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A few years ago I was riding with my friend Tracy. It was snowing and the highway was covered with a sheet of ice. We were traveling north on I-55, and Tracy is the type who is always in a hurry. She attempted to pass an 18-wheeler, but he refused to let us go around him. He would move into the center of the highway each time Tracy attempted to get into the left-hand lane, blocking us. Tracy was cursing him and I could tell she was getting frustrated. I was getting more and more nervous- the road was really slick and the car kept sliding. I begged her to slow down and stay behind him, arguing that there had to be some reason why the truck driver would not let us go around. Finally he did move back onto the right side of the highway and we got an opportunity to pass. We noticed flashing lights to our left.A state trooper had a car stopped in the median that apparently had been driving on the wrong side of the interstate. Had that truck allowed us to pass, we would have been the victims of a head-on collision. My point is that it pays to pay attention to other drivers on the highway- especially the truck drivers.

It is true that a lot of drivers are obnoxious and rude and usually have a somewhat colorful vocabulary. If you have spent any time on the nation's highways you have probably noted that big trucks act as if they own the road. But have you ever thought about it from a truck driver's perspective? Consider, if you will, some of their responsibilities: the gross vehicle weight of a semi is at least 26,000 pounds-unloaded. They are responsible for hauling everything imaginable: livestock, produce, fuel; practically everything we use is transported, at some point, by a truck. These men and women spend days, weeks, even months on the road. The drivers get lonely and miss their families. But that is part of the job, along with greasy fast food and truck stop showers. If you have ever taken a long trip, you know how quickly the road can wear you out.

As I said, a big truck's minimum weight is 26,000 pounds. At their maximum weight they may have as much as 80,000 pounds. This makes it impossible for them to stop suddenly. Please keep this in mind the next time you decide to stop in front of a big truck. Their size compounded with all the extra weight makes them very dangerous. If you are not careful, you may be run over and most likely killed. The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates the number of hours a driver may drive, which is 11 hours

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