Advice for drivers (and 4 wheelers)

[cdreid]

I've been meaning to post this for a while. Ive been driving 3+ years on the eastern side of the mississippi and done some things that would make the average driver cry. I'm far from the perfect trucker and many of you can out back me etc. But im very good at driving a truck. Ive seen a lot of stupidity on the road from steering wheel holders as well as 4 wheelers and i thought id make some suggestions. If it applies to you then perhaps consider it rather than ranting. If not then it doesnt. I dotn know about you but i learn every day and frankly am glad when i finally overcome my ego and recognise ways i could be better.

4wheeler:

1. DONT slam on the brakes in front of me. Ever. Why is this confusing?
2. DONT sit beside my truck because you're scared. Sitting beside my rear wheels is the most dangerous place on earth you could be. Yet you sit back and to the left of my truck waiting to get the guts to pass then sit on my tandems.. showing your not scared? I would NEVER sit by a truck. Ever. A wind in Il can move the trailer 5 feet in am millisecond. I'll feel guilty when i see your relatives mourning the soup in yoru coffin.
3. FOG LIGHTS ARE FOR FOG! They dont make you look cool. They make you look like an egotistical idiot who doesnt care that he's blinding the crap out of truckers.
4. Cut your high beams OFF if you can see headlights. If im blind i cannot NOT run over your a**.
5. If a truck is turning at an intersection and stops because he cant get around you.. do not pull up closer! If you're under the impression i'll back up or move your'e wrong. Feel free to call the police as they'll come tell you to move and force the other idiots to move as well.
6. Dont try the road rage thing. My truck is 70 feet long, weighs up to 80k pounds and i'll win every time whether i like it or not. And if you force me into a choice between you, me, and the family in another car you'll lose. The police probably wont give me a ticket either btw.
7. Shooting birds etc is fine. We DO make mistakes though so you know you make many many many times as many. We're sorry if we do as i assume you are too. But if you want to hop around a truck, slam on yoru brakes etc one of several things is going to happen. A: i'm going to call the troopers and they WILL pull you.
b: You're going to go too far, get yourself killed and cost me 2 hours while the trooper takes my statement then sends me on.
c: You very well find you messed with the wrong guy and that he follows you to your next stop and beats you to a pulp. You think fistfights scare a guy who just pulled 80,000 pounds down a 7% grade on ice? Think again.


Truckers:

The hammer lane is for FAST trucks that are PASSING. Yes you can do 65 and the other guy can do 64. That doesnt impress those of us with trucks that actually move.
Quit whining/complaining/criticising. Nobody cares. Ya you're supertrucker and the worlds mean to you. Grow up.
We're all in this together. The one true mark of experienced drivers is that we cooperate with each other and with 4 wheelers. So yes that guy letting out a bunch of trucks/4wheelers may annoy you but he's -avoiding- a traffic jam while your need to "punish" people you dont know causes them.
CUT YOUR FRICKIN FOG LIGHTS OFF. You look like an idiot and you're p*ssing us off.
USE your CRUISE CONTROL. Why is it so hard to do this? You doing 55 one minute and 65 the next is ANNOYING and makes me want to strangle you. How hard is it to hit a button? BTW if you were zoning and notice you're doing 55 or 60 and everyones passing you? DONT HAMMER DOWN! Let everyone pass you. It was your fault and you're probably going to do it again. There is little more annoying than a guy who keeps dropping to 50 til you start to pass him then suddenly he's mario andretti doing 72!

CALM DOWN and be positive. You're making your day worse. By screaming on the cb, driving like a jerk you're not making your day better. Ya you got screwed. Ya that driver did something stupid. Let it go. You're going to do something annoying and stupid today i guarantee it. And just maybe if you just give the guy who screwed up a break and forgiveness someone will do the same for you. We're all in this together.

PS If you have Swift, Werner, JB Hunt (company), Prime etc on the side of yoru truck there is never EVER a reason for you to be in the hammer lane.

[Malaki86]

Quit whining/complaining/criticising. Nobody cares. Ya you're supertrucker and the worlds mean to you. Grow up.

Perhaps you could take your own advice under consideration...

I'm in a 64mph truck. I pass slower trucks all day long in the mountains. So, yes, there IS a reason for me to be in the passing lane.

Fog lights: The new style Volvo headlights are great - if you're running the high-beams. You pretty much HAVE to run the fog lights on them in order to see.

[TomB985]

Well, I do agree with the vast majority of what you said, but I do have a problem with the way you put things. If that post was about "advice" you probably should NOT have been so damn demeaning to everyone who doesn't drive the way YOU drive.

Might work a bit better if rephrased...

But good points none the less!

[Drew10]

Yup...you made some good points. A little direct but good non the less.
Until the last one:

PS If you have Swift, Werner, JB Hunt (company), Prime etc on the side of yoru truck there is never EVER a reason for you to be in the hammer lane.

And...that is where I lost alot of respect for whatever it is you may say.

