# What's up with the prejudice towards "transportation" workers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 19, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648 "2012-06-19T15:05:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/1 "2012-06-19T15:05:22Z")
Mailmen. Bus/cab/limo/shuttle drivers. Newspaper carriers. Catering drivers. Tow truck drivers. Ice cream truck drivers. UPS guys/girls. And so on… I’ve worked several jobs in the transportation industry, and I notice that I (and my co-workers) seem to have a rather large target on my back. I am a victim of other people’s road rage, much more often than when I’m driving my car. I’ve had random boys throw things at my vehicle. People often talk slow and loud to me, as if I cannot comprehend what they’re saying. Whenever I’m just drivng along, it’s not rare that I see women rolling their eyes at me. Cops follow me around, and have been pulled over for stupid things. Hell, even the dogs go crazy. Nearly all of my co-workers say they experience the same things. I could say it is a status thing. Most transportation jobs aren’t prestigious…but I’ve worked other non-prestigious jobs such as a receptionist and as a restaurant server…I didn’t recieve near as much hostility. It just seems to be a greater amount of distrust of transportation workers. We bring people’s mail, food, gifts, newpapers, remove their garbage, drive them around, why all of the hostility? A similar note, I have several friends who are chronically un- or underemployed, whenever I mention job openings there is absolutely no interest. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/2 "2012-06-19T15:17:52Z")
I delivered pizzas for several years and didn’t experience any of that. I suspect you have a persecution complex. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/3 "2012-06-19T15:21:27Z")
Some of it could be that you are on the road more, so that you have more opportunities for encountering rude behavior on the highways. I will say that my brother was a UPS driver and made a good salary, but had a hard time getting women to see him as boyfriend material. He’s married and retired now, but when he was single, he had a hard time dating and he felt his job was partly responsible. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/4 "2012-06-19T15:22:59Z")
People disrespect secretaries, etc, just as much, but secretaries are in an office, behind a desk, not wandering among the populace, who, as you’ve noticed, are assholes as a group. However, your posting history also indicates you have absolutely no clue why laws apply to you or why being a total douche isn’t funny, so, there’s also the chance that people treat you this way because you are doing dickish things all the time, and have a reputation as a local petty lawbreaker with the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/5 "2012-06-19T15:23:43Z")
Personally, I cut people like tow truck drivers, UPS drivers, Fedex drivers, etc. a little slack. I realize that they sometimes have to double park and the delivery drivers in particular have a tight schedule to keep. Sorry, I didn’t notice that the OP is the person who thinks it’s hilarious to drive her delivery truck around early in the morning and honk the horn constantly. In that case, it’s just you and your similarly rude co-workers who are getting a bad attitude from others, not the general population of delivery drivers. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/6 "2012-06-19T15:35:09Z")
I’ve never noticed that professional drivers get a hard time from people. I have, however, noticed you posting that you drive like an asshole. So maybe it’s just you? ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/7 "2012-06-19T15:40:21Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Some of it could be that you are on the road more, so that you have more opportunities for encountering rude behavior on the highways. > > I will say that my brother was a UPS driver and made a good salary, but had a hard time getting women to see him as boyfriend material. He’s married and retired now, but when he was single, he had a hard time dating and he felt his job was partly responsible. Sounds familiar back when I was a teacher. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/8 "2012-06-19T15:55:42Z")
It is a blue-collar job involving a skill set that nearly everyone thinks they also have. As far as road rage, I find myself having a lot more respect for delivery drivers vs Joe/Jane in the SUV. When I see a UPS or FedEx truck, I know that in all likelihood they won’t be doing something stupid and/or unpredictable. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/9 "2012-06-19T16:25:22Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > Mailmen. Bus/cab/limo/shuttle drivers. Newspaper carriers. Catering drivers. Tow truck drivers. Ice cream truck drivers. UPS guys/girls. And so on… > I’ve worked several jobs in the transportation industry, and I notice that I (and my co-workers) seem to have a rather large target on my back. . I suspect it’s because people are generalizing from a specific. They’ve had a problem or been put in danger by a person driving an identifiable vehicle and so all of those vehicles are driven by problematic/dangerous people. > [@Diamonds02](#): > > We bring people’s mail, food, gifts, newspapers, remove their garbage, drive them around, why all of the hostility? Because they also bring bills & junk mail, are late, leave stuff on the porch for kids to steal, don’t deliver when they should, throw newspapers into the bushes or into the sprinklers, are noisy early in morning, drive badly, park inconsiderately, and do all of the stupid things people so while wearing an identifiable uniform and doing an identifiable job. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/10 "2012-06-19T16:30:08Z")
My theory: Everyone can remember a time when they were stuck behind a bus, a tow truck, or a garbage truck. That kind of everyday common obstacles to our zipping 60mph down a 35mph zone happens a lot. It frustrates people. That leads to people taking out their road rage on those vehicles because people have the impression that whenever there’s one of them on the road, they will get stuck behind them and be late to work, a party, home, etc. Add to that, many of those vehicles are large and you can’t see around them and they have to drive slow, so it just pisses people off. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/11 "2012-06-19T16:48:16Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > My theory: > > Everyone can remember a time when they were stuck behind a bus, a tow truck, or a garbage truck. That kind of everyday common obstacles to our zipping 60mph down a 35mph zone happens a lot. It frustrates people. That leads to people taking out their road rage on those vehicles because people have the impression that whenever there’s one of them on the road, they will get stuck behind them and be late to work, a party, home, etc. Add to that, many of those vehicles are large and you can’t see around them and they have to drive slow, so it just pisses people off. Yep, and the road ragers probably feel they can get away with more since professional drivers are held to a higher standard and if they are reported for driving unsafe or are involved in an incident their job may be on the line. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/12 "2012-06-19T17:26:59Z")
