Alcohol and OTR

[matcat]

he put a GPS auto steer unit from a john deere in his turck and pulls out his laptop with satellite internet...

Lucky it hasn't burnt down yet :P

[Rev.Vassago]

Rev, out of curiosity, do you ever actually drive?

I try not to.

You post on this forum everyday all day long!

I know. Someone should pay me for it too. These pearls of wisdom should come with a price tag. :wink:

[chubyboy]

it has, he just didnt learn from the first time, look at his avatar, thats what happened with the first install...

[Syncrosonix]

here's a simple rule i keep for myself while i'm out and about: no alcohol. if i'm hanging out with some drivers, fellow swifties or other, and i am offered alcohol. i will refuse it, regardless if their stupid self just wasted some dollars on buying me a drink after having verbally declined the first time. i've gotten into a few verbal spats with other drivers after they felt disrespected from my declining in having a beer with them. sorry, but i'm NOT sorry for refusing to have a drink. anybody who thinks a drink doesn't hurt, is a fool.

i do my drinking at home.

[matcat]

here's a simple rule i keep for myself while i'm out and about: no alcohol. if i'm hanging out with some drivers, fellow swifties or other, and i am offered alcohol. i will refuse it, regardless if their stupid self just wasted some dollars on buying me a drink after having verbally declined the first time. i've gotten into a few verbal spats with other drivers after they felt disrespected from my declining in having a beer with them. sorry, but i'm NOT sorry for refusing to have a drink. anybody who thinks a drink doesn't hurt, is a fool.

i do my drinking at home.

Well in all honesty, that is your moral set, and there is nothing wrong with that. I personally believe however that having a couple beers with dinner towards the begging of your 10, is not going to hurt. Or even having a good ole time at the beginning of a 34, however, that is me, that is not everyone, some people cannot handle a few, others can, its a personal thing. Now I do not condone having any alcohol in your system when you are getting ready to drive.

[GMAN]

I have known of some who regularly drink while on the road. It can be dangerous to your career. In many states simply having a drink with the keys in the ignition can be grounds for DUI, especially if you refuse to take a breath test. A number of drivers I know have stopped drinking all together while on the road. They feel that there is too great a danger of jeopardizing their career in doing so. Some companies have a policy of no alcohol while in their truck. Drinking is a personal decision. If you drink while in a commercial vehicle you could lose your career. What if you are called for a random drug and alcohol test right after you had a drink or two? Bye, Bye career.

[golfhobo]

GMAN said:

I have known of some who regularly drink while on the road. It can be dangerous to your career.

I agree, Gman, that it CAN be, but we both know that MANY of those you say you knew, never suffered repercussions from it. And there are reasons.

In many states simply having a drink with the keys in the ignition can be grounds for DUI, especially if you refuse to take a breath test.

I believe we HAD this discussion before, and although I've heard the horror stories of local yokels busting local drunks while in their vehicles, I question the legality of it (if on private property,) AND I have NEVER heard of or seen it applied to a CDL holder parked in a truckstop.

A number of drivers I know have stopped drinking all together while on the road. They feel that there is too great a danger of jeopardizing their career in doing so.

Perhaps, they had reason to stop. Perhaps, they couldn't control themselves well enough to stay within the guidelines.

Some companies have a policy of no alcohol while in their truck.

This is TRUE, and will be addressed in my next thread.

Drinking is a personal decision. If you drink while in a commercial vehicle you could lose your career.

I'm not sure I agree with that. You might lose your JOB..... but, if you are within the regs, not your career.

What if you are called for a random drug and alcohol test right after you had a drink or two? Bye, Bye career.

I will explain this in my next thread. But, assuming you are OFF DUTY, and absent a company policy to the contrary, there are PROTECTIONS for drivers against such abuse of their civil liberties! AND regulations that allow for the same!

I KNOW you are very smart, and well informed, GMAN. I have NO reason to fight with you. [Heck, I only fight with the REV because he is such an AZZ! ] But..... as the "resident authority" on this board, I feel it is important that you ONLY give out true information, unless... of course.... you stipulate that it is only your opinion!

