The Road Rage Thread

[stephen87]

On a side note: DOT is considering a rule change to place speed limiters in ALL commercial vehicles. (A decision driven mainly by larger carriers who don't want to compete with the little guy who can move frieght quickly) If you want to continue to **** and moan about slow trucks, support it. If not, exercise your voice against it.

Which would you want? I'm okay with either one, all my ambulances are governed at about 90. They need to just stay out of my way at 0330 and all other times I NEED around them.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

As far as two semi's side by side go, what would you have preferred? The maneuver probably occurred before they even saw you, then he's stuck. What does he do, Try to complete the pass or slow way down and move back, thus placing you in a position where you have to take evasive procedures and jeopardize your passenger? He's damned either choice he makes.

It's always the ****s that cause the problems for all the rest of us. I've had guys pull over to "pass" when I've been the only car in sight approaching the line of semi's to pass. I've had semis pull out to pass when trying to climb very large hills, that even to a guy that's never driven something as large knows there's no way he was going to be able to complete that pass until he's gotten to the top. You probably don't do such things but it happens and happens a lot. Courtesy, if not dead, is certainly as rare as a super-power (no matter what you drive).

 

[bwframe]

Driving in today's world is like self defense, if you want to get anywhere anyway. If you aren't proactive you are at the mercy of others.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Just came back from a 10 day vay cay to central PA. 1300 miles round trip road trip. I have a few nits to pick.

To the *******s on I-71 north of Columbus, just before the exit onto I-270 (Columbus's 465), who, in a miles long stretch of 4+ lane open road managed to play bumper cars in the dark right in front of post-Christmas holiday traffic and block all five lanes snarling traffic to a trickle as we danced around your newly generated debris: **** YOU! **** you straight to Hell!

To all my fellow drivers in that snarl who were literally hopping back AND FORTH between lanes of freshly bumper-to-bumper traffic before you could even see just WTF had happened to be able to react to it properly, join the people mentioned in the above paragraph.

To all of the idjits across Ohio and Indiana (but not Pennsylvania, oddly) who come screaming up in the other lane (delta-V of a minimum of 10 MPH) just to cut in front of me with less than a whole car length between your rear bumper and my front, I'm not lifting anymore. When I'm on cruise control and you pull that happy horse**** again, if you can't pull your Evel Knievel crap off, you're just getting punted in the ass and have to deal with that.

You will find that Ohio drivers, particularly in and around Columbus demonstrate capability in driving like kamikaze pilots with fewer than average incidents, but that doesn't change the fact that most of them are horses' asses.

It is a rare day that I don't hear about a semi in an accident somewhere in the Chicago/NWI area. Many accidents occur on exit ramps where the driver doesn't understand the rules of physics. Many years ago semi drivers were respected as true professionals, no more. IMO the way they are paid as mentioned in an earlier post has an effect on how they drive. When driving I often see very poor driving habits by semi drivers. Sure, I also see a ton of idiots driving cars, but the semi drivers are supposed to be professional drivers. Too often safety is compromised in order to maximize the drivers income. A semi driver who causes an accident that ties up an interstate highway for hours should be fined (and his company) big time, and lose their CDL. This may be the only thing that will get their attention.

Also, I had a motor home rig towing a car that was about 50 feet long, so I know all about dealing with cars while driving a good sized rig.

A couple of thoughts come to mind. As for maximizing income, I see a balance. I am not going to take forever to pass someone else at a fractional mph difference, but at the same time I am neither going to follow someone running 5mph below the posted limit (i.e., my 65mph speed limit, not your 70 mph speed limit) to appease others, nor am I going to collect a ticket in the name of appeasement. The rule of thumb is that ISP will give us (trucks anyway) 4mph but not 5. This also highlights the sheer stupidity of split speed limits.

You are quite correct about the difference between truck drivers of years past and those of today. This is the legacy of truck driving schools and/or larger companies which operate their own de facto schools on the school model rather than more traditional methods. In decades past, a person became a truck driver because he wanted to drive a truck, and he learned from a truck driver who was functioning as such. Further, such a person generally had some prior applicable experience, like driving farm trucks.

Today, people become truck drivers because the job exists with an added bonus of it being a job requiring minimal interaction and communication for, well, recent imports ('industry' cries for H1b workers because of a 'shortage' which is in fact a shortage of people who will put up with their s**t while getting paid birdseed). The net result is people who don't have a clue go to a driving school or a fleet training program both of which operate on the model of getting people in, getting done with them, and putting them out as soon as they can keep a truck between the lines right side up most of the time. I have also noticed that beating a compliant attitude into people entering a profession historically occupied by notoriously independent individuals is de rigueur. I am not saying that no good drivers come from this crucible, but when they do it is more a matter of superior aptitude than the system actually working.

