Guys you need to lighten up

raceman · Feb 25, 2006

As many of you know I have been dedicated now for a year. I have come to love this and will have a hard time going anywhere else when that time comes.

On to my topic. Last night at Ford Batavia in Ohio I ran into an Express1 driver at the gate. He asked me who I ran for and so on. A pleasure to share a word or two with. I also once ran into FlameMerc at that same gate and he too was a pleasure.

Why do I mention this? I see many Expediters everyday at all my stops. Ford Batavia, Ford Sharonville and Faxon are three I am sure to see other folks at. It seems to me most folks would prefer to see me fall off the face of the earth than speak to them. Is everyone so up tight they can't share a word or two or it that all the lights on my truck cause some kind of mental change in the mind when I pull up?

In any case just wondering. I am one to loves to shoot the bull or at least say how ya doing. Just seems odd that so many seem not to speak at all.

Raceman
OTR O/O

Broompilot · Feb 25, 2006

Come on now, I have never meet you face to face but I have called you, too shoot the bull.

Tennesseahawk · Feb 25, 2006

Might be the time of year. Only time I was sneered at when I tried talking was in Nashville last summer. I asked an A.Blair driver how everything was going. He said, "Ah... ok." and drove off. I'm used to standing around talking for an hour or two with fellow expediters, whether they be van, or semi, doesn't matter.

guest · Feb 25, 2006

My wife & I would love to sit and chat and I guess she has more problems than I do. I don't know if it is jealousy or what; but, we get more looks than a 3 headed dog would get when we try to chat.
Even our own company people look at us strange. My wife thinks it is because we get such grief from big rig drivers that everyone is gun shy about starting any conversation. Also, right now freight is tight and no one wants to share that kind of info as to how are you doing, running hard or please don't change companies because we don't need anymore competition and the tall tales get kind of wild, you know, the "you ain't gonna believe what happened" to me tales.
So, if you see us wave a hand and offer company and we'll stop and talk....if the load ain't hot!!!!

Take care & stay safe!!!

DRBNA & TBR
FECC "D" Unit

Critter Truckin · Feb 25, 2006

Wait a minute... I think I saw this same kind of thing in the "White Glove Cry-babies" topic. Fact is, if one doesn't have humor and fun and a pure love of what one is doing... THEN STOP DOING IT!!!

We (T-hawk and I) drive all over the place, and the only thing that I hear worth mentioning is that one driver is bloated in him/herself. Whether it be on the radio, or in the nasty Colubia, NJ TA. Fact of the matter is this, if we all don't lighten up and have a little bit of fun with each other, a little fellowship and friendship, then our careers become pointless JOBS!

Who friggin cares that you didn't get the call, we all have to sit once in a while. Who cares if your truck can't clear the first bridge on 75 coming into Michigan? Who cares if that meatloaf ran through you like Jeff Gordon's ex-wife ran through his wallet? Life's too short to be a stuck-up trucker elitist! Have fun before (and after) you run out of fuel!!!

Oh, and Larry, they drove off cuz you stink!!!:7 :7

Critter Truckin · Feb 25, 2006

Oh yeah, PS...

If you hear an Arab sounding guy and one that sounds like Beavis on a regular basis... it's not us!!!

letzrockexpress · Feb 25, 2006

"Stuck up trucker elitist"?? Now that is the best oxymoron I have evercome across!!

raceman · Feb 26, 2006

BP, I am talking about being face to face with people and they say nothing and actually very often look as though they are mad, hate life or hate me, I don't know.

I am just saying I think as we all see each other there is nothing wrong with saying hello. I actually have no desire to talk about business, I am just talking about saying hello.

Raceman
OTR O/O

Critter Truckin · Feb 26, 2006

I know they hate me... I'm not worried about it:7

TJ959 · Feb 26, 2006

I try to be friendly when I see other drivers but sometimes they send off vibes like ... don't bother me. I try to respect everyones personal bubble so maybe I may seem stand offish too. You're right. Maybe we shouldn't take ourselves so seriously. If you see a chubby old fart in a Sprinter, I'm friendly. Come to think of it, there are a lot of chubby old farts in Sprinters.

bryan · Feb 26, 2006

Hi
I talk to everybody who will talk to me.The good the bad and the ugly.We are all in this together.

MDB1 · Feb 26, 2006

TJ959 said, "Come to think of it, there are a lot of chubby old farts in Sprinters."

Hey, lighten up!

I resemble that remark. (he-he)

dhalltoyo · Feb 26, 2006

A man that hath friends must show himself friendly:
--Proverbs

The camaraderie amongst private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the friendship between all men.
--Me

cheri1122 · Feb 26, 2006

Last week, my teenage daughter dragged me to the mall, where I laughed out loud (& took a picture, too) at the perfect shirt for those who are fed up with drivers who have attitude: it has the FedEx logo, but says FedUp instead! (There was also one for UPS; Oops- we lost it again!)
Unfortunately, they were in the Juniors dept, (which means Barbie doll sizes), and they were nearly all gone. I'm thinkin, though, with some fabric transfer paper & paint, I could duplicate it - making sure the "up" is dark blue, though, so as not to offend the White Glove crybabies, lol.

Critter Truckin · Feb 27, 2006

Do you really think that a junior size shirt will stop someone with a XXXL gut from wearing it?

TJ959 · Feb 27, 2006

I'm really not so much too heavy as I'm too short for my weight. I'd hate to lighten up though, since it helps hold down the truck in a crosswind. You can pick me out of the crowd of chubby Sprinter drivers because I drive the white Sprinter.

Critter Truckin · Feb 27, 2006

Aren't the majority of the sprinters on the road white?

highway star · Feb 27, 2006

I started with a new company the first of the year and everyone I've met so far has been very friendly, except one guy. We were delivering at 0600 to one of our regular customers. We pulled in about the same time and he backed up to the door first. I walked up as he was getting unloaded to say hello and he just closed his doors and walked right by me without a word. It takes all kinds, I guess.

tom tinker · Feb 27, 2006

Tom Tinker Retired Are you talking drivers or trucks. I thought most expeditor trucks are white, some companies I talked with Panther etc. prefer white. How far ahead do we get rushing when I chased parts for truck garage I would fly by 18 wheelers. Miles down the road I would get caught by one light, settn there up pulls the trucks I passed. Happened over an over, still rushed so I could tell mechanic I rushed.