[Double R]

I've been meaning to post this for a while. Ive been driving 3+ years on the eastern side of the mississippi and done some things that would make the average driver cry. I'm far from the perfect trucker and many of you can out back me etc. But im very good at driving a truck. Ive seen a lot of stupidity on the road from steering wheel holders as well as 4 wheelers and i thought id make some suggestions. If it applies to you then perhaps consider it rather than ranting. If not then it doesnt. I dotn know about you but i learn every day and frankly am glad when i finally overcome my ego and recognise ways i could be better.

4wheeler:




Truckers:

So who died and left you boss again?

[Double L]

Yup...you made some good points. A little direct but good non the less.
Until the last one:

PS If you have Swift, Werner, JB Hunt (company), Prime etc on the side of yoru truck there is never EVER a reason for you to be in the hammer lane.

And...that is where I lost alot of respect for whatever it is you may say.

I agree with Drew, that last statement was completely out of line. Truck drivers have to get their state somewhere and not all the drivers for the big carriers are bad drivers. You got local drivers and ltl/union drivers who make mistakes and can't drive themselves. It really ticks me off when someone comes on here and knock down the otr carriers without all their facts straight! No matter if your otr, local, or union you will have people in those parts of the industry who can and will make mistakes!

[wsyrob]

Hmmm

Not one comment on tailgating? The faster I see a big truck run the more I see said truck run too close to other vehicles.

[bigtimba]

PS If you have Swift, Werner, JB Hunt (company), Prime etc on the side of yoru truck there is never EVER a reason for you to be in the hammer lane.

There, there, there, little fella. It's OK, now. Which one did you get fired from?

[Snowman7]

Ive been driving 3+ years on the eastern side of the mississippi and done some things that would make the average driver cry.

Like what?

[cdreid]

I expected quite a few whiney comments specifically from those with a guilty conscience..

As to where hmm.. how's 501 to big island va. SR64 west from hendersonvile, nc to franklin, nc to name a few. BTW the cop on sr64 was so impressed he said if i could make it across that road without wrecking i deserved a free pass.

As to being too blunt and obnoxious.. well ya very true.

And to joebob-swifty: never been fired anywhere in my life bubba. Too close to home eh..

[JeffTheTerrible]

Ive been driving 3+ years

Such a salty old veteran.

but i learn every day and frankly am glad when i finally overcome my ego and recognise ways i could be better.

So, you're claiming that you've overcome your ego? Have you even reviewed your post that you've made here?

4. Cut your high beams OFF if you can see headlights. If im blind i cannot NOT run over your a**.

Not that you don't have a point here, but in three years of driving, are you trying to tell me that you've never encountered anyone who failed to dim their high beams, or else have run them all over?

c: You very well find you messed with the wrong guy and that he follows you to your next stop and beats you to a pulp. You think fistfights scare a guy who just pulled 80,000 pounds down a 7% grade on ice? Think again.

At which point, said trucker may very find himself

a: further frustrated when the four wheeler loses them on the next hill.
b: stranded on some back road with no idea as to where they actually are once the four wheeler loses them.
c: on the losing side of that fight.
d: staring down the barrel of a shotgun.

Save the macho BS. It's not impressing anyone.

Quit whining/complaining/criticising. Nobody cares. Ya you're supertrucker and the worlds mean to you. Grow up.

Pot... this is kettle.... just wanted to tell you that you're black....

PS If you have Swift, Werner, JB Hunt (company), Prime etc on the side of yoru truck there is never EVER a reason for you to be in the hammer lane.

Yes, Swift.. if you find yourself coming up on a dump truck or RVer that can only pull 25 MPH up a hill, while you have some macho BBR sort riding right up your ass, you're expected to hit the brakes and risk getting rear ended, rather than inconvenience someone with so much experience and authority as the starter of this thread by changing lanes

[cdreid]

Jeffyboy.

You just spent an amazing amount of time trying to nitpick and make personal attacks on someone you know jack about. Amazing how hard you had to spin to make those personal attacks too. You are exactly the steering wheel holder i was speaking too.

[Malaki86]

I expected quite a few whiney comments specifically from those with a guilty conscience..

As to where hmm.. how's 501 to big island va. SR64 west from hendersonvile, nc to franklin, nc to name a few. BTW the cop on sr64 was so impressed he said if i could make it across that road without wrecking i deserved a free pass.

As to being too blunt and obnoxious.. well ya very true.

And to joebob-swifty: never been fired anywhere in my life bubba. Too close to home eh..

Those are baby roads...
Try US 33 from Harrisonburg, VA to Elkins, WV.
Try US 250 from Staunton, VA to Elkins, WV.
Try US 50 from Winchester, VA to Clarksburg, WV.
Try US 250 from Fairmont, WV to Wheeling, WV.
Try US 30 from Latrobe, PA to State College, PA during a winter storm.

As for 501 to Big Island, I suggest you take a look at the signs that plainly make that road illegal for trucks unless your total length is under 65' or your truck is under 13'2" . I go into/out of the GP plant there quite a bit.

[inmate1577]

Jeffyboy.

