Un-safe trucker

[bkfist]

You didn't have two hands on the wheel.

Jake brakes are applied simply by lifting off the accelerator. As the truck slows it is very hard to get it back up to speed again. This will impede traffic even more. He's pulling his speed up to keep from dropping back too much and losing all momentum. Perhaps there were cars behind him, too?

Why couldn't you have sped up a little to increase the gap? You were going under the speed limit, no doubt.

Yes, I was under the speed limit by 2, maybe 3 mph. Shoulders are soft gravel, there is no *safe* puling over onto the shoulder without almost coming to a stop.

As to the jake brakes, I understand that they apply when you lift the accelerator, but when someone is following at about 1/2 second following distance and repeatedly pressing and lifting the accelerator, it was not "normal" driving that was causing the sound. He would also pull back a bit and get a run right up behind me and lift again, over and over. It was not as if he was preparing to pass, as even I, at my low sight-level, could see that there were vehicles coming and we were in a no passing zone.

His sole intention was to intimidate me to increase my speed. No, I did not speed up, nor did I slow down, cruise control was set and steady the entire time. If I had been in an area where I had cell signal I would have called 911, rather than record his behavior.

Just for the record, I am actually very courteous to truck drivers (and other cars/pickups etc for that matter) (my experience is absolutely positive with respect to 99.9% of truck drivers - yes they can make mistakes but a mistake is far different than what this driver was doing.)

I know it's not easy getting around objects in an 18 wheeler, handling winds, accelerating when loaded etc. I will back up (if able) when a truck is making a wide turn, I give them plenty of room on the interstate, I don't dwaddle in blind spots, I don't cruise in the left lane on a 4-way road, I'll lift off and slow down if a passing semi needs it, and will accelerate on a 4 lane road to complete a pass if a driver (car or truck) is approaching faster than I am travelling in the left lane (If I can safely do so with regards to weather and traffic ahead).

This particular driver was simply being a bully who should not be allowed to drive anything larger than a bicycle until he can get his attitude under control.

[Argonaut]

Without knowing all the conditions, I do not know the driver was in a hurry. however, from the details it does appear so based on the OP's description of the roadway, its conditions and such.

I'm not trying to say it's anyone's fault. My thought in road safety and accidents is it's everyone's fault. If the driver was hit, could it have been avoided? Couldn't a lot of stress been avoided? Pull off, shake your head and say "geesh, what a moron in such a hurry". You get home safe, though.

I get your point of view, that's why I made some suggestions to the OP. The fact is, the driver of the rig has responsibility of being a professional on the road, and if he is not, should be accountable for his actions. The reality is, if you are a 4 wheeler against an 18 wheeler at high speeds, get your butt out of harms way. What good is it to have the "right of way" to brag about at your funeral.

[rickboone1]

Yes, I was under the speed limit by 2, maybe 3 mph. Shoulders are soft gravel, there is no *safe* puling over onto the shoulder without almost coming to a stop.

As to the jake brakes, I understand that they apply when you lift the accelerator, but when someone is following at about 1/2 second following distance and repeatedly pressing and lifting the accelerator, it was not "normal" driving that was causing the sound. He would also pull back a bit and get a run right up behind me and lift again, over and over. It was not as if he was preparing to pass, as even I, at my low sight-level, could see that there were vehicles coming and we were in a no passing zone.

His sole intention was to intimidate me to increase my speed. No, I did not speed up, nor did I slow down, cruise control was set and steady the entire time. If I had been in an area where I had cell signal I would have called 911, rather than record his behavior.

Just for the record, I am actually very courteous to truck drivers (and other cars/pickups etc for that matter) (my experience is absolutely positive with respect to 99.9% of truck drivers - yes they can make mistakes but a mistake is far different than what this driver was doing.)

I know it's not easy getting around objects in an 18 wheeler, handling winds, accelerating when loaded etc. I will back up (if able) when a truck is making a wide turn, I give them plenty of room on the interstate, I don't dwaddle in blind spots, I don't cruise in the left lane on a 4-way road, I'll lift off and slow down if a passing semi needs it, and will accelerate on a 4 lane road to complete a pass if a driver (car or truck) is approaching faster than I am travelling in the left lane (If I can safely do so with regards to weather and traffic ahead).

This particular driver was simply being a bully who should not be allowed to drive anything larger than a bicycle until he can get his attitude under control.

Sir, in all seriousness. THANK YOU for backing up when we are turning (though sometimes it's fun to get close because we know we can make it). We really appreciate this courtesy. And, I really, really, really truly thank you for not riding in our blind spots. Why people insist on staying there is beyond me!? We speed up to go around, they stay. We slow down to let them get ahead, they stay. Right there in that one spot. Thank you for not being that person.

[mretzloff]

Most truck drivers are very good drivers, but there are, unfortunately, some that are not. I use the interstate every day and there is always that one that feels the need to tailgate me in the right-most lane, despite me always doing at least speed limit, usually a mile or two over.

