[Windwalker]

Even if I don't win my bid for President this election, if I get a percentage of the votes, I will do my level best to have a program instituted that WILL make the hiways safer. And you can bet that C.R.A.S.H. and P.A.T.T will NOT be my biggest admirers. I'm almost willing to bet that THEY will be the biggest contributors to the various municipalities "GENERAL FUND".

[Fredog]

Originally Posted by Mr. Ford95

So wait Fredog, even though holding your ground is perfectly legal we are supposed to be nice(professional) and let them in when they are trying to drive into our fuel tank because they are too stupid to speed on up and go? Are you trying to insinuate that if a car merges right over into the side of you, not cutting across your bumper but into the side of you from the steer tire back your weren't being professional enough? If they are trying to cut across your bumper then it's a different story but not when they are driving into the side of you.

If you get in front of me then you stand a better chance of me letting you over vs sitting at my door. Sitting at my door doesn't tell me a thing about what you are attempting to do. That's not being unprofessional, I'm holding what I got and letting them make the decision, speed up or drop in behind me.

I am saying that avoiding a wreck regardless of the circumstances is being professional

[all18wheels]

had a guy cut me off and then put on the brakes so he can make the exit.
im still amazed that i didnt run him over.
my dad told me when i first started driving, you have to drive your truck and their cars too to avoid an accident.

[Colin]

Originally Posted by Mr. Ford95

So wait Fredog, even though holding your ground is perfectly legal we are supposed to be nice(professional) and let them in when they are trying to drive into our fuel tank because they are too stupid to speed on up and go? Are you trying to insinuate that if a car merges right over into the side of you, not cutting across your bumper but into the side of you from the steer tire back your weren't being professional enough? If they are trying to cut across your bumper then it's a different story but not when they are driving into the side of you.

If you get in front of me then you stand a better chance of me letting you over vs sitting at my door. Sitting at my door doesn't tell me a thing about what you are attempting to do. That's not being unprofessional, I'm holding what I got and letting them make the decision, speed up or drop in behind me.

The point is, a professional driver should never be in a position where a car is "at their door". You should have seen the situation coming and either changed lanes, slowed down or sped up.

There is no valid argument against being a professional, courteous driver. REGARDLESS of the other person's capabilities. That other person likely has a family and you swapping paint with them is neither good for them or your DAC.

[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by Colin

The point is, a professional driver should never be in a position where a car is "at their door". You should have seen the situation coming and either changed lanes, slowed down or sped up.

There is no valid argument against being a professional, courteous driver. REGARDLESS of the other person's capabilities. That other person likely has a family and you swapping paint with them is neither good for them or your DAC.

How many years you been driving, Colin? If you put a monkey in a cage with 3 possible ways to escape, it will find a 4th that you did not know about. Give a 4-wheeler 3 possible ways to get into an accident and die, and he/she will find a 4th that you did not know existed. They keep INVENTING ways to cause accidents, and I almost think they stay awake nights trying think of new ways to do it. No matter how well prepared you think you are, someone will ALWAYS find a way to "BLINDSIDE" you. It is NOT humanly possible to be able to anticipate EVERY move a 4-wheeler will make.

[Colin]

Originally Posted by Colin

The point is, a professional driver should never be in a position where a car is "at their door". You should have seen the situation coming and either changed lanes, slowed down or sped up.

There is no valid argument against being a professional, courteous driver. REGARDLESS of the other person's capabilities. That other person likely has a family and you swapping paint with them is neither good for them or your DAC.

Originally Posted by Windwalker

How many years you been driving, Colin? If you put a monkey in a cage with 3 possible ways to escape, it will find a 4th that you did not know about. Give a 4-wheeler 3 possible ways to get into an accident and die, and he/she will find a 4th that you did not know existed. They keep INVENTING ways to cause accidents, and I almost think they stay awake nights trying think of new ways to do it. No matter how well prepared you think you are, someone will ALWAYS find a way to "BLINDSIDE" you. It is NOT humanly possible to be able to anticipate EVERY move a 4-wheeler will make.

I drove for 9 years. Local, regional, OTR.

My point was that if you are not within close range of a car, it becomes much more difficult to become 'involved' with that car.

Create space. Look ahead. Leave a way out.

^ Any of that sound familiar to anyone?

[ct77]

I-24 NB into Nashville had a 4 wheeler come to a complete stop in the granny lane to let someone merge onto the highway. Had a trainee with me who was not driving at the time thank god. For some reason I sensed it coming and merged left.

If you were to ask 100 people who has the right of way merging I ll bet 90 percent couldnt tell ya.

In city traffic i will back out of the throttle 5 mph for a car and if they dont take advantage of it tough.

For my fellow drivers(professional) I will always move over if I can.

[golfhobo]

Windwalker said:

How many years you been driving, Colin? If you put a monkey in a cage with 3 possible ways to escape, it will find a 4th that you did not know about. Give a 4-wheeler 3 possible ways to get into an accident and die, and he/she will find a 4th that you did not know existed. They keep INVENTING ways to cause accidents, and I almost think they stay awake nights trying think of new ways to do it. No matter how well prepared you think you are, someone will ALWAYS find a way to "BLINDSIDE" you. It is NOT humanly possible to be able to anticipate EVERY move a 4-wheeler will make.

