Choosing a CB Handle
As women, it is the little things that define us out here on the road. Our appearance, our driving abilities and our attitude are the obvious things that people use to define us, but there is one other thing...our CB handles. Though not many of us lady drivers talk on the radio very much because the CB airwaves have become like being in a junior-high locker room without the smell of socks, CBs are necessary on many levels: to get called for dock assignments, to check on road and weather conditions, for help in case of breakdown, and to alleviate loneliness and fatigue.
CB handles reflect much about us and are taken as indications as to what kind of person we are. They also can make a difference in how others respond to us. Choosing an appropriate handle is an individual decision and many factors must be taken into consideration:
- Your conversation style
- Your personality
- Your goals for using the CB
- How you want to be perceived by others
After you make those decisions, how do you choose a handle? Here are some examples of handles and why people chose them:
- Prehistoric Hemorroid--(this is the funniest handle that I have ever heard) the driver said that he wanted something no one else would think of and he wanted to make people laugh
- Quilting Lady--to reflect her favorite hobby
- Cherokee Lady--to honor her Indian heritage
- Princess--because she never backed up her truck, she thought she shouldn't have to and she expected to be treated like the special person she was (her words not mine)
- Chatty Cathy--because she like to talk a lot
- Green Eyes--for obvious reasons
- Strictly Business---she didn't want to talk about anything but trucking
- Cat Woman--she had two cats on her truck
- Christian Lady--because she was one
As you can see, people choose handles for many reasons.
My own handle, Lady Godiva, reflects my below-waist-length hair and the nickname was given to me before I got my first CB in '74. It also reflects my willingness to joke and cut up in a nice way on the radio and I have developed a line of patter in response to the obvious questions I get in response to it. That suits my personality. If you like to cut up, then you might want to choose a handle that you can have fun with and that will provoke a mild response. Be prepared though, some teasing will go beyond your limits. Deal with it nicely if possible.
If you choose a handle with a sexual connotation, don't be surprised or offended if you get negative feedback from male drivers. Years ago, I heard a woman driver raising Cain with someone else on the radio. I got her off on another channel and asked her what was up. She said that when a male driver asked her what her handle was, he responded with off-color comments. I asked her what her handle was. She stated that it was Sexy Lady. Go figure!
With the advent of satellite radios and cell phones, and with all the hate and discontent that are on CBs these days, CBs are not like they used to be. Twenty years ago, it was rare to find anyone without a radio on and who was unwilling to talk sensibly about everything from soup to nuts. It seemed that every car had one too. We all talked and kept up on road conditions and bear reports.
CBs are still a useful tool in the trucking industry and can provide hours of enjoyable conversation as you go down the road. Pick a handle that reflects you and your profession as a lady driver in a positive manner.
Written by: Sandy Long
