About Me:
Hello, for those of you who do not know me, my name is Richard Colbert and I have been an Over-The-Road Truck Driver since 2003. Prior to that I did numerous other things including hitchhiking around the country for about 8 years. That put me in the truck (semi truck) with lots of Old Timers who had years and years of driving experience. I learned (without even knowing it) from them so years later when I decided to become a truck driver I was way way ahead of normal ROOKIES. I am now going on my 16th year driving a truck and recently made a few decisions concerning my future as a truck driver.
Decision #1: I will never drive a commercial motor vehicle (semi truck) in the Winter Time again (well at least not where it fucking snows) - There are just too many idiots on the road now a days that have no clue how to drive (on dry roads) and completely lose their damn minds when this is WHITE SHIT on the road! My life, livelihood and freedom are put at risk every day by other motorists!
Decision #2: I am working on my Retirement! I have already cut back on my bills, I am working to pay off all my debt then I am going to build me a Mobile Off-Grid Camper/Tiny Home that I can live the rest of my life in and work from as well. I am seriously considering a Retired Straight Truck with a Lift-Gate on the rear with like a 24' Box. I could build the front 14' or so out as a Tiny Home to live in with a Passthrough to the cab of the truck. Then the rear 8' I could use to a.) haul stuff for people to earn money, b.) Build out as like a Food Truck where I could make/sell Boiled Peanuts, Dried/Roasted Nuts, etc. That rear 8' area could also double as a Covered Porch when the rear door is open and the Lift Gate could be used for loading/unloading stuff and as an extension of the porch when parked. So as soon as I get all my debts paid off I am going to buy a used straight truck (most likely) and start building it out. Once I have it built out to live in, work from, travel in and be able to live off grid (full solar powered with small generator for backup) I am going to RETIRE FROM TRUCKING! I will get a car hauler or toy hauler trailer I can pull behind it with my Hummer H3 onboard, something small enough that I can also pull the trailer with my Hummer H3 if I need to.
Why Being a Truck Driver is ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS JOBS!
The inspiration behind this post was a recent 28 vehicle (4 semi - 24 car) accident/inferno in Lakewood, CO that occurred a few days ago.
In short, a 23 year old Cuban (here legally on a Green Card) and living in Texas where he legally obtained a Commercial Driver License was coming down the mountain (heading east) into Denver area when his semi truck lost its breaks. Twenty or so miles after losing his brakes he was driving down the right shoulder at 80+ mph when traffic stopped all the way across the eastbound side (due to another accident a few miles ahead). With nowhere to go and no brakes to even slow down he piled into and ran completely over multiple vehicles, right under a freeway overpass (bridge).
The accident resulted in 4 deaths, 20 others being taken to the hospital and created a fire so hot that it melted the interstate and did serious damage to the bridge. The young driver of the truck survived with some leg injuries to his left leg and after being seen at a local hospital was arrested and taken to Jefferson County Jail. He has since been to a Bond Hearing where it came out that the State of Colorado has charged him with 8 crimes (so far) and his bond has been set at $400,000 Cash or Surety. If by chance he is able to bond out of jail (not likely) he will not be allowed to drive a CMV or leave the state of Colorado (he lives in Houston, TX).
Almost all the truck drivers I have talked to about this incident have said the same thing: It is the 23 year old truck drivers fault. Sadly I agree that it is his fault but I also understand/realize that it is not ENTIRELY HIS FAULT. You see the trucking company he works/worked for has failed 30 DOT Inspections this year (they are a small company so that is a lot) and almost all those where for BRAKE RELATED ISSUES on their equipment. Now wether the young driver knew his equipment was improperly maintained I don't know. If he had been properly taught to do Pre-Trip Inspections he would have seen the brakes weren't RIGHT. If he did, in fact, report (to his company) that his brakes were defective/failing prior to this accident then the company will face even more liability than they already are facing.
But here is where I side with the driver, or at least understand his situation. Trucking Schools and Trucking Companies that hire Students DO NOT TEACH SAFETY/RESPONSIBILITY. All they care about is DELIVERING AS MUCH FREIGHT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE MOST MONEY. Because of this YOUNG DRIVERS and NEW DRIVERS inherently feel TRAPPED/PRESSURED to do things that they know they shouldn't be doing. Often times companies will flat tell these NEW DRIVERS to RUN WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T.
