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End of week three!!

johnday

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
It's hard to beleive I've got but 1 more week to go in driving school. This week is one to go on the books. It's been great! There are 4 of us learning the road phase of driving together. We've all done well, until this afternoon. The other guy and myself, who are competeing against each other, on a friendly basis that is, just fell apart this afternoon. After a week of very hot temps, traffic, and learning new skills, and being tired, we both just couldn't do anything right.
He, Monte, started first after lunch. He started out very well, shifting, right and left turns, all in Detroit downtown traffic. Then all of a sudden, he started missing gears, and getting flustered. Then it was my turn. Same thing happened to me. Our instructor asked if we had smoked or eaten our lunch.:pat:. Then the crazies started coming out of the woodwork. I had an idiot in a Caddilac pull right out in front of me. Off the gas and on the brake and clutch hard. Guy didn't know lucky he was. Next, I got cut off by another idiot on I-75 passing me on the shoulder. DAMN!! What's wrong with these people? It wasn't that stellar of an afternoon for Monte and me at all. I drove first this morning out of the yard, thru downtown, making all my turns, downshifting, the whole nine yards. In fact it was the best I'd done all week. I was very happy with those results.
All in all, the instructors are very happy with the two of us. Another 40 hours and the mother of all tests, the state CDL exam.:burp::burp::tiphat:
 
Cityboy

Cityboy

Banned
It's all a game of "beat the idiots" out there on the road. Just a taste of what's to come. Folks think they can pull in front of you and you can stop that rig as fast as their car can stop. Overall though, it sounds like you're having fun. Better to make your mistakes in practice and avoid them in life.
 
T

Trakternut

Active member
You're just getting a taste of "everyday life" for a trucker, I'm afraid to say. Seems that Friday afternoon brings out the idiot in people...in a hurry to do this and that before starting their weekend. They put their foot on the gas and their brains in neutral.
Keep awake and expect the unexpected!!!
 
johnday

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
Cityboy said:
It's all a game of "beat the idiots" out there on the road. Just a taste of what's to come. Folks think they can pull in front of you and you can stop that rig as fast as their car can stop. Overall though, it sounds like you're having fun. Better to make your mistakes in practice and avoid them in life.
Click to expand...
CB, Oh yeah, still having fun, despite the fools.:yum::burp::tiphat:
 
johnday

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
Trakternut said:
You're just getting a taste of "everyday life" for a trucker, I'm afraid to say. Seems that Friday afternoon brings out the idiot in people...in a hurry to do this and that before starting their weekend.
Click to expand...
Alot of truth in that. In fact, my instructor even said basically the same thing. Hopefully, I can get my exam scheduled for around 1000 on a Wednesday.
That complete jackass in the Caddy really shook me.:mad::mad: The side of his car disappeared under the hood of the truck, and he didn't even look back. The instructor said I handled it the right way, but the shakes were with me the rest of the afternoon.

I've had things like that happen when towing my flatbed around, but there's a LOT of difference betwixt a little SuperDude and an 18 wheeler.:burp::tiphat:
 
Ice Queen

Ice Queen

Bronze Member
SUPER Site Supporter
I am surprised that you are having such a long training session, mine was one week, straight from a small car. Zoe had two and a half days for her class 2 then two and a half days for her class one. so basically the same as me. Still routing for you. There are idiots on the road always, they haven't a clue how much room for manoeuvering (spelling not quite right, but you'll know what I mean), stopping etc., the big ones need. Personally, I think that everyone who drives a car, should be made to travel in a big truck for at least a morning to get them to try to understand the room needed. It wouldn't work for all of them (some are too thick) but it might make some appreciate the problems. Wait till you get out on the road for real then you'll see some real stunt driving from idiots! Try driving an abnormal load and then, well.............words fail me! My father gave me some very useful advice when I was first starting to learn to drive a car, "consider every road user a potential idoit and then you won't go far wrong", it still holds good today, no matter what you are driving. If you want to see real idiots on the road, come to Wales, the car is still 'white man's magic' here!!
 
T

Trakternut

Active member
johnday said:
Alot of truth in that. In fact, my instructor even said basically the same thing. Hopefully, I can get my exam scheduled for around 1000 on a Wednesday.
That complete jackass in the Caddy really shook me.:mad::mad: The side of his car disappeared under the hood of the truck, and he didn't even look back. The instructor said I handled it the right way, but the shakes were with me the rest of the afternoon.

