MatCat.......Just a suggestion...........Perhaps it would be beneficial for you to consider concentrating more on driving, instead of the distractions of live web cams/chat rooms/computers in your cab. These may be interesting diversions down the road when you have more experience. For now, however, more attention to the driving aspect of the job may be in your best interest. Hope it all works out for you.

 

Well I WAS a computer programmer before getting into trucking, and just as much as diesel got into my system, computers are also still just as much a part of who I am, I cannot imagine life without them, mo matter what I am doing. When I am driving I do pay attention to the road, and you can ask anyone who watches my cam that I do not even pay attention to it unless its safer to do so. And as far as even having the computer within view while driving, 90% of the time its got GPS app up and running in the foreground, and or directions, etc, not like I'm driving down the highway trying to have 20 IM conversations, write a book, and browse the web . And if I am talking to anyone in the cameras chat, its via voice, so I do not see it any more distracting then keeping your eye on a GPS on your dash and talking to someone in the passenger seat. And believe me, I didn't even attempt the webcam until I felt comfortable enough with driving, I didn't want people to see me making stupid mistakes, which I made plenty of the first month on my own, rofl, still do occasionally, but learned a lot of lessons that first month! And in 8 years of total driving, I have only EVER been pulled over once, NEVER had a ticket, NEVER had an accident, this is the first accident and first ticket, ever in my life.

 

Matt........I was a Systems Engineer before moving to trucking. I am coming up on my 3rd anniversary as a driver, so I think that I still have a pretty good grasp on what it was like when I was first out on the road. My observation is not at all meant to belittle or question your skills. I have, however, been on your live feed and personally feel that you would be doing yourself a big favor by considering focusing ALL of your attention on the job at hand. I completely understand the need/longing for the "extras" as I have a boat load of toys also. Just my suggestion to you from another rookie with a few more miles under his belt. I really hope everything works out ok for you. Keep us posted.
Gary

 

Just for the record, so that no one can say 'Ohh this accident is his fault because of the computer/webcam' at the time of the accident no one was even watching, and I was busy watching the road because of the FOG, because I know eventually someone will try to use that as a reason for the accident, at the time of the accident I was looking straight ahead, it was kind of wierd, like something out of a movie where you see a ship on the ocean appear out of no where right infront of you in dense fog, was exactly what it was like, one second it was just blacktop and fog infront of me, the next second tail lights and a trailer right infront of me.

 

Ok just talked to my DM, I am getting a ride with another driver up to my terminal, and they are going to give me a loner truck, until they either fix mine, or if they deam it not worth to fix, just keep the loner.

 

thats good news. congrats on keepying the job. as far as your sight distance goes its happens really fast i know i have been guilty of out running mine too its something that ahppens from time to time but just have to remember to take a deep breath and slow down.

but by the sounds of it everything is working out for you.

 

Matcat,
Your post before "rumbarrel" gives every reason safety-wise why your company could let you go. I hope you removed all your toys before the truck gets back to the yard.
If you remain employed, use this as a reson to have only the items on the truck you need for your job.
I even turn down the broadcast radio and CB when the distraction is too much. BOL

 

Is it true fog like that is called a one liner? Cause you can only see one line at a time? So I have been told. :lol:

Sorry to hear about your accident. Glad no one was hurt. Hopefully you stay that way Good luck. :wink:

 

Regardless of the reasons behind it, here is what you are looking at:

- A DOT recordable accident (you were towed from the scene), which is also considered a major preventable by any company.

- A ticket for Following To Closely (1 rung down from a careless/reckless on the seriousness scale) attached to that accident.

If you keep your job, consider yourself very fortunate and become the perfect driver. Don't even so much as scratch a mirror in a parking lot.

If you lose your job, you might consider falling back on your programming background. It's a company market right now...freight is down and companies are being very picky, so don't expect it to be easy to get on with another company.

And finally, regardless of what the outcome is, be extremely grateful that you hit a truck and not a car. Trucks can be replaced, jobs can be replaced. But wiping out a family of 5 would pretty much end your life, too.

So go slower in the fog next time! The lady you hit was doing everything right. Follow her example.

 

You make it sound like I was going 80 mph with the radio all the way up, and my attention span fixed on the computer monitor, while eating a sandwhich, which frankly is just not the case. Sure, I love music, and I listen to it most of the time I am driving, but when in traffic or local small streets, that radio goes off, sure I love my CB, again, when road conditions merit it, it goes off, same with anything else, when the road conditions merit it, I pay 100% attention to what is going on, and this accident was no exception, my attention was 100% on the road and the fog, so your assumption that I need not have toys is absurd, and I will not give up a single one of them. Its not what you have, its how you are using it, and when you are using it. The point is at the time of the accident my radio was OFF, my CB was OFF, and I wasnt even paying attention to the computer, I was looking dead straight on, and I had slowed down, I was doing 65 before I hit the fog, and slowed down to 50.