# 1-800-BUZZ-OFF **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2000, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-buzz-off/38088 "2000-10-24T07:52:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-buzz-off/38088/1 "2000-10-24T07:52:17Z")
Has anyone ever actually called the number on one of those “How’s my driving?” bumper stickers to complain (or, I suppose, to register a compliment)? This question occurred to me today while I was on the way to work. ---
**Author:** ![Pink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@Pink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pink)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-buzz-off/38088/2 "2000-10-24T18:43:55Z")
I’ve called the one 1-800-EXHAUST to get smoking clunkers, but all they do is send out a warning “ticket” that’s only going to fool my grandmother (who got a well deserved one). She also believes Readers Digest prize “checks” can be cashed. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-buzz-off/38088/3 "2000-10-24T23:38:05Z")
Don’t know about the 1-800 numbers, but I routinely call up company dispatchers and report poor driving practices by their drivers. In one case, there was a guy driving a tanker marked **Flammable** while he was smoking a cigarette. I pulled along side and asked him why he was smoking. He replied, “Don’t worry, it’s empty!” Try to remember that gasoline vapor is more explosive than dynamite. When I phoned the dispatcher, he promised that he would, “Crawl up the guy’s asshole and die.” (Verbatim quote) Sorta gave me a real nice warm feeling about what I did. Recently, I watched a fully laden garbage truck tailgate passenger vehicles at a distance of less than six feet in traffic going 35 MPH. Sure enough, the dispatchers heard about that one too. Just doing my yob… ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-buzz-off/38088/4 "2000-10-24T23:41:30Z")
yep, have done it many times. Once I did it to let them know that the truck in question had made a real attempt to disguise his id number. (I had my kid write down the license plate). But, OTOH, I’ve also called to let folks know positive things and less than complaints (like I called the bus company to let them know that bus #429 had a serious fume problem in the back and they probably didn’t know). ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-800-buzz-off/38088/5 "2000-10-24T23:54:36Z")
I’ve called those things to leave positive reports for truckers who are driving well. I have a soft spot for truckers; my daddy’s one. There are asshole truckers, of course, but most of them are really just trying to do their job. Being a “four-wheeler” who’s the daughter of a hauler, i can see both sides of most of the arguments. Truckers do stupid things, but so do a HELL of a lot of car drivers. Also, truckers as a group get a LOT of criticism. I try to acknowledge the necessity of what they do, and anyawy I just like knowing I may have brightened somebody’s day by taking a second to call up and leave a positive comment.