Bet on them being Stupid.

2am, running down the big road, 3 lanes wide. Sign says, “ROAD CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT TWO LANES CLOSED AHEAD.” I saw the flashing lights ahead. I move to the center lane and then to the left lane after a car passes me on the left.

There is a tanker quite a ways ahead of me, left lane, slowing down. The car that passed me has caught up to the tanker, running at the same place, oblivious to the world. The car has been in the middle lane since he passed me, is riding alongside the tanker as the barrels come up on the right zipper. You know what’s about to happen. I said it aloud to myself.

“Bet he panics, cuts in front of the tanker and stands on the brakes.”

Sure enough, the barrels narrow on the middle lane, car panics and cuts left, full brake check. The tanker brakes hard scrubs a lot of speed off. Surge. BANG!!!!

Six: You have a dash cam?
Tanker:....no....
Six: Here. Take my SIM card.

You now have trucking companies that teach it’s drivers to ignore their mirrors and to keep their eyes forward. That’s a stupid concept, because many of the hazards that you will have to worry about in front of you will be coming from behind you. If in your mirror, if you see a car that’s passing you on the left, but he has his right turn signal on, bet on that car cutting you off as soon as it clears your front bumper.

Now, here’s where you need to be cautious: if that car needs to go any farther right, there is a good chance that motorist is going to put on brakes right in front of you. Especially true if you are in the number 3 lane of a 4 lane. Bet on them being Stupid.

One more thing. It seems as if there is some idea among drivers that flashing hazard signals is a bad thing. You will see drivers making EMERGENCY stops, on the shoulder of the big road, who will no use their hazards. Stupid, right? Here’s where it gets dangerous for you and me...the odds are pretty good that idiot who doesn’t have the brain cells to use hazards, will not have the brain cells to realize that he should build some speed up before trying to get back out into the travel lane from the shoulder. Ever see what it looks like when a truck makes a left out into a travel lane from a dead stop? Of course you have. Thing is, you will see this more and more. Bet on them being Stupid.

Luck in battle.