Who's in a pіssіng contest? Or is it that you're just pіssed because people aren't standing in line to donate money to pay for someone's expenses to get to GATS for reasons that are unclear? Perhaps if you would explain why Jason's Law needs a booth at the GATS in the first place, that would help a lot. I fully understand the need to get the word out about Jason's Law, and if the GATS were taking place on Capitol Hill I could understand it a little better, but I can't see how lobbying Congress from a Dallas truck show is going to be very effective. You seem awfully angry that people here are talking about the actual issues involved instead of just stepping up and throwing money to help pay for the travel expenses of the Rivenburgs and the Hardendorfs. Paying their expenses is a fine thing, and donating your booth to the effort is admirable. But getting the word out and handing out pamphlet and brochures is going to be wholly ineffective in getting the Bill into law.
HR 2156 is in the House, and Senate Bill S 971 was introduced by Senator Schumer and has been sent to the Committee on Environment and Public Works, so it would seem that at this point Congressman and Senators are the ones to be lobbied to get the bill passed into law. I fail to see how paying someone's expenses to the GATS will accomplish that. Signing electronic petitions have proven to be utterly ineffective, as well, since petitions must be verified and broken down by voting district to be valid. In any event, the Bill is a Band-Aid and not a solution. But it is also a non-threatening Bill that is likely to be passed into Law, as written, without a fight, because it really accomplishes nothing.
It sets aside money for possible future projects, but only $20 million a year for a 6 year pilot program. It costs, on the average, about $500,000 per year per to maintain one rest area, and $5 million to build one. Virginia is closing 18 of 'em. Colorado, Maine, Louisiana and Vermont have already closed several, and other states are looking to do the same. Potholes and bridges need the money more than the rest areas do. Virginia is adding 225 truck parking spots in the remaining 23 rest areas, and they are also removing the 2-hour parking limit to allow for the mandated 10 hour break period. That'll help, but it also means that the average distance between rest areas will now be 120 miles instead of 60, which means more fatigued drivers and/or drivers parked on the shoulder because they ran out of hours. But if the money were used solely for the construction of new "safety rest areas" or the re-opening of existing ones, they still wouldn't be sustainable because taxpayer money will be required to sustain them.
Other possible solutions provided for in the Bill are truck turnouts, but these are always less safe and secure than a rest area, and rest areas are far less safe and secure than a truck stop. Expanding existing truck stop parking, or constructing lots adjacent to the existing truck stops would certainly help, but they have to be maintained, as well. Like I said, the Bill is a good one, even if it will be ineffective, because it will get people looking at the problem of truck parking. And even if all it accomplishes is being able to notify drivers of the availability of public and private parking spots via the intelligent transports or roadside signs will be worth it.
But the federal law itself needs to be changed to allow for the privatization of rest areas, with a mandate for greatly expanding truck parking spots in those rest areas. The rest areas will then be self-supporting and no taxpayer money will be needed to maintain them.
Your posts in this thread are rife with emotional tugs and flag-waving to get people to donate money. But to what cause?
Professional truckers unite! Stand up! Give a dаmn! Make a difference! Hope has three kids. Hope needs help, but instead of donating money to the
Jason Rivenburg Memorial Fund c/o Trustco Bank 1900 Altamont Ave. Rotterdam, NY 12303, where your donations will have a very real impact on the lives of those three kids, donate instead to help offset the GATS expenses for GoTruckstop.com! A worthy cause, indeed!
Right or wrong, that's the way it reads. Especially in the light your your detached <cough, cough> third person comments about GoTruckstop.com in the GPS threads:
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/35681-gps-units.html#post300493
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/35681-gps-units.html#post300586
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/34632-gps-truck-routes.html#post283087
One can see why your comments here might be taken not with a grain of salt, but with an entire salt lick. The problem is you brought something to EO out of context from askthetrucker.com and got mad because most here don't know the context. I know what the context from askthetrucker is, but I also know what the real, actual issues actually are.
So, do you really want to stand up and
"just give a D*MN" and deal with the real issues and how to fix them, or do you want to continue to stand there pіssin' into the wind?
Oh, and here's a real hoot for ya... I've never driven a big truck or a straight truck. I drive a cargo van. But I know what the real issues are. And I'm an idiot.
) As sad as the situation is, it was a random act and like Highway star said, you can't legislate random acts. We all need to be more aware of our surroundings and do our best to avoid situations that might put us in danger.