whew! can you believe it? holy cow! we went with our gut, and it worked out, with the exact partner that we wanted. yeah. absolutely incredible. it couldn't have gone better. we did it! melissa: i think barbara just has the same kind of type of thinking that we do, and she just has that go-get-'em attitude, and i think that we'll just pair really well with her. mm-hmm. they were great negotiators. well, they just do what they wanted. they should have just asked for barbara is what they should have done. that's all right. you know what? they were sharks wearing socks. [ laughter ] i don't know if they were sharks. well said.

confessions. >> if you're getting ready for thanksgiving heading out for cocktails, tonight we have some folks with confessions to make. the secrets of a bartender. how they can easily rip you off. >> i'm going to charge you for a full drink and give you about half a drink. >> they call that holiday cheer? >> this is one of the sneakiest things a bartender can do. >> the deli counter is a haz-mat zone. >> that turkey breast. >> that's a bunch of pieces of turkey meat shoved into a giant condom. >> pulling into the mall parking lot, tonight confessions from a car thief. >> separating the door from the body of the vehicle. >> are you driving the easiest model to steal? do you think you lock your car?

not when the thieves have one of these. >> this is something out of james bond. >> we can't forget about the vet who is confessing. who is wearing the coat of shame. >> i'm saying things that need to be said. >> follow 20/20 undercover pup. a holiday guide like you've never seen. >> announcer: 20/20 true confessions. here now david muir. >> tonight we take you on the inside, a revealing look behind the bar, the back room of the supermarket into the parking lot, a ride along with a car thief. use one of those remote locks, is your car locked after all? debra roberts tells us tonight, don't be so sure. >> reporter: stealing cars is a blast in grand theft auto 5! so fun, the video game made a billion dollars in its first three days on the market. but in real life -- a car is stolen every 43 seconds, close to a million a

year. steve fuller used to do it all the time. so you were pretty good at what you did? >> yes. i've taken a lot of cars. >> reporter: with six convictions for stealing cars. steve says hundreds of other times, he drove off scott free. okay, so let's be clear. you're not stealing anybody's cars today? >> i stole cars because i was on drugs and i needed the money. >> reporter: why are you talking to us about it? >> because i've changed my life. i'd like to make up for some of the damage i did. >> reporter: so tonight steve's going to spill the beans on what thieves know that we don't. starting with the biggest question -- how do they choose which car to steal? >> you're basically shopping! >> yeah, that's the plan! during the day i would shop and at night i would get the presents. >> well, theres lots of nice cars here. >> reporter: and what did he consider a nice car? you might be surprised ♪

>> reporter: in tv shows like "the sopranos," the bad guys always steal the most expensive cars. >> in eastern europe you can sell this car for $110-120 thousand, my price to you, $90 grand." >> reporter: but in the everyday world of real life car theft -- >> you got your toyota over here, you got your nissan truck up here. >> reporter: -- your clunker can be just as attractive. now most people would sort of assume that if it's an older car, you're not interested. >> that's not true. no the older cars are way easier to take. >> reporter: in fact, the top two most stolen cars in 2012? honda civics and accords, going all the way back to the 90s models! on the other hand, three models of mercedes tied for fewest thefts in the u.s. last year. did you almost always score? >> i'd say a good 90% of the time. >> reporter: steve's favorite location? >> see, that's perfect right there. >> a parking garage.

>> apartment complex means one stop shopping. i can find whatever i need in one location. >> reporter: this looks good to you? >> yeah. this is nice secluded dark underground spot. this is a candy shop here. >> reporter: we set up this garage in l.a. for him to demonstrate. with the help of the sheriff's office we brought in three cars. then put cameras on steve so we could see what he sees and sent him off. two cars are locked up tight. but car number one, like many we spotted when driving around has a barely opened window. >> that's money. that's the easiest. >> reporter: it's cracked open maybe an inch, but for steve, that's plenty. >> a window that has enough room for me to stick my fingers in -- let's get this open. -- i can get out of its track by rocking it back and forth. there. it's out of the track. pull just hard enough to get my arm down in there, and reach in and unlock it. >> reporter: bingo! in less than ten seconds.

