Drivers don't look like drivers anymore

So are you saying that tradition has no value with regard to the trucking industry?

I think many of the traditions in trucking were pretty darned good. For example, blinking your headlights indicating it was safe for a passing truck to move back into your lane was a nice gesture and promoted safety. Nowadays many guys don't even blink their trailer lights to say thanks. That's just one of many examples of tradition that was practiced for many years.

 

Yours was an interesting response. It helped me to understand the differences in driver opinions regarding something as simple as (for lack of a better term) "headlight language." That's a laughable term -- isn't it?

But, I can assure you that "back in the day" right up to the present, dimming, or flashing your brights, here in the east is something that some drivers still do.

Yes, blinking or flashing your lights can have several meanings. Let's count a few of them.

1) Please dim your high beams, your blinding me.

2) Look out, there's a cop ahead.

3) look out, there's a problem ahead. (usually performed by blinking or flashing the brights several times)

4) Okay buddy, you have safely passed me and it's safe for you to move back into my lane. (usually performed by a quick flash of the high beams or momentarily shutting your lights off).

All or some of those 4 listed above are still practiced here in the east. I cannot say with any certainty whether they are practiced anywhere else. I don't go very far west anymore.

But getting back to my original point, signaling to a passing truck (overtaking) that he is clear to move back to the right lane is not as common as it was years ago but some of us still do it and some of us signal a thank you by blinking our trailer lights.

 

Good idea! I salute you....need a tissue?

 

So, according to the "hat poll" more drivers wear hats than not. As a hat wearer I'm pleased to be in the majority lol, but I kind of expected that the hats would win. But I honestly thought there would be a better showing of cowboy hat votes. Boy, time's have changed. Cowboy hats were very common out west years ago. Or maybe cowboys don't like to vote? Either way, I have a black and a white cowboy hat but it's been a while since I wore them. I really like them but they just look out of place on a driver here in the north east. I can say however, I've never seen a truck driver wear a sombrero or a crash helmet... though I think a sombrero would look cool.