4 wheelers, merging and changing lanes

From my observations, I think most amateur drivers are too timid when entering the freeway. They tend to pace my speed perfectly up to the merge area when they should have been accelerating to a point way ahead of my truck. Then they reach that crisis point and either slam on the brakes or stomp on it at that last minute. This is just idiotic driving.

If you take anything away from this, just remember to accelerate faster on the entrance ramp and stop creating confusion by lingering around expecting vehicles with the right of way to yield for you.

 

OP thank you for creating this thread, I like that you are thinking about the space that trucks need on the freeway.

Today I had a classic example of an SUV merging onto the freeway with ample time to accelerate and get ahead of me. I had two cars in the passing lane to my left, so I couldn't move over to make room. I disengaged cruise control to slow down and let the SUV merge ahead of me.... and then he slammed on his brakes!!!????

In a split second I had to make the decision to get on the accelerator to avoid slowing the truck coming up behind me. As I passed the SUV I looked over...

... sure enough, he's yacking on his hand held cell phone and oblivious to the most important thing he should be doing at the moment, merging safely into traffic.

Shortly after that he comes zooming past me, still on the phone, then gets right in front of me and slows down to 55 mph in a 70 mph zone with no exit for miles ahead... still on the phone, weaving all over the lane and looking at paperwork as he's talking.

 

I wonder if the driver ever figured out how close he was to being dead today?

 

^^^ I had it fairly well in control and could have reacted in time if he merged in front of me, but if a trucker was in the least bit inattentive he could have come close. Certainly if he keeps up with this thoughtless driving he's going to be putting himself and others around him at great risk. I was tempted to call 9-1-1, but didn't have my headset on.

 

Merging ?

You mean the deal where you are in the right lane...a 4 wheeler is coming down the on ramp....(on a cell phone)

and gets pinched right at the end and has to slam on his or her brakes...that cell call was far more important

than an the fact they almost got a forty ton wedgie .


Nope,that never happens to me.