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Truck off: convoys, coups and protests


Ozlsn

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I think their plan is to strut around talking about easily disproved conspiracy theories and proclaim themselves the saviours of the the country and the only true patriots. 
When they accomplish nothing but have to face legal issues they will whine and cry that actions have consequences.

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The convoy has disaffiliated last night from Leigh Dundas, a wing-nut anti vax lawyer who was at the Jan 6 insurrection.  She has been speaking at various People's Convoy stops.   No word on exactly why. 

There is some question now about whether the convoy will go onto the Beltway or just hang out in Hagerstown.  This is a tweet from a researcher following the progress of the convoy: 

Sara Aniano did note that the People's Convoy web site had not reflected this change, so maybe DC after all?  Maybe some concern over getting arrested, trucks confiscated and what not. 

And this is some extremely funny stuff by a person responding to this thread: 

YankeeHillFoxtrot @agoodsamaritan:  "Just a bit ago I tried planting the seed within their groups that the "Freedom Convoys" were false flag operations set up by "the government" as a honeypot to arrest dissidents and expand emergency powers. You'd be surprised (or not) how many re-tweeted the idea."

One more thing that happened a few days ago, one of the convoy guys leasing a truck from Penske had his semi trailer all decked out with a giant People's Convoy sign and "Let's Go Brandon" on the side in giant letters. Penske found out and shut down the truck remotely, leaving the guy stranded on the road. I'm assuming the driver signed a lease with pesky stipulations about presenting their company in a positive light or using the truck only for legitimate business purposes...

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24 minutes ago, Howl said:

One more thing that happened a few days ago, one of the convoy guys leasing a truck from Penske had his semi trailer all decked out with a giant People's Convoy sign and "Let's Go Brandon" on the side in giant letters. Penske found out and shut down the truck remotely, leaving the guy stranded on the road. I'm assuming the driver signed a lease with pesky stipulations about presenting their company in a positive light or using the truck only for legitimate business purposes...

Yeah Penske probably doesn't want people to think that they're supporting all this and yeah it probably was all covered in the agreement too that he signed with Penske.

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A Burkburnett man taking part in a national truck convoy protest found himself without a ride Friday.

Jeff Sandberg has been vocal in his support of the convoy on social media and was driving a rig bearing a banner covered in slogans.

“We’re just trying to show what the people who back us believe — and our own beliefs — of what our country needs to go back to,” Sandberg told the New York Times Wednesday.

By Thursday night, Sandberg was sidelined because the company he rented his truck from, Penske, shut down his truck remotely.

 

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From the article linked by @47of74 :

Quote

By Thursday night, Sandberg was sidelined because the company he rented his truck from, Penske, shut down his truck remotely.

“Penske does not support the people’s convoy movement,” Sandberg said on a Facebook stream. “So, I’m in a situation where I’m not going to be able to continue on.”

The article then gives the reader some background on how the movement was formed. Sandberg later says:

Quote

Sandberg admitted he’s taking a risk in being part of the movement.

“There is going to be probably some downfall in this for participating. I could lose some business on this deal,” he said.

When Penske shut his truck down, he sounded like he was quitting to save his job, but the second statement sounds like he's still with the group. :confusion-scratchheadyellow:

Edited by Cartmann99
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Re: Leigh Dundas, didn't someone post a link claiming she is the one who set up the donations site?  Maybe she was trying to siphon off some of the dough - they raised a crapton of money.  

I've been fascinated with this weirdness, in a horror-movie kind of way.  I had reason to drive part of the route this past week, I was likely 50-100 miles ahead of them for a couple of hours.  Every.  Single.  Overpass.  Was lined with supporters waving US Flags, Trump flags, "mandate Freedom" signs, etc., along with "Let's Go Brandon" and other anti-Biden sentiments.

I still cannot quite figure out the exact point or goal, other than vague opposition to Covid mandates, which are already being dismantled left and right.  However, they have obviously tapped into a deep well, lots of people identify with this, whatever the heck it is. 

