Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredog
would they send a truck out with no brakes? and if they would, would you drive it?
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Talk about a "moment of Zen." I haven't been reading CAD much lately, but tonight I found THIS one..... and I just happened to have an experience today that could SAVE some "rookie's" life someday..... if he'll read and think.
I'm on record with an "alternative" use or two for the "Trolley Bar" and many here have held the opposite view.
But, here's one I think many of us can agree on. First, and foremost, a driver need to do his utmost to understand the "air brake" system. It is essential to the operation of your "CMV" but also to the preservation of your LIFE!
I'm sure most of you, after "hooking" your trailer, use the fact that there is no air supplied to the trailer brakes, to check your 5th wheel lock.
You are even convinced that your "emergency/red" airline system is working to STOP you if you lose air in your system.
But.... that is the SECONDARY system. There is another.
Last night, I was the "spotter" part of my team, when we were hooking our doubles set for a 1500 mile trip, done EVERY day, through mountains and whatnot.
While hooking the dolly to the back of the FRONT trailer, and my codriver holding his foot on the brake while I did so..... I heard/noticed a "constant and PERSISTENT expression of AIR from the BLUE airline BEFORE it got to the "glad hand connection."
The POINT is this, as I'm afraid I'll lose many of you if I don't keep it short:
A SOLO driver could hook up the PRIMARY air line, providing air to the brakes for BOTH trailers, without knowing whether or not it has a MAJOR LEAK in it, because he has no one to apply that pressure to test it. The OLD trucks HAD such a configuration.
I could have kept my mouth shut this morning.... and left ON TIME! But, I had no choice but to point out what I NOTICED " wasn't right." We HAD NO BRAKES! The bleed off on the FRONT trailer meant NOTHING through the dolley and into the back traier.
My point is THIS! MANY accidents on the road can be "prevented" if YOU... the driver.... are doing your FULL job!
Does it cause you even a MOMENT of concern, that a set of "doubles" can be barrelling down the road with NO primary brakes to the TWO trailers beihind the tractor?
And PART of the reason is that there is not a SECOND person to hold down the "trolley bar" or to put a foot on the brake pedal. Because, without this.... a DRIVER at the dolley "junction" might not NOTICE a leak in the primary "blue line" that engages the brakes in TWO trailers.... :hellno:
Sorry for the rant. THIS situation made me stop and think. That doesn't HAPPEN very often!
