Truck driver doing what they do best

[serpicostraight]

In the OP, this is a VALID complaint that I see over and over EVERY TIME I drive on the Interstate.

Truckers DIDN'T USED TO DRIVE THIS WAY in years past.

In years PAST, when a trucker passed somebody, they just pulled in the left lane and just passed normally like everybody else.

Why the change?

There's no conclusion other than they INTENTIONALLY do this that I can come to.

If I was a police officer I would pull them over and ticket them for intentionally blocking traffic.

It is against the law.

IC 35-42-2-4
Obstruction of traffic
Sec. 4. (a) A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic commits obstruction of traffic, a Class B misdemeanor.
(b) The offense described in subsection (a) is:
(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the offense includes the use of a motor vehicle; and
(2) a Class D felony if the offense results in serious bodily injury.

most trucks are governed so they can only go so fast. another problem is when we come up behind a four wheeler and we go to pass then he speeds up. so we get back in the right lane then he slows down. they have no idea how dangerous that game is. we cant stop as fast as they can and if they do something stupid its game over.

 

[IndyDave1776]

most trucks are governed so they can only go so fast. another problem is when we come up behind a four wheeler and we go to pass then he speeds up. so we get back in the right lane then he slows down. they have no idea how dangerous that game is. we cant stop as fast as they can and if they do something stupid its game over.

Oh how I hate this game. This is one of those occasions when I put the 93mph I have on tap to good use. Funny how they end up sitting there in disbelief when I do that! The only problem is what they really need is a good beating.

 

[Ericpwp]

Dirigibles, dirigibles, dirigibles. What we need are dirigibles and dirigibles pilots. What ever happened to dirigibles? The Hindenburg was sabotaged by the Nazis. Replace trucks with dirigibles.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Dirigibles, dirigibles, dirigibles. What we need are dirigibles and dirigibles pilots. What ever happened to dirigibles? The Hindenburg was sabotaged by the Nazis. Replace trucks with dirigibles.

You could go another way with this. A few years back, John Deere printed a calendar with fictional machines from the future including off road dump truck that fly like the DeLorean in 'Back to the Future' after being converted. That would be neat!

 

[serpicostraight]

Oh how I hate this game. This is one of those occasions when I put the 93mph I have on tap to good use. Funny how they end up sitting there in disbelief when I do that! The only problem is what they really need is a good beating.

they seem to think its funny until 80,000 pounds goes over the top of them. i bet they arent laughing then. ive told many people over the years if you lock up with a truck you are gonna lose bad but most of them dont believe me.

 

[edporch]

Quote:
Originally Posted by edporch
In the OP, this is a VALID complaint that I see over and over EVERY TIME I drive on the Interstate.

Truckers DIDN'T USED TO DRIVE THIS WAY in years past.

In years PAST, when a trucker passed somebody, they just pulled in the left lane and just passed normally like everybody else.

Why the change?

There's no conclusion other than they INTENTIONALLY do this that I can come to.

If I was a police officer I would pull them over and ticket them for intentionally blocking traffic.

It is against the law.

IC 35-42-2-4
Obstruction of traffic
Sec. 4. (a) A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic commits obstruction of traffic, a Class B misdemeanor.
(b) The offense described in subsection (a) is:
(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the offense includes the use of a motor vehicle; and
(2) a Class D felony if the offense results in serious bodily injury.

The number one reason is the geniuses behind desks who have the trucks governed at stupid speeds so that this is all there is. My way of thinking is that if you want to buy a truck set up so you could have a chimpanzee drive it, hire a chimpanzee to drive it. I would also tell those drivers "if you can't, don't." The problem with application of the law against obstructing traffic is that they are not considered to be obstruction traffic under the circumstances. Generally it would require a speed further below the speed limit than they are travelling and the original intention of the law was to protect the rest of us from being subjected to such things as protesters lining up abreast and driving 10mph down the interstate. Further, under these circumstances, it is presumed that the intention is in fact to pass and not obstruct even if they are taking until the second coming of Christ to do it. That said, I am with you being irritated with it.

I've driven trucks with governors on the Interstates as well as State Highways too.
I NEVER pulled in front of other vehicles so they had to slow down for me.
So i ask NOTHING of truckers that I haven't given myself when driving with a governor.

Secondly, regardless of the speed limit, when somebody blocks off the road so that traffic backs up into a congested rolling parking lot, they are INTENTIONALLY creating a dangerous situation.

MUCH more dangerous than going a few mph over the speed limit.

There's also a principle in law that says one should attempt to mitigate potential damage instead of attempt to exacerbate it.