I SAID I could find other regulations concerning this topic, and was unable to post them due to interference by SOME on here.

I prefer NOT to extend THIS thread to continue my debate, but rather to start another one. I BELIEVE I have clearly shown that those who opposed me were WRONG, whether they would admit it or not.

But, there were some questions left undecided. To wit.... REPEATING the same phrase over and over was used as a tactic to silence me. And, I must admit it was somewhat successful. I am NOT inclined to argue with someone who can only repeat the same WRONG information over and over!

i'm SURE that I will encounter him again in Part II, but hope to present my case BEFORE he has a chance to "confuse" the issue again!

YOUR comments, as always, are solicited and worthy of note (although subject to debate.) :wink:

Hobo

[BigDiesel]

I will explain this in my next thread. But, assuming you are OFF DUTY, and absent a company policy to the contrary, there are PROTECTIONS for drivers against such abuse of their civil liberties! AND regulations that allow for the same!

I KNOW you are very smart, and well informed, GMAN. I have NO reason to fight with you. [Heck, I only fight with the REV because he is such an AZZ! ] But..... as the "resident authority" on this board, I feel it is important that you ONLY give out true information, unless... of course.... you stipulate that it is only your opinion!

I SAID I could find other regulations concerning this topic, and was unable to post them due to interference by SOME on here.

I prefer NOT to extend THIS thread to continue my debate, but rather to start another one. I BELIEVE I have clearly shown that those who opposed me were WRONG, whether they would admit it or not.

But, there were some questions left undecided. To wit.... REPEATING the same phrase over and over was used as a tactic to silence me. And, I must admit it was somewhat successful. I am NOT inclined to argue with someone who can only repeat the same WRONG information over and over!

i'm SURE that I will encounter him again in Part II, but hope to present my case BEFORE he has a chance to "confuse" the issue again!

YOUR comments, as always, are solicited and worthy of note (although subject to debate.) :wink:

Hobo

Pathetic.......

[Orangetxguy]

I had a margarita the other night, while out on the road. I had a room at Holiday Inn...had the drink as a precurser to a prime rib dinner....and enjoyed both !!!

[matcat]

I had a margarita the other night, while out on the road. I had a room at Holiday Inn...had the drink as a precurser to a prime rib dinner....and enjoyed both !!!

I can think of drinks much better then a margarita

[golfhobo]

Pathetic.......

Yes.... you ARE!

[Rev.Vassago]

Pathetic.......

Yes.... you ARE! At LEAST the REV can present an opposing opinion!

I don't present opinions. I present facts. You choose to ignore them, and then start duplicate threads to avoid them.

[Twilight Flyer]

You want a chance at the title? Huh? Let's GO!

...and take me on head to head!

You got the cajones?

You're WORSE than a gnat on this board, you're more like a mosquito!

:shock:

You were drinking last night, weren't you.

[Twilight Flyer]

BTW, Hobo, you're wrong in just about all of your assumptions regarding alcohol in the truck...from the actual regulations to the way companies view this extremely serious issue.

However, I am not going to argue with you, as there is absolutely no point in it. You are under the gravely mistaken belief that you are absolutely right and because of that, you refuse to listen to anyone else, even though just about 100% of those participating in this debate disagree with your "belief." Do you really think that you are the only one right and everyone else is wrong, from drivers all the way to safety directors? That's absurd!

I'm reminded of Mike Myers in the movie, So I Married An Axe Murderer.

"Look at the head on that boy! It's like Sputnik!"

Anyway, it's your career. You can roll the dice all you want but eventually it'll come up snake eyes and you'll kill a silver soldier in your sleeper at the wrong time. Then you'll discover reality and be reduced to one of those posters with the title of their thread that goes something like "Lost job because of illegal firing! Please Help!"

[golfhobo]

Twilight said:

You were drinking last night, weren't you.

Ah HECK, man! Busted....for drinking my OWN beer, in my OWN house, on my OWN free time!! You got them dang beer Nazi's lurking in the woods around my house now? :shock:

They gonna MAIL me a ticket for "PWI?" (Posting While Intoximicated)

BTW, Hobo, you're wrong in just about all of your assumptions regarding alcohol in the truck...from the actual regulations to the way companies view this extremely serious issue.

