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Big Trucks
by Camaion Vaytoi
http://www.ruatruck.com
Many people say the are confused the phenomena of Monster
Trucks - they do not understand it! But trucks are fairly
fundamental to the history of America.
Trucks were not born in the US. In the final decades of the
19th century America was not the undisputed world economic
leader it is today. That prize was disputed between the
German and British Empires, and it was the Germans that
made the first trucks.
To begin with (say in 1895) you would have seen two
competing trucks - one petrol driven and the other steam
driven! Oh yes, there were plenty of trucks putting around
the world with coal in their bellies! In fact they were
popular and did not die out until just before World War
Two.
However, the first diesel driven truck was put out by Mr
Benz of Mercedes Benz back in 1924. Diesel tended to be
more economical as the trucks did not use as much and
importantly, it didn't harm the motor in the long term.
Throughout World War II the US used Jeeps and four wheel
drive trucks that were built in the US and these functioned
very well. This marked a change in the world of the large
trucks with the US on route to domination.
It was not until the 1950s that the tilting trucks appeared
and the role of the big truck was ensured. With this truck
essential goods could be moved countrywide. Since then
these monster trucks have become icons, and featured in
both movies and songs.
The home market for trucks has changed a lot in recent
decades. Pickups remain popular but have become more
powerful, speedier and with all the comforts of the sedan.
Moreover the sedan itself has grown, approaching truck
size, and maybe overtaking truck size in some cases!
So big are some of the truck based family motors that they
are used to draw political battle lines. Vehicles have
often had this effect - once upon a time the difference
between a city slicker and someone from hicksville was the
pickup truck. These days there are arguments between those
with massive family cars for driving their kids to school
and those who want to see cars getting smaller and using
less fuel.
But in the minds of many, the USA will always be associated
with big cars more than any other country. It also
explains why there is always a huge crows watching the
proud owners of these huge vehicles strut their stuff at
the Monster Truck racing venue.
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