No You Can't Play WIth My Toys!

Published on July 6, 2006 By MasonM In Blogging

Bright and early this morning I got a call from the office saying that the new GA permit had arrived. I went inside the truckstop and got myself a temporary fax box. Flying J truckstops have these kiosks where you can get a fax box for free for 2 hours complete with a toll free fax number. You then simply print out the fax for 25 cents a page. That's much better than what most truckstops charge for faxes. It's normally something like 3 bucks for the first page and a buck a page after that.

After I got my fax, I bobtailed back to the weigh station, hooked to my trailer, and drove around to the scale. As expected an officer came out to inspect my permit. I showed it to him saying that it was the new permit sans clerical error. I thought it would be a quick pass. Oh no, not at all.

He broke out the measuring stick and measured the height, length, width, checked all the numbers, and then weighed it. After wasting a good 30 minutes of my time he handed me back my permit and allowed me to drive the remaining 25 miles to get the hell out of the state.

I drove to where I am now, stopping once to refuel. I am now roughly 2 hours North of Miami and will spend the night here before going on in to the port in the morning. Miami morning rush hour, what a joy!

When I arrived here I parked, checked out my load to make sure everything was still ok, and walked inside to take care of those things one needs to take care of after a long drive and several cups of coffee. When I came back out I noticed a door was open on the fire truck. What?! I rushed over to see what had happened. In my mind I was imagining some idiot had damaged it while pulling out or something.

Nope, turns out some idiot had taken it upon himself to climb up onto, and into, my load. I grabbed his leg and ordered him to climb down before I snatched him down. He was all like "Hey man, I didn't mean no harm, I was just looking. No need to get mad about it".

That fire truck costs just over a million dollars and I'm responsible for it until I get a signed delivery receipt. I was none too pleased to see some moron climbing around on it. I voiced these facts to said moron, using much more colorful language, and told him to take a hike before I wrapped a winch bar around his skull. (I had grabbed the winch bar out of the side box when I got close enough to realize what was really happening). He looked at my face, looked at the heavy 3 foot long, 3 inch diameter, 6 1/2 lbs solid chrome steel bar in my hand, and decided a quick apology and rapid retreat was in order.

This is a winch bar

Just how stupid does one have to be to come to the conclusion that it would be ok to climb up on a load on the back of a rig and help yourself to a look around? Especially something like an expensive fire truck? I am still trying to work it out in my mind what the exact thought process would be that could lead someone to do this. It escapes me completely.

Comments

Tova7

on Jul 06, 2006

I don't know what to tell you...that does sound odd to me.

Maybe he thinks the fire truck is en route and therefore doesn't belong to anyone?

That's the best I can do...because that is bizarre.

Mayhaps that man was one of those kids you saw out of control in the truck stop last week...but all growed up!

Be careful Mason.

MasonM

on Jul 06, 2006

Maybe he thinks the fire truck is en route and therefore doesn't belong to anyone?

No, he was a trucker, he knows better than that.

Tova7

on Jul 06, 2006

No, he was a trucker, he knows better than that

OUCH!

That makes it even weirder imho. Good thing you had a little attitude adjuster with you.

MasonM

on Jul 06, 2006

The world is full of stupid people I suppose.

While you and many others may live in a nice safe little world where dangerously violent people are rare, the places we have to go in my line of work are usually less than safe and there are indeed dangerous people around. I always carry a weapon of some type with me when I leave the truck and it has paid off more times than I can count.

While I had my knife on me at this moment, as I usually do, I just didn't think the situation called for something like that. Just a little something to discourage naughty behavior was enough.

Dr Guy

on Jul 06, 2006

What amazes me is the Cop. Ok, if you were hauling a sewer drain or something, I could understand. But you were hauling a fricking fire truck! WTF?

Perhaps the local fire crew may stop for such a stupid inspection when his house is burning down!

But I doubt morons that stupid would learn even then.

I would have asked him for Marshmellows. For his house fire! And yea, got my ass arrested!

MasonM

on Jul 06, 2006

#5 by Dr. Guy
Thu, July 06, 2006 6:56 PM

[Dr. Guy]

What amazes me is the Cop. Ok, if you were hauling a sewer drain or something, I could understand. But you were hauling a fricking fire truck! WTF?

Perhaps the local fire crew may stop for such a stupid inspection when his house is burning down!

But I doubt morons that stupid would learn even then.

I would have asked him for Marshmellows. For his house fire! And yea, got my ass arrested!

I can't really blame him, his was just doing his job. The thing is, I had already been through the entire routine just the day before. I seriously doubt that the load somehow grew over night.

Most states, if they even check the permit at all, just take a quick look to make sure you have it and send you on your way. Those GA boys and girls take their jobs just a tad too seriously.

dynamaso

on Jul 06, 2006

I am still trying to work it out in my mind what the exact thought process would be that could lead someone to do this. It escapes me completely.

How bizarre... You'd think, him being a trucker and all, the last thing he'd do is mess with someone else's load. Remind me not to annoy you. That winch bar looks hard!

Trudygolightly

on Jul 06, 2006

Holy cow Mason! well I'm sure glad it turned out the way it did!

So he was looking to do some Christmas shopping early??

I bet you did throw the fear of God into him!

Take care now!

Dr Guy

on Jul 06, 2006

Those GA boys and girls take their jobs just a tad too seriously.

Been there once. Anal retentive is mild when describing them.

Them Go-gia boys and girls need to get a fricking life!

MasonM

on Jul 06, 2006

#7 by dynamaso
Thu, July 06, 2006 7:06 PM

[dynamaso]How bizarre... You'd think, him being a trucker and all, the last thing he'd do is mess with someone else's load.

Exactly. Dumbass is the only word that comes to mind.

Remind me not to annoy you. That winch bar looks hard!

Yeah, well, they are solid. I use it to tighten the strap winches and chain binders, so it has to withstand several hundred pounds of force.

But it was just for show, I'm really just a teddy bear. Wouldn't hurt a fly ya know.

MasonM

on Jul 06, 2006

#8 by Trudygolightly
Thu, July 06, 2006 7:53 PM

[Trudygolightly]

Holy cow Mason! well I'm sure glad it turned out the way it did!

So he was looking to do some Christmas shopping early??

I bet you did throw the fear of God into him!

Take care now!

Thanks Trudy. I'm glad he took the better part of valor. I really wasn't in the mood for a fight. Would have been better still if he'd have just minded his own business and applied his stupidity in some other area.

dynamaso

on Jul 07, 2006

I'm really just a teddy bear. Wouldn't hurt a fly ya know.

Tell it to the bloke you chased off. I bet you he went looking for a change of underwear.

MasonM

on Jul 07, 2006

#12 by dynamaso
Fri, July 07, 2006 02:09 AM

[dynamaso]
I'm really just a teddy bear. Wouldn't hurt a fly ya know.

Tell it to the bloke you chased off. I bet you he went looking for a change of underwear.

Nah, I'm sure he felt all warm and fuzzy as he scurried away.

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