If anyone has noticed,
chatter on the citizen’s band radio is at an all time low. The glory days of “Convoy” and the mega use of them in the 70′s is long gone and faded into a part of America’s history.
If by chance you still have one you probably are like me and leave the blasted thing off unless there is a backup or you need to communicate with a shipper or a receiver on which dock to hit or if your load is ready to pull out of a door..etc..etc… These days you can’t find anyone on channel 9 (which is the emergency channel) anymore.
Since the economic turn down, all you here on the C.B. is stress and strife and how someone is gonna kick someone else’s butt. I’m not into having a lot of that kind of negativity introduced into my life on a daily basis. I haven’t heard any good news on the C.B. radio in years so I decided (along with most of the drivers out here) not to listen to it anymore.
Lots of people say you should have the radio on all the time so you can be aware of traffic conditions ahead and that it is “part of your job” to be on top of these things. Well, I beg to differ. I am sure that drivers who don’t even have radios are on top of things. With the advanced training that companies offer these days, drivers are more prepared than ever to meet the challenges on the road. Also, I don’t need to know about the bear in the middle or on the on ramp shooting me in the ass. As a professional driver, I drive as legal as possible. I plan my route and time my breaks to always make an on-time, non-rushed delivery. It’s always funny to hear someone talking about bears when the speed limit is 70 mph. Like someone is going to go 80 or faster these days. The days of truckers speeding and tailgating is another part of American history. There are some that still do it but they are on their way out of the job market. With the 800 numbers plastered all over the trailer and the rest of us drivers out here who have had enough of these guys making us look bad, their days are numbered. I can remember the days when a driver could actually have a friendly conversation on the radio and keep each other awake on a late night haul, but now that too easily escalates into a war of words and the “Rambo” mentality comes out.
Now, with cell phones that include unlimited data plans and internet, like I-Phones and blackberrys, a driver can stay connected with friends and family more easily than before. I’d rather talk to a friend of mine on the phone than have Bubba saying he’s gonna stomp a mudhole in my ass. Oh, and if you think that someone is gonna ask if you need help when you are broke down on the side of the road and actually stop and help you these days you are in la-la land.
So, goodbye to my C.B. You have been brought to stillness by the constant harassment, aggravation, thoughtlessness, threatening behavior, sexist and racist chatter that you let others spew out over our airwaves. May you rest in peace.
Jim
I have to disagree with you, the CB is still a safty tool. What about traffic accidents, guys pop over a hill or around a corner and everybody is stopped, except them. The tail-light, wheel seal scenario metioned earlier are good examples also.
Well Said Jim.
The CB Radio is history. Back in the 60′s 70′s and 80′s it was the way for all drivers to communicate and you could reach someone on channel 9 if you had an emergency. Something happened to trucking after April 1st 1993 when CDL’s became mandatory. Thats about when everything took a turn to the worst. Dont think the CDL actually had anything to do with it but it was about that time Trucking started to changed.
I use to stay on the radio and entertain the drivers and they loved it back when. When things started changing and drivers started argueing with me I would tell them, “Hey Driver lets get off channel 19 and go down to channel 15″. I would tell them “I’m undefeated on channel 15″. I had a driver one time tell me he was a 3rd degree Black Belt. He went back up to 19 when I told him I was a 14 degree “Glock Belt”.
There are still a few of the old school drivers out there and they still leave their radio’s on because their trucks still run and they are out there to make money to feed their families. I use to drive for “Cook Transport” out of smoke city and our main contract was hauling “Fire Hydrants” out of Albertsville Alabama. Since I was living in my truck I use to take my days off in Ontario and Earl the guy who controled the loads would always save me the loads to the LA or Riverside area. I would run straight through. Load in the morning and the next day before noon I was empty out west. 1800 miles over night. Back then there was a lot less traffic and the laws were not as strict. The best thing that ever happened to trucking was “Loose Leaf” log books. Boy did that make it a lot easier on a driver. I didnt do a lot of the crank but I did have a few pills if I needed one but most of the time didnt need it. I use to stay on the Radio and make a joke out of anything and everything. Sometimes I would have a dozen trucks following me. If they could keep up with me. That was part of my job to keep the other drivers awake and that kept me awake.
Now its all this crying and complaining and putting each other down. Drivers today have all this electronic stuff like cell phones ( which is a good thing ) they be eatin strawberries while playing on their blackberry’s. They got Flat Screen TV’s and Micro Waves to pop their Pop Corn in to watch their DVD movies. They got Play Stations and X Boxes. Lap Tops ( O BY the way I’m now selling Lap Top Computers to the new student drivers. When they ask me what the brand name is I tell them “Etc-Ah-Sketch”. They are real easy to operate driver if you want to delete anything you just turn it upside down and shake it. ) They have Auto Transmissions and Quail Com this way if their truck just shuts down on them the office can get a reading on the truck to find out right where they are at so they can send a Service Truck out with a “CUP OF WATER” and get them going again.
Jan was right, you can sit and watch the fuel islands and there might be 100 trucks go through before a driver actually opens the hood on his truck and then a lot of times thats just to jump up on the steering tire to wash the windshield. Then they close the hood with out checking any fluid levels. I could go on about this for hours but got to go meet with my web designer today.