now for car number two. >> so what i'm going to do is go ahead and use my tow truck lock out kit. >> reporter: what's in a lockout kit? >> basically it's a wedge and an air bladder. slide this air bag in. a few pumps of air. what it's doing is separating the whole door from the body of the vehicle. it's leaving me a gap to put my tool in. let's take this tool, stick it right in here, like this. right down to the lock. now i'm in! >> reporter: and he's inside car number two in less than a minute! now for car number three, his least favorite method. >> i'd break a window. >> reporter: you'd break a window and risk the noise? break it with what? would you believe a smashed spark plug? >> a little piece of porcelain is all it takes, throw the piece of porcelain at the glass. the glass will shatter and it'll stay in one piece. >> reporter: so, it's one thing to get in, but you still don't have the key. >> no. >> reporter: so then what do you

do? sometimes, he doesn't have to do anything. many of us leave keys in obvious places. >> ashtray, the door panel, the center column. >> reporter: so, we think we're being clever. >> you're just making it easy for me. >> reporter: that's how steve started car number one. >> there we go, there's the key. >> reporter: but here's a scary secret, even if you didn't leave a key in the car, the manufacturer may have put one there anyway. it's called a valet key. >> a lot of people are not aware that they have a valet key in their vehicle. >> reporter: there's a spare key in the car? >> yes. >> reporter: and you know it but the owner often doesn't? >> no, they don't. >> reporter: for example in some bmws, that valet key is in the tool kit. for a smart thief, easy pickings, but if he cant find that key -- -- he creates one! >> i'm trying to thin it out a little bit. knock the edges down. >> reporter: steve says a filed key can start a lot of cars. he tried one on car number two. >> i'm jiggling it back and forth in the ignition trying to hit all the tumblers and get them engaged.

its not an exact science. >> reporter: but sometimes you put it in the ignition and boom? >> yeah. >> reporter: you're off and running. and away he goes. steve doesn't steal cars anymore, but was he kind of the classic car thief? >> yeah, absolutely. >> reporter: lt. jeff enfield, runs a auto theft task force in southern california, focusing on thieves like steve used to be. but increasingly, on high tech modern crooks. is it harder and harder to stay ahead of the car thieves. >> oh, absolutely. we know they're working every day to defeat the next device. a device such as this one, that prevents you from locking your car. >> reporter: as the driver gets out he thinks he is automatically locking his car. but lt. enfield blocks the signal with this small transmitter. if this were real, the doors would remain unlocked. so you may want to click two or three times to be sure. >> these car thieves, they are computer hackers as well. they're getting into your vehicle, which is a large computer, and they are able to hack into that system and obtain

key codes and other information. here is one way they do that. >> we plug in the device. >> reporter: this little gadget -- >> we go to the function, program key. >> reporter: first it hacks into your car's computer, then it copies the data to start the car electronically and voila. the thief is on his way! this is like something out of james bond! >> it almost is, isn't it? >> reporter: it's crazy. >> yeah, it is. we learn things every day from these car thieves out there. >> reporter: so what happens to your car after it's been swiped? >> well, if you're lucky it's just been taken on a quick joyride and you'll get it back. but these days the pros are making the biggest bucks shipping hot wheels overseas, never to be seen again. and of course there's the classic chop shop, where stolen cars get stripped down for

parts, where steve used to go. when you would start up a car, and drive off with this stolen car, what was that feeling like? >> unfortunately, at the time it was success. i got what i needed to support my addiction. i'm not thinking about, "yeah woo-hoo!" it's just get the vehicle, go. >> confessions of a car thief tonight. with we come back, secrets of the grocery store revealed, what's underneath that expiration date? >> but first the vet confesses. are they selling you something you don't need? our undercover pup. >> get that dog back in, it's much more profitable. >> announcer: the vet in the dog house. [ male announcer ] mary larson will never forget the fateful morning that deliciously simple made her a believer. she couldn't believe she could pronounce everything in it. ♪ and she couldn't believe her daughter chose pancakes

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>> announcer: 20/20's true confessions continues with confessions of a veterinarian. now gio benitez. ♪