So now they aren't even going all the way to DC? OK then.  What do they think this has accomplished?  Other than a complete waste of precious fuel in the service of a vanity project.  So weird. 

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4 hours ago, Becky said:

I still cannot quite figure out the exact point or goal, other than vague opposition to Covid mandates, which are already being dismantled left and right.  However, they have obviously tapped into a deep well, lots of people identify with this, whatever the heck it is. 

 I don't get it either.  The closest I can guess is that they've found "their people "and they want to continue to congregate with them and yell and show how much they hate liberals, gays, immigrants, mask wearers, etc., etc.  They've crawled out from under their rocks and they're not going back easily.  Donald Trump gave them permission to show their worst sides and they will continue to congregate until they are shamed enough to go away.

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1 hour ago, Xan said:

 I don't get it either.  The closest I can guess is that they've found "their people "and they want to continue to congregate with them and yell and show how much they hate liberals, gays, immigrants, mask wearers, etc., etc.  They've crawled out from under their rocks and they're not going back easily.  Donald Trump gave them permission to show their worst sides and they will continue to congregate until they are shamed enough to go away.

Problem is they’re too emotionally stunted to feel any sort of shame.  Hence the love of fuck face and his minions. 

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Looks like at least one group has achieved critical mass. I think they are in Hagerstown right now.  Apparently there is encouragement to stay out of DC proper; I think the focus is the Beltway. 

 

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The official Facebook page had a post implying that Hagerstown was the final stop, I suspect they are trying to limit their liability should this go off the rails in DC.  I think it likely that there will be some heading to DC anyway, it only remains to be seen how many and how much disruption happens.  

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15 hours ago, Xan said:

 I don't get it either.  The closest I can guess is that they've found "their people "and they want to continue to congregate with them and yell and show how much they hate liberals, gays, immigrants, mask wearers, etc., etc.  They've crawled out from under their rocks and they're not going back easily.  Donald Trump gave them permission to show their worst sides and they will continue to congregate until they are shamed enough to go away.

Anti-intellect and hatred have become badges of honor. I have mentioned in other places that I have had to limit or entirely cut contact with family members on both sides because I refuse to put up with their vile beliefs. Family get togethers were becoming a race to the bottom. Who could be the loudest, most offensive, biggest “victim”? Who could find the best way to try to mock the recent college graduates about their “worthless” degrees and huge student loan debt? Who could come up with the biggest LGBTQ+ slur as a put-down toward another? When those of us who got tired of trying to reach them at some level of human consciousness decided to start having our own, separate get togethers, those left behind were offended. Each time someone from that group confronted me, I just replied, “You should be happy! Another thing to add to your ‘persecuted for being right-wing’ list- the ‘woke’ people don’t want to hang out with us anymore! Besides, all you did was complain about us ‘woke leftie commies’ anyway so isn’t this a win for you we aren’t there?” 

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Sunday morning, March 6: A thousand or so cars, RVs, trucks, semi cabs and I guess some semis with trailers are amassed at a racetrack near Hagerstown, MD -- close-ish (70 miles) to DC.  

The formal trucker leadership is saying they won't be going into DC, because common sense and scary Nancy Pelosi. 

Based on this NYT article, it sounds as though individual truckers might be planning something.  Truckers protesting Covid mandates are amassing outside the capital. The convoy and its supporters could move into Washington to hold rallies.  

The mission of the National Guard present in DC specifically to deal with a possible trucker infestation ends at midnight on Monday.  I think they'd be wise to extend it a few days if there are still truckers hanging out in Hagerstown Monday morning BUT as one official quoted in the NYT article noted, they've been planning on various trucker contingencies for over a month, immense rallies and other major events (inaugurations!) happen in DC frequently/periodically, so they are pretty sure they have it in hand. 

One thing: retaining a CDL (commercial trucker's license?) is contingent on operating a truck in an safe, appropriate and legal manner.  F**king around and creating traffic jams...could certainly jeopardize the license, right?

