Weapon at Base makes for a bad day!

[OntarioVanMan]

So, as I said before..when you get behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle..you are in essence agreeing to voluntarily give up your right to bare arms whilst driving. As per government regulations. They are NOT forcing you to submit, you do have a choice...don't drive a truck.

I am pretty sure Walmart doesn't allow their staff to carry while on the job either as terms of employment...

 

[ATeam]

Since this thread has become a right-to-bear-arms topic, let's consider this for discussion. Pretend -- say to address a cargo theft problem or because it is accepted as a national security measure -- it became legal in all states for truck drivers to carry guns, concealed or otherwise, in their trucks and on their persons. Pretend also that all carriers change their rules to allow drivers that wish to carry guns to do so.

How might such a change improve or degrade life on the road for truck drivers and for the people of the United States?

Personally, such a rule change would put me into an immediate fashion crisis. Would I dig out my old Army trunk and get my commando on, or would it be better to take my cue from Brinks truck drivers? Maybe the executive look would be better still where I'd sport a pistol small enough to conceal and accept the trade-off that I would not be able to blow away the evil hoards without changing clips. Most guns work with steel-toed boots but what do you carry when you are wearing Nike's or flip-flops?

 

[davekc]

My personal opinion would be to wait a year while the new CMV rules go into place to rid some of the undesirables and then follow with the same requirements that commercial pilots have.
If it is known to the public that some drivers may be armed, I can only see that as a good thing.
Could a problem develop somewhere, absolutely but that would apply to many professions that allow or require a firearm.
Just my take.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Well we claim to be responsible citizens and business owners and should have the right to protect ourselves...there are whackos in every profession..How many cops kill themselves or their families...too many...soldiers on bases, too many that commit gun crimes...it happens...for some to say or admit that truckers shouldn't carry is sort of admitting we can not be responsible....there is always the unknown factor in any job..like going postal..*G*

60MPH has already admitted to breaking the law publicly in link #28, so he must feel secure we'll not be arrested...

 

[greg334]

I would not want a lot of these people in this profession armed, it is bad enough they drive a truck and are accidents waiting to happen.

With the frustrations in the cab caused by other drivers, the regulations we face, the idea that we are consent targets for local, state and federal groups, I can see that it would be a mistake to allow weapons on board.

We don't have a mental health screening process, I don't think we can even be disqualified for a lot of the mental health issues, so it would make more sense to just say no.

 

[dieseldiva]

I would not want a lot of these people in this profession armed, it is bad enough they drive a truck and are accidents waiting to happen.

With the frustrations in the cab caused by other drivers, the regulations we face, the idea that we are consent targets for local, state and federal groups, I can see that it would be a mistake to allow weapons on board.

We don't have a mental health screening process, I don't think we can even be disqualified for a lot of the mental health issues, so it would make more sense to just say no.

Yep....I'm all for the right to carry but some, just some, places have to be off limits....in the cab of a truck needs to be one of these....JMHO

 

[blizzard2014]

As I said before, just because we have the right to do something doesn't mean that we should do it everywhere. In this day and age with road rage being what it is, I shudder to think about many of the idiots we see daily as gun carrying drivers. There are other ways to protect ones self out there on the road.

Some drivers are too lazy to fool with actully protecting themselves the old fashioned way; those are the ones who tend to carry fire arms.

 

[blizzard2014]

If I owned an expediting company, I wouldn't want my drivers to carry weapons in their trucks. It's not good for a carriers image to have drivers running around with loaded guns in their vans. I think some of the carriers who broker loads to other drivers should really check out their partner carriers a little bit better before they give them high priority loads. All it takes is one unprofessonal driver to cost a company like Fedex a really important account.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

OVM IF I WERE BREAKING THE LAW I WOULD OF ALREADY BEEN ARRESTED I HAVE HANDED MY WEAPON OVER TO ALOT OF ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS. AND HAVE ALWAYS GOT IT BACK WHEN MY TASK WAS COMPLETED AND I NEVER HAVE HAD A PROBLEM.