>> reporter: say hello to maeby. this lovable mutt is coming to visit us at abc news headquarters for a very special assignment. hey, welcome to abc. >> thank you. we're excited to be here. >> reporter: we're going to make maeby a star. no, not that kind of star. we're sending this brave 5-year old pooch undercover into a place dogs fear the most -- the veterinary clinic. we wanted to find out if what this man says about the veterinary business is true -- that some vets, out to make a buck, sell unnecessary shots, tests and procedures to unsuspecting pet owners. >> i'm clearly not making friends within the veterinarian industry. but i feel i'm saying things that need to be said that aren't being said. >> reporter: andrew jones worked as a vet for 17 years until he quit the industry after a dispute with his medical board over marketing issues. he's now revealing what he calls

veterinary secrets online. as a young veterinarian in british columbia working at a clinic, jones says he got an early lesson about upselling after telling a pet owner just to monitor a lump on their dog. jones says the clinic owner quickly clued him in on the effectiveness of using the dreaded "c" word. >> the practice owner said, no, that's not how you do it. what you need to do is get that dog back in. >> reporter: and what did he tell that pet owner? >> he said that it might be cancer. and it's usually the "c" word -- pet owners get really concerned. >> reporter: was it cancer? >> no, it was a benign fatty tumor. >> reporter: throughout his career, jones says he discovered a dark reality about some veterinarians in the u.s. and canada, including himself. >> they feel that pressure of, i've got these overhead costs to make, and that's where your judgment gets clouded. >> reporter: jones says under pressure from bosses, he ordered services that were not needed. did you feel that you might get

fired if you didn't do that? >> no question. and, if i didn't meet this certain target, then yeah, my employment was at threat. >> reporter: but jones tells us even when he owned his own clinic, he, at times, continued upselling, admitting to using the teeth-cleaning come-on. >> so for instance, seeing a dog that has a little bit of tartar, then i might say, i think your dog should have a dental cleaning. it's obviously more profitable for the practice. >> reporter: do vets really push unneeded services as jones claims? well, that brings us back to our undercover canine, maeby. we decide to send a healthy dog -- which maeby certainly appears to be -- into vet clinics to see what tests and treatments are recommended. to make sure that maeby is in good shape, her owner, katrina, takes her to this manhattan clinic for a thorough checkup with a well-respected vet. >> hello, sweetie. her teeth are very clean and i can tell that you're paying some attention to keeping her teeth clean. >> reporter: according to dr. rebecca campbell, maeby is completely healthy.

so we send her undercover into vet clinics for a routine exam. most of the places found that maeby is just fine. >> except for a tiny bit of tartar, i think she's good. but check out what we heard during an exam at this clinic in new jersey. >> reporter: the vet takes a quick look at maeby's teeth. >> there's a little bit of tartar buildup back there. and you can't brush it back there. >> reporter: after the owner asks what she should do, the vet recommends an annual teeth cleaning -- for dogs that means going under general anesthesia. >> i mean, she could have a lot worse stuff going on, and i'd never see it unless she was under anesthesia. >> reporter: the clinic later gives us maeby's exam report which indicates she has dental disease. the cost of that recommended teeth cleaning under general anesthesia -- $250. you say dentistry is the up-sell. >> it is the big up-sell. very much, on the mcdonald's equation of, would you like fries with that? >> reporter: the vet later stood by her advice, saying that larger dogs over the age of four can benefit from a cleaning and

risks posed by anesthesia are minimal. for another perspective, we turn to dr. marty becker, one of the country's leading experts in veterinary care. >> i wouldn't recommend the cleaning unless it needed it. if it does not have periodontal disease, there's no use putting it through the risk of anesthesia. >> reporter: because doing things that a dog doesn't need can be dangerous. >> absolutely can be dangerous. >> reporter: another big ticket item on vet bills are vaccination costs. and jones says some vets can be quick when it comes to pushing the shots. every year, pet owners get those reminder cards that their animals are due for a vaccination. but what many vets apparently fail to disclose is that according to the latest guidelines, most of the required vaccines only need to be given once every three years. >> a lot of people are still into giving them every year, but that is not the recommended protocol by the american veterinary medical association. >> reporter: to find out what vets recommend about vaccinations, we bring in