It's safer for everybody to just move over and let the traffic pass.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I've driven trucks with governors on the Interstates as well as State Highways too.
I NEVER pulled in front of other vehicles so they had to slow down for me.
So i ask NOTHING of truckers that I haven't given myself when driving with a governor.

Secondly, regardless of the speed limit, when somebody blocks off the road so that traffic backs up into a congested rolling parking lot, they are INTENTIONALLY creating a dangerous situation.

MUCH more dangerous than going a few mph over the speed limit.

There's also a principle in law that says one should attempt to mitigate potential damage instead of attempt to exacerbate it.

It's safer for everybody to just move over and let the traffic pass.

I never said that I though any of this to be a good idea, merely that there are more reasons than simply being a jackass for S&G. It is further complicated by the 'product' being turned out by driving schools and trucking companies functioning as their own driving schools with little regard for the sorry, sorry excuses for drivers they are turning out. My basic point is that the obstruction laws don't really apply to the situation of a 63 mph truck passing a 62 mph truck in a 70 zone.

Personally, I would like to see governed trucks outlawed completely. If you can't hire a driver who is responsible enough to manage himself on the highway, you shouldn't hire anyone.

 

[edporch]

Quote:
Originally Posted by edporch
I've driven trucks with governors on the Interstates as well as State Highways too.
I NEVER pulled in front of other vehicles so they had to slow down for me.
So i ask NOTHING of truckers that I haven't given myself when driving with a governor.

Secondly, regardless of the speed limit, when somebody blocks off the road so that traffic backs up into a congested rolling parking lot, they are INTENTIONALLY creating a dangerous situation.

MUCH more dangerous than going a few mph over the speed limit.

There's also a principle in law that says one should attempt to mitigate potential damage instead of attempt to exacerbate it.

It's safer for everybody to just move over and let the traffic pass.

I never said that I though any of this to be a good idea, merely that there are more reasons than simply being a jackass for S&G. It is further complicated by the 'product' being turned out by driving schools and trucking companies functioning as their own driving schools with little regard for the sorry, sorry excuses for drivers they are turning out. My basic point is that the obstruction laws don't really apply to the situation of a 63 mph truck passing a 62 mph truck in a 70 zone.

Personally, I would like to see governed trucks outlawed completely. If you can't hire a driver who is responsible enough to manage himself on the highway, you shouldn't hire anyone.

I would bet if a directive was given to the Indiana State Police to pull over drivers of ANY vehicle type that block off the road for miles causing a dangerous traffic back up, an "obstruction" charge could be made to stick.
The law says nothing about about the speed the vehicle is going, ONLY that a vehicle is being used to obstruct traffic.

I agree about governors.
What I don't understand is why a trucker would feel safe driving long distances with one?

Since a great many truckers are unionized, WHY doesn't the union make governors an issue when negotiating their contract?
If they cared about the safety of their members they would.

 

[bwframe]

Truckers are definitely a different breed than they were in the distant past.

I remember a time long ago when they were among the FASTEST, BEST, PROFESSIONAL and most RESPECTED drivers on the Interstate, and if you wanted to really cover some miles you ran with them.

When I was a kid we looked up to them like we would firemen, policemen, etc., and thought how cool it would be to grow up and be one.

Now they're among the SLOWEST, RUDEST, WORST, most DANGEROUS drivers on the road.

WHAT HAPPENED??

This right here:

I don't worry about moving over for law breakers.
Stay away from my 18 wheels and 80,000lbs.
It may not end well for you!

 

[BE Mike]

most trucks are governed so they can only go so fast. another problem is when we come up behind a four wheeler and we go to pass then he speeds up. so we get back in the right lane then he slows down. they have no idea how dangerous that game is. we cant stop as fast as they can and if they do something stupid its game over.

So you are telling me that when a driver of an 18 wheeler is tailgating me a foot or so off my rear bumper, that if I have to brake for an emergency, he or she knows that they won't be able to stop and will likely kill me and/or my family members in my subcompact car, while the big rig driver will walk away without a scratch?

 

[serpicostraight]

So you are telling me that when a driver of an 18 wheeler is tailgating me a foot or so off my rear bumper, that if I have to brake for an emergency, he or she knows that they won't be able to stop and will likely kill me and/or my family members in my subcompact car, while the big rig driver will walk away without a scratch?

tailgating is very dangerous and theres no need for it. but to answer your question yes if you slam your brakes on he will not be able to stop as fast as you can and its probably not going to end well.

 

[Cemetery-man]

I had a trucker play games with me from the IN/IL border to St. Louis late one night. Pass me then slow down to a speed slow enough to force me to pass and he lets me get a mile or so ahead then here he comes Hell-bent, passes me and then repeats the whole thing over again. We did this for HOURS. Not much traffic so I figured he must have been doing it to stay awake. I know it sure made us stay awake on that trip across IL.

