On Trucking Up The Wide Way

Published on May 2, 2008 By MasonM In Blogging

OK, so I've been seeing aall of these "On such and such" bullshit articles posted one after another. Whatever.

I hauled a firetruck down to Dover AFB. The route I had to take due to the oversized load was pure bullshit and it took me an extra day to get there thanks to being stuck behind farm tractors and school buses. Ah well, I did finally make it there.

From there I went up to Northern PA and picked up a wheel loader, which is basically a bulldozer except with wheels instead of tracks. It's also an oversized load as it's just a couple of inches shy of 10 feet wide. It's also a bit heavier than the normal legal limit.

I got my permits this morning and set out with my load. When I stopped for breakfast I called the customer and learned that they knock off at 11:00am on Saturday. No way I can make it there by then so I'll deliver it on Monday.

I made it out of PA no problem and the weigh station was closed in OH so I didn't need to stop there for the bullshit paperwork check. I cruised on across the OH turnpike where I had to pay an extra $30 just because I was a little oversized. What a crock of shit. Why should I have to pay an extra $30 to run a toll road just because I am a few inches wider than any other other truck? Robbery!

I pulled off just outside of Toledo as it was getting close to sunset and oversized loads can't run after dark. It's not like that makes a lot of difference as many people driving cars pay no attention most of the time anyway. It's amazing how many people blow past me in their cars totally ignoring my "Oversized Load" signs and the orange flags and pass so close to me that I am amazed they didn't scrape off any paint. Asshats.

I met a female driver while enjoying a couple of adult beverages in the truckstop. She's only been driving for 5 years and still had a few odd ideas. I did my best to set her straight and we taked for a couple of hours. I think I helped her out a bit, but who knows?

As I have to get up and get going early to beat the Saturday Noon curfew in IL, I cut out early. She did make a point of giving me a hug and thanking me so I guess maybe I did a little good.

I'm hoping I can slide past IL tomorrow, if I do I'll be in WI and home free to run on up to my delivery which is set up for first thing Monday moring. Otherwise I'll have to lay over until Monday and not deliver until Monday afternoon.

I'll make it.

Comments (Page 1)

Dr Guy

on May 03, 2008

There are apparently several articles "on" the "on" articles.

Have a safe trip down to florida this week. I'll be following you down in a couple.

erathoniel

on May 03, 2008

On "on" "on this or that" articles, you do realize that I honestly believe that the best way to have your articles read is to get them featured or on the main page. I usually post no more than three times a day, usually regularly, so therefore I find there to be no problem with this practice.

terpfan1980

on May 03, 2008

Could you say that again, in English please?

Honestly, I'm a to each their own guy, but apparently some people miss just how annoying they may be to others and how far from their goals they apparently are. Want to get featured? Write interesting articles. Want to get ignored? Write "on" everything multiple times in a day.

Back to the issues at hand in Mason's article here, go man go. Hopefully the roads will be open and flowing well and the loads won't be so wide in the future.

erathoniel

on May 03, 2008

Get your articles featured or put into popular channels to get them featured.

I try to post articles only three times a day, but if I get to the point where I haven't written many I occasionally write on topics that I've been considering writing on.

MasonM

on May 04, 2008

There are apparently several articles "on" the "on" articles. Have a safe trip down to florida this week. I'll be following you down in a couple.

Yeppers.

Thanks.

MasonM

on May 04, 2008

Big wheels keep on turnin'...On how to combat the onslaught of "on this or that" articles...Check out:Tova's "On" Posting Profusion Linkand Ock's Respecting Your Fellow JUs Link

Read em, thanks.

MasonM

on May 04, 2008

Back to the issues at hand in Mason's article here, go man go. Hopefully the roads will be open and flowing well and the loads won't be so wide in the future.

Thanks, it was a much better trip the rest of the way. I'm now sitting in WI ready to unload tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll then be on my way home.

MasonM

on May 04, 2008

Better driving today? Here's wishing you wide, open, clear roads.

Yep, thanks.

MasonM

on May 04, 2008

The fact is your titles are boring as hell. If you want readers write interesting articles that people will want to read and give them eye catching titles.

dynamaso

on May 05, 2008

I met a female driver while enjoying a couple of adult beverages in the truckstop.

Interesting... Are there many women drivers?

As for the wide load, I hope you get the run through you want.

Dr Guy

on May 05, 2008

I met a female driver while enjoying a couple of adult beverages in the truckstop.

That line seems like it should be followed by another, and then a ba-rum-bump.

Interesting... Are there many women drivers?

I'll have to ask my sister.

MasonM

on May 05, 2008

Interesting... Are there many women drivers?

While they are still a minority in what is historically a male dominated industry there are quite a few. As modern trucks become easier to operate with power steering and even automatic transmissions (in some trucks) more women are coming into the industry. I have an aunt who has been driving for several decades now. She was once a rarity but no longer.

We have one woman working for us. She can chain, strap, and tarp a load as well as any of us.

Some drivers out here resent the female drivers and give them a hard time, but I think they are just resenting the fact that the women can do the job as well as they can and it hurts their fragile, insecure little egos.

MasonM

on May 05, 2008

That line seems like it should be followed by another, and then a ba-rum-bump.

dynamaso

on May 08, 2008

Some drivers out here resent the female drivers and give them a hard time, but I think they are just resenting the fact that the women can do the job as well as they can and it hurts their fragile, insecure little egos.

I was wondering about this. Sometimes it seems to me the bigger and tougher the bloke, the more fragile his ego can be. Who cares who does the job so long as it gets done right?

MasonM

on May 09, 2008

I was wondering about this. Sometimes it seems to me the bigger and tougher the bloke, the more fragile his ego can be. Who cares who does the job so long as it gets done right?

Yeah, I agree. I actually ran into a driver a few weeks back who said that women didn't belong in trucks and should just stay home and cook for their men. I just laughed at him and told him he was an ass.

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