The other day, i was headed WB on I-71 out of Cincy toward Indy. Stopped for fuel, and pulled back onto the interstate. I get up a head of steam, and start looking to merge. I notice this TMC driver who isn't getting over to let me into the slow lane. (yes, i know it isnt his job and/or have to get over...i'm the one who has to merge, but most drivers still have that courtsey left in them) Now, my biggest pet peve, is when i get over for another driver, then they step on it to either pace me, or slowly pass me, making me look like the idiot for being in the fast lane going 62. A few will let you over, but not many. So anyway....i slow down for this TMC driver. I looked down, and was doing 58. I had second thoughts about doing that, cause of the couple trucks and 4-wheelers behind me still. I gave him a few seconds, cause most drivers who were wanting over and/or paying attention to their mirrors would have seen that, and got right back over. This guy didnt. So.....i stepped on it. Back up to 62-63. I had a half mile an hour or so 'roll' on him. Once i got up to his truck, i could then see why he wasn't paying attention.....THE GUY WAS ON HIS CELL PHONE !!! I get on the radio and said, "you know, TMC, if you were paying attention to your mirrors rather than chatting with your boyfriend on your cell, you'd have seen i slowed down for ya back there..."

After about 5-7 minutes of running side by side, another driver behind us got on and was getting annoyed at TMC and said, "...hey flatbed...lets get going, yeah?" The TMC driver then gets on and says, "yeah i would, but this swift here is screwing me up." So i jumped right back on and let into him. "Dude, you're the one on your F-kin cell phone. I slowed down for you back there, but you were too busy yackin' on your cell to pay attention to your rear-view mirrors to see i was lettin' ya over!! Don't go blamin' me cause you'd rather talk on your cell phone than pay attention." He then says, "yeah right, okay swift".....like i was making up the fact he was talking on his cell.

So what i'm going to do in the future, and i doubt if it will even make a difference, is everytime i can see another driver talking on his cell, texting or whatever...i'll snap a picture of them, then forward it to their company and let them handle it.

I had a driver just yesterday....i-294 NB headed to Islip, IL. We were both in the slow lane....i was doing 58, then the driver in front of me, who was doing 58-60, starts to drop his speed, and ends up doing 50 !!! I pass him, and guess what....hes texting on his cell or looking for directions. It happened so fast, i didnt get a picture. =)

What device are you using to take a picture of them?

Ha, now that's funny.

its called a camera. takes 3 seconds from the time i turn it on and snap a picture. This guy was talking on it for 10 minutes, not to mention his inablility of not paying attention. Oh, forgot to mention, when rolling up his right side, i could see in his RH rearview, hes one of those drivers who talks with his hands. So the hand not holding the phone was pointing in the air, or making some other gesture, his elbow was driving?

so you're saying taking 5 seconds to snap a picture is as bad as 5 minutes of driving with one elbow? Trust me, i was more in control and aware of my surroundings than this guy was. But clearly you missed the point of the whole post.

I understand the point completely, and I totally agree about cell phones and being distracted. I hate to see it myself, but you're doing same thing you're complaining about. A lot can happen in five seconds, you should know that.

I just wanted to point out the irony.

It's not just the irony, and I don't doubt that Kevin was more in control and/or MOSTLY in control while snapping the picture.

The issue, as I see it, and what I thought Rosty was going for, was that the new laws (or regs or whatever they were) addressing the issue for TRUCKERS, includes any and ALL hand held "devices."

Better hope you don't identify yourself in any way when sending the photos to his company, cuz you're giving them evidence that you also were breaking the law.

I understand what you meen but like others said, you just did the same thing by pointing and clicking, you took your eyes off the road. My accedent I just got off my record took all of 2 or 3 sec of lost attn to hapen, trust me. talk about the text and cell phones, don't take snapshots of em

thank you all for being so concerned by pointing out the irony. Trust me...i saw it before i even sent it. However...had there been heavy traffic or stop and go traffic with controled intersections, it would have been a different story. But seeing how i used my judgement, and all the traffic (and i mean ALL) was behind me....i was totally in control...and 95% safe. =)

I sympathize with Kevin, there are way too many dumbass drivers out there that are "super truckers" and can do 5 things at once. Just count how many drivers you see coming into a busy truck stop, manuvering, shifting, looking in one mirror, trying to back into a tight spot all the while on their hands on cell phone. Why can't they spend a few bucks on a decent bluetooth headset and eliminate half the probability of an accident? Because that's not the "super trucker" way.

Kevin0915 said:

So.... you are willing to accept a 5% chance that you could have a single truck crash and die (or lose your career) JUST to rat out another driver? Yeah.... I call that using your "judgement." :roll::lol:

Seriously, Kevin.... I don't blame you and I feel the same way about it. These drivers drive me NUTS! I probably take the same chance by leaning out my passenger side window (while finally passing them) and screaming at them to keep their eyes on the ROAD! :lol:

(All the while staying in my own lane, of course!)