This ever happen to you?

[Road_Phantom]

We stay primarily in the right lane when traveling. There have been times when tractor trailers cut in front of me so close I have to slow down. I have also been pushed over into another lane at no real gain to the trucks. They get lane crazy to gain just a few feet of open road. I do my best to stay out of their way. I don't park in truck stops or rest areas so as to avoid them.
My neighbor told me about a car pulling a trailer behind it that got caught between two tractor trailers. They went around on both sides and closed the gap as they passed, causing a vacuum that sent the car into a fishtail, knocking them over onto it's side.

[turbojimmy]

I hang in the right lane and do the speed limit when I can. My old Allegro was manufactured when the double-nickels was the nationwide limit. As a result, it doesn't really like to go much faster than that.

I've found truckers to be mostly courteous. I'm actually relieved when I find one traveling at or near the speed limit so I can tuck in behind them. I'll pass them on hills and they'll pass me going down. Never had any trouble. When they cut in too close the wind does upset the rig a bit so I slow down to widen the gap. I don't really see it as an aggressive move on their part.

[CharlesinGA]

profdant139 wrote:
one strange texan, it turns out that some of those cars are really in a road race! At least in Southern Calif., young guys in souped-up hot rods (can you tell I am really old?) sometimes engage in actual races on the freeways. I don't know if money is involved, or if it is just bragging rights. But they meet up on social media, arrange a starting and ending point, and they're off, zooming through traffic at 90 to 100 mph.

I am not making this up -- I have seen it many times with my own eyes, and law enforcement is well aware of this phenomenon. I could be wrong, but some of this was inspired by the Fast and Furious series of movies. (I did not see those films, so I may have my facts wrong.)

I hope this "sport" will not spread to other parts of the country.

You can see them coming in your rear view mirror. When I do see them, I slow down a little to leave a gap for them to get through, so that they do not clip my front fenders as they whiz across the lanes of the freeway.

Usually, there are just two cars involved. Sometimes three or four. They look like they are playing tag, but it's a race. They will zig zag across three or four lanes of traffic at a time.

Very common in Atlanta. But it is motorcycles, crotch rockets specifically, running well over 100 mph weaving thru the traffic. Generally groups of anywhere from 5 to 15 bikes.

Charles

[profdant139]

After posting that, I was curious to see if there were videos of this kind of behavior.
Yes, there are. Here is an example of exactly what I am talking about -- fast forward to 40 seconds from the beginning. And imagine that you are one of the good guys, watching these idiots come up from behind at high speed -- that is what often happens on the LA freeway system, especially late at night:

How the bad guys drive

[profdant139]

one strange texan, it turns out that some of those cars are really in a road race! At least in Southern Calif., young guys in souped-up hot rods (can you tell I am really old?) sometimes engage in actual races on the freeways. I don't know if money is involved, or if it is just bragging rights. But they meet up on social media, arrange a starting and ending point, and they're off, zooming through traffic at 90 to 100 mph.

I am not making this up -- I have seen it many times with my own eyes, and law enforcement is well aware of this phenomenon. I could be wrong, but some of this was inspired by the Fast and Furious series of movies. (I did not see those films, so I may have my facts wrong.)

I hope this "sport" will not spread to other parts of the country.

You can see them coming in your rear view mirror. When I do see them, I slow down a little to leave a gap for them to get through, so that they do not clip my front fenders as they whiz across the lanes of the freeway.

Usually, there are just two cars involved. Sometimes three or four. They look like they are playing tag, but it's a race. They will zig zag across three or four lanes of traffic at a time.

[one_strange_tex]

I worked for a very safety-conscious company. On-the-job automobile accidents invariably were our worst safety statistic even though we handled and produced many hazardous compounds. We started being required to have automobile safety training annually.

One of the things stressed frequently was to be aware where the blind spots for 18-wheelers are and to not linger in them on the highway. Speed up or slow down to move up or back, but don't stay in them if you are matched in speed. They exist on both left and right side of the rigs. Look ahead on the road for traffic situations that may cause the truck driver to have to make a sudden move to avoid potential collisions.

I agree with what some others have said. I observe many more dangerous drivers in cars, especially tailgating, speeding and veering through heavy traffic on congested freeways like they are in a road race.

Most truck drivers are very competent, courteous and safety conscious. I do observe tailgating and unsafe high speeds with a few of them. I think that small minority is what sticks out in many people's memory.

[azdryheat]

My close calls come from cars not truckers.

