Something needs to be done with truckers

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: gman2304
The OP has a huge Jones for truckers, and starts a negative thread about them quite often here.


That's because I spend a lot of time driving on the highways and having to deal with these doosh bags all the time...


And they probably think the exact same thing about you.

Since it's obviously a huge concern for you, what have you done other than make useless discussion forum posts about the issue? Discussed it with your local lawmakers? Brought up the issue with your local highway patrol? Or are you one of the majority who choose to do nothing more than sit around and gripe?

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: used_0il
Maybe they are "New Americans" like our "New Canadian" drivers.

It doesn't matter how they got here, their demographics or situation.

How bad can it really be if you lose a minute or two on your commute?


Considering my "commute" is 5 hours each way every weekend, and considering the number of these idiots I have to deal with, it's a lot more than a minute or two...

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: gman2304
The OP has a huge Jones for truckers, and starts a negative thread about them quite often here.


That's because I spend a lot of time driving on the highways and having to deal with these doosh bags all the time...


And they probably think the exact same thing about you.

Since it's obviously a huge concern for you, what have you done other than make useless discussion forum posts about the issue? Discussed it with your local lawmakers? Brought up the issue with your local highway patrol? Or are you one of the majority who choose to do nothing more than sit around and gripe?



Pretty tough for them to think the same of me, I don't block the left lane and hold up traffic for long periods of time. What am I supposed to do about it? Start a petition? If I bring it up to lawmakers or the highway patrol they're just going to blow me off...

 

[dlundblad]

My main issue is when they blow red lights on the highway. I mainly see this at night when I am headed home. It is always good to be a defensive driver, but someone could get killed from this.

Them passing a semi 1 mph more than another can be frustrating, but we all have somewhere to go. Most of the time, they seem to make a reasonable effort to get over too.

 

[gman2304]

That's because I spend a lot of time driving on the highways and having to deal with these doosh bags all the time...

YOU spend a lot of time on the highway? I've driven 18 wheelers for over 40 years, that's a lot of driving time! I moved to the left lane to let a car out of a rest area my last trip. The driver promptly merged and stayed beside me on the right side exactly half way between my drive axles and my trailer tandems. The speed limit is 70 in this section of highway and our trucks are governed down to 64 to 66 mph. Traffic was starting to stack up behind me after a mile or so and I turned on my right turn signal. The car still stayed beside me and then cars behind me started to move to the right lane and started to stack up behind the car that I had courteously moved over for so he could merge onto the highway. I backed off the throttle to let him go and after another mile or so finally got an opening to move back into the right lane. The cars that got stacked up behind me were probably thinking the way the OP thinks so naturally I was the bad guy because they didn't see the whole scenario unfold. If the OP has a 1,000 mile commute every weekend, then maybe he should reconsider relocating his permanent domicile and then he wouldn't have to deal with all the douche bag professional drivers as often, since he clearly has no patience or tolerance for them.

 

[andyd]

My job is 99% local driving around south eastern MA and the Cape. It is what it is. I get nasty-grams because the van is being tracked. So, I try to drive the right hand lane and it is a major hassle. Truck driving is hard work. They cant stop anywhere near as well as a car and they can run you over like you weren't even there. I like them ahead of me until I can pass them on the left. It is easier to let them have their way, rather than have them take it from you. It is called defensive driving. I am listening to a book on CD, or an AM news station for traffic bulletins, or nothing if conditions require more attention. Driving is a community effort. Go along to get along in your daily dance. Right or wrong isn't the issue. Getting home is the main thing.

 

[Kory]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
That's because I spend a lot of time driving on the highways and having to deal with these doosh bags all the time...

YOU spend a lot of time on the highway? I've driven 18 wheelers for over 40 years, that's a lot of driving time! I moved to the left lane to let a car out of a rest area my last trip. The driver promptly merged and stayed beside me on the right side exactly half way between my drive axles and my trailer tandems. The speed limit is 70 in this section of highway and our trucks are governed down to 64 to 66 mph. Traffic was starting to stack up behind me after a mile or so and I turned on my right turn signal. The car still stayed beside me and then cars behind me started to move to the right lane and started to stack up behind the car that I had courteously moved over for so he could merge onto the highway. I backed off the throttle to let him go and after another mile or so finally got an opening to move back into the right lane. The cars that got stacked up behind me were probably thinking the way the OP thinks so naturally I was the bad guy because they didn't see the whole scenario unfold. If the OP has a 1,000 mile commute every weekend, then maybe he should reconsider relocating his permanent domicile and then he wouldn't have to deal with all the douche bag professional drivers as often, since he clearly has no patience or tolerance for them.


