Truck Driving Jobs

Doghouse · #1 02-25-2008, 03:59 AM

I have had a couple of really bad days,...first I had another tire bow out and this time the tire took off all the fenders (drivers side),exhaust system,trailer lights, load weight scales, broke my lights on the back of the sleeper, and put two large dents in the side of the sleeper right below the window above my sink. Now,....I can handle all of that,...what happened next is what really got me. I crossed the port of entry in Colorado (Lamar) and I was pulled into the DOT inspection lane for a level 1 inspection. Needless to say,...I did not pass this inspection with my lights not working (even though it was daytime) and also for my missing muffler (which was on the trailer) because the tire tore it off.
The officer would not listen to anything I had to say,..he did not even care that the truck stop I was headed for to do the repairs was within sight of the inspection station,...within sight!!!
He placed my truck out of service.and told me I had to call a mechanic to fix my right there on the spot (I had them working before he could call a road service truck to come out, I ran two jumper wires from my auxiliary fuse panel to the light circuits), he then handed me a ticket for,....are you ready for this,....$850.00,...$150.00 for the lights and $700.00 for the missing muffler.
I even had a log book entry that showed him that I had to change my tire a few hours earlier,..but he did not care.
I have to call the court on Monday and explain to the judge what happened. I might have to go back to Colorado on May 18Th for my court date with all of my documents proving what I said.
I have spent the last 24hrs repairing the truck to make my Monday delivery deadline, and I am tired. I have to be up at 4a.m. to finish the drive to Wyoming,.and then regroup after I'm empty to figure out where I'm going next.
I did get my repairs all done, but the tire fryed my light circuits and I only have low beams now,...but that's all I need anyway.

#2 02-25-2008, 04:21 AM

Sounds like he did not even get the Vasoline out first. Sorry to hear about that Doghouse go to Court plead not guilty and prove your case you had the parts and made repairs also. The DOT officer also should have realized you had a tire failure and mabe that caused the problem. But then we are taking the DOT.

allan5oh · #3 02-25-2008, 04:25 AM

This might interest Mr. Doghouse in the future:

http://www.mobileawareness.com/produ...il.php?pid=125

flood · #4 02-25-2008, 04:49 AM

Doghouse sounds like you had a bad day my only question is if you could fix the lights that fast then why hadn't you already fixed um..? And just remember if you get DOT again you will get it a ticket for inoperative highbeams. even if you don't use them they still have to work

Ratdog · #5 02-25-2008, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allan5oh

This might interest Mr. Doghouse in the future:

http://www.mobileawareness.com/produ...il.php?pid=125

Dang allan, nice Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems, but $800 is kind of high. But I guess the $850 Doghouse had to pay in fines would of covered it and he would of had the system for awhile! I have something simular on my car, but I have never had a tire blow out so I don't know if it would help. And I don't want to ever have to experience a blowout on the front of my rig, but we all know it will happen.

Doghouse · #6 02-25-2008, 05:29 AM

I even had the time flagged in my log book for a tire change 1hr earlier.
I'm going to go to court with all my info,..log book dated reciepts and I'll probably stop at another CO DOT to get them to sign a paper that says the exhaust is back on. This guy was a weirdo,....I told him where I was going, you could see the truck stop from the chicken coop!!..I showed him my log book, and he still chose to be an a$$.

I didn't know my lights were out (it was still daylight),..I fixed the tire and headed for the truck stop after I gathered up my exhaust parts from the road. I was on the side of the road changing a tire next to the highway,...I did it as fast as I could and headed out, checking for other damage than the visual stuff was not in the cards when you're 3' from a 60mph road.
I would have seen it during my nightime pre-shutdown light check. I do this every night, and then fix the ones that are out.

I'm not sure its a tire pressure issue. I check my tires every three days without fail. I have one on the trailer that has a slow leak, but this particular tire has never been low, neither was the one that blew about 3 weeks ago. I think its the old regrooved recaps that are just letting go. They seem fine,...and then they shred. This last one kept it's air after the tread came off,...scared the doggy doo out of me,..I was standing over it when I noticed it was bulging!!
I was trying to do the responsible thing and run these tires untill they are worn(they still have 1/4" tread depth),..but I don't think I can take another blowout, it's tearing my truck apart.

ronjon619 · #7 02-25-2008, 05:51 AM

[quote="Doghouse"]

I was on the side of the road changing a tire next to the highway,...[quote]

You change you own blowouts?

allan5oh · #8 02-25-2008, 06:05 AM

Sometimes dog you pick up a nail, and have a blown tire anywhere from 15 minutes later to several hours.

usedup · #9 02-25-2008, 06:07 AM

With the economy down, the states are looking for revenue wherever they can find it.....They found you !!!!!!

#10 02-25-2008, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doghouse

I have to call the court on Monday and explain to the judge what happened

I've never heard of a judge taking a phone call with regards to a ticket and handling an issue over the phone.

One good ray of light, if it would have been me that posted what had happened, 10,000 forum members would have faulted me for a hundred things that were my fault and that I should turn my CDL license in.