I've had things like that happen when towing my flatbed around, but there's a LOT of difference betwixt a little SuperDude and an 18 wheeler.:burp::tiphat:
Click to expand...

Pretty soon stuff like the Caddy Episode won't give you the shakes anymore. You'll be so )#&% use to it that you'll handle the situation on total instinct and think nothing of it because it'll happen so many times.

Congradulations on handling this one to your instructor's approval. It shows that you're actually learning, which will make you overqualified to drive for some of the mega-trucking companies.
 
johnday

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
Ice; I could have gotten a shorter course, but a goodly amount of the entry level trucking companies would like to see 160 hours in school. In fact the companies actually sponsor some people by paying for their training for 160 hours. The rookie has to pay it back, but sometimes that's the only way a guy can break in. I paid out of my pocket so I wouldn't be locked in with anyone. That's opened more doors for me.:burp::burp::tiphat:
 
johnday

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
Trakternut said:
Pretty soon stuff like the Caddy Episode won't give you the shakes anymore. You'll be so )#&% use to it that you'll handle the situation on total instinct and think nothing of it because it'll happen so many times.

Congradulations on handling this one to your instructor's approval. It shows that you're actually learning, which will make you overqualified to drive for some of the mega-trucking companies.
Click to expand...
Know what you're saying about over-qualified, there's some absolutley horrible drivers out there. Roadway at one time, back in the '70's, was so bad that I'd avoid them like the plague.
Well, one more week, and I can testout. That'll certainly lower the stress level!!:pat::burp::tiphat:
 
Wannafish

Wannafish

Floppy Member
SUPER Site Supporter
johnday said:
It's hard to beleive I've got but 1 more week to go in driving school. This week is one to go on the books. It's been great! There are 4 of us learning the road phase of driving together. We've all done well, until this afternoon. The other guy and myself, who are competeing against each other, on a friendly basis that is, just fell apart this afternoon. After a week of very hot temps, traffic, and learning new skills, and being tired, we both just couldn't do anything right.
He, Monte, started first after lunch. He started out very well, shifting, right and left turns, all in Detroit downtown traffic. Then all of a sudden, he started missing gears, and getting flustered. Then it was my turn. Same thing happened to me. Our instructor asked if we had smoked or eaten our lunch.:pat:. Then the crazies started coming out of the woodwork. I had an idiot in a Caddilac pull right out in front of me. Off the gas and on the brake and clutch hard. Guy didn't know lucky he was. Next, I got cut off by another idiot on I-75 passing me on the shoulder. DAMN!! What's wrong with these people? It wasn't that stellar of an afternoon for Monte and me at all. I drove first this morning out of the yard, thru downtown, making all my turns, downshifting, the whole nine yards. In fact it was the best I'd done all week. I was very happy with those results.
All in all, the instructors are very happy with the two of us. Another 40 hours and the mother of all tests, the state CDL exam.:burp::burp::tiphat:
Click to expand...

The biggest thing you should have learned from that wasn't even part of the lesson - Driving is much easier when well rested.
 
johnday

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
Wannafish said:
The biggest thing you should have learned from that wasn't even part of the lesson - Driving is much easier when well rested.
Click to expand...
Rick, you're absolutely right. One of the things that we keep hearing is that, "fatigue kills". The DOT even requires you to be off 10 out of 24 hours, to get at least 8 hours of sleep. Also, you're only legal to drive 11 out of 14 hours.
Next week will tell if I'm successful or not. I'm trying to get tested out first thing next Monday. We wouldn't be able to get on the road till after 0900, so traffic will hopefully be light, and less hazardous.:burp::burp::tiphat:
 
T

Trakternut

Active member
When I took my test for the old class 1 license (pre-CDL days) one older guy told me to "give that tester such a h*lluva ride she won't want to get back into a truck with you, so she'll HAVE pass you!!:yankchain:
 
johnday

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
Trakternut said:
When I took my test for the old class 1 license (pre-CDL days) one older guy told me to "give that tester such a h*lluva ride she won't want to get back into a truck with you, so she'll HAVE pass you!!:yankchain:
Click to expand...
I made that comment to one of my instructors today. He laughed about it, but then said it would only take $100 out of my pocket, and I'd still have to test out with the same guy.:yum::yum::yum::burp::tiphat:
 
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