How do you deal with jerks while towing?

3oaks wrote:
I don't think the situation the OP describes is unique to the Chicago area or the state of Illinois.

However, we travel I-80 east and west just south of Chicago at least two times a year while towing our TT. Heavy traffic for sure but really not un-nerving. We pick a lane, usually the second from the right, to avoid entering and exiting vehicles. I hold my speed steady and try to leave a gap between myself and the vehicle in front of me for safety. When another vehicle cuts in front and fills that gap (which happens quite often), I just drop back a bit to reopen that gap for a safety margin. The worse thing to do is have the attitude of "If I can't beat them, I may as well join them".

If convenient, I will try to follow a commercial semi-truck and stick with him/her all the way through the congested area. That is as long as the semi is not traveling over the speed limit or faster than I care to drive.

We have learned over the years to watch for certain landmarks as to when our exit lanes will be coming up and make our moves over to the proper exit lanes.

Transporting TT/fifth wheels from Indiana through Illinois, Wisconsin, North Dakota is a lot of fun! Not a fan of NASCAR but I see lots of drafting, ppl cutting across 4 or 5 lanes of traffic to make an exit, so called professional OTR drivers cruising I80, 90, 94, 39 doing their log books, women painting their toe nails, guys reading newspapers, shaving... goes on and on what some do behind the wheel while "flying down the freeways". Its like that right from when I get off I20 onto 94/80 from Southbend, IN through to Illinois, then through Wisconsin (even worse when the Packers are playing at home), doesn't let up till I'm well west of Fargo, ND. And it really doesn't matter what time of the day or night or what day of the week! Portland, OR and Spokane, WA are just as bad as well. All this makes me feel alive!! :W