Question:
Hi, I just got back from another road trip, and have another subject i would like to put out there.
Remember C.W. McCall and "Convoy"? They even made a movie about it where they had all these trucks going across the country in a big convoy.
Years ago, the truckers used to do that, travel in groups and protect one another from the smokies. You had the front door, the back door, and the rocking chair. Drivers would take turns doin the front door and the back door, as they were the look outs.
I haven't seen one of them at all out there today. I see "billy bigriggers" trying to outrun, out do and out talk everyone else on the road, not caring that the truck in front of them is a slow goverened truck, and that there is not a damned thing you can doo about it. I had the pleasure of driving one of those smv(slow moving vehicle) this past week. it was kilometers on the odometor, and they had it governed at 90 kph, but when I went by one of those things on the side of the road that tells you how fast you are driving, it only registered 53 mph. I had the pedal on the floor, and it would not budge any more.
I had the plleasure of driving this vehicle for 1125 lovely interste miles, never once being in the left lane. I was so frustrated, and hurt and angry, that I cussed the job so loud and so much, I got myself hoarse. I can't remember when I have had a trip so bad.
If the trucks are slow or if there is a slow truck in front of you, pllease try to remember that it is not always the driver's fault.

Answer:
That sux........I've been in those slow trucks.
I was in a 238 Detroit all the way across S. Dakota at 42 m.p.h. once and carved "junk" in the steering wheel.
There are still a few "convoys" once in a while, the thing is, many guys are so tired of hearing the echojunk big riggers,they turn off the radios or go to a non-echo channel to talk on.
Some days you're the bug.........
are we there yet?

Answer:
re: Years ago, the truckers used to do that, travel in groups and protect one another from the smokies. You had the front door, the back door, and the rocking chair. Drivers would take turns doin the front door and the back door, as they were the look outs.
Yeah, I recall the days. You could hear them coming on the CB and listen to the conversation and sooner or later you would hear a hint of which way they were going (coming) and then you just set up in a "good spot" and waited. You knew they all had detecters and CBs, so you held off the hold button till you had a "good one" with the knowledge that the moment that hold button was released, the "gig was up" so to speak. When you did so, you took the one or two to the side and just hoped the rest would slow down, sometimes you called a buddy ahead.
Seems to me that the front door (out front "on point") or the back door (back door always has to speed up just to stay with the pack it seems) were often the fastest ones of the group. Those in the middle "usually" weren't doing as bad as they thought. Many of those caught (on front or back door "duty") were running much faster than they would have dared if not for the false security of the CB, "bird-dog", and peer presence.
Oh yeah ... and being in one's personal vehicle running about the speed limit on an outing with the wife was a real "motivating experience" when overtaken by such a convoy, at least I found it so.
Thanks for the "memories".
"I'm just a doin' my job, I'm the ..." (well, you know) ...
... and whatever you do, have a SAFE TRIP...

Answer:
Crystal.......
It was still fun then, even if it was your turn in the barrel.
Back then, if you broke down, there'd be at least a couple other drivers on the shoulder to help you.
If you were layed over in a T/S you can bet there'd be 2 or 3 drivers working together on their trucks. If you needed a hand or a tool you could be sure that someone would share theirs for the time.
And when weather permitted, there would naturally be the gratuitous bbq afterwards. At least a few rounds of beer.
Haven't seen that kind of comraderee in a few years. Unless I started it first by breaking out the bbq and some steaks, no one thinks like this anymore.
Absolute shame. I miss those days. Wish I could find a way to bring 'em back.

Answer:
Convoys are cool but dangerous to take part in because everybody is running on each other's bumper and passing constantly.
A few years back before they governed us down to 72mph, I ran with some thru Arizona, Nevada and beleive it or not...in California as well. We ran between 75 to 85mph. My truck topped out at 93mph but never ran it that high.
After seeing a truck accident in Arizona in 2000, I decided to never get involved in those convoys. I won't go into details about what I saw but it was bad to say the least. It left two people dead.
I keep it around 62 or so and so what if I get passed. I don't care.

