[dthmstr254]

Ok, I maybe young, but even I remember when diesel prices were lower than other types of gas. Diesel is the least refined and cheapest gas, but taxes have made it so much more expensive for the trucker that it costs near 1500 dollars for some to tank up. I don't happen to know who voted this absurd law into the legislation, and I don't care.

My biggest problem is not that, but the fact that the truckers are not allowed to have a union to support them and represent their wants. The association they do have is not allowed to declare a strike, and the strike that was heard of this past April never did anything. This country was established to avoid this very thing, among others. For a country based on avoiding over-taxation, this is preposterous. Every worker should be allowed to have proper representation. The backbone of our economy is the trucker. Even France has better support for their truckers. The truck drivers there are considered low upper class, and don't need to work more than 30 hours a week. The independent drivers here, which comprise 90% of the industry, are working 50 hours a week and are barely able to cover the cost of fuel.

Now, don't tell me that this is not an important issue, because according to my knowledge of recent history, the last time truckers called a strike, it nearly brought the country to its knees. But the truckers have since been treated like the less reputable white man treated the slave prior to the civil war. My dad has lost count of the number of times hot rod drivers have cut him off in their expensive cars and nearly got run over by the truck because they hit the breaks (the car ahead was, on average 60 feet forward of his and the hot rod's position) for no reason. He even once had a guy tailgate so close that when my dad went to turn into the weigh station, he clipped the front of the car. The driver, of course, wanted my dad to pay for the damage incurred, to which he replied:

"sure, go ahead, I already called the police and you can explain to them what you were doing so close to my backside."

People hear all about how the truck driver is a self-serving egotistic person who will try to get your money in an accident. The majority of accidents involving semis would be avoided if you paid attention to your driver's handbook and all the signs plastered all over the semi. Everything is in there. Driving 5 feet forward of a semi is a poor idea, because 70000 pounds of steel, aluminum, and cargo doesn't tend to like slowing down. They can't stop in 60 feet like your little Mustang.

So why the disrespect of the truck driver?