Another thing: during my brief time in DC seeing the area of the White House, the Mall, all the museums and major buildings, I don't recall seeing any big trucks in that area.  I'd venture a guess that deliveries from big trucks are restricted to the late night/early morning when there is no other traffic and no on-street car parking is allowed. 

So, I'm not sure the truckers could get onto Constitution Ave anywhere near the White House, or any of the other streets in that area during the day.  Anyone have direct experience of that area?

 

Edited by Howl
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Exactly.  

This trucker convoy is all about self-indulgent white Christonationalist privilege. 

Sunday, March 8: Local station WTOP has updates.  Trucker convoy reaches DC Beltway with plans to loop twice

The convoy leaders and state and local police are in contact and communication. 

The current plan for today (it may already be over) was to head over to the Beltway from Hagerstown, drive two loops on the Beltway, staying just below the speed limit and return to Hagerstown using a specified exit.  It wasn't thought that this would have much impact on a Sunday. 

However, the Washington Post is reporting a possibility that at least some truckers plant to continue to return to the Beltway for two loops on Monday, adding an additional loop each day until their demands were met (!).  Their demands won't be met, so this could lead to a LOT of loops. 

There is also some concern about lone wolf actions, but they just have to deal with that when it happens. 

 

Edited by Howl
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Some members of the Negative 48 cult ( the branch of QAnon that gathered in Dallas last November to see JFK Jr.) are there at the racetrack.

They've announced they will attend Trump's rally in South Carolina on the 12th before returning to Dallas.

 

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Well, so far it's Beltway 2, Truckers 0.  

The Daily Beast reports "an organized flotilla of vehicles attempting to gum up the D.C.-area Beltway on Sunday in protest of pandemic restrictions instead found itself floundering against the regular flow of traffic...trucks and other vehicles bedazzled with Trump regalia and American flags—and some Confederate ones—had their demonstration diluted as they were thinned out by other cars going around them at regular speeds of about 55 miles an hour."

Edited by Howl
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55 minutes ago, Howl said:

Well, so far it's Beltway 2, Truckers 0.  

The Daily Beast reports "an organized flotilla of vehicles attempting to gum up the D.C.-area Beltway on Sunday in protest of pandemic restrictions instead found itself floundering against the regular flow of traffic...trucks and other vehicles bedazzled with Trump regalia and American flags—and some Confederate ones—had their demonstration diluted as they were thinned out by other cars going around them at regular speeds of about 55 miles an hour."

55 mph?  It's the speed limit, but traffic moves a lot faster than that (if it can) on the Beltway and other local highways.  Also, they shouldn't expect much support from people in this generally blue area.

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In Australian convoy news the government altered the weather, leading to the flooding of a number of regions on the east coast of Aus over the last week+, to stop them 🙄

 

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14 hours ago, Dandruff said:

55 mph?  It's the speed limit, but traffic moves a lot faster than that (if it can) on the Beltway and other local highways.  Also, they shouldn't expect much support from people in this generally blue area.

I think the rollercoaster on the top side of the beltway would be beyond many participants' driving skills. I hate driving in that area on a good day, with lanes ending randomly on both the left and right, copious construction , and crazy drivers who think nothing of whipping past you for "only" going five miles over the speed limit. I think trying to drive a tractor trailer there without much knowledge is a suicidal mission. I usually go way out of my way and take the ICC to avoid it.

 

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I really don't get the purpose of this. They're going to drive around in circles... why? To end Covid mandates? OK, done, in most places. 

Were the organizers like "NO! Don't end the mandates NOW, we haven't started our convoy yet!"

Other than a vague hope of going back to the "good old days" where men were bigots and women were servants, and people of color were silent supporting cast, what do all these people actually want? Do they really WANT progress to be set back 50 years? 

My best guess is that these people, as a whole, are undereducated and frightened of change. Many are either not that bright, or feel like they are stupid, and are intimidated by education and intelligence. They are the sort of people who double down instead of learning from mistakes, and have a hard time admitting when they are wrong. And I think lots of them are part of the group, just to be part of the group. The conspiracy theories make them feel smart, like they have secret inside knowledge. They figure whoever is out front must be the smart people, so they follow them. And they have a lack of critical thinking. 

