Road Rage and, Truck Drivers.......

[SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda]

Golly.....I mean how could you not consider Truck Drivers too be the "Smartest People" driving up and, down the highways of our beautiful country?
Just go out and, buy a C.B. radio and, listen in for a few minutes.....Politics, Religion, Foreign Languages and, hot topic recently..."The Faking of the Apollo 11 moon landing..." Wooooo....:surprised: They faked it? :surprised:

Early today, i'm doing my job as usual...holding onto my big ole steering wheel heading eastbound down the Interstate. Coming up on Champaign Urbana Illinois...Beautiful little College town on the prairie...

See what alot of people fail too understand is that most companies "Govern" the speed of their large trucks...Ohhhhh for insurance purposes...safety factors...etc...etc...In my case i have settle for *Mach 62* on flat ground...A small price too pay for alot BETTER pay/benefits than MOST of our competitors.

Back to the big city.

Well morning rush hour is quite well in progress and, i'm coming up on a ramp with ALOT of commuters coming out too join me!:smile: Come on out and, join the fun everyone!

Now, i have too explain...How could a vehicle doing 62mph in a 65mph speed zone have a thing too worry about? Well, i do my best to get about 30 tons over in the left lane.

Be safe...Make a good image for that rolling advertisment you have and, ALWAYS be courteous!

Well (again) someone decides to park his pickup and, trailer right next to my right drive wheels in what we call "The Blind Spot."

So i do my best to put a nice pass back into the right lane for.........OHHHHHHH about 4 miles......but, my new friend wants too shadow me and, NOT let me over.

Now remember what i said about "How could a vehicle doing 62mph on a 65mph Interstate Highway, have a problem?"

Weeeeellllll (again, again) Apparently a fellow truck driver behind me didn't like the game he thought i was playing....

I finally get over and, guess what? He wants too send a message!

Nine wheels and, tires over the line......crosses that hood of mine missing me by at least FIVE feet.

Beautiful! Mario Andretti couldn't have done better! Bravo!:wave:

Mad? No......Take defensive action?......No.......Flip him off?.....No....Startled? HELL YEAH!:surprised:


A question.....Have you ever wondered why you SEE so many Truck Driving jobs advertised in the local papers? I let you figure it out.


Now, there's not much i can do but, go down the road......Until i reach my destination.....Of course my Safety Dept. has already gotten the call.

You see.....when he did that.....he set off my Crash Warning System....Automatically applied my ABS brakes and, sent my set of double trailers into a slight weave....

Funny thing was.....SMILE...... MOTHA*****R.......YOUR ON CANDID CAMERA!!!!!:lol:

Who did he do that too? Just little ole me.....One of Twelve drivers "Testing" a new dashcam system...triggered by his actions!

My Safety Dept. has an AWESOME 8 second video...showing: Driver-The Me, Speed, Direction, Time, GPS location, His back door-Including Company Name, Trailer Number and, actions...

Wooooooo:surprised: Not so funny now huh?

I let the respective Safety Boys talk it over and, view the video.


NEVER.......EVER........EVER......have "I" used a vehicle to express ANGER over something i couldn't control.....NOT IN 27 YEARS of driving Semi's.....:no:

There's a difference between a Professional Truck Driver and, someone who's looking for a job with a "not so great" background work history.

Now i'll ask you again....Why are their some many Trucking Jobs in the local paper?

 

[AfterBurners]

Sorry to hear that. More drivers should have respect for you guys, but that's not always the case it seems. I have a friend who also drives cross country and he has dealt with a lot of stuff too.

 

[ClayD]

cheaper on fuel to regulate to 62 mph... (as well)
during the oil crunch in the 80's i heard they restricted all traffic to 55.(i was a kid so i dont know...)

Well at least that stuff didn't record your --- accident...
Stay safe!

 

[Davidtmp]

Most people behind the wheel now days don't give a **** about anyone but themselves. Going from the far left lane across 4 lanes of traffic to get to an exit. Don't let off gas enough to let someone merge coming onto interstate. Don't get me started. I really don't see how you truck drivers keep your sanity. I know you guys just love the people that are coming to a stop and dart in front of you.

 

[shrox]

It goes both ways, trucker etiquette has fallen too, like one truck pulling out to pass another on a long hill, and spending a good two or three minutes blockading everybody, then falling back behind the first truck where they started. Thanks so much...

