Past vs Present

by W
(PA)

Knights of the Road, the title once given to truck drivers for what they represented and had done on the road. Now, what are truck driver's to individuals in the public eye. I wanted to find out what you know about the term "Knights of the Road" versus "The Modern Day Trucker".

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Dec 02, 2008
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knights of the road
by: thecrazytrucker

Hello W,

Your right things are different now. That's across the board. The drivers are different cause people and society are different. The very first page on the site speaks pretty much to your question.

To sum it up. There is a negative perception of drivers a lot of that is due to the ignorance of the public. They don't know us and are so ignorant as to believe that all 3 million drivers are just like the clowns they see on the news.

Yes they believe that a few movies and 100 bad drivers mean that all 3.3 million of us are just like that.

Now having said that, you have unhappy drivers out here that don't do a whole lot to debunk that image. Driving like aholes, throwing trash, in the parking lots, talking stupid to cashiers cause they have protocol to follow at work. etc.

But still drivers are but a representation of society. Out of 3 million people doing anything of course your going to find idiots. Not just in trucking but in any job.

As far as being the Knight of the Road, well like I said people have also changed. This is not the old days, every person on the side of the road is not really broke down and every smile is not innocent. Plus now there is services that didn't exist back then. Every body has a cell phone and most people has autoclub plans (which is one of the few things left that is actually worth what it costs).

If a driver decides to stop he just needs to stay on the alert to his or her surrounding when you help people these days.

As far as drivers as a whole. Look at me and what I am doing. Look at a lot of other sensible people that visits this site just like you. I meet them everyday, I am proud of most of my comrades out here on the highway.

I think we are more patriotic, law abiding , and kind hearted than the average citizen.

Ten percent of 3,000,000 drivers is still 300,000 drivers so it may seem that things are uglier than they are. I hear a lot of the older drivers want to say that younger drivers is what is bringing our image down. It's not so much as younger drivers as it is the evolution of the mindset and attitudes of people in general. And drivers are just part of these people. Your neighborhood cashier, bank teller, even social worker can show you the same ill attitude.

Old drivers and young driver are like Democrats and Republicans bickering for position instead trying to help make the industry better they try to place blame on each other for why it is the way it is. I always wonder what those driver are doing to change things and make it better.

I just wish that others would come here like you did and provide some input and insight so that other new drivers can handle their job with greater responsibility and pride so that they may have a successful and prosperous career.

In my opinion we are still Knights of the Road

You just have to keep things in perspective.

Well that's my 2cents!

Thanks W.
Come again soon,
Hervy

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