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7 hours ago, SpaceJunk said:

In Australian convoy news the government altered the weather, leading to the flooding of a number of regions on the east coast of Aus over the last week+, to stop them 🙄

That would be a nice Star Trek thing to have is a weather control grid keeping the weather from getting too destructive.  Of course these convoy idiots would probably complain no matter what.  (One episode had a couple people getting killed on 24th century Earth by a tornado - something that just didn't happen all that much since the weather control tech would dissipate the tornado before it could do any damage). 

19 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

I really don't get the purpose of this. They're going to drive around in circles... why? To end Covid mandates? OK, done, in most places.  

I get the impression the driving around in circles is to snarl up local traffic as much as possible by blocking lanes and being inconsiderate asses.  Not the best way to win friends at any rate.  I also get the feeling the BTs involved in the convoy are small time independent operators since most companies are not going to want to be associated with the convoy and would end the employment of a driver who took one of their trucks to a rolling Klan rally.

I wonder - does the DC region (city and surrounding states) have laws regarding left lane banditry?  Some states - such as Missouri - have laws on the books where if one is in the left lane without good cause, such as for passing or moving over to give vehicles on the shoulders a wide berth the drivers can be ticketed then.  I know about that particular law since it went into effect when we were down visiting my sister when she lived in Missouri and there was a good deal of press about it.  Even if there isn't one I stay out of the left lane unless I'm passing or otherwise need to be in that lane. 

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3 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

I wonder - does the DC region (city and surrounding states) have laws regarding left lane banditry?  Some states - such as Missouri - have laws on the books where if one is in the left lane without good cause, such as for passing or moving over to give vehicles on the shoulders a wide berth the drivers can be ticketed then.  I know about that particular law since it went into effect when we were down visiting my sister when she lived in Missouri and there was a good deal of press about it.  Even if there isn't one I stay out of the left lane unless I'm passing or otherwise need to be in that lane. 

I had no idea such a thing existed. I know that in NC, the big trucks are supposed to stay out of the left lane unless absolutely necessary, but regular cars can use the left lane all they want. The left is the fast lane, though, so if you're in it you'd better be keeping up at minimum. 

I often am in the far left lane most of the way to work, as I'm usually running late in the mornings. I do, however, keep glancing at the rear-view mirror so when someone comes up behind me going faster, I can get over to let them past me. 

Exceptions are a few places in Charlotte where the far left is a HOV lane. 

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3 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

I had no idea such a thing existed. I know that in NC, the big trucks are supposed to stay out of the left lane unless absolutely necessary, but regular cars can use the left lane all they want. The left is the fast lane, though, so if you're in it you'd better be keeping up at minimum. 

I often am in the far left lane most of the way to work, as I'm usually running late in the mornings. I do, however, keep glancing at the rear-view mirror so when someone comes up behind me going faster, I can get over to let them past me. 

Exceptions are a few places in Charlotte where the far left is a HOV lane. 

Some states do have laws regarding the left lane and require semis to keep to the right unless necessary.  Out in the open country I stay in the right lane as much as possible so I don't get wiped out by the jackass barrelling down the road at 90.  Of course if I have to I'm over in the left lane, such as passing, turning left, stopped vehicles on the shoulder, or taking the exit that is on the left side of the road. 

They have that too up in the Twin Cities with HOV lanes and people are restricted from using the lanes during the day.  After hours when traffic is lower then the lanes are open for others.  Once I do start driving again I just figure on taking the road I'm on to work since it goes straight downtown and would likely avoid rush hour.

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We saw gas prices today at over $5.00 per gallon.  First time I’ve seen prices that high.  Lucky for these clowns that they have someone else footing their fuel bills. In other news, we went grocery shopping and some of our regular items had gone up significantly in a week.  It’s not going to get better anytime soon, I’m guessing. 

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