I do appreciate trucking in general, I grew up next to an independent operator of a small fleet.

 

[SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda]

It goes both ways, trucker etiquette has fallen too, like one truck pulling out to pass another on a long hill, and spending a good two or three minutes blockading everybody, then falling back behind the first truck where they started. Thanks so much...

I do appreciate trucking in general, I grew up next to an independent operator of a small fleet.

I've had that issue before too.... Been there, done that....gave up and, pulled back in.
Your definitely right on the Etiquette thing...(not that I've always been a perfect angel.)

 

[GDJ]

I either give trucks a wide berth and get past them or fall back so I can see their mirrors. If a truck driver can't see you, then how the heck can he predict what would/could/should happen if I tried to pass him/her and they didn't know I was a mere 3 metres away from the back of the bumper in the adjacent lane??

It's getting harder to keep the anger in check at some drivers nowadays.....but I still refuse to drive angry. Stupid stuff happens when one drives angry.

Also I seem to be using my High Beams when I do lane changes more and more. Flick them on-off when I change lanes, passing vehicles, giving drivers that are dogging it in the fast lane a hint to either pick up the speed or move to the right. Believe it or not, I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm trying to get other driver's attention and let them know I'm DOING SOMETHING HERE that they SHOULD BE AWARE OF!!

 

[rocketsaway]

Do the safety guys contact the company that owns the other truck ?

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

If I'm not in a hurry on the Expressway, I set my cruise when the Tach registers 2000 rpm. That's about 66-67 MPH--optimum fuel economy I'm told. I get my doors blown off, but that happens at 70 MPH. So I apply a few obnoxious political bumper signs to the tailgate (magnetic canvas) and put the driving lights on.

I try not to look into the rear view mirror too often as it makes me want to brace for impact.

In the 12 miles of highway travel, I get overtaken/passed by as many as 20 vehicles, with the cruise set at 70. Once a Mercedes with a custom license plate suggesting it was owner by a heart doctor may have been driving as fast as 90 one morning. He overtook traffic that had passed me several minutes earlier.

 

[SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda]

Do the safety guys contact the company that owns the other truck ?

Ed, as far as I know their companies Safety Dept. was contacted and, the video forwarded.
What they chose too do with it..... I will be out of the loop.
Maybe, just maybe.... They'll do a records review and, if there's a record of issues with said driver it could be....
1. A slap on the wrist.
2. Paperwork.
3. Suspension.
4. Termination.

If they deal with situations like MY employer does.

New drivers in my company start in the 50K range.
Senior drivers earn 80-105K annually.

And, I'm NOT a T*amster.......

They expect out of us what they pay for.....a higher level.
I'm not afraid too tell people what I do for a living, just sometimes frustrated by the path I walk.....Once again, I'm far from being an Angel.

 

[rocketsaway]

Thought about doing it many times thru my life.
Dont think I could stay awake long enough.

I travel Rt 80, Pocono to Williamsport about 3x yr. many 18 wheelers.
Doing so for about 25yrs. Ive noticed a big change last 8-10yrs, way truckers drive, alot better. More courteous.

Never drove an 18 wheel. I was a truck mechanic. Test drove new Freightliners, old B Macks, Whites and cement.
Dead headed old junk single axle Intl cabovers from Philly up the Schuylkill for extra money. The green trucks w/ the tall flat front.
Until one day, the semi latched cab flipped over when I hit a big dip. I was looking down 5ft from the road doing 60mph. At nite.

Note to everyone. Never follow behind a cement truck. Let someone else in front of you.

 

[user 8716]

Golly.....I mean how could you not consider Truck Drivers too be the "Smartest People" driving up and, down the highways of our beautiful country?

Ugh, I know what you mean.

I’m an electronic engineer, design controls hardware for mobile systems. We had a major program a couple of years back that we were just rolling out to limited production release when we started to get sporadic reports of the system going into oscillations under certain load conditions, typically at moderate-to-high rpm in mid-range gears. After extensive testing at the proving grounds we could not reproduce the problem, so we finally decided that we needed to test them on a local road with a 1 ½ miles of 4% grade. The road was not too busy since the highway bypass was opened a few years back, but we knew that this really wasn’t what we wanted to do but needed to to diagnosis this problem.

