Too Dumb to Retire

This is kind of tongue in cheek, but whose safety?

Am I a safer driver if I have my headlights on in the daytime? Are other drivers safer if I have my headlights on? Are the highways safer to drive on if my lights are on?

Of course we want headlights on at night so we can see the road and in fog or when it’s raining so others can see us. That brings me to an interesting observation.

Many states have laws that say you need to put your headlights on if you are using the windshield wipers. Unfortunately the dumb thinking of drivers who don’t is, “why do I need the headlights on, I can’t see any better.” Of course you can’t but the reason is so other people can see you. Try this test, when it is raining look in the rear view mirror and tell me which vehicles you can see better, those with lights on or those without? In a truck we only have outside mirrors and in heavy rain, about the only thing we can see is headlights. Forms and shapes of cars are about obliterated. The same goes for fog too. It’s easier to see a vehicle behind you if their lights are on.

Many manufacturers build cars that have headlights on all the time. I don’t have a problem with this, but they fail to have tail lights on too. Take the rain or fog condition. The headlights may be on, but is it easier to see a car in front of you with or without tail lights lit? No brainer. Why car makers don’t realize this is a mystery to me.

Automakers are creating so many new electronic gizmos and gadgets that I can’t figure out why they don’t come up with a sensor that automatically turns on headlights and taillights when ambient light lowers to a certain level. Who knows they might think of something useful one of these days.

Here’s my rule for headlights and it’s simple one. If the sun isn’t shining the headlights are. Period.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

I’m amused, but many times frightened by the things I see when I’m being passed by an automobile. When My eyes are 10 feet off the ground, it’s very easy to see what’s going on inside the car that’s going by me. I’ve seen instances of what people are doing to themselves and to others and that’s as far as I’m going with that one. I’ve seem people reading newspapers, maps and even paperbacks while traveling at 70 to 80mph. I’ve seen drivers actually working on a computer in the right seat. Text messaging and emails on a blackberry or other similar device are common and more and more chatting on a cel phone. All scenarios are scary but I think the one that causes more and more problems are cel phone users. How did we ever survive before they came along?

I can usually spot a cel phone user driving in front of me before I actually see them using it. Their speed and direction is erratic. I have the greatest urge when one is beside me to hit my air horn, but I’m afraid they’d have to clean up a mess on their seat cushion or be under my wheels or both. I’d love to put a sign on the back of my trailer that reads, “if you’re using a cel phone please stay behind me. I can’t pay attention to your driving too.”

This is sort of a truck driving story and of course true. Several years ago I was on the New Jersey Turnpike on a Sunday Morning and traffic was light. The roadway was 3 lanes wide and I saw a sign that the center lane was closed 2 miles ahead. In the center lane was a red BMW. At the 1 ½ mile warning I was closing on the red car. As the driver was using the center lane I passed on the right at about the 1 mile lane closure sign. When I passed I looked down to see the young lady driver reading a book perched on the steering wheel. As I got closer to the closed lane I looked in the mirror to see the car still in the middle lane. Ahead the middle lane was blocked with orange barrels and cones and additional warning signs. When was the BMW going to change lanes? She hit the first few cones dead center, sent them flying and created a cloud of blue smoke as she locked up the brakes. Needless to say, I had my chuckle of the day. Fortunately there were several factors in place that prevented this from being much more serious. The brakes did lock up as this was before ABS. Thanks to good automobile engineering the car stayed straight and I’m sure the driver froze holding the steering wheel too. There was no traffic around the mishap.

Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. I only hope this young lady became a smarter and safer driver.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General

I guess we’ve heard it all. Noisy, Too Big, Too Fast, Too many, Run you off the road, taking over the interstates, cause accidents, yadda yadda.

Let’s deal with these perceptions. Remember, perceptions left uncorrected become reality.

Noisy: Yes, some are. Some seem to think that straight exhaust is good. To me it’s more show than functional. Besides, some motorcycles are noisier than trucks. Again more show than go.