I didn't know until he responded exactly how many years Colin has been driving.... but, I KNEW it was more than ME! Maybe not as many as "Wind," but close! He has taken alot of guff for his political bent.... as have I.... but, I have seen FEW on here who questioned his experience as a trucker! And he is RIGHT on THIS one!

Relating to the points that I have highlighted....

We ALL sit atop two very flammable fuel tanks! In nearly EVERY trucker crash I read about, and SEE.... the cab has been engulfed in flames due to their proximity and vulnerability. MANY never make it out alive! Do YOU want to roll the dice on that one because you are STUBBORN?

A "merging" vehicle that IS abeam of my tanks, tells ME alot! It tells me that they may be stupid, careless, on the phone or whatever.... but, it tells me that THEY are not in a position that INDICATES that they will speed up and get in front of me, NOR that they are inclined to get behind me! So.... as a PROFESSIONAL driver, concerned for my OWN safety as well as others', I have the responsibility to resolve the situation SAFELY.... whatever that takes!

Colin is correct. A "professional" driver would seldom let himself get into this situation. He would have SEEN it coming, and adjusted his speed or lane postion accordingly! He might not LIKE it.... but, that is part of his JOB, and his TRAINING!

I most FERVENTLY agree that there is NO VALID ARGUMENT against being a PROFESSIONAL! You can blame everyone else... the 4wheeler, the company, or the OTHER trucker.... all you WANT! But, it all comes down to YOU! Some of you don't "get it!" Being a professional means being BETTER trained, BETTER skilled, and of a BETTER temperament than the other drivers on the road! You are NOT "just like them." You are not trying to get home from work, and hopefully NOT on the cellphone trading stocks! YOU have a load to deliver from point A to B, and it is YOUR responsibility to make sure that it gets there safely... if NOT on time! LETTING someone drive into your fuel tanks because they are stupid only makes YOU MORE SO! :roll:

IF you survive it.... it WILL go down as a "preventable," and will probably cost you your CAREER! Is a few MPH WORTH it??? And BTW...... WHY are you so stupid as to BE in the right lane anyway in a city?? (This rarely happens on the open road.) UNLESS there is a sign telling you that you MUST be in the right lane ONLY.... Or UNLESS you are such a slow truck as to hamper the progress of faster trucks..... You SHOULD always be one lane to the LEFT of the "local" lane when going through a city! Have you EVER seen the signs that say... "through traffic merge LEFT?" What do you think that means? It means.... there is alot of friggin' traffic getting ON AND OFF for the next few miles, and YOU should avoid being IN THE WAY! :shock: :roll:

But SO MANY of you just get into the "elephant train" NOSE TO TAIL and "cruise" through major metropolitan areas and BITCH about the 4wheelers who are trying to get on with their lives! Lives that are TIED to the on and off ramps that service THEIR town! :roll:

No.... it is not "humanly possible" to anticipate every move a 4wheeler will make! If it WERE.... "I" would never have to slow down! (except for stupid TRUCKERS!) But, it IS within your power, AND a part of your training to TRY to do just that! You are not "out there" because of your LOOKS! You are out there to be a "professional!" Get OFF the cellphone and PAY ATTENTION to the traffic around you! That is your JOB! For 10 or 11 hours a day, you don't just DRIVE the truck.... you "navigate" rough waters!

I have a saying. IF you say "Woah, where did HE come from?" more than twice a day.... YOU are dangerous! You should LIVE in your mirrors! And you should THINK a mile down the road! If you are NOT paying attention, and driving in a manner that FACILITATES traffic, you are STEALING money from your company! They pay you for MORE than just driving the truck! I WOULD say that ANY fool can drive a truck..... but, some of you keep proving me wrong! :roll:

In my short 3 years of driving, I can honestly say that only ONE 4wheeler has caused me to "brake check," and HE did it out of spite because I was gently "nudging" him to get out of the fast lane! :shock: :lol:

I know.... I was WRONG!!! And I LEARNED from it! [NOW I just push them out of the way! :lol: ] But, I have NEVER had a problem with merging traffic!

Like many have said.... maybe I speed up, maybe I slow down, and maybe I move over! But, I NEVER let a vehicle close to my tanks without a clue as to their intentions! And I absolutely will NOT be so stubborn as to find out the hard way! :roll:

Those of you who DO.... may you R.I.P!!

[Mr. Ford95]

So Hobo, how about the one that attempted to merge into the side of my trailer, was I being unprofessional because I was passing them and they decided to start drifting over? Neighbor who drove dumps locally was hit head-on on a 2 lane by a suicidal driver. He never had time to get the brakes because the guy swerved over at the last second. I guess he was being unprofessional, right? He didn't have a way out.

You cannot be professional 100% of the time and not be in a wreck. There are times when you have to be unprofessional in order to avoid a wreck. You say speed up, that's being unprofessional right there but it could avoid a wreck or get you charged if your in one as being aggressive in some states. Your supposed to hold what you have or slow down if you cannot change lanes. As what was exlained to me by the state examiner when I got my CDL, they are more agile than you, let them make the decision. That is coming from one of the toughest, by the book examiner's in the state of VA.

[Mr. Ford95]

On 2nd thought, ya'll drive how you want to drive and I will do what works for me. Knock on wood, it has not gotten me in a wreck. I know what works for me to keep 4 wheelers from attempting to be stupid around me. We are all going to have our own thoughts on what is considered a professional move and what's not. Every situation is different in some way.