Men Who Still Live In "The Dark Ages"

[mapleleaf_1]

O.K. I am so pissed off. I am sick and tired of men who either don't believe that women drive trucks or they don't think they should be driving trucks. I went into a truck dealer the other day. I'm looking to purchase a new truck. A Volvo, of course. Anyways, I started looking at a truck on the lot. I pulled the hood down and was looking at the engine and all around the outside of the truck. There were 2 guys a distance off and I could see them watching me while I was doing all this. They never even tried to approach me. That started my temper to rise. After about 10 minutes my hubby finally arrived. He had answered a call on his phone and had stayed by our personal truck until he was done. As soon as he came to where I was I could see both of the men starting towards us. I told my hubby what was what. Believe me he wasn't happy about how they were being. He said they weren't acting very professional or businesslike. I agreed. Anyways they came up to us and proceeded to extend their hands to shake my husband's hand. They asked if they could help him out in any way. Answer any questions, show him the inside of the truck, etc. he replied...."No, I'm not looking to buy anything". They had a puzzled look on their faces. Then they asked why he was looking at a truck. He told them he was just there as my husband. That I was the one looking to buy. One of the men thought he was joking, but my hubby assured him he was serious. I looked at the men and told them that I had seen them just standing around and not offering me any help earlier on. I told them there are MANY women truck drivers out there and we live in the 21st century. I showed them the Letter Of Credit I had from my bank for the downpayment. I told them I wouldn't buy a truck from them. No way was I going to give them any sales commission. I went into the sales building and got the Manager and told him what had happened and how I felt. He apoligized profusely. We say goodbye and started to leave. By the time we got to our truck we could see the Manager had the 2 men in front of him and he was tearing a strip off of both of them. Served them right. Who knows, I might go back there, after some time, and deal with the Manager personally. Maybe he'll give me a better deal knowing what had happened. Let you know if I decide to do that. Drive safe everyone.

[Sgt_D]

Way to go...I think you handled that just right...One way to look at the "women shouldnt be driving" is there are more men on the road that have no business driving a truck than there are women who shouldnt be there"...

Hope you get a very good deal if you decide to go back there...

Rick

[joettanne]

Right on! I hear ya girl! Good for you straightening them out. I have never been in a position to buy a big truck, but I got the same thing when I bought my pick up truck. I brought a friend along and the salesman talked to the man right away. My friend had to tell the salesman that I was buying the truck and talk to me.

I have to chuckle to myself when I 'talk truck' to some of these 'men' truckers. Some of them got their jobs because they are men, not for what they know. I got my job for what I know, not because I am a woman.

Times are changing, but some will never change.

[Baby Bullseye]

Well here is this ok, I have only been out here a short time and I am trying to learn things as I go. Which I have picked up a few things here and there about trucks and the engines and all that. I really am trying to learn. But there was a lot of things not covered in school as well as not in my training.
Does any one know where I can gather more info about trucks. One to where I would be more self sufficient a d two so I don't feel so much like a mushroom when I get into a conversation. I really don't like having to rely on other people for much but that seems to be the only way I learn out here. Thank you very much for your time

[joettanne]

I hear ya. A good place to start are your owner's manuals. There is a wealth of information there, everything from how to shift to how to drive in bad weather. If the owner manuals are not in the truck, contact the dealership for that model. Have the serial # of the truck. The dealer can tell you about that particular make. Question the mechanics about the truck when you service it. Ask lots of questions, but ask the people who are in the know. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. And last but not least, the inter-net. Go into the site of the truck manufacturer you are operating. Be it International, Freightliner, Volvo, etc.

Annie :wink:

[4roses]

mapleleaf ... it sounds like you've got a good head on your shoulders and a good man standing next to you ..

Then they asked why he was looking at a truck. He told them he was just there as my husband. That I was the one looking to buy

..


it had to of felt wonderful just knowing that YOU were the one holding the paper work .... I would of gave anything to see the look on those boys faces ..

Good luck and keep up the good work.

[fishnwiz]

A similar thing just happened with my wife and I. We went about 3 months ago to look at new cars to give her something to reseaerch and think about. It is her car, she's paying for it, its her decision, I am just here as her husband. I told the salesman that twice yet he still tried to sell me the car.
We went back this week to buy what she had decided on and bought it from a different salesman. Origanil guy complained that we asked for wrong salesman but he was informed why he would not get any commision for a $30,000 sale.

[Shawnee]

Yeah, I've been treated like that when I have gone into a dealer, they usually don't take me very seriously because I am a woman, and because I am fairly young and most people think I am a lot younger than what I am, I go in to look at a truck or to go in for service and they are like "Hey kid, are you here with your dad"

[ssoutlaw]

Yeah, I've been treated like that when I have gone into a dealer, they usually don't take me very seriously because I am a woman, and because I am fairly young and most people think I am a lot younger than what I am, I go in to look at a truck or to go in for service and they are like "Hey kid, are you here with your dad"

I would take the young thing as a complement, mother nature has a way of taking that away from you....lol As far as the woman thing, you get to insult them back when they ask you what you want, then move to the next salesman....lol

[Bigmon]

I'm glad you left. They don't deserve the business. There was an article in my local paper today about how women hate shopping for cars because of treatment like this. It must be worse with trucks.

