- Truculent, tattooed, truckers with tree trunk torsos and titantic tummies.
- Mammoth sized man mountains of meat devouring mass.
- Libidinous, licentious, lecherous leviathans with a lewd liking for lurking lot lizards.
- Road warriors of the nations highways speaking indecipherable code words over a C. B. Radio.
- Men not to be messed with whether in a greasy spoon roadside diner or a sleazy biker bar. Remember the movie 'Duel' (1971) where travelling salesman Dennis Weaver confronts a trucker in such a greasy diner to accuse him of trying to run him off of the highway. That particular scene ended badly for poor Mr. Weaver as he was used to mop the floor with his hair.
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| YOU TAKE THE WIDE LOAD AND I'LL TAKE THE LOW ROAD AND I'LL BE IN SCOTLAND BEFORE YOU |
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| A BIG RIG AND A- BIG BOY |
The above, of course, are exaggerated stereotypes. There are are small and medium sized truck drivers. Many truckers are lean and wiry as well as strong. The aggressive driving highway hogs are not desired by trucking companies. Most pride themselves on compiling accident free driving records. They perform a valuable and necessary job in sometimes lonely or often crowded and dangerous working conditions.
Truckers can be legendary for offering assistance to stranded drivers or travelers in need of roadside assistance. I have been the beneficiary of such highway Good Samaritans.
However, long hours of sitting along with the infamously unhealthy roadside cuisine can exact a toll (pun intended) on the physical well being of professional truckers. The long hours in the driver's seat can eventually cause negative postural and lower back issues. The sitting and less than optimal eating habits can lead to weight problems and even obesity. This can manifest itself in the form of diabetes or cardiovascular problems. Poor sleep habits may lead to drowsy drivers Passing the long hours by cigarette smoking can of course lead to multiple comorbidities thus piling on the possible health concerns.
There is a new trend in this oft romanticized profession. Truckers are bringing coolers of healthy food on long hauls and taking stretching and exercise breaks. Drivers are realizing that by eating healthy and trying to exercise in their downtime they can reap certain benefits:
- They may prolong their career.
- The aches and pains from the prolonged sitting can be alleviated.
- Body weight can be reduced which has multiple health benefits.
- Sleep habits may improve and sleep apnea problems reduced resulting in more alert and aware drivers.
Give these people your utmost respect. They keep our economy running. Plus if you lip lip them off in a roadside diner, not only will they mop the floor with you, they just might be fit enough to chase you down on foot!
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| EXERCISE BREAK THE NEW BREED OF TRUCKER |
Until Next Time
Keep Fit
Little Bobby Strong
References
Antonella Artuso Wide Load Rules the Road The Ottawa Citizen Sunday October 23, 2016
Movie Duel, 1971, Director Stephen Spielberg, Writer Richard Matheson, Starring Dennis Weaver
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