Rant from a Tow Truck Driver

I'm a wrecker driver also, doing medium & heavy duty calls. I work in one of the most congested traffic patterns in the state of FL, so I understand where you are coming from.

Nothing beats being on the Howard Frankland bridge in 7am rush hour traffic on the far left shoulder trying to load a car with mere inches to spare from the traffic.

People here are courteous to an extent, we have the 'move over' law, but hardly anyone pays attention to it.

 

It's my understanding it applies to all emergency vehicles/agencies and since we also do rotation work I assume it applies to me as well.

As far as the heavy calls, some are fun some are down right ########.
Nothing beats being underneath a full garbage truck trying to unhook the driveshaft and all that nasty liquid seeping out on to ya

 

Here in Florida its a state law you must move over,if you don't and a cop see you not moving over,its a nasty fine.I think its around $250 but not sure.Here they can ticket you just for that.I understand your point,I always move over if I can,but sometimes I can't so I drop my speed by 10-15 miles.

 

The "move over" law went into effect in Utah last year. It is for all emergency or construction vehicles. And they WILL ticket you. And they SHOULD ticket you.

Yeah, there are times when you just can't get over. But if you can't get over, you can at least slow down to the point where you aren't gonna hit anybody.

As long as you are reasonable about the situation you should be OK from a legal standpoint.

 

CHP Motor Officer was severely injured recently while he was on the shoulder tending to either a breakdown or issuing a citation (don't remember which). He was hit by some clown in an Infinity running the shoulder.

A line from the report says "Police are wanting to know why the car was running down the shoulder".

Flippin' DUH!!!

The SOB was in a freakin' hurry, and couldn't bear to wait. It's getting worse year by year.

Nascarchuck...rest assured that this driver, like many others, will move over if possible, or slow down and edge over as far as possible. You guys take your lives in your hands each call. Be careful out there!!

 

ILL TRADE YOU! I drive for werner!

Not really. Most people on the roads these days are blind as a bat, or so they make it seem.

Dallas? And you wonder why people are driving like ########? That's one of the worst cities to drive in that i've been to.

Now, don't forget...most of those trucks are likely *trying* to get over, but those moron 4 wheelers you just complained about are blocking em in. I can't even count how many times every day i put my left signal on, and some 4 wheeler speeds up to keep me from being in front of them. Hell, they're so worried about me being in front of me that they have to beat me to exits im not using. People just do NOT understand what a turn signal is for anymore. And some days it gets to the point that i just give up using my turn signal. So just because a truck doesnt have his signal on doesn't mean he isnt trying, especially in the DFW area...

That said, you will most likely not ever complain about me over there. As log as its in Dallas or Fort Worth, unless I am getting off an exit in the next 2 miles, I will be in the center lane, to avoid exit onlys on the right lane, and often because i dont know if my exit is on the left or right side..

And if i do end up having to get real close to you, I will slow down as slow as i feel i need to, even if thats 5 mph. You just have no idea how many times I am blocked in and prevented from making a lane change i desire to make.

I totally agree.

Exactly my point. *ESPECIALLY* in that #### hole that OP works in.

Ehehehehehehehehe. True dat.

That pisses me off so much. Its like they're trying to say, #### you ### hole, I'm more important than you and that dead guy in the ditch.

So true. I try to just stay in the center lane over there.

 

I've never understood why we needed a law to tell people to move over or at the very least, slow down, when emergency vehicles or otherwise are on the side of the road. It should be common knowledge but there in lies the problem. People seem to have lost all concept of common sense.

I might also add that speeding up to get around a vehicle does not apply simply to big trucks. I drive a cargo van, and it happens to me all the time. I believe 4 wheelers just don't like to be behind anything that is remotely larger than them.