There is no question that truck drivers perform a valuable service, now more than ever since the railroad was disbanded in this province.
As an island that produces less than 10 per cent of the food its population needs, truck drivers are indispensable and should be commended for the service they provide.
But while they're delivering their goods on our public highways, shouldn't they be subject to the same rules as the rest of us?
Motorists taking a drive on the Trans-Canada Highway past the weigh scales at Pynn's Brook on any given day will most likely have to slow down as they pass the facility even though the speed limit of 100 km/h doesn't change.
Too many truckers can be observed pulling out of the station and into oncoming traffic with little to no regard for how close that traffic is. Drivers who are travelling at highway speed have had to slow down very quickly because the 18-wheeler in front of them driving out of a parking lot from a dead stop.
Truck drivers have also been observed changing lanes while another driver is beside them on the divided highway, forcing the driver of the much smaller vehicle to again, slow down quickly to avoid being pushed to the side.
In another case, a wood truck was observed with a log hanging off the side of its trailer, just waiting to go through someone's windshield or sunroof. These are dangerous situations, especially in the middle of tourist season, with so many out of province drivers on our highways.
These are very large vehicles that cannot move as quickly as others and take up a lot more space.
To be sure, most truck drivers are very responsible. But like any group, there are a few bad ones, and it's time to step up and do something about it. We have to start reporting any dangerous situations to the police and hopefully make our highways safer.
