Homeland Insecurity
Great article in this months HDT (Doug Condra column April, "Port Security: Scary stuff, But Why Give Osama Ideas?"). You hit the nail on the head! We might as well give terrorists a plan of attack. What is our government thinking? No wonder terrorists think the United States is stupid. Osama and his allies know exactly how to hurt us – they keep it simple. I know tons and tons of ways to do damage to our country and I'm not a terrorist!
I've been in the transportation business for 30 years and have seen a lot of drivers come and go; it seems that 99 percent of them have something on their record. Face it; truck driving is not what it once was.
I realize we need some kind of system to regulate trucks and drivers – not just in the ports, but also on the highway in general. I look forward to seeing where this goes; I do know that spending billions of taxpayer's dollars on something that doesn't work is not the answer.
Mike Codding
United Site Services
Cooler Heads
I was reading your article on safety belt use (Doug Condra's column, HDT February) and I was a little disappointed in the way you said "on the stupidity scale, not wearing a seat belt in a truck ranks up there with riding a motorcycle without a helmet"
I was a little offended with it only because I ride and I don't always wear a helmet and it's not because I'm stupid, but sometimes you just love the feeling of riding in the wind and you lose that effect with a helmet. Also, I don't know if you ride or not, but it's a little different wearing your seatbelt on a nice 100 degree day in your car with A/C compared to a nice full-face helmet baking your head at every stop light. Anyways I like reading your magazine and I know you're the president, but that doesn't give you the right to judge others. If you want to attract more readers to your magazine, it's probably not a good idea to call them stupid.
Brian Adams
Transportation Supervisor
Sysco Iowa
Brian –
Thanks much for your input. You make good points, although I guess you and I would never agree on the helmet issue; I've known too many folks who've paid the price for not wearing them.
Doug
Stopping Distances
Just a couple of thoughts as I read Doug Condra's editorial (Revising Stopping Distances: A Kinder, Gentler NHTSA, HDT January):
1. Not only does the truck have to stop in 248 feet, but so does the load. While this won't have much effect on what we haul in bulk trucks, I worry about the concrete blocks we tie down on flatbeds.
2. Remember that old saw about one manufacturer's two-cycle engines – they run best right before they blow up? Likewise, just when you think the federal government is being kind and gentle, keep one eye on your backside, because any moment now an explosion may occur.
Tom McKellar
Dalton Trucking
Fontana, Calif.
XYZ
I've been a public speaker in one capacity or another for over 40 years and if there's one cardinal rule I always observe before I get up to speak, it's XYZ – examine your zipper.
I've also driven professionally in one capacity or another for about the same length of time and I observe that rule when I drive as well: examine your zipper. Except in this context, I'm not referring to my fly, but drivers who may tend to fly off in unexpected directions.
Early one recent morning I was driving south on I-5 through Portland, Ore., and by observing this rule, saved an accident. As I approached the I-405 divide, I watched the trucker at about my one o'clock position about to split off on to I-405. I was thinking he's possibly not used to this neck of the woods and if he's as sleepy as I am, he may want the more commonly used I-5 and was missing it. I checked my mirrors and got ready. Sure enough, he realized his mistake and jerked the wheel right at me. No problem. I just moved left with him, we both went merrily down the road and he gave me a good heads up honk and a wave.
That was just one illustration. There are many others: Young drivers with their inexperience and lightning-fast reflexes will often zip in front of you. Old ducks like me can easily get confused in unfamiliar surroundings – tourists not sure where they're at or possibly even what side of the road they're supposed to be on – and the more ominous drinkers or people high on drugs who don't even know what planet they're on can, and often will, zip in front of you.
So whether it's public speaking or driving safely: remember XYZ.
Richard S. "Dick" Colbeth,
Chaplain
Jubitz Truckstop, Portland, Ore.
colbeths@wmconnect.com
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