While spending long hours out on the road, truck drivers in the 1970s and 1980s certainly had time to get creative when they began coming up with their delightful CB radio lingo and slang.
The phrases even made their way into pop culture with things like C. W. McCall's hit novelty song "Convoy" and the Burt Reynolds flick Smokey and the Bandit. Of course, you don't have to be in a truck to hop on the radio and have a conversation — there were tons of guides for at-home users to join in the fun, but they ran the risk of being ridiculed by the professionals if they weren't really up to snuff on the terms or clogging the channels with unnecessary "sandbagging."
Some of their phrases could be a bit crude, but the examples below are just pretty darn clever and hilarious.
Take a look and let us know if we missed any CB radio lingo you've heard over the airwaves.
And don't forget to SHARE with your friends!
[H/T: Trucker Country]
1. "Evel Knievel"
Meaning: A police officer on a motorcycle.
This one is obviously an homage to the daredevil Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, who frequently used a motorcycle in his death-defying stunts.
2. "Pregnant Roller Skate"
Meaning: A Volkswagen Beetle. All other cars were simply known as "roller skates."
You can definitely see where they got the idea for this one!
3. "5 By 5"
Meaning: Hearing things loud and clear.
I've heard this one for years and never connected the dots back to CB radio.
4. "Fighter Pilot"
Meaning: Another driver on the road who frequently changes lanes.
I'm constantly annoyed by drivers like this, but I can't imagine how much worse it is to see the motorists all day long on the road!
5. "Bear Rolling Discos"
Meaning: A police car with its sirens running.
Most people have heard police referred to as "bears," but I love this very '70s spin on their sirens, too.
6. "On Your Donkey"
Meaning: A car that is following too close behind the truck.
This was a helpful hint for their fellow drivers to stay safe.
7. "Alligator"
Meaning: A piece of tire on the road from a blow-out that could "bite," or bounce up and damage the truck.
I'm sure they look a lot like the swamp creatures when they're looking at them from behind the driver's seat.
8. "Driving Award"
Meaning: A speeding ticket.
I love the tongue-in-cheek way they've turned this frustrating citation around!
9. "Meat Wagon"
Meaning: An ambulance.
Eek, this one definitely doesn't paint a pretty picture, but it does have a ring to it.
10. "Keep The Shiny Side Up"
Meaning: Wishing a fellow driver to have a safe trip.
It's nice to know even truck drivers have a soft side when it comes to their friends!
11. "Go-Go Juice"
Meaning: Diesel fuel.
I actually might start using this when I go to gas up my own car.
12. "Mud Duck"
Meaning: A weak radio signal.
Perhaps their voices sound like quacks when the static is overpowering the signal?
13. "Angry Kangaroo"
Meaning: A truck with one or both of their headlights out.
This just makes me think a kangaroo was to blame for knocking out the lights in the first place. Maybe in Australia!
14. "Schneider Eggs"
Meaning: The orange cones in construction areas.
Schneider is a type of truck that has likely had more than a few of these cracked like an egg under their tires over the years.
15. "Yardsticks"
Meaning: Mile markers.
They might be completely different measurements than yards, but I guess that doesn't really matter.
16. "Got My Nightgown On"
Meaning: The driver is going to bed in the sleeper.
I got a good laugh thinking about a big, burly driver slipping into a nightgown with this one.
Did we miss any of your favorite slang truckers came up with for the CB radio? Let us know below, and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