We planned to go out with 3 trucks + 2 support vehicles. Truck 1 showed no signs of the problem, so I would drive it with a new software engineer monitoring the system. We were the designated tow vehicle so we were really light at 28,000 lbs but our primary job was to set the pace for the other 2 trucks. Truck 2 showed signs that it would oscillate, so it would go loaded to 65,000 lbs with one of our best drivers and our lead controls engineer on board. Truck 3 also showed signs that it would oscillate (not at as badly as 2), so it’s going at a 45,000 lbs with one of our mechanical engineers driving and the lead software engineer on board. All three trucks had warning light bars on them as well as 6 camera DVR systems, and two-way radios in all vehicles.

We head out to test, and the 2 support vehicles position themselves on the 2 roads leading to this hill, we have the 3 trucks positioned at a shoulder parking spot about ½ mile from the hill. After a 20 minute wait both support vehicle report a large gap in traffic so we launch the three trucks. I get the group up to the target speed, about 3 mph below the posted limit, and up the hill we go. We’re 1/3 of the way up the hill when one of the support vehicles reports a tractor-trailer rig “flying” towards us. About 2 seconds after that call my truck starts oscillating. :jaw: Uh-oh. I radio to the rest of the trucks that I’ve got a problem, hit the warning bar lights, the flashers, and start heading towards the shoulder.

Truck 3 follows me to the shoulder but for some reason truck 2 didn’t. Right about then we hear an air horn (driver of truck 3 was warning us), I look out the side mirror and see an orange 18 wheeler weaving between trucks 2 & 3, then weaving back around me, then a loud crash. Look over and my left side mirror is gone (the trucks we’re driving are right/curbside drive.) My truck is now disabled, the oscillation was bad enough that the safeties went on the control system and shut down the drivetrain, and the software engineer really needs to change his shorts.

After support vehicles make their way to us one of the drivers ask if I had the tape rolling. The DVR! I completely forgot that we had them on board, go back in the truck and sure enough it is running. Rewind the video to just before the impact, and the left side mirror camera, just before it gets hit, has a crystal-clear picture of the tractor-trailer driver texting on his phone.

One of our legal types sent the video to the trucking company. We did hear that trucking firm offered to pay for the damage to our truck and their driver didn't know how he lost his right side mirror, but never heard what the final outcome was.

 

[JohnNGA]

My brother drives trucks out of the Port Of Charleston, he told me once his truck threw a recap (no harm done to anyone), a guy followed him to the truck stop and accused him of doing it on purpose in an attempt to damage his new car.

 

[Pantherjon]

Dang Gustav! I have had that EXACT same thing happen to me MANY times in my almost 20 years of driving an 18-wheeler..3/4 of the time I too, was driving a 'choked' truck governed to 64-65MPH..

Had one instance where I was doing my Mach65..Had a car(we call them '4 wheelers') passing me..Coming up to a busy on ramp and there were some 'container hauler' trucks coming down it..Turn on blinker to try and get the car to 'hurry it up' some...Nope, he SLOWS down to STAY right next to me! The driver on the on ramp is now right next to me on the right yelling and gesturing to me as if I am SUPPOSED to move over for him so he can enter the freeway..Well, gee, Mr Genius, I WOULD IF I COULD! He had to slow down(he was really mad I guess as he locked up his trailer brakes)and come out behind me..Once he got up to his Mach75 he zoomed passed me, just so he could, guess what? Slam on his brakes so he could take that very next exit!...

Wish our company had those camera thingies..Sure he would have gotten a 'talking to' from his boss!:bangbang:

 

[AfterBurners]

I always give the truckers the right of way. The freeways here it can get really congested during rush hour and I see a trucker trying to get over a lane. He has his turn signals on and no one is nice enough allow him over. I do because I know how hard it is to drive in traffic let along being in a rig. That's what pisses me off is people are so rude and don't give a s*** when they drive. That's why we have accidents and traffic issues. I see this all the time when people merging on the freeway. I remember one time some guy would not let me on and I nearly ran into a wall.

 

[Pantherjon]

I always give the truckers the right of way.
<snip>
I see this all the time when people merging on the freeway. I remember one time some guy would not let me on and I nearly ran into a wall.

Am sure most of the 'professional' truck drivers appreciate that..Sure others could give a rip..

