A QUESTION OF IDLING REALITIES
I just read “Idle Now, Pay Later” in your December issue.
I guess this is the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Who came up with this? You cannot idle your truck during the winter to stay warm or during the summer to stay cool while you rest. Your article stated even those with Pony Pack auxiliary power units had been fined in one state.
Day after day, I see cars, trains and all types of combustion engines idling. Now, someone sees revenue and decides to fine those who are trying to work and live in a decent environment.
What if I lived in Alaska? Do I shut my truck off at 55 below zero so some bunny-hugger can be happy? Why are people not looking at all the facts?
How many drop-off points have plug-ins to keep your engine warm during cold weather? None. Truck stops rarely have them, and I know of no place that is equipped to handle the massive amounts of trucks that need air conditioning during the summer and heat during the winter.
Will someone please get real and quit all this stupidity?
KEVIN EGLY
Broken Arrow, Okla.
WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME, RIGHT TRUCKER
My daughter and I were headed to the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., through the back roads of North Carolina. Outside Richmond, Va., we were caught in a freak storm. I opted through the city rather than take the scary suspension bridges on I-295, since my comfort level with icy bridges is fairly low.
With visibility reduced to less than a quarter mile, I felt the direct route was my best option. That was a big mistake. We were trapped on I-95 amid jackknifing trucks and stopped vehicles. We had crawled past a 14-car pileup when our jeep began sliding sideways. Don O’Connell, a driver for BTTS Transport, based in Clifton, N.J., blocked three lanes of traffic so I could pull out of the slide.
O’Connell talked me through the maneuvering I needed to regain control on the downtown Richmond incline. I will be forever grateful for this professional and kind gentleman.
MIRA MOEHRKE
Jacksonville, N.C.