I would give his company a call. If this ever happens again, if you can move over, I would do so, even if you are in the right and he/she is in the wrong. I know that we men are fairly aggressive, but living is more important that being right.

[bkfist]

Forget about the entire incident before you have a stroke. Also, the idea that you'd blackmail them makes you sound very opportunistic. And why would you contact PETA if the trailer was empty???

Actually the opportunistic idea was the only thing bothering me, I'm not. Heck I've been rear-ended before and not sued (and in a state where *everyone* sues at the drop of a hat - Louisiana... The guy who hit me was absolutely in shock that I didn't call for an ambulance, it's just pretty much SOP down there - I was a paramedic for 6 years there and I know... The damage was under state reporting laws, we exchanged insurance & driver info and went on our way.)

Was thinking more along the lines of a "painful wake up" so to speak, to get the truck driver fired, but was feeling iffy on actually taking money... would like it to cost them something, but other than the satisfaction of costing them, I'm not looking for anything personally, which is why I'll probably drop it beyond a report to the company. A youtube posting with the title of their company name and info is not at all beyond the realm of possibility if they don't handle it to my satisfaction, however that will not be told to them... I've never been one to make threats, I only take action... They will be notified if I do so, however. I could also go grab the GPS info encoded in the video and see which county I was in and maybe have a nice chat with one of my friends at the Sheriff's office if it is in the county I think it was in. Someone who would do what he did, has likely done it before, and likely will do it again.

It depends a lot on how much (more) I've cooled down by morning and how I'm treated when I call tomorrow.

As for PETA, the only reason I thought of them was for the negative publicity of the trucking company and the trucking companies customers... People don't like doing business with a company who is getting them in the spot-light in a negative way... He was coming from dropping off a load of hogs at the Swift meat packing plant, I can say with with 99% certainty. (Didn't bother washing out the trailer either from the smell of it.) In reality, I wouldn't give PETA any ammo, as they run contrary to everything I believe in.

[coblake]

Post the video!

[jkingrph]

In a 55, you're traveling 51-53 mph, right? You have a full size truck behind you. PROBABLY loaded, very hard to stop quickly and you're doing under the speed limit. Were you also in the slow lane?

I am a professional driver. I carry VERY heavy loads and run into this from time to time. Please, GET OVER, if you can. We're trying to get around you. The jake brake applies whenever the driver lets off the accelerator. He's not applying it to intimidate you, he's attempting to slow down, hoping you'll get over. It's easier for you to get over than he and much, much safer.

Instead, you video tape him, distracting yourself from driving and endangering yourself, the driver and others more.

55 is the max legal limit so 51-53 was reasonable. I know most folks go over but thats tough. As far as getting over, I used to to do that until on two occasions as I moved over to the shoulder I hit some large sharp objects, nails, once a bolt, causing immediate tire deflation. Nowdays the only one's I will get over are fore emergency vehicles, or law enforecement running emergency lights. I will not routeninly drive on a shoulder

[the beav]

Actually the opportunistic idea was the only thing bothering me, I'm not. Heck I've been rear-ended before and not sued (and in a state where *everyone* sues at the drop of a hat - Louisiana...

Brian, I understand about how you feel about the whole thing, but it's over and I'm serious about not letting it get to you because it really harm you.

I do feel that the driver was impatient and was pushing you. Why don't you just take that tape over to the trucking owner (assuming he's not the one who was driving), be nice and calm about it, and just show it to him? That would probably take care of the whole problem. Then you and the owner will be on good terms and the driver probably won't be doing that again anytime soon.

[bkfist]

55 is the max legal limit so 51-53 was reasonable. I know most folks go over but thats tough. As far as getting over, I used to to do that until on two occasions as I moved over to the shoulder I hit some large sharp objects, nails, once a bolt, causing immediate tire deflation. Nowdays the only one's I will get over are fore emergency vehicles, or law enforecement running emergency lights. I will not routeninly drive on a shoulder

Getting over wasn't an option - it's a soft gravel shoulder, and not even as wide as a vehicle. At best you *might* be able to get your driver-side tires *just* off the white line without going far enough into the ditch to slide down into it. We're talking Iowa roads here :)

I can understand where some people are coming from, thinking there was somewhere to actually pull over... When I was driving in the "TexArkAna" area it kind of freaked me out the first few times I came up behind a vehicle and they pulled off to the shoulder without slowing down (hard blacktop shoulder) to let me go past without having to change lanes (first half dozen times I changed lanes anyway, as it was a passing zone, and there were no on-coming vehicles... (I still have no idea if it's legal, but I started doing it too, it just seemed the custom in that area I was going through.) If a road in Iowa happens to be that wide, they paint a dotted line and make it a 4-lane highway with a 3-foot wide shoulder. (You don't want to make a road any wider than it has to be and waste farm land here, and the ditches are DEEP to give some place for the snow plows to throw the snow all winter long.)

