big truck protest in S. Fl. - protesting high gas prices

[donsu]

just saw a news flash with pic of road blocked and filled with big trucks.

[tridim]

1. Which channel?

[graywarrior]

2. Where? I'll go support them.

[donsu]

18. Ch. 6 out of Miami

sorry for taking awhile to answer, my pc is running at the speed of molassas today

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Oh, that'll work. Hey im not to crazy about gravity either....

[tx_dem41]

5. Wickedly cynical......

oh...and spot-on correct as well.

[RamboLiberal]

4. I've been wondering when the truckers were going to do this

I remember their massive protests in the 70's. Deja Vu. Just hope it doesn't turn in to violence. Back then there was a trucker's strike. Truckers who ignored it found themselves being shot at or rocks dropped from overpasses.

[Mnemosyne]

32. My Dad's milk truck ended up with

two bullet holes in NW Pa. Scared us pretty badly. Will never forget it.

[Jack from Charlotte]

39. Don't they know there's a war on? No strikes during war.*

[SlowDownFast]

6. Here come trucker strikes...

at least some lessons in solidarity seem to be coming around...

truckers revolt, economy falters...

where's Willie?

edited for clarification on Willie: et al: Willie Nelson and biodiesel

[HockeyMom]

7. It's happening all over now

Greed. Article in local Long Island paper about price gouging. Just my own little sample: in one area the stations are all charging $2.55 Self Serve. You go a mile away and the stations (fewer of them) are charging $2.49 for Full Service. These cheaper stations are also in a more WELL TO DO neighborhood too.

You tell me. They are trying to purposely screw the poorer people?

[meganmonkey]

28. What boggles my mind is the people who wait in a huge line for gas

at a place that is a few cents cheaper than the one up the street with no line.

If you have a 20 gal tank you may be saving all of $1. If they can afford the SUV they're driving, they can afford that $1. Is that more valuable to them than the half hour they wasted in line for the cheaper gas? Couldn't they be spending time with their kids or something?

:crazy:

[Canuckistanian]

8. Send some of them to the Exxon Headquarters, too

After all, that where all that extra money is going.

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. Good luck! Red neck guys were all for invading Iraq with the idea

that it would mean cheap oil. Tough ass. "Kick their ass, steal their gas" has been a popular sentiment.

[BlueEyedSon]

10. Yeah, quite a wake-up call that the guys stealing their money are

right here, in corporate boardrooms (and white christians)...

[SlowDownFast]

12. those would be

the 'dumb-ass' bubbas.

plenty of intelligent bubbas out there, too.

[livinginphotographs]

24. What does this have to do with truckers?

I would be willing to bet that most truckers are Dems... :shrug:

[Eloriel]

26. Right. A lot of truckers ARE Dems -- and some of them have been

right here at DU.

I don't think we can afford to engage in that kind of classism at this point. (It's never a good time, but my point stands that there are even worse times.)

[A HERETIC I AM]

You'd lose that bet and i GUARANTEE that the truckers in Miami

are most definitely NOT Dem's. They are overwhelmingly Cubans and overwhelmingly Republicans.

[A HERETIC I AM]

37. Self delete

dupe post

[livinginphotographs]

38. My point was that truckers all over the country do this.

I was just wanting the OP to clarify the "bubbas" comment.

Knowing next to nothing about Miami, you could be right. My experience with other truckers, though, is that they are at least moderate Democrats and union-supporters.

[A HERETIC I AM]

40. Well, i can tell you speaking from better than 15 years of driving OTR

that MOST American Truckers are most definetly NOT progressive thinkers, are NOT Politically Liberal and most are not Pro-Labor. The large Unionized fleets these days can be counted on one hand and haul mainly new cars, parcels (UPS) and LTL (Less than a trailer load) freight while the non union fleets do the bulk of the Trailer Load freight hauling and their drivers numbers outstrip the Union guys 20 to one at least.

[livinginphotographs]

41. Maybe we're talking to different people.

The basic populist Democratic ideals seem to be in line with the truckers I've known. :shrug:

Even still, if someone voted Bush and changes their mind when they realize how wrong they were, I have no problem with that. I still support these guys, and hopefully they'll realize why we're all in the mess we're in.

[graywarrior]

11. Perhaps the tide is turning

When truckers get pissed, that means middle America is starting to feel the crunch.

We have quite a few truckers here at DU, so be nice.

[Synnical]

13. Hundreds Of Truckers Protest High Gas Prices

http://www.nbc6.net/news/4832833/detail.html

POSTED: 11:02 am EDT August 10, 2005
UPDATED: 12:26 pm EDT August 10, 2005

MIAMI -- More than 600 truckers gathered in their big rigs Wednesday to protest the rising gas prices in South Florida, NBC 6's Hank Tester reported.

The trucks, which included tractor-trailers, dump trucks and box trucks, gathered at the intersection of Okeechobee Road and the Florida Turnpike in Miami-Dade County.

Traffic in the area was at a standstill as the trucks started a caravan headed toward Miami City Hall.

The trucks traveled 20 miles to present a petition requesting a fuel surcharge break for independently owned trucks.

Cool pics here: http://www.nbc6.net/slideshow/news/4832773/detail.html

[Sapphire Blue]

15. Great pics... thanks for the link!

[cthrumatrix]

30. only thing that will get commander bunnypants attention.....i salute their

protest

[Lugnut]

31. Thank you for the link

I sent it to my son who is an owner-operator.

[A HERETIC I AM]

34. Just in case you thought these might be "Patriotic American"

Truckers.............



That is a CUBAN flag.

