Dumb Question of the Day
 

Why 50 miles from a scale the radio comes to life with "Are the coops open?"

Are they going to stop or turn around if they are open?

Do they have to build their courage up before driving that 100 yards?

I asked this question back to someone who was asking and they called me a clown LOL

Maybe I would want to know in advance if I needed to make a stop at a safe place to "catch up" on a few things.Or maybe the last alternate route is 50 miles away.

100 yards? I don't get it?

I tried asking Sunday night for a good 20 miles if the I-77 scales were opened in VA and not a single super trucker in the bunch would answer,so I would of said the same thing to your smartass comment.See someday you made need some type of help/answer from someone else and I hope you get the same comment back.

For a real life example, tuesday evening I was in the 11th hr. driving also 14th on duty after passing thru Atlanta. I live in SC and there are truck stops before the scale. If the scale was opened I would hit the truck stop, if the scale was closed I would go to the house. Therefore I was on the radio asking what the "chicken house" was doing. I got some friendly replies and the rest is history.

These are the exact reasons why. Someone might want to park rather than go over the open scale. If they're trying to get home and the scale is closed, they might just keep going (oh, don't cry about HOS! See how you feel when you're 2 hours from home and coming up against a stupid 10 hour break!). Alternate routes are a good reason, too. If I can take a state route with no weigh station on it rather than go over a weigh station that's open, that's my choice. In most places that's perfectly legal (and sometimes the routing is shorter ;) ). Maybe we need to switch drivers but I don't want to wake up my partner if I don't have to. Maybe I'm deciding where I get my fuel. Maybe I'm deciding which truck stop to go to- like if the one before the scale is nicer, I'll stop there if the scale is open because I'm not losing anything and maybe it will close by the time I get there, but if its closed, I'll keep going because they might open up while I'm parked.

All kinds of reasons.

I've been in that same situation, moe, asking for a long time if the stupid scale is open and no one will answer except the guy saying "if you ran legal, you wouldn't have to worry about it." Who said I'm worried? I'm asking for information. And if you had any cohones, you wouldn't have to suck your thumb (sorry, this is just one of those topics that gets my blood boilling!).

There are some drivers out there who have the nanny mentality. We're all adults and we all make our own decisions. It's like the guy whining that you're in the left lane... like I don't know I can get a ticket for being there. It's one thing to make sure a guy knows there's a fine, it's a whole 'nother thing to act like the hall monitor about it. No one likes the hall monitor- if I get a ticket that's my problem. There are consequences to our decisions- good and bad. And if I decide to to pass on the left in a "no left lane" area that's the risk I take- and I'm not talking about driving like a bat out of hell or driving unsafely- but sometimes you get guys who stay in the right two lanes and are just going slow (blood boiling over again- it's okay, I'm not driving anywhere today...).

Maybe they are local drivers like me who knows ways around the coops.

We're sorry. This thread has been superceded by the one about the tax writeoff for fuel expense. Click HERE if your browser does not immediately redirect you. :D:D

Who cares if the " coops " are open or not........ I don't and my drivers do not care either.... Why you ask ??? That's right we run legal.... What a funny concept....

And the rest of you are bad, bad people...

The only reason to ask if the scales are open, is because one is not running legal.....:rolleyes:

My thoughts exactly!

I always assume the scales are going to be open and am ready if they are. Guess I don't see the big deal about crossing a scale. Keep your truck clean and look halfway intellgiant and drive across them.

I cross Banning (The Worst?) at least once a week and to listen to the radio around there you would think it was a bunch of little kids and the "Boogey Man" was going to jump out and get them.

For a real life example, tuesday evening I was in the 11th hr. driving also 14th on duty after passing thru Atlanta. I live in SC and there are truck stops before the scale. If the scale was opened I would hit the truck stop, if the scale was closed I would go to the house.

And if you had a accident and hurt someone you would go to jail, your falt or not.

Okay, the most obvious reason is that a driver is pushing his hours, or has not caught up his log lately. But, there are other reasons.

Sometimes, a load is not distributed properly by the loader/shipper and it is impossible to get both axles within the limits. By the time you scale out, the shipper has closed up and gone home. You can wait till they open the next morning to "get it right," or you can run with it.

Sometimes, you are less than gross when you are loaded, but after getting your "preplanned" amount of fuel, you are over on your steers, drives, or possibly even over gross.... until you burn some of it off.

If everyone drove "legal" all the time, there would be no need for "coops." I saw a guy one time with an RV on a drop deck, and it was maybe 2 inches over on the heighth. Not enough to hit a bridge, as they are usually, 3 inches or more higher than what they post as their heighth, but enough to cost that driver some time and money.

