...big pick-ups, thankyou!

[fatlazyless]

All these truck driver rules are federal laws, enacted by the Federal Motor Safety Act of 1986(or so) and the 2-year dot med card includes a drug test. In addition, many NH truck businesses will have surprise drug tests, including the state. For example the big orange snow plow NH-DOT drivers are state employees and they get sudden, surprise drug tests ....... surprise, pee into this cup, buddy.

New Hampshire is the one and only state without a seat belt requirement, plus there's no NH motorcycle helmet requirement for age-18 and older, so what's the chances for an age-66 med card, or drug testing? The chances are no chance here in NH..... zero.

By the way ...... even Alaska has a seat belt law requirement for all adults ..... but not New Hampshire. New Hampshire does not receive something like three million dollars/year in federal money by not having a seat belt requirement for adults.

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

. In addition, many NH truck businesses will have surprise drug tests, including the state. For example the big orange snow plow NH-DOT drivers are state employees and they get sudden, surprise drug tests ....... surprise, pee into this cup, buddy.

All businesses employing CDL licensed drivers are required to have random drug and alcohol tests. The last testing rate I was aware of requires that 25% of the employees must be tested each year. The required testing rate changes and is published in the Federal Register.

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

There's something called the Federal Motor Truck drivers in New Hampshire must wear their seat belt, by federal law, plus you have to be age-21 to get a commercial truck driver's license.

You can have a Commercial Drivers License in NH if you are under 21. You can only drive intrastate until you turn 21.

[tis]

In case anyone is interested:

The random drug testing rates for drivers covered under DOT/FMCSA will be increasing from 25% of the pool tested annually for drugs to 50% of the pool tested annually as of January 1, 2020. The random breath alcohol testing remains at 10% of the pool annually.

[fatlazyless]

At first I was think'n it be best for insurance to pay to repair the damages. Just look'n at it ...... a number like three thousand dollars to repair crosses my mind?

Today is Saturday morning, the hit & run smash-in happened on Wednesday morning ...... and now I'm think'n it could be better to get totaled out by Allstate ..... if I get a payment of say .... $2500 .... and can use it to go buy an identical car to what got hit.

My car is a 2013 Scion xB, with 193,000 miles, a 5-speed stick .... purchased brand new in May, 2014 from Irwin Toyota in Laconia for $15,200-cash.

Last August I was looking to trade it in for a 2016 Kia Soul, 45,000-mile, 5-speed stick, price $7000-cash .... at Irwin Hyundai in Laconia ..... except Irwin would only give me a three hundred dollar trade-in value, plus charge an additional $725 dealer prep fee, on top.

Finding the right 5-speed stick car is not so easy, any more.

If Allstate pays to repair, the xB will go to www.irwinautobody.com for repairing the two doors smash ..... I would probably be better off taking the smash to Irwin for repairs than looking for a used $6500 Scion xB-stick shift in Craigslist or someplace using the totaled payment.

That xB was/is one great little econo-box .... is being driven today with pretty good confidence ..... would not drive it to Boston, but is good to go for local-NH ....this car is not so little .... has a large windshield ..... you sit upright similar to a pickup .... lots of inside space .... right now, costs $22 to fill gas tank, and the dash says it averages 34.7 miles/gallon over it's 193,200 miles drive. Replacing the four 'riginal spark plugs will probably improve the gas mileage.

The Scion xB is a little bit bigger, and probably a whole lot better car than the Kia Soul.

By the way, Allstate in Meredith on Wednesday was immediately very helpful ..... took a number of photos, starting my claim .... in & out of there in like 15-minutes, for starters.

You know it seems to me that you are not really driving a car, what you are driving is an insurance policy.

[fatlazyless]

Thursday, Jan 20: Just got an email from Allstate and they give me an estimate of $2180.65 to pay for the side t-bone collision repairs, minus the $250-deductible and I will take it to Irwin Collision in Laconia. Have used Irwin Collision in the past, plus am thinking that Irwin is a Toyota dealer so's could have better access to Scion replacement repair parts. Scion's last year was 2016, and who knows how long my Scion xB will keep on going?

1,092,675 is the number of Scions made from 2003-2015 ..... wikipedia.

Here's an off-the-wall comment ...... last August, Irwin Hyundai would only give me a three hundred dollar trade-in value on my xB toward purchasing a $7000 used 2016 Kia Soul with 50k miles.

And now my insurance, Allstate will pay close to $2000 to get it repaired ..... plus give me a rental car during repairs ..... oh well ..... go figure? ......

Just curious ....... so what would the cost to repair need to be here to get totaled out?

[ApS]

State Farm Insurance would normally write me a check at their estimate. Hmm...

Then I'd take the Scion back to trade (unrepaired) on the Kia Soul and take their $300 trade-in offer.

Irwin Hyundai may not accept the trade, but parts for the Scion aren't assured after the Federally-required seven years.

Would Allstate write you a check? It'd be worth a try.