Mom asked me to ask around...

[MamaDrivesTruck]

She was picking up in Dallas, TX at the airport, and ran into a stranded truck driver, miles from home, and broke.

I guess the guy got bite by a brown recluse while in his truck, was hospitalized and almost lost his leg. He's broke, he's away from home, and apparently he lost his truck.

My Mom said she was listening to a satalite radio station with Bill Mack (sp?) and that there is a hotline out there or something for stranded truck drivers.

I am here to ask all of you great folks if you know that number? My Mom had to head out of Dallas and left $20 for the guy for food, but she's hoping next time she might be able to provide some resources.

My Ma took up truck driving last August at 45 yrs. old. She's a tough broad, but also very caring, so of course she wants to help everyone out. If you know anything, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again,
April

[kips41]

There is a fine organization called Trans Alive that will assist drivers on the road who find themselves in troubling situations. 800-USA-HURT.

Bob Hataway ,Trans Alive and his army of volunteers help many drivers each year who become very sick or injured while on the road.

If this invididual is legit and no just pulling a scam there is help available.

[golfhobo]

She was picking up in Dallas, TX at the airport, and ran into a stranded truck driver, miles from home, and broke.

I guess the guy got bite by a brown recluse while in his truck, was hospitalized and almost lost his leg. He's broke, he's away from home, and apparently he lost his truck.

My Mom said she was listening to a satalite radio station with Bill Mack (sp?) and that there is a hotline out there or something for stranded truck drivers.

I am here to ask all of you great folks if you know that number? My Mom had to head out of Dallas and left $20 for the guy for food, but she's hoping next time she might be able to provide some resources.

My Ma took up truck driving last August at 45 yrs. old. She's a tough broad, but also very caring, so of course she wants to help everyone out. If you know anything, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again,
April

I don't know that this person's story/sad tale is false... but I know there are MANY very creative beggars at truckstops! He might not even have BEEN a trucker! Anyone ask to see his CDL?

I know that, at this rate, your Mom will go broke!

Most (chain) truckstops, have trucking ministries located on the property. I would send him there for "help."

I'm sorry, there are just TOO many scammers at truckstops! They must think we are MADE of money! :shock:

I've seen "civilians" in their cars, with baby and all, begging for a little gas money for one reason or the other. (often in Kingman, AZ.) I believe MOST of them are stranded there because they blew their monthly salary at the nearby casinos.

In today's age of ATM's and such, I just have a hard time listening to sad stories about being broke. If they have no money in their bank account, and no ATM card, they shouldn't be "venturing" out into the world.

I don't have the number you asked for. I'm sure a little internet search would find it for you.

Just tell Mama, that she can't solve everyone's problems. And to believe me when I say, only 10 percent of them are true!

Best of luck. Just remember, there's a sucker born every minute.... and some people think we ALL meet at truckstops!

[Skywalker]

She was picking up in Dallas, TX at the airport, and ran into a stranded truck driver, miles from home, and broke.

I guess the guy got bite by a brown recluse while in his truck, was hospitalized and almost lost his leg. He's broke, he's away from home, and apparently he lost his truck.

Here's the problem I see..... If this guy was actually bitten by a brown recluse...which is not good, and it was while on the truck, he would have been a "worker's comp case"....which under Federal Law, means that even though the company could do a recovery on the truck....he cannot be terminated. Thus the company is bound by many laws to take care of the driver....even to the point of getting him home so he can recuperate.

Me thinks.....he was a "shill" playing on your Mom's kindheartedness.

My Ma took up truck driving last August at 45 yrs. old. She's a tough broad, but also very caring, so of course she wants to help everyone out. If you know anything, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again,
April

Your mother sounds like a very good person, but she needs to be aware that there are many, many, many "shuck and jive artists", 'con artists" and others who play on and take advantage of the generosity of truckers. Seems like most truckers are easy marks for money after hearing a sob-story. Tell her to be very cautious...very cautious. Sob stories are a "dime a dozen", and were he really in dire straights, there are numerous social agencies that would have helped him out. The guy probably rakes in $60K plus a year in "donations".... :shock: :x

[MamaDrivesTruck]

Thank you for your responses. I didn't get to chat with her long, as she was mid-pick up and her team partner needed her help with something. I didn't get all the details on how she even met him, but I appreciate your advice. I also believe I already knew you might have said something like that in the first place, but had to put it out there so that when I call her back...I have back-up .

I am sure I will be around checking out the forums more and making my intro thread and all that, just haven't had a chance yet. Thanks again.

~April

[devildice]

Here's the problem I see..... If this guy was actually bitten by a brown recluse...which is not good, and it was while on the truck, he would have been a "worker's comp case"....which under Federal Law, means that even though the company could do a recovery on the truck....he cannot be terminated. Thus the company is bound by many laws to take care of the driver....even to the point of getting him home so he can recuperate.

Me thinks.....he was a "shill" playing on your Mom's kindheartedness.

