Dumb Question of the Day

[Scottt]

Why 50 miles from a scale the radio comes to life with "Are the coops open?"

Are they going to stop or turn around if they are open?

Do they have to build their courage up before driving that 100 yards?

I asked this question back to someone who was asking and they called me a clown LOL

[mike3fan]

Why 50 miles from a scale the radio comes to life with "Are the coops open?"

Are they going to stop or turn around if they are open?

Maybe I would want to know in advance if I needed to make a stop at a safe place to "catch up" on a few things.Or maybe the last alternate route is 50 miles away.

Do they have to build their courage up before driving that 100 yards?

100 yards? I don't get it?

I asked this question back to someone who was asking and they called me a clown LOL

I tried asking Sunday night for a good 20 miles if the I-77 scales were opened in VA and not a single super trucker in the bunch would answer,so I would of said the same thing to your smartass comment.See someday you made need some type of help/answer from someone else and I hope you get the same comment back.

[moe]

For a real life example, tuesday evening I was in the 11th hr. driving also 14th on duty after passing thru Atlanta. I live in SC and there are truck stops before the scale. If the scale was opened I would hit the truck stop, if the scale was closed I would go to the house. Therefore I was on the radio asking what the "chicken house" was doing. I got some friendly replies and the rest is history.

[tweety bird]

These are the exact reasons why. Someone might want to park rather than go over the open scale. If they're trying to get home and the scale is closed, they might just keep going (oh, don't cry about HOS! See how you feel when you're 2 hours from home and coming up against a stupid 10 hour break!). Alternate routes are a good reason, too. If I can take a state route with no weigh station on it rather than go over a weigh station that's open, that's my choice. In most places that's perfectly legal (and sometimes the routing is shorter ). Maybe we need to switch drivers but I don't want to wake up my partner if I don't have to. Maybe I'm deciding where I get my fuel. Maybe I'm deciding which truck stop to go to- like if the one before the scale is nicer, I'll stop there if the scale is open because I'm not losing anything and maybe it will close by the time I get there, but if its closed, I'll keep going because they might open up while I'm parked.

All kinds of reasons.

I've been in that same situation, moe, asking for a long time if the stupid scale is open and no one will answer except the guy saying "if you ran legal, you wouldn't have to worry about it." Who said I'm worried? I'm asking for information. And if you had any cohones, you wouldn't have to suck your thumb (sorry, this is just one of those topics that gets my blood boilling!).

There are some drivers out there who have the nanny mentality. We're all adults and we all make our own decisions. It's like the guy whining that you're in the left lane... like I don't know I can get a ticket for being there. It's one thing to make sure a guy knows there's a fine, it's a whole 'nother thing to act like the hall monitor about it. No one likes the hall monitor- if I get a ticket that's my problem. There are consequences to our decisions- good and bad. And if I decide to to pass on the left in a "no left lane" area that's the risk I take- and I'm not talking about driving like a bat out of hell or driving unsafely- but sometimes you get guys who stay in the right two lanes and are just going slow (blood boiling over again- it's okay, I'm not driving anywhere today...).

[Mackman]

Maybe they are local drivers like me who knows ways around the coops.

[golfhobo]

We're sorry. This thread has been superceded by the one about the tax writeoff for fuel expense. Click HERE if your browser does not immediately redirect you.

[BigDiesel]

Who cares if the " coops " are open or not........ I don't and my drivers do not care either.... Why you ask ??? That's right we run legal.... What a funny concept....

[DaveP]

Who cares if the " coops " are open or not........ I don't and my drivers do not care either.... Why you ask ??? That's right we run legal.... What a funny concept....

And the rest of you are bad, bad people...

[BigDiesel]

And the rest of you are bad, bad people...

The only reason to ask if the scales are open, is because one is not running legal.....:rolleyes:

[Scottt]

Who cares if the " coops " are open or not........ I don't and my drivers do not care either.... Why you ask ??? That's right we run legal.... What a funny concept....

My thoughts exactly!

I always assume the scales are going to be open and am ready if they are. Guess I don't see the big deal about crossing a scale. Keep your truck clean and look halfway intellgiant and drive across them.

I cross Banning (The Worst?) at least once a week and to listen to the radio around there you would think it was a bunch of little kids and the "Boogey Man" was going to jump out and get them.

[Heavy Duty]

For a real life example, tuesday evening I was in the 11th hr. driving also 14th on duty after passing thru Atlanta. I live in SC and there are truck stops before the scale. If the scale was opened I would hit the truck stop, if the scale was closed I would go to the house.

And if you had a accident and hurt someone you would go to jail, your falt or not.

[golfhobo]

Okay, the most obvious reason is that a driver is pushing his hours, or has not caught up his log lately. But, there are other reasons.

Sometimes, a load is not distributed properly by the loader/shipper and it is impossible to get both axles within the limits. By the time you scale out, the shipper has closed up and gone home. You can wait till they open the next morning to "get it right," or you can run with it.

