Alex's Oral Presentation of "The Trucker's World"

J. Peter Rothe
Chapter 3: Culture of Communication & Chapter 4: Driving by the Light of the Moon
PP. 23-52

 

Summary

    In chapter 3, J Peter Rothe talked about the culture of communication.  Chapter three focused on how flicking lights, waving the hand and how the CB is used in different ways and what it means to the truckers.  This chapter also talks about what truckers do at truck stops.
    Flicking lights is an inter trucker communication and a rule followed by truckers for safety.  Flicking lights for a passing trucks constitutes a routine or a norm understood, accepted and practiced by truckers.  It is used for safe passage between two truckers and represents bottom line of consideration, empathy and collegiality amongst truckers.  According to the book, failing to participate in the ritual is like a rupture in the truckers' code of expectation.
    The wave of the hand is another means of communication for the truckers.  Just like us who drives a regular vehicle, truckers wave their hand as a sign of greetings, appreciation and acknowledgment of each other's presence on the road.  However, waving of the hand have some restrictions that comes with it. As Vic explains it, some truckers who drive trucks for a well known companies and tankers do not wave and have the reputation of being "prima donnas" or "stuck up."  These truckers only wave to other truckers "running for prestigious outfits" as Rothe explains it in the book.    Another restriction that comes with hand waving occurs between the male and the female truck drivers.  Women drivers tend to translate men's hand waves and their desire for eye to eye contact differently other than a friendly greeting.
    The CB is another way that truckers use to communicate with each other.  The CB is used to warn truckers of what is ahead or behind them such as maybe an accident or a cop behind them who is trying to catch them in the act.  The CB is also use for thwarting justice.  Truckers use the CB to warn others of speed traps, passing police aces, roadside checks or any other enforcement activities occurring on the highway.  The CB is also use for illicit business like drugs, prostitution and even the sale of truck parts which are stolen.
    Truck stops are the central locations for trucker interactions, built for the convenience and needs of the drivers.  As Rothe describes it, telephone booths are located around the perimeter of the restaurant for the convenience of the drivers.  Drivers use these telephone booths to either inform dispatchers about their trips or call home.  However most of the truckers do not stay long at the truck stops.  The major reasons drivers stop at the truck stops is mainly because they want to eat, sleep, take a shower, fill up with gas and or maybe the truck needs maintenance.  At the end of the chapter, Rothe mentioned that Vic talked about the feeling of trucking that makes it all worthwhile even though he only earns $600 a week net.  According to Rothe, Vic's income does not keep him committed to trucking.  Finally, Vic left for Redding, CA and Rothe was left behind to meet another driver.
    Chapter four is where Rothe met Dale, another truck driver who he was to interview and ride with again.  Dale is a driver who likes to take risk and in my opinion, he is a "happy go lucky" kind of person.  Dale purchased a truck and become an owner operator two weeks before Rothe met him.
    Dale's truck was a 1981 Kenworth cab over which he bought for $17,000.  It already logged about one million miles in it but its still OK to Dale just as long as it could do the work.  Rothe described Dale's truck as old and weary.  According to Rothe, the cab showed signs of wear and tear, the windshield was plastered with bugs and the dust board dusty.  Furthermore, the door on the passenger side was inoperable because of a broken crank and a missing knob, the sleeper was disshelved and the Cb was was out of commission according to Rothe.  All of these problems made Rothe very uncomfortable, in my opinion.
    Dale was hauling eighty thousand pounds of flour to a San Jose pizza company at the time of the interview.  Dale and Rothe talked about the load and according to Dale, he doesn't let a load affect his driving.  Dale said that, "If the load is bothering you, you're not gonna drive very good."
    This chapter also focused on the risk and safety of the driver.  For Dale, the bottom line of being a "real good trucker" is that you're responsible for yourself.  Dale considers himself adept at preventing possible injury  producing accidents.  That is why he never wore a seat belt.  This section also mentioned that most truckers do not wear their seat belt because they believe that there is a limited chance of them getting hurt.  Truckers also believed that they can control destiny in their trucks.
    Rothe next talked about the topic of driving with headlights.  As Rothe and Dale was traveling, Rothe noticed that every vehicle or truck that he saw had their head lights on but Dale never flicked his lights on.  Rothe asked Dale on why and Dale responded that he is having problem with his headlights or an electrical problem on his truck.  Dale mentioned that too much money would be lost if he stopped and fix let the mechanics fix the light.  Dale considers the headlight problem a little more than an inconvenience because a good trucker like him can compensate by driving safely in the moonlight. As Rothe continued the trip with Dale, he had no choice but to go along with the truck's problem and Dale's attitude as a risk taker.

