Does the majority of people on the road hate truck drivers?

Question

I'm 22 I've been driving trucks since i was 18. It seems like at least once a week there will be an entire day that everyone seems to hate me. I try to always show the up most respect for every car out there. But i know there's a lot of confusion about us, i know people think were intentionally being rude in some situations, when its not the case at all. Like when we cant help you on the freeway. Like sometimes if there's a lot of cars merging on the freeway quickly. Theres often nothing I can do about it.

Answer 1

I respect truckers in the interstate and they do not bother me.  I do get  aggravated however when there are 2 lanes or maybe 3 and they are all 3 consumed by big rigs side by side where no traffic can pass. Thats the only thing I would change about truckers! Hope this helps.  Happy Driving!

Answer 2

I understand that truckers are working and that a truck cannot do what a car can when it comes to stopping, braking, going up mountains and changing lanes. I'm not a hater at all, having lot of respect for truckers.

Answer 3

There are times when people get all "huffy" if I'm trying to make a right turn on a tight streetcorner, and they've got to back up to accomodate me.  It's as if they can't see my trailer and the track it's taking, and understand either they move, or I wipe out an aluminum light pole!  

Or, especially in states with split speed limits, especially when it's a big split (ahem, California).....I'll be tooling down the right lane at 55-60 mph and there's a police officer, or a broke down car with people out on the shoulder.  Because it's the law, and the safe/polite thing to do, I'll merge over into the left lane to give the people on the shoulder additional room.  Inevitably, sometimes I'll come out into the left lane when there's a car approaching at 80 MPH.  I never deliberately cut anyone off when they don't have room to stop- but when he's doing 80 and I'm doing 60, he catches up quickly and has to hit his brakes.  Half the time, I get the "Number One" hand signal when I get back over and he passes me.  

I feel like saying, "First off, I can't help your state has stupid rules- if they'd act like 37 of the other lower 48 states and make one speed limit for everyone, I wouldn't have slowed you down.  Second off, would you rather I risk running over a cop or someone's kids who are broke down on the shoulder, so as not to inconvenience you for fifteen seconds?"  

People are either totally too self-absorbed to stop and think about the other people who have to use the highway too....OR they are just totally ignorant about why trucks do, what they do....and can't recognize the difference between a trucker doing "what he's gotta" and a trucker being an a$$hole.  And I admit, I was ignorant about some things before I drove a truck, especially a truck's blind spots (and how extreme they really are!)  I think a lot of it is public education.....the Florida DOT sets up a display at the state fair, with a tractor-trailer and cars sitting in it's blind spot.  They invite the public to climb in and see if they can see the cars.  It's very educational.  If every 16 year old had to do that before getting their driver's license, maybe we'd see some more courteous drivers in a few years :).

Answer 4

Well I work in the trucking industry (mechanic), I'm around drivers all day long,I hear there stories. I've concluded that there are some very unprofessional truck drivers out there. But far more unprofessional drivers of 4wheelers (cars). a person driving a car might see twenty trucks in a day and a truck driver might see 1000's of cars in a day . if you see a truck doing something wrong chances are he's not just pisssing you off but also other truckers to. but you'll see a lot less big trucks doing stupid stuff than cars.most of the time truckers have to do stupid stuff because someone in a car put them in the posion that they have to do some thing to avoid the car.most people dont realize that on average a truck is halling loads up to 48,000 to 50,000 pounds not counting the truck and trailor,therefore trucks dont handle corners like vettes, dont stop on a dime like a escort,or excellerate like a porsche, and have the turning radius like the r.m.s. titanic. so you gotta give them room to move. and also there not a truck driver out there on a joy ride they're out theyre out there to make a living there office is 3000 miles of highway so if there is a car driver doing something that affects his abillity to make his money then yeahs hes gonna get upset and do something about it. I know if ther was I time when I had to chose to between being driven around by a car driver or a truck driver in a ice storm I pick the truck driver any day If they can drive 80,000 pounds on ice and keep in one peice and on all 18 wheels then thats good enuff for me. hope this made some sense to those who hate trucks. and I forgot to mention the fact (to truck haters) that if it wasnt for truckeras you would have a car to drive to be irritated by truck,nor pretty much any thing else you enjoy in life TRUCKS HALL IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

Don't let the screen name fool ya I've got 10yrs in big trucks just wanted to say thanks to everone who answered I was expecting to see a bunch of trucker hater answers so ya'll made my day! I do have a question for the person who asked this question tho. Federal law says you cant' get a CDL until you're 21 so how did you start driving at 18? Just wondering.

Answer 6

as a trucker I know what your saying,  I have been driving for about nine years.  I think the majority understand what were doing, but sometimes they just get frustrated with what we cant do.  (like getting up to speed fast after a stop sign)