Run off the road by a Semi

[SilverWind]

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

Could a MOD just lock this thread?????

Larry

I agree with Larry. Worse thread ever. I feel embarrassed for AirForums.

John

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by SilverWind

I agree with Larry. Worse thread ever. I feel embarrassed for AirForums.

John

Not for the lack of me trying to add substance in post 138.[emoji848]

How about the recent thread, "Secretary car". Now there's one for a Pullitzer prize.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[OTRA15]

OT

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

. . .
How about the recent thread, "Secretary car". Now there's one for a Pullitzer prize.
. . .

Are you trying to turn this thread into a "perfect tow vehicle" discussion?

[ . . . Pull-itzer Prize . . . ]

[Isuzusweet]

Otra! My man, you got the prize for my little word play.[emoji16]

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[wimpy]

Originally Posted by PKI

A minor accident cleanup and construction that was not blocking travel slowed two sections to stopped traffic for 15-30 minutes. We lost about 2 hours travel time.

One solution for this issue would be the WAZE app, which has alerted me to congestion/accidents/road construction back-ups more times than I can count.

I'm aware of at least 5 hours of immobility avoided due to the WAZE app(3 hrs alone on I-85 S due to a overturned semi blocking both lanes) with no exits available.

[wimpy]

Originally Posted by turk123

I'm returning a battery charger I just bought from Amazon. Take that!

I too, thought he was referring to an Amazon Prime truck until I saw the video. Amazon has been sued over copyright infringement, due to their use of Prime by Prime, Inc., a trucking company based in Springfield, Mo.

[perri]

I’m sorry for my part in escalation rather than de-escalation. That said, I’m a true believer in unsubscribing, it cures many ills.

Regarding the intersection of trucks and RVs: How is it that there isn’t a class of license for towing a trailer (<10000 lbs) on public roadways? Even a single axle utility trailer can be tricky. My class D road test at 16 did not prepare me for towing 2-4 tons behind my vehicle. I didn’t have a farm and acreage to gain practical experience.

I wonder how Ephraim’s experience might have been different with a self-driving semi. Given the alternatives, I welcome my autonomous overlords and the sooner they’re ready for prime time, the better. The enhancement of spousal synergy is promising...

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

Not for the lack of me trying to add substance in post 138.[emoji848]

How about the recent thread, "Secretary car". Now there's one for a Pullitzer prize.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

Can’t find it. Link?

[Steamguy]

Originally Posted by majorairhead

I'll adjust speed to remove myself from cat and mouse situations with other vehicles.

Here's one to ponder.....takes a BIG person to abide, it is your responsibility, when on the road, to make sure EVERYBODY ELSE makes it to their destination safely

I'd been quietly reading along this thread and may I offer something else to consider, another possible course of action; from an incident which I witnessed.

There was (emphasis on WAS) a large, local, heavy construction outfit near me. Place of business was on the edge of town, on a main but secondary road, a steep downhill. Speed limit was 45, changed to 25 about three blocks past the business. Almost all traffic would be doing that speed limit or a bit better, coasting downhill, but then slowing when getting into town.

I was witness to a driver that had a real problem with people driving that higher speed limit past their business, event though they were within the law. Several times, I saw this guy pull out RIGHT in front of someone, deliberately trying to cause an accident, knowing that his dump truck, heavy truck, heavy truck with a trailer, would not sustain any real damage, and all the damage would be done to those irritating drivers who were driving near the speed limit...

He would compound this by going 15 in town. All the way to the state 2-lane highway, then 35 on the highway (posted at 60).

I promised myself, 'I'm not going to buy into this guy's road rage, he's really trying to prove some kind of point and somebody's going to get ticked off.'

Then I saw him do it to a small 'hot hatchback', and it was obvious that the driver of the hatch was in no mood for this nonsense.

We hit the highway, and the hatch driver tried to pass the guy (legally) on the left, but the driver of the truck swerved left and more than half the truck over the line to cut the hatch off.

