I am writing to express my appreciation for your running Guy Bourrie’s column on trucking.

For many years, I considered truckers among the most courteous and helpful drivers on the road. Recently, though, I have been troubled by an increasing alarm. On more than one occasion while driving from Dixfield to Lewiston, I have pulled off the road to let a trucker pass – not out of courtesy but out of fear.

Imagine driving down the road at 60 mph (already 5 mph over the speed limit – and who wants to pay the new speeding fines?) only to have a fuel tank truck bearing down closely behind me, in short, forcing me to either speed up or pull over. I choose to pull over, but have often done so at faster speeds than are safe as I have been certain the trucker was too close behind to see my signal light.

I have been angry and shaken.

And, now, more enlightened.

I had not known about the trucking deregulation issue until I read Bourrie’s column.

Kudos to the Sun Journal for having the foresight to run these columns. It’s just more hard times for the rest of us – truckers and drivers – who are victims of yet another abuse of deregulation.

Pat Foster, Dixfield