Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

bottgers

.....to the ever increasing number of semis on the highways? While most semi drivers seem to be safe drivers (there are a few who should have their licenses revoked), the problem is with their sheer numbers. It's absolutely incredible just how many trucks there are on the roads these days and in certain areas, it's not uncommon to see more trucks than passenger vehicles on the road. Not only does this present more danger to passenger vehicle drivers, it causes much more conjestion. Is there any way to get these monsters off the roadways?

bottgers

I wish more poeple would heed your non-LLC viewpoint. I'm on the road a lot and it's amazing just how many people think the left lane is a driving lane just like the right lane is.

1racefan

It's a tough call. The average consumer will put up with semis in order to have the product they are looking for on the shelf at their local big box store when they want it. Most people will not sacrifice convenience for safety (look at all of the people that pass on the side airbags when buying a car, but demand the in-dash cd changer).

Not to mention if a product is shipped 95% of the way via air, instead of truck, and then trucked in to its ultimate destination, that is going to increase the cost of the product. Consumers don't want to pay any more than they have to when they buy something. Just look at the average Wally World shopper....you think they will just offer up the extra bucks for a product because they know that it was shipped via air instead of truck? -- No way, they will complain about the increased cost.

Then there is rail. Last I heard they are pretty close to running at capacity. Imagine the stink that would be raised when a new rail line is added near a community, and the compliants people would have about trains coming by their house at 2am.

Ultimately, people do not want to be inconvenienced in their lives.

redmaxx

Speed up on entrance ramps before the merge point.

bottgers

Obviously these people who don't want to be inconvenienced don't spend much time driving on the highways.

1racefan

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying you are right/wrong about the semis being a problem. It's just that most people (IMO) will put up with semis in order to have the product they want available on the shelf, and at a cheap price.

You are also probably right about them not spending a lot of time on the highways - or at least not enough for them to get too worked up over trying to find a way to reduce the # of semis. Not to mention people that live in a lot of inner cities (and work within the same city they live), and rarely venture onto highways at all. Now the people that do travel a lot (like yourself I assume), are the opposite of the type of person referenced above.

euphonium

Make RR shipping competitive with trucking and what you see on the freeway could be loaded on flatcars. It is frustrating to drive on a highway loaded with 18 wheelers and the RR track next to the road is empty.

In WA at least, the 18 wheelers or any other vehicle towing anything is restricted from the inside lane, when three or more lanes in one direction.

Motor homes with a toad are being driven by inexperienced folk with a license they got for driving a Corolla. Too many of them as well on the road.

oregonboy

Too often the RV drivers of the world maintain their habit of crusing in the center lane (of three) when they really should be in the far right lane with the truckers.

james

euphonium

Not all states have "Keep Right Except to Pass" laws. Thus, in those states, it is legal to drive in any lane the motorist wishes. It would be good to know which states do have a "KRETP" law.

I drive in the inside lane until I need to pull over to let a faster car pass. Driving in the inside lane avoids rough pavement & onramp vehicles.

I have witnessed an 18 wheeler pull into a passing lane along side another truck enabling the 90 mph BMW to test his brakes. This is intentional according to my CB listening to the truckers plan their moves and sharing observations. They have their fun.

euphonium

RV drivers should be in the middle lane. It protects their investments from being damaged by the on ramp inconsiderates who believe they have the right of way.

redmaxx

Not all states have "Keep Right Except to Pass" laws. Thus, in those states, it is legal to drive in any lane the motorist wishes. It would be good to know which states do have a "KRETP" law.

Legal, considerate and prudent are three different things. Just because its legal to drive continuously in the left lane, doesn't mean its prudent or considerate. Likewise, sometimes it is more prudent to continuously drive in the left lane than it is considerate (maybe the right one is filled with water).

The law mandates the minimum things you must comply with when driving on the road. As a driver it is your responsibility to assess the situation and see if you need to take action above the law.

redmaxx

RV drivers should be in the middle lane. It protects their investments from being damaged by the on ramp inconsiderates who believe they have the right of way.

Two wrongs don't make a right. RVs are slower, bigger and less able to react. They belong in the right lane and people coming down the on ramp should take caution.

xwesx

Certainly. Decrease consumption and stymie population growth. The problem is that most people either make observations in a vacuum and do not make the connections, or they would rather spend their time grumbling about it instead of acting.

xwesx

Well, I will agree with the "bigger and less able to react." Slower? I suppose it depends on the driver and the rig. The middle lane is a good place to be, especially if one is unfamiliar with an area as it provides twice as many options as driving in either the left- or rightmost lanes. The rightmost lane is only the best place for slow movers if the highway is two lanes in one direction or the road is not busy/there are not a plethora of ramps in the vicinity.

