couple pet peeves I see drivers do

The only time I'm annoyed by the "thank-you" flash is when someone expects me to flash them over when I feel it unnecessary and I don't. They treat it as a requirement rather than a courtesy, which is what is and always has been.

I thought I did a pretty good job making that clear but I spose not.

Now, if someone does flash you over even if its not necessary, I'm all for the thank-you flash.

 

corneileous, it's called

COURTESY: 1. excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior. 2. a courteous, respectful, or considerate act or expression 3. indulgence, consent, or acquiescence. 4. favor, help, or generosity.

It's not about whether you or I need it, it's about being nice to someone.

And yes by saying "return the favor" , that is exactly what I mean, if you pass me down the road, I won't flash you back over or maybe I will in hopes you'll get the point. Actually, my favorite one is to key up on the CB and tell the driver "your welcome" if he doesn't thank me. That's always good for a chuckle when he asks why I said "your welcome", they usually either come up short for a reply or the cuss me out, either way I win.

You see, lemme' tell you a little story, (gotta put my teeth in, pull up my rocker first) and I ain't that old, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day, truckers were considered the Knights of the road. We would stop to help a stranded motorist, we rescued people, and we practiced courtesy. It wasn't all about ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME. Some of us were brought up around those kinds of truckers and still believe that maybe, just maybe, that is a bit of courtesy, attitude, and skill that should be revived.

I have my faults behind the wheel, but I still believe COURTESY to my fellow trucker is good karma and what goes around comes around. I will generally help another driver, especially in the winter with chaining up, tarping, or if they need assistance backing into a tight spot. I'll give directions, once I even was intentionally late to a delivery (my boss wasn't happy) and led a driver who was new to the area to a customer that was in a weird place and couldn't easily be described how to get to. See, COURTESY!!!!!

 

In a way, it is kinda ironic but when I did do that a few times, it was more because I was saying, "Fine, you want me to flash you, here, how bout these?"

I don't do that anymore because as I stated, I don't know the reason why I got the thank-you flash so I'm not going to treat everyone that does it like they expected me to flash them over.

 

Yeah but that's on your own truck. This guys angry about other trucks with a headlight out.......

 

Yeah I can't take that either. I am OCD about symmetry! Ok I really don't care, but unless the headlight burns out between the pre-trip or alleged pre-trip in some cases, and an en-route 'quick check' there's really no reason. Why risk a ticket?

 

I've seen a lot of vehicles, both trucks and 4 wheelers, lately that have both headlight and marker light out on the same side. On a 2 lane road on a dark night you don't even know where the side of the approaching vehicle is. Headlights burn out but if you have no light on that corner of the vehicle it's a problem. Not too mention all the 4 wheelers pulling little trailers with no lights at all.

 

I know the meaning of courtesy, I don't need you to explain it but as you describe it, its not about being courteous, its about you expecting me to do something.

Well, I beg to differ.... Your idea and my idea of being nice to someone are similar, but not the same. I can be nice to you, if not more than generous in most things, just not in that way. If I feel there is a purpose to flash you over, I will gladly do it.

Ok, I'm cool with that because as I stated, I need be flashed over. If you do it even when we're the only ones on the road, I will still happily thank you.

As far as the possibility of flashing me anyways to prove a point in hopes to change my ways, don't bother. It's not going to change my opinion. I drive a 62 mile an hour truck. Not sure how fast you can drive but only being "blessed" at 62, you can imagine how many times I get passed at night. Sorry, but I'm not going to wear my headlight switch out for passing trucks that I feel don't need to be flashed over and if that bothers you, oh well.

But if makes you feel all warm and sunny inside to flash every driver that passes you, be my guest. Just don't expect everyone else to follow suit.

Lol, someone did that one night..... I simply replied back, "You need to to drive your truck too? You need me to wipe your backside, as well?" Needless to say, I got no response......

What exactly do you win, the "smartarse" award?

Couldn't agree with you more.... Well, except for the unnecessary flashing.

Again, I couldn't agree with you more, As do I try to help everyone, as well.

 

Doesn't 41 run up the east side? 35 miles would put you in Lake Michigan?

I'm not looking at a map, just asking. The parts I know are within 5- 20 miles of the lake.

 

I know and that's why it annoys me. I can't stand to have burned out bulbs and don't understand why people run with them out, especially an obvious one like a headlamp. And then you have the numbskulls who run their highbeams to try to "mask" a burned out lowbeam. Yeah that's smart, instead of risking a fix it ticket or a mere warning, let's get a moving violation, improper use of high beam lamps! I got one of those when I was a teenager, they DO exist!

Speaking of headlamps, I need to get a pair of new ones for a Freightliner Columbia, mine are just way too yellowed and cloudy. Even some cheap Chinese knockoffs.

 

Thanks Stryker, you said it better than I could. Courtesy seems to have gone by the way side, and not only in this business. I flash my lights..... alot, to let people know its safe to come back over and I don't care what the traffics like. Am governed at 65, so guess I can be called a slow poke. Bout 60/40 against, on whether I get thanked or not. If I do pass somebody, then I'll flash my lites at them, whether they helped me or not, in the hopes that maybe, justt maybe, they'll think about helping the next guy. Courtesy just doesn't take that much time.