Traffic merges..sheesh..I could go on forever about how dumb and arrogant some drivers get around that! Either coming on the freeway or on the freeway dealing with merging traffic..The bad thing here in Georgia(and a lot of other places, I am sure) is that the on ramps do not have yield signs, even tho it is in the law books that oncoming traffic MUST yield to traffic in the travel lane(s)..I see so many people barrel down the on ramp and I am sure they are thinking: I have my blinker on YOU have to yield to ME...Nope, not how it works..Nice of you to use your signal tho...And then getting ON the freeway, I signal WELL in advance and if need be I slow down and yield to safely come on the freeway..Have had a couple of times when a car wouldn't move over even tho the left lane was clear for days..So, I slow down..What does this joker do? He slows down as well! THOSE are the ones that really get me worked up..Oh well, it is what it is..Time for me to go play with the dummies..Be safe!

 

[VonMises]

I see idiots trying to earn a darwin award by messing with truckers all the time. This is one of those jobs I could never do because I'd end up accommodating one of them.

But you'd think truckers would afford some level of professional courtesy to each other.

 

[SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda]

Panther? Thanks for jumping in here......I knew you were out there somewhere.

I have ALOT of respect for guys pulling Tankers.....High center of gravity, product slosh and, weight distribution in the tank and, the fact that they haul some pretty nasty stuff sometimes.

Makes hauling two 28 foot "pup" trailers (three pivot points) look easy.

Still with Keenan? You folks are the contracted carrier for our fuel delivery at our midwestern Terminals.....Usually i see a tanker delivering in the mornings at our Indianapolis Con-way Freight Yard. Nice looking equipment and, great drivers too!

I think alot of folks fail too realize the amount of destructive power a larger vehicle can inflict (not by choice) when they fail too head our blind spots or fail to stop/yield the right of way when its their turn too do so.
Its definitely a two way street though as i run up and, down the road and, wonder if the person in that car/truck/suv.....on that bike is someone i know....
Someone who's never driven a long trip before....
A young driver who's still afraid of the Interstate.
An older driver coping with fading vision....etc.
The list goes on.......

Too hurt an innocent person/persons through playing games or "Getting back at them" doesn't come into the picture.....

We all share the road and, hopefully its a long and, safe journey.

Now WHERE'S JimmyCatz? Little rascal... Thought for sure he'd chime in here!

Never forget the first time i talked to Jim......

"Dude, how many packs of cigarettes DO YOU smoke a day?"
I DON'T SMOKE! Why do you ask.....?
"Do you KNOW....you and, Shel Silverstein talk EXACTLY alike?"
WHAT?!:surprised:

"Nevermind, welcome too our little launch we call *Thunderstruck*.....glad you could make it Trucker!"

You have too know Jim...

 

[RodRocket]

As a twenty year veteran of the big wheels, I am lucky enough to have a regional run that gets me home daily. Having said that it doesn't make the day, or night in my case, any easier.

I ask you, Is there any way to tell how long that other driver has been driving? What his/her experience is? Maybe it is their first run. Companies will train up to a point, but the driver is still in control of the vehicle. With that in mind I change my way of driving around them. I have no way of knowing if the driver is, properly trained, has been sent off on their first solo run, has any idea where they are even going, what ever happened to pre-planning a trip? No way of knowing if they have just received bad news from home, or has a dispatcher climbing up their ass making them drive harder than they should, maybe has an unfamiliar truck, or is in the area for the first time, I could go on but you get the idea. There is NO way of knowing just what the hell the other driver may/will/won't do. Not that these are acceptable excuses, just how I approach the daily drive.

On my nightly run, if I don't get flipped off a few times, I start wondering what the hell I did wrong. I don't run the speed limit any more, I run where I feel the load and road conditions dictate. If it is super hot and I have a heavy container, I may only run 55. The extra time taken to get where I go is far better than spending it along side the road changing a tire.

Usually run between 55 and 65, like I said, depending on the load and conditions. I found out several things running these speeds. I piss off, well, EVERYBODY!

But I just let them go, usually I get to see them giving their autograph.

As for a CB, don't have one anymore. Just don't need it. Last time I had it on I was told that if I would speed up and go the speed limit I would make better time, I replied to him that if I were making such poor time, then why in the hell are YOU PASSING ME again. He spouted off a few choice words and I haven't turned on a CB since.

To me this life I call "trucking" is now just a job. I do my time and go home knowing I did well by not tearing up any equipment, rear ending the four wheeler or other truck who just had to pull in front and slow down, knowing I did a good job even though I didn't get a word of thanks, knowing that I will get to do it again the next night.

