Speakout 1/20

Tuesday, January 20, 2004

I would like to respond to "Good law, bad law." It's a good law. I am a truck driver. It's not that truck drivers aren't driving right, it's just that if it says "truck lane," that's exactly what it means. It doesn't mean other vehicles. When the sign says "yield" when you're coming onto an interstate, it doesn't mean to speed up and try to beat the truck. It takes a lot to stop a big truck. It also takes a lot for a big truck to pull a load of 40,000 pounds up a hill. It doesn't help when a car pulls over in front of you and then slows down when you're going up a hill. The law isn't going to change a thing because how do they know if a truck drivers are sleeping or not. How do they know if a truck driver is getting that 10 hours of sleep? They may take the 10 hours, but that doesn't mean they're sleeping. Motorists should have more respect for truck drivers and realize it takes a lot more to stop those trucks; they can't stop on a dime. Remember, it is the truck drivers who haul your food and merchandise that you buy from the store. I've seen a lot of trucks rolled over because of bad weather or because of someone cutting them off. I have seen most accidents caused by car drivers or people driving motor homes. People don't realize that trucks have 13, 10, or 8 gears to change. We have to make wide turns and it takes a lot to slow down and stop. Maybe there should be a law for motorists to get 10 hours rest after driving 400 or 500 miles. Anybody can fall asleep at the wheel, not just truckers. I've seen motorists get sleepy.


I drive a truck every day, six days a week. You complain about big trucks. Some people who drive motor homes or travel trailers two or three times a year are no better than truck drivers are. They aren't used to pulling a trailer behind them so they do what they feel is safe for them (40-50 mph). Try to drive a big rig behind someone who is driving slow and isn't aware of what they are doing. Look on both sides of the street. The law is good for a driver to get rest but other drivers need to be more aware and safe too. Watch what you're driving, how you're driving and don't overload your wagon. Drive safe.

The Missouri Highway Department cut down trees at Miner but they don't even cut down the grass there and you can't see the signs because it's so tall. I don't understand this.

I saw where President Bush wants to give people Visas to come into this country and take what jobs we have here. His excuse is that we can't get anybody in this country to work for the low wages. Well, there's a good, good solution to this. Offer the jobs to people who are on welfare. Give them the jobs and take them off welfare and then we wouldn't have to give them to people from another country. I don't understand why people aren't required to look for work if they receive welfare. They just sit back and get all the benefits. They don't put anything into this country and shouldn't get anything out of it. People who don't want to work just go on welfare. Some believe they can live better on welfare than they can by working. This proves the point. Quit your job, get on welfare and have no more problems. I'm very, very disappointed with our President.

I bought a Sunday paper on Jan. 11 and there was no sports section in the paper at all. What's up with that?

Sorry, caller. Apparently that one was missed when the sections were being put together. If that should happen again, please call 471-1137.