I pulled off at North Bend, Wa. thursday evening to find the on and off ramps, the frontage road, the truck stop lot and every concievable place to park occupied by a truck.
I tthought, "God, Snoqualmie must be awful." So I stopped long enough to check the road and weather outlook. Nothing going on, so away I went. There wasn't even any slush on the pass. This got me to thinking.
Why are the masses all parked as if there was a blizzard warning up?
They are parked for the "Fear of Chaining".
Now here is the other sad side of this story. The "Fear of Chaining" exists due to the physical aspect of the job. There are many drivers that are unable to chain. This is due to obesity. If they were to lay down on the ground to link up a three-railer, they may be unable to get back up. They can not bend over either. How these individuals can pass their DOT physicals is beyond me.
I am dead serious.

 

I agree, too many drivers are morbidly obese ---but, I don't see why anyone would have to "lay down" on the ground---but I can see that these fat people usually have to set on their ass to work down low--because like you said they can't squat, they can't bend over --it's a damn shame.

I'm not fat( too fat ) so--it's not the "fear of getting down- and not being able to get back up" that keeps me from chaining---if I'm afraid of anything--it's getting ran over by some skidding out of control car while chaining/unchaining.

Maybe if they invented the FatMan's waterproof-heated "Chain while setting on your ass"- wheeled-creeper cushion , then maybe they'd be more inclined to chain up. They could then market a 400lb electric- wench a-frame to pick them back up off the ground when they're finished.

 

I saw one guy with a flatbed getting ready to unload. When he undid a strap he wrapped the metal hook in a rag and taped it. The he tied a rope around it with a weight on the other end and kept throwing the rope over the load until he made it then pulled the strap over the load. I'm pretty sure the rag was to make sure the metal part didn't get snagged on anything. I'm 99% sure he could not have climbed on top of the load if he had too.

I kind of liked to think that he was a van driver and just switched over to flatbed to start working on his weight problem.

 

It is a small miracle if you can find parking near north bend even in the middle of summer :? . I NEVER plan that as a stop, If I get there and I can park, (1 out or 10 or 15 times) I consider it a bonus.

I personaly say, "if I gotta thro, it don't go. not for "fear" of work but because I feel if you have to chain, there is no reason to be on the road. I have never had anything on my deck that was that important. My hats off to the guys that HAVE to chain for what ever reason.

 

Creek, why so many trucks are parked in that area, may not have anything to do with weather. TS’s in the Seattle area really suck, and get filled quickly.

Passing a DOT medical is an important first step. Continuing the health evaluation of an employee is a concern for companies themselves to address. Apparently, very few companies show any concern in this regard. It is up to companies themselves to establish policy as to what they want a driver to do, or not do, and whether they are capable to manage the job, beyond just a med card or driving skills. Not every company wants drivers to engage in chaining up, or even touching the load. We have drivers who may have handicaps, or getting on in years, and various reasons they limit their physical challenges. One cannot simply say they are not good drivers, nor is there no place for them in our industry.
I’m trying to make the argument; one cannot gauge the functional capacity curve, by obese slobs who wouldn’t be fit in any job, and turn blue, with eyes bulging, just trying to climb into the truck.

Using objective and legally compliant procedures, functional capacity testing can help ensure that a prospective worker has the physical capabilities to perform essential job tasks.

In the firefighting industry, we have to pass a Physical Fitness Assessment once a year.
If we fail the test, we are suspended for 30 days to get into shape, and retested. If we fail again, we’re done. We also get much more inclusive Physical exams once a year. I agree that the trucking industry also needs to show more concern for the general condition of its drivers.

Most of us would take more care in maintaining our health and physical capacity, if we know our job or current position depends on it.
This functional capacity testing could identify people who cannot meet the physical demands of the job, to reduce injuries, to establish baseline data to evaluate claims if necessary and to reduce workers’ comp expense.
If an employee passes a functional capacity test today, it doesn’t mean he will be able to pass it a year or two from now. Nor is it a guarantee that his physical or medical condition won’t degrade to a point where job performance is affected. There again, the individual company needs to identify, evaluate, and possibly reassign drivers accordingly. Not every company is going to need its drivers to meet the same standards as other companies. In regards, I believe each company should have it’s own set policies.
Some driver’s, who are so unhealthy, might choose to quit, rather than try to pass an evaluation, or at the very least, make the effort to get into better shape, knowing the consequences otherwise.

 

Roadhog,

Point taken and mutually assessed.

As far as the TA in North Bend is concerned I failed to mention one observation I made when last there.

The lot was so full there was a crane on location stacking trailers. I asked the crane operator what was going on.
He said they told him to stack them 4 high if needed, and I said "you can't BS me they will never go over three." :lol:

 

The difference between a SMART DRIVER and an INTELLIGENT DRIVER is:

A SMART driver knows what he needs to do, and how he needs to do it, in order to get the load through any weather mother nature can throw at him.

An INTELLIGENT DRIVER knows better than to challenge any conditions that are beyond his capability, or beyond the capability of the equipment.

(Even chains will not help you get through eleven feet of snow in CA.)

 

I guess I did not express myself clearly. My point was the capability or the physical aspect of chaining, not the decision to chain. I do believe many fear that they will be forced into a situation where they must chain and therefore decide to sit until there is very little risk of that occurring.

 

Not obese
The 5 leves of fatness
1. Big
2. Healthy
3. Husky
4. Fluffy
5. DAMN

How do you know that you have reached the last level? You go to get on a crowded elevator and the people go "uh-uh.....DAMN!!!!"

 

People look at me and go you need to drop 100 lbs. Yet I put into a true body fat measure tank and turns out my Body fat is only 20% yet to look at me you would not think so. My doctor was wondering why then they did a Bone scan and went CRAP turns out my bones combined weigh 180 lbs by themselves and then add the muscles and organs and skin I am up to 320lbs. So I am right on the weight I need to be yet occording to the USDA and NIH I am Morbedly obese yet a Body POd says otherwise.