Question:
become a debate about whether trucking is bad or good?
There are lots of interesting and useful topics that get started in here, but it seems they all break down into the same boring diatribes about why trucking sucks, or why it's good. It's getting pretty damn old.
I think everyone who has posted their opinions on the "great debate" really have merit, and I really understand both points of view. However, can't y'all just agree to disagree and leave the Newb posts alone?
These threads could be really useful and interesting if they didn't break down into the same old discussion. You folks all have a lot of good knowledge to share.. don't let the same arguement get in the way of that.

Answer:
It's all their fault.

Answer:
To many you are preaching to the choir, but I doubt that anything will change unless we end up having a mod live here with a fully charged Bs buster and clean house as fast as it gets started.
Answer:

GOD FORBID that they are actually told the truth or something different from what glitzy advertising or a crooked recruiter would tell them.
Rose will pull the same knee-jerk reaction. If it seems to upset the sponsors, put it on another forum and hopefully it will be forgotten...

Answer:

There is vast knowledge of the trucking industy here at Truck net, however one needs to read between the lines.
One reason this type thread turns toward the negative aspects of the industry is that most Newbies come in here with the attitude they know it all because
they have been misinformed of the pitfalls of the industry.
I'm sure you have noticed that when some negatives are expressed, not many
successful drivers jump in to back up the pie in the sky, but other Newbies come to the rescue.
Maybe someday a Newbie will ask for pros and cons of the industry and instead of just plain out disagreeing with a negative, ask why. Then think about it. Wisdom is best gained from other's experiences.
Big

Answer:
I think to some extent that the issues are "problematic" in that opinons are like noses....everyone has at least one and....anyone can register here more than once, and never tell the truth about themselves or validate what they say. ANd sometimes miserable people are hellbent to "share" their misery.....kinda like the backrow cb rambo's.....
And some people are simply never happy. It wouldn't matter if you gave them a winning lottery ticket worth millions of $$.....they would complain because they have to actually "go and cash it in" Its far easier to trash someone with a computer anyway. I label some of these people as "uncaged sociopaths". But I do not include Bedspread.....he's been around far too long, and is too knowledgeable to be taken lightly. He's a font of good information, and I have availed myself of his knowledge via PM....and he has been kind enough to help me. (hint, hint). But some of the others....well, thats another chapter all together.
One must not only read the words....but also try to get a sense of the poster's credibility. Not easy to do....but I might suggest that doing keyword searches of the archives would be beneficial. Before you grant too much credibility to someone.....search the archives with their handle and read a bunch of the posts.....and then digest them and thennnnnn interpret what they are saying and decide if it is "germaine".
To be frankly honest....there are aspects of the trucking industry that truly "suck", but on the other hand...you can make a decent living...if you can get past the "suck" parts. It boils down to carriers, and what kind of freight, and the individuals particular "pain threshold"...in other words, what is one mans trash is another mans gold....
But in any event....I grant repetitively redundant naysayers verrrry little credibility, especially when they spew the same generic claims over and over and over again.....without any specifics to support the claims.
I've been doing this for awhile....and I have my dislikes about the industry, but on the other hand....what drives some people batty is little more than a joke to me.So I like what I do, you don't, too bad, get over it. Get on with your life, I am.

Answer:
Hey now.....
Why are you picking on my nickname's nickname


Answer:
Thing is that there is good points posted by both the + trucking and the - trucking advocates but some cannot post anything with out slamming the posters who do not share their train of thought.
Answer:

I know what you mean, Skywalker; I feel exactly the same way about the "Happy Dwellers", the "trucking is what you make of it", the "it's all in your attitude" and, of course, the "every job sucks" crowd.
The simple truth is that trucking is the cat's (edited) for some people, a horrific pain in the (edited) for others and somewhere in between for everyone else. So much depends on a potential driver's past work experiences and his first company/dispatcher/trainer, that there is no way to generalize about what "trucking" is for any one person.
On the other hand, it's pretty hard to ignore the objective reality of what the job pays for the vast majority of company drivers.

