this post I'm referring to rent a cops that more and more are being posted at the gates of secured facilities.

 

[Moot]

Carry some of those disposable slip on shoe cover things. Ask the nice rent-a-cop dude to please use them before entering your truck. As an added bonus allow them to keep the little booty things.

Also with a magic marker and a bit of imagination these shoe covers make wonderful hand puppets. Turn your passenger side window into a puppet theater.

Hellyes Helouise

 

[are12]

We have throw rugs down on our floors so we would not have an issue with anyone going into the sleeper. I find it alot easier to pick them up and wash them, than to shampoo the carpet.

 

[TeamCaffee]

We also use the throw rug over our wood floor. We buy inexpensive rugs with the non slip backing. We have found that the constant shaking out of the run and also washing them we go through several a year.

 

[geo]

i go on base all the time and just open up all door's and hood for them to look at and sometimes i can't open the side door tell 'em side door is blocked and they don't have a problem plus going there all the time know most of them and one's i don't get to know them
cause i know how i was in navy i was military customs
and shore partol, and station in mayport fl, had a commander wife
alway give us a hard time at the main gate so one day pull her over and search the van she was driving bought out the tool box and took the car a part, seat's out , put car up on 4 jack stand and took tires off and off the rims to, door panel's dash out when we were done looking she ask what do i do now put it back tograther now
we let her use the phone at the gate and she called her husband and he came out and put the car back tograther
and he told her i told you not to give them a hard time as this is what they will do,
word got around and never had anymore problems

 

[swiftyexp]

Oh I agree with you guys. Having your truck searched is a part of this business. I am not sure I would ask the guy to take his shoes off. Also Truck Drivers and Expediters often moan and complain about no respect and then I see post refering to Security Personel. Deflaimed and call "Rent-A-Cop" Hmmmmmm anyway thats another post.

Anyway I think there were some good ideas thrown around but I keep my truck clean and smelling good and am particular but I don't consider myself that anal about it. I think if you continue to do that you would not only run into problems the company you lease to might have a complaint towards you also. Most of the time they just look back in my sleeper I cant ever remember a Guard climbing in my sleeper

Have a Good day

 

[flatbedin]

I pulled up to a "facility" in Washington State one time and the "gaurds" at the first check point, and second check point, were holding automatic firearms.. I wouldn't have cared if they were covered in hog crap, they could have crawled all over my truck, and I would have sat there and smiled the whole time..

On the flip side, I've never had a "rent-a-cop" do anything more than climb into the drivers seat and see if I had anyone else in the truck. Even at border crossings, they have never "searched" my truck.. Guess being a "red-neck" has some advantages.. LOL

 

[Streakn1]

Hey Moot,

Love the idea of the disposable slip on booty things!!! On my way to buy a package now. Can't wait to hand a pair to the next person and say "USE EM" that says they're searching our sleeper.

Afterall, we have shippers and receivers that make us wear the booty things plus hair nets before we enter their facility! So why not make the guard wear the booties things, gun or no gun? I aint afraid!!! I think I'll buy pink. LOL

 

[swiftyexp]

Streakin , I love the idea of the Pink Booty things. Flatbedin, I am with you most of the time they never come in peek there head in sleeper from the drivers seat or standing on Tank for the Guards, however I am searched often at canadian border. Been there 3 times in a Year searched Twice. Clean Cut, Red haired guy from the south can you get anymore redneck than that.........lol