I was thinking the exact same thing.....but you beat me to the punch in saying it.

[golfhobo]

She was picking up in Dallas, TX at the airport, and ran into a stranded truck driver, miles from home, and broke.

I guess the guy got bite by a brown recluse while in his truck, was hospitalized and almost lost his leg. He's broke, he's away from home, and apparently he lost his truck.

Something fishy here! Why would a stranded truck driver, just out of the hospital, be looking for help from truckers at an AIRPORT?? :shock:

Maybe, April left out the part about meeting him ONCE she got to a truckstop. I'm just going by what I READ!

Please DO, further introduce yourself, April! MANY of us would like to know how children of truckers REALLY feel about things!!

[MamaDrivesTruck]

I did call her and let her know what was up and your opinions. I also got some more details from her about the situation, and of course as with all of my Mom's opinions, a strong response back about how this guy was seriously just looking to get home, and how he didn't ask her for anything she walked up to him at a TA in Dallas. He was sitting on a bench with his bags next to him and a cane in his hand. About how he was in his 60's at least and looked pretty tired of the whole process he just went through.

Anyhoo..So yeah. She's left Dallas, lost out on $20 and I warned her not to keep this kind of thing up. She's still wanted to see if I can find a number, which I have already googled for and after 2 hours gave up on.

Again, thanks for your responses. I can't say I'm glad about my Mom doing what she's doing, but I can't stop her she's a grown woman...(and I'm not insulting the truckers out there either! Don't get me wrong there!!)

Thanks again, and Safe Driving everyone!

[silvan]

Sounds fishy to me too.

I can back up what these other drivers are saying about this stuff. People seem to think truck drivers are all millionaires, and we must have "Gravy Train Transport" written on the side of our trucks or something.

I remember this one time I was parked on the side of the road in front of a stop in a reasonably good neighborhood, and some guy came and woke me up at 4:00 in the morning or so with some sob story about how his alternator had gone out and he was going to be stuck if he couldn't get money to buy another one.

"If your alternator has gone out, you're running on batteries, so why are you sitting there wasting battery power burning the headlights? You'll get further if you turn your lights off. Besides, where are you going to buy an alternator at 4:00 in the morning?"

He took off. That was fine with me.

There was another time when Earl woke me up way too early one morning. I looked at my watch, figured Earl must be having trouble with his wife again, bad trouble, and when I got up to the front, there was this buck toothed woman hanging on the side of my truck.

"I thought you might want a wake-up call."

"A wake-up call? Huh? I don't have to get up until 7:00, and Earl will wake me up when he gets here."

"I was, um, trying to hustle up some money."

"Money? I haven't got any money."

She left, and I went back to sleep until Earl got there. It wasn't until I woke up the second time that something in my head clicked, and I realized I had just had my first bona fide encounter with a lot lizard. Except she wasn't on the lot. I was sleeping beside a church too.

Those are the best two, but I got a million of'em. Nobody got my money because I really never had any. I didn't keep more than $20 with me on a trip. I carried my own food and drinks, and a credit card for dire emergencies.

I think it's funny how I keep talking about all of this in the past tense. I'm still a truck driver, and I'm but a bad turn of luck away from going right back to all that. Knock on wood that my current gig runs forever.

[MamaDrivesTruck]

Something fishy here! Why would a stranded truck driver, just out of the hospital, be looking for help from truckers at an AIRPORT?? :shock:

Maybe, April left out the part about meeting him ONCE she got to a truckstop. I'm just going by what I READ!

Please DO, further introduce yourself, April! MANY of us would like to know how children of truckers REALLY feel about things!!

You are correct about them meeting at a truck stop, as I posted above. I have no clue how the guy got there, and she didn't mention anything either. She just said she seen him sitting there and approached him. She was very adamant that he wasn't a scammer and he never asked for anything, but well again, I feel my Mama is just a bit to kind.

That last part of my post about my Mama and not being glad about what she's doing, really wasn't based on her being a truck driver, but more about my Mom being on the road and being naive.

I don't know if this is the place for my opinions, so I will make a post in the family support area (I think thats the title) If I you want to hear more...I'll be over there rambling .


Now, if anyone has heard of a place/association/service that provides help for stranded truck drivers (which she of course hears of all the time...) please let me know. She's sure theres a place out there that helps out the real drivers who might be stuck.

And please, know that I admire everyone who can put up with the crazy drivers out there and the even crazier routes they put you all on, much less the schedules you get stuck keeping.

Thanks again,
April

[golfhobo]

April,

Yeah, I figured I was taking that too literally!

Your mom (and you) have a good heart. Many of us drivers do. Unfortunately, the few (?) have ruined it for those who really ARE in need! If "I" were EVER in that situation, I would try MANY of the resources available (including at the HOSPITAL) before trying such a thing as sitting on a bench outside a truckstop.