I will end this rambling with, as long as I am behind the wheel, I will do my best to be courteous, give way at on-ramps to those in a bigger hurry than I, wave kindly next time someone else thinks I am number one.

It is nice having a clean MVR, and I actually take pride in it. To bad I am one of the few.

Remember;

If you got it, a truck brought it.

See ya,
Rod

 

[shrox]

One of the best things you can do for a trucker is give them enough room to turn at a tight intersection.

 

[harsas]

Am sure most of the 'professional' truck drivers appreciate that..Sure others could give a rip..

Traffic merges..sheesh..I could go on forever about how dumb and arrogant some drivers get around that! Either coming on the freeway or on the freeway dealing with merging traffic..The bad thing here in Georgia(and a lot of other places, I am sure) is that the on ramps do not have yield signs, even tho it is in the law books that oncoming traffic MUST yield to traffic in the travel lane(s)..I see so many people barrel down the on ramp and I am sure they are thinking: I have my blinker on YOU have to yield to ME...Nope, not how it works..Nice of you to use your signal tho...And then getting ON the freeway, I signal WELL in advance and if need be I slow down and yield to safely come on the freeway..Have had a couple of times when a car wouldn't move over even tho the left lane was clear for days..So, I slow down..What does this joker do? He slows down as well! THOSE are the ones that really get me worked up..Oh well, it is what it is..Time for me to go play with the dummies..Be safe!

Truck drivers down here have no special training and it often shows. Shame because the best drivers I have ever met are the long haul drivers across the country. But when you talk about entering the highway, I get a bit nuts. Just about the most dangerous thing a person can do (or do to another) is to slow to a crawl (or worse, stop) on the entrance ramp while trying to enter traffic. If you are on the highway and are approaching someone trying to enter, you have the responsibility to clear the way for them. Either move over, speed up or slow down but allow them to merge. Of course, there are times in heavy traffic that it just does not work, but we all do our best. Otherwise, you are creating a life endangering hazard.

Oh, and if you drive a truck, please don't line up with the other trucks across all three lanes. Sheesh...

 

[sandman]

My brother drives trucks out of the Port Of Charleston, he told me once his truck threw a recap (no harm done to anyone), a guy followed him to the truck stop and accused him of doing it on purpose in an attempt to damage his new car.

Almost the same thing happened go me.

A scrap metal hauler in front of me blew a recap.

I was in the left lane and a large chunk of tire tread went under my car, came out the right side and hit the door of a bright shiny yellow Camaro.

It left a big ugly black skid mark on his door.

We both stopped and the driver of the Camaro was quite put out with me. OK, he was really PI$$ED off at me. After all it was my fault.:eyeroll:

We called the police.

The police did not agree with him. The police did not think it was my fault.:wink:

 

[Pantherjon]

Panther? Thanks for jumping in here......I knew you were out there somewhere.

I have ALOT of respect for guys pulling Tankers.....High center of gravity, product slosh and, weight distribution in the tank and, the fact that they haul some pretty nasty stuff sometimes.

Makes hauling two 28 foot "pup" trailers (three pivot points) look easy.

Still with Keenan? You folks are the contracted carrier for our fuel delivery at our midwestern Terminals.....Usually i see a tanker delivering in the mornings at our Indianapolis Con-way Freight Yard. Nice looking equipment and, great drivers too!

Yep, still with Kenan..It's a pretty good company, like all it has its warts, but I have too much time invested to think about going anywhere else..Well, they get all the shiny 'new stuff' up there!:tongue: But we DO have some good equipment at my terminal..Though I pull a dinosaur trailer(built in Sep 1986!)..We DO have 2 brand new(less the 100k miles) tractors, but I don't like them as they have air ride on the steer axle, takes away any type of road feedback in the steering..Just 'feels' weird..

I think alot of folks fail too realize the amount of destructive power a larger vehicle can inflict (not by choice) when they fail too head our blind spots or fail to stop/yield the right of way when its their turn too do so.

So true! They have no memory or concept of how long it takes to bring 80,000 lbs of truck to a stop..They tend to forget the fact of it taking a long time for me to get UP to speed, it will take quite a bit for me to slow DOWN..

Its definitely a two way street though as i run up and, down the road and, wonder if the person in that car/truck/suv.....on that bike is someone i know....

Another very valid point!