Any time I am on a road with more than two lanes, I will take the rightmost middle lane (regardless of what I am driving) by default until there is a need to enter another lane. It unclutters the merge lane and provides quick access to the rest of the highway should a lane change be needed or to access the exit ramp I want.

redmaxx

Another reason they shouldn't be in the middle lane is poor visibility. When they finally want off the highway, cars on the right are even harder to see for RVs.

redmaxx

Slower? I suppose it depends on the driver and the rig.

I often see them moving slower than all other traffic. On three lane freeways I have on a few occasions seen the following:

- Right lane: 2 semis, the one behind closing on the other.
- Middle lane: 1 RV, speeding up and down but generally holding alongside the semi.
- Left lane: Now contains the other semi, passing all of 3MPH faster than the other two.

So now all three lanes are occupied and traffic is held up for miles.

yesroh

As far as safety goes, are there any laws as to how many hours a driver can drive per day in a semi? It would require more government regulation but if they limit driving to, oh, 10 hours a day per drive it might decrease the fatigue of the drivers. I'm just throwing this out to be chomped on. You can't really make semis leave the road but you could try to be sure the drivers are alert and rested.
Of course, if you limit the amount of time, then they'd just drive faster to make up extra time. But there must be a way to ensure safety. Better brakes would be nice.

yesroh

In that case, I really don't care about the BMW driving wrecklessly. If the semi wanted to pass and the BMW was trying to stop him, then I think the semi had a right to the left lane.

redmaxx

then I think the semi had a right to the left lane.

That sentence doesn't compute... :P

In that case, I really don't care about the BMW driving wrecklessly. If the semi wanted to pass and the BMW was trying to stop him, then I think the semi had a right to the left lane.

In that case the semi didn't really want to go faster, it was just pulling a stunt. Shame on the semi for cutting off the BMW. Driving is not for playing childish pranks on other drivers.

redmaxx

As far as safety goes, are there any laws as to how many hours a driver can drive per day in a semi? It would require more government regulation but if they limit driving to, oh, 10 hours a day per drive it might decrease the fatigue of the drivers. I'm just throwing this out to be chomped on. You can't really make semis leave the road but you could try to be sure the drivers are alert and rested.

Actually there are laws like this. I dont' know the specifics, but drivers have to keep detailed logs of hours driven and how long they slept. I think officers have the authority to request that log and take action based on it.

xwesx

Amen to that!

xwesx

*smacks forehead*

Driving requires discretion. Any driver who holds a practice (other than consideration) as universal in every situation is bound to cause problems at some point in time. Unfortunately there are far too many folks who drive as though they are in a vacuum... as if their actions do not have any effect on any other drivers. Or... those that want their actions to be heeded at all times. *sigh*

euphonium

The semi drivers own the road in the same way a person"owns an area" when he tries to sit in the same church pew, parks in the same spot at work or school, sits on the same seat in the bus, same theater seat. The semi driver spends so much time "on the road" he feels an equity of ownership of his being there. Commercial fisherman are possessive of "their" river in the same way. Thus, the semi driver, being a road owner, asserts his ownership by pulling any stunt he wishes. One of their favorite stunts is blocking other faster than safe drivers i.e. the 90 mph Beemer. This is not to condone what is done, but to help you understand their mindset. I've known pilots who thought they owned the air space too.

yesroh

Well, there's a big part of me that says,"That semi driver...how dare he do that and endanger that BMW", and then another part that wants to go,"Hehehehe..." :P

snakeweasel

As far as safety goes, are there any laws as to how many hours a driver can drive per day in a semi?

The new law which just went into effect increases the time a trucker can continuously drive from 10 hours to 11. It decreases the total number of hours driven in a day from 15 to 14. It also mandates that 8 hours of continuous sleep, under the old rules sleep could be divided up into two periods. Plus truckers have to keep daily logs of their activity.

Union drivers may have union contracts that reduce the number of hours driven in a day.

ub2

I believe there should be a law that all semis have to stay in the right lane and never pass. Also they must yeild to all traffic entering the highway. Simple as that. They will make it to where there going just fine. You never see a train passing itself.

imidazol97

Semi drivers have trouble because their rigs have large mass. They don't speed up easily and t hey don't slow down easily. I just wish they would realize that when t hey want to be 12 feet off your rear bumper at 72 mph and their speed limit is 55.

Ever seen cars that have had accidents involving semis?

It is a problem that's never going to be solved. It's always the other semi driver that doesn't know how to drive. Over the last few years some who have had traffic accidents in this interstate crossing area have been skewered in the courts for their lack of responsibility and for having caused deaths and injuries.