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Questions & Answers

After I have presented my oral report, students were allowed to ask question in a written format.  The following questions were asked and here are the answers:

1.    Why wouldn't a female driver not think flicking the lights would lead a male driver on but a wave of the hand would?

2.    Do truckers like Vic warn the "immigrant truckers" about tailing smokies or just non immigrant truckers?

-GEORGE PEDERSON-

    The book did not really explain why but I would assume that female truck drivers consider flicking the lights as a sign of communication and would much like it that way rather than waving the hand.

    I am assuming that they also warn immigrant truckers of the tailing smokies but the book once again did not go over that.  After all they are all the same truckers and it does not matter whether they are immigrant or not.
 

1.    Could older drivers think that younger drivers are reckless?

2.    Does Dale purposely keep his truck in bad condition to show he has a rugged personality?

-SHAWN SHIGEMATSU-

    That is very possible however according to the book, older drivers think that younger drivers are out there to take their job away from them.

    According to the book, Dale could not afford the expense of buying a new truck.  Other than that, I think Dale is just too much of a risk taker and some kind of a rebel who tries to be different and do whatever he wants in his own way.
 

1.    What does CB stand for?  And why is it important for truckers to have such device in their trucks?

-JESSE TUDELA-

    The book did not mention what CB stands for and I personally don't know it.  The CB is important for truckers to have in their trucks because as the book have discussed, it can be use for protecting each other from smokies or police and informing other truckers of what lies ahead of them and if there is any accident that will make it difficult for them to go through.
 

1.    Do they save more money by buying stolen used parts than buying new parts?

2.    Is it safer in a truck than in a car?  Is that why many truckers don't wear seatbelts?

-JASON THOMPSON-

     In comparison to truckers, regulars drivers like us also an save money if we buy used parts from the junkyard if our car needs a new part.  Similarly, I would assume that truckers also can save from buying used stolen parts rather than buying new parts which would double the price of the used parts.  The only problem goes to the trucker whose truck was stolen and was taken apart so that the parts could be sold to other innocent people who don't know that they are buying stolen parts of a truck.

    I can't really say that it is safer but truckers I would come to the conclusion that truckers believe that it is safer.  As Rothe have discuss it on the book, the discrepancy in seat belt behavior was based on factors such as control, confidence, size of the vehicle and role.  In addition, the book also mentioned that truckers believe that they have enough natural driving skills to escape getting into a crash.  Truckers sit high and well protected by steel.  This may be one of the reasons why truckers don't wear seat belts.
 

1.    What is your impression of truckers as presented by Rothe in this chapter?

2.    Has this chapter affected your idea of truckers and of police?

3.    What kind of training in psychology do truckers need (e. g. emotional, intelligence, morality)?

-DR. JAMES-

    Rothe talked about the truckers differently in this chapter.  I got the impression that truckers have more responsibilities and more pressure on their back not like regular drivers.  I have also learned through this chapter that there are two kinds of drivers, one who is careless and takes advantage of the road and the other is the careful type who is most often taken advantage of.

    These two chapters have change my ideas about truckers.  I have always believed that truckers are those people who are alcoholics and quarrelsome because of how they are portrayed in some movies.  However, I was influenced that behind all those stereotypes that the movies have about truckers, I have come to believe that deep within that rugged and dirty-looking outside appearance of the truckers lies their soft side or their good side.  I am not saying all of them are good but I think most people have judge truckers based on their outside appearance without even looking into their behaviorial characteristics.

    The best training that truckers could get, in my opinion, have to deal with their emotons and intelligence.  I think it is mainly because truckers as described in this book have to drive alone for days without a companion.  The boredom and the fatigue alone can make any man crazy on the road, at least it would make me crazy but the main thing is that they have to learn to deal with the loneliness that comes with being a trucker.  Intelligence training I guess would be a good training because it could make truckers make the right choice when making a decision about the problems that arises during the the course of their work.

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My Reactions
During my oral presentation in class, I tried to be as informative as I can.  I was nervous at first because I did not know how to start my presentation.  I felt comfortable and confident after a while because I felt I knew what I was talking about.In regards to the material covered in the two chapters I felt so guilty because of how I was misguided with the stereotypes that movies have given the people about the truckers.  I have gained more knowledge on how truckers have to do their jobs and how they deal with everyday problems that arises.  I also felt that drivers like Dale are the ones that give the truckers a bad reputation on our society.  I can never imagine myself being a trucker mainly because the loneliness and the boredom would drive me crazy.