another undercover dog, a five-year old pitbull mix named honey. her owner, alison, says honey's up to date on all of her vaccines. >> reporter: but without even asking about honey's vaccination status, this vet orders up a regimen of shots. >> did you bring the shots in? >> she's getting shots? >> reporter: shots? we remind the vet this is just a checkup. >> oh, okay. i was told annuals. okay. when were we last vaccinated? >> it was two years ago. she had rabies and distemper. >> okay. >> i think she's okay. >> distemper is typically an annual vaccine. >> reporter: but industry guidelines say the vaccine for distemper, a viral disease, is good for three years. the clinic later told us that a vet's individual judgment is just as important. so what else happened with our pretty pitbull, who was checked out as being in good shape?

well, honey also received a finding of dental disease from a clinic and a recommendation for a $300 teeth cleaning under general anesthetic. >> so, you would definitely recommend a dental cleaning? >> definitely recommend it. >> reporter: when we later called the clinic, nobody would answer our questions about the proposed treatment. in the end, both of our undercover dog owners could have incurred hundreds of dollars for potentially unnecessary treatments. jones says what ultimately drives pet owners to pay up is their deep love for their animals. do you think some vets take advantage of pet owners who just really don't know any better? >> of course. because you can. i mean, because you're preying on their emotion. >> reporter: when we asked the industry association about upselling allegations, they said it's up to pet owners to decide whether to follow a vet's recommendation. at the end of the day, jones says the vast majority of vets are ethical and try to do the right thing.

still, he says pet owners need to walk into a clinic with their eyes wide open. >> they're not just going to a veterinarian clinic, they're going to a business. so start to really question stuff that is recommended or advised. and you really can take charge of your own pet's health. >> announcer: next, confessions of a bartender. you ordered it, you paid for it. but what's really in the glass? >> i rip you off with half as much licker you think it's a better drink.

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heading out for holiday cheer, tonight we go behind the bar. that drink you ordered, what's in your glass? only the bartender knows for sure. amy robach with the bartenders serving up confessions tonight. >> reporter: friday night. step into a bar almost anywhere wildness in bar ..and you'll find people looking to unwind . bust loose...and get their drink on. but someone has to run the party. and that someone .is the master of mixology the bartender. because ultimately you're in control. >> yes. >> reporter: you have got the alcohol. >> exactly. >> reporter: and that's what

they want! >> the customer is king in the service business. but you know it's not absolute. whether it's absolute, heineken, or jack daniels, ben molina has poured it all. >> i'm thinking we're doing something fun, something exciting with whiskey. >> there you are customer. thank you sir. thank you, enjoy!! and the bartender and co-owner of cinco in los angeles. poured it all out to us. revealing all the little ways barkeeps can mess with customers they don't like. how do you deal with rude drunk people? >> um there are steps you can take. >> reporter: steps bartenders rather you don't know, such as. the silent treatment. an obnoxious customer might simply get ignored. >> reporter: deliberately not get their next drink? >> oh yeah absolutely. >> reporter: you have that power. you can make em wait. >> yes! >> reporter: the disappearing liquor treatment the next drink might come minus the alcohol. >> it can get nasty when people want their drinks.

>> reporter: and step three? how about the visine treatment! a few drops and an unscrupulous bartender can send you running to the bathroom or home! >> sometimes the visine is a better alternative than a fight! >> reporter: jon taffer is the host of the spike tv show bar rescue. every week he finds another bar with another dirty secret. >> i got your friggen game and i know exactly what you're up to! >> reporter: and here's his sad but true confession. some bars mess with everybody, not just the rowdy drunk. how often have you found bars ripping off the customer? >> you know all too often. >> reporter: he met with us at new york's marquee club to demonstrate how easy it is for a bartender to cheat you. by demonstrating three cocktail cons. the short pour. >> i'm going to charge you for a full drink, and give you about half a drink. >> reporter: and i'm not going to know? >> you won't know it. i'm going to take an ounce of scotch and put it in a shot glass.