[wildkat]

Maybe it's cause I am the way I am...
I just bought my 3rd truck last fall...BUT was my FIRST brand NEW truck.
I walked into the local Kenworth dealership, wandered around for 10 minutes & no one came near...so I left..drove 2 blocks to the Peterbilt dealership.
The first salesman I saw watched me walk in the door, came up stuck out his hand & asked if he could help. I explained I was looking to replace my current, worn out truck with a new one. He asked a few questions and we got down to the business of ordering the truck.
I took delivery in Oct '06. Nobody treats me like a dumb blonde & gets away with it for too long.

[Sheepdancer]

They werent very good car salesmen then. A good salesman would jump at the chance to sell to a women. Any good car salesman will tell you that on average, women are easier to close a sale on and they will pay more on average.

[Baby Bullseye]

I hear ya. A good place to start are your owner's manuals. There is a wealth of information there, everything from how to shift to how to drive in bad weather. If the owner manuals are not in the truck, contact the dealership for that model. Have the serial # of the truck. The dealer can tell you about that particular make. Question the mechanics about the truck when you service it. Ask lots of questions, but ask the people who are in the know. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. And last but not least, the inter-net. Go into the site of the truck manufacturer you are operating. Be it International, Freightliner, Volvo, etc.

Annie :wink:

Thank you very much for the info. Normally if I was to ask questions I get treated like an idiot. Once again thank you.

[wildkat]

Yeah, I've been treated like that when I have gone into a dealer, they usually don't take me very seriously because I am a woman, and because I am fairly young and most people think I am a lot younger than what I am, I go in to look at a truck or to go in for service and they are like "Hey kid, are you here with your dad"

:P
Have to pass on a story here, seems appropriate & really is very funny.

A few years back I was hauling grain, with super B trains in the Canadian Rockies. Roads are steep and not much fun to haul a payload of nearly 50 tons.

Anyways, I was having trouble with my truck, I noticed a power loss, some white smoke coming from the stacks when the jake brake was on, and a slight miss in the engine. So I went to the local Detroit dealership to get it checked out. Now, keep in mind I am 5' tall, 122 lbs & have waist length blonde hair...
The guy at the service counter asked if he could help me. "I sure hope so I reply, I am having trouble with my truck". He looks me all up & down & says.."The ford dealership is over there, the dodge dealership is down the road, & the chevy dealership is 2 blocks away". Now I have put up with this type of thing most of my adult life....BUT was in no mood that day. So I looked at him & replied..."and just WHAT do you think they are going to do with a FREIGHTLINER???"
To make a long story short...it turns out the back 2 cylinders had collapsed & I would not have gone another 10 miles down the road!
At the time it wasn't very funny, but 10 years later, I get a good chuckle out of it.

Keep your chin up, and remember... It's always fun to make fools out of these types!

[Mackman]

there ain't nothing wrong with the dark ages

You did the right thing i worked for a tri axle dump truck company had around 13 trucks we had 1 woman driver and the guys used to love it when she messed up. It kinda got me mad. I think there is nothing wrong with woman driving or owning trucks. As amater a fact i got along with the female driver better then i did the males.

[wildkat]

there ain't nothing wrong with the dark ages

You did the right thing i worked for a tri axle dump truck company had around 13 trucks we had 1 woman driver and the guys used to love it when she messed up. It kinda got me mad. I think there is nothing wrong with woman driving or owning trucks. As amater a fact i got along with the female driver better then i did the males.

You know is funny, in my experience most guys do...once they get passed the fact your bumps are in your shirt instead of your pants

Us gals have no ego to be stroked so we don't find the need to compete...with anyone. Most of us just do our jobs and move on.

Many ...not all... guys are threatened by us, not sure why, must be a "dark age" thing I guess

[mapleleaf_1]

Thanks Mack I do appreciate how you feel about women drivers and I'm sure the other women drivers do as well.
I agree with you there Wild. Like you said.....some, not all. Drive safe everyone.

[wildkat]

Thanks mapleleaf...Drive safe am off to work...try to catch up on the weekend :wink:

[randy569]

I've been out here for 17 years, and I have to admit, I have generally worked better with the women drivers than I have with the men. I used to train people in carhauling, and, believe me, the women were A LOT easier to train. They didn't seem to have the ego trip going nearly as bad. If they didn't know what to do, they would generally ask what to do. The guys acted like it was a sign of weakness to ask anything. After a few trainees of both sexes, I got to kinda expect that.

Randy

[LadyNorthStar]

I feel for any of you ladies who take "flack" on the road. The only place I have ever felt that they look at me a bit sideways is Inland Kenworth in Whitehorse. They always start out trying to make me look stupid and end up walking away looking stupid themselves.

As for other shops and other drivers, I get nothing but respect! (Also give it that could help) My first job was pulling Super B Trains in Northern Alberta and now this for 2 years, running groceries over the Alcan. The people out here are what put the icing on the cake out here for me.