Letter: Truckers well within their rights

Sunday, Jan. 10, 1999 | 10:18 a.m.

I have been a professional driver in this valley for 28-plus years. I presently am employed by a construction company in town as a "transport" driver. I have had no speeding or chargeable moving violations in my 28 years of service as a driver. But, Mr. Bougon, it's people with attitudes like yours that scare the hell out of me as I drive around this valley.

The truck that I presently drive is approximately 80 feet in length and the trailer is 10 feet wide. When all three units plus the power unit is hooked, the combination is legally 105 feet long and 10 feet wide, with a legal load of 120,000 pounds net! That is more than 1,000 square feet of area, with a gross legal weight in excess of 150,000 pounds covered in one lane of traffic.

As required by Nevada state and federal laws, I travel with overlength and overwidth permits.

As well I'm required by these governing bodies to be licensed to drive said equipment, and travel with all my lights on and display red flags on every corner of trailers and front bumpers to make people like yourself aware of my presence.

Also, your comment about letting the trucking companies' insurance companies fight over broken windshields caused by falling debris off of equipment and/or trucks is erroneous, as that is considered a road hazard and makes your policy responsible, not the trucking companies.

Besides, if you people wouldn't drive two inches off the back of my trailer the debris would hit the ground before it hit your car.

I don't own the road, we all do. Please, let's share it safely.

Gerald Mock