Just a thought, morning musings, or incoherent rambling if you will.

Many here who **** and moan about big trucks are too young to remember the reasons why these speed limiters and DOT Hours of Service Rules came into existence in the first place. Thank your older generations for pissing and moaning about big trucks going too fast, thank them for suing freight companies over accidents and driving insurance costs through the roof even when, in most cases, incidents involving trucks and passenger vehicles are caused by the 4 wheelers. Thank them for supporting over regulation and cronyism that push the independents away. You are suffering from yet another unintended consequence brought on by progressive big government policies

Next, check yourselves. I cannot even begin to count the number of times I've moved to pass another big rig with no vehicle even close, only to look in my mirror and see someone barreling up from behind at well above the speed limit, riding both lanes hoping to beat me into the right lane before I can complete the pass or the number of absolute bone head, selfish, head up anus moves I, and others, see on a daily basis.

Mental attitude is important when you are behind the wheel. A vehicle is not an inter-dimensional safety zone folks, it does not give you dominion over any space but what your hind end occupies.
Closing the door and turning the key does not leave you impervious to the outside world and it does not give you powers you don't possess outside of the cockpit.
You have no rights that trump those of others on the road.

Aside from being excessively kind to those who were apparently born with their brains up their rear ends and s**t them out, you summed it up exactly. Nice touch pointing out that most of the regulations serve no practical use toward their supposed purposes but rather serve as a device for Schneider, JB Hunt, Werner, Maverick, TMC, et. al. who can all afford in-house compliance departments to squeeze out the rest of us by lobbying for regulations that are a cross between 'Simon says' and the 'hokey pokey' which require absolute compliance for no useful purpose. The hell of it is that the news release always crows about how the new regulations were developed with the participation and consent of 'industry' without elaborating on the fact that the stifle competition rather than make the roads any safer when they often make them less so.

 

[Zephri]

So I'm the guy who stays in the right lane and goes 64 mph so I don't have to pass anyone on highways, makes life easy not having to turn the wheel and press the pedal down all the time, saves gas too.

 

[Frosty]

So I'm the guy who stays in the right lane and goes 64 mph so I don't have to pass anyone on highways, makes life easy not having to turn the wheel and press the pedal down all the time, saves gas too.

But it's sooo boring

 

[hornadylnl]

So I'm the guy who stays in the right lane and goes 64 mph so I don't have to pass anyone on highways, makes life easy not having to turn the wheel and press the pedal down all the time, saves gas too.

I used to always drive 5 over whether it's the interstate, highway, or in town. I've started slowing down as of late. If the guy in front of me will at least do the speed limit, I'll drop back and set the cruise. Not worth the hassle trying to pass on highways at the times I'm driving. But to the people who have nothing better to do than go out on the road and drive under the speed limit,

 

[Zephri]

But it's sooo boring

That's what a radio is for, all four of them! =P

 

[IndyDave1776]

So I'm the guy who stays in the right lane and goes 64 mph so I don't have to pass anyone on highways, makes life easy not having to turn the wheel and press the pedal down all the time, saves gas too.

Not a bad plan but I have found it not to work most of the time. In my experience, there is always someone running something like 10mph under the speed limit that one gets boxed in behind and cant get into the 70 mph traffic while now running 55mph behind someone who apparently has three lifetimes to get wherever he is going.

 

[Stschil]

0330 in the morning in an ambulance. It's hard not to see me. I realize that he was starting the pass before I got there, and that's what annoys me the most. He committed to it before I got there, was barely beside him, then stayed there for a couple of miles with me behind him laying on the air horn, sirens, everything I had. Personally, I would have preferred him to slow down, let me pass them, then try again. But I'm just a lowly car driver, so what do I know?

Again, I will point out that your world perception isn't equal to what others see. I'm not arguing, just saying that until you've been the guy seeing the reds and blues off in the distance, you can't speak for what he's seen or how he has perceived it.

It is a rare day that I don't hear about a semi in an accident somewhere in the Chicago/NWI area. Many accidents occur on exit ramps where the driver doesn't understand the rules of physics. Many years ago semi drivers were respected as true professionals, no more. IMO the way they are paid as mentioned in an earlier post has an effect on how they drive. When driving I often see very poor driving habits by semi drivers. Sure, I also see a ton of idiots driving cars, but the semi drivers are supposed to be professional drivers. Too often safety is compromised in order to maximize the drivers income. A semi driver who causes an accident that ties up an interstate highway for hours should be fined (and his company) big time, and lose their CDL. This may be the only thing that will get their attention.

Also, I had a motor home rig towing a car that was about 50 feet long, so I know all about dealing with cars while driving a good sized rig.

