Will there be a run on grocery stores?

Does anyone work for or own their own grocery store and if so is there policies in place on how food will be rationed if a prolonged trucker strike takes place?

Would WalMart be affected as much as other stores since they have their own fleet of trucks if a strike takes place? Rik Riley

[edit on 23-3-2008 by rikriley]

The information I can gather is 1,000 independent truckers are goring to park their trucks across the country which will hardly make a dent when it comes to getting goods to there destination. Many truckers say they will follow on April 1st, but it is still wait and see so it may not be a bad idea to maybe stock up on a few items if it becomes follow the leader. Rik Riley

On the news tonight truckers were driving 10 mile per hour less on the Interstate. In other words instead of going 70 miles per hour they are traveling at 60 miles per hour to save 1 mile per gallon on fuel consumption. The average diesel truck gets approx. 9 to 10 miles per gallon on the open road anytime they can save money it keeps them in business and products rolling to the nearest distribution point or store. Rik Riley

Originally posted by rikriley
On the news tonight truckers were driving 10 mile per hour less on the Interstate. In other words instead of going 70 miles per hour they are traveling at 60 miles per hour to save 1 mile per gallon on fuel consumption. The average diesel truck gets approx. 9 to 10 miles per gallon on the open road anytime they can save money it keeps them in business and products rolling to the nearest distribution point or store. Rik Riley

I thought the speed limit on the interstate for trucks was 55 mph or has that changed recently? I would hope they wouldn't go 70 mph...

reply to post by Jessicamsa


Good point, each state sets the speed limits of their particular state including Interstate, rural and state highways. Here is a website that gives the speed limits for heavy trucks. en.wikipedia.org...
Rik Riley









[edit on 27-3-2008 by rikriley]

reply to post by Jessicamsa


Many company trucks have governors on them to limit their top speed. This is usually done for insurance purposes. Why shouldn't they go 70 though? Trucks should keep up with the speed of the cars. You should try riding in a big truck once or twice and see the things we have to deal with every day with cars around us. Everyone wants their goods in the store to buy, when they want them (immediately), but they don't want trucks driving around them because we inconvenience them. We're big and slow and they want to be going fast, so they do stupid things around us.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by Jessicamsa

 

Many company trucks have governors on them to limit their top speed. This is usually done for insurance purposes. Why shouldn't they go 70 though? Trucks should keep up with the speed of the cars. You should try riding in a big truck once or twice and see the things we have to deal with every day with cars around us. Everyone wants their goods in the store to buy, when they want them (immediately), but they don't want trucks driving around them because we inconvenience them. We're big and slow and they want to be going fast, so they do stupid things around us.

It's a safety issue. Same reason it takes trains longer to stop than a car that it would take a big rig longer to stop. The extra weight takes longer to stop.

My dad drives a big rig. When a car stops suddenly in front of you on the interstate, even if you apply the brakes immediately, can turn deadly. It takes a while for the truck to stop, and sometimes it'll jackknife. This can cause more wrecks and traffic back ups.

I'm well aware of that, I was a driver too. But you have to look at both sides of the coin. The slower the trucks drive, the dumber cars are around us and the more likely they are to have an accident because of that stupidity. If the driver is safe and leaves enough following distance, then even at 70 he will have enough room to stop.

This can be turned into a non issue, simply by stocking up on everything relatively non-perishable (can goods, noodles, beans, water, beer, smokes, etc.) and keeping a smaller supply of substitutes for the perishable items on hand (canned milk, dried meats/fruits/veggies). This should be done anyhow if you have a family to provide for and protect. I keep a lot of the non-perishable stuff on the shelves, probably a good six months worth, and I just cycle through it. And, my kids, with grandsons in tow, stop by sometimes and help themselves to any surplus canned items that I won't likely get to before it approaches expiration. Today even I just bought a half dozen cases worth of canned fruit and veggies to replenish what I've been eating (it will keep me fed and my adult children that aren't as concerned and prepared for the unexpected as I am if something should disrupt the food supply). None issue.

[edit on 27-3-2008 by Divinorumus]

reply to post by Divinorumus


I purchased beef jerky in several large vacuum sealed packages thinking they would last at least one year and when I opened the package after a year and tried to eat some of the beef jerky it was not eatable. The seal was not broken on any of the packages but still could not consume. I thought it would last longer maybe someone else has had a similar experience. Rik Riley

Isn't anyone here old enough to remember when truckers when on strike in the 1970s?

I lived in a small town at the time. What I remember is, and I was just talking with my mother about this the other day, shelves in the stores werent' necessarily empty, BUT, prices went through the roof. You simply couldn't afford things like coffee at all.

I am SO not one of these survivalist types, however, I think it would only be common sense to pick up some rice, flour, sugar, potatoes and things like that to keep around.

Grains in general are going to be very expensive in the near future, truck strike or not.

People might want to start thinking about finding when and where their local farmers markets take place. Spending your money locally is always a good idea, but in this particular case, you might avoid paying for all that gasoline for shipping.


www.thetruckingindustry.net...

reply to post by Jadette


Oh yes, I remember it well not only higher prices at the grocery store but long lines of cars, trucks and rationing of gas by each individual station owner. This was a Jimmy Carter fiasco but we as Americans weathered the storm.