We came to a signaled intersection with a speed-up lane on the right, and when I saw the puff of smoke from the hatch's exhaust, I knew this guy was going to go around on the right, hang the law. He'd built up probably 35 MPH over the truck (still going 35 in a 60 zone) and was still accelerating when he cut suddenly to the right and started to roar past in the speed-up lane.

Then I saw the truck swerve to the right, trying to actually run over the guy in the hatch! The hatch jerked right, out of the way, and kept going. Within seconds, it was nothing but taillights.

When I got to work, I got on the phone. I didn't quit until I had somebody in authority from the construction company on the line. I had the truck type, the license number, and the number off the door, and I was going to do everything I could to make sure this guy didn't have a job when he got back to the shop that evening.

To say that I leaned hard on the owner is to put it lightly. I told him about the several incidents of road rage that I'd seen from his company, and that if he didn't do something right away about this driver that I was going to go in and swear out a witness to everything I'd seen and add attempted murder. THAT finally got the guy's attention.

The good thing? Never saw it happen again from that outfit.

[Ephraim]

Originally Posted by perri

I’m sorry for my part in escalation rather than de-escalation. That said, I’m a true believer in unsubscribing, it cures many ills.

Regarding the intersection of trucks and RVs: How is it that there isn’t a class of license for towing a trailer (<10000 lbs) on public roadways? Even a single axle utility trailer can be tricky. My class D road test at 16 did not prepare me for towing 2-4 tons behind my vehicle. I didn’t have a farm and acreage to gain practical experience.

I wonder how Ephraim’s experience might have been different with a self-driving semi. Given the alternatives, I welcome my autonomous overlords and the sooner they’re ready for prime time, the better. The enhancement of spousal synergy is promising...

I would agree with the license requirements. I had to get a special license to drive a fire truck and a 1500gal tender. How come there are no requirements to drive a 10,000lb trailer?

Had my incident been against an autonomous truck, I think it would have been a non event. No road rage on those things. Where they fall short is making decisions on choosing the lesser of two evils. (hit a biker or a car full of children, etc..)

[Ephraim]

We tried to return home through Oklahoma by taking the "Historic Route 66" rather than I-40. boy was that a mistake! I've never seen a road as bad as that one. I gave up after popping multiple rivets while driving 35mph after only about 15 miles and went back to the freeway.

[J. Morgan]

1. Allow people to pass, don't obstruct unless you have no practical choice, and never for very long.

2. Drive polite.

3. Other people will drive like a-holes, so let them do so without getting tangled up in their stupidity.

4. If an a-hole wants to pass you let him, chances are you'll never see him again and the world will seem like a brighter place because of it.

5. When stuck in the middle of "toxic traffic", i.e. when you're completely surrounded by a-holes, pull off the road for a minute or a few and let the angry mob get ahead of you.

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

1. Allow people to pass, don't obstruct unless you have no practical choice, and never for very long.

2. Drive polite.

3. Other people will drive like a-holes, so let them do so without getting tangled up in their stupidity.

4. If an a-hole wants to pass you let him, chances are you'll never see him again and the world will seem like a brighter place because of it.

5. When stuck in the middle of "toxic traffic", i.e. when you're completely surrounded by a-holes, pull off the road for a minute or a few and let the angry mob get ahead of you.

Basically always drive defensively.

My theory is that the really bad drivers will get far down the road ahead of me before they a) get stopped by the cops or, b) wreck themselves. That way I can either wave and laugh as I go by at or under the speed limit, or they remove themselves from the gene pool...I just let them go by.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There's no way to know or even to guess what sort of issues some drivers have. They get to deal with whatever those are 24 hours a day.

If there is a giant big paved shoulder on the road, check to see if it's clear ahead. If so (and you are being crowded) drive on the shoulder. I've done that an unfortunate lot of times. It's a bit less bothersome if you get the tires to the far side of the rumble strips. I find riding on them for miles and miles a bit bothersome ....

