Smokey I'm pleased to hear you had your thoughts together enough to avoid the idiot driver. Well done! I'm not sure the Smart Bar saved you but they sure absorb the impact when you have one. I have a Smart Bar on Rosy.
The language issue on the UHF is city based in most cases. I have issues about this I won't discuss here, but those blokes are digusting, offensive oxygen wasters. I'm inclined to believe the mental health system is letting us down there. They think they're funny and entertainiing, when really they offend everyone, and really annoy all the workers on Ch 40. Some of the language they use indicates tendencies to sex offending.
Courtesy on the road can never be over-stated. I nearly caused a confrontation this morning when a motorist got between the truck and myself and didn't know what to do. They wouldn't overtake when the lane was clear. We just can't help some people.
Tailgating is being targetted by SA Police at the moment. It can't happen too often for me. It's a pet hate.
Using a microphone for 1 or 2 words is not as time consuming or distracting as a phone call about the kids, the cat and the budgie at home for 10 minutes. The radio chat is usually about the job right there and then, not the nieces wedding last weekend.
The long chats are usually by tourists who don't have enough courtesy to get on another chat channel.
We who have the advantage of both worlds know what's happening. The transport industry and it's truck drivers are not the enemy.
The tourists towing caravans don't mean to be the enemy when they drive out of the 'burbs, but ignorance and arrogance are the cause of the problem.
Just be nice, keep you wits about you, drive as carefully as you know how ACCORDING TO THE CONDITIONS, and allow for the other b..stards stupidity.