Seems truckers are rude almost 100% of the time

[Medico]

This view is coming from a former trucker.

While driving the interstates, almost anywhere, I try to be considerate to truckers and flash my headlight flasher when they are past me enough to have room to pull back in. Maybe 2 in 100 have the courtesy to thank me by flashing their running lights. These very same truckers always seem to provide this courtesy to each other.

When I was on the road as a trucker, I always tried to act courteously to other large users in this manner. Is it only me or are these folks just mad at us for taking up "their highways"?

Sorry, I just had to rant a while. Rant over!

[RobRV]

I'm totally with You on the Courtesy aspect ! I have been told that the reason why there are fewer Truckers signalling has to do with liability issues.

Supposedly if You signal that it is safe to pull in,you can be held responsible ,if an accident occurs .

This was told to Me by one of the newer Truck Drivers that I spoke to at a rest area a while back.

[Steve N Sal]

Their Highway???? I didn't know they owned it. I don't know if it's just me but it seems the truckers that drive the East / West corridor vs. the ones that drive the North / South are more polite in that manner. I used to watch as they passed me and start to look into their side mirror to see if they were clear to enter back into the lane. Not anymore. At least not the N / S drivers. Anyway your right in what you say you may get 2 in 100 to acknowledge you.

[hone eagle]

More the half flash back a 'thank-you' for a ok to pull back in.

[poncho11]

Originally Posted by RobRV

I'm totally with You on the Courtesy aspect ! I have been told that the reason why there are fewer Truckers signalling has to do with liability issues.

Supposedly if You signal that it is safe to pull in,you can be held responsible ,if an accident occurs .

This was told to Me by one of the newer Truck Drivers that I spoke to at a rest area a while back.

This is pretty much the reason. I drove for 36 years, most for myself, but when working for a company I was told not to signal others because of the liability issues.
Also these new 2 week wonders (never drove a truck before then went to driving school now an expert) are a total differant breed of driver from when I was driving. I'm so glad I retired.

[DSL417]

If you say hello to someone and they don't respond does that make you any less than a polite human being? So if you signal a trucker and he doesn't respond, give him a benefit of a doubt...maybe he didn't see your signal. And if he did and didn't respond, does that make you any less polite? In the bigger picture, being kind and polite to others reinforces your self-worth and personal pride. Shake it off if someone doesn't respond...maybe they are just having a bad day.

[jenandjon]

I drove over the road for a number of years before I quit to work the farm. That was 12 yeas ago. I just recently in the past couple years got back on the road a couple times a year on family vacations ect. I noticed a considerable drop in cb chatter. I think the new generation of truckers is a completely different breed than the classic American trucker. There are still a few old timers out there but getting far and few in between.
The bull haulers are the worst. I was literally ran off the road by a pack of 3 of them just 3 miles from my house.

[Cooperhawk]

The CB chatter went out with the advent of the Cell Phone. Now most have Blue Tooth headsets on and are chatting with their buddies or families.

There are a lot of newbies out there that don't actually know the old ways. They take a driving course, get in a rig, and away they go. No old timer to show them the way.

[RedWing Nut]

Originally Posted by jenandjon

I drove over the road for a number of years before I quit to work the farm. That was 12 yeas ago. I just recently in the past couple years got back on the road a couple times a year on family vacations ect. I noticed a considerable drop in cb chatter. I think the new generation of truckers is a completely different breed than the classic American trucker. There are still a few old timers out there but getting far and few in between.
The bull haulers are the worst. I was literally ran off the road by a pack of 3 of them just 3 miles from my house.

What is a bull hauler?

[Craig_R]

Originally Posted by poncho11

This is pretty much the reason. I drove for 36 years, most for myself, but when working for a company I was told not to signal others because of the liability issues.
Also these new 2 week wonders (never drove a truck before then went to driving school now an expert) are a total differant breed of driver from when I was driving. I'm so glad I retired.

I retired two years ago from a large fleet carrier after 40 years on the raod as both a company driver and owner-operator and agree with Poncho. It has more to do with legal liability than it has to do with courtesy. I recently took a defensive driving course that was required by a Federal Agency for me to drive a government pickup truck as a volunteer and it was stressed in our class that we are never to motion another driver on, or blink the lights or anything like that because the motoring public might construe it to be an "official directive" coming from a uniformed government employee. Again, liability.

I still turn my headlights on and off when another big rig passes me and I still blink my running lights when someone extends me the same courtesy, but I no longer think anything of it if they don't.

[njs42]

I blink my lights and do not expect an acknowledgement. I got over the expectation and now I am a happier person.

[stik]

Originally Posted by Medico

This view is coming from a former trucker.

While driving the interstates, almost anywhere, I try to be considerate to truckers and flash my headlight flasher when they are past me enough to have room to pull back in. Maybe 2 in 100 have the courtesy to thank me by flashing their running lights. These very same truckers always seem to provide this courtesy to each other.

When I was on the road as a trucker, I always tried to act courteously to other large users in this manner. Is it only me or are these folks just mad at us for taking up "their highways"?

Sorry, I just had to rant a while. Rant over!

NO! Where did this "truckers think they own the highway" stuff come from. In the nine years I have been traveling full time, I have run into very few drivers who were rude or unfriendly. I have on the other hand seen some motor homers do some pretty stupid things.

My experience has been that about 80%-90% of truckers will acknowledge my headlight flashes when they pass me. Two things come to mind for those who don't get acknowledgement of their flashing:
1) The trucker wasn't looking in his mirror when you flashed (assuming daylight conditions),
2) you are flashing your lights and have Daytime Running Lights(DRL) in which case the difference is hardly noticeable.

The 80%-90% I refer to is when I see the trucker actually look in his sideview mirror and I flash my FOG lights at the same time.

The first few trips with my Journey, it seemed like the truckers were, indeed not acknowledging my headlight flashes as much as they used to, then I realized the DRLs were the issue (didn't have 'em on the first two motor homes). Once I started using the fog lights, things got back to the 80-90% area of thanking me.

Just my experience.

[lyledavid]

Red Wing Nut. A Bull Hauler is a truck that hauls live animals, Cattle trailers and the drivers are referred to as "Bull Haulers".
lyledavid

[tedgard01]

I find that almost everyone is less polite, well-mannered, civil, respectful, well-behaved, well-bred, well-spoken, mannerly; gentlemanly, chivalrous, gallant; gracious, obliging, considerate, pleasant, cordial, urbane, polished, refined, courtly, civilized

We live in a virtual world were technology has displaced personal interaction.