A polite response to an angry posting
Ladies and Gentelmen. We have a golden opportunity here to either make a friend of this person, OR re-inforce the standard image of the slob trucker. I believe that what he has said is partly true, there are owner-operators who have their vehicles running wide-open, and do tail-gate with reckless abandon. I know, I have had the unpleasant experience of being the tail-gatee.
The point that Fed-Up is trying to make, I think, is that we all suffer for the stupid actions of a mind-less few. Any one who has read this forum over the past few months will easily remember my strong comments about how we all have to try to clean up our collective act, as it is viewed by the public. The business of dangerous driving practises, such as tailgating, will never go away as long as there is the attitude that when in their cab, each driver is some king of small god, who answers to no one, and has absolute and supreme power. I have made it a practise to use my CB radio to point out to so-called "Professional Drivers " that the act of following too closely behind another vehicle is a unsafe way to drive. I leave it to your imagination to decide how these drivers answered me back. And there in lies the problem. It is a matter of self-discipline, that is to say, these drivers have nobody looking over their shoulders, and they believe they are not going to be caught in their mis-adventures, neither by law enforcement agents, or by the company they are hauling for.
As long as drivers have the attitude that they are not accountable to anyone, and can get away with anything.... they will!! And we will continue to hear comments such as that from Fed-Up. I will echo the sentiment that most car drivers have little, or no understanding of the difficulties associated with operating heavy trucks. I stongly endorse programs that allow the general public to at least sit in the cab of a large truck, so that they will be able to see for themselves, how restricted the view from the cab is, and what can or cannot be seen in the mirrors.
Finally, a personal message to Fed-Up. I suggest that if you are so agrieved by the driving practises of heavy truck operators, do this. Carry a pen and note pad with you in your car, and write down the license plate, unit number, and time, date, direction of travel, on what road, and the company name on the cab door, forward this information to the state police barracks closest to your home, and also call the company collect to report the problem. Be prepared to clearly state what your complaint is, and give as much info as you can. This is how we all will begin to have an effect on our public image. One final thing. I am a field editor for Expedite Now magazine, but I am also a veteran commercial driver with over 34 years of accident free driving, 12 of those years were spent operating a ambulance in the largest city in Canada, Toronto, Ontario. So I do understand how to get thru traffic safely, and quickly, without causing others to curse me. Nuff said, comments from the forum please. Jim Bunting, Field Editor Expedite Now.
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