There are more than enough "hall monitors" and "____ Nazis" out here. If a driver asks about a coop, tell him what the situation is. If he can't go through that coop, then you just helped get him OFF THE ROAD! You did your "hall monitor" job! :rolleyes:

Sometimes, they may just want to know if that one middle I.D. light that burned out and can be replaced at the terminal is going to cost them a hefty fine.

But, if you're a newbie, and don't understand why the question is asked, you really have no business "preaching" to the more experienced drivers who are asking it. Just be glad you have a job.

Yeah I am a "Newbie" and not preaching to anyone just asking a question that made no sense to me.

Yeah I have a job........My truck and trailer are paid for and making more money than I ever made being a manager in the corporate world. Thanks for asking!

I usually don't say a word on the CB, usually just listen and laugh all day when the "experienced drivers" with the high power radios complain about not making any money as they blow by me with the smoke rolling out the pipes.

I'd like to hear more about this. Are you leased or a carrier? What management job pays less than trucking? I'm guessing it must have been a retail position at some level.

And the " regs expert " blathers on as usual......:rolleyes:

Back in 84' i was 23 hauling chips with a possum belly from louisiana pacific out of cloverdale, ca. thats when they had a chicken coop on the redwood highway, interstate 101, i called out to see if the coop was open, and someone called back and said, "nope, it's all shut up","go on thru" :)

well this was on a beautiful saturday afternoon, i had no problems, i had all the time in the world to get to los angeles, and i was just wondering if someone would of even answered me, as i could see no one, so i said, " ok 10-4 "

hmmm, i knew what was going to happen next, not good.

a few minutes later i got the chp right next to me, sizing me up and down, then he get's on his PA, and yells at me, " You Don't Look Over Weight" and speeds off. well, i was'nt.

the point i'm saying is, know when your talking to a trucker and when your not.
We only have each other to help, cause no one else is, I'll help you every time you need help.
I'll tell you if the coops are open and the last time i saw a bear.
and if i ever need to ask for help i only have you.

Hey BIG D. i do care cuz if i know my way around the scales why even be bothered with them. All the coops are is a headache waiting to happen.

But don't think i'm all caught up in it as all you super truckers go wiz'en by.
i'll pace you a mile or two back and use you as bear bait, as your screaming where's the bear, over and over again. and nobody is answering that one, cause nobody knows.

And its funny when the same supertrucker passes you several times in a day as one is running legal and at 55 to 65 mph....... Who has less stress ????

hey Big D i just said as the supertrucker passed me, and your saying he got off the highway, got back on and passed me again,
hmmmm and maby even again, it's possible, i do see the same trucks over again.








needed an r in (your)

Hey Big D, that was kinda like you got online, got stressed, then got offline, you'll prolly get back online, get stressed again, then get back offline. i think your funny. You just acted like a super trucker, but i'll help you too, there's a full grown in the tall grass, don't feed the bears...

Your all right Big D, i know what you meant, :)
for those supertruckers to slow down and open their eyes, share the highway and help their fellow truckers.
We only have each other to help each other, there is no one else.

I was a Distribution Manager for 21 years for Newell/Rubbermaid. They closed the plant I worked at in Nov of 2006 My last year there my salary was $58K. I got a severence package of a years pay then 9 months unemployment.

I couldn't find any job that paid anything without moving to a big city. While I was not working I got the idea of going trucking. When the plant closed the state gave a retraining grant to the employees. I went to the community college in 2007 and took the 6 week truck driving class. After I was done with school I took a job with MCT and went out with a trainer. I lasted 4 days with the trainer till we got in a fight on the shoulder of I-80 and I packed my stuff and walked to the next town. Yeah it was probably my fault because I didn't adapt too well from being the boss to having some Army kid telling me when I could eat, use the bathroom, take a shower, etc.

I found this board and starting reading everything on it daily. I started putting spreadsheets together and I developed a business plan.

When the plant closed a guy that worked for me bought a truck and leased on with a small local company (10 O/O) He would copy his settlements everyweek and give them to me and I would plug his numbers into my business plan. In March 2008 he told me the owner of the company decided to retire and he was going to buy the business. He kept telling me to go buy a truck and come to work for him. The numbers were looking good on the spreadsheet.

I still wasn't sure this is what I wanted to do. A guy I had went to trucking school with had bought a truck and flatbed trailer. We talked weekly and he was struggling to make his payments. In March of 2008 I offered to go with him for the experience and double his miles with us both driving and get him making some money. I went with him for 5 weeks and learned how to not to make any money.