I will monitor your posts in the family support section, I might also suggest the "women in trucking" one. But, please dont be a stranger here!

I hope you FIND that resource for stranded truckers! If you do, please let us ALL know! And again, IF the driver's story was true.... I appreciate the thoughts of your Mama and YOU!

[MamaDrivesTruck]

There is a fine organization called Trans Alive that will assist drivers on the road who find themselves in troubling situations. 800-USA-HURT.

Bob Hataway ,Trans Alive and his army of volunteers help many drivers each year who become very sick or injured while on the road.

If this invididual is legit and no just pulling a scam there is help available.

I can't believe I missed this post...I just seen it for the first time! Thank you so much for that kips!!!

[rebajosh]

I hate to be so skeptical but I have a hard time believing any sob stories I hear. I once had a woman ask me for cash so she could get a bus ticket back to Hawaii. She even had a drivers license from Hawaii to prove to me she was not lying

[fatman]

I admit I'm a bit of a soft touch, and I must radiate it because every guy or gal within ten miles of a truckstop and an itchy palm would come up to me.
Most of the time I would try to be nice, because I believe all people deserve respect until they stop showing that to you. But the ones I felt were 'genuine' (or maybe just the better of the con men) I would offer to buy a meal for. Not many took me up on it.

[rontwo]

My husband was out with his trainer this week for the first time ~ he was approached by some *down on his luck* truck driver who told him he was out of money and hungry (if i remember correctly that was what he told my husband) so Ron being nice and all went ahead and gave the guy 10 bucks thinking the guy would use it for something else other than food but decided he would do it this one time.. maybe its the way the guy looked i donno but none the less ron handed him the cash ~
a few minutes later he saw the guy chowing down on a burger and felt that he did the right thing ~ seems the guy really was hungry and out of cash maybe you know?
until about 5 minutes later the guy was trying to scam his trainer out of some money too.. luckly rons trainer new ron had just given the guy a $10 and told the guy.. didnt my partner just give you some money? the guy looked at him and said *oh he only gave me enough to buy a small burger* yeah

needless to say he didnt get a dime out of rons trainer.

deff. gotta keep an eye on the sob stories and folks scam'n at the truck stops thats for sure!

[Cluggy619]

There are alot of folks scaming out there... However, there are alot of drivers not doing so well. And even though it may be a little topic, it might help each of us to remember that "but for the grace of God, goes I..." Any one of us could find ourselfs out on our luck, trying to get home.

I think for all of you that are braving the roads, maybe a list of places or groups that can help you out if you find yourself in a jam might be a good thing to have with you.
Just in case.

[Fozzy]

Tell them you gave at the office. I do not give money to panhandlers as a rule and they are all panhandlers!

[b'hamWa]

My husband was out with his trainer this week for the first time ~ he was approached by some *down on his luck* truck driver who told him he was out of money and hungry (if i remember correctly that was what he told my husband) so Ron being nice and all went ahead and gave the guy 10 bucks thinking the guy would use it for something else other than food but decided he would do it this one time.. maybe its the way the guy looked i donno but none the less ron handed him the cash ~
a few minutes later he saw the guy chowing down on a burger and felt that he did the right thing ~ seems the guy really was hungry and out of cash maybe you know?
until about 5 minutes later the guy was trying to scam his trainer out of some money too.. luckly rons trainer new ron had just given the guy a $10 and told the guy.. didnt my partner just give you some money? the guy looked at him and said *oh he only gave me enough to buy a small burger* yeah

needless to say he didnt get a dime out of rons trainer.

deff. gotta keep an eye on the sob stories and folks scam'n at the truck stops thats for sure!

This story reminds me of people standing on a corner with a sign looking for money.

If they'd just go down the street, they could probably get a job holdong a sign for a mattress company.....

[b'hamWa]

There are alot of folks scaming out there... However, there are alot of drivers not doing so well. And even though it may be a little topic, it might help each of us to remember that "but for the grace of God, goes I..." Any one of us could find ourselfs out on our luck, trying to get home.

I think for all of you that are braving the roads, maybe a list of places or groups that can help you out if you find yourself in a jam might be a good thing to have with you.
Just in case.

This also reminds me of a story of a woman with a small child coming up and asking money to feed her child. If I thought for one second, that I let a child go hungry because I said no and had it, i could never forgive myself.

[Truckfam]

From a little different perspective. A christian one that is, and a bible verse that has always stuck with me. I have seen this many times also. You reap what you sow.

Your mom gave $20 to someone claiming to be in need. Whether they were or not, your mom will reap that back when she is in need. Not only will she reap that back, but more. Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together, and over flowing.

I know all that may sound weird, she will be given back when she least expects it and more than likely when she needs it the most. She may not reap it in money form, but she will reap what she sowed. Recently, I learned you can reap a harvest for what you sowed even seven years ago.

I'm not saying to give to all pan handlers, but when you do give don't beat yourself up when you trusted what the person said, but found out differently.