had a near miss and i wanted your guys input

so I was driving my truck on LaGrange road in the town of Wyoming. its a long grade and it levels out. when you reach the top of the grade, there is a side street, dillion rd. I was reaching the top of the hill and I noticed a car coming off of dillion road, and it was apparent he was NOT going to stop. this is a two lane road, and lane traveling in the opposite direction was vacant. I took the opposite lane and avoided this clown, he stopped in the middle of the road in what would have been my path of travel. had I stayed in my lane, its a very high probability that I would have hit him. dillion road is a bit of a blind corner and I cannot see him very well until im too close to make an emergency stop. I maneuvered my truck and myself out of harms way, the only thing harmed were my witts LOL. my approximate speed at the time was 40-45 MPH and the tanker I was pulling was empty (trying to give all relevant information).

I have a friend of mine that drove truck in a past career (he still holds a class A CDL with K restriction), he told me never play cat and mouse..... that I should have kept my lane. my argument is keeping my lane very likely would have resulted in my getting in another "not at fault" accident, no it would NOT have been my fault BUT I still don't want to have to explain another accident, if I happen to pursue a different driving job.

so WHO is correct here? if the lane is empty and it avoids an accident..... take it, OR stay in that lane and hit the guy because he is violating the law and is in your lane of travel...… IF there had been a vehicle in that lane I would have smacked right into him and stayed right where I was.

 

Ummmm........if you can avoid hitting something, avoid hitting something. Especially a living breathing human being that effed up and pulled in front of you!! Apparently your "friend with a Class A CDL" thinks differently than I do. I'm sure glad Truck Driving is a "past career" for him/her.

 

I was pretty sure I did the right thing, I can write that I DID NOT have an accident and my actions prevented it.

 

Get dashcam other lane might not be empty next time

 

I would have done the same thing if I could see the opposite traffic far ahead, and nobody was approaching from opposite direction. But, then again I’m not a tanker driver. I always thought you guys were extra safe.

 

Yes.....THIS^^^^^^^^^^

 

You did the right thing 100%.

Always avoid if possible.

Evasive maneuvers are preferable to trying to stop anytime.

If you'd killed him, the first question asked would have been,"Why didn't you just go around him?"

 

If you can avoid an accident, that is what a professional is supposed to do. not advisable to hit someone and then say oh well he pulled out in front of me.

 

If you can SAFELY avoid an accident, then do so. So, as long as you had a clear view to make sure there were no oncoming vehicles, then I think you did the right thing.

Overall, my general philosophy is that I will hit the idiot before risking my own life or the life of an innocent motorist. I will brake, but I will not risk loosing control nor will I leave my lane if I can not verify it is safe to do so (ie, not enough time to check).

And get a good dash cam to provide proof if the worst should happen and you hit the idiot. It will likely save you since lawyers (and other motorists) can get dollar signs in their eyes when they see a big truck.