I wanted to write a note about our great truckers.
My husband’s golf buddy drives for Youngblood. His name is Bryan Puff. Last month he stopped for lunch in Charleston, S.C., and heard a commotion and went to check it out. A man had just robbed a bank and ran past Bryan. He took chase, and as the man got in his car, Bryan caught him and was writing down his description and that of his car and license plate number when the police arrived. They told him to watch the money while they cuffed up the bad guy. Job well done!
And I want to give my thanks to the driver that helped me out a couple of years ago. All four of my sons drive the big trucks, and a grandson does also. One of my sons has taken me on the road with him twice – once for three weeks and another for two weeks – and it was the highlight of my life.
At one of the truckstops, I was at the ATM and dropped $20 under the machine and couldn’t reach it as I’m slightly handicapped. This young man got down and retrieved it for me, and I know it was as hard for him as it would have been for me. But he didn’t hesitate. My son even commented on how nice all the truckers were to me, and they were.
We were on the road after 9-11, and all the trucks had flags, etc. Like my sticker says, “Without trucks America stops.”
Dorothy Richeson
Jacksonville, N.C.
Variety Please
I read your magazine sometimes but don’t understand why you review just country music. Either you people are way out of touch with truckers or just too closed minded to think rock, R&B and rap are music, too. The industry is changing, and so are the drivers.
James Woods
Valdosta, Ga.
No More Excuses
We had 42,850 deaths and 3 million were injured last year in over 6 million accidents. This equals out to the same number lost if an airliner crashed every day of the year.
These figures are unacceptable under any terms. It is time to quit finger pointing and drastically bring these numbers down.
I know of no speed limit law that states you are allowed 10 over in any state, and yet you can travel through any state or city and see traffic going 10 to 20 over the posted speed limit even on city streets.
Every state has a turn signal law, and yet only about 50 percent use them. Every state has a running red light law, and yet they are repeatedly run even when plainly red.
Most every state puts up lower speed limits in construction areas, which are repeatedly ignored. Even when signs state do not pass, flash up your speed or flash the speed limit, they will still travel through these areas at 10 to 20 over the posted speed.
I propose that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put teams in every state to investigate all traffic deaths the same as they do for all airlines crashes to find the true cause to these accidents – whether it be driver error, lack of enforcement or other causes – with fines levied from the federal level if warranted.
All we have now is excuses. It is time to take some action.
Doyle Ott
Columbus, Ohio
Simple Solutions
I just read the article on Illinois raising the speed limit to 65 mph for big trucks, and I was amazed to see that the Chicago AAA was opposed to this bill. Wasn’t there a study that showed that accidents were more likely to happen when there was a split speed limit?
Does the Chicago AAA want there to be more accidents? Are they advocating endangering lives on the public roadways in Illinois? After the study on split speed limits it looks like it would be federal law that the speed limits in all states be made the same for cars and big trucks. Instead, in Georgia state representatives were supporting a bill to create a split speed limit.
Is this not endangering the lives of the public in general by allowing this practice to continue? Where are the lawsuits from PATT, the trucking organizations and OOIDA? Not to mention the insurance organizations, who are always saying that accidents are the reason they have to raise rates. PATT complains about tired truck drivers. Would it not help solve their complaint if truck drivers could cover more distance in less time legally? More miles, less time – win, win situation for the driver and PATT. Trucking companies – read ATA – would benefit by more productivity accomplished legally. Ditto for the owner-operators whom OOIDA represents. Here is something that benefits all. Where are the outcry and the protests by all the organizations that claim they are for safety? I say sometimes the simple solutions are the best solutions, especially when there is proof to back up this idea.
Billy Cornwell
Paducah, Ky.
