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I think the next time someone dies from a peanut, we should just outlaw them. Or when a theif breaks into someones home, and the gun owner shoots them, we should outlaw that to protect the theives. Then, the next time someone dies in a car accident, we should outlaw them.
Why don't we just pass a law for everything?
Seriously, truck stops are safe, I've been to lots of them myself. Things happen, people kill people, but thats just the way of the world. You live in it, you die in it, but mostly you live in it.
Peanut butter has pretty much been outlawed I believe.
I could be mistaken, but I think this happened in Florida. I remember hearing something like this incident on the news years back. Florida is not known for it's friendliness when it comes to truckers and RVers parking or anyone else for that matter. Even if it wasn't this incident it probably happened to someone else. The thing is that there are plenty of rest stops and truck stops where you can park. If this person planned ahead he could have parked somewhere more appropriate then delivered his load.
The police are NOT required to protect the individual. They are only there to investigate and prosecute criminals.
If the states were required to provide safe parking for truckers would they be required to provide safe parking garages for other citizens?
In the case of truckers the government may be required under some part of the Interstate Commerce laws and if they do the costs should be recovered through the truck and driver licensing process. Railroads protect their own property at their own expense. This drives up their costs and rates. Why shouldn't trucking companies face the same costs.
I could be mistaken, but I think this happened in Florida. I remember hearing something like this incident on the news years back. Florida is not known for it's friendliness when it comes to truckers and RVers parking or anyone else for that matter. Even if it wasn't this incident it probably happened to someone else. The thing is that there are plenty of rest stops and truck stops where you can park. If this person planned ahead he could have parked somewhere more appropriate then delivered his load.
Making Jason's Law a reality (http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-31836-Dallas-Trucking-Examiner~y2009m12d10-Making-Jasons-Law-a-reality - broken link)
There is a need for safe parking. My question is whether laws are needed to provide this need? What do you think?
One has to consider that the rules for truckers has changes a lot faster that the infrastructure has. Most notably, more emphasis has been placed on the driver logging sleep time. If the government imposes more emphasis on something, they need to at least help accommodate the change they make instead of letting all the repercussions get absorbed by the driver.
I am going to guess that many people who answer to this will have no understanding of what it really is to be a truck driver except for what they've seen on Smokey and the Bandit. Let's just consider that for now.
I drove over the road for twenty years. I always had a short but legal (according to federal standards) double barreled 12 gauge shotgun and sometimes a handgun with me. I never had to shoot anyone but there were several times when I did have to show a weapon. The biggest danger any truck driver faces is having an accident. If you have an injury/fatal accident and are over your HOS (hours of service) you will probably end up in prison.
There were times when I was so tired I knew I was a danger to others but I couldn't find a parking spot to pull over and sleep. Every over big rig driver knows what I am talking about. The big problem is there are not enough parking spots for all the truckers on the road. Often times a driver will be tired and really needs to stop and sleep but he cannot do it because all the rest areas and truck stops are full. This is really a problem on the East Coast although there are problems everywhere in the country.
Making Jason's Law a reality (http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-31836-Dallas-Trucking-Examiner%7Ey2009m12d10-Making-Jasons-Law-a-reality - broken link)
There is a need for safe parking. My question is whether laws are needed to provide this need? What do you think?
No. States should NOT be required to provide safe parking for truck drivers. First of all, it is not economically feasible. Second, how many does each state need - two or three in each town?
It is nothing short of tragic that this young man was robbed, shot and killed. But who's to say he would have parked in one of these "safe zones" even if they existed? As it is, he could have parked in a WalMart parking lot instead of at an abandoned gas station.
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