Professionalism and courtesy

[WingmanIII]

In the last few years that I have been driving, I have been witness to more and more so called "professional" drivers who are not very courteous, so for my own benefit (getting my frustrations out) here are some unwritten courtesy rules. please feel free to add to them:

1. when finished fueling move your rig to the pay line and get your business done as quickly as possible. If you are going to take a shower, or sit down and eat, park it!

2. Turn your headlights (leave marker lights on) while cruising around a truck stop looking for a place to park.

3. Use your turn signals when changing lanes.

4. Dont cancel turn signal until lane change is finished. ( one blink isnt enough)

5. Dont tailgate other vehicles, not even stupid four wheelers. it is an accident waiting to happen, and it could devastate a families life.

6. when in heavy traffic, try not to change lanes unless absolutely necessary. All it does is make things worse.

7. Dont pass in construction zones. Will two minutes make that much difference?

8. When passing, make sure you can see both headlights in your mirror.

9. dont use high beams to let a passing driver know it is safe.

10. Flash a thank you to those you, to those who blink lights letting you know it is safe to pass.

Again, this is by far not a complete list, and I would like to know if there is anything I left out. Thanks

[Karnajj]

No way I'm running around a TS parking lot with no lights unless its EXTREMELY well lit.

[Malaki86]

No way I'm running around a TS parking lot with no lights unless its EXTREMELY well lit.

I agree. Why drive with no headlights in the TS? Are you going to blind someone in their sleeper?

[Shawnee]

No way I'm running around a TS parking lot with no lights unless its EXTREMELY well lit.

I agree. Why drive with no headlights in the TS? Are you going to blind someone in their sleeper?

No, but it is common courtesy to turn the lights off if someone is backing up so to not blind them

[cclarke1268]

Wingman III you are prolly an old hand like me as driving in a truckstop with headlights on was a bad no-no when i started also and still is for me now... but in those days trucker weren't hittin the high side of the gear box in a truckstop either... I've been seeing this alot more lately It's gonna take alot more time to fill out all the forms for the accident that WILL happen sooner or latter than you will save breakin the sound barrier in the TS. btw I agree with all your list

[Malaki86]

Wingman III you are prolly an old hand like me as driving in a truckstop with headlights on was a bad no-no when i started also and still is for me now... but in those days trucker weren't hittin the high side of the gear box in a truckstop either... I've been seeing this alot more lately It's gonna take alot more time to fill out all the forms for the accident that WILL happen sooner or latter than you will save breakin the sound barrier in the TS. btw I agree with all your list

I saw a wreck in a Pilot on I-10 (I think) in Louisanna last year. One truck T-boned another truck roughly around the rear of the drive axles. The truck that was hit was either pulling into, or backing out of a parking spot. No idea what kind of speed the one truck was doing, but it was pretty much destroyed. The hood was completely torn up, the bumper was behind the front axle and both front wheels (steel) were bent in half.

Ya think they got him for speeding? BTW - this happened in broad daylight on a sunny day.

[cclarke1268]

Crazy aint it Malaki86 I was in Barstow the other day at the J fueling and the pump to my right was empty and a truck (empty by the sound of the tandems bouncin across the bump) went flying thru it to park didn't fuel and don't know the speed but above an idle is too fast, as I was reaching for the squeegie blew both of the hairs on my head around a good thing no one was walking by hope some of these people do one of two things quit truckin or learn to be safe either way it will be better in the long run.

[lucky13]

courtsey with truckers anymore what a joke!!!!!!!! The other day on the PA pike sign said left lane closed one mile much to my surprise all the four wheelers moved over but billy bigrigger just had to be in front I really didnt want to slow down for this idiot but I thought well somebody has to be professional and not cause a wreck and maybe kill or injure a worker, been driving 14 years and everyday you see truckers doing really stupid things i.e. tailgating speeding in construction zones and truckers wonder why we have split speeds and lane restrictions hate to say it but truckers (not most of us) but those few idiots are the reason we have all these laws against us.

