Hard Right???

The company i was working for installed 4 cameras per truck. None in cab, but fish-eye lenses on both sides, one on trailer (our trailers were permanent for the most part) and one to the front. They recorded continuously on a 1 or 2 minute loop and rollovers, hard brakes, sudden deceleration or excessive g's on a turn would prompt the computer to save the last minute and record for another one or two. Saved a couple of drivers. They also installed (all part of the same "eyewitness" electronic logging) seatbelt allarms and sat com which would notify HQ if you had a serious accident or rollover w/your exact location (GPS) so they could send their investigators out, and maybe call for help. Overall a good thing but I saw several drivers get fired for moving around the yard w/o their seatbelt fastened.

 

My suggestion to you is to try other options to control your high B/P. At the risk of sounding like some kind of weirdo, a good recommendation is to try some natural remedies. My personal favorite for high b/p is Reishi mushroom. I have recommended them to several co-workers/supervisors who were taking some really nasty meds to control their B/P. They now take the Reishi and don't even need their prescribed meds. Ancient Chinese remedy or something like that. (Actually, I believe they come from brazillian rain forests.) P.S. they are not psychogenic, but very healthy. you can order them online or from a local herbalist or health food store. I've found them at "wild oats" and some local stores. Even saw them at GNC once. Good luck.

 

Yup, I had a driver fall asleep and hit me head on at 60 in my lane. No ticket to me. Nowhere to go but your lane anyway, what if you went to his lane and he went back into his lane? Now you go to prison for manslaughter.

 

there's a more practical reason to not swerve - aside from evidintiary reasons, that is.

When you maintain your lane or move gently to one side or the other, you are going head-on. Yup- been mentioned, and also pointed out that this is actually the safest...or least dangerous.. way to hit a car.

nobody's pointed out that by swerving, you are presenting the driver of that car with a much larger target... and hitting the side of the trailer is NOT a good thing. Not even when compared with head-on to the tractor. If they hit the side of the trailer, the odds of there being a closed-casket funeral just shot waaaaaay up.

So,yeah, there's a real, honest to gosh reason you do not swerve in a collision situation.

Of course, we're all human, and our reflexes are all different. what will happen if/when a head-on comes your way? only one way to find out.

 

Worst I ever saw was a woman doing a crossword puzzle while driving . She was all over the road .

 

I have seen some crazy stuff like that too. People that stand up to get stuff from the overhead. You can see what they are doing because they take up two lanes. Scary stuff.

 

I don't get the 'never ever leave your lane' thinking. I think it depends on the situation. I haven't been in a situation yet where something happened so fast it couldn't be avoided so I can't say for sure how I would react but I believe in a situation like that you're best keeping it straight. I have been in situations though where I've had enough time to move safely to the right, either shoulder or next lane, to avoid a collision. In my opinion, holding your lane out of principle when you have enough room to the right to safely avoid it is just ridiculous.

 

You're right . It does depend on the situation . In my case I pull a hazmat tanker . It doesn't take much of a swerve to roll a tanker and if a wheel gets off the pavement it's going over . Swerving may also cause the oncoming vehicle to hit the tank and get pinned under it . Interesting you are from Canada . I drive in Ontario weekly and see many tailgaters that wouldn't have a chance to avoid anything and many 4 wheelers in the GTA that cut right in front of a truck not leaving the minimum safe stopping distance . No room to turn anywhere most of the day in Toronto traffic .

 

You know, I have to agree with you on one point. If you see a hazzard far enough in advance, then by all means at least slow down and give as much room as is safely possible. But, remember that it can take a big truck a full ten seconds to make a safe lane change. I personally think that time would be best served trying to stop, at least then you'll reduce the chances of causing serious injury to yourself and possibly the other persons involved.
As for both of my "situations", they both occured on two lanes with ditches on the side. For both I tried my hardest to stop. The second one I was hit on the right front. I did go as far as I could to the yellow line, but that's all I could do.