i'm going to take about half an ounce and put it in that shot glass. >> reporter: it's less until you add this. pounding crushed ice crushed ice. the key to the con! one of the things you look out for in a bar is crushed ice in the bin. >> reporter: who knew? >> watch what happens. >> look at the difference! >> reporter: it looks almost the same that even looks a little more! >> big ripoff! >> reporter: so you can pour a lot less and make it look the same? >> you got it! if i top this with cola, look how little it takes. so this one i ripped you off with half as much liquor and you think it's a better drink! >> reporter: wow! this is what we call the long pour! >> what you think is the long pour. i give you a look. how are you? that real special look. >> reporter: little twinkle in your eye! >> im going to take care of you right. i put that bottle up. >> reporter: wow. >> long pour. you think you got a lot. you didn't! >> when you lift that arm. you create the illusion of quantity. it's all illusion.

you felt special. and i'm ripping you off! and last but not least. the sneaky pour. >> this is one of the sneakiest things a bartender could ever do. so you're going to see me pour a real lot 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. now that's as much time as 2 and a half ounces of liquor would be. >> reporter: fills the drink with soda and plops in a straw. a nice looking drink, but he's ripped you off, how? >> every liquor bottle has an air hole. when i cover that air hole with my finger, the fluid stops coming out. here is the normal pour, normal. with my finger. >> reporter: he pours a week drink but you're convinced it's strong. because of this. >> and when i take that straw out and i put it in your drink, what's the first sip you're going to get out of that straw? >> reporter: this is a good strong drink. >> straight vodka. >> reporter: and after that you forget that the drink is kind of weak? >> forget it? you're saying jon, great drink! great drink! and you're throwing the tips at me! but taffer says bars don't even

need to know this sleight of hand to con you. >> sometimes people are losing so much money, and they get desperate. >> reporter: they'll do whatever it takes. >> they do. >> reporter: for instance, the oldest trick in the bartending book, pouring cheap stuff into empty bottles of top shelf liquor. or simply watering down the booze. easy to do. very hard to prove. >> i don't think that tastes like tanqueray! >> that tastes cheap. >> reporter: can you really taste the difference if it's mixed in something else? >> i would say probably 90% of the people -- no. >> reporter: have no idea what alcohol they're actually drinking. >> they wouldn't know the difference between a well vodka and a grey goose or you know? >> reporter: back in los angeles, ben's helping us put that to the test we bring in two panels of four volunteers. >> we're going to have a little fun here. >> reporter: ben mixes three vodka and cranberry drinks for each of them. one with grey goose. the other two using a brand no one knows, nikolai! >> this is a bottom of the barrel vodka.

>> reporter: the drinks all look the same. will they taste different? >> go with your instincts and pick which one you think is grey goose all right well let the games begin. >> yeah, they're all great! >> i'm really battling between two of them. >> the grey goose is in glass number one for every person. >> on the count of three, one, two, three, reveal! >> reporter: both times it's the same. three out of four drinkers get it wrong! they would have been easy victims. >> yeah that is kind of unsettling! yeah i would definitely feel ripped off. >> it kind of makes you think why is this alcohol so much more expensive if you can't tell the difference between the two? >> reporter: that's what todd tarczynski wants to know too. he was a regular customer at this tgi friday's in new jersey, his usual drink: what else? grey goose with cranberry juice. >> i'm not usually watching the bartender. simply because i never thought i had to.

>> reporter: but then he heard some wild news. something called operation swill. >> more information is coming out about operation swill. cheaper liquor disguised in top shelf bottles. >> reporter: the new jersey attorney general busted 29 bars all around the state, including that tgi friday's. accusing them of not just serving their customers the wrong booze but even rubbing alcohol! tgi friday's settled, but admitted no wrong doing. >> i was shocked, i was very angry and shocked. >> reporter: todd was so upset. he sued. a class action which his lawyer says could be just the tip of the iceberg. >> it's the epitome of desperation. it's stupidity. >> reporter: bottom line. want a stress free trip to the bar? >> reporter: what is your ultimate advice for people when they walk up to a bar? >> be educated. understand what a pour looks like, how much alcohol you should be getting and the most important way you guarantee good service is leave when you don't get it. a 20/20 contactsed those

