I recently went on a run with my husband in an 18 wheeler, and it came my attention that some people look down on truck drivers. They don't realize what the truck driver has to go through. I'd like to take this opportunity to explain it to you.
   Being a truck driver is hard work, long hours, being away from home, the stress this can put on wives/families,the traffic, lack of time for themselves, short delivery times, lack of places to park the tractor/trailer to bed down, high expenses on the road, fines etc.
   A 4-wheeler is mainly concerned with getting to its destination. Many don't realize that it's not easy to stop an 18-wheeler, which can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs. I've seen cars pull in front of trucks without turn signals,change lanes in front of trucks without leaving enough room for safety, hang on the blind side making it hard for the driver to see,not letting the driver change lanes, etc., for safety.
   There are those who assume that all truck drivers are "bad people". There are good and bad, just like with all people.the good drivers are helpful, courteous, talk nice, and are friendly. They will stop to help a four-wheeler, or people in distress. For instance, in January of 1999 my husband saw a lady with two small children by the side of the road stranded, their car was broken down so my husband pulled over to take them to the nearest truckstop to call for help.
   The bad drivers, the ones some people call "cowboys", have no regard for others. They do not have any regard for anyone except themselves. They speed, talk nasty on the CB (citizens band) radio), are obnoxious, don't help people in distress, etc. They've helped give all drivers a bad name over the last 20 years.
   I'd like to point out that truck drivers aren't getting rich. They work hard, and have high expenses.
  People also have forgotten that without the truck driver or the trucks on the road would not be sitting pretty, with nice clothes on our backs, nice automobiles to drive, food in the cupboard, new refrigerators, etc.
  Without the truck drivers in the world, there would be nothing delivered, but the people in the USA and in other countries take the drivers of today for granted and blame any thing and everything on the drivers.
  People who want to close their eyes to the facts I have given in this editorial, are the "cowboys" of the world.
 

           By Debby Richardson
          Copyright 1999 © All Rights Reserved