Was I in error?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by rich_t, Jul 22, 2015.

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  1. Jul 22, 2015 #1
    rich_t

    rich_t Road Train Member

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    I'm traveling west on a two lane, that about to turn into a 4 lane as it goes under an interstate. The extra lanes are for people who are going to be slowing down (or stopping) to turn onto the service road of the interstate, And for people who want to go straight. Here's part of the statement:

    As the west bound lanes turn from 1 to 2 lanes, I observed a car approximately 30 yards in front of me that was also in the left lane. Unsure if it was going to make a left turn onto the Interstate service road, I glanced in my passenger side mirror to see if I had room & time to move into the right lane, in case the car did make the left turn. At this time, the car didn't have it's blinker on, nor it's break lights. In my mirror I noticed a black car behind me moving into the right lane. When I looked forward again, the white car in front of me had turned on it's left signal light and was now applying it's breaks. Still with plenty of time to move into the right lane, I turned on my right blinker, glanced back at my passenger side mirror and seen that I had time to safely move into the right lane. As I began moving into the right lane, I noticed the black car sped up. I could tell this by the way the front end of the vehicle lifted slightly. Being a 14 yr semi truck driver, you learn little things like this. When I looked forward again, to see what the white car was doing, I noticed it had came to a complete stop, waiting for east bound traffic to clear before he could safely make his left turn.

    At this point, I had only 2 options. To either rear end the white car, or proceed into the right lane in hope that the black car would either move onto the shoulder of the right lane or back off. There was no time to stop behind the white car. So to keep from rear ending the white car, I proceeded into the right lane, barely missing the white car and the black car, which was now about even with my trailer tires. Luckily, for everyones sake, the black car hit his brakes.
     
    rich_t, Jul 22, 2015
    rich_t, Jul 22, 2015
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  3. Jul 22, 2015 #2
    truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    The black car shouldn't have sped up. But you were definitely following to close if you weren't able to stop for the car ahead of you. Using your mirrors you know there was a car behind you, being a professional driver you know what that car would probably do.


    Should have used your brakes way earlier. Thats what there for.
     
    truckon, Jul 22, 2015
    truckon, Jul 22, 2015
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  4. Jul 22, 2015 #3
    HorseShoe

    HorseShoe Road Train Member

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    You avoided killing someone so that's good...Sounds like you could have been prepared to break in the first place and this never would have happened
     
    HorseShoe, Jul 22, 2015
    HorseShoe, Jul 22, 2015
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  5. Jul 22, 2015 #4
    tinytim

    tinytim Road Train Member

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    What happened to the rest of the story where he pulls you over, you follow him and you're not sure if you want him fired?
     
    tinytim, Jul 22, 2015
    tinytim, Jul 22, 2015
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  7. Jul 22, 2015 #5
    KenworthGuyNH

    KenworthGuyNH Road Train Member

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    LMAO!!!!!!! ##### cops.
     
    KenworthGuyNH, Jul 22, 2015
    KenworthGuyNH, Jul 22, 2015
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  8. Jul 22, 2015 #6
    truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    How was it "safe to move over" if the car could get beside you in the time it takes to move from one lane to the next? 14 years driving and your following to close and cutting people off? Just WOW.
     
    truckon, Jul 22, 2015
    truckon, Jul 22, 2015
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  9. Jul 22, 2015 #7
    w.h.o

    w.h.o Road Train Member

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    I would of stop, if even the black car wasnt near the tail of my trailer. Because the black car want to pass, and the right mirror is harder to judge than the left, and objects in mirrors are closer than they appear. Also with 4wheelers, which r faster than us, would had been doing 10 over than ur truck in seconds so would had to brake hard, but that just me, no one got hurt so good for u
     
    w.h.o, Jul 22, 2015
    w.h.o, Jul 22, 2015
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  10. Jul 22, 2015 #8
    FatDaddy

    FatDaddy Road Train Member

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    Yep. Once you said you couldn't stop in time you were totally wrong.
     
    FatDaddy, Jul 22, 2015
    FatDaddy, Jul 22, 2015
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  11. Jul 22, 2015 #9
    S M D

    S M D Road Train Member

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    The black car shouldn't have sped up yes. But if you hit him with your tandems it would have been ur fault for a unsafe lane change.

    I got rear ended at a red light and it was at blame lol
     
    S M D, Jul 22, 2015
    S M D, Jul 22, 2015
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  12. Jul 22, 2015 #10
    icsheeple

    icsheeple Trailing the Herd

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    The event obviously rattled you enough to come on hear and make a thread. I'd say you were in error and luckily didn't cause an accident.

    Seems to me you hesitated when you should have trusted your initial instincts of getting over sooner. The black car was obviously driving aggressive and got what he deserved. But, you put yourself in a dangerous position and were following too closely if you couldn't have stopped in time.
     
    icsheeple, Jul 22, 2015
    icsheeple, Jul 22, 2015
    #10
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