You sound as if you want fun or scandalous answers. I have none. However, I do have a real answer or two.
One of the common reasons good truck drivers stop driving is because the job separates them from their families. It's a lonely job. So, drivers do crazy things to combat the loneliness of being on the road. Prostitution at truck stops is so commonplace that truck stop prostitutes have their own names---"Back row ho" which is derived from the fact that the back rows of the parking lots at truck stops are often dark enough to give drivers a sense of privacy, and "lot lizards" which is probably self-explanatory.
When truckers (the overwhelming number of which are men) bring their wives with them, they are usually happier. They aren't worried about their wives' fidelity and their wives aren't worried about theirs. The companionship makes the miles more pleasant, and MOST IMPORTANTLY a husband/wife team can run some mega-miles. They can spell each other with the driving and keep the rig moving almost continuously without having to cook the logbooks. (Federal law requires that truck drivers sleep a certain amount of time after a certain amount of driving) The trucking company doesn't make money with a parked truck.
Husband/wife teams do extremely well in the trucking business if they work with a good company.
Jim's answer is a complete pile of manure. Here's the real answer.
Back in the 1940's when large transport trucks were first invented, none came with heaters. Because driving across country meant frequent treks through frosty terrains, something had to be done. Most drivers preferred to have another person ride as passenger that could shoot across the seat in an instant to help keep them warm (hence the term "riding shotgun"). You know the old proverb that two can keep each warm better than one. That's the idea. Consequently, this is also why the bench seat was invented. Originally it was called something rhyming with "bench" but the original phrase was sexist and obscene (truckers!), so it was changed to the more acceptable "bench seat".
The only part Jim got right is that most drivers are male. Since most men were not too fond of having another guy cuddle up to him, the passengers were often female--a fact most wives were less than pleased about. Companies, on the other hand, enjoyed better delivery times and truckers that wanted to drive constantly. Management began requiring passengers, which led to what is known as Singles Excluded trucks, or SE trucks for short.
By the mid 1950's heaters were invented, but it was too late. The practice was embedded for good. "Heck, that's why I became a trucker," one man famously said, “because I get more lovin' in the lanes."
Truckers liked sharing pictures of their riding partners, but rarely had time to show them off because they were always driving. So they began putting pictures of their riding partner on their mud flaps. Marital jealousy ensued.
In 1963, a series of wife-on-trucker homicides threatened to shutdown the trucking industry forever. Seeing the ever growing problem, companies began demanding that only wives ride with husbands. The Singles Excludes policies were modified to Singles Excluded Married Intended. SE trucks were a thing of the past, hence the SEMI truck was born.
Now you can see how ridiculous Jim's answer sounds. Sorry, Jim. You should really check your facts.
Jim, how could you make up such an outlandish story?
Really, I wasn't necessarily looking for "scandalous," though I wasn't necessarily hoping to exclude such possibilities either. I admittedly do not know very much about truck drivers so I was naturally curious.
Last week Michael and I were driving somewhere and I noticed through the window that the nearby BP station had a very small inconspicuously marked diesel pump, and that diesel costs a lot more per gallon than regular gasoline. So I asked Michael, how do truck driver's find these isolated diesel pumps? Michael suggested that all gas stations have them, but I didn't find this explanation convincing. So I wondered. Most trucks these days have on-board computers that navigate for them. I learned this in a communications class years a go from a man who edited a magazine for truck drivers. Do the computers/navigational systems help drivers find sources of diesel gasoline?
There are women that hang out in truckstop parking lots and watch the pumps to make sure they have diesel. You can call them and they will let you know if diesel is there--they are know as "call girls". I don't have time right now to explain how this came about, but it is an intriguing story. Maybe later.
6 comments:
You sound as if you want fun or scandalous answers. I have none. However, I do have a real answer or two.
One of the common reasons good truck drivers stop driving is because the job separates them from their families. It's a lonely job. So, drivers do crazy things to combat the loneliness of being on the road. Prostitution at truck stops is so commonplace that truck stop prostitutes have their own names---"Back row ho" which is derived from the fact that the back rows of the parking lots at truck stops are often dark enough to give drivers a sense of privacy, and "lot lizards" which is probably self-explanatory.
When truckers (the overwhelming number of which are men) bring their wives with them, they are usually happier. They aren't worried about their wives' fidelity and their wives aren't worried about theirs. The companionship makes the miles more pleasant, and MOST IMPORTANTLY a husband/wife team can run some mega-miles. They can spell each other with the driving and keep the rig moving almost continuously without having to cook the logbooks. (Federal law requires that truck drivers sleep a certain amount of time after a certain amount of driving) The trucking company doesn't make money with a parked truck.
Husband/wife teams do extremely well in the trucking business if they work with a good company.
Jim's answer is a complete pile of manure. Here's the real answer.
Back in the 1940's when large transport trucks were first invented, none came with heaters. Because driving across country meant frequent treks through frosty terrains, something had to be done. Most drivers preferred to have another person ride as passenger that could shoot across the seat in an instant to help keep them warm (hence the term "riding shotgun"). You know the old proverb that two can keep each warm better than one. That's the idea. Consequently, this is also why the bench seat was invented. Originally it was called something rhyming with "bench" but the original phrase was sexist and obscene (truckers!), so it was changed to the more acceptable "bench seat".
The only part Jim got right is that most drivers are male. Since most men were not too fond of having another guy cuddle up to him, the passengers were often female--a fact most wives were less than pleased about. Companies, on the other hand, enjoyed better delivery times and truckers that wanted to drive constantly. Management began requiring passengers, which led to what is known as Singles Excluded trucks, or SE trucks for short.
By the mid 1950's heaters were invented, but it was too late. The practice was embedded for good. "Heck, that's why I became a trucker," one man famously said, “because I get more lovin' in the lanes."
Truckers liked sharing pictures of their riding partners, but rarely had time to show them off because they were always driving. So they began putting pictures of their riding partner on their mud flaps. Marital jealousy ensued.
In 1963, a series of wife-on-trucker homicides threatened to shutdown the trucking industry forever. Seeing the ever growing problem, companies began demanding that only wives ride with husbands. The Singles Excludes policies were modified to Singles Excluded Married Intended. SE trucks were a thing of the past, hence the SEMI truck was born.
Now you can see how ridiculous Jim's answer sounds. Sorry, Jim. You should really check your facts.
Jim, how could you make up such an outlandish story?
Really, I wasn't necessarily looking for "scandalous," though I wasn't necessarily hoping to exclude such possibilities either. I admittedly do not know very much about truck drivers so I was naturally curious.
Last week Michael and I were driving somewhere and I noticed through the window that the nearby BP station had a very small inconspicuously marked diesel pump, and that diesel costs a lot more per gallon than regular gasoline. So I asked Michael, how do truck driver's find these isolated diesel pumps? Michael suggested that all gas stations have them, but I didn't find this explanation convincing. So I wondered. Most trucks these days have on-board computers that navigate for them. I learned this in a communications class years a go from a man who edited a magazine for truck drivers. Do the computers/navigational systems help drivers find sources of diesel gasoline?
Other suggestions, to either question?
There are women that hang out in truckstop parking lots and watch the pumps to make sure they have diesel. You can call them and they will let you know if diesel is there--they are know as "call girls". I don't have time right now to explain how this came about, but it is an intriguing story. Maybe later.
Wes, Michael would like to know:
How many hours straight have you been awake, and how many pots of coffee have you drunk during the duration? You seem a little dilerious.
It's not the coffee that makes me delirious, its the dissertation. :-)
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