Murphy's World

Craziness on Parade

Dear Murphy,

I was a new driver trainer and had been on the road with my first student for two trouble-free weeks when we got a new load that would take us over mountains and through a lot of snow. It seemed like a good opportunity for me to practice some winter driving. After leaving our first town, we made a wrong turn and ended up in the middle of a Christmas parade, so we waved to the crowd and left that town very quickly.

We made it halfway up the first mountain when snow began to fall. We tried to put on chains, only to discover that they were the wrong size for our tires. I managed to get a chainon two of my drive tires.

We drove another 100 yards before I lost traction and started slipping backwards toward a 200-foot cliff. Thank God my student was thinking quickly, as he jumped out of the cab and put a big rock behind the drive tire, stopping us just inches away from the cliff.

I called dispatch, and they sent us a tow truck to help pull us to the top of the mountain. So much for knowing all there is to know about trucking!

Jeff Humphreys
Trucker Town, USA

Dear Jeff,

OK, let’s review. The first two weeks go smoothly, so you think you’re ready to take your student over the top in a snowstorm. Wrong. Not only that, you figure you can practice your winter driving at the same time. Wrong again.

Taking a wrong turn and ending up in a Christmas parade is a scene right out of “Animal House,” but you earn bonus points for your graceful exit.

Of course the tire chains didn’t fit. This is Murphy’s World, remember? I’m not sure if that student of yours was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid to leap out of the truck as it’s sliding toward oblivion, but you gotta love his attitude.

I’d say you had a day any visitor to Murphy’s World would be proud to call their own.

Regards,
Murphy and Lucky Dog