Now for most Truck Drivers in the United States (at least the ones that are US Citizens) they have the ability (whether they knew it or not) to SAY NO. To report the company. To collect unemployment and/or sue the company if they are fired for BEING SAFE, etc. However, for a Non-English Speaking Foreign National here on a Green Card (easily revoked) who isn't familiar with our Laws, Courts, Regulations, etc. he very well could have been pressured (intentionally or not) into believing he HAD NO OTHER CHOICE but to keep working and keep his mouth shut. He likely could have feared that if he spoke up, brough any attention to himself that he would have his Green Card revoked and be sent back to Cuba before he could become a US Citizen.
Now I am in no way saying HE IS INNOCENT but I also DO NOT BELIEVE that he should spend a large portion (maybe the rest of) his life in Prison. Yes it was a horrific ACCIDENT, yes he is AT FAULT (at least partially) but given who he his, the circumstances surrounding his being here in the USA and the history of the company he worked for I have to ask DOES HE DESERVE TO SPEND 30+ YEARS IN PRISON? No I don't think he does!
Now for what it is like EVERY DAY FOR TRUCK DRIVERS!
Over the years "I have seen it all", well not really but damn have I seen some F'ed up $hit out here on America's Highways and Byways!
The truth is most MOTORIST have NO RESPECT FOR SEMI TRUCKS and NO KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THEY OPERATE or WHAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF/NOT CAPABLE OF. It is a daily occurence that truck drivers get cut-off, brake checked, flipped off for being slow or worse abused/ticketed for doing their jobs.
Every single day I am cut-off by at least a dozen different four wheelers and usually a few other semi drivers. Every single day I have at least one asshat that gets mad at me for reasons I have no clue about and cuts me off then immediately slams on the brakes!
Just like this incident that happened to me on 5/19/2018 where a truck repeatedly cut me off, brake checked me and then eventually came to a complete stop causing a 12 vehicle accident.
Fortunately I managed to avoid hitting anyone or being hit by anyone which is the only reason I still have a career or my freedom.
What most Drivers on the road do not realize is that they are driving around in vehicles that:
a.) Weigh between 2,000 lbs and 8,000 lbs with engines that have between 150 hp and 500 hp, while
b.) Semi trucks weigh 80,000 (fully loaded) with engines that are between 400 and 600 hp that
c.) Take 10-20 longer to accelerate or stop than the cars around them.
So if you are in a car and the light turns Yellow ahead of you and you slam on your brakes to stop, the semi truck behind you is going to run over your dumb ass.
If you are at a red light and behind a semi truck and the light turns green and he is just barely moving forward ITS BECAUSE HE CAN'T GO ANY FASTER. So when you swerve over in front of some other vehicle just to cut the truck off and slam on your brakes YOU ARE A DUMBASS and are gonna get run over.
Sadly there is an ever increasing MINDSET in the United States that THE TRUCKER IS ALWAYS AT FAULT. Now mostly I agree that WE ARE (supposed to be) PROFESSIONALS and that we should not allow ourselves to get into dangerous situations. However, with the average motorist getting into bigger and bigger hurries, with more traffic on the already crowded roadways and less and less training required to DRIVE A VEHICLE it is getting harder by the day to STAY OUT OF EVERYONE'S WAY and not find myself in dangerous situations.
Like on September 22, 2019 I was stopped due to an accident ahead on I-294 in Chicago when a motorist (in a car) pissed off cause he couldn't squeeze between my semi and the one beside me TO GET HOME QUICKER exited his vehicle, punched my truck and then came through the open driver's door window after me. At which time he saw my holstered firearm and backed off. Due to me REPORTING THE INCIDENT to the Illinois State Police I was arrested, charged with 4 felonies for Aggravated Assault with Unlawful Use of a Weapon and had to go to court 9 times between September 23rd (first court appearance) and May 23rd (last court appearance) where the charges were reduced to a single count of Misdemeanor Reckless Misconduct with Time Served (two days I was in jail waiting to bond out) and no probation or community service. Of course I will never get my gun back but I am 100% certain had I not had it (within reach) that dude would have pulled me out of the truck and beat me to death. So now I carry multiple knives and other LEGAL IN ALL STATES weapons in the truck.
There are lots of videos on Youtube showing Truck Crashes, Accidents, vehicles being stupid around semi's etc. Here is one of the better video's I have seen recently....Hopefully it will show you just how dangerous Semi Trucks can be and why you should ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION and RESPECT THEIR SPACE.