Have you got a drivers license?
Drive any kind of four-wheeler (car, pick-up, SUV)?
Then you *REALLY* need to read this.
Believe me, you do- because I drive a big truck and have to put up with you every day, too.
UPDATE
North brought up crappy CDL drivers.
If you get around one who's driving badly- tailgating, lane jumping, trailer whipping....He's usually got a nice big name on his truck, get the cab number or the trailer number and note the time, date, hwy, location and direction of travel. when you can look up the company and e-mail or call and let them know what the driver was doing.
If for no other reason than insurance reasons.
I've written in about driving habits of some of our local haulers and noticed a change in attitude.
Of course mentioning that I have a CDL-A with X and T and don't like their trucks tailgating my pick-up when I'm in a restricted lane and doing 10 over might get their attention better...
The guy disabled comments. Chicken? Very opinionated. Apparently the best driver in the universe. Makes good points, but has a big ego.
ReplyDeleteI've seen my share of pathetically under-skilled truck drivers, too, so assigning all the blame to the "4-wheel" vehicles is lame.
I've been cut off by lane-changing truckers that can't be bothered to estimate my approaching speed. The morons know I'll hit my brakes rather than die.
And to all the company owners and independent owners - you can slow your trucks down without applying brakes - no brake lights. You are risking the life of the person following you. Get with the program and install a Slow-N-Tell.
He said 75% of them were cause by 4 wheelers, and from what I've experienced,- that's about right.
ReplyDeleteI slow down without using my brakes, too. Because I don't have to apply my brakes to slow down- the guy that's tailgating so close that all I can see is a shadow (sometimes) needs to be alert to that.
I can't speak for all truckers, but I've cut people off intentionally because as soon as they see my turn signals they jump into the lane I have to get to.
I'm not saying all CDL drivers are in the right- I've called and emailed the company to complain about them.
Get the company and the cab number (or trailer#) and time and location. The company WILL let them know to not do that.
"I can't speak for all truckers, but I've cut people off intentionally because as soon as they see my turn signals they jump into the lane I have to get to."
ReplyDeleteI hope for your sake you are never involved in a fatality. Lawyers love to see admissions like this.
(I doubt that Mike's company has enough money to get out of the incrimination that his post would play against them.)
Turning on your blinker doesn't give you the right to change lanes. Change only when safe to do so - if that situation changes and it is no longer safe, you have chosen to change lanes in a way that is not safe. That is the decision you choose to make.
I'm not saying that any class of driver is better than any other, but being frustrated and driving poorly because of it is a bad decision.
IANAL
I'm not going to intentionally get in a wreck, but when MY tires are over the zipper and the guy decides to to keep coming, I'm NOT going to just- stop- changing lanes.
ReplyDeleteYou'll teach him a lesson.
ReplyDeleteMy mother once told me that tractor-trailers can stop faster than a four wheeled automobile. After spending a few weeks behind the wheel of one of those critters, I can testify that they don't. In fact, they have a tendency to do all types of crazy things when you slam on the brakes; especially if there are liquids involved.
ReplyDeleteSo, if I had to tell anyone that's tempting fate around a big rig what's important, I'd say that physics dictate that the larger mass will make change volume of the smaller mass almost every time.
It's not a matter of who's right or wrong. It's a matter of courtesy and survival.
When I was hauling corn syrup, I got where if the light was short enough- use the surge to push me off and skip the two lowest gears.
ReplyDelete