Got To Goes

Today's Thoughts By Jeff Head 6/28/13 Got To Goes

I am sitting there in my truck the other day, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel once again, as I watch in amazement at the un-safe, un-professional and completely illegal actions of a couple of "got-to-goes" as I call them go around me.  Today, a few minutes ago I look at a picture of the aftermath of a "got-to-go" and the story of the two deaths involved posted by a friend.  As I look at these things, I have to wonder, why is it in today's world that people feel that they never for any reason have to slow down when it is safe to do so?

Before I go on, let me set up the video I have attached at the bottom.  I find myself in a blinding wind and rainstorm having just passed a U-haul that had come to an almost complete stop in the right lane.  Looking to get back into the right lane, I find myself blocked by a car with no headlights that has disappeared from my view or perhaps into my blind spot.  The lane in front of me has a vehicle in it just ahead of the truck in the right lane.  I never pass a truck unless I have enough room to do so completely and given this storm with the wind gust and the erratic speed changes going on, I know riding beside that truck would be a very dangerous thing to do.  Therefore, I wait until a safe option becomes available before either moving to the right or passing the truck.

As the traffic slows down and turns on their flashers trying to keep it safe, the "got-to-goes" behind us decide that they do not have such time for such nonsense.  I find that the car with no headlights has gone from the right lane behind me all the way into the left lane cutting off a speeding truck.  Then that car and truck followed closely by yet another truck both illegally in the third lane decide to pass me.  The trucks are using their flashers so we know that they knew dangerous conditions existed.  As they pass, I slow down and they change lanes back in front of me tailgating the vehicle in front of me and riding beside the truck in the right lane.  They gain exactly one truck length with their un-safe maneuver.

In short, because I was taking the time and leaving enough distance to keep things safe, to keep people alive, the "got-to-goes" behind me felt that they had the right to break the law and put the lives of others in danger so that they would not be just a few seconds behind.  I myself find it hard to understand why it is they feel they have this right.  Our number one job as safe and legal truckers is not to deliver that load on time no matter the cost.  Our job as I see it as truckers is to keep those we share the highway with safe and alive be darned what time that freight finally arrives.

This concept is not new to me.  Running the snow packed roads of Wyoming I found truckers that would pass other vehicles at such high speeds that the passed vehicles found themselves in a complete white out for several minutes at a time.  When I said something about it I was educated real quick that if I could not handle it, I should go sit on the porch with the puppies.  In short, "got-to-goes" do not care who they injure or kill as long as you get out of their way so that they can deliver that freight.  Your life, a family's life, any life has absolutely no meaning to them.  This in my opinion as a safe and legal truck driver means that the "got-to-goes" have got to go.

That is what I believe will start to happen with videos such as the one attached.  As dash cams become more prevalent, the videos will find their way to safety directors and the proper legal authorities and the companies and drivers will find that they will have some explaining to do.  As safe and legal truck drivers, we have a moral responsibility to keep those highways safe.  We can ask nicely for that driver to slow down or we can use the tools that technology has provided us to get those unsafe drivers off the road. 

Just one more thing here, a quick shout out to those outside of the trucking industry.  Safe and legal truckers are out here by the thousands.  We are trying very hard to keep those highways safe not only for us, but especially for you.  We need all the help we can get to keep us safe from those that would do us harm.  So when you hear a killer truck story from the news media or the politicians, know that in any occupation there will always be those that give the rest of us a black eye.  Know that safe and legal drivers do exist and we are out here doing our best to keep you and your family safe and alive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnBaFgG9Caw&feature=youtu.be

God Bless America

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Books By Jeff Head

Running Legal Blues

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