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Pick Up Truck "Attitude"
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I live down in Katy near Houston and the behavior that you describe tends to be that of aggressive drivers in general. Unfortunately the driving in Texas and many other cities in the country is becoming more and more aggressive. It used to be that you never noticed pickups because they were primarily a work/ranch/farm vehicle. But now with the booming popularity of trucks you find many more of them on the roads as commuter vehicles. This can be intimidating to those in vehicles built lower to the ground.
I can't speak for everyone but I was taught never to drive closer than I could stop the vehicle I was in under any circumstance. This for me is 3 car lengths, which means in Houston traffic I get a lot of drivers jumping into that space and forcing me to slow down to maintain that distance. I have found that rude driving is never confined to one group of people but can be found in any group. If you ask my Big Rig driving friends they will gripe loudly about the imported "sporty" cars that regularly cut them off creating incredibly dangerous conditions for everyone around.
I think if all drivers would relax a little and treat other drivers with courtesy, time spent on our highways would be a lot safer.
enough said
I have noticed over the years (many), that rudeness by some has been replaced by aggressiveness; even to the point of "Road Rage".
However, it has not been limited to any particular type of vehicle.
There is probably a little "Walter Mitty" in all of us
Enjoy!
- The left lane always yields to faster traffic, regardless of what speed you are going;
- Never accelerate when someone is trying to pass.
Alot of driving is common sense. Too many people try to play police officer and slow down faster moving traffic or block them in. That almost certainly results in tailgating and agressive, sometimes dangerous, passing attempts by an agitated driver. The last thing I want is to have a driver tailgating me that obviously wants to go faster than I feel is safe for the conditions. I definitely prefer that he be somewhere ahead of me.
The commonly accepted safe distance behind a vehicle is two seconds. As a general rule of thumb, that is one car length for every 10mph. That rarely happens on a busy urban highway. Three car lengths may seem safer, but chances are that it won't provide adequate response time to avoid most accidents if they happen right in front of you. The majority of city highway driving is done on faith. It's the faith that the other drivers on the road will behave in a normal driving fashion. In other words, we count on the fact that the driver in front of us will not slam on his brakes for no reason.
There is no excuse for road rage, but it will never be eliminated. We, as responsible drivers, can follow commonly accepted road courtesy rules to avoid contributing to the problem, and at the very least, get the driver away from us by letting him pass.
Pam
Bit whether this is true or not, it's something I think about each day as I climb into my truck and venture off. In the study, one area where most problems occurred was when pickups were merging into highway/interstate traffic. The "gun it and go" mentality seemed to take over.
Having been a professional truck driver, I understand the concern with this because stopping the big rigs takes time and a lot of distance. When someone darts out in front of you and then can't get up to highway speed fast enough, they may not realize how close they are to becoming a hood ornament on an 18-wheeler. It is unfortunate that some of them do learn, but by then it is usually too late...
Lots of young drivers don't realize that their F-250 SuperDuty doesn't weave in traffic like an MR-2, nor does it get up and go like a TransAm.
Guys like to think that because they've got a big engine, they can do anything. Wrong. My truck won't do 0-60 in 3 seconds, but it can pull a boat without breathing hard.
If a driver MUST have a truck and MUST drive it like a sports car, look for an F-150 Lightning, Dodge Dakota R/T, or Chevy 1500 SS.
One other rarely mentioned thing is the silent catylist drivers who seem to secretly get enjoyment by frustrating any driver who wants to go faster then them. I think these drivers launch a lot of the road rage incidents.
I don't think this is going to be an easy question to answer in this country. I've been to other countries where the driving scares me to death. (Spain & France) and I've been to countries that seem to have wonderful systems (Germany & Austria)
While I agree completely with your second paragraph and sympathize with much of the rest of your post, there is no excuse for road rage. There will always be idiot drivers on the road. If you get worked up to a road rage level when you encounter these people, the problem may lie with you. I get frustrated, and I have to confess to some tailgating when it happens. However, there is a limit at which you can permit yourself to step over the line and become determined to make the other driver pay for your opinion of their stupidity.
