Every trucker strike has been violent.  Usually this is driver against driver with steer tires shot out by rifles and blocks thrown through the windshields of passing trucks that are not participating in the strike.  The cause of this is drivers who think a strike is a vacation for them to stay home and react violently against those who do not share their views.  French truckers have, after shutting their country down three times, discovered effective non-violent methods of protest.  

English truckers and other foreigners reacted violently against the French truckers when they were prevented from driving home, but the protesters themselves managed to keep violence to a minimum using the following methods:

First:  they did not interfere with cars.  they left ample room for cars to get through the roadblocks.

Second:  They made all the trucks stop in order to talk to the drivers personally rather than threatening them with violence.

Using trucks as barricades or roadblocks to stop trucks in the United States will be far more dangerous than in France.  The crash absorbent rear bumpers and side under ride guards that are required by law in Europe are illegal in the US because of overweight laws.  French motorists must pass a driving test before driving a car.  In the US, drivers licenses are handed out like casinos deal playing cards.  Motorists will crash into trees, telephone poles, each other, and even parked trucks.

A truckers protest would be unethical if it did not save more lives than it cost.  800 to 1,000 people die each week in car crashes.  If more than 1,000 killed themselves during a week long protest, the protest would have to be called off because it did not save any lives.  The protest method must save lives.

Because crash absorbent rear bumpers and under ride protection is illegal in the United States, the trucks that block the road will need to be parked at an angle beginning on the shoulder and angling toward the center.  There must be a lane open for cars to pass through.  In order to prevent collision damage to tractors, trailers should be dropped.  At night a truck should be parked behind the roadblock to illuminate it with headlights.  Reflective triangles should be arrayed in a legal fashion (the diagram is not to scale).  A third trailer should be parked on the opposite side of  the road from the angled trailers so that at their narrowest point they are 11 feet apart.  This will allow plenty of room for cars and smaller trucks to go through, but stop big trucks—which would lose their mirrors if they tried going through at speed.  There should be only inches to spare on either side of the mirrors when a truck tries to go through.  When the truck slows down, a picket sign tilted in front of it will persuade the driver inside to stop.  Protesters can then climb up and talk to the driver and direct him where to park.  It would be polite to offer him coffee.  Trucks should be parked in front of the roadblock in triple file line (or 4 or 5 lines if it is a 3 or 4 lane highway) and the protest meeting should take place in the grassy median.

Protests of this type are only legal for the purpose of holding political meetings.  All participants must be outside their trucks holding a political discussion.  If the discussion stops or changes to a topic other than politics or if there is violence, the protest must end.  If the police attempt to enforce unconstitutional laws and arrest participants, it will be important to prove with video and other testimony that the meeting was political in order for the charges to be dropped.  Participants must also maintain in court that blocking the roads was the only available method to assemble all truckers on the road together to hold a discussion as there is no other way to communicate the time and place of the meeting to all truckers.  The high turnover rate in the industry creates large numbers of new and unqualified drivers who must be informed of safe driving methods.  Safe driving techniques not generally taught in truck driving schools should be discussed so that judges and juries can easily understand the importance of the meeting.  Truck drivers that do not want to participate should be allowed to proceed to the next roadblock.  The police will shoot video to try to prove that the discussion was not political.  If the police use helicopters or other noise-makers that interfere with the discussion, they can be asked to leave.  Reporters and journalists should be invited to participate.

The ideal place for the meeting is at a major highway intersection so that the largest number of truckers coming from all directions can participate in the meetings.  Once the number of participants exceeds 100 trucks, it will be difficult for police to stop the meeting.  The most convenient place to hold a meeting is at a construction zone as construction workers can also participate.   The technique for holding meetings on two way roads is the same except and additional truck is needed to shine headlights on the roadblock at night and additional picketers are needed to direct traffic.