You couldn't be more right. Having been stationed in north Florida for the last few years rigs like this are a daily sight, sadly. If you want to be one of the cool guys though you will usually need a diesel with enough mods to roll some coal though. Massive amounts of lift, gigantic rims and some VERY expensive mud tires that will never see anything more than a speed bump.
Different parts of the country do their own weird things to trucks for whatever reason. When I was stationed in San Diego everyone seemed to have their truck set up like a pre runner, with the front lifted a few inches higher than the back.