I see this all the time. The truck moves over to let car in and car is too stupid to let truck back over.

Also the cars in left lane have patience of 2 year old and then all try to pass on right further trapping courtious truck driver in left lane for miles.

If more people left their homes for work planning to be 10-15 minutes early instead of going 20mph over the speed limit to arrive exactly on time there would be much less frustration and dangerous driving on the roads.

It seems to me people as a whole are in a big hurry to nowhere.

 

[alreadyinuse]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
I moved to the left lane to let a car out of a rest area my last trip. The driver promptly merged and stayed beside me on the right side exactly half way between my drive axles and my trailer tandems.

One thing I learned early on trucking is to not worry about letting cars merge in from on ramps. It always leads to more headaches. I will not even adjust my speed. It is up to the vehicle merging to merge when safe, and I will not attempt to read other peoples minds anymore.

 

[alreadyinuse]

I should add, as a truck driver, I apologize for the actions of some of my co-workers. Trust me, it makes us all look bad when some clown just doesn't think. I have seen it all.

Perhaps in days gone by, people got into trucking because that's what they wanted to do. Nowadays, it's probably more likely they do this job for the paycheque, as opposed to taking much pride in the actual job they do.

Combine this with low pay for the hours worked, it is no surprise there are some questionable drivers out there.

And as mentioned before, governed trucks can be a headache to operate. It is not uncommon to see a slower moving car suddenly speed up when being passed. And yes, this scenario can lead to a driver getting "boxed in." Signals often don't work to clear a space back in the slow lane. I will "drift" into the slow lane slowly when I want back in. Unfortunately this is often the only way to clear a safe space to get back into the proper lane.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Kory

Also the cars in left lane have patience of 2 year old and then all try to pass on right further trapping courtious truck driver in left lane for miles.

If more people left their homes for work planning to be 10-15 minutes early instead of going 20mph over the speed limit to arrive exactly on time there would be much less frustration and dangerous driving on the roads.


It's easier to be the fastest guy on the road. You don't have to watch your mirrors; all the action happens in your windscreen. There are plenty of inept drivers out there who have to be passing, no matter what the speed. There are more, who have to hang in the middle lane, because merging is just so traumatic. And there are the self-righteous ones who think the law is the law. So much frustration out there.

 

[alreadyinuse]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The worst things Ive seen are as follows:

1) Dump truck drivers - somehow these guys are the worst, spewing stones, weaving, driving crazy. Apparently they get paid by the load so this is how they maximize income, at others' expense and safety.


I have done this work. Although some work is billed per trip, or by ton, most is billed hourly, at least around here.

Some drivers are lazy, but they are supposed to sweep off their equipment from loose gavel after getting loaded. However, understand that where these things operate, the traction tires often get filled with substantial sized pebbles. There is simply no way a driver can sit for two hours picking rocks out of their tires. Unfortunately, they'll fling off on the highways. I also ride a motorcycle, and I will avoid gravel trucks when possible.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: alreadyinuse
Originally Posted By: gman2304
I moved to the left lane to let a car out of a rest area my last trip. The driver promptly merged and stayed beside me on the right side exactly half way between my drive axles and my trailer tandems.

One thing I learned early on trucking is to not worry about letting cars merge in from on ramps. It always leads to more headaches. I will not even adjust my speed. It is up to the vehicle merging to merge when safe, and I will not attempt to read other peoples minds anymore.


Exactly, I was going to say something similar. Especially if traffic is heavy, just stay in the right lane and let cars getting on the highway figure it out.

 

[KrisZ]

My FIL is a truck driver and I went along with him on a few very short rides. By short I mean about an hour each! And let me tell you that those few short trips with him were enough to see all sorts of stupid done by drivers of passenger vehicles. The worst were on the major highways.

I'm 100% convinced that OP is barking up the wrong tree. The trucking industry is already over regulated as is. What really needs to be done is the joke of a driver's training/licence test we have for regular light/medium duty passenger vehicles.

