Unsafe Truck Drivers

DanS I think that has happened to most drivers. Thing is the way that women drives it's just a matter of time before it does happen. Chances are it won't be you but some other poor driver that will have to live with her stupidity. I don't drive on the pavement much anymore but when I did, it was like someone painted a target on my as# and ever idiot behind a wheel took pot shots at my truck. I'd ask myself what the hel is going on?

 

I agree with both of you there are times I would love to slam into one of these idiots the cut you off as they have no respect for there own life. However In reality I would always do everything I could to aviod a wreck. I had a cop In chicago tell me even if the truck rear ends a car they write the car a ticket and let them fight it out in court.

And I do agree there are some stupid truck drivers out there as well I have seen my share of of them.. But for peeps to say they will call DOT and cops just becasue someone is driving a lilttle fast or fowlling to close in there oppinion Is little much for me.. Im guilty Of driving a lil fast sometimes and yeah if I have been behind a car or truck that cant seem to pass someone In 5 plus miles (and most of the time they are not even doing the posted speed limit) I will get alittle close.. But I far from being a unsafe or dangerous driver

 

I see it happen all the time cars cutting off trucks and slaming there brakes on.. There have times that I thought I was gonna hit them and my heart was racing body shaking because it scared the crap out of me thinking I was about to kill someone that had no respect for there own life... to do something so stupid like that...... I know what you mean by the target on the truck I think they are all over mine... time to repaint it lol..

 

Sadly, idiots ride on any number of wheels... 4-wheelers make it very difficult to drive safely and efficiently. If I leave a proper gap, cars will inevitably fill it; and they really love to fill my safe braking zone. Nothing like the smell of burning brakes because 3 cars jumped into my stopping zone, just because they could...

Both truckers and car drivers need further training, and car drivers especially need to understand what it means to drive a truck, and how much they endanger their lives by doing much of what they do.

And truckers just need to knock that #$%^ off! Beyond making all of us look bad, that's just plain homicidal! Would we allow someone to walk around the streets with a revolver having a single bullet, randomly spinning the chamber then pulling the trigger at a persons head? One of those times it's gonna go off, might take a long time, but eventually, someone is gonna die.

 

Bill, I see a business opportunity here. I'm sure that insurance companies and self-insured trucking companies would be very interested to know which of their drivers are operating in an unsafe manner. Placing video recording devices on your trucks, and then forwarding evidence of a company's trucks being operated in an unsafe manner for a fee might make the roads a bit safer, and generate a bit of revenue.

 

Didn't your parents tell you not to be a tattle tail . We all have bad days and I know I'm not perfect. Do you really want someone taking video of you at your worst moment this week. Maybe making cdl schools 6 months longer would make the roads safer to .

 

got a "following too close" ticket back in 91 in Minneapolis.

Got into a pissing match on the road with the trooper over it to the point he called in his supervisor and I had 4 troopers at the scene in about 5 minutes.

The super finally told the first trooper to go to his car and sit in it. And finally had to escort him to it.

Super asked me to just go my way and he would be there in court if I choose to take it that way. He pretty well told me how things would go.

I took it to court and I got the trooper to stick his foot in his mouth and start to admit he SAW the car cut me off and that was why he gave me a "following too close" ticket.

Judge gave him a tongue lashing on the stand over how he wasted my time, his supers time (who was in the court room that day) and the courts time.

If he was ever in the court again and found out he gave a ticket like that ever again, he would pull his law enforcement license on the spot.

Judge looked at me, told the officer to apologize and dismissed the case.

I have never seen a cop so pissed ever.

 

I call on scofflaws frequently, did just that last week on a driver tailgating me and speeding in a construction zone. Here it is folks; when you obtained that cdl you agreed to act in a professional manner, it means that you obtained the skills and had the mental fortitude to control your environment.

The majority of the public sees trucks as a nuisance, they always have, in my twenty five years as a truck driver that hasn't changed what has changed is the attitude of the truck driver. You drivers should know to expect hassles when you're in urban areas, rural areas are easier but problem people exist there too. When I drove truck I set my speed a couple miles an hour slower than the prevailing traffic, it greatly reduced the amount of incidents I had with the four wheelers and increased the amount of incidents I had with truck drivers, I can handle a stupid truck driver, they have truck numbers and names on their doors.

Bottom line is you are the 'professional' you are held to a higher standard than the general public, act accordingly.

 

Agreed...

I sat on the "safety board" of a cab company I worked for many moons ago - as the "driver advocate" (the rest were office hacks).

But still held the same position - as a "chauffeurs licensed driver" (what CDL's used to be, before they were CDL's), with a livery/hack license - you are considered to be a "professional driver", which means you're supposed to HOLD YOURSELF to a higher standard than the "average driver".

I've called the 800 number on the back of CMV's on a couple of really rare occasions, when the drivers actions were so obviously dangerous to everyone around him, I felt I had no choice but to do so.

My REAL Hot-Button issue is with DRUNK DRIVERS. I'll get 911 on my headset, and start rolling video on the phone (not in a CMV of course), and follow them until the cops get them. I chased down a Hit-N-Run DUI, that put 4 people in the hospital - 4th offense, driving on a revoked license. After his lawyer depo'd me, I DARED him to go into court with me on the stand. Think they plead out to 18 months state time.

Too many friends killed by drunk drivers...

Despite the "drivers code of silence", obviously dangerous drivers put the entire professional driving community at risk - for greater scrutiny and an even worse public image...

Rick