The slang itself is not only cyclical, but also geographical. Through time, certain terms are added or dropped as attitudes toward it change. For example, in the early days of the CB radio, the term "Good Buddy" was widely used. However, at some point, it became associated only with a subset of male prostitutes (lot lizards) who would advertise via the CB radio (usually at truck stops) and using the term became an insult to other drivers, or radio operators.[2]
Nicknames given or adopted by CB radio users are known as 'Handles'.[2][3] Although this practice is all but dead, many truck drivers will call each other 'Hand',[4] or by the name of the company they are driving for.[citation needed]
CB and its distinctive language started in the USA but was then exported to other countries including Mexico, Germany and Canada. In the French-speaking region of Canada, the cultural chauvinism associated with the French language generated conflict and adaptation of the new loan words.[5]
Contents
Popular terms
Law enforcement officers and their equipment
- "Checkpoint Charlie"
- a police checkpoint placed to look for drunk drivers, etc. (alludes to the former border crossing between East and West Berlin)
- "Evel Knievel"
- a police officer on a motorcycle (refers to the popular motorcycle stuntman)
- "Gum ball machine" / "bubble gum machine"
- a state police patrol car or other police cruiser (refers to the older-style, dome-shaped red rotating/strobe light commonly mounted on the roof of state police cars, which resembles a traditional "penny" gumball machine)
- "Miss Piggy"
- a female law enforcement officer (refers to the muppet character, derived from the pejorative term "pig" for police officers)
- "Mama Bear"
- a less derogatory term for a female law enforcement officer.
- "Bear in the Air"
- A police aircraft in flight.
- "Smokey" or "Bear"
- a police officer (refers to Smokey Bear, known for wearing a campaign hat very similar to that included in many highway patrol uniforms in the United States)
- "Bear Trap"
- a police checkpoint, similar to the "Checkpoint Charlie", but concealed.wiki link