Why are 18 wheelers always causing accidents?

I didn't run legal. I ran what I was comfortable with. Sometimes 16 hours, sometimes 8.

When I got tired I went to sleep. When I got bored I stopped at some truckstop and got online. Once I spent 6 hours helping another driver wire up his new power inverter then ran 10 more.

If I wasn't tired or bored, I went down the road.

24 years with no accidents.

And this is the problem with the way the logbook system is set up. It doesn't take the "variables" into account.

 

Just across the highway from the "Largest Truck Stop in the World"

That puts you at the Pilot or Gramma's?

I'm about 50 miles south of ya.

 

I agree Mack...no need to kick a dead horse...

 

My trainer taught me how to handle 4-wheelers that block the intersection so that you can't complete your turn.

When you have the green light, start your turn. Go as far as you can, safely (remember you have the green), then stop and set your brakes. If the light turns red, you're still good because you have the right to finish your maneuver, even if the light has turned red.

They either have to drive around you, or back up so that you can finish your turn. If you roll over the curb in the process, you're in the wrong. Set up to make that turn properly and legally. Then wait for traffic to clear out.

 

I'm sure this post is going to float like a rock, but here I go.

I understand what most of you are saying about 4 wheelers blocking the road so you can't make a turn. But you have to admit that sometimes it's not the the car drivers fault either. Some cities have placed the marker's where to stop to far out, and have not considered the 18 wheelers turn radius issue. I would find it hard to believe that even some of you truck drivers are not guilty of this sin. It's not intentional it's just something that happens.

My worst experience was with a fedex driver in Gatlinburg, TN. I was at a stop light on 6th street, 2 lane street, very narrow, downtown Gatlinburg TN. I was was up to the white line waiting for the light to change. Here comes the Fedex truck barely slowing down to make the turn. Stops right in front of my bumper and gave me a look like I just pi**ed in his corn flakes. I backed up, when I had a chance to to put it in reverse and make sure everything was clear. I'm in my lane, following the law and being where I should be on the road as marked. I'm not expecting a day cab w/ 43' trl turning on this road. I understand his frustration of driving right in the middle of tourist central, and not having a lot of room to make turns, but his attitude and the way he was driving wasn't making his day any easier. Truck drivers and car drivers, both have to use common sense. I can't pick my car up and move it out of your way, just like you can't turn on dime with your truck. This truck driver should have been a little more patient about his turn and waited until I could move out of his way.

I should add if the city had placed the marker on where to stop for a truck to turn, It would be 1/2 block from the stop light.

I'll wait patiently for my brow beating.

 

You're right about the stop lines. I had a turn like that recently in school. Except this jackarse stopped a full car length after the stop line. It wouldn't have mattered if he was behind the line because there just was not enough room to turn. I ended up with my trailer on the curb. I suppose I could blocked traffic behind me and waited for all the cars to leave and make a turn on red before more cars came up to the line.

 

Since this is a thread from Dec 2004, I really shouldn't get involved with thsi, but what the heck. A short story. About a year and a half ago, I was up in Grand Rapids Mi one night. I'd been working up there during the day, and hauled some sugar loads to Kellogs in Battle Creek. We had a driver up there working at night as a loader, and for reasons I won't go into, he couldn't move trailers from one railyard to another. He asked me to spot a trailer for him at the other railyard, and I did. It was about 2 am, just at bar closing time. I went north on 131, and got off at Wealthy St, which is a narrow ramp and a left hand exit. As I came up the ramp, there was a car stopped for the light, and his rear bumper was about 6-8 foot beyond the stop line.

Now, it's 2 am, I'm tired and about 10 minutes away from crashing out, and this clown is taking up the area I need for my turn. So I bring the trailer almost over his hood and set the brakes. He should back up, but no, he's gonna sit there and make faces at me. We went through 4 cycles of the light with no change. I picked up my cell phone, and mimicked making a phone call. Then I got out of the truck, strolled over to the car, and announced that "I called the police, they'll be here soon. I know I can pass a sobriety check. How about you?"

At this point, the night was disturbed by the squealing of tires in reverse, as the car rapidly backed up to the previous intersection, spun to the right, and rapidly sped away. I climbed back into my little truck, drove the 2 miles to the railyard, dropped the trailer, and crawled up into my sleeper, and slept the sleep of the just.

 

I had a similar incident up in Rhode Island a few years back - traffic - I'm in the centre lane - car with couple in it and a young child in a baby seat came onto I-95 and cut across in front of me across the granny lane and driver slammed on the brakes - air horn on, nose dive on the brakes - wife looks around, her mouth drops and she then back handed the driver with considerable force - then starting telling him whatever - I still wonder if he learnt a lesson that day.

 

Yeah and how about having ALL the 4 wheelers goverened to 65 MPH like alot of us 18 wheelers are hahahahahahahaha.