In June of 2008 I decided I could do this and make some money. I raped my 401K of enough money to buy a truck and have operating capital. I talked to a trucking attorney and got incorporated and talked to a accountant and got all my financials set up.

I leased on with the small local company and took my first load the first week of Aug. We just run Iowa to the Los Angeles area and back with a dry van.

I have been grossing $6k-8k a week and netting $2500-4000 a week.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I going to call bullshit now.......

Hey FDMAX- I just sent you a PM about the LP chip haul.

Whatever happened to Steve Booth? He was the coolest guy on here, really about the only reason to log on.

Why is Scottt's post so unbelievable BD? He could be running team, plus he grabbed his 401k $$ before his mutual funds plunged by 30%. I say kudos to that. :D Just curious why your calling BS.

Hey Steve, How's it goin. Are you in FL for biketoberfest?

If its team, the numbers are in the realm of reality...... solo driver = BS....

Well, I don't consider myself a "supertrucker" or a BBR, but I DID drive a fast truck, and could at least do the speed limit or a FEW miles over. I often got off the big road for a quick break to hit the bathroom, get a soda, and/or stretch my legs, and then quite often passed the SAME "slow" truck several times. I always wondered if that poor guy EVER got to stop and take a break, or if he HAD to keep droning down the road to make the miles he needed.... without a break.

Usually, when I looked over, he had his elbow propped on the wheel, and a blank stare on his face. I don't know about "stress" but, I'd say HE was much more worried about getting miles (and therefore PAY) than "I" was, and he was definitely less rested and alert.

I commend you for running a legal operation, BigD. But, don't forget that not EVERY truck on the road is a SOLO. So, if a truck blows by you, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a driver who is PRESSED for time and running ahead of his logbook.

Some of us are teams, and we have plenty of time to get there, a fast truck to do it with, and plenty of time to stop several times a day for breaks to make sure we are "safe." ;)

I'd have to hazard a guess that, in today's "market" conditions, even a successful O/O like you probably has more stress than someone like me, regardless of the speed of your trucks. :cool:

Hobo

I was going to let this slide, BigD. Mostly, because your insults no longer matter to me (or anyone else of consequence.)

But, WTF is your problem? I answered a question/post from someone OTHER than you, so I did not attack you in any way. I gave a reasonable answer to the question. The O.P. might not like it, but that's not YOUR problem. And, at any rate, it was MY opinion and that is what this board is about.

As I understand it, you provide valuable information to SOME on this board. That's commendable. But, I haven't seen that YOUR contribution is any more valuable, or acceptable, than mine. Some may disagree, but others don't.

Your petty insults don't really bother me. But, they DO preclude any respect that I would LIKE to show you for your experience and input to this board. And I DO believe you deserve that respect.

If you disagree with anything I say, I am open to debating it with you. But, insulting me is not conducive to that end. It only shows how small you can be. And before you say "pot meet kettle," yes.... I have fallen into that responsive mode before. I'm not proud of it. In fact, IF I have said anything that really offended you (even though it was all in the genre of B.B. sparring,) I apologize! Obviously, I don't know anything about you or your family, and I'd be willing to bet that, outside this board, you're a pretty decent human being.

I know we can't all be "buddy, buddy" here, and feed each others egos all the time by telling them how RIGHT they are. Heck, we'd all sound just a little too "gay." I am known for being contentious and stirring a debate now and then. But, I don't see the need for personal attacks everytime someone posts something.

I really hope you decide to meet me halfway on this. But, that will be up to you.

Hobo
FMCSA reg expert(:p)

Look at it this way GH...

"Fat, Drunk and Stupid is no way to go through life.....

At least he's not drunk.

Hey fdmax,

I hate to look like I'm on Big Whatever's side in anything, but I have to call BS on you-

If you were hauling south out of LP Cloverdale you didn't have to cross the scales. The mill entrance was on the other side of the freeway on the old highway, which I think is now Asti Road. Turn left out of the gate, go south to Dutcher Creek Rd., & get on 101 south. You're nowhere near the scale.

I hauled out of there from 75 - 82. In the old days hauling from there to Ukiah or Samoa we used to go through the scales on the way in when we were empty, wood it up to whatever we could get and go out the back way, along the levee into downtown Cloverdale and head north. The cops had to know what we were doing, but nobody ever got busted. If we were hauling out of Annapolis we used to come out Kelly Road, cross over the highway right in front of the coop, go into the mill & take the levee road into town. They had to know.

Ah, the good old days.

And I doubt he is that FAT, either! :D

I'm just kidding! I don't think BigD is stupid, either! You don't get where he is by being stupid. I don't know him, but I doubt he is fat, I'm pretty sure he isn't going through life drunk.