210delray

...I've found that taking routes parallel to the interstates are amazingly free of any traffic. Of course, you're often on a 2-lane road with a lower speed limit, but it's a lot less taxing than being in heavy traffic. The scenery is better too, but avoid the roads that go through towns of any size. Of course, if you're in a hurry, the interstate will almost always be quicker.

On these nearly deserted 2-lane roads, I'm not even sure if they're really more dangerous than the crowded interstates.

ub2

If my law would pass you wouldn't have a semi 12 ft. off your bumper at 72 mph...

euphonium

Between Revelstoke and Golden, the CP RR trains pass themselves! They do so by entering a tunnel inside the mountain and at an elevation change do a 360 enabling the locomotive to pass the caboose. When you look at the sight, the locomotives are coming out one end while the caboose is entering the other. The engineer who planned this was either named Rogers or White, but not sure.

seriouslyfun

So what happens when a vehicle pulls in front of that semi into that zone? Watch what happens in congested traffic when a semi has some safe following space. Some idiot pulls in between the lead car and the semi. I know that there are LOTS of unsafe big rig drivers out there but really, I think every driver on the road should have to crawl up in a big rig and ride as a passenger for just 1/2 a day. It is really eye opening. You see the dynamics and appreciate the challenges of driving a large vehicle. When there is merging traffic on interstates, the semis often will try to get over into your sacred left lane to get out of the way of the vehicles entering the interstate system. Often they then try to stay there and let traffic flow around them on the right until they are past any exits or on/ramps. They are not being rude. This is an issue of trying to impede less traffic and be safe. It is far easier for you in a car or SUV to signal and make lane changes than for a big rig.

imidazol97

The semis that tailgate run up on you at 65 or 55 in the right lane or in the left lane. It's not a matter of someone cutting in front of them and using up their safe following distance space.

bottgers

Case in point: I see semis LLCing in the far left lane, speeding, tailgating, and basically bullying other drivers all the time, in spite of all the laws that prohibit this type of driving. They will continue to do so until law enforcement starts cracking down on these dangerous truckers.

I have often wondered about the move where a trucker will swing over into the left lane just as I'm about to pass him and if they do this deliberately. To say the least it's just plain rude when they do this: Speed limit's 70, I'm running 75 and about to pass in the left lane. I get to about 50 feet behind the trucker's rear bumper (he's in the right lane) and I see the trucker look in his sideview mirror and see me coming up to pass. He swings over in the left lane anyway. He's doing 65, and the truck he's passing (it's always another truck they're passing) is doing 64.5, so the pass takes roughly 2 minutes to complete. Now it would've taken me about 5 seconds to pass him. He couldn't have waited the 5 seconds before he made his pass? Why do these boneheads do this? Do they get a charge out of it? It just makes me want to kick their [non-permissible content removed].

black_tulip

Ever seen cars that have had accidents involving semis?

Yes, and it is not a pretty sight. The one I saw on I-40 in my area involved a semi and a Chevy cavalier. The Chevy driver died on the scene. Acoording to highway patrol, the semi was following too close and when the Chevy had to stop rather quickly due to traffic backup (construction) , the semi could not react in time. The semi driver was charged with manslaughter.

ub2

If it was a law it could be enforced. What you discribed happens to me all the time. I would change one thing and that is semis would not have to yeild to traffic entering freeway , but it would be up to the person entering to get up to speed and merge. Let the semis deal with the semis. They have made the higway an obstacle course. The cars would have the left lane and use the right lane to pass. This will not slow semis down, but would adjust their speed to flow smoothly. By the way, I did not say (trains don,t pass trains). I said ( trains don,t pass themselfs).

imidazol97

I usually stay behind trucks rather than getting in front of them to make time. I don't want to be their wakeup when the traffic stops unexpectedly.

I-70 a few years back had construction. Two trucks with pickup truck commuting to work in morning traffic. Second trucker didn't bother to stay alert or notice the construction ahead signs. Imagine the pancake. The trucker was an independent driver who seem to be renegades on rules more often.

loncray

... use not only your turn signals - correctly - but also your ashtray. Anybody too stupid to use these basic tools is probably lucky to get their shoes tied in the morning, yet somehow we trust them to drive multi-ton vehicles.

whahappan

I don't want to bash truckers, as they have a tough job and most of them are safe, courteous drivers..but I know what you mean. Routinely I am travelling on a four lane (two lanes each direction) Interstate. I will come up on 2 or 3 truckers on a hill doing about 72 mph. One of the trucks (usually the last in line) will pull out to pass the others just as I approach doing, oh 60ish and dropping as it lumbers up the hill. Takes 2-3 minutes to pass, then when it crests the hill they speed up to 75-80, so I have to do 85-90 to get past them before the NEXT hill.
As you stated, they would only have to wait a few seconds until I pass them, and usually there is light traffic, so it's not like they have to wait until 5-10 cars pass them. Any truckers out there want to comment? I promise we won't bite :shades:

ruking1

Actually to me this trucker thing is a no brainer. I think all one needs to do is to look at/study his power curve and of course the vehicle you are in is part of the equation. Once one understands what an operator is dealing with, you can understand the logic. This is not to say you like it, agree with it, disagree with it, or even dealing with the same logic, etc, but.......

