Just say no to stupid

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You’re not getting a pedicure, you’re driving a commercial vehicle. Believe it or not, there’s a difference.You’re not getting a pedicure, you’re driving a commercial vehicle. Believe it or not, there’s a difference.

Let’s talk about general common sense, shall we?

I realize finding an abundance of it being used out in the great, wide world these days is a lot like seeing a unicorn, but sometimes I feel like I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of idiocy.

I have a serious pet peeve with seeing drivers not wearing proper footwear. It seems like there’s been an upturn in the number of people who feel like flip flops or nothing at all is acceptable while driving a commercial vehicle. I don’t expect people to wear steel-toed work boots, but I do expect for them to cover their feet with something while driving an 80,000 pound vehicle.

It’s bad enough to do it in the privacy of your own cab, but when people go as far as to post pictures of themselves, shoeless, with their foot on the dash, while driving, it sends me over the edge and into “screaming Wendy” mode. Pardon me while I bitch.

Someone sent me a link to a Facebook page, which I refuse to name, because I don’t want this person to receive the attention he’s so desperately crying out for. Picture after picture, clearly taken from the driver’s seat – while driving. Bare foot propped up on the dash, one hand on the wheel, speedometer showing 70 mph while the jacktard driving takes pictures and plays on Facebook. One of the more infuriating posts includes a halved watermelon, sitting on the steering wheel with a spoon in it – again with the speedometer clearly reading movement. So not only is this fellow taking pictures and playing on Facebook while he drives, he’s having a little snack.

This is where I snapped and left a comment, indicating that this person is part of the problem we have in the industry with image. I went on to tell him that I really don’t care what he does in the privacy of his own cab, but when he starts posting pictures to social media of himself doing phenomenally stupid and dangerous things, he involves every single driver on the road. Not to mention making a case for every ambulance chasing lawyer in the world. He has four thousand people following him — I shudder to think of the reach these photos have.

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Here’s where it gets really sad.

I’d say about half the comments after that were distinct suggestions for where I could stick it. I was told he was a “professional” and knew what he was doing – by other truck drivers. He responded that “he was here to stay” and “I better get used to it.” I responded with my head exploding.

Again, what people do in the privacy of their own truck is none of my business, but when you put me and my family members who use the road in danger, you’ve made it my business. And when you think it’s cute and funny, you’ve made it my business and pissed me off.

We have an image problem in this industry, and it feeds on people like this. We have safety issues in this industry, and they’re caused by people like this. No one is perfect, every driver makes mistakes and nearly every driver out there has bent the rules or completely broken them at least once, but for the love of God, can we please get a little common sense going on out here?

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