The Tailboard Rider

[x635 4,066]

Just saw this ad on Facebook for a "Tailboard Rider" T-Shirt. I'm trying to figure out if this description is a joke or a real thing. If it is real, it's scary that attitudes like this still exist.  You know something is dangerous yet do it anyway? Really? It's gotta be a joke.

 

This was the description:

Quote

My dad and grandpa still tell me stories about being able to ride the tailboard to calls. Man, I'm jealous. I know its dangerous..... My dad even had one of his partners on the engine fall off one time. Just reminds me more of the glory days before the "wussification" of the America. I get it its not safe, but when i can get away with it, like when we are doing hydrants, I ride the tail board from one to the next until the LT yells at me for doing it. 

 

Its the old way.

Its the dangerous way.

But at heart I'm still a Tailboard Rider.

 

 

http://www.blackhelmetapparel.com/product.php?id=The+Tailboard+Rider+Firefighter+T-Shirt&src=xmasjuly16fb

[somebuffyguy 190]

I gotta say my favorite is this tribute to "salvage and overhaul". http://www.blackhelmetapparel.com/product.php?id=Salvage and Overhaul Firefighter T-shirt&nosto=pagetemplate-nosto-1

 

I can't believe people buy this stuff, save some time and just flush your money directly into the toilet and cut out the middle man.

[ex-commish 490]

I rode the tailboard for many years until 1991 and though I will admit I miss that era and everything about it looking back it was dangerous and to hear there are some today still riding it like mentioned above is unbelievable that it still exists to some capacity

[GreatPlains588 131]

What I think is a t-shirt company who by its very name promotes itself on the very traditions that have mamed and killed firefighters.

 

Do I like it: NO

 

Is it going to sell t-shirts: YES (This is America, and Yes you have every right too)

 

This is why the fire service can not get ahead of itself.

 

If you are new to the fire service: Learn the history, or guess what, your doomed to repeat it.

 

It's not cool, there is a reason why we dont ride on the back step anymore.........Change in the fire service is smeared with our brother and sister firefighters blood..

 

Read the NIOSH reports and you will understand.

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2016 by GreatPlains588

[SECTMB 612]

I've never been a fan of the Black Helmet garments.  I've always been a traditionalist preferring the maltese cross to scull and crossbones.  It seems to promote some over the top macho image I don't emulate or appreciate. I was in it to help, not draw attention to myself.

 

In the 'old' days, we had to ride the rear step as we didn't have the cab capacity we have today.  Went from hang on, to safety harnesses on the rear step and safety bars on the jump seats to all inside.  Only got the crap scared out of me once.

 

 

[nfd2004 750]

9 hours ago, SECTMB said:

I've never been a fan of the Black Helmet garments.  I've always been a traditionalist preferring the maltese cross to scull and crossbones.  It seems to promote some over the top macho image I don't emulate or appreciate. I was in it to help, not draw attention to myself.

 

In the 'old' days, we had to ride the rear step as we didn't have the cab capacity we have today.  Went from hang on, to safety harnesses on the rear step and safety bars on the jump seats to all inside.  Only got the crap scared out of me once.

 

 

 

Yes, "SECTMB" is totally CORRECT. The problem then was there was NO HEATED Cabs to ride inside of like today. In most cases there wasn't even a place to sit. I can tell you, "it really was no fun riding that back step in the middle of some Sub Zero night coming back from a job. Trying to hang on for dear life with turnout gear (as it was called) and gloves covered in ice with frozen hands under them. "They didn't tell that story on those T-shirts".

 

  Then came those super hot humid days, and a totally different story. No nice cool air conditioned cabs to cool down in.

 

  Take it from a guy who "DID" ride the back step. It really didn't take too long to realize, "this really isn't that much fun anymore'. To my Brothers out there that did ride the back step, "you know exactly what I'm talking about". For those that DIDN'T, "just be very thankful for the simple things you have today". And just try to remember, it's not that those guys that rode the back step were plain stupid. It's just that there was NO OTHER OPTION.

[BIGRED1 71]

On 7/25/2016 at 5:06 PM, somebuffyguy said:

 save some time and just flush your money directly into the toilet and cut out the middle man.

 

Slow down there now. I am sure plenty of us can take that cash off your hands without having to fish it out of the toilet.

 

Ya i laugh at those shirts that i am sure they sell thousands of at like the Fire Expo in Long Island. Alot of "I fight what you fear" stuff. As been stated if you need the shirt to say you've been there, you probably haven't. Anyone ever notice it's always the XXXL guys who are wearing them?

 

Stay Safe out there.

[FFPCogs 863]

First off I loved riding the back step and would do it again anytime. That said, it's a T-shirt,  a simple T-shirt...it means absolutely nothing unless you're a whacker.  People are free to do as they please no matter how ridiculous they'll look or what it may seem to others. Bottom line... if you don't like it...don't buy it. 

[nfd2004 750]

1 hour ago, FFPCogs said:

First off I loved riding the back step and would do it again anytime. That said, it's a T-shirt,  a simple T-shirt...it means absolutely nothing unless you're a whacker.  People are free to do as they please no matter how ridiculous they'll look or what it may seem to others. Bottom line... if you don't like it...don't buy it. 

 

 Even those cold winter nights ? Those back tailboards were even covered in ice. Ice all over the place. The tailboard your standing on, the cross bar your holding on to, in addition to a human body wearing firefighting gear covered in ice. After spending a few hours following water, at least to me nothing sounded better than riding back inside of a heated cab of a fire truck. And sometimes that wasn't even the case with an open cab.

 

  Well, honestly, I know of one guy that won't be buying one or two of those T-shirts. I'd much rather see my money put to good use in such things as the firefighter cancer fund. You could also send your money to that as well, for a somewhat different purpose. In case anybody wants to do that instead it's www.ffcancer.org .

[FFPCogs 863]

4 hours ago, nfd2004 said:

 

 Even those cold winter nights ? Those back tailboards were even covered in ice. Ice all over the place. The tailboard your standing on, the cross bar your holding on to, in addition to a human body wearing firefighting gear covered in ice. After spending a few hours following water, at least to me nothing sounded better than riding back inside of a heated cab of a fire truck. And sometimes that wasn't even the case with an open cab.

 

  Well, honestly, I know of one guy that won't be buying one or two of those T-shirts. I'd much rather see my money put to good use in such things as the firefighter cancer fund. You could also send your money to that as well, for a somewhat different purpose. In case anybody wants to do that instead it's www.ffcancer.org .

Yeah Willy even those cold winter nights. Just something about being on that step with the wind (and rain and snow and dirt and dust) in your face. We used to get geared up on that back step too. One guy holding on to the cross bar, arms spread wide, while the other stood in between his arms donning his turnouts, and then they switched...and thoise turnouts btw were handed down to the backsteppers by another guy up in the hosebed....all while in motion.  Ahhh yeah the good ole days of being young.  My God the safety Nazis would have a stroke if they ever saw it....  Honestly though like just about everything else in our business, barring the unexpected and things beyond our control, if you did what you were taught you'd be just fine...as all of us were. I guess it's more nostalgia than anything else, FFs are much better off today in term of road safety and rehab, but it still was one hell of a ride and I'm glad I got to partake in it.

 

Got to agree with your second point here...money would be put to better use donating to ffcancer.org or another FF aid charity.