MATTER OF FACT I HIT A DEER LAST NIGHT IN THAXTON, VA. AND CALLED THE VA. STATE POLICE TO FILE A REPORT. WHEN HE ARRIVED HE ASKED ME IF I WAS UNDER LOAD, IF I HAD ANYTHING TO DRINK, AND IF THERE WERE ANY WEAPONS IN THE VAN. I OF COURSE WAS HONEST AS ALWAYS AND HANDED HIM MY WEAPON WHICH WAS IN ITS CASE, UNLOADED AND AMMO WAS STORED SEPARATELY. BY THE WAY I LIVE IN VA. AND HAVE A CCW SO I COULD OF HAD IT ON MY PERSONALLY BUT AS I WAS IN NYC EARLIER IN THE DAY I WAS NOT CARRYING IT ON ME. HE DID THE USUAL RAN ME TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY OUTSTANDING WARRANTS, THEN RAN THE GUN TO SEE WHO THE REG. OWNER IS AND HE FILLED OUT A POLICE REPORT BECAUSE THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE OVER $1500.00. AFTER ALL SAID AND DONE HE HANDED MY WEAPON BACK AND ASKED MY IF I WAS GOING TO SLEEP HERE FOR THE NIGHT I TOLD HIM YES AND THAT I WILL LOOK AT THE DAMAGE IN THE MORNING AND GO FROM THERE. WONDER WHY I WAS NOT THROWN IN JAIL IF I WAS BREAKING THE LAW. HMMMMMMMMMM

Maybe because he believed like you? another cop may not have been so obliging...

 

[60MPH]

Grinden that axe aren't we blizzard!

 

[blizzard2014]

Grinden that axe aren't we blizzard!

Are you going to stop typing to me now too. lol

 

[dieseldiva]

If I owned an expediting company, I wouldn't want my drivers to carry weapons in their trucks. It's not good for a carriers image to have drivers running around with loaded guns in their vans. I think some of the carriers who broker loads to other drivers should really check out their partner carriers a little bit better before they give them high priority loads. All it takes is one unprofessonal driver to cost a company like Fedex a really important account.

You've hit on the thing that sticks out most in my mind. I watch some of these "drivers" walk to and fro at the pumps and across the truck stop lots.......RARELY do I see one that I would want to think about carrying a gun!

It's not like it was in "the good old days" when drivers were the knights of the road. That's one of the things my Dad taught me when I first started driving....the truck driver is your friend, respect his space, signal him that you're coming around (the custom of the day), and signal him over. If you need help, the truck driver will be the first to help. Look around, it's not that way anymore.

 

[layoutshooter]

I have been asked on more than one occasion by a shipper, including 2 military bases, if we were armed. When I answer no that ask why not? They WANTED armed service.

 

[greg334]

So 60, I understand why it happened but let's say you are in NYC, do you think you won't be arrested?

How about NJ where there is a lot of deer?

 

[60MPH]

Greg i set u a pm.

 

[60MPH]

are you going to stop typing to me now too. Lol

sent you a pm

 

[layoutshooter]

Let's see, this IS a Constitutional RIGHT. We ALL have a RIGHT to defend our LIVES. NO police force or government can give us 100% protection 100% of the time. SO, we must be victims? We MUST give up our RIGHT to protect our LIVES? FedEx says that we cannot even have kitchen knives for preparing food if the blade exceeds two inches. Are they going to raise rates high enough to cover the additional costs of eating out all the time? When does the silly stop? When are we INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty? Oh yeah, I forgot, we NO LONGER have Constitutional RIGHTS in the United Soviet Socialist States of America!!

 

[Shadowpanda]

haha, was an interesting fleet message they sent today indeed. Apparently my poor multi-tool could be a weapon, I would have to measure.

Let's see, this IS a Constitutional RIGHT. We ALL have a RIGHT to defend our LIVES. NO police force or government can give us 100% protection 100% of the time. SO, we must be victims? We MUST give up our RIGHT to protect our LIVES? FedEx says that we cannot even have kitchen knives for preparing food if the blade exceeds two inches. Are they going to raise rates high enough to cover the additional costs of eating out all the time? When does the silly stop? When are we INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty? Oh yeah, I forgot, we NO LONGER have Constitutional RIGHTS in the United Soviet Socialist States of America!!

 

[layoutshooter]

haha, was an interesting fleet message they sent today indeed. Apparently my poor multi-tool could be a weapon, I would have to measure.

Yeah, and I have a hammer and a couple of large wrenches in my tool box too!! I wonder where they fit in?

 

[Dynamite 1]

Just thought i'd add my two cents worth here. Fed DOT states weapons are not allowed in a commercial vehicle.