Originally Posted by Cabhappygal

First of all, regarding SUSHI.

The article states that this was a FAMILY NIGHT OUT for Mr. Griffith, during the good times when he felt he could well afford $150.00 for a night out. Since he is on the road so much and his wife and kids don't see a lot of him, this is something a man likes to do - throw the money around to make up for the fact that Dad isn't around much. Sound familiar, guys?

Hit the nail on the head there Cabhappy!

In my case it was a Japanese steak house with knives flying through the air, warm Saki then off to Fun Land with no spending limit for my 2 boys!!!

[Doghouse]

I'm thinking this guys truck probably gets 4mpg,...he heavy hauls right?, I'd bet he doesn't believe in APU's or any other device to help save on fuel. I'm not knocking him,..he's been in this way longer than I have,...but like said before,...maybe he should just park it, I know I would.

[person]

Originally Posted by Cabhappygal

First of all, regarding SUSHI.

The article states that this was a FAMILY NIGHT OUT for Mr. Griffith, during the good times when he felt he could well afford $150.00 for a night out. Since he is on the road so much and his wife and kids don't see a lot of him, this is something a man likes to do - throw the money around to make up for the fact that Dad isn't around much. Sound familiar, guys?

It's just so predictable now to read these postings by people who feel good about trashing others.

Yup, it's a jungle out there, just barely moderated by those wiggly yellow lines, late at night.

"What Happened and What's Wrong" with this industry (my title) is that people have no respect and Christian love for one another, being willing to give the other fellow the benefit of the doubt, and ONLY LOOKING at his own pocketbook, ONLY LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE. So if somebody goes broke, loses his truck, loses his home, goes berserk, takes too many prescription drugs to help his depression, and ends up killing himself, his wife, and his children -- well, he's just a loser -- he's not a good businessman -- the industry is better off without the dead weight.

Trucking Companies have no monopoly on this problem. LEASING AGENTS, DISPATCHERS, RECRUITERS, and COMPANY ACCOUNTANTS/ LAWYERS/INSURERS - will conspire to double-cross and lie to the driver.
They have no scruples.

But FELLOW-DRIVERS will do the same thing today.

Any cursory look at the Avatars on this messageboard, let alone the macho outfits worn by men and women in the truckstops, show that virtually everyone has 'bought into' the savage, brutal, crude, tatooed, metal/rap culture which has been marketed across America to deliberately destroy the soul of this country.

What you reap you will sow.

Excuse me?
THAT is a rebuttle to the well thought out observations of such benign business men as no-worries, etc? It seems, I believe, that you go off on contemporary culture, and supposed character flaws of the trucker populous and don't speak to any of the points.

[heavyhaulerss]

o.k. those who have read my post over times know my story well. talk about history repeating itself... i ran into sooo many o/o in 2000-2001 that had a lot of the same problems. but as soon as they beg,borrow & steal their way thu, they dont learn. theyre right back into looking cool in a heavy big chromed out truck with a $1000 c.b. sys. getting 4-5m.p.g. they do o.k. for a while & then back to reality. my idea of a low mileage inexpensive truck.($15,000) & a cabover at that! had all the o/o laughing at me from day one. 10 years later & still driving same truck. i have the last laugh. hate to be redundant here, but for those who may just be tuning in for the 1st time here..... champane taste on a beer budjet will get you where that driver is today. sooner than later. but it will happen.

most men remember their first car... was it new? was it expensive ? no.. it was a beater. just something to get the job done. tranport you & your family. then over the years you trade up getting something nicer as your circumstance & financial ability allows. but with trucks & truck drivers it's different. but should not be. why start out in a truck with high payments & other high expensis ? why ? i dont care about keeping up with the jones's or anyone else. i dont have any chrome, i dont have a real nice looking truck, my truck dont ride real nice, but what i do have is peace of mind... wich is priceless!!!! and... i'm not embarrassed or insecure going down the road in my ole walmart cabover. at the end of the work week i have enough money to buy myself more than just a peanut butter sanwich...

i will say i feel sorry for any driver that had fallen on hard times weather or not it's his fault or not. it's just my nature. but please learn from your mistakes. a mistake is not a mistake if you learn from it,,, if you learn from it , then i consider it a lesson, not a mistake. take care all of you... my best & prayers to all

[tankyanker]

i bought a truck with a hood, and i'm doing just fine. i think aeros suck, especially these newer ones. 90% of aeros = disposable pos plastic trash cans. everything under the hood is crammed together and difficult to work on. they're designed to go 300k miles with a fleet, then get sold and fall the eff apart. no thank you.

i dont think the problems with "trucking" today have anything to do with hoods, fuel or rates ... they have a more to do with the simple fact that there a bunch of gaping vaginal wounds running around calling themselves "truck drivers." like the guy i met at freightliner the other day who politely explained to me why it wasn't a good time for young people to be getting into the trucking industry - while he was getting a 200$ dash valve replaced at 110$ an hour for labor (on an aero).

i compensate for my hood by not being a total effin idiot. i take apart dash valves and replace the o-rings. i buy parts at the wrecking yard. dissemble clean, reassemble. put a kit in it if i have to. if a customer or shipper doesn't want me to haul their freight because my truck has a hood, then they can go get bent.

[heavyhaulerss]

I'm not saying a hood in & of itself is bad at all. is'ts more of what can you afford. & what are you going to make. when i bought my 95' intl i paid $15,000 for it. at the same time the big kw's & pete's were going for $30- $35,000. with higher mileage than mine. i could not see the justification for the double price tag. i get 7 m.p.g driving 60-62 m.p.h & 6.2 ave driving the speed limit. you take a big heavy hood getting 4-5 m.p.g. & a hefty truck pymt & it can & will take o/o's out of the business. to each his own. it's just like folks buying homes that they can only afford for a while & then lose it. there are a lot of o/o's who buy & do well with expensive rigs. those folks are not at all who i'm talking about. it's the ones who get tied up in the looks & have no business plan or cash reserves to get them thru tough times. my advice is dont go for the most elaborate expensive setup if your starting out, or have limited reserves. my post are usually for the ones who are thinking about making the same mistakes that others have made & to educate themselves before sticking their necks out. the ones that make it & know how to do it, well i have no advive to give them, maybe i will learn from them... i will say that fuel & rates have a lot to do with drivers making it though...