[suprz]

As unpopular as it may be, if i can maintain the speed limit, and there is more than 2 lanes, i will be in the middle lane. That way i don't have to deal with the merging traffic, or the idiot that wants to go 100mph. On a 2 lane road, i will just leave more room for merging traffic etc...

[profdant139]

Gosh, I have had just the opposite experience with truckers -- they are professional drivers whose lives and livelihoods depend on caution and skill. Yes, once in a while we encounter a bad apple, usually on the southern Calif freeway system (which is enough to make anyone crazy).

When we do encounter an aggressive trucker, we call the phone number on the door of the truck (or else go to their website) to report them. The dispatchers are almost always appreciative of our comments and they say that they will take action. Who knows if they do? But it is in the company's best interests to weed out the bad guys. So if there are enough complaints about a specific driver, my guess is that they are out of a job.

But I have learned a lot about towing by watching truckers with big semi trailers -- the way they anticipate trouble, the way they drive defensively, keeping a big cushion between themselves and the vehicle ahead, the way they position themselves in advance of an upcoming merge or transition, the way they tap their brakes early to communicate with the vehicles behind them, etc. Very savvy folks, for the most part.

Whenever possible, I slow down to let them move over, giving them a quick flash of my high beams as a signal. It is gratifying when they acknowledge courtesy by turning their lights off/on/off/on, causing their rear lights to blink.

[ScottG]

Tyler0215 wrote:
I was a trucker for 31 years.
I go by the 10% law.
10% of any group are a@@s, regardless if they are trucker or RV'ers, doctors or whatever.
90% go about their business in a quiet, calm deliberate way, and no one notices. But the 10% get all the attention. EVERYONE has seen someone doing something stupid or dangerous at one time or another. Learn from it, don't join the 10%
Highways are more crowded than ever and will only be getting worse.

As far as the state patrol not caring. They are all dealing with budget ,and personnel cuts so there might not be a patrolman within 25 to 50 miles, or more, of you at any time. The 10% rule applies to them also.

I can see where a thread like this sounds like folks are lumping all the jerks together but I totally agree with you on the 10% thing and that the vast majority of truckers are good folks.

[charming]

ppine wrote:
Truck drivers used to be highly skilled and the best drivers on the road.
Now there are some bad ones. Some are too aggressive like they are doing amphetamines. Drive defensivley at all times.

There has always been a certain percentage of truck drivers doing amphetamines. I'm in my 60s and my father, a professional truck driver knew of many who relied on pills.

[ppine]

Truck drivers used to be highly skilled and the best drivers on the road.
Now there are some bad ones. Some are too aggressive like they are doing amphetamines. Drive defensivley at all times.

[romore]

I agree with Tyler, it's that 10% that cause the majority of the problems and get all the attention. My wife HATED being behind a truck and always insisted I pass but it wasn't always practical especially when we were towing. I don't like being beside them because there is no place to go if someone messes up.

[BarabooBob]

"But for a car it isn't fun to be caught behind a big slow driver on a two lane highway. On a freeway I can always pass without worrying about oncoming traffic."
I drive 55 to 60 mph on state and US highways. If I get cars behind me that can't pass due to traffic, I will pull over after a couple of miles. While driving across SD, ND, WY, or MT there is usually no traffic to worry about so people pass me without a problem. Why do some people feel that it is a sin to drive slower than warp speed?
Here in Wisconsin the speed limit on two lane roads is 55. I do the speed limit without problem. The speeders can get by me when they find a passing zone. I don't worry about them at all. I get flipped off once in a while but I just ignore at them as they go by. No need in setting off some road rage moron.
I avoid the interstate because the speed limits run anywhere from 70 to 80 mph. I don't drive that fast.

[RoyF]

I average about 8,000 miles a year with my fifth-wheel, and I cannot recall being cut off by a big truck. But I can recall many times when a small four-wheeler has changed lanes so close in front of me that I have had to brake. And a lot of times that car will then slow down to the point that I have to pass it!

[Tyler0215]

I was a trucker for 31 years.
I go by the 10% law.
10% of any group are a@@s, regardless if they are trucker or RV'ers, doctors or whatever.
90% go about their business in a quiet, calm deliberate way, and no one notices. But the 10% get all the attention. EVERYONE has seen someone doing something stupid or dangerous at one time or another. Learn from it, don't join the 10%
Highways are more crowded than ever and will only be getting worse.

As far as the state patrol not caring. They are all dealing with budget ,and personnel cuts so there might not be a patrolman within 25 to 50 miles, or more, of you at any time. The 10% rule applies to them also.