restaurants sued in new jersey who told us there was never evidence of a widespread problem, and that the true facts will emerge in court. in the meantime, tonight, what about you? have you ever wondered what's really in the glass? ever think you've been fooled? tweet us. and next right here you have to hear the confessions at the super markets. >> announcer: coming up, we go behind the plastic curtains, what's hiding underneath the expiration sticker? from blade to counter to scale. the secrets of the deli counter revealed. of full-grain napa leather. this is a fully equipped crafted interior. this is dual-pane. this keeps you up to date with everything and everyone. this is nine years that give you 31 miles per gallon, highway, and leds come standard. this is the freedom to keep chasing all the horizons you want. introducing the all-new 2014 jeep cherokee. ♪

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hard to believe, thanksgiving is already next week. many of you will be in the grocery this weekend. tonight with the insiders revealing eye opening supermarket secrets. with thanksgiving and the holiday feasting season firing up, you need to know the lowdown on that weekly pilgrimage to the grocer. think about it, after rent or mortgage it's often your second biggest monthly bill. don't forget your friendly neighborhood grocery store is part of a $600 billion business. and they're always looking to make a few dollars more.

glowsers are counting on to be lazy? >> to do the least amount of work. >> reporter: so we've assembled our own team of grocery insiders to pull back those plastic curtains. >> pete napolitano, aka, produce pete. former store owner maurice nizzardo, aka the supermarket suit. lawyer for the center for science in the public interest, sarah klein, aka the clean queen. and our former cashier victor pizzaro, aka the cranky cashier. now before you even begin shopping, understand grocery shopping is a mind game. >> the grocer wants you in the store. they wanna sell you what. they wanna sell you. they want you to come on the day they want you to come on. everybody wants to shop on a saturday. so the grocer will make specials effective monday and tuesday. >> reporter: it's a retail seduction? >> it's a retail seduction. >> reporter: what's the first thing you grab walking in? well there's something you

should know about those carts. >> grocery store carts are germy. infested with whatever little bacteria anybody else who's passed through the grocery store that day is carrying. >> reporter: she's not exaggerating. in fact a 2011 study found 72% of the carts they swabbed in four different states tested positive for fecal bacteria. yeesh. >> wipe off that handle with an antibacterial wipe. >> reporter: when it comes to picking produce, pay heed to the pete's words of wisdom. about pineapples. >> you want the break in color. >> when you say "break in color," what does that mean? >> you see how it goes green and see how this -- it's startin' to break, the color is startin' to break. >> reporter: buying berries? ever wonder what those colored pads on the bottom of the container are for? there's a secret behind them. >> you see this pad here? if it starts to go bad, that's gonna stain up. so you know that the raspberries are going to go bad. >> reporter: and pete says grocers gusy up the veggies with the spritzer hoses, but it's all for show. >> the water on the produce is for one reason and one reason only.

it makes it look better. but water starts to -- the -- the deterioration process. >> reporter: so remember, dry your wet produce. >> so when you get it home, you're gonna shake it really good, shake it good. >> reporter: pete's old school. >> i don't even wash it when i eat it. >> reporter: which might horrify our germ-tracker, sarah. >> almost 50 million americans get sick from foodborne illness every year. >> reporter: the food marketing institute sent us a statement saying in part that grocer's are in business to serve their customers by providing safe, nutritious, affordable food and food safety is the number-one priority for supermarkets. but sometimes your produce can be a little too fresh. one woman claims she found, no joke, killer spiders from brazil in a bunch of bananas she bought at her grocer. an extreme case, but did you know nonlethal insect parts are perfectly legal in our groceries? >> the food and drug administration. allows a certain amount of insects and even rodent hairs in a lot of our food. although it's unpleasant, it's not likely to be unsafe.

