Social Networking vs. CB Radio

I am hitting the road later today traveling to Toronto for RecruitFest, meeting with the great folks at Rypple, then on to Ottawa to visit my friends at Halogen Software (and do a live HR Happy Hour show).

I am driving so there will be lots of time in the car, and that pretty much means lots of time 'off the grid' and disconnected from social media and networks.

Too bad I don't have my old CB Radio.I could do some 'old-school' social networking in the car.

For those who don't remember CB's check out the lengthy article on Wiikipedia.

CB Radio culture was celebrated in movies, television, and music.

In many ways the CB Radio was the early form of technology-enabled social networking.  The band served many of the same purposes that social networks like Twitter do today, news, ('the bridge is out on I-77'), inside information, ('Kojak with a Kodak on US46'), and pure socializing, ('Breaker one-two, this is Greasemonkey, anyone have their ears on, come back?').

But are today's social networks, like Facebook and Twitter superior to the classic CB Radio? 

The Tale of the Tape:

Feature	Social Networks	CB Radio	Advantage
Primary users	Pretty much everyone	Long haul truckers	CB Radio
Iconic figures	Robert Scoble, Ev, Jack	Betty Ford, Jackie Gleason	CB Radio
Star power	Hammer, Ashton Kutcher	Burt Reynolds	Push
Theme song	'United Breaks Guitars'	'Convoy'	Social Networks
Business Benefits	Connect with customers, prospects, candidates	Find cheap gas	Social Networks
Signature vehicles	Mini Cooper, Smart Car	Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am, Kenworth 18 Wheeler	CB Radio
'Anti-social' features	Multi-level-marketing	Disregard for traffic regulations	CB Radio
Networks fostered by	Friending, The 'ReTweet', 'Follow Friday'	Keeping each other out of jail, Truck Stop parties	CB Radio
Signal the end was near	Grandma is on Facebook	Cell phone technology	Social Networks

Well, it is clear- CB Radio tops Social Networks!

Time to figure out a new handle, I hope it doesn't wreck my personal brand.

Thanks to Jerry Albright for the original idea to write this post.

Comments

[Debbie brown]

Steve- your post reminds me of Spring break in Fort Lauderdale when I was with a car full of girl friends having to get to the airport and the taxi never came- we hitched a ride with a guy with a CB radio-
He was nice enough to give us a ride- the clock was ticking and we found out no one in car knew where the airport was-
SO, he got on the CB- and started calling for HELP and DIRECTIONS. Not a lot of success- until finally a breaker came in and seemed like he was going to assist- he got on and told us to 1) pull over 2) look up in the sky and 3) Follow the planes!
We would call that a #fail, right? So my vote, based on this one experience is Social Networking- experience is people are more helpful FOR SURE!!! fun post! Debbie

[adowling]

I remember riding with my step dad, once, in his car hauler way back when and he had CB radio. That was the strangest thing to me, mind you I was probably five or six at the time. It still makes me chuckle to hear someone say "10-4 good buddy". He has a great story about speeding down I-59 near Birmingham and a cop chasing him, he used his CB to get a few truckers to help block the road. Now, how true that is I dont know but I choose to believe it because it sounds cool.

I do take offense to CB getting the better car. The Mini is way cooler than some busted transam (see what I did there with the caps) :)

[Steve]

@Debbie - Thanks for that story - 'follow the planes' sounds like decent advice,unless they were taking off and not landing!

@April - I still think the TransAm is cooler! If I need to outrun the smokey's, I want the V8!

[Sean Conrad]

Business benefit for CB is really avoiding speeding tickets!

[Steve]

Thanks Sean, that is definitely a business benefit!

[HRJEFE]

Great post. This made me smile and I could here the song Convoy in my head (and a good looking Burt Reynolds too!). My best friends brother had a CB and we used to get on there and cause trouble. I know I had a handle (user name for you non CB'ers) but cannot remember what it was - which is probably a good thing.

My vote is for Social Networks and of course the MINI. The two best ways to make friends easily!

[Steve]

Thanks HRJEFE - That Convoy song had a way of getting in your head for sure! You are right about those Minis, the folks who drive them definitely seem to be very friendly. Thanks for reading!