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Will we just sit and be a spectator ? |
We’ve all been in situations where you are forced to make a decision on whether you will be a spectator, participant or critic.
The trucking industry often prides itself on being a sort of brotherhood to one another in times of need. I personally believe that brotherhood is alive and well. In the past, if you happened to be broke down out on along the highway, you were dependent upon your fellow driver. Otherwise, you were pretty much alone as
you had no outside communication other than the CB radio. This made camaraderie something that we each depended on. In current times, I often hear drivers say that things are different today in that we’re not too quick to stop and offer assistance to one other any longer. My feeling is that it’s still there, just hiding under the surface as we all have current means of communication. Days gone by, we didn’t have cell phones and other readily forms of communication.
There are still many opportunities to show our support for one another. For example, if you see a fellow driver attempting to back into a parking space and he/she is having difficulty… will your decision be to sit and watch like a spectator? I have observed drivers sitting and watching as a fellow comrade is having a great deal of difficulty. Some will even go as far as to take a picture or film the poor person who is having difficulty. If in a group, the spectator may laugh and make jokes about the situation.
The individual who plays a participant in this scenario will offer assistance. The helpful driver will offer advice, help with hand signals to spot the driver into the space or simply give them a warning before the driver backs into something or someone. This is how our brotherhood should work every day when we see a fellow driver in need.
Now, let’s talk about the critic. This person often started out as the spectator and moved into the critic position after the event is over. This individual will often offer useless advice. Comments like “I knew he would hit that (fill in the blank) object.” This person is quick to offer instruction on exactly how they would have done a better job.
There are opportunities to keep the brotherhood alive by offering assistance whenever possible. Being a spectator or critic won’t help anyone anytime soon. Therefore, be helpful whenever possible.
Let’s say you’re at the truck stop and you see a driver with their hood up and it looks as if they’re having a problem. Do you ask if they have all the tools they need? Many times I’ve been able to assist someone just by asking. The situation could be just a simple circuit breaker and I just may have the spare they require. Maybe you have an odd screw driver or wrench that will help them complete their task. The key here is for each of us to pass along our help and assistance to one another whenever possible. As a bonus, you just might make a new friend.
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Or get out and lend a helping hand ? |