KEN'S KORNER -FEBRUARY 2008
STEERING WHEEL HOLDERS
BY AUTHOR, EDUCATOR & DRIVER KEN SKAGGS
As big rig truck drivers, most of you are probably familiar with the term “steering wheel holder.” To put it plainly, it is not a good thing to be called. It implies that you are not a good driver. It suggests that you are simply holding a steering wheel and not actually realizing what’s happening around you, or responding accordingly.
Although it’s been around for a long time, lately I’ve been hearing this term tossed about more and more. Sometimes the one doing the tossing is actually the steering wheel holder himself, but he thinks someone else is. So, since I am the self-elected, final authority in such matters, I thought it would be my responsibility to elaborate and explain the definition to all of you out there.
For example, on a multiple lane highway, if you see a slow truck in the center lane and, rather than pass on his right or left, you pull up to his rear-end and start cussing him out on the CB, you might be a steering wheel holder. On the other hand, if you pass him without saying a word, pass with caution - he might be a steering wheel holder (since slower traffic should keep right). In most cases, opening your mouth on the CB with anything rude automatically qualifies you as a steering wheel holder.
Anyone who tailgates is automatically a steering wheel holder. However, since everyone seems to have a very different definition of what tailgating is, I’ll gently and tactfully remind you. When you’re driving a big truck at highway speeds, you should have four seconds of time between you and the vehicle ahead of you. If you think you should draw right up to someone’s bumper before you switch lanes to pass, you might be a steering wheel holder. And, if after you pass, you quickly switch lanes, placing your rear-end within a few feet of the front bumper of the one you passed, you might be a steering wheel holder. If you are so close to the truck ahead of you that all you can see is his back doors, you might be a steering wheel holder.
Giving in to peer-pressure, in some cases, makes you a steering wheel holder. You must be able to take responsibility and think for yourself out there. For example, if you are waiting to turn left, and oncoming traffic is pretty heavy, plus there are a few trucks waiting behind you, you might be tempted to take a chance when a small gap in traffic presents itself. However, if you have a heavy load and wind up causing the oncoming traffic to brake hard or stop, you might be a steering wheel holder. Likewise, whenever someone on the CB says, “Hurry up!” and you do, you might be a steering wheel holder.
Speeding through a truck stop will also qualify you as a steering wheel holder. Most drivers like to get out of their truck when it’s parked, and they aren’t expecting a 30 mph truck to come barreling around the corner. If you were a driver instead of a steering wheel holder, you would know that. If you think you can save some time by shifting six gears from the fuel pump to the driveway, you might be a steering wheel holder.
The same thing holds true when taking off out of a tollbooth. If you think you are saving time by taking off quickly, slamming through all the gears so you can get up to speed as rapidly as possible, you might be a steering wheel holder. If you do the math, you will realize that speeding for such a short distance can only save you a fraction of a second. If you don’t do the math, you might be a steering wheel holder.
If you always leave the cruise control on, no matter what, you might be a steering wheel holder. If you are cruising along and the speed limit drops from 65 to 55 mph and you leave the cruise control on, set at 68 mph, you might be a steering wheel holder. If the speed limit then drops to 45 mph as you enter into a construction zone, and you still have your cruise control set at 68 mph, you might be a steering wheel holder. If you see another sign that says “flagger ahead, trucks entering highway, speed limit 35” and you still have your cruise set at 68, you are definitely a steering wheel holder (and dangerous).
If you accelerate toward red lights, you might be a steering wheel holder. If you are a block away from a red light and you see it turn red and you don’t take your foot off the accelerator, you might be a steering wheel holder. If the truck in front of you slows down for a red light and you pull into the left lane before you notice the reason why he slowed down, you might be a steering wheel holder. If you switch lanes more than once a minute, you might be a steering wheel holder.
In summary, I’d like to say that if you are generally always in a hurry, you might be a steering wheel holder. If you always take your time and drive as safely as you can, you have graduated to driver. A lot of problems come with the territory for steering wheel holders. They have no patience, so they are always on edge, yelling on the CB, arguing with dispatchers and customers, getting tickets and having accidents. Drivers, on the other hand, can go for years, even decades, between tickets. Your driving record is a good indication of where you stand, whether you are a steering wheel holder or a driver. Be a driver, won’t you?