Whether it be storm related, another terrorist attack, gas shortages or a trucker strike we must be prepared for an emergency. Rik Riley



[edit on 27-3-2008 by rikriley]

I agree a truckers strike is the least of our worries. This Link says prices will soon sky rocket no matter what the truckers do.

Today is payday once again for me. I will be heading out once again to the local Save A Lot. If you are not stocking up and things get really bad you will be ina world of hurt at the FEMA camps. Either that or take you chances trying to take food from us. Just be sure you know we don't have a way to defend our stock piles...

I would like to be able to ignore all the warning signs of hard times ahead but its hard when all the news points to economic disaster. I feel for the truckers but they are only really one small part of what is going to happen here.

Here is why a truckers strike simply won’t work.

The target of the strike is high gas prices. What on earth makes you think that the a strike on trucking will affect global gasoline prices? Saudi Arabia all ready stated they will increase crude production. Our refineries are all ready running 90-100 percent. Where the heck do you think we will get lower gas prices from a strike?

So, I guess they think that shipping rates will go up? How is that possible when load shipments have fallen through the floor? The economy is slowing, not growing. You have no leverage for a strike because competition for loads, and jobs is too high. Have you seen how many people have been laid off of work from factories all ready?

A truckers strike will simply not work. Your jobs will be filled in a new your minuet from other out of work people. Gas prices are a global commodity and your strike will not affect it one little tiny bit. Your loads that you don’t carry will be taken by others who can double up. Even worst case scenario the government will use troop carriers to haul the loads.

If any independent truck drivers think that they will strike and do this country or themselves any good whatsoever they are sadly mistaken. The only thing that will happen is that they will be putting themselves out the trucking market and the big carriers will grab an even bigger hold on dollar cost averaging by taking your place.

Do yourself a favor and don’t strike. I think this so called orchestrated strike is simply designed to get newbie truckers to leave the market so that the old hats can get more loads themselves. Don’t do it my friends, the people who are telling you to strike are not telling you the truth. It will not help the situation one little bit. That is unless you keep trucking and take more loads form the fools who stop.

I've noticed how food prices have sky rocketed over the last year alone. An item that I bought a year ago was 5 for $10. Day before yesterday I was in the same store. That item was now one for $3.29. Fortunately I'm just feeding me, and my food budget is low. Prices could double and triple and it wouldn't change my shopping habit and choices. Most of the time I never even look at the prices.

What does worry me are all the retired elderly that are on fixed or declining incomes (due to a decline in their retirement investments). The elderly I saw in the grocery store all had a worried look on their faces and were only buying items on sale, simple basic items. I felt sorry for them, and here I was with my cart full of expensive cheeses, the pricier organic fruits and veggies and shrooms (gawd, a small handful of blueberries was $6, and I bought 4), a couple cases of Monster, a bunch of snacks, etc. I wasn't even keeping tab of how much I was spending, and here the elderly (well, not much older than me, I'm already over 50 myself) were pulling out coupons and searching for the noddles that are on sale. You know the elderly aren't ready for any harder times ahead. Well, lets hope they have lots of kids and grandkids to help feed them when there is a run on that $7.99 a gallon milk.

reply to post by Divinorumus


Here is a movement that I hope catches on if a person has extra money or plenty of money and they are at the grocery store ask the elderly person behind you or in front of you in a quiet manner if they mind if you could pay for their groceries. A few will be offended but it does not matter you are trying to help. We may never meet again.

I am saying if a person has a few grocery items why not help them out. I am not patting myself on the back but a lady was at a convenient mart and had a small child with her and it looked like all their belongings they owned were in the beat up car they were driving. She was at the register and did not have enough money to pay for gas and I said, I will pay for the gas, she was so happy. Pass it on. Rik Riley






[edit on 28-3-2008 by rikriley]

Maybe one of you truck drivers can answer this question. What is the weight limit usually on Interstate highways for a tractor trailer rig? If you are overweight do they charge you in increments of each 100 Lbs., 500 lbs or 1000 lbs over the limit. I do realize the heavier the load the longer distance it takes to bring the rig to a total stop. Rik Riley

Count down and time is growing nearer to the April 1st truckers strike. Canadian truckers have been asked to join ranks with the U.S. trucker strike. Do you think the Canadians will join in to have more of an impact and if they do will the strike snowball like a run away tractor trailer? If the strike takes place expect prices to go up on most all goods in your local stores. Rik Riley

reply to post by rikriley


80,000lbs is the max gross weight for a truck. And you have it backwards. The heavier the truck the faster we can stop. When we're EMPTY we take longer to stop because the wheels of the trailer can hop, or just not get traction properly.

reply to post by Zaphod58


You are correct about the hop and I forgot about the empty loads making the load on the tires and brakes lighter. I know going down a hill or mountain road to use lower gears to keep the rig under control and you could burn up those breaks in a hurry if you did not. Rik Riley