Tailgating! Great way to make the NEWS!

Shifting load was not an issue, I was empty. I haul bulk material, like rock, sand, salt. I know the word slamming might not have been totally correct, but I did brake hard. Sorry, that and steering to the right, to help avoid a serious if not fatal situation. Even though they were complete morons, that's still no reason to ignore what could happen, and to not do what you can to keep if from happening.

Besides that, I kept from being tied up for hours while the cops cleaned up the mess, and providing statements. I just don't believe in just because someone is a total dumba##, they deserve to die. What about the oncoming truck drivers? I'm sure they were glad they didn't get tangled up with them.

 

Doesn't matter if you were empty or not. You lock up the brakes on the trailer (which is easier to do when it is empty), you flatspot the tires....and then within a month or two, they are junk. If the passing vehicle notices the oncoming traffic and gets on the brakes at the same time, you're now pinning them out there in that left lane. I've had that happen to me before when a car popped up over the next hill while I was attempting a pass and I realized I wouldn't safely make it. I got on the brakes to slide back in behind the vehicle I was trying to pass, and so did the knucklehead I was trying to get around. Now I'm hung out there in the oncoming traffic lane, with no ability to get back on the throttle because it's a truck and it just won't accelerate very fast...and that oncoming vehicle is starting to get close. My only options are to either out-brake this knucklehead, or put him in the ditch as I move into the right lane to avoid a head-on with an innocent motorist.

It is the passing vehicle's job to know his vehicle and make the necessary adjustments to either complete the pass or fall back in line. You "TRYING" to help the knucklehead out could make the situation much worse as you potentially pin them out in that other lane.

What's so difficult about simply maintaining your speed? If they can't complete their pass, it's on them...and if there is a wreck, as long as my vehicle doesn't get hit, it wasn't involved. I'm on up the road....no paperwork, no police report, I wasn't involved. Even if someone got my trailer number and the police tracked me down for a little chat, I didn't see anything, I didn't notice anything. All I was doing was driving along, maintaining a legal speed, in my lane....didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. As long as you didn't purposely alter what you were doing (i.e. speed up, slow down, move to one side of the lane or the other, etc...), there is no way to prove what you did or didn't see. If you didn't see them trying to pass, and your truck never made contact with any other vehicles, there isn't much anyone can do about it. Keep on truckin'...it ain't your problem.

 

Bashing a trucker.....Great way to introduce yourself to a trucking forum.

 

Apparently you've never driven through Atlanta, if I leave a 5 car length distance, 6 cars will try to squeeze in, even though there are large "LEAVE TRUCKS MORE ROOM" signs all over.

 

I went through there yesterday....It can be difficult to keep enough space between you and the car in front in places like Atlanta, But it's not impossible.

 

In the short time I've been driving I haven't had much trouble keeping a safe following distance. Yeah, the 4-wheelers do cut into my "comfort zone" far too often but all I have to do is regain the distance by--novel idea here--slowing down AGAIN. It's aggravating to be sure, but it's the right thing to do. No one should die because I can't control my aggravation.

I wonder what percentage of accidents involving big trucks could have been/could be avoided if the big truck driver had backed off.

I've got plenty to learn about driving a truck but I didn't have to learn that "staying the hell off the bumper of the vehicle in front of me" is a good idea!

 

Somebody watched too many "watchmytruck" videos on youtube and thought, "I can do that too!" Stop what iffing the world to death, lawyers go to school for years to do that and hate competition.

 

Yes, like how everyone appears to be locked into the 3rd lane from the left...when there are 5 lanes for general passenger use. And only 2 or 3 for truck use.

I agree the guy was too close. But that's the Cali attitude for you.

NOTICE the window in the back? A sure sign of one of your local brain deads.

You are very right sir. More and more of US are putting multiple cameras in our trucks. To protect us from the general public who looks for the nearest truck to blame for their lack of attention, whether the truck was actually involved or NOT.

 

sounds like another 4 wheeler with an ax to grind because he can't drive well himself.