You do realize that the majority of vehicular accidents are caused by non-commercial vehicles, Even most incidents involving commercial vehicles, correct? Are you willing to subject yourself and all other drivers to the same type of penalties, fines, and legal liabilities? I cannot count in hours (cumulatively in days, weeks, or months would be more accurate) the time I've spent in stand still traffic on Chicago 'Freeways' because someone had a flat, or engine trouble, or whatever in their hoopty. I guess these folks deserve jail time.

A couple of thoughts come to mind. As for maximizing income, I see a balance. I am not going to take forever to pass someone else at a fractional mph difference, but at the same time I am neither going to follow someone running 5mph below the posted limit (i.e., my 65mph speed limit, not your 70 mph speed limit) to appease others, nor am I going to collect a ticket in the name of appeasement. The rule of thumb is that ISP will give us (trucks anyway) 4mph but not 5. This also highlights the sheer stupidity of split speed limits.
And speed limiters. They cause many more dangerous situations than they have been pro-ported to alleviate. Of course, as we've both alluded to, it's never been about safety anyway

You are quite correct about the difference between truck drivers of years past and those of today. This is the legacy of truck driving schools and/or larger companies which operate their own de facto schools on the school model rather than more traditional methods. In decades past, a person became a truck driver because he wanted to drive a truck, and he learned from a truck driver who was functioning as such. Further, such a person generally had some prior applicable experience, like driving farm trucks.

I will go back to my original statement. Big Brother policies and cronyism are the reasons why. Over-regulation, back room deals, screaming liberals, etc have all contributed to the death or near death of the breed. Used to be, if you wanted to make time on the highway, you followed a trucker. I used to do more than that, if a trucker shook the bushes for me, I'd buy them coffee (or a meal if it was a long run)

 

[Zephri]

I used to always drive 5 over whether it's the interstate, highway, or in town. I've started slowing down as of late. If the guy in front of me will at least do the speed limit, I'll drop back and set the cruise. Not worth the hassle trying to pass on highways at the times I'm driving. But to the people who have nothing better to do than go out on the road and drive under the speed limit,

Yeah I figure on the highway there is enough space for people to pass me, but man local roads you always get those people doing five or ten under the speedlimit. o.O

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Yeah I figure on the highway there is enough space for people to pass me, but man local roads you always get those people doing five or ten under the speedlimit. o.O

Sometimes the mood strikes me just to go out and rubberneck/leaf-look/sight-see but when I see folks come up behind me, I pull to the side and let them go around. It's really not all that hard to do and it's not personal that somebody might be in a bit more of a hurry than I am.

 

[Zephri]

Amazingly enough most of the people I've encountered that I had to pass are trucks and the non occasional slow car but for the most part all the fast people go by in the left lane. If you're talking about I465 I avoid it like the plague best to take local slow roads.

 

[hornadylnl]

Yeah I figure on the highway there is enough space for people to pass me, but man local roads you always get those people doing five or ten under the speedlimit. o.O

My dad taught me to be courteous to those around me, be it on the road or an aisle in a store. There's no reason for me to be the boat anchor holding everyone else up. I'll pull into an oncoming lane when turning left if it's safe to do so. That way, those behind me are affected as little as possible. Many times on my motorcycle, I will purposely speed up to build a nice cushion between me and those behind me when turning left. If I'm the first to the light on a 4 lane road and I'm going straight, I'll usually take the left lane in case anybody behind me wants to turn right without having to wait on the green light. I figure the more cars I can keep away from me, the better off I am.

 

[jbombelli]

 

[stevee]

Had to laugh when I was at a family reunion a few years ago. My uncle's grandkids were reminiscing about riding with him when they were little. They couldn't understand why grandpa seemed to have so many friends waving at him.

 

[kalboy]

Spend one day in Kentucky during the Hwy 60 yard sale and you'll see sights that pale anything in this thread.
Honestly, cars in both lanes coming to a complete stop ( on a 4 lane hwy) to rubberneck the roadside tables, or just nosy to see why other cars are stopping. Large wide shoulders to pull over on but nobody seems to trouble themselves to.
People doing U turns in the middle of the hwy, w/o so much as a glance over shoulder.
Walking in front of traffic w/o a look , hell that's common place here, even in 60 mph and up traffic.
It's like what happens in stadium parking lots only here at hwy traffic speeds.
My kingdom for an RPG and a clutch of rockets!


Highway 60 Yard Sale

 

[Trigger Time]

Get rid of semis. Use a train

 

[Frosty]

I've always said if cars came equipped with missiles people would be much more courteous!

 

[Frosty]

Get rid of semis. Use a train

Yeah, and put how many hundreds or thousands out of work? Nevermind the fact that people that whine about semis would be crying about waiting on the trains.