Something dangerous that happened to me twice that I never heard anyone mention

I wanted new guys to be aware of this problem that may happen to you. I set my cruise and keep my distance, relaxed driving down the interstate following another trucker. I am at the peak of a hill so I cannot see what is in front of the trucker. Suddenly the trucker doesn't even use his brakes or turn signal and jerks into the other lane. I then see that there is a car at a dead stop right in my lane, and I have cars on the left of me so I cannot switch lanes. Next I put on my engine brake and brake hard enough to stop or go around. Luckily both times this has happened I had light loads so I was able to slow down without a problem. Be sure to watch out for this, as I kept a good distance but you are not expecting a stopped car right on the interstate and the truck in front of you doesn't even use his brakes and just swings into the next lane. I want to repeat that I was over six seconds away for those who will reply that I was following too close when I wasn't. At least now I know the second I see a truck jerk away I will assume there is a large object in the road and will prepare to stop.

A lot of times there is nothing wrong with the car stopped on the interstate, they are just backed up off an exit ramp and instead of stopping on the shoulder they stay on the interstate. A lot of times you can see this in the distance and prepare to go around, but rarely you are about to go downhill or a sharp curve and cannot see way ahead of you.

 

I didn't hit my brakes and turn at the same time. I wouldn't even do that on my bicycle. I hit my brakes, slow down, then turn. Or are you referring to the guy in front of me who violently jerked his truck out of the way at 65 mph?

 

If you are directing that comment to me I wasn't following too close. I was way behind, suddenly a truck just swings out, I look to see what the problem is and suddenly a car is coming up on me very quickly and I realize it is stopped. If the trucker in front of me would have noticed this sooner and used his brake or turn signal, I would have known something was up. I had enough stopping distance which is why I avoided a possible crash. I think everyone knows if you rear end someone it is your fault even when it isn't lol. Yes I see truckers tailgate so I know what you are saying, but I was way behind him.

 

About 15k and over seven seconds distance. I was far enough to come to a stop with controlled braking and I had my flashers on alerting drivers behind me.