Too Big: Hang on, if the ATA (American Trucking Association) has it’s way they’ll get bigger. The ATA is made up of Trucking Company Owners who want to move more freight per driver. Part of this is desire for more profit, but in a deregulated business, like transportation, profits can be very elusive. Part of this is a shortage of drivers. In most States you’ll see a truck pulling 2 trailers, and in the North West it’s not uncommon to see 3 trailers. Some, like the New York Thruway, allow 2 full sized trailers. If you think that is big, check out Australia that will allow 5 full sized trailers behind a truck. Big really isn’t the issue training, and this doesn’t mean just the truck driver. 4 wheelers need the training too on how to interact with trucks. Boaters who have gone through captain training know how to work with larger boats and ocean liners without difficulty. Yes there are idiots on the waterways, but hopefully they are removed from the gene pool without hurting anyone else. A private pilot can fly safely in the same skies with a 747. It’s all training and understanding each ones limits and respecting the others.

Too Fast: I think anytime a truck passes a 4 wheeler the notion is, they ALL go too fast. The truth is that 80% of all trucks on the highway are governed to go no faster than 70mph. Try this little test. Next time you’re in the family car on a trip, count the number of trucks you pass vs. the number of trucks that pass you. I think you’ll be amazed at the results. Why not count the number of $50,000 SUV’s and pick up trucks that think they own the passing lane, pass you. Little known fact. Speedometers in trucks are far more accurate than cars. Car manufacturers like to show you’re going 80mph., when in reality you’re only going 70.

Too many: If you think there are too many now, wait a few more years. Transportation demands are not being met. Put more trailers and containers on railroads. Unfortunately they are at capacity now. If you’ve ever driven in the Western States along Interstates 10,20 and 40, you’ll see thousands of containers, most stacked 2 high, and truck trailers on rail cars. I’ve been to Clovis NM where a train goes through every few minutes with 3 to 4, noisy by the way, engines pulling anywhere from 50 to 75 sections. Yesterday on I-10 between Las Cruses NM and the Arizona Border (about 150 miles) I counted 74 freight units with about 75% hauling containers and truck trailers. Let’s play with numbers, If 50 rail units each had 75 containers and were being hauled by a truck that would be 3750 more trucks on the interstate in that 150 mile stretch. By the way I did see one Amtrack. I guess if more people rode the rail, there would be less problems on the highways.

Run you off the road: I must admit, I’ve seen very few 4 wheelers in the ditch, or median all by themselves, unless they were speeding when road conditions were bad or icy, or when drivers were on their cel phones and not paying attention. That’s a whole other story and don’t get me started on people not paying attention to their driving. I could write another blog on the things I see when cars are passing me.

Taking over the interstates: When President Eisenhower first proposed the interstate system, what was the purpose? Answer. “The rapid movement of military and commerce.” So to the 4 wheelers, you are the ones who are encroaching on our space.

Cause accidents: Statistics prove this is absolutely untrue. About 75% of all accidents where an 18 wheeler is involved are caused by 4 wheelers. Of the other 25% I would say many are caused by 18 wheelers anticipating that a 4 wheeler knows how to drive properly. One of the big causes is when a 4 wheeler dives into the space in front of a truck and then slams on the brakes. Why does a truck driver leave that space there in the first place? Which is going to stop quicker 40 tons or moving mass or a 3000 pound automobile? Chicago is the first city I’ve seen where they display on their orange alert signs a warning to motorists about cutting in front of trucks. Thank you.

Now for a bit of pontificating. If we are going to see more cars and more trucks sharing the same roads, then there needs to be a greater emphasis placed on education and enforcement. Do I think the 18 wheelers that will speed over 100mph are exempt? Hell no. Should there be a restriction on the speed of trucks? Only if the same restriction is placed on cars. Should there be dual speed limits for cars and trucks? Absolutely not, it’s been proven to be unsafe and is only used by those states to generate revenue. Do you hear me Ohio and Oregon? If we’re all using the same roads, then education and enforcement should be uniform. Too many drivers, and that included truck drivers are turned loose on the highways without adequate training. Is there adequate enforcement?
I think there should be more. Much has been done to improve and enforce rules on the commercial side. It’s time to do a lot more to get the unsafe, uneducated, uncaring and drunk 4 wheelers off the roads.

Footnote: Isn’t it amazing how we’re all concerned about 3500 military being killed in Iraq and don’t give a darn about 50,000 being killed each year on America’s Highways. Don’t misunderstand, I’m not uncaring about the military fatalities, I am. I guess we haven’t been able to politicize highway fatalities.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category: General