Answer:
Aren't convoys illegal now? You can't even call them a parade if you don't have a permit..LOL.
Sorry..just makin' a funny..
John 3:16

Answer:
Originally posted by bobc89431:
Crystal.......
It was still fun then, even if it was your turn in the barrel.
Back then, if you broke down, there'd be at least a couple other drivers on the shoulder to help you.
If you were layed over in a T/S you can bet there'd be 2 or 3 drivers working together on their trucks. If you needed a hand or a tool you could be sure that someone would share theirs for the time.
And when weather permitted, there would naturally be the gratuitous bbq afterwards. At least a few rounds of beer.
Haven't seen that kind of comraderee in a few years. Unless I started it first by breaking out the bbq and some steaks, no one thinks like this anymore.
Absolute shame. I miss those days. Wish I could find a way to bring 'em back.
I know what you mean, I find drivers broke down now on real cold nights, and they are freezing because they couldn't get anyone to stop sometimes, ...
... or no one will stop to help because there just are too many drivers who don't know much about the trucks, or the trucks are just too complicated, or no one has time.
Trucks, generally, seem to be in better shape now, and they certainly pull hills better.
The newer "aerodynamic" lines have shallow steps and it's not as easy to stand on the step and talk without holding on now-a-days.
Do you miss the wallet full of drivers licenses?
Do you still have that POBox in Albequerquie (spelling?)?
Do you miss the sound of a 318 Detroit with straight pipes? (I don't)
I'll bet you don't miss those cab overs with just a bunk in back!
I miss Q-1000s and Fuzzbuster Elites. How about the original Fuzzbuster?
I love the reflectorized striping on the trailers now ... much easier to see and we don't have near the rear end collisions.
How about those "Lisa" Motor Lines back when they were all O/Os (blue tractors mostly as I recall) ... they would fly. And Carrettas?
Ahhhh .... but enough already. Good night.
"I'm just a doin' my job, I'm the ..." (well, you know) ...
... and whatever you do, have a SAFE TRIP...

Answer:
The 318 screaming down the road driven by a complete lunatic and me trying to sleep in the back. Screaming across Wyoming/Utah fast as we could go on snow/ice.
I had my P.O. box in Nara Visa N.M. (c/o the truck stop) and Fremont NB. (c/o a friend).
Yeah "the good old days" do I miss them??? HELLLLLLL NOOOOOO!!!!!!! Just remember:If the world did'nt suck, you'd fall off!
The more I see and read about Republicans and Democrats, the more I wish we had an Independent Party.
IMPEACH BUSH!!!!!!!!!!

Answer:
I don't necessarily miss the equipment but there were a couple trucks that I will miss.
One was a pearl white either Brockway or Diamond Reo Raider (Damn I can't recall now..old age settin in) conventional that looked like it was meant to be in front of those Bi-centenial trailers that C-Line out of Warwick had painted.
The other was a Bicentenial COE Mack.
I just miss the friendships and the fun. I recall hitting places like Gay Johnsons' and the original Lil' America. The Iowa 80 was still a truck stop then. No Petros and Flyin' fish hooks. Some of the best viddles were at those lil mom n' pop places I found.
I remember learning on a old pete coe with a 318 and a wore out 13 speed Road Ranger. Someone had removed the 425 cat and dropped in this 318. It had twin stacks w/o benfit of mufflers. They neglected to change the springs too. The shifter was so wore out you just had to "use the force" to know where each gear was.
My training consisted of running I80 all the way across and then up into Idaho carrying full trailers of tuperware...and sometimes the molds. Those molds were a pain in the summer but was damn glad to have em' in the winters.
Had to learn to do this with a 318 without benefit of a Jake. Never lost a set of brakes. I figure I had about the best teacher there was. His name was Richard Harvey. Used to go by White Stallion.
Well thanks for the trip down memory lane. If I hadn't followed my dream I wouldn't have any of this to reflect on now nor would I have met some of the best people in the world.

Answer:
I had a "convoy" blow my doors off last year. About 15 trucks -- think it was in Kansas -- doing (maybe) 90 in the wee hours of the morning. They sure weren't happy having to pass me, since they wre running two-abreast when they found me and had to go single file. All I remember was seeing a couple 'Prime" logos and some cattle trailers......as they fish-tailed over the dotted line coming around...
Had a REAL triple-digit truck pass me last summer in AZ. He passed me like I was standing still and he was doing 70 -- so he must have been doing 120 or so. Old flatbed rig. Nice tarp job. Not one bit of that tarp was fluttering....but he sure kicked-up a dust/roadside trash storm as he charged over the rolling hills into the sunset. It was a beautiful thing, if you know what I mean...

Answer:
Hey John, that song "Convoy" is one of the reason's I got into trucking from when I was 5 years old. Although now adays trucking is more oriented towards safefy the convoys I take part in are under 70 mph and now much over the speed limit...

Answer:
Running through some of the slower states especially at night you will see some groups of trucks running at a pretty good speed. I joined one once. Must have been 20 of us. After a while when most got confident they cranked up the speed. I backed out at 75mph. just to fast for a 55 speed limit. The rest just kept on going.
It was fun for a little while. Some trucks would join in, others would turn out. The front door truck changed every now and then. Although most keep their distance it just didn't feel very safe and the idea of a 20 mile over ticket was a little scary.
Good Stuff
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"