 

[bigcraig]

Well....................I am not sure what to say.


But I will tag along for some laughs.

 

[churchmouse]

This right here:

There has been a serious attitude change among a lot of the drivers out there.
I get it when someone treats them with no respect as I have seen a lot of that as well.
I try and stay away from them and give a break when I can but if I am hauling in the fast lane, usually 5 over the limit which is slow by a lot of standards and a driver see's me coming but hauls out in front of me anyway causing me to lay on the brakes it just sets my A$$ on fire as I would not do him that way. I will get out of the lane and let them go by me if they have the Horse pressure to do it but stay the hell out of the hammer if you are driving a turd governed slow roller.

 

[edporch]

Quote:
Originally Posted by edporch
Truckers are definitely a different breed than they were in the distant past.

I remember a time long ago when they were among the FASTEST, BEST, PROFESSIONAL and most RESPECTED drivers on the Interstate, and if you wanted to really cover some miles you ran with them.

When I was a kid we looked up to them like we would firemen, policemen, etc., and thought how cool it would be to grow up and be one.

Now they're among the SLOWEST, RUDEST, WORST, most DANGEROUS drivers on the road.

WHAT HAPPENED??

This right here:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hotdoger
I don't worry about moving over for law breakers.
Stay away from my 18 wheels and 80,000lbs.
It may not end well for you!

IC 35-42-2-4
Obstruction of traffic
Sec. 4. (a) A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic commits obstruction of traffic, a Class B misdemeanor.
(b) The offense described in subsection (a) is:
(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the offense includes the use of a motor vehicle; and
(2) a Class D felony if the offense results in serious bodily injury.

 

[EvilBlackGun]

There was a time before Interstates ....

... and before unions. And cars were only 6-volts. My dad worked for a munitions plant outside Detroit, and we would regularly make security material drives to Nitro, West Virginia. (Paper-work -- no bombs) US -23, -35, and -60 were our routes back then. Many on this board can testify to weak lights in a midwestern thunderstorm at night. Daddy dealt directly with the truckers on the dock at the plant, and identified with them. If a freakish thunderstorm caught some guys out on the road when we were there too, Dad would give some sort of a head-light / tail-light signal and pull ahead of the lead truck and scout out the roads for wash-outs or other debris. He'd drive as far on ahead as their lights would tell him to. When we'd maybe stop at the same "Big Red Tee" sign later, truckers bought our meal. There used to be truckers like that. And men like my dad. ( and there still are, in lots of places)

Well....................I am not sure what to say.


But I will tag along for some laughs.

 

[Lucas156]

I think a lot of the problem with trucking now is all the illegals driving thanks to nafta. I may be wrong though

 

[Sarge470]

It's not just tailgating...

WOMAN INJURED IN U.S. 421 ACCIDENT - The Madison Courier Daily Newspaper - Madison, Indiana - Madison, IN

 

[patience0830]

Sorry you fell victim to their typical behavior

Back off Phylo. We're not all inconsiderate and selfish. Just like the cop bashing thread there are good and bad. I understand you didn't want your kids to see this and it has upset you but grab a little balance in your thinking please. I try to not assume all cops are JBT. I'd appreciate the same consideration.


Swhatigetforpostingb4readingthewholethread. Bite me Phylo. I took the bait.

 

[confused89]

I have driven a truck for the last 5 years. I have been every where from NY to FL and from CA to AK and every where in between. We are not all "bad" guys as you want to paint us to be. If you look up in the NHTSA the facts about semi vs car fatalities you will see that 80% of those accidents were caused by the car. So now because you saw one accident all of us don't know how to drive? Have you ever been run off the road trying to avoid hitting a car coming from the other direction that was in your lane on a state road? I have, more times than I care to count. I moved so that I wouldn't have to live with the fact that I killed someone even if it was their fault. How many times have I been run off of the road by a truck? Zero.

These companies now days don't want to pay their drivers anything. Your looking at a guy working 80 hours a week bringing home $325 after taxes. Do you really expect to get someone that is really good at their job at that pay rate? They will hire anyone that can pass through their CDL mills.

On to the trucks trying to pass another issue. They are governed. Deal with it. It isn't going to get any better because that is the way the industry is going. I have driven governed trucks and non governed trucks. You can blame greed for the trucks being governed. To be mad at the driver for driving the governed truck is beyond stupid. That is like being mad at the sun for shining it just ins't right.

Now I am not saying I don't see some drivers doing stupid stuff cause I do. I also see a lot of cars doing stupid stuff, like the one that cut across four lanes of traffic to get in front of me on monday just to slam on the brakes to make a right hand turn and you know I never even hit the horn or flipped them the bird.