Waiting to see if I am cited for rear end accident.

Auto slacks are mandatory equipment on new trucks now. If you need to adjust them, they're either ####ed or someone cut the pushrod the wrong length. You shouldn't be adjusting them period unless one has actually failed and you need to get it to the shop. You still should be checking the applied stroke though to catch these problems before you end up in the ditch or OOS.

 

the creed of the inattentive driver right there. nobody told me i was too close! i didn't know that guy was gonna slow down! it's not my fault!

it's called being a professional driver. stuff happens all the time that you may not "know you need to do". the problem is many people think being a truck driver makes them a professional driver by de facto.

more than what the OP admitted of "a few seconds".

if someone posted a dash cam video of a 4 wheeler doing the exact thing the OP did,everyone thats defending this driver would be calling the 4 wheeler driver an idiot. a truck driver does it,and it gets all Matlock in here.

the professional driver should be held to a higher standard.

 

And if it was 11 PM, we will assume it is dark. If his trailer brake lights didn't light up then his tractor brake lights could be seen by reflection, but of course you would have to be back away from him to see the reflection.

 

That’s a B.S. statment.

It is a OOS for brake lights being non-functional for a reason. If your brakes lights don’t work and you get rear ended, you hold the responsibility.

These mega carriers and their stupid it’s always the drivers fault mentality, has way to many of you guys brain washed!

 

No it's not a B.S. statement. It would still be the person following too closely that is the person that caused the wreck. Once you grow up and realize this, you might graduate to an ok driver. Got a long way to go to be a good one though.
Here's a hint. If you are too close to not notice the vehicle coming closer to you and not have time to react, you are too close...No different than you gaining on another vehicle, and rear ending them because you didn't realize you were closing too fast....

 

Methinks we need more data from the driver??
Like, for instance - the real bad scenario, if both the brake lights didn't work, and the brakes cammed over and locked up? Got real bad, real fast. You would need to bring your "A" game there.
Personally, I never follow so close that I cant dive into another lane, or on side of road if need be.
Smooth lane changes is one thing, but evading disastrous consequences like recounted here
would call for some not so pretty moves. X1 Heavy recounted a stalled SUV scenario above,
Stand on the brake, and dive left, this takes cohunes, and Experience. Coulda worked here?

 

What I did I had already done on the Cross Bronx a couple of times and can get away with it. There is a certain amount of pavement I require to get a horsed semi to settle again, especially if it's dry. I was presented with a insurance scammer stopping dead in the rain the last time I had a problem. That was where the ABS system vibrated and buzzed keeping everything rotating and steering most especially. She stopped so short like really fast. Surprised me. I became a absolute advocate for ABS systems that day.

I can and do throw a semi around. But it is NOT for everyone. If a driver has to decide to do something and follows through as best as he or she can that is all that person can do, newbie, veteran or nutcase etc.

My first jacknife involved a cabover that broke loose on me when someone stopped shorter at a light on US 15 south of H'Burg. And that tractor did it's best to really FAST fold into my trailer. I don't remember much of anything except stab braking and slamming the steering wheel back and forth. She settled across that intersection all crooked and with me so scared that I spend the next 50 miles seriously considering quitting permanently. This was like back in 1992. Barely 4 years or so in for me.

Enough of me hammering the counter. I say this. Something comes up, and something needs doing and usually it's because someone screwed up. Maybe following too close. Maybe something else. Who the hell knows. Im reading about flying cars today in three seperate problems One into a second floor, one into a semi trailer and another over the side. It's silly to have all these flying cars and trucks. Its not silly.

Part of my years driving was outlaw, speeding and trouble making. Im not exactly happy with all that. But I was dumb enough to not kill myself doing that stupid stuff. Which is why towards the later years Ive tried to be professonal about it. And doing better where possible I think.

 

Generally speaking the vehicle that rear ends is at fault pretty much regardless of the reason the front vehicle applied brakes. Not true 100% of the time but true in most cases. Also for what it's worth some Jake's on the newer models engage the brake lights. There are of course circumstances that are unique to an accident that may change the generally accepted at fault. Individual police officers also normally have the option of whether or not to issue a citation.

 

OP was following too close period. Glad he didn’t get cited. Snow on LEDs means you can’t see brake lights for days at a time up here. So what? If he wrote up the “bad brakes” on his inspection report then the employer probably wouldn’t fire him.

I used to think I could stop until I had my close call. now I know I was following to close.