Answer:

But, Phil....in my case...you know that actually my objection to naysayers is more "how they say it" than "what they say". Me, while being a moderately content "dweller"....I will be one of the first to tell you that this occupation can really "suck"....and that its not for everyone, and many don't belong in it. But I can diplomatically give specifics that relate directly to my experiences. Now on the other hand...someone else may not have had the same experiences and is happier. But again on the other hand....I'm not unhappy at all with my compensation for my past years of work....especially since I haven't put in a full years work since I started doing this and am surviving "quite well"..... But I am not a good guage for others in that aspect.....I don't live a "conventional life"... being a liveaboard boater, so my expenses are not akin to say - yours.
But even I have to be careful in relating my specific experiences....many are outdated now, and things can change over the years..... and I sometimes fear that happens with others...so the ultimate validity of any claim must be proven by the reader themselves. By reader I am referring to the asker of the question who elicited the responses.
Believe it or not, I actually value the opinions of some of the naysayers..... I have problably managed to avoid pitfalls because of what I learned from them. So the negative side is not always the bad side..... and yes, I do tend to look alittle askance at people who "smile all the time" and try to tell you the world is just fine and truckin' is a piece of cake and you can make millions at it. Maybe they overdid their medication? At the risk of redundancy....its more the delivery than the content I often object to.
We can all clearly agree to not agree, but what is truly interesting is the possibility that if we all, the "Pro side, the Centrist, and the naysayers" sat down and talked about it....we'd probably agree on more than we disagree. Wouldn't that be something....and I bet we'd all learn from it too.So I like what I do, you don't, too bad, get over it. Get on with your life, I am.

Answer:
That's exactly it.. it's in the delivery, fighting, and lack of tolerance for opposing viewpoints. Newbies need a balanced view, with the disclaimers that everyone's experiences are going to be different. I've found myself agreeing with both sides, because as with any occupation or endeavor in life, there are many ways to look at it.
What doesn't help people is the name-calling and arguing. I find myself agreeing with Ziggy on some points, and then I thought Ice Man had some good points.. until he started post after post of hostile, pointless diatribe. That got old, and I stopped reading his posts.. I now skip over his posts because I know it's going to be the same old thing... not very useful or constructive. That's too bad, because he posted some good discussions at one time.
If a newbie asks "Is trucking company ABC any good" why can't this forum use it's collective knowledge and experience to give a REALISTIC and BALANCED opinion without the sniping and trash talking? This forum is an excellent resource for the spreading of meaningful opinions, but it loses that when the discussions constantly break down into the same petty bickering.
OK.. I'm done complaining.. back to lurk-mode for me. Thanks for the input, folks.

Answer:
The above is a very good reason why you can't get a balanced thread started. Or keep one that way.

Answer:
Theres + and - to everything in the world thats what keeps things in somewhat of a general balance. On here anything + gets double the - reply's.
I know of people who failed in the roofing biz , you do not see them condemming everyone who succeeeded or is thinking about getting into it ( they need a ROOFNET site ).
Answer:
Your right. Then those who know the business can let them know of the many pitfalls of the job before some newbie tries to do it blind.

Answer:

because some people are married to the job or company and take it like a personal attack.
every company has people that like it,they stay so it must be ok and every company has people that don't like it,they leave
every company has good & bad dispatchers,a good dispatcher at a bad company makes the company good for you.
some guys like doing things most guys wouldn't even consider trying Just because they like it,don't mean it's something everyone should try.
If somebody wants to give trucking a try after finding out about the excessive time waiting to load & unload and that truckstops are like the mall the day after thanksgiving all the time,have a blast and a lot of people around here would suggest you stay away from a few companies and try to get on at a few others.
somebody let me know if skywalker posts anything important,I've given up reading the long winded pointless postings he makes