Sometimes, you are less than gross when you are loaded, but after getting your "preplanned" amount of fuel, you are over on your steers, drives, or possibly even over gross.... until you burn some of it off.

If everyone drove "legal" all the time, there would be no need for "coops." I saw a guy one time with an RV on a drop deck, and it was maybe 2 inches over on the heighth. Not enough to hit a bridge, as they are usually, 3 inches or more higher than what they post as their heighth, but enough to cost that driver some time and money.

There are more than enough "hall monitors" and "____ Nazis" out here. If a driver asks about a coop, tell him what the situation is. If he can't go through that coop, then you just helped get him OFF THE ROAD! You did your "hall monitor" job! :rolleyes:

Sometimes, they may just want to know if that one middle I.D. light that burned out and can be replaced at the terminal is going to cost them a hefty fine.

But, if you're a newbie, and don't understand why the question is asked, you really have no business "preaching" to the more experienced drivers who are asking it. Just be glad you have a job.

[Scottt]

But, if you're a newbie, and don't understand why the question is asked, you really have no business "preaching" to the more experienced drivers who are asking it. Just be glad you have a job.

Yeah I am a "Newbie" and not preaching to anyone just asking a question that made no sense to me.

Yeah I have a job........My truck and trailer are paid for and making more money than I ever made being a manager in the corporate world. Thanks for asking!

I usually don't say a word on the CB, usually just listen and laugh all day when the "experienced drivers" with the high power radios complain about not making any money as they blow by me with the smoke rolling out the pipes.

[rank]

My truck and trailer are paid for and making more money than I ever made being a manager in the corporate world. Thanks for asking!

I'd like to hear more about this. Are you leased or a carrier? What management job pays less than trucking? I'm guessing it must have been a retail position at some level.

[BigDiesel]

Okay, the most obvious reason is that a driver is pushing his hours, or has not caught up his log lately. But, there are other reasons.

Sometimes, a load is not distributed properly by the loader/shipper and it is impossible to get both axles within the limits. By the time you scale out, the shipper has closed up and gone home. You can wait till they open the next morning to "get it right," or you can run with it.

Sometimes, you are less than gross when you are loaded, but after getting your "preplanned" amount of fuel, you are over on your steers, drives, or possibly even over gross.... until you burn some of it off.

If everyone drove "legal" all the time, there would be no need for "coops." I saw a guy one time with an RV on a drop deck, and it was maybe 2 inches over on the heighth. Not enough to hit a bridge, as they are usually, 3 inches or more higher than what they post as their heighth, but enough to cost that driver some time and money.

There are more than enough "hall monitors" and "____ Nazis" out here. If a driver asks about a coop, tell him what the situation is. If he can't go through that coop, then you just helped get him OFF THE ROAD! You did your "hall monitor" job! :rolleyes:

Sometimes, they may just want to know if that one middle I.D. light that burned out and can be replaced at the terminal is going to cost them a hefty fine.

But, if you're a newbie, and don't understand why the question is asked, you really have no business "preaching" to the more experienced drivers who are asking it. Just be glad you have a job.

And the " regs expert " blathers on as usual......:rolleyes:

[fdmax]

Back in 84' i was 23 hauling chips with a possum belly from louisiana pacific out of cloverdale, ca. thats when they had a chicken coop on the redwood highway, interstate 101, i called out to see if the coop was open, and someone called back and said, "nope, it's all shut up","go on thru"

well this was on a beautiful saturday afternoon, i had no problems, i had all the time in the world to get to los angeles, and i was just wondering if someone would of even answered me, as i could see no one, so i said, " ok 10-4 "

hmmm, i knew what was going to happen next, not good.

a few minutes later i got the chp right next to me, sizing me up and down, then he get's on his PA, and yells at me, " You Don't Look Over Weight" and speeds off. well, i was'nt.

the point i'm saying is, know when your talking to a trucker and when your not.
We only have each other to help, cause no one else is, I'll help you every time you need help.
I'll tell you if the coops are open and the last time i saw a bear.
and if i ever need to ask for help i only have you.

[Mackman]

Who cares if the " coops " are open or not........ I don't and my drivers do not care either.... Why you ask ??? That's right we run legal.... What a funny concept....

Hey BIG D. i do care cuz if i know my way around the scales why even be bothered with them. All the coops are is a headache waiting to happen.

[fdmax]

But don't think i'm all caught up in it as all you super truckers go wiz'en by.
i'll pace you a mile or two back and use you as bear bait, as your screaming where's the bear, over and over again. and nobody is answering that one, cause nobody knows.

[BigDiesel]

But don't think i'm all caught up in it as all you super truckers go wiz'en by.
i'll pace you a mile or two back and use you as bear bait, as your screaming where's the bear, over and over again. and nobody is answering that one, cause nobody knows.

And its funny when the same supertrucker passes you several times in a day as one is running legal and at 55 to 65 mph....... Who has less stress ????

[fdmax]

hey Big D i just said as the supertrucker passed me, and your saying he got off the highway, got back on and passed me again,
hmmmm and maby even again, it's possible, i do see the same trucks over again.








needed an r in (your)