I do have a renewed sympathy for car drivers. I sold my truck this past week and am driving a loaner for a couple of months until my truck arrives. It's obviously been a long time since I have driven a car. It is intimidating in traffic. I'm use to seeing every car in front of me, at least up to the next hill. In my loaner, I can't see beyond the car in front of me. I have no idea if he is going slow or if there are 25 cars in front of him. I look to my left and I see car doors or tires. I'm use to looking down and seeing people. I feel totally enclosed in traffic. The worst, though, is that other drivers treat me totally different. In the past few days, I have seen cars change into my lane when there is, maybe, 2-3 car lengths or less. They never did that when I was driving my truck.
I don't blame any of these drivers for their actions. I may sympathize with car drivers, but I certainly wouldn't want to be one for any length of time again. Give me my big truck in traffic. I'll pay the extra gas, and have a lot less stressful trip home. I've got to believe that the safety features of driving a pickup in traffic are often overlooked because of the lower gas mileage. Visibility, plus the size that makes people think twice about invading your "safe" space with the auto in front of you, makes for a much safer commute.
I agree with you; it is intimidating for car drivers, even in regular traffic, to look to their left and right to see monstrous tires, fenders, and sidepanels, while looking behind them to see towering grilles and chrome bumpers.
So what I think is happening is some sort of "herd" response to this. People are plain tired, as you say, of not being able to see over, or around the vehicle in front of them (Though they might be able to see under a 'Burban
Oddly enough, though, I find driving in traffic with a truck nerve-wracking, while commuting in my Nissan is easy, even in killer traffic. With a truck or SUV, you give up the point-and-shoot maneuverability that will get you out of trouble. In certain circumstances on the freeway you're just along for the ride, whereas in a car you could do something to avoid.
To feel nervous due to lack of maneuverability is almost amusing. I found the handling of my new Ranger to be very good and the acceleration more than adequate for anything one would responsibly need to do in a vehicle. I'm quite sure that this also applies to most new trucks/SUV's these days not just compact pickups. Actually this probably has a downside in that as the number of large vehicles with decent handling goes up so does the temptation to throw them around in traffic. An aggressive truck makes a larger, longer lasting impression than an aggressive car so there's part of the image problem.
I should have been more clear. "Truck" does, after all, mean many things. Our truck is a chevy 1-ton extended cab dually diesel, not a ranger. At least in a Ranger, one has something of the responsiveness, acceleration, and performance of a car.
Our truck outweighs most cars 2-1 or 3-1(!), is half-again as wide as a car, and is twice as tall. It also accelerates 1/2 as well, and corners with all the alacrity of an unwilling camel (~.5-.6g). I mean, this truck is about as far you can get from a car unless you get a Hummer.
While driving it on the freeway, none of that matters. Traffic literally parts for me. I develop that same "attitude" as the original poster talks about. Still, on surface streets, there's no getting around the fact that it's a 6000lb+, 16ft+ long, 8ft wide truck. Changing lanes in this thing is. . .interesting. It'll never be nimble, nor chuckable, and those are the two qualities I like in traffic.
Don't get me wrong; I love my truck, 'cause it'll pull whatever I want whenever I want wherever I want. I just don't want to commute with it every morning.
Is there a "car attitude"?
1) The whole "right to own a car" attitude of the entire country - the personal freedom, the temporary "in command" feeling, etc.
These are the people who, while they may not be the most aseertive or skilled behind the wheel, would die a thousand deaths without a car.
2) The performance/maneuverability attitude. The one who drives the pocket rocket and darts in and out of every situation on the road just because he physically can.
Driving a 4X4 dually, I get these types in my blind spots all the time. Even with 6x9 mirrors and plenty of glass, if you're right next to the right rear wheel in a low car, I can't see you at all... then out of nowhere, a Hoda CRX will whip around me and cut in front like a kid sneaking ahead of you in a line while you weren't paying attention.
I'd add to that the tendency of smaller faster vehicles (and I'm sure I did this in the past) not to take advantage of things like freeway onramps. I do 0-60 in 18-20 seconds. Few things frustrate me more than being behind a sports car doing 30 up 90% of the entrance ramp and zipping up to 70 right at the end. Some of us need the extra acceleration space!
