May
2008
"STORIES"

I must start out this month's article with an apology to all of you for my blonde moment (or week!) last month when I totally missed my deadline. I had never even started on it when I realized it was already too late, so, please accept my sincerest apologies and my assurance I will work harder to be on top of this from now on. I truly cannot believe how fast the time flies by these days, it seems this year as if it is moving even faster than we are and we are having a tough time just keeping up!

I wanted to talk to all of you about a trend I have been noticing a lot more of lately, (as I am sure you all have as well), and that would be the aggressiveness of the drivers on the road (and off lately). We all read, hear and talk about road rage, but I am concerned it is progressing to a completely new ugly level of terror- inspiring behavior.

Courtesy seems to be a thing of the past, and I am speaking primarily about truck drivers. Four-wheelers are civilians in our professional world, they have to be excused because they don't usually know better, but other truck drivers do know better, or they should. There have been unwritten rules around for generations regarding courtesy that have been passed along that have served us well in the past, and they could still serve us well if we would only use them! They help to pass along goodwill, but even more importantly, they have helped to keep us all SAFE!

For all of you out there who keep insisting that you are not going to turn your headlights off when I pass you to let me know I've cleared you and can come back over safely because it's illegal to do so, let me tell you here and now... it is NOT.  It is, however illegal to use your bright lights to blind me and everyone else within 500 ft (oncoming traffic and 300 ft traffic moving same direction). It is also unsafe and very annoying. It began as a friendly and courteous move and has turned into a confusing and dangerous situation. The only time I personally flash my bright lights at anyone I am approaching alongside, is if they begin to cross over into my lane dangerously enough that I feel as if I may be in actual danger of being hit. If I need to do it then, I do it very quickly; fast enough to get their attention only, not long enough to blind them. If some of you use bright lights to flash others over when it's safe, and others use them as warnings only, how is one supposed to know which signal they are being given? Please people, do not use bright lights to flash other drivers over, it is illegal and it blinds the person in front of you, how smart is that?

We had another rule; this one was regarding trucks turning into and out of a place or street. You see, in the 'old days,' we used to look out for each other, if there were trucks lined up in both directions needing to turn, one would go while the one opposite him held back traffic, then he would go while the next in line opposite held traffic for him. We all learned this principle in grade school people, it's called 'taking turns.' Nowadays it's like a mad dash to get there me-first-to-heck-with-every-one-else.

All these truckers are beginning to drive just like the four wheelers and it is very scary! I had an incident happen to me at the big truck stop at exit 39 in New Mexico last month that just blew my mind, I couldn’t believe it, still can’t believe it in fact.

I needed to stop for a quick restroom break and pulled off there since we pull doubles and there is plenty of room at that particular truck stop. As I was pulling into the driveway (one of three, the one designated for fuel islands), I was turning pretty slowly because the roadway out front there is very badly rutted and one could dump a rear trailer pretty easily making the turn. There was a construction barrel to my left because of a huge hole in the driveway and the business did not want anyone running into it, so I was in the middle of the driveway. I had completed my turn, was all the way into the driveway with my tractor and both trailers, and headed for the fuel island area when all of a sudden this driver backs out of a parking area, turns and heads right straight for me. He saw me there, yet he headed to my left and blocked me from being able to go to the area I was headed for. I stopped, pointed ahead to let him know where I intended to go and he started jamming his arms in the air pointing to the driveway I was occupying and yelling at me. I pointed out the other exits, but he insisted I back up, hello, I AM pulling doubles. I motioned to him that he could pass by to my right and use the same driveway I was on of he wanted to, but I couldn’t go anywhere but straight ahead and he was blocking me from doing that.

I was committed. I could go nowhere else unless he moved because of where he came up and stopped, yet he refused to move. I had no idea what it was exactly he wanted me to do. I was there first, I didn't block him, yet here he was waving his arms all over the cab of his truck and pointing and motioning for me to move. He was practically foaming at the mouth when I put my hands up in a 'what do you want me to do?' gesture.

He pulled out his parking braked, threw off his seat belt, jumped out of his truck and stomped over to me and began to cuss at me with some of the most vulgar profanity I've ever heard all out of one mouth, and I just stared at him. I was speechless. For those who know me, that is incredible. I didn't know what to say except that I was glad he was a part of our profession and that we needed more like him out here.

I didn't even think to get his truck number because I could have, probably should have reported him to his company, but I was dumbstruck. What did this idiot think he was going to do when he jumped out of that truck? I wasn't scared, it never entered my mind to be afraid, but what was he thinking? If he has no more self-control than this, how can he be trusted with an 80,000 lb tractor-trailer?

Anger and aggression can be contagious, but the good news is so can courtesy and kindness. We can spread them around if we decide to; we can even start an epidemic if we want to.

All it takes is you.

'Til next month, Y'all be safe out there, God Bless!