[cclarke1268]

Make no doubt about it I love what job I picked and I think thats why I try to do things the right way I'm not right all the time but I try. I think it comes from as a little kid on vacations I used to sit in the back seat of the family IH travelall (what was dad thinklin when he bought that) and pretend I was driving a truck, and used to bug dad to stop in the truckstop so I could look at the trucks I got to sit in one too I was about 8 I think.From then on I knew what I was going to do for a living, so i studied all the things they did, They acted different than they do now I never went to trucking school I just took a run for the company I was working for as a yard dog hand, already had a class a for driving tow truck for my brother in law. But back then if you screwed up the old dogs would put you in your place and you didnt talk back you straightened up and did it right,
nowdays it's better to just shake your head in disbelive and stay out of the way to keep from gettin shot. Don't get me wrong this stuff went on back then too (disrespect and all but not as common as it is now) Some of the new hands are just imitating what they see just as I was. Kinda like a product of your raising, not your family raising the one you get from your peers in your profession. just my oppinion not a fact...
Plus I think some of the people that get into this industry get misled by whatever,....money , ease of work ,recruiters , instructors or whatever and when there expectations are not met they get disrespectful or they get treated badly by their company or a shipper or whoever and they, pass it on. At one time out here on the road I had friends I hadn't even met yet... if you get what I mean... you'll know its me out here when you see me i'll be the one that waves at you when we pass ....................

[cclarke1268]

Just want to state that this is Not just a problem on the new hands part
it goes around the table to the old hands too

[Mr. Ford95]

Just want to state that this is Not just a problem on the new hands part
it goes around the table to the old hands too

That is true, some of this same stuff was happening years ago and has only gotten worse as more and more trucks get on the road.

[Karnajj]

No way I'm running around a TS parking lot with no lights unless its EXTREMELY well lit.

I agree. Why drive with no headlights in the TS? Are you going to blind someone in their sleeper?

No, but it is common courtesy to turn the lights off if someone is backing up so to not blind them

That's a completely different situation.

[WingmanIII]

cclarke1268,

I agree, I absolutely love the job I do, But I have to admit that I am getting more and more disturbed by what I am seeing.

And oh yeah, Add speeding through the pumps as one of the no-nos.

[inmate1577]

I turn on my headlights in a TS but turn them off when someone is backing. Also as a courtesy and a safety factor, when someone is backing next to you , turn on your marker ligths to guide them and not to hit you.

[Malaki86]

I turn on my headlights in a TS but turn them off when someone is backing. Also as a courtesy and a safety factor, when someone is backing next to you , turn on your marker ligths to guide them and not to hit you.

I agree. Any time I am parked at night with my truck running, I leave my marker lights on to aid any drivers parking beside me.

[BigWheels]

...9. dont use high beams to let a passing driver know it is safe.

During the day, I drive with my lights on. If I do signal a driver who's just passed me and starts looking to get back into my lane, I hit the brights until he puts his turn signal on. I've found that many drivers appreciate that....

[silvan]

During the day, I drive with my lights on. If I do signal a driver who's just passed me and starts looking to get back into my lane, I hit the brights until he puts his turn signal on. I've found that many drivers appreciate that....

During the day, no prob. Thanks. At night, don't do that!!

[Phantom433a]

Something that drives me crazy is this.....on freightshakers (not all, but most), there is a switch marked as "roadlamps" basically these are white foglights, but many drivers have them on as well as their headlights. Just because 4 wheelers use them is no need for drivers to use them....they blind people. Also, some trucks lights come automatically as soon as they release their brakes and even shutting them off at night to let a driver know that he is clear dosen't work....thats why some drivers flash their high beams. The manufacturers think this is a good safety device like the 4 wheelers have, not realizing its not, but they never spend the hours behind the wheel that we do.