Don't even get me started on geo metro sized vehicles not being able to stay in their lane, or park in one spot... I think its just a case of active vs. passive driving styles. With a larger vehicle, you're always thinking and planning.
Just my US$0.02
BUMP BUMP "Was that a speedbump or a Geo?"
Of course, with all the Suburbans, Navigators, Durangos, etc., on the road, my little truck is starting to feel more and more like a Honda Civic every day...
For the big rig drivers - I also used to drive a tractor/trailer. I remember the blind spots and not being to stop "on a dime". I ALWAYS tell people not to drive beside a big truck's passenger door. That would be like having a tricycle beside the passenger door of a car. Can't see it!!!
So far, the best explanation about the pickup truck "attitude" is that these are the muscle cars of the 90's and lots of crazy kids are driving them. I still think there's a certain "truck mentality" (no offense to any of you pickup truck owners/drivers). A lot of guys who want a big, manly truck also want to bully others on the road. Don't they say that a man who buys a big truck is trying to make up for a lack of size in other areas? Hey, hey, hey!! That's a joke!!
Point taken about the little sports cars darting in and around traffic, though. I see that, too. I know people who drive like that!!
Bye, y'all!
Pam
This is what drives everyone (car and truck drivers alike) crazy about the SUV craze--people driving Explorers, Durangos, and Suburbans(!) like the small(er) cars they used to have. I'm not an SUV or truck "basher" in anyway; personally I think they're useful, safe transportation, especially in bad weather. But I think we can all agree the most dangerous component of any car/truck/space-shuttle is between the driver's ears. If he thinks he can drive that new Durango or F-150 or Explorer like the Camaro they traded in, all the people on the road with him are put at risk.
It's like it is with anything--motorcycles, cars, trucks--a few bonehead drivers give everyone a bad name.
First, because of the height, you can see a lot more OH DO-DOs!
Second, I can see a lot more of the antics of the BMW type. Usually the lower the BMW model number (or dark cheap MB or cheap Acura) the worse the antics.
Do I have an attitude? ABSOLUTELY! My problems? The idiot who matches speed with yours so you can't change lanes to the front nor behind. The idiot in your blind spot. The idiot you can't see in any of the three mirrors because they're so close to your rear bumper. The idiot that gets upset because I can't read their mind when they want to change lanes w/o signaling. I'm sorry, but my school didn't offer Mind Reading 101. Yes, unfortunately it is sometimes necessary to be aggressive and intimidating.
Rich
I must confess tho.... its so much better driving the F-150 as I can see ahead so much better and am able to avert potential problems.
Bogieman
Rich
I would think now is a great time to be looking for a truck. It IS the end of the model year(there are steep discounts), it's still too early for the 4x4 crowd to be on the prowl driving up prices, plus the GM strike is over. Competition should heat up as GM ships more vehicles again. Good luck.
Rich,
Have to agree with you there. Having driven a big rig in Boston, I always looked forward to leaving. The roads (low overpasses) and drivers left a lot to be desired.
For those of you who haven't had the fun of pulling a big heavy trailer ... make sure that you're driving predictably. If you slow down and speed up, even by 5 mph, you can really make life hell for trailer-towers (rigs and p/ups). Since it can take a decent amount of time (and fuel) to accelerate, there's a tendancy to close in on your bumper and hope you'll get back to speed-of-traffic. This is probably a common cause of people noticing rigs tailgating.
Every now and then, I drive small rental cars for work (Malibu-size). I'm amazed at how easy it is to drift up and down 5-10 mph without really thinking about it if you're driving without cruise. Its worth paying extra attention to your speed on the highways.
rig to stop than it does other vehicles. If you have a trucker on your tail, I suggest you get out of his way. Also, don't cut in front of a trucker for the same reason.
At least in Dallas rush hour traffic, there is a certain 'magic' distance you have to maintain from the person in front of you. Too close, and you run the risk of a rear end collision. Too far back, and you have people swerving in front of you continually (cutting down on your space, and a dangerous action in its own right).
If he goes below speed-of-traffic he becomes a much greater danger to other people. Folk will be swerving around him, waiting for others to pass, getting mad, etc. Not a good idea.