Truth in lending: Indeed I have heard the same process (off onto the rumble strips) going on with some trucks I've passed. That always gets me do do a quick mirror check to see where I am. My conclusion is that some of them *really* don't trust people towing RV's .... hmmm ....

Driving along with AS in tow and with the signs flashing "60+ MPH wind gusts ...." can be exciting. They *do* impact different vehicles different ways. These six trucks are all doing fine. That one is having a *really* tough day. Watching which one is in this or that category (and adjusting) is part of the "fun".

Bob

[paiceman]

I find the thread interesting as having traveled well in excess of a million miles and having responsibility at one point for a fleet of 75 tractors and 85 drivers along with 100 trailers I see a windy day, probably an empty trailer and an inattentive commercial driver. Who "did" all this and yet signaled to change lanes.

Glad you are all ok, happy many times to us in our travels and we found I 40 for our trucks to be one of the most dangerous in the country.

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by SilverWind

I agree with Larry. Worse thread ever. I feel embarrassed for AirForums.

John

John... I have to disagree with you. I have to plead 'no contest' starting some of the worst Threads on this Forum.

I apologize for some. Not for others. It is a learning experience.

Anyone towing a trailer need to look at the mirrors when traveling. Not the side mirrors, but the one where you can see yourself. You and I call it defensive driving. Often you can avoid trouble by seeing it coming... Not something many are capable of understanding.

Towing a trailer requires the skill of a soldier in combat. New owners are going through Basic Training, which can last one day or a lifetime. Some never figure it out as they are incapable. Not everyone can fly a helicopter. Same train of thought.

Any trailer owner towing needs to understand that your duty is to get to Point A to Point B safely. If you have an enlarged ego... lose it. Your mission is to survive and reduce your own stress. The experience is to relax and enjoy the company of your family.

Your duty is to be 100% aware that there is an inherent danger towing and observe traffic conditions far ahead, far behind, left and right and for some with bad height judgment... up and be able to gauge pulling in and out of a Service Station without injury.

Some of the best posts on this Thread were well thought out, but ignored.

[J. Morgan]

A couple of years ago I was towing northbound on I 635 on the east side of Dallas approaching the I-30 exit.

I was in the lane second from the right, and the right lane is an exit only lane for I-30 west to Dallas. I was cruising with traffic about 55 mph, when suddenly and abruptly a car in the left lane moved across four lanes of traffic and came to a full stop right in front of me. (the exit only lane that he suddenly wanted into was bumper to bumper and moving very slow).....

I asked myself "can I stop", I answered "maybe", since maybe isn't good enough on it's own I checked my left mirror and began to encroach into the lane to my left while doing all I could do to stop.

I was able to stop about 20' short of the still stopped car, while encroaching about 1/4 of the way in the lane to my left.

Well, that sure pissed off the truck driver in that lane next to me..... [emoji4]

He was all about cursing me and giving me the one finger salute all the way to Rockwall where I exited.

The thing is, a person never really knows what kind of stuff another driver will try and pull. All we can do is to try to be ready, and to try to have some kind of an escape route....

My escape route was simply this, I'd rather sideswipe a vehicle going the same speed and direction as myself as to rear end a car that was at a dead stop.

The guy next to me didn't like it much, but no paint was exchanged, and I'd make the same maneuver again in the same circumstance.

The fact that the truck driver was pissed off? Oh well. That's tough. Sometimes things happen..... [emoji4]

[Bermshot]

This thread is beginning to make me Semi crazy ;o https://youtu.be/MhrPDKgG3bE?t=3

[tallytwo1994]

Ephraim,
It’s clear to me from watching both videos, twice, that the situation was as you originally reported. It’s also clear that she entered your lane more than once and it sure appeared to me to be intentional. I didn’t interpret her turn signal as a courtesy to you but rather for the red semi behind her. Congratulations on being able to drive defensively and avoid contact with the semi driver, and I believe it’s wonderful you were able to send a video to her employer. People don’t always believe our experiences on the road, so it’s good to have proof. I certainly hope you don’t experiance anything like this again.

Carol