RANT: People cutting off trucks with large loads

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

This really burns me up! I had a loaded flatbed, about 6,000 pounds of fence posts, 3,500 pound trailer, pulled by my now running 2000 F250 diesel.

What I did wrong:

Like the three cars in the left turn lane in front of me and the line of cars in the left turn lane to the left of me (yes, two lanes turning left) I waited for a green arrow to turn left.

Having a bit of weight behind me, I did not jump on the accelerator and keep up with the cars in front of me so a small space opened up.

Slammed on my brakes and hit my horn for a rather long time to get her attention.

What other driver did right:

Slowed down slightly in order to make a right turn on a red light.

Kept talking on the cell phone as that is the most important thing a driver can do.

Attempted to merge with on-coming traffic without looking in the direction of said on-coming traffic and without stopping for your own red light.

Shot the finger at the idiots in the big truck and large van who are about to t-bone your stupid little self.


Guess it was a good thing I keep the brakes up, buy the best in electric brake boosters for the trailers, and pay attention to the road. It was VERY close to me t-boning this idiot. If I had not been blowing my horn the person in the left turn lane to my left would have slammed into her, they barely stopped before striking her as well. Oh, they also spent alot of time on the horn at her. I do not know how she avoided rear ending the car in the far left lane who was just completing their left turn. I would have impacted her driver's door with my passenger front headlight/bumper. Van was heading a similar direction.

Amazing how everything slowed down. Wife was still mad at this idiot this morning. Yes, we have let the idiot have more of our time than deserved. Wonder how this would have played out if I had not been able to stop?

Stupid redneck in the truck failed to yield to me officer.

Wonder if any witnesses would have stayed behind to help set the record straight?

How much weight are you licensed for son? (I was well below my max weight on the farm trailer and within my max tow weight.)

I'm sure her insurance, if she had any, would have tried to lay some portion of the blame for the accident on me and refused to pay damages and losses (time IS money) and refused to rent me another farm truck for the duration of any repairs.

[GH85Carrera]

That is the typical driver, they feel they HAVE TO talk on the phone as soon as they get into a car. And they never yield even when they should. On my commute to work I have one light that I get a green arrow to turn left. On most days there are morons that do not even stop for their red light and just roll through and turn right on red with no stop. Even though I have a green arrow I assume they are just going to ignore their red light.

[recycled sixtie]

David,
Do you have a law in your state that says being on a cell phone is illegal? If you do then you could have got the offender's lic. plate number and told the police. Everytime I see somebody on their cell ph. and driving I want to report it. It is illegal in our province.

[genrex]

Hand-held cell phones are a primary offense and a hefty fine here, but it has made no difference. Also, running red lights and cutting people off is so common that it's almost become the norm. When honked at, women seem to be quick with the finger; so quick in fact that it's obvious they often cut people off, and they know they're going to get honked at, and they're ready with the instant finger.

None of the above applies in the small towns and villages around here. People are amazingly courteous in those towns. It's like going back in time to Mayberry RFD or something...

_

[Baz]

On the subject of cell phones.....

Two types:

1. Do this once in a while....only when it is absolutely necessary and when they do they maintain proper control over their vehicle and do not compromise others' safety and driving comfort.

2. Get on the phone before they even get out of their driveway.....these people have serious self-esteem issues and feel they have to stay connected to "someone" to legitimize their worth.

[944Larry]

I hate to say it, but get used to it. Driving a big truck requires much more care and tolerance than these idiots in other vehicles will ever show. I used to haul a lot of heavy equipment (up to 140000# plus the weight of the truck) and was always amazed at the chances people took in cutting you off or slamming on the brakes, passing on a double yellow, talking on the cell etc. Goes with the territory. I also don't volunteer to drive a truck for anybody I work for. I load the equipment up, get in my vehicle, meet it at the jobsight and unload it. No stress there.

[Zeke]

The only reason she shot the finger at you is because she was sitting in a puddle of pee.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Yep, the college brats are returned and we had to go through the "big" city on this one. Cell phones are so ubiquitous I wonder if some people should not have implants added to their ear canals so they do not need the phone....

