Slow Roll

[Route 45]

But they really didn't block anything. Even the police are saying that they really didn't even disrupt the flow of traffic. If they stopped, blocking all lanes of 465, I would agree with you. But they were traveling at the minimum legal speed (heck, I've seen bluehairs do worse), allowing traffic to merge and exit without any problems, and leaving open the left 2 or 3 lanes for traffic to flow unimpeded.

From the thousands of miles I've driven on interstates, I'd actually be thankful if they'd leave a lane open for normal traffic, instead of drag racing each other at 65 vs. 66 mph and holding up traffic for miles on 2 lane interstates like they usually do.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

From the thousands of miles I've driven on interstates, I'd actually be thankful if they'd leave a lane open for normal traffic, instead of drag racing each other at 65 vs. 66 mph and holding up traffic for miles on 2 lane interstates like they usually do.

Agreed. It's like they're trying to prove whose engine governor is more "lenient". "I'm gonna pass you, and I don't care if it takes me 20 miles to do it!"

 

[mmpsteve]

From the thousands of miles I've driven on interstates, I'd actually be thankful if they'd leave a lane open for normal traffic, instead of drag racing each other at 65 vs. 66 mph and holding up traffic for miles on 2 lane interstates like they usually do.

I've driven a lot of highway miles, and while it may happen occasionally, I've not found this to be a major continuous problem. It is irritating when it does happen, but that's what the shoulders for, right?

 

[BugI02]

From the thousands of miles I've driven on interstates, I'd actually be thankful if they'd leave a lane open for normal traffic, instead of drag racing each other at 65 vs. 66 mph and holding up traffic for miles on 2 lane interstates like they usually do.

Well, when they're all driven by Skynet maybe that won't happen to you ... if they decide to let you live (for now)

 

[KellyinAvon]

My Dad was an over the road driver for over 30 years, beginning in the early 70s. He has said many times that those who write the laws governing truck drivers, have never been in a truck.

He has no use for the Teamsters. In 1991 his employer abruptly padlocked the gate and abandoned the operation. The drivers were owed (by contract) 2 weeks minimum pay and (of course) their 401Ks. The Teamsters Union refused to represent even though they had been Teamsters for 8 years.

He once lost his safety bonus because a little old lady made a wrong turn into a construction site where his truck was being unloaded. He walked over to tell her how to get back on the road, she panicked and drove into his truck.

His logs did not resemble reality, but he knew how to play the game.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Well I guess we're fortunate that they aren't destroying textile machinery in their protest.

(For those who miss the allusion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite)

Not the same thing. The Industrial Revolution created more jobs then it destroyed, and the jobs it created had low barriers to entry. The skill and intelligence levels were similar and easy to transition. It was easy to go from an agricultural labor job to a manufacturing labor job. This is not the same with the coming automation revolution. It will destroy more jobs then it creates, and the jobs it does create require significantly more skill then the ones the displaced workers are in now. The good news is those jobs will likely pay quite well. The bad news is there won't be very many of them. That leaves a lot of displaced workers with fewer and fewer options in their skill set or a skill set they can reasonably obtain.

 

[cce1302]

Not the same thing. The Industrial Revolution created more jobs then it destroyed, and the jobs it created had low barriers to entry. The skill and intelligence levels were similar and easy to transition. It was easy to go from an agricultural labor job to a manufacturing labor job. This is not the same with the coming automation revolution. It will destroy more jobs then it creates, and the jobs it does create require significantly more skill then the ones the displaced workers are in now. The good news is those jobs will likely pay quite well. The bad news is there won't be very many of them. That leaves a lot of displaced workers with fewer and fewer options in their skill set or a skill set they can reasonably obtain.

Humans can be surprisingly resilient.

 

[Route 45]

Humans can be surprisingly resilient.

I don't think you understand the implications of increasing automation.

 

[cce1302]

I don't think you understand the implications of increasing automation.

Neither did the original Luddites.

 

[Libertarian01]

I don't follow this issue too much but sometimes you do need to do something a bit annoying to get peoples attention. Otherwise, the media and the masses continue to ignore issues that are not dramatic.

It is my general understanding that truckers, especially long haul truckers, generally live under impossible rules along with extremely convoluted rules. They are caught by laws strongly influenced by company lobbyists.

There is not a single person reading these boards that could keep their license if LE were able to enforce every single law 100% of the time, period. Every time we exceeded the speed limit getting a ticket. Every time we didn't come to a complete stop at a stop sign, getting a ticket. Every time we came to a complete stop at a stop sign, but didn't stop again when visibility was impaired getting at ticket. Every time we didn't signal, getting a ticket. We all know this could go on and on and on.

Now they want to put a piece of equipment in our vehicles that tells Big Brother 100% of the time when the rules aren't followed, and yet does nothing to protect their jobs and incomes. No one could survive that level of intense scrutiny.

I don't understand all the problems or have any idea what the best solution is, but I do believe the time may be here to address this issue in a meaningful and substantive manner.

Regards,

Doug

 

[BugI02]

I don't follow this issue too much but sometimes you do need to do something a bit annoying to get peoples attention. Otherwise, the media and the masses continue to ignore issues that are not dramatic.

