How Rumors Get Around

I was fueling at a TA in some nameless Louisiana town. The truck next to mine was another Swift truck. I was minding my own business, and the other Swift driver stepped across to chat with me.

This guy had been around for a while. Duck Dynasty beard out on his chest. His cowboy hat had seen more miles than most Trucking Truth readers.

"Did you hear about the Swift truck that got rear ended in Wisconsin?" Ol' Trucker asked. "The Jake came on for no reason and the car behind slammed into him. Some people died!"

I said, telling the truth, that I hadn't heard of it.

"I think the FMCSA is going to get them taken out of all trucks. They're too dangerous."

I volunteered that my 2016 Freightliner had the system, but I didn't think it was so dangerous. Feeling it was time to get out of there, I let on that I needed to get to Jackson MS before my drive time was up, hopped into cab and took off.

Being the fastidious fact finder that I am, I searched Google (access to all knowledge) but couldn't find anything about such a tragedy.

So this one guy here starts all the rumours?

Maybe he was talking about this???

One driver dead after two trucks collide on Interstate 41

Very meta-, Errol! You made yourself a link in the rumour chain! Why did you feel you had to get out of there, if I may ask?

Very meta-, Errol! You made yourself a link in the rumour chain! Why did you feel you had to get out of there, if I may ask?

The Ol' Trucker claimed it as news, just like most rumors are passed along. I titled this thread as "rumor", in a subtle hint it may not be an actual event. If you want to pass over that word, it's up to you. Also, most of the post is about the "scene" and the description of the protagonist. If I passing on news, your only get the details of the event.

Speaking of details, what are the "facts" listed in the "news"? What "facts" can be easily changed in the telling? Compare that to Anchorman's contribution of a news article, which might fit the rumor, by the way.

I didn't pass on the word, I was humorously commenting on the fact that you're helping to spread the rumour by passing-on that trucker's story with your posting. If YOU want to pass on the word "meta-" in my post, as well as the exclamation marks which indicate playfulness, that, likewise, is up to you. You didn't even answer the question I asked.

Sculpt persists:

Why did you feel you had to get out of there, if I may ask?

Fortunately I wear shorts during the summer, and the pile of Trucker BS was already over my ankles.

As for your explanation, simple letters on a page/ computer screen lose all the other information of conversation, like facial expression, hand waving, body language. Compared to true conversation, written words are freeze dried. I guessed I missed your jocularity. Sorry.

Its alright sir, you're getting of age and grumpiness is flowing through your veins along with the diesel. We forgive you and we understand.

Would like follow-up on this- Was it the jake brake? Of course the investigation will take a lot of time.

"Did you hear about the Swift truck that got rear ended in Wisconsin?" Ol' Trucker asked. "The Jake came on for no reason and the car behind slammed into him. Some people died!"

Looks like anchorman's post may be the accident:

One driver dead after two trucks collide on Interstate 41

Would like follow-up on this- Was it the jake brake? Of course the investigation will take a lot of time.

I would be willing to believe that it was just a normal inattentive driver who was approaching slowed traffic due to the construction zone and never realized it until it was to late. It happens all the time.

3 dead in 13 days on same stretch of I-41

"In both crashes, northbound traffic had slowed to create at times stop-and-go driving, perhaps due to highway construction."