RE: [a/s] Truckers (Thanks from Ruth & Dan!!! for info about help near Atlanta)

["Erickson, Micheal R. LCDR" <Erickson.MichealR@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Did you hear that on the CB, or was that some guy just doing a macho trip?"

My guess is that it was both.  
My take on trucker culture based solely on monitoring CBs for several years
now and taking the time to get to know a few of them is this:  They're
largely a group of dedicated professionals who revel in individuality and
take a sort of perverse pride in performing a difficult, dangerous and
unheralded job for really crappy wages.  The country depends upon them for
most of our consumer goods and yet they're regarded as rednecks and yahoos.
They lament heavy taxation and fuel prices and have a general disdain for us
"amateur" drivers who crowd what they regard as their highways.  Competent
trailer pullers are tolerated as a higher species than "4 Wheelers", but are
always suspect nonetheless.  They have about as much room for unsafe driving
practices as an airline pilot.
As other listers have pointed out, monitoring the CB can be entertaining and
at times informative, particularly when encountering traffic "situations".
Heading south on I-35 in southern Oklahoma in the 'Armadillo' this weekend I
came up behind a wide load with escort vehicles trundling on down the pike.
Over the radio there was a continuous stream of information to the driver of
the load regarding bridge heights and cautions about passing vehicles, etc.
Very safety conscious, I was impressed (especially when they asked me all
about my camper! ;^) )

Anyway, that's my spew for the day. happy Trails!
Mike