It is my general understanding that truckers, especially long haul truckers, generally live under impossible rules along with extremely convoluted rules. They are caught by laws strongly influenced by company lobbyists.

There is not a single person reading these boards that could keep their license if LE were able to enforce every single law 100% of the time, period. Every time we exceeded the speed limit getting a ticket. Every time we didn't come to a complete stop at a stop sign, getting a ticket. Every time we came to a complete stop at a stop sign, but didn't stop again when visibility was impaired getting at ticket. Every time we didn't signal, getting a ticket. We all know this could go on and on and on.

Now they want to put a piece of equipment in our vehicles that tells Big Brother 100% of the time when the rules aren't followed, and yet does nothing to protect their jobs and incomes. No one could survive that level of intense scrutiny.

I don't understand all the problems or have any idea what the best solution is, but I do believe the time may be here to address this issue in a meaningful and substantive manner.

Regards,

Doug

Although I am sympathetic to your viewpoint, I feel it necessary to point out that airline pilots manage to survive and do their job with two digital recorders recording both every movement of the controls and configuration of the electronics as well as all important performance parameters (airspeed, altitude, attitude, direction, rate of climb or descent etc) and all conversation going on on the flight deck as well as any other audible noises

Pilots have had a stronger union enabling them to get stronger restraints upon the misuse of this information

 

[ATOMonkey]

Although I am sympathetic to your viewpoint, I feel it necessary to point out that airline pilots manage to survive and do their job with two digital recorders recording both every movement of the controls and configuration of the electronics as well as all important performance parameters (airspeed, altitude, attitude, direction, rate of climb or descent etc) and all conversation going on on the flight deck as well as any other audible noises

Pilots have had a stronger union enabling them to get stronger restraints upon the misuse of this information

Pilots aren't paid by the mile.

When regulations conflict with incentives, you get this mess.

 

[edporch]

But they really didn't block anything. Even the police are saying that they really didn't even disrupt the flow of traffic. If they stopped, blocking all lanes of 465, I would agree with you. But they were traveling at the minimum legal speed (heck, I've seen bluehairs do worse), allowing traffic to merge and exit without any problems, and leaving open the left 2 or 3 lanes for traffic to flow unimpeded.

Blocking the road going 45mph on I465 certainly would cause a traffic jam.
And blocking off the left lane too is a violation.
If I had been caught in their fustercluck, the last thing I would've been sympathetic too is the changes they want.

 

[Ark]

From the sound of it, the "protest" was the headlines before the event, not the event itself. It doesn't seem like anyone was legitimately inconvenienced at all.

 

[Libertarian01]

Although I am sympathetic to your viewpoint, I feel it necessary to point out that airline pilots manage to survive and do their job with two digital recorders recording both every movement of the controls and configuration of the electronics as well as all important performance parameters (airspeed, altitude, attitude, direction, rate of climb or descent etc) and all conversation going on on the flight deck as well as any other audible noises

Pilots have had a stronger union enabling them to get stronger restraints upon the misuse of this information

I understand the similarity between pilots and truckers, but the pilots have a huge advantage of public perception: If we crash YOU die! If we crash we could fall on YOU and your CHILDREN!

They have a bigger soap box to stand on.

Truckers are honestly just taken for granted. We have all driven tens of thousands of miles, perhaps hundreds of thousands and never seen an accident in person, at least watched it occur. And if we have it is often blamed on the trucker who drove tired, 'cause he shoulda known better.

You are correct that pilots have a stronger union because they have a greater stranglehold on their profession. It is easier to train a trucker than a pilot, but both are critical to our social, industrial, and commercial success.

I do hope that this event brings a few more eyes to the problems they face and gives them greater strength to promote reasonable improvements to existing law.

Regards,

Doug

 

[churchmouse]

Pilots aren't paid by the mile.

When regulations conflict with incentives, you get this mess.

Bingo

 

[307SD]

I drove over the road starting in 1976 thru 1995 with my own equipment. Starting in 01 thru 09 I did drive-away delivery of new vehicles out of northern Indiana. I have done a few miles, seen a few things, flown back from the west after new vehicle delivery, a lot.

I would never have done that amount if we would have had today's climate then. There is nothing that could get me to go back on the road today, even if I was young again.

Truckers are not angels. They are a cross section of society, some good, some bad, just like almost every other occupation. They are having some difficult times, just like most of the rest of society.

https://www.ooida.com/ This site might shed some light if you are interested, a lot of info there.

Truckers need to be/get better organized, yea, good luck with that.

And of course they won't let you forget; "If you have it, a truck brought it".

JMO; comparing passenger airline pilots to truck road drivers hauling freight = apples and oranges.

YMMV

 

[BugI02]

My point was not to compare the jobs, I was speaking to the other poster's assertion that no one could survive with electronics watching over them continuously.

 

[307SD]

My point was not to compare the jobs, I was speaking to the other poster's assertion that no one could survive with electronics watching over them continuously.

I totally agree.

 

[patience0830]

Blocking the road going 45mph on I465 certainly would cause a traffic jam.
And blocking off the left lane too is a violation.
If I had been caught in their fustercluck, the last thing I would've been sympathetic too is the changes they want.

Ed, you aren't listening.