One of these things is not like the others. UPS guys reputedly get a truckload of action. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/13 "2012-06-19T17:30:38Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Some of it could be that you are on the road more, so that you have more opportunities for encountering rude behavior on the highways. This. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/14 "2012-06-19T17:50:13Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > One of these things is not like the others. UPS guys reputedly get a truckload of action. That’s right, they are delivering their packages all over the place. 😉 I haven’t noticed any ill feelings towards transportation workers. Whoever you are and whatever you do, if you’re driving like a dick expect some hate. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/15 "2012-06-19T22:44:49Z")
Diamonds02, in previous posts you’ve made about your job as a delivery driver, you’ve mentioned that: You park on the left hand side of the road, blocking opposing traffic. > **[Territorial Adults!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=632961)** > > I had no idea such thing existed in adults, until I started this new job a few months ago. I’m an only child and while I have had some relationships, I’ve never shacked up with anyone. Also, never lived in dorms or Greek housing. I guess this is why... Your coworker frequently honked his horn while driving through residential neighborhoods early in the morning. In fact, he caused such a commotion that people woke up and came to investigate. > **[Is this against the law?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=634742)** > > Co-worker says he has trouble staying awake behind the wheel sometimes. He has come up with some “interesting” strategies to stimulate himself. One of them is riding thru neighborhoods lying on his horn. Sometimes he’ll just drive thru and randomly... And your boss ordered you to run stop signs. > **[Most unethical business you've worked for?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=653036)** > > I wanna hear some stories about businesses doing fucked up things to their customers and/or employees. I’ve posted that my last employer wanted us to run through stop signs. Well, that was a drop in the bucket compared to what went on my job before... Is it really surprising that you encountered some hostility after behaving like that? I have no particular prejudice against “transportation” workers. But if they all behaved like that, I might develop some. ---
**Author:** ![WisdomofLife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/34f0e0/32.png) [@WisdomofLife](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WisdomofLife)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/16 "2012-06-19T23:52:48Z")
I travel on the bus to get home from work. I think transportation workers do get their fair share of abuse from the public through I admit some transportation workers do act like jerks (ex. screaming or acting rude to passengers to hurry on the bus; being cold and unfriendly to passengers). Through sometimes the passengers are ruder than the transportation workers. This one passenger, three weeks ago, was complaining on the bus because it arrived late to take him home. The reason why the bus was late was because it was lunchtime traffic and lot of passengers were getting onto the bus. The other passengers and I were calm about the situation. He kept complaining till he told some wheelchair-bound passengers that they should take the dial the ride only and not the city bus. Everyone started in on him for making the awful comment. The bus driver calmed us down and the rude passenger kept his mouth shut. I think he was schizo. Though the one group that is prejudiced against is fast-food workers, especially by college professors. They say “Do you want to flip burgers for the rest of your live?” Well if I have to pay for college or earn a income to live, then yes. I could have told some of those )\*&hole professors that to earn income and pay for school, I work at job placement disability program. We are time studied and paid on how we fast we are on our job. I paid below minumium wage. I either be flipping burgers than work at my current job. Trying to get out of here but I haven’t been able to get another job, despite how many appliciations I put in. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/17 "2012-06-20T01:20:45Z")
Is it because you keep stopping the truck to dig up flowers on the side of the road? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/18 "2012-06-20T04:30:07Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > People disrespect secretaries, etc, just as much, but secretaries are in an office, behind a desk, not wandering among the populace, who, as you’ve noticed, are assholes as a group. > > However, your posting history also indicates you have absolutely no clue why laws apply to you or why being a total douche isn’t funny, so, there’s also the chance that people treat you this way because you are doing dickish things all the time, and have a reputation as a local petty lawbreaker with the cops. I have hung out with a FedEx crew and know some UPS people too. They get plenty of action and are nice people and I’ve never heard this complaint. Maybe you are behaving like an entitled juvenile delinquent. If that is the cause, perhaps you will grow out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/19 "2012-06-20T15:00:35Z")
For no reason in particular I was thinking about this thread. Yes, I need a life. Anyway, I think the OP’s premise is patently false. There is no widespread bias against delivery drivers. To back this assertion, I note that there is no class of delivery driver jokes. There are plenty of jokes about greedy, unprincipled lawyers. There are plenty of jokes about unfeeling, greedy doctors. There are plenty of jokes about clueless, socially inept engineers. Plenty of jokes about musicians. But few jokes about delivery drivers…maybe the SNL 'UBS guy" sketches, but not common enough to be a whole class of jokes like lawyer and engineer jokes are. And there is plenty of fuel for humor. Lets look: Delivery Drivers: -Are not very highly paid. -Are rushed and impatient. -Are careless with packages and break them. -Leave delivery attempt notes without making a delivery attempt. -Will show up sometime between 10AM and 6PM unless they happen to be running early or late. -Wear unflattering uniforms. Turd colored even, in the case of UPS. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648/20 "2012-06-20T15:52:31Z")
To complete the above post- With such a rich fuel supply, if delivery drivers were widely held in contempt, there would/should be dozens and dozens of jokes about them. There are not. On King of Queens, Doug Heffernan’s profession was not frequently the butt of jokes. I was never a regular viewer, but not a single instance comes to mind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-the-prejudice-towards-transportation-workers/625648.md?page=2)