You just spent an amazing amount of time trying to nitpick and make personal attacks on someone you know jack about. Amazing how hard you had to spin to make those personal attacks too. You are exactly the steering wheel holder i was speaking too.

You probably run your jakebrake on low in the pilot parking lot too.
Yes a personal attack, but hey I'm probably right too.

[JeffTheTerrible]

Jeffyboy.

You just spent an amazing amount of time trying to nitpick and make personal attacks on someone you know jack about. Amazing how hard you had to spin to make those personal attacks too. You are exactly the steering wheel holder i was speaking too.

Hey, pumpkin.. little news for you.
1: I don't need to know anything about you. Your little rant gives me all I need to know. What your favourite TV show is, or anything else about you, is really irrelevant.
2: I've just been called a steering wheel holder by someone who claims that it's impossible not to run over an oncoming four wheeler with its high beams on. Think about that for a second. Suffice to say, I'm not going to waste time in dismissing your misguided and unfounded opinion of me.
3: Nitpicking your post was a process which took... somewhere between five and ten minutes. It really wasn't anything difficult to do.
4: I may not know anything about you (aside from what I gathered from your posts).. on the same token, you know nothing about me, either.

Keep trying. One day, you just might get it right.

And perhaps I'll become the Pope, as well

[inmate1577]

You know what, my post was not directed at you actually. I hit the wrong quote.
It was for the original poster, sorry about that.
'Puter savy I'm not.

[Snowman7]

I expected quite a few whiney comments specifically from those with a guilty conscience..

As to where hmm.. how's 501 to big island va. SR64 west from hendersonvile, nc to franklin, nc to name a few. BTW the cop on sr64 was so impressed he said if i could make it across that road without wrecking i deserved a free pass.

As to being too blunt and obnoxious.. well ya very true.

And to joebob-swifty: never been fired anywhere in my life bubba. Too close to home eh..

In other words you were on a road illegally because you missed a sign.

Oh brother. You must think you're the only truck driver in the world who ever had the balls to venture off the Interstate. LMAO!

I think you were probably scared shyteless for the first two years you were driving which is why you're sticking your chest out so far now. Congratulations on conquering your fears! :wink:

[Mr. Ford95]

3. FOG LIGHTS ARE FOR FOG! They dont make you look cool. They make you look like an egotistical idiot who doesnt care that he's blinding the crap out of truckers.

Fog lights are positioned to be pointed towards the ground, they are not supposed to be blinding when adjusted properly. You can run with them on and not blind people, do you look like a dork, yeah sure but that's their prerogative, not yours.

5. If a truck is turning at an intersection and stops because he cant get around you.. do not pull up closer! If you're under the impression i'll back up or move your'e wrong. Feel free to call the police as they'll come tell you to move and force the other idiots to move as well.

Ok BBR, a good driver doesn't even attempt the turn until the other cars move out of the way. You call the police and you might end up with an impeding traffic citation. If they are moving up closer, they are attempting to move out of your way. The car sitting 10 cars back doesn't know what is going on so they aren't going to back up. The police won't force them to move, they will ask the cars to move with a simple statement, "We have an idiot driving that truck who needs a few cars to move out of his way please." Of course YOU won't back up, you already admitted you can't do it very well so what a surpise there.

Truckers:
The hammer lane is for FAST trucks that are PASSING. Yes you can do 65 and the other guy can do 64. That doesnt impress those of us with trucks that actually move.

We're all in this together. The one true mark of experienced drivers is that we cooperate with each other and with 4 wheelers. So yes that guy letting out a bunch of trucks/4wheelers may annoy you but he's -avoiding- a traffic jam while your need to "punish" people you dont know causes them.

What? Above you want people to hurry and get out of your way so you can hammer down or at least stay out of your way but then you come down and tell us to all be patient.

USE your CRUISE CONTROL. Why is it so hard to do this? You doing 55 one minute and 65 the next is ANNOYING and makes me want to strangle you. How hard is it to hit a button?

Sorry my truck doesn't have a button, remember that. [/quote]

[Double L]

With the price of fuel I don't see how the BBR's are surviving. Wait they are not cause of that big ego of theirs is causing them to go bankrupt taking cheap loads that'll move the truck. With the comments and post I seen of cdreid makes me wonder why he is even driving a truck. Ain't we trying to stop the whining not add to it?

[cdreid]

I'll check those out. And of course i did miss the sign. It was 3am when i got up there and of course my directions were wrong. Though to be honest parts of the "legal" route up there are a huge pain too.
I'll actually check those out on the map sounds like you had some (mis)adventures. Actually the 64w was MUCH worse. The worst thing about 501 wasnt that it was too skinny for a big truck (btw theres no reason a 13'6" truck would have a problem. Theres a 13'5" bridge in there but you have to do it both ways i beleive anyway) The worst thing was knowing some drunken teenagers could be partying and hammering down on that road as i came around a curve blocking both lanes. I used my airhorn a LOT.

To the swifties and steering wheel holders. That you dont get why you shouldnt run 55mph in the hammer lane with high beams and fog lights blazing.. says it all.