 

[gman2304]

I won't cut a vehicle off to move over and let another vehicle onto the highway but if the lanes around me are clear, I do try to be courteous by moving over for them. As far as having a vehicle beside me, sometimes the vehicle trying to merge doesn't know and can't see that I can't move over for them because another vehicle is on my left side, so I will back off the throttle to let the merging vehicle in. I've had people flip me off for not moving over when there was a family in a minivan beside me that they couldn't see. It's a give and take job, and I always try to remember that when dealing with ignorant people, they most likely wouldn't stand a chance if they were to lock horns with an 80,000 lb vehicle.

 

[Vuflanovsky]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
I won't cut a vehicle off to move over and let another vehicle onto the highway but if the lanes around me are clear, I do try to be courteous by moving over for them. As far as having a vehicle beside me, sometimes the vehicle trying to merge doesn't know and can't see that I can't move over for them because another vehicle is on my left side, so I will back off the throttle to let the merging vehicle in. I've had people flip me off for not moving over when there was a family in a minivan beside me that they couldn't see. It's a give and take job, and I always try to remember that when dealing with ignorant people, they most likely wouldn't stand a chance if they were to lock horns with an 80,000 lb vehicle.


I think the example of being flipped off when you couldn't get over is a great example of people being in their own bubble without having enough brain synapse firing to figure out there's more to the story. I was once told that the difference between a good driver and a bad driver is the ability to project ahead into situations...this is a prime example. In general, I have much less issues with truck drivers than I do with people who see a semi and immediately have to act like a jack offf because they'll be delayed thus causing near misses and unsafe conditions for the cars around them. I tend to be patient on a merge if the possibility exists that I'll be boxed in by a 40 ton truck that can't slow down or speed up like I can. In that instance, I'm more likely to be rear ended by said j-off than be hit by the truck.

 

[MrQuackers]

One thing that really irks me is the ones that hold up traffic for miles and miles when you can't pass, and the moment there is a passing lane they can magically drive 10 miles per hour over the limit and you only have a limited time to pass them. Are they that bored?

 

[totegoat]

Idiots haul stuff. There are good drivers too. What to do with the complete fools?

Call their corporate office and complain. We don't have to share the road with fools.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
That's because I spend a lot of time driving on the highways and having to deal with these doosh bags all the time...

YOU spend a lot of time on the highway? I've driven 18 wheelers for over 40 years, that's a lot of driving time! I moved to the left lane to let a car out of a rest area my last trip. The driver promptly merged and stayed beside me on the right side exactly half way between my drive axles and my trailer tandems. The speed limit is 70 in this section of highway and our trucks are governed down to 64 to 66 mph. Traffic was starting to stack up behind me after a mile or so and I turned on my right turn signal. The car still stayed beside me and then cars behind me started to move to the right lane and started to stack up behind the car that I had courteously moved over for so he could merge onto the highway. I backed off the throttle to let him go and after another mile or so finally got an opening to move back into the right lane. The cars that got stacked up behind me were probably thinking the way the OP thinks so naturally I was the bad guy because they didn't see the whole scenario unfold. If the OP has a 1,000 mile commute every weekend, then maybe he should reconsider relocating his permanent domicile and then he wouldn't have to deal with all the douche bag professional drivers as often, since he clearly has no patience or tolerance for them.


Maybe you don't know this, and maybe I've never mentioned it, but I have a class A CDL and I used to drive semis...so I'm not some joker who knows nothing about the ways of trucking, but even with no trucking experience I know the following;

It's not necessary for semis to be parked in the left lane, especially when they're not overtaking any other vehicles. I see this a lot.

It's not necessary for truckers to hold up countless other vehicles to pass another semi when the difference in speed is so little that it takes 5 mins or more just to overtake one semi. In these instances, the faster semi driver should slow down a little and stay in the right lane until a pass can be made without holding up other vehicles in the process.

It isn't necessary for truckers to drive in the far left lane when there are more than two lanes. They are well aware that they're only supposed to use the two right lanes. These guys should be pulled over and ticketed for impeding traffic flow, and for violating lane discipline.

I'm not going to hold it against the semi driver when other idiot drivers cause them to do things that might appear as the trucker being in the wrong. That is not the case in any of the scenarios I listed.

 

[gman2304]

I now understand why you 'used' to drive semis.

 

[qwerty1234]

Gramp, it's a new age. Professional truckers are on time limits. I give these professionals the respect they deserve.