When I was drivng I spent 20 hours in that drivers seat and only went back in the sleeper to sleep a few hours and then it was right back in that drivers seat. Thats all the sleep I really ever needed. Thats why it was so easy for me to bring Lil Ray home from the hospital that day after he was born because I was use to only sleep about three or four hours a day but I would always take that 45 minute Power Nap sometime through the day that did wonders for me.
The only electronic stuff I had was a “Radar Detector” “A Bear Cat Scanner” and my “CB Radio”. Drivers would actually pull over and wait on me to take my nap just because they knew with me up there on the front door we were going to be doing some serious trucking.
Anyway them days are History and just like you said, so is the CB Radio. But in its day it sure did its job. One thing I could never understand is why drivers will say “Break 19″ to talk when there wasent even anyone talking. You dont need a break if the radio is clear. I guess it kinda like drivers saying they are going to slide their tandems. You dont slide your tandems you slide your trailer. First thing you do is lock your Tandems down.
I think this is the longest letter I have ever wrote hope it all gets to ya.
BREAKER BREAKER 19
“Hey Bob Tail” Ya know you aint got no Trailer Lights!
You two have a “Great Day’ and “The Lord” is with you.
Ray & Lil Ray Carlisle
I’M BACK-OUT AND READIN’ THAT MAIL!
I normally leave it on but lately I have turned it off a few times being disgusted. Its not what it once was that is for sure! Here in Milwaukee there is a group of high powered local base stations that walk over the air waves with arguments and assorted goofiness and threats.
I hope the CB comes back. I pull a bulk tanker and on one trip the hinge on the hose door came loose and the hose was “walking out of the tube” another driver told me on the CB. I was greatful!
On another occasion while driving down the highway I seen that the spring holding the hoselines up on trailer tandems broke. I was able to warn the driver since they were inches from the ground. Little helpful things I miss.
It can be a great way to build comradery if conversations are positive. I miss the comradery!! Now to often its every driver for them self!! (dont even get me started on that topic…lol)
I also wish driver courtesy would come back. A simple “wave” as you pass, flash the LOW beams to come over, or hit your four ways to say thanks, back off and let a driver “come out” of the slow lane, be another set of eyes watching the blind spots while a driver is backing into a tight spot, just among a few…..
I wish some drivers would have their CBs on! I tried to let a bobtail know he didn’t have any rear lights, his radio must have been off or he didn’t have one. That is a big pet peeve of mine! I normally keep mine turned down but seriously if he would have done a pretrip he would have seen he didn’t have any rear tail lights at all.
My eyes went to this article right away when you posted it on twitter. I grew up with a CB (started when I was 11), yeah back in the hayday. I made some very good friends and not some very good ones. True, there are still some of the same old blow offs that like to throw dead keys, ghost talk and run their *foot warmers* to keep someone else in town from getting out.
I havn’t used my CB much over the last 5 years or so, mainly because lightning and the windstorm of 2009 took my Antron 99 down. I just recently hooked my mobile back up.
I have very fond memories of yacking with the truckers while on road trips, or even just monitor 19 before GPS was around to try to help a driver find a certain terminal.
I remember when my first husband and I went to Michigan, a driver for Hagandaas Icecream and us were front door/back door talking. Just before he turned off to the next highway, he stopped and gave us an icecream bar before his exit!
Another time, my mom and I were out and a driver was lost in Kettering and asked for directions to a terminal (whick was almost in my back yard!). I pulled off until he was behind me and lead him on over. He got me coffee at the donut shop after he unloaded.
Those are the days I miss. I agree with you on all the hate and discontent, but it sure is nice to hear that familiar chatter of good times for those still using the good ol’ CB.
Thanks for writing this and I love your tweets.
Sincerely, Kathy
While I agree with you on most aspects of it. I know a lot of local driver’s who still run cb’s and there is always some friendly chatter going on. I rarely hear any negativity on the radio where I’m at. Sure once in awhile you get some idiot road drivers going at it and then it dies down. I wouldn’t neccessarily keep the radio off but turned down enough to where you can hear it if you need it. Sure a pre trip is everything but what happens if a wheel seal starts leaking while going down the road and starts to smoke and you don’t notice it. I think a lot whether you hear negativity has to do with if your at a truckstop or near a large city or real populated area. Other than that you can still have some “decent” conversations with someone. There are a lot of driver’s who enjoy the cb so much they make a hobby out of it, I enjoy the cb so I guess that is why I’m willing to defend it. You can’t blame the cb for a few driver’s immaturity. Remember, it takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole bunch! Honestly I think with CSA 2010 I think the cb will in a way be reborn into a better thing. But that is just my 2 cents worth.
This is so true. I started driving in the early 90′s and it wasn’t as bad then as it is now. I’m so with u on this one. Great post!
I agree I have always loved the C.b I’m getting ready to go to school with Cr England and when I get done with school and come back home to get stuff I will have a C.B Radio in my truck. I mean there is still people on it! And just cause you hear stupid people making a fool of themselves don’t mean we can’t just turn them down. Yea they are in mature that is like a lot of people out there. Anyway yea we have cellphones know but C.b is still alive and well. Anyway I wanted to throw my two cents in there Thank you and 72′s
Russell