Texting while driveing is illegal in this area, not talking. Doubt the pokey would do anything anyway, local students are the bread and butter of the hamlet and it's main reason for expanding beyond 5 or 10 thousand residents.

I HOPE she had to clean up the car seat!


I had just spent eight hours with my old chainsaw cutting out cedar fence posts at a buddies place before he did a commercial harvest. Before this summer is over we will have put about 1200 posts into the ground with associated new wire. That is about 9,600 linear feet of fencing, give or take. Goes with the 3,000+ trees we have planted over the past several years. Noone to drive for us, too much cost! I just never get used to this type of driver.

I did not even mention the A4 driver who made the right turn from the left lane in front of me as he was several car lengths in front and I never had to hit the brakes. Truck with a load is a target for morons...

[oldE]

I believe most people, if they understood the principles of physics, would be more circumspect while operating a motor vehicle.

We spend a lot of effort protecting stupid people from themselves.

Best
Les

[Laneco]

Originally Posted by 944Larry

I hate to say it, but get used to it. Driving a big truck requires much more care and tolerance than these idiots in other vehicles will ever show. I used to haul a lot of heavy equipment (up to 140000# plus the weight of the truck) and was always amazed at the chances people took in cutting you off or slamming on the brakes, passing on a double yellow, talking on the cell etc....

It is always amazing to me how poorly people do "the math" in this situation. I did serious/fatal accident investigation when they involved large commercial trucks for several years. You screw up around a truck - you die - and you do not leave a pretty corpse. Ground up people smell like raw, room temperature pork sausage. Never forget the smell. Pork sausage is a forbidden item in our house (except pre-cooked - Steve likes his early morning piggy).

angela

[Zeke]

I haven't had to take a written driver's license test for most of my adult life. Only when I moved to another state. That's wrong.

I pull up to a 4-way and the person to my right sits and stares. It even pisses me when they motion for me to go. That was just a waste of time. On the right, you go, period.

But drivers today don't know the rules of an intersection, the most important part of driving there is. It seems pretty soon our intersections will look like one in Bombay.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Laneco

It is always amazing to me how poorly people do "the math" in this situation. I did serious/fatal accident investigation when they involved large commercial trucks for several years. You screw up around a truck - you die - and you do not leave a pretty corpse. Ground up people smell like raw, room temperature pork sausage. Never forget the smell. Pork sausage is a forbidden item in our house (except pre-cooked - Steve likes his early morning piggy).

angela

Have some buddies that did that type of work so I have some insight on what you're saying. Some of their tales would scare Ripley on the movie "Aliens"!!!!

[island911]

Originally Posted by Zeke

The only reason she shot the finger at you is because she was sitting in a puddle of pee.

thanks Milt. I expect that you're right.

It is amazing that we allow big trucks out and about with such squishable econo-boxes.

[R K T]

It's bad out there, and...............it's only going to get worse.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I haven't had to take a written driver's license test for most of my adult life. Only when I moved to another state. That's wrong.

I pull up to a 4-way and the person to my right sits and stares. It even pisses me when they motion for me to go. That was just a waste of time. On the right, you go, period.

But drivers today don't know the rules of an intersection, the most important part of driving there is. It seems pretty soon our intersections will look like one in Bombay.

How many people actually remember 25% of our driver's handbook around here? I like the ones who come up behind a car that had just gone in front of them, wait for about 1/2 second and goes before everyone that's been waiting there. People jusr don't pay attention anymore, or is it that they just don't care?

[Tobra]

people are stupid, some are too stupid to live

She did not wet herself, she probably did not even realize she did anything wrong.

Physics is without mercy. Guy in a van ran a stop sign and barely clipped me in my shiny little miata three months ago. Over $10,000 damage to car and my back is still pretty jacked up. He admitted to speeding and running the stop sign, lied about running away and did not get a ticket. I figure he is either retired LEO or has family that is CHP.

Glad you were paying enough attention for yourself and the brain dead beyotch. You would have felt awful if you killed her.

Angela, the raw is not as bad as the cooked, as far as the smell goes, trust me.