Teach Your Kids the "Arm Pump"

they still do

Only seen it a handful of times in 8 years and its the best part of truck driving.

Some of the large utility trucks where I work have air horns, and I recently got a new digger derrick that has one that is extremely loud but has a beautiful tone. It also has the weakest sounding standard horn of any vehicle I have ever heard. So the other day one of my lineman was off for the day and I drove the digger out to the site. as I was leaving a stop sign, I noticed three young boys standing on the sidewalk doing the arm pump. I did a quick check to make sure I wouldn't scare anyone, all was clear so I tap tap tapped the center of the steering wheel and gave them a toot toot toot. They all looked at me with disappointment on their faces. Then I yanked the cord and let my air horn sing. They all about jumped out of their skins. They were giving me the thumbs up and jumping up and down , high fiving each other. It made me feel pretty good too.

My kids still do it.

I'll have to make sure my kid teaches my grandkids how the arm pump is done ha ha the problem is darkened windows in the back where the kids sit .

If a log truck, several a day, rolls through the mill yard and does not yank the cord. My grown men do the arm pump! It's a a safety thing. I have long lines of sorted timber with men and lifts running every where. All crew knows to watch for the big trucks creeping through. I am amazed the pride the operators have in their horns. Some as loud as train horns!

My kids still do it and the youngest are 15-16. I still do it and I'm 53. I was driving a straight truck many moons ago and a young Amish boy was riding bare back on a big old Belgium while his Dad was working the field behind. The young fella started the arm pump and I let her rip. I will never forget the smile on that kids face. After the fact I was just glad it didn't spook the horse.

My boys do it every trip! I never dreamed truckers appreciated it. Always thought they were bothered by it. I know I am when it surprises me and I jump. I think that's the boys' goal, to scare dad!

Who doesn't like making a kid jump up and down wave and smile?

This makes my day

Know a guy that drove a bull hauler with a train horn on it. Said he was sitting at a light and a couple of kids were giving him the arm pump so he gave them what they wanted. Said he never gave a thought to where he was sitting until several cars blew through the light. Was sitting at a RR crossing
Said he considered where he was before he blew that horn the next time.

When we were kids we arm pumped every big truck we could, never gave a thought that the drivers enjoyed it just as much as we did

My daughter does it! She wad bummed last week because he waved and didn't blow his horn

I got one last week. Loved it!! Years ago had an old Ford grain truck with a 375 gas industrial no horn, but I could make her backfire like you can’t believe on call. I blew a kid off his bike literally. One reason you don’t see the arm pump is kids just outside a whole lot anymore.

I just wave if im in traffic or something. You can see disappointment on the kids face but sometimes its just not safe

This became a thing this summer. Kids on the playground have always done it but this year there were vehicles full of teenage kids doing it. It was nothing to see them at an intersection waiting on a light to have arms out every window doing the “pull the cord.” Crazy. I thought it must be some kind of game to see how many they could get. lol

I worked out on the road paving for 12 years and grew up around trucks and I had forgotten about that. I will have to get my 9 year old started. It's funny how life can get so busy we forget the little things in life that were so big when we were little.

My kids do it all the time but truckers aren't looking for it anymore

Got my butt chewed driving in parade all kids arm pumping. I'd blow horn on fire truck for them. Idiot Chief couldn't walk behind truck with rest guys had walk in front. I Didn't stop when got stink eye from him chicken chit made captain come to truck window tell me had stop.

Mac