The number of "Bobtail" Tractors tells me that most of those guys are Container and PiggyBack Haulers and one of the largest contractors of O/O Tractors in S. Fla is Tropical http://www.tropical.com/default.htm and it used to be (I bet it still is) the case that those drivers were almost 100% Cuban Americans. They have a culture that is REMOVED from the rest of the American Trucker culture as they keep pretty much to themselves; Speaking Spanish in the CB on a channel of their own.

If they are indeed Cubans, and...well....they ARE just because i know Miami and that is how things are there, they are overwhelmingly REPUBLICANS and anti organized labor.

So...go shoot yourselves in the feet, you guys. Your petition will do exactly squat without a collective bargaining agreement or a major agreement from all the shippers to up the freight rates and pass it along to you.

Live better.
Work Union.


PS and BTW...I am a trucker and i started my career in Miami, hauling from the piggyback yards to the port of Miami and to shippers and Freight Forwarders all over Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The Non-Union to Union driver ratio down there is about 90 to 10 if not higher and that is the way the shippers like it. Florida is a NOTORIOUS "Right-to-work" state and as such, the trucker and almost every other tradesman gets screwed.

[Sapphire Blue]

43. a kick for these photos

:kick:

[converted_democrat]

46. Great pics!!! Thanks for the link!!! n/t

[Sapphire Blue]

14. Protesting in Jeb's & Harris's state!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[dogday]

16. Our President kissing a Saudi Royal

We invade an oil rich country and yet gas is at it's all time high? These truckers have every right to blockade and protest. They are going in debt. It is hard on all of us, but they make their living at it....

[Coexist]

17. even worse - oil companies are gloating about their record profits

while these truckers are struggling.

[livinginphotographs]

19. I was visiting Los Angeles last year when they did something similar.

Didn't seem all that effective, but I admire the ability of truckers to come together for things like this. I wish them the best of luck.

[Synnical]

22. April 2004 - Truckers Block Freeway To Protest Fuel Prices

http://cbs2.com/localnews/localnewsla_story_121140711.html

LOS ANGELES (AP) Independent truckers protested mounting diesel fuel prices Friday by abandoning trucks in rush-hour traffic on one of the region's busiest freeways and staging rallies at two of the largest ports on the West Coast.

Traffic was snarled for miles during the morning commute on Interstate 5 south of Los Angeles when truckers parked or jackknifed three big rigs then sped away in a waiting car.

Other trucks slowed on the 110 Freeway between downtown Los Angeles and the ports, causing minor traffic delays, authorities said.

Police had been tipped the night before and were prepared with tow trucks that cleared all the lanes within an hour along Interstate 5 in Commerce. Five truckers were arrested.

[livinginphotographs]

23. That would be it.

[geckosfeet]

20. High cost of fuel has a ripple affect through whole economy. I wonder

how many of these people voted for shrubish?

[spinbaby]

21. I was just wondering when they'd do this

Can't believe the truckers have been quiet so long--they're losing their shirts!

[greenbriar]

25. lets pray for more

of this action!

Truckers
Cindy Sheehan
anti-war protestors


yea phuckstik is doing a great job!

[dogday]

27. nominated and kicked....

[Catfight]

29. This just made my day, and dubya is on vacation...lol

[lonestarnot]

33. Kick ass truckers! Not all of them are getting it though.

I just don't understand the ones that are not.

[A HERETIC I AM]

35. Sorry to rain on this parade....but see my post # 34 above

n/t

[rman]

45. The issue is not patriotism but fuel prices. nt

[Hubert Flottz]

36. You are paying a TAX!

The GOPers are letting EXXON TAX you to death! You'll PAY THAT TAX, or you won't get to work! THE GOP is letting EXXON RAISE TAXES ON EVERYONE!

[Sapphire Blue]

42. ...

:kick:

[rman]

44. Month old trucker strike over fuel prices in Vancouver still going

Today's Trucking
Task force to explore causes of Vancouver trucker strike
http://www.todaystrucking.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=4259

VANCOUVER, (Aug. 9, 2005) -- Transport Canada has created a task force to review the underlying factors that caused the six-week truckers' strike at the Port of Vancouver.

<more>

=====

Marathon talks resume in B.C. container strike
Last Updated Fri, 29 Jul 2005
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/07/29/Port-strike-050729.html

All eyes will be on a federal mediator in Vancouver on Friday as he tries to broker an end to a crippling, month-long strike at area ports.

<snip>

The major issue is a rise in the cost of fuel, for which drivers have said they aren't being compensated. They said it costs $350 a day to run a truck but that they are paid between $300 and $400 a day.
<snip>

Business leaders have demanded that the federal government legislate the truckers back to work. But federal Industry Minister David Emerson has dismissed the solution as too simplistic.

The Vancouver Board of Trade has warned that the shutdown has pushed many businesses including manufacturing, retail, restaurants and forestry to the breaking point.

======

China Economic Net
Vancouver strike goes on
Last Updated(Beijing Time):2005-08-01
http://en.ce.cn/World/Americas/200508/01/t20050801_4317989.shtml

The strike that has paralysed Canada's biggest port of Vancouver for more than one month may not end in the near future as the truckers have rejected a deal that would have returned the port to full operation on Tuesday.

<snip>

The reports noted that 90 percent of the truckers have agreed to the deal earlier on Sunday. But they did not mention why the truckers finally decided to reject it.

The truckers walked off the job June 27, complaining that higher fuel prices made it impossible for them to make a living.

The strike is costing 75 million Canadian dollars (62 million US dollars) a day, and has dispruted business and caused problems across the country as retailers wait for goods to sell. Local business community has urged the federal and provincial governments to step in and help end the strike as soon as possible.