‘7 deadly lot lizards’ infographic raises image questions

A satirical infographic detailing the so-called “7 Deadly Lot Lizards” from the folks at Trucker to Trucker.com has me pondering the dynamics that make just this sort of thing possible.

I won’t repost it here, but you can take a look at it on their site (or click through the truncated thumbnail at right). Among the “lizards” identified are the CB Chameleon, who “prefers to do business from afar,” and the Knocking Skink (pictured), whom the graphic proclaims the “most weathered species of lot lizard.”

A lot has changed in recent years relative to drivers’ involvement in combating child prostitution and human trafficking writ large with efforts like those of the Truckers Against Trafficking organization. The Trucker to Trucker.com blogger acknowledged such in the introduction to the infographic, a call for promotion of a better image for the American truck driver: “Many of these women (and men) who venture around the lots are victims of abuse, drug addicts, abducted minors forced against their will, or runaways wanting to make a ‘trade’ for money to buy something to eat; most actually need help to escape a bad situation. There will always be lot lizards … but the promotion of the up-side of the industry, along with greater efforts to create a more positive image of the typical truck driver, is the only way we all can … reverse this raw deal we combat daily.”

I don’t know about you, but to my mind turning people in caricatured reptiles for a laugh might not reflect so well as those doing the laughing. Thoughts?