Myself? Well.... I got a little beer belly going. But, I don't drink while on the road unless I'm on a reset... and there is a beer available with a big screen T.V. and sports on. My body mass is so far below the average male, that my doctor (for my last physical) was amazed! And I SURE ain't stupid!

But, I actually agree with his sigline. Life is too short! ANY of those conditions will lessen a life's experience! And ALL of them can be "fixed."

But, the worst of them is being stupid. (and again.... I am NOT saying that he is.) But, there are many people who are slender, and sober, yet STILL stupid! To MY way of thinking, a mind is a terrible thing to waste! Going through life stupid would be the worst of those things!

Many great minds in history have been either (or both) fat or alcoholic. But, I can't remember a SINGLE stupid person who made any impact on history, so no one remembers OR CARES if they were fat or slender, or drank the wine or the koolaid! Stupid just doesn't register.... unless you happen to be the leader of the Free World! :cool:

What I like about this board, and perhaps what distinguishes it from others, is that there are NO stupid people on here.

We represent only a fraction of the drivers out there, but one might assume that we are "representative" of a larger number. That number is STILL only a fraction of the number of drivers out there, but I want to believe that we represent a larger number of drivers on the road! I want to believe that there are MORE good and smart drivers than there are stupid ones!

leased on with the small local company and took my first load the first week of Aug. We just run Iowa to the Los Angeles area and back with a dry van.

I have been grossing $6k-8k a week and netting $2500-4000 a week.



I think it iz bullshitz. I run that area too at 110mph and I have hard time seeing dry van with good rate. AH,my english is getting little better,but I still have fart problem.

In fact, I'm the only one i know!

LightsChromeHorsepower,
i lived at 585 Santana Dr Cloverdale, right next door to John Santana, John was the tribal chief till he passed away and Bruce Reuser has the sawdust company, Reuser Inc, i had a sawdust business at the old Ward Lumber mill, called DeLaura Sawdust Products, i am no longer there, as i drive long haul now, my name is Mike DeLaura, my dad has the company Artesia Sawdust Products, LP had there truck maintence shop on the corner of asti and santana, one block north of kelly. And your right LP is also on Kelly, and also in Calpella and Ukiah, i would haul out of preston and coast lumber too, it was just one day i was driving south on the 101, well you know, the scales are'nt even ther anymore since they put the freeway all the way thru.
The road i really liked the most was the old road to Willits from Ukiah, remember that , that was rock n rolla, yeah! I use to pull a set of rag top joints, on a flying 5th wheel, Peterbilt COE 1982 over that road, and as young as i was, i thought the ride was one big roller coaster.

fldmax

This is too cool.

I remember the name.

Do you know Elvin Luis? Can you get me a ride on your Dad's sailboat? I can't remember if it's a SC50 or 70.

I went on a dirt bike ride with Merle Reuser about two weekends ago.

My upstairs tenant is a member of the Cloverdale Rancheria.

I got to haul out of places like Potter Valley, Covelo, Alder Point, Fort Bragg, Dinsmore- These dry van/reefer interstate guys would have excrement running down their legs if they had to deal with some of those roads.

After I thought some more I figured you had probably loaded out of Preston (now gone) or Redwood Empire.

Small world, aint it?

I love it!

ROFLMAO!!!!!

Now, where's Steve Booth? I come back here looking for him & stumble across this............

Yeah, i remember Elvin and Corky too. Really good men to work with.

And Merle, is a really good guy too, I remember he like's to ride bike's alot, that is really cool. :)

Yeah, my Dad still sails, and actually it's both, the Santa Cruz 52' and the Santa Cruz 70', he's not racing anymore (to many trophies), and he has a couple of deep sea fishing boats too.

You and Merle are more than welcome to come out sailing or fishing.

We just got another boat too, a 32' BEHM with a 15' foot plank off the bow to harpoon sailfish, it's a commercial fisher, this this is really cool, you just got to see it. :)




took an h out of throphies for (trophies)

Call me a liar, I don't really care.

I will post last weeks check stub when I get home or sooner if my wife can figure out how to scan something. It was $5900 something gross and I was paid $2900 something after fuel tax escrow, insurance, commission, 2009 base plate escrow, and fuel

I am on my way to LA now with a Monday appointment and this load pays $3450

My pickup Tuesday for Des Moines pays $3200

If my math is right that's $6650 gross this week

Well it's a no brainer why the question is being asked...and that is to get everything up to par before crossing them...or avoid them by going around if you know how or stopping until closed ...Next you will ask why drivers call out the bears hidig spots on the CB...LOL