Would be a simple thing for you to prove..... just CITE the Reg! I have no doubt that many companies take this seriously. I also quoted the regs wherein the FMCSA tells them just how far they can GO with their policies.

Besides, I've never SUGGESTED that anyone SHOULD drink alcohol in their truck. I only got into this conversation because so many "experts" here were saying stuff like ".001 BAC will get you a DUI and get you fired!" I bet they were "absolutely convinced THEY were right, too!

However, I am not going to argue with you, as there is absolutely no point in it. You are under the gravely mistaken belief that you are absolutely right and because of that, you refuse to listen to anyone else, even though just about 100% of those participating in this debate disagree with your "belief." Do you really think that you are the only one right and everyone else is wrong, from drivers all the way to safety directors? That's absurd!

Hmm..... I thought it was more like 70 / 30!! And which one is the safety director? I got a question for him.

I'm reminded of Mike Myers in the movie, So I Married An Axe Murderer.

"Look at the head on that boy! It's like Sputnik!"

Sorry! Wasted reference. I never saw that movie. I generally don't waste my time on juvenile comedies.

Anyway, it's your career. You can roll the dice all you want but eventually it'll come up snake eyes and you'll kill a silver soldier in your sleeper at the wrong time.

As I've said many times. I rarely if ever have had any beer in my sleeper! I prefer a beer or two with my steak at the Outback! For ONE thing.... I don't like beer out of a CAN! And..... I can't drink them if they're not ICE cold! :wink:

Then you'll discover reality

That's what I've been trying to tell YOU. The REALITY is..... all around you when you wake up in almost ANY truckstop in the country!

and be reduced to one of those posters with the title of their thread that goes something like "Lost job because of illegal firing! Please Help!"

Sorry again! NOT happening! Even if I DID.... which I won't.... I'm not gonna come on here and WHINE about it!

[Rev.Vassago]

Besides, I've never SUGGESTED that anyone SHOULD drink alcohol in their truck.

The sheer fact that you are attempting to justify a drivers' ability to have alcohol in a CMV is proof of your suggestion that it should be allowed.

Sorry! Wasted reference. I never saw that movie. I generally don't waste my time on juvenile comedies.

That's odd.....considering you are a juvenile comedy.

[bigtimba]

Holy guacamole! Is this a new record? A 6 page thread with 4 pages of reposts?

Company drivers: I guarantee your company has a policy forbidding the presence of alcohol in their truck or in you when you are in their truck. Swift is zero tolerence. If you are caught, you will be terminated on the spot.

Further, there are far too many busy bodies who would rat you out in an instant if the they saw you using or posessing alcohol. If they call Swift, for instance, Swift calls the law. They don't call or message you to come clean . . they go straight to the law.

Dealing with law enforcement . . I don't think that in today's environment any cop is going to go easy on a CDL holder he/she suspects has been drinking. If you get caught, you're in for a rotten ride any way you look at it. So, just imagine. You're in your bunk knocking back the last brew before you turn in for the night when . . CRUNCH . . someone backs into you and takes out a mirror and a headlight, or worse. Now, what are you going to do?

My personal feeling is that, as an adult, if I choose to imbibe, I am well within my rights but in doing so I can't ignore the law or my responsibility to my employer.

There have been two fairly recent threads which give first hand accounts about drinking in the truck. One from a Swift driver's girlfriend and I think Schneider was the other. Swift was at a customer who smelled alcohol on him and Schneider was at a truck stop and getting a little rambunctuous with his CB. In both cases, they're now former drivers who will likely never drive again.

Statistically, alcohol is involved in 47% of all non CMV motor vehicle fatality accidents and 11% involving CMV's. Source: trb.org

As for the debate . . golfhobo by a nose . . sleeper berth modifies off duty.

[belpre122]

Golfhobo Line 5............................

[golfhobo]

Golfhobo Line 5............................

BTW, Belpre..... your new avatar has no basis in fact in the FMCSA regs pertaining to an OFF DUTY driver.

Just sayin' :wink:

[matcat]

Well then, this got way out of hand...