THE OTHER BEARS OUT THERE
Thank God for the police officers who try their best to keep order on our highways and byways. We call them officers, cops, police officers. But in the world of Trucking, they have different titles. I had to smile when I started learning this lingo while I was writing my novel 18-Wheeler. I had so much fun learning to talk a sort of ‘trucker talk’ that I wanted to share. Part one…. BEARS.
First of all, they are all bears of some sort. A regular police officer is called a Smokey Bear as these two are. They could be Full Grown Bears all dresssed out and full of swagger. And these two bears are likely at their Bears’ Den or Bear Caves or headquarters. Women are called Momma Bears .
Meanwhile, a new officer or rookie is called a Baby Bear.
I saw one of these not long ago. A Care Bear or a City Kitty He usually sits at construction sites (or Destruction sites) to help protect the workers working or he helps pedestrians cross safely. A local policeman/ sheriff/or deputy is called a County Mountie,a Barnie Fife or a Local Yokel.
Bears on a motorcycle are called Evil Kneivel or a Smoken’ Scooter.
At some time or other, you may have seen a Bear in the Air or Spy in the Sky So be sure to ‘brush your teeth and comb your hair’ because they could be taking your picture or shooting you in the back.
Or they can be Bears in the Bushes or Kojak with a Kodak hiding in a Bear Trap watching for Bear Bait/ a speeding vehicle, going past the Double Nickel 55mph, who later are Feeding the Bears by earning a Bear Bite/ a ticket who will have to hand out some Green Stamps or money to get out of trouble.
Now occasionally you see a ‘bear’ speeding somewhere or as truckers call it ‘on a mission from God’ or has ‘something on his mind’ or on a ‘donut emergency’ because you see his Disco Lights 0r Gum Ball Machine or a Blue light Special flashing on his patrol car.
Now what’ really scary is the Plain Wrapper or Plain Blue/red or any color, you never saw coming. He hides his Disco Lights because he’s unmarked.
Unbeknownst to many, there is a Diesel Bear who is a special ‘bear’ that focuses on commercial truckers. They usually hide out at Chicken Coops or weigh stations. Now occasionally you see these bears accompanied by these emergency vehicles A firetruck is a Squirt Truck
and an ambulance is a or Band-aid Box or Meat Wagon.
And the Dragon Wagon…tow truck. But the most famous bear of them all is Smokey the Bear
All these BEARS deserve our respect, admiration…and support.
God bless and protect ‘um everyone.
(And a special ‘thank you’ to all those who shot and shared these photos on the internet)
JFRidgley
www.jfridgley.com
