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trucker's take on tailgating

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by hobbit, Apr 13, 2006.

  1. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    So, I've been off snooping into trucker forums a little today, such
    as roundtable.truck.net ... trying to get a little insight as to
    why behavior among "professional drivers" seems to have gotten worse
    in recent years. Well, the ones who are smart enough to hang out on
    internet forums are the ones that clearly understand the risks of
    tailgating and trying to "push" traffic -- and they complain bitterly
    about the yahoos "paid to hold a steering wheel" and not trained
    right that make the whole industry look bad. Choice quote, from one
    of the safety and violation/incident discussions:
    ___ I have never understood why a professional driver caught
    ___ tailgating isn't relieved of their CDL for a first offense.
    ___ Following distance is the first thing the schools drill-in to
    ___ a newbie -- or at least it used to be.
    .
    Several threads discussed how common courtesy between drivers, let
    alone with other vehicles, has diminished a lot just over the last
    5 years. In an effort to offset rising costs everywhere,
    particularly fuel, carriers are evidently taking on less skilled
    personnel, and more independent owner/operators are trying to get
    around various rules about insurance and consecutive driving hours.
    .
    Basically, my efforts to figure out what truckers are thinking
    these days led me to find that the ones that are online in general
    *are* thinking, and the ones that aren't, aren't. Sounds kinda
    familiar, doesn't it...
    .
    _H*
     
    #1 hobbit, Apr 13, 2006
  2. SluggoLovesNancy

    SluggoLovesNancy New Member

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    I wonder how they feel about me drafting behind them.

    I've taken to doing some of this lately. If I mysteriously stop posting one day, look for me in the Atlanta obits....
     
    #2 SluggoLovesNancy, Apr 14, 2006
  3. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    does this "push traffic" encompass such behavior as blocking the breakdown, and sometimes sending cars off road?

    I have a *wee* bit history on this... Almost got arrested on Rte. 3 one day when a rig decided he wasn't going to let me go 1/4 mile down the breakdown lane in stopped traffic to my exit. Long and short, he clipped my door as I went by, we both stopped (he was really "creeping" along), I got out, grabbed my "Club" anti-theft device, jumped up and opened his door to pull him out and kick his nice person, and he started screaming bloody murder. Yeah, I know not the brightest move, he could have easily shot me in self defense if he had a gun, what can I say I was much younger and highly pissed off he crunched the door on my, at the time, shiny new Mustang...

    ...then the Stateys came.... lol Still can't believe I didn't get 'hauled' :lol: away.....
     
    #3 Mystery Squid, Apr 14, 2006
  4. Salsawonder

    Salsawonder New Member

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    I was merging on the freeway the other day with a big rig in the first lane. I was ready to slow as opposed to speed up but the guy actually changed lanes to let me access w/o hassle. I haven't had a trucker be kind on the road for ages. Too often they are rude, change lanes without regard to other vehicles and just generally use their size to bully othres on the road. I understand that they log alot of miles but these days it is all about schedules and getting done within a time fram at any cost.
     
    #4 Salsawonder, Apr 14, 2006
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Around Chicagoland, I see the full spectrum. And when I get a good treatment, I honk or flash my lights or wave. I've held back traffic to let trucks merge in front of me (for example, when I see that he's coming up on a slower vehicle) and when he passes the slower vehicle, he gets back in his lane and life goes on. Usually with a smile and a wave.

    Glad to hear that there are some intentionally doing good.
    Sad to hear that there are others who are not.
     
    #5 TonyPSchaefer, Apr 14, 2006
  6. Trevor

    Trevor Member

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    Back in my more adventurous days, I decided on a whim to drive from Brooklyn, NY to the mall of America in Minnesota. I did most of the driving at night. Once I hit the long highway stretches I noticed that trucks were the only thing around me. I was fascinated by the interaction. I felt like I was some sort of invader into their world.

    I remember being confused at one point on a two lane highway when there were two trucks in front cruising at exactly the speed limit. After we went by the speed trap I figured out why. Each and every lane change seemed smooth an effortless. A truck would signal a turn, the truck in the other lane would flash his lights and then make room. After a while I started flashing my lights also.

    This was probably about 10 years ago. I really haven't seen anything like that recently. I've done 75 in the middle lane of a three lane highway and have been terrified by seing nothing but the grill of a mac truck in my mirror. Now I'm tempted to spy on truck forums myself.
     
    #6 Trevor, Apr 14, 2006
  7. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    night driving is also when i see the most trucks on the road. i quickly learned how to communicate with them. i helped one with a sticky merge situation once, and the favor was returned about 10 miles later by another truck who warned me as i approached a speed trap.
     
    #7 galaxee, Apr 14, 2006
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