>> reporter: some rodent hair might be allowed, but make sure your store has a handle on any feasting pests even though they may try to hide the evidence. >> people of the store were actually, like, "we need to set up mousetraps behind aisles and in between shelves, cause there's, obviously, an issue. >> that's not good for business. >> it's really not. so, like, they'd try to hide it, and it -- >> reporter: it might not just be mice according to vick. >> so i pull the cart and i hear a noise. and then i look down. and there's -- i want to say a roach, like, this big, now the deli is a popular stop off for shopper, and sometimes bacteria >> the deli counter is really kind of a hazmat zone in -- grocery stores. and that's because listeria, which is one of our kind of hardiest and most dangerous bacteria can live on plastic and metal. >> reporter: from the blade, to the counter, to the scale it can be a walk down listeria lane. no wonder pregnant women are advised to steer clear of some deli items.

in fact, it's such a concern, that in may the usda and fda released a report outlining ways delis can reduce the risk of listeria contamination. so sarah says watch out for a dirty deli. >> even prepackaged meat can have listeria, but it's probably the safer choice, one of the most important things you can do with deli meat, no matter where you're getting it from, is use it or toss it within three days. and here's a fun fact, sarah says not all those hunks of ground or boneless turkey are from one animal. >> it's called a chub. that's not the shape of an animal in real life. that's a bunch of -- of pieces of turkey meat that have been shoved into, essentially, a giant condom. >> reporter: all our insiders say, look for deals in the store. >> the manufacturers pay to have their items at eye level. >> if we go away from the eye level, we're actually maybe lookin' for some bargains? >> yes. that's true. >> reporter: but look closely.

this ain't four star dining. >> what should consumers know about markdown items? >> those are usually, like, the things that are closest to the expiration kind of like the island of misfit toys type thing. >> reporter: and sometimes the products could have been mishandled. grocery store gross outs are a youtube favorite. you just never know if someone's going to take a sledgehammer for instance, to your poultry. now, you might think you're being super savvy by inspecting expiration dates, but guess what? they mean jack squat in most of the country. the fda doesn't even require date labeling, 9 states don't even ask for them. and 30 states allow food sold past the original used by date. so your grocer might be legally allowed to put new dates on expired items beef brisket good to september 19th? eh, make that september 30th. chicken use by june second, on second thought, june 10th. >> they say "guaranteed fresh." but how good is that promise? >> reporter: now most grocery stores do a

great job of keeping things clean and taking care of their customers, but just make sure you keep your eyes open, or you might come home with something you never intended to buy. >> announcer: next, what do those big rig truckers know that we don't? >> if the driver is not actually looking for you, he's going to push you off the road. >> announcer: take a look behind the wheel and find out what happens at those truck stops after dark. of jewelry here.ared ta yes, i'm a jewelry store. and yes, i'm talking to you. mike here needs a necklace. but not just any necklace. he needs a "honey, i love you even more than the day we got married" necklace. well, i don't want to brag, but my selection is larger than ordinary jewelry stores, with truly unique pieces you won't find just anywhere. making it easy for mike to find the necklace that tells his wife exactly how he feels. there. that's why he went to jared.

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>> announcer: 20/20's true confessions continues now with confessions of a trucker. here's jim avila. >> reporter: they are imposing and nameless. road warriors barreling down the highway. 18 wheels of thundering mastodon in our rearview mirror.

>> i think the general public might look at us and think that we are kind of dirty, uneducated. >> reporter: but surprise. in today's economy, you're just as likely to find guys like loren west behind the wheel of a big rig. >> that's going to be burned off in a day and a half. >> reporter: a 46-year-old college graduate, he let us ride along in his flatbed, vividly labeled a "skateboard" in trucker slang, and spilled secrets from life on the road. >> this trip is going to be from cloquet, minnesota, to pearland, texas. 23 hours. 1,400 miles. should be able to do it in less than 2 1/2 days. >> reporter: but first - his check under the hood. securing his 43,000 pounds of ceiling tile. and inspecting all of his 18 tires. the danger, shredded tire debris, known as "alligators," can send a car swerving, and unsecured cargo can become a viscious

