Ah the Golden Rule, also known as the ethic of reciprocity.

Most of us strive to abide by it, but at some time or another, we're all guilty of breaking it.

“

It is fun to get to know your guys and get to have that personal basis with each one of them and be able to rag on them a little bit. If I fall out of the seat or something, they will certainly let me know about it. They hang a lug or two ... I let them know about it.

”

-- CLINT BOWYER

The only thing that can set us apart as individuals is just how often we break the aforementioned rule which clearly states: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It's a rule that can also be interpreted as "don't scream, curse and name call because you yourself probably don't like to be called an idiot or told you couldn't find your backside with a map and two hands."

That's the Golden Rule in NASCAR speak and where particular drivers are concerned the Golden Rule at times seems to be more bronze in color, a bit tarnished even and sometimes down right brown.

The verbal lashings hurled at over-the-wall crewmembers by some of the Cup Series' most well-intentioned competitors can make the tallest man feel tiny and searching for the nearest pit box to hide beneath.

And there's no need to list the offenders, the fans are fully aware of who serves up oral punishments -- they listen to team traffic on their scanners and occasionally it is replayed during the live broadcasts.

How awful the crew must feel and how difficult it must be to perform under such harsh working conditions. Sound like a bunch of malarkey? If you can't take the heat, get out off the wall, right? Not the case.

Some drivers -- while not 100 percent innocent, 100 percent of the time -- pay extra attention to how they treat or mistreat their team's over-the-wall crewmen. Now, that doesn't include their crew chief, that's a different ball game entirely.

Strictly speaking about tire changers and specialists, the jack and gas men, spotters, car chiefs, etc., how you build those relationships does matter. The reciprocity makes a difference on the race track, according to most teams and drivers polled throughout the garage. (Continued)