When you are on the side of the road staying alive is YOUR job, not not the folks passing by. Think otherwise and you could get killed. Yes people should pay attention and move over if they can but most of them won't so it's up to YOU to always know where you are standing and how close they are. I know I sound like I'm harping here.....but I am. Many people wander into traffic because they are focused on thier crisis or situation and not thier surroundings.

I still have that eye on the back of my head from when I ran a wrecker. :wink:

#3 is great advice, trust me, getting lippy with a mechanic won't get your truck fixed any faster, probably slower. :twisted:

 

I ran a wrecker with my brother as well as a service truck for AAA and that 3rd eye is definitely there. If I am getting out, I try to get out on the passenger side. If I MUST get out on the drivers side, I keep myself facing traffic so I can take cover if need be.

The other thing that made a difference was a Class 3 ANSI jacket. Unfortunately Greyhound lost it. It was great for making me highly visible not to mention that it was very warm when it was 10-30 Degrees outside.

I am thinking about buying a replacement jacket down the road.

 

Hey Happy, it's not my job to be dodging people who are using the shoulder to go around me because I'm broke down in a travel lane. I had 2 people run over my triangles pulling that crap while I was trying to set them out one day. I never turn my back on traffic after having several close calls with idiots who were not paying attention or try to make their own travel lane instead of waiting that extra 5 seconds.

 

GMAN You had to duck under the trailer because that Blue Mask you wear blinds all the on coming traffic.

kc0iv

 

here in Mo.it is a automatic Felony if you do not move over and a emerency vech.or a MODOT Vech.is on the side of the roadway,if you cannot move over then slow down to many Cop's and Construction Worker's have been killed along Mo.Roads this law went into effect about 4 month's or so ago.

 

So you see a vehicle on the side of the road that is broken down and attended or police have stopped a car.

There is wall to wall traffic in the hammer lane and you can't move over, so you have to slow down and you are in a 65-70 mph zone.
Just how much do you slow down to be compliance with the law since all the signs say move or slow down???

10 , 20 , 30 mph below the posted limit, or slow to the minimum posted limit. What happens if you slow down below the posted minimum limit and someone hits you from behind. Most interstates have a 45 mph minimum limit.

Now I know that everyone has their opinion and looking forward the responses, but I wonder what the law is on this.

 

If you are in a situation where you cannot change lanes, you put your 4-ways on and make as much room as you can. If you make an attempt to decrease the chance of an accident you doing what you can for the given situation.

I know that California will fine you for not moving over, Washington may (I have to check though), I don't know about Oregon either.

 

i am curious as to why someone would bitch about traffic not giving him room on the side of the road so he could tighten his straps?? i s it just me or would there have been a much better place to tighten straps than on the shoulder?? and the "super truckers" are the problem..not the big dummy truckers that would tighten straps on the side of the road. OK>

 

Well, it's apparant that you've never pulled a flatbed with a load that decides to shift. If they need tightened, they need tightened ASAP. If that means doing it on the shoulder, so be it.

 

well he never said that. geesh...and yes i have pulled a flatbed. maybe make sure load is sucure when you leave with it and then pick a safe place to check the load when you preplan your trip. that is just my idea, but as i know nobody preplans there trips anymore since it seems nobody can get anywhere without asking for directions, milemarkers, truckstops, etc. on the cb. oh by the way, god bless you flatbedders that do your job safely, i did not enjoy my stint doing it at all. thanks.