 

[Pantherjon]

As a twenty year veteran of the big wheels, I am lucky enough to have a regional run that gets me home daily. Having said that it doesn't make the day, or night in my case, any easier.

I ask you, Is there any way to tell how long that other driver has been driving? What his/her experience is? Maybe it is their first run. Companies will train up to a point, but the driver is still in control of the vehicle. With that in mind I change my way of driving around them. I have no way of knowing if the driver is, properly trained, has been sent off on their first solo run, has any idea where they are even going, what ever happened to pre-planning a trip? No way of knowing if they have just received bad news from home, or has a dispatcher climbing up their ass making them drive harder than they should, maybe has an unfamiliar truck, or is in the area for the first time, I could go on but you get the idea. There is NO way of knowing just what the hell the other driver may/will/won't do. Not that these are acceptable excuses, just how I approach the daily drive.

On my nightly run, if I don't get flipped off a few times, I start wondering what the hell I did wrong. I don't run the speed limit any more, I run where I feel the load and road conditions dictate. If it is super hot and I have a heavy container, I may only run 55. The extra time taken to get where I go is far better than spending it along side the road changing a tire.

Usually run between 55 and 65, like I said, depending on the load and conditions. I found out several things running these speeds. I piss off, well, EVERYBODY!

But I just let them go, usually I get to see them giving their autograph.

As for a CB, don't have one anymore. Just don't need it. Last time I had it on I was told that if I would speed up and go the speed limit I would make better time, I replied to him that if I were making such poor time, then why in the hell are YOU PASSING ME again. He spouted off a few choice words and I haven't turned on a CB since.

To me this life I call "trucking" is now just a job. I do my time and go home knowing I did well by not tearing up any equipment, rear ending the four wheeler or other truck who just had to pull in front and slow down, knowing I did a good job even though I didn't get a word of thanks, knowing that I will get to do it again the next night.

I will end this rambling with, as long as I am behind the wheel, I will do my best to be courteous, give way at on-ramps to those in a bigger hurry than I, wave kindly next time someone else thinks I am number one.

It is nice having a clean MVR, and I actually take pride in it. To bad I am one of the few.

Remember;

If you got it, a truck brought it.

See ya,
Rod

Man you nailed that one on the head!! My exact creed/motto/whatever!

It is now humorous the weird(and I mean truly baffled/bewildered type) looks that get thrown my way when I pull into a gas station to make a delivery!

'You here to make a delivery?'

Nah, I was lonely and thought to stop here and chit chat with the clerks!

HERE'S YOUR SIGN!:rofl:

 

[rocketsaway]

Tractor trailers weigh 40000lbs, I weigh 3000lbs. They win !

 

[jis2]

Its 80,000 gvw Ed so they win times 2 ! lol

 

[DRAGON64]

When I was in school (2nd & 3rd grade) and I was watching man go to the moon on the Saturn V vehicles... I dreamed of becoming a truck driver. Living the dream, I pulled "wiggle-wagons" for a number of years, also piloting many 48 to 53 footers. I can concur with many of the expierences described here. All of the vehicles I drove were company governed to 63 mph tops. At the time only JB Hunt drove slower... Now, semi-retired, I pull for a high school marching band, with a max of 5 to 8 trips a year... more if we make the playoffs. My cargo now is quite precious (to me), and much more personal. I had the chance to pull for my son, who is now graduated; this season my daughter is starting high school, so now I get to pull for her. Driving a rig is quite rewarding... when I back that 48' band trailer into the small nook of a band room loading zone, I have NASA engineers come up to me saying that they always wished they could drive... and they shake my hand and say "good Job"! When the kids are out of the nest, my wife and I plan to drive as a team, probably our only way we'll get to see the country so to speak.

With driving comes much responsibility... As a paid driver, a driving professional has greater responsibility... More is expected of us and I would expect noting more. But still, there are more and more drivers that just do not understand what it takes to do what we do, and we become more of a nuisance, or an obstacle to them. We can also be a nuisance to other truck drivers as the original poster described... a shame too, as they should know exactly what we are dealing with, and exert a little courtesy and patience. Society today does not want to slow down or even come to a hault... they want to move fast, and anything or anyone that gets in their way... well, we all know too well where that is leading. Be carefull out there, and extend the courtesy to others, that you would expect extended unto you.

Life is good when you can keep living the dream...

 

[VonMises]

So... do all truck drivers fly rockets?

This certainly dispells all the jokes about truckers I've heard.