The Adventures of Dummy, Dingleberry and Stupid (the Darwins)

"If I had the guts, I'd do that again."

 

I think @TripleSix has hit a home run with this thread. As another member stated, this should be required reading for all professional drivers.

There are two important facts that I would like to add to the analysis in the OP. First, while we each may strive for perfection in our state of mind when driving, we are ALL capable of becoming Dummy, Dingleberry, or Stupid at any given moment. This is why I have completely given up on listening to the radio or CD's when I drive for the last few years. Instead I focus my mind with "Commentary Driving".

CD was something we taught when I was a trainer at Swift. I highly disagree with how they wanted us to teach it. What I do is look at the big picture at all times, when I am on my A game. For example, I am approaching a freeway interchange in the next mile. There are three truck stops and the entrance ramp has a steep uphill. That means there's a high likelihood of slow moving trucks merging into 70 mph traffic. I have plenty of room in front, but a dozen hard charging four wheelers are closing to within a quarter mile behind. That's a good time to start focusing on the need to either get into the hammer lane early or look to getting slow enough to allow merging trucks to get on safely if I will be pinned by passing traffic. It's not a good time to be lost in thoughts that aren't focused on the hazards around me, like the third verse of my favorite song.

Second, human beings are competitive pack animals. This is important, so I will say it again:

Human beings are competitive pack animals.

Unless you recognize this as your own natural tendency you can easily get caught up in becoming Dummy, Dingleberry, or Stupid. Instead of being comfortable with lots of space in front of you and lots of space behind you, you may succumb to the tendency to speed up to catch the vehicle in front. Folks then naturally create clusters of tightly packed vehicles. Road rage sets in because the competitive thing takes over as drivers slow to the same speed as the vehicle next to them, to block anyone from passing. They are in good position, with lots of room in front. They feel comfortable because they aren't alone. Besides which they are "leading the pack"! It's nirvana. But as soon as they allow another car to squeeze through to pass on the right, why it's off to the races to catch the next pack.

Much of this is mindless driving, without intent. Just following that competitive pack animal instinct. Unless you actively and constantly keep your mind focused on counteracting those instincts, it's easy to fall into that mental trap.

 

Defensive driving in a nut shell

Don't put yourself, or anyone else in a position where you, or they have to do anything quickly.

 

The problem with dash cams they do not show the entire picture of what the driver sees. Such as overtaking traffic and blind spots.

 

Twisted Truckers

I don't know if the video comes up, I'm not familiar with uploading videos from Faceplant...
This isn't really about the adventures of Dummy, Dingleberry and Stupid, but I thought it would be good for someone to see. And now I ask, where did he go wrong?

 

Good video.

In winter conditions like that you need to slow to a speed where you can keep control. Look FAR ahead for changes in road conditions. Once all those buildings and trees were gone and he got out in the open, the ground blizzard was creating a drift of snow across the road. I saw that possibility far before I could see the actual ground blizzard and snow drift. Once he slammed into that drift it pulled his momentum to the left.

He was lucky another vehicle wasn't coming in the other lane. He did well to keep the shiny side up and ride it out.

 

It almost looks like he got too close to the ditch with his trailer on that curve. Maybe pulled the trailer over a bit and slid the truck over to the left.

 

Here is another example of dummies.
All the crap on his dash and no CB! maybe he would know why the Bull Wagon was slowing down!