Lets use your example. If the two truckers in front are doing 72 mph and the 3rd one is doing say 60 ish, from a cars' point of view pull over !!! It is clearly an impediment!! With a truck it is even more of an impediment. At this point he looks to be engaged in what I call "elephant races" So this 3rd and sixty ish mph truck is laboring to pass (probably up a hill). Clearly frustrating!

However if you study his power ban, if he does not try to pass at 60ish and pulls back into third position over the long haul he will lose a lot of average mph. Again if he pulls back and does not pass he will in all likelihood drop to 60,55,50, 45,40 mph!! While this becomes the GIB's problem (guy in back) the much lower speed problem reenacts itself. The only difference now is as a one who just passed, you are not involved. That is until you catch the next upcoming one!!???? Usually just further ahead. And so on and so forth.

I just recently did this across Texas on I 10 E. Some of those tractor trailer rigs can run as high as 85-95 mph. So some yay hoo in a pick up truck gets right smack in front of a passing tractor trailer rig at those speeds and of course taps out himself. DAH! Then seeing he has app 80,000 plus #'s 6 feet behind his bumper, he pulls right, as the sign on the interstate ACTUALLY sez: left lane is for passing only!!! So again if this yay hoo just waited for this trucks' power ban to tap out, he could easily pass just like I did pass both of them multiple times. My power ban was better than both of them, but I was not wanting to do 100-110 to put some distance between these two dualing inequities. Besides it kept me awake and entertained !!??

SHARE the road!!!!!!

imidazol97

>Then seeing he has app 80,000 plus #'s 6 feet behind his bumper, he pulls right, as the sign on the interstate ACTUALLY sez: left lane is for passing only!!!

What did the speed limit sign ACTUALLY say?

I am sorry. We've beaten this dead horsepower before in terms of LLC and LLD (sorry I mentioned those terms again folks), but I just had to point out the trucks might be speeding...

ruking1

75 mph.

euphonium

Why do these boneheads do this?

Please refer to #6613 posted yesterday.

bottgers

...they don't own the road, but merely the biggest vehicles on the road, therefore they take advantage of their size by forcing their way around. It's just wrong!

kdshapiro

Actually there is such a thing called yielding to the right of way. I don't give a hoot about the power curve, being cut off is being cut off.

ruking1

That was my response. Yeah, I would agree the pick up truck did cut off the tractor trailer rig. Actually it seemed to be a trend for he did the exact same thing a few more times. Dumb if you ask me, but part of the reason why it was entertaining.

yesroh

I suppose with modern technology it wouldn't be too hard to have a device that would sense a car/truck/semi in front of another semi and if the semi comes too close it would automatically cut the fuel until the semi drops back, or just apply brakes. There is no reason to be 12 feet off a bumper at 72 miles an hour.

redmaxx

That is a great idea. They could put a laser sensor in the bumper of the semi similar to the automatic cruise systems. Then, if it senses another vehicle within say, three seconds of the semi, and the semi doesn't back off within say, 1 or 2 seconds, the module signals for a change in fuel injection, similar to when you bump into the rev limiter on your car. It could be marketed to trucking companies as a way to reduce costs.

ub2

The tech is here. Its call laser cruise. You set it and it will adjust your cruise control to slow down and even brake if need be when you get to close to the car in front of you. It comes on the toyota avalon.

yesroh

The only problem is, a car could squeeze in between a semi and a car if he was a jerk, but that doesn't seem to be a reason to follow too close.
If it's a semi shouldn't it follow more than three seconds back based on the longer braking distance required?

It would cost money but if it decrease the number of accidents it might be worth it.

210delray

Those truckers really can be very annoying (and dangerous) running up so close to your rear end when you're already moving at a good clip. It happens to me often enough when I'm minding my own business in the far right lane.

I remember before the 55 mph speed limit was mandated back in 1974 when cars almost always passed trucks. Ever since, it seems it's often the other way around, even with speed limits raised as high as 75 mph (I personally haven't been in a 75 mph state since pre-'74).