Truck Topics

Road Etiquette - Where Are Your Manners?

Associate Editor Gary AddisWhatever Happened to Randolph Scott Happened to the Industry.Once Upon a Time, a long long time ago, in a land of make-believe, American drivers were considered the most courteous people on Earth.

Once upon a time, husbands advised their wives and kids to always trust a truck driver. Once, we extended courtesy to heavier, slower vehicles on steep grades; we dimmed our headlights a mile from other vehicles; on the interstates we gave stopped vehicles a wide berth.

What happened?

Have you noticed that, while everyone wants to be a hero, fewer than one person in three hundred stops to help a retiree change a tire? Can you even remember the last time you offered a helping hand to someone in need?

Have you ever fussed, cussed or just plain grumbled when a lumbering garbage truck forced you to slow down? Have you ever growled or just plain glared at a camper-load of tourists for taking the last parking spot?

Have you ever used the size of your truck to intimidate smaller vehicles? Have you ever stubbornly refused to allow a slightly faster truck to pass?

Do you treat waiters and waitresses and fuel desk clerks with respect, do you refer to them by their names? Do you wash your hands after using the toilet, do you remember to flush? Do you walk the few steps to a garbage can, or do you strew trash wherever you park?

Do you hold your water till the nearest restroom, or do you expose yourself wherever you get the urge?

Are you polite and respectful on the CB, is your language clean? Are you a channel hogging ratchet-jaw? Are you a rude, crude burper; a disc jockey wannabe; a CB toy-boy?

Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?

What happened to you?

What happened to me?

What happened to simple good manners?

Should we blame our mothers for the way we act?--others will, you know, if we behave like inconsiderate spoiled brats. Brothers and sisters of the road, we are all in this together.

We need to start acting like the responsible, courteous adults we're supposed to be.