projectile, like this wooden plank. but trucking is one of the deadliest jobs because we're just as big a danger to them as they are to us. aggressive, hyperactive cars. truckers call them "bunny hoppers." >> that was a close one. two vehicles in a row took a chance and cut in front of a big truck. >> get away from my truck. get away from my truck. >> reporter: and take a look at what can happen when one vehicle does cut in front of the other. >> don't move or i'm going to choke you out. >> reporter: the rage can spill out of the cab and onto the road. the burly car driver got in the most slugs, but the truck driver was taken away in cuffs for allegedly throwing a bottle at the car. >> come on, lady. just cut me off. >> reporter: unexpected hazards are a part of the job. >> if there's a sharp turn in the road or something like that, yeah, you're getting cut off. sorry.

>> reporter: brian morris is a 30-year veteran of the road. joking aside, he confesses the fear of accidents looms large in a trucker's mind. so what have these guys learned? here now, the truck driver's top tips to avoid becoming roadkill. first of all, not everyone can hold a line like these two stunt drivers in a new volvo truck commercial, with jean claude van damme's manhood at their mercy. many truckers on the road are newcomers. beware of the "rookie rock." >> because they'll be going down the road, and they'll be wiggling. >> reporter: don't forget bad weather can exaggerate the slightest of mistakes. and rain can quickly blind a driver. >> it's actually more dangerous to drive in the rain than it is the snow and the ice because of the mist that comes off the tractor trailer. >> reporter: and always maintain eye contact. even if it's a reflective gaze. >> when you're passing a truck and you look at that mirror, if you can't see that driver, that means he can't see you. if the driver is not actually looking for you, he's going to

push you off the road. >> reporter: yes, there's no highway terror quite like a truck wreck, whether it's jacknifing, smashing into an overpass or deadly pileups. in fact, truck fatalities have increased for three consecutive years. that's why most drivers have a big brother-type computer on board monitoring their every move. >> you have 11 hours and 0 minutes of remaining drive time. >> there's no room for cheating. >> reporter: but truckers can be innovative. just two weeks ago, investigators released video of this trucker allegedly using his wallet to block the company's dash cam. he seems to be cruising facebook on his phone. it does not end well. the distracted driver plows into parked police and fire vehicles. so how does a trucker safely avoid boredom for 11 hours behind the wheel?

the best source of entertainment may be right out the window. truckers confess it's the great view they have of you. >> i have seen everything from intercourse to completely naked drivers getting dressed. cb is the worst thing. they'll be saying. "hey, there's a really good looking girl, and we got a low cut top. i'm sorry, honey. i didn't -- i don't look. >> reporter: when the driving day is done, truckers often pull into a full-service truck stop for the night. the ritz it is not. and the cuisine? >> perfect. smell that? took me three minutes to cook. three minutes to eat. >> reporter: no home cooking, but plenty of homesickness. >> call home. >> reporter: loren only spends a handful of nights a month at home. >> did you get your homework done? tell peetey and jack i love them. all right, bye. >> reporter: loren spends his downtime alone, while some bring

their own four-legged friends. but for others, when the loneliness hurts too bad, there are options for paid companionship truckers label "lot lizards." ladies of the night. >> you've been away from your wife for two or three months on the road. we're here to provide whatever these truck drivers need. >> oh, yeah. i have been propositioned a lot beep-beep. first of all, i would never do that to my wife. second of all, i don't want something that i can't get rid of either. >> reporter: loren wakes up with a clean conscience the next morning. >> get up, run a baby wipe over my face. >> reporter: the luxury of a hot shower can cost ten bucks, so most truckers just skip it. >> ready to go. >> the longest i have been was four days without a shower. >> reporter: no, there's not much glamor to trucking. and they are only paid when the tires are moving, so with all that down time away from home

factored in, their hourly wages add up to as little as five bucks -- for a critical job. loren finally makes it safely to texas and unloads his cargo. >> this is the hardest part. >> reporter: with his load finished, loren is looking forward to the long ride home and spending nights with family. >> once i'm done, get cleaned up, get something to eat, head on down the road, it's worth it. ♪ ♪ ♪

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breaking news in los angeles. hundreds of passengers at l.a.x. rush out of a terminal. >> next, the latest on why

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