Total Motorcycle Community Forums

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropo ... 86451.html


I thought it was a pretty good story

Truckers are my favorite people on the interstate. Most of them ride, and most of them know what it's like to be cut off, tailgated, and treated like "poo poo" on the super slabs and rural roads. And more often than not, they're okay with you using them as a nice buffer zone when the road is just too angry. Just wave to them to say thanks, treat them like another rider, odds are they are.

This Trucker says: Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

drrhythm39 wrote:This Trucker says: Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

Your very welcome from me as I know I have seen bikers and truckers treated like "poo poo" by cagers many times. We kind of have something in common. I wish we could really become closer on the road as sometimes both groups do cross one another as well.

Pj

**New Rider

I am sure when I start riding, it will be beneficial to me...
So thank you TRUCKERS!

**Haven't got to do any major riding, I promised the soon-to-be wife that i will take the riding safety course in June.

Thanks,
Dan S

I think that every new driver should spent four hours on the back of a bike, and four more in the jump seat of a semi before having their license issued. Maybe if they saw it from our angle, (I have both a class 1 and 6 endorsement on my license...) they might get the message.

I had a great experience with a trucker as I rode from Bar Harbor to Boston last year. He made a stupid comment about a motorcyle pulling a trailer and didn't realize I had a radio on the bike as well. We ended up talking the whole way to Boston, ( he was even more surprised to find out I had to pay more than he did on the toll highway as he was a straight truck and I was pulling a trailer... I know, didn't make sense to me either...)

Yep, I wave and give them the ultimate respect always. We also have a radio on the Goldwing and have had the opportunity to say "thanks!" In fact we did when one was radioing the other to let him know there was a two-wheeler coming his way.

We have a road up here nicknamed the "Haul Road" because it is the road the trucker use to go to Prudhoe (pipeline road, they haul everything up there for them). When ever we find ourselves on it, you can bet we are on their channel!

Bluebabe wrote:Yep, I wave and give them the ultimate respect always. We also have a radio on the Goldwing and have had the opportunity to say "thanks!" In fact we did when one was radioing the other to let him know there was a two-wheeler coming his way.

As a radio newbie I'm curious to know how you know what frequency truckers are on? Eventually I'm going to get some sort of communications system for me and my friends and it would be a great tool if I ever had to talk to another trucker on the road.

Brackstone wrote:

Bluebabe wrote:Yep, I wave and give them the ultimate respect always. We also have a radio on the Goldwing and have had the opportunity to say "thanks!" In fact we did when one was radioing the other to let him know there was a two-wheeler coming his way.

As a radio newbie I'm curious to know how you know what frequency truckers are on? Eventually I'm going to get some sort of communications system for me and my friends and it would be a great tool if I ever had to talk to another trucker on the road.

You just have to play around a bit. Usually channels 13 & 19 are popular. I usually ask for a "radio check" to see how many people are in the area. A few drivers will call back "check's in the mail!". You can then ask what they're driving to find out if you see them. Or, if there's a particular vehicle you'd like to chat with, just go around a couple of channels, identify what type of truck they are (UPS, Yellow, whatever their company is), and ask "if they copy you at mile marker ... on interstate ..." or whatever. And like Dr. Bar said, there are a lot of times when I catch someone talking about me. Once, while singing to music and passing a group of trucks in my blue WRX, one trucker radioed for another trucker to "check me out". He was very surprised when I got on the radio!

I don't have a radio on the bike, and the WRX is gone, but in just a couple of weeks we're getting lights & sirens installed on our Outback, and the CB is also getting installed. I can't wait!!!

When I was about 8 years old, I used to fantasize about being a trucker. My uncle was a trucker, and I always enjoyed road trips. I was never one of those kids who asked "are we there yet?". I always wanted to stay on the road. My uncle taught me how to be courteous to truckers and what signals to use for them. Having a CB is just icing on the cake.

Cheers,
Loonette

Brackstone wrote:Eventually I'm going to get some sort of communications system for me and my friends and it would be a great tool if I ever had to talk to another trucker on the road.

Just remember, if you're buying a radio for your bike, unless it's a "CB" radio, you won't be talking to any truckers. From what I understand, systems along the lines of the "Chatterbox" are on a select frequency and it's not the same as a CB. I may be wrong but you'll want to do some research before you buy.

You may want to check out this site, as it has both permanent mount radios as well as portable kits that are easy to use while hiking as well...

I guess the main thing is, be prepared to pay a few dollars, as you get what you pay for in the audio department...