(Definitely cooled down now... Still pursuing it with the trucking company tomorrow morning.)

[Matt555]

I would file a complaint with the police and the trucking company before that guy kills someone. Hopefully the trucking company will fire him or at least have one complaint on record in case he pulls that crap again on another driver. Then I would put the video on Youtube. Seriously.....consider contacting the company.....I cannot imagine the trucking company wants one of their drivers driving like an ass.

[jd_1138]

I can't understand why idiot drivers tailgate other drivers. It is sooo much easier and safer to drive if you maintain a safe following distance and go the speed limit. Riding someone's tail requires you to focus 100% on not plowing into the back of the car in front of you should they slow down or brake.

It's like NASCAR around here. Idiots rushing up to a car and then tailgating it, and then passing it (sometimes on the right), weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating.

No wonder 45,000 people die annually in the USA alone in car "accidents".

[raisindot]

Isn't "idiot, unsafe truck driver" redundant?

[gaseousclay]

two years ago the wife and I were coming back from up north and pulled over at a pit stop. The exit of the pit stop takes you to a two lane freeway with a median in the middle. So, you have to cross the first lane, stop at the median, wait for traffic in the other lane to clear and then go. As we did this a semi-truck decided he was going to try and follow us right out thinking he could make it. Sure enough, he didn't even make it to the median because a truck came barreling down and clipped the trailer. This was by far the stupidest thing I had ever seen. I don't know what this guy was thinking but when you're driving a rather large semi there's no way in hell you're going to clear traffic unless you have plenty of clearance

I've had mixed results with truck drivers. some are good, a lot are bad. they frequently tailgate and are a menace on the road imo.

[professorchaos]

55 is the max legal limit so 51-53 was reasonable. I know most folks go over but thats tough. As far as getting over, I used to to do that until on two occasions as I moved over to the shoulder I hit some large sharp objects, nails, once a bolt, causing immediate tire deflation. Nowdays the only one's I will get over are fore emergency vehicles, or law enforecement running emergency lights. I will not routeninly drive on a shoulder

Take a trip up to Massachusetts where they open the shoulder to cars to relieve rush hour traffic. I'll never get accustomed to it.

[Seraphim]

Take a trip up to Massachusetts where they open the shoulder to cars to relieve rush hour traffic. I'll never get accustomed to it.

The breakdown lane is now the 75mph SUV passing lane.

They usually wait until you are just about to get over to your exit: VROOOOM! Some SOB in an SUV comes screaming past you on the right.


Lovely.

[professorchaos]

The breakdown lane is now the 75mph SUV passing lane.

They usually wait until you are just about to get over to your exit: VROOOOM! Some SOB in an SUV comes screaming past you on the right.


Lovely.

Sounds about right. Another lovely trait of Massachusetts drivers is an acute unwillingness to let you merge in front of them. Put your turn signal on and they'll speed up to close the gap. Conversely, if someone floors it turning left at a light and you continue to go straight, they flip out.

[jd_1138]

Sounds about right. Another lovely trait of Massachusetts drivers is an acute unwillingness to let you merge in front of them. Put your turn signal on and they'll speed up to close the gap. Conversely, if someone floors it turning left at a light and you continue to go straight, they flip out.

There are those types of idiots around here too. They think if you merge over (to make a turn ahead or whatever) then they think you are cutting them off. It's asinine. And if they'd keep a safe following distance from the car in front of them, then you would have plenty of room to merge in front of them. Instead they ride everyone's ass, so merging is difficult. I had a temporary job for about 6 months where I drove an airport transport van (taxi cab), and I was a courteous driver and would maintain a safe following distance. This big rig was merging onto the highway, so I changed lanes, so he could safely merge, and one of the batshit clients in the van went nuts. "You let that guy cut you off!" Um, no, it's not letting someone cut me off -- it's defensive, courteous driving.

[life2short1971]

Seems like your both at fault. Him for riding your tail and you for not getting out of his way and instigating matters further.How many people did you text or call after the incident while driving?......

[jd_1138]

Come on, it's mostly the trucker's fault. I'd say at least 95% of the trucker's fault.

[bkfist]

Seems like your both at fault. Him for riding your tail and you for not getting out of his way and instigating matters further.How many people did you text or call after the incident while driving?......

Zero. Would have called 911 if there had been signal, however.

And how did I instigate matters further by maintaining my present and legal speed?

Oh, in my younger years I'll guarantee you that I would have slowed down to 25 mph in the no-passing zones and sped up when a passing opportunity was coming up... However I did not do any such thing in this incident. Cruise control was set and I didn't "bump it down" or change anything at all.

You are going to pull off over to the right off of THIS road, while travelling 53 MPH? Good luck!