| Sizzle |
06-03-2007 06:21 PM |
Wow!!! Never a dull moment on this forum. I was going to contribute my .02 but was rather concerned I would be the "newbie" gettting picked on. But here goes, I guess I'm a big girl and can take it.
I live in Colorado and when I was in trucking school 3 years ago they told us that if we hit the ramp in Colorado it was a $2,000 wreckless driving fine and ticket. Then it costs $100s of dollar a foot to tow us out. The fine & ticket wouldn't be given if it was proven that it was the malfunction of the brakes and not driver error.
Frankly, I think it is ridiculous to fine someone so high when something far worse could happen if you don't hit the ramp. For instance, wiping out some of those four wheelers.
Personally, even though, I'm admitting right up front to any Super Truckers/Senior Truckers I'm a newbie I have driven the Western Mountains extensively since I live out here. I have only had smelly hot brakes [didn't smoke em] once, the first month I was a driver. I was coming out of Oregon on I-5 into California. Someone had taught me to alternate the Johnson Brake with the foot brake coming down Cabbage. Well, that might have worked on Cabbage but it didn't on I-5. I now know that I was damn lucky I didn't burn up the trailer brakes before that episode. BAD ADVICE!!!
I now drive a Volvo with a three stage Jake and have only had to apply the foot brake going down a hill a very few times. It seems to me if you start down the hill in the right gear, you should be able to ride the jakes without ever applying the foot brake whether it's the stabbing & braking method or the steady pressure method. I don't think you should have to utilize the foot brake at all? 8) :lol: :wink:
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