Sounds like a lose-lose situation here; it does look like you're annoyed at him for driving the same way that other folk do though. Truckers have by far the lowest number of collisions per mile of any highway drivers... these guys, for the most part, know what to do and why. If he had pulled back to a 'safe' distance, and people had changed lane to the nice spot in front of him (as they did to you) he would have even less space to spare.
I guarantee if I put a car driver (even if he/she knows how to drive a stick) in a big truck and ask to drive straight (with no one around) for a quarter of a mile they will never make it.
On the other hand, even as an ex-trucker, I don't think they should tailgate. Because they CAN'T stop as quickly as a car. I've never understood why some truckers to that. I never did. I don't tailgate in my car, either. It's just too risky for no benefit. As much as I respect truckers, I wish they wouldn't tailgate.
Pam
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Since I have a dually pickup, on many roads I am subject to truck regulations and restrictions, and know first hand the frustration that truckers feel. Here are a few tips for hanging with the big rigs:
#1 - if there are three (or more) lanes per side
of highway, trucks are 99% of the time banned from
the farthest left lane. If you're one of those
people who plants your car in the center lane at
the speed limit and get both frightened and angry
at the semi behind you, YOU'RE IN *HIS* PASSING
LANE. By law, he cannot pass you on EITHER side,
and would like you to move over so he can continue. (I do know female semi-drivers; not trying to be sexist here using he/his.)
I was amongst about 20 semis in this situation on
I-78 here in NJ at around 2am one night last year.
We had to somehow get around a limo who decided
the center lane was his, and he wasn't budging.
When 20 trucks flash their lights and then blow
your doors off passing you illegally on the right
(and left, by the more daring of us that night),
you need to know you're in the wrong lane.
#2 - be aware of hills! All semis will pick up
amazing amounts of speed downhill on any
interstate. Even if your cruise control is set at
something above the limit, get to the right and
*stay*there* on an interstate downhill if it's a
truck route, then on the uphill, let the trucks
back over to the right and pass them on the left.
#3 - use your lights! Anyone who has paid
attention to truck traffic has watched one semi
kill his lights quickly to indicate to a passing
semi that it's now clear to pull back over after
passing. The passing trucker will then flash his
lights "thank you". If you're a car jockey, do the same thing. As soon as the rear end of the
trailer clears your hood, kill ALL your lights for
about a half-second. Do make sure that the truck
has enough room to safely continue in front of you
first, otherwise the truck will continue passing
until there is room to return to the right lane. A sudden shot of darkness in a trucker's right-hand view overrides any blind spot, and you too will get the "thank you" flash when the rig moves over. In daylight, use your HIGH beams (because they aim "upwards" into a truck's mirror) in the same fashion.
#4 - give a rig room to stop. Nothing is more
infuriating than seeing an entire highway slowing
for construction, an accident, etc., and having a
car dart to change lanes cutting a truck's
projected stopping distance in half. When a large
vehicle prepares to stop, the driver's assuming the area in front will remain that distance and uses enough brake pressure to stop safely. Sliding into that gap with a car causes the truck to slam on the whoa pedal, and the possibility of trailer brake lockup (and the resulting jackknife)
increases dramatically.
#5 - respect the trucker's workplace - the road!
You may be on your way TO work, but the trucker is
already AT work. If it's not going to cause a
problem in your day, give the trucker the break on
the road whenever possible. You will earn their
respect as a courteous, attentive driver, and will
often get a break in return.
Thinking ahead, they would consider the physics involved in putting their toy in front of and in the space a larger and harder to stop vehicle needs.
Thinking ahead, they would consider the possible retaliatory bumper-hugging of the SUV (or immature/inexperienced truck) driver that they just jumped in front of.
Thinking ahead, maybe they would be driving a truck in the first place . . .
The Clueless. We always seem to be making concessions for them.
I would also like to see parking lights abolished. There are actually people stupid enough to drive with nothing but their parking lights on. I would like to see "no headlights on after dusk" treated as an automatic verdict of "this accident was your fault". I want a bumper sticker that says LIFE IS AN IQ TEST AND SURVIVAL IS A PASSING GRADE!