So I almost got forced into a concrete barrier….
Posted by HashnaFennec@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 52 comments
This was about a week or so ago, the guy in the middle lane kept slowing down and speeding up. I was just hanging out in the right lane with my cruse control on, staying at 60, and he kept passing me, then falling behind, then passing again. There was a second person in the passenger’s seat so I think he was a student. Something tells me he’s not gonna get his CDL…
rollon34@reddit
Yeah. You ended up there cause you wanted to be. Why anyone, a 4 wheeler or truck would just hang out next to a truck makes no sense to me
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
poke poke
Go read my context comment
rollon34@reddit
Nope
QuietRightSlick@reddit
I would have taken it off cruise, and slowed down enough to create a space cushion. You could tell he was driving erratically. Next time, be more reactive. Don’t just leave it on cruise and expect people to act normally if you’re close together like that. Assume that guy is two weeks out of a Mega Carrier trucking school, going solo for the first time. Always drive defensively.
TheWendigo_Alpha@reddit
This right here. You gotta driver for your self and the others on the road. I wouldve been let off as i cant stand when drivers either sit there near my steers or at the rear if my trailer. Makes me nervous.
curryshotzz@reddit
This is me as well. Everything I see on the road are basically preventable accidents for my side. I don’t have an ego enough to deal with an accident I could have prevented myself.
JustLTL@reddit
Even in my personal vehicle with other cars I create a safe space/cushion at all times. Im constantly making sure cars on either side of me can come over without clipping me. I've seen so many close calls I would rather be constantly working on leaving a cushion vs one day some moron who is to lazy to check his mirrors goes BANG into the side of my truck or my car.
geneticdeadender@reddit
"proactive"
LT-buttnaked@reddit
Pass or back off
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
He was passing me on flat terrain, then slowed down and matched my speed. I was giving it a few seconds to see if he was gonna speed up and just as I was about to back off and let him over, that happened. He then proceeded to camp in the center lane for another 30 miles while randomly slowing to 45.
LT-buttnaked@reddit
Fuck that guy
InformalPlane5@reddit
Learn to let people over y do drivers be so ignorant
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
I keep typing this comment as people keep missing my context comment, but he was passing and started matching my speed as the clip starts. I was giving it a second to see if he’d speed up to finish the pass, when I was about to slow down, that happened.
InformalPlane5@reddit
I'm speaking just in general I've been driving for 8 years and I'm fed up with how drivers treat each other and it's actually a big part of y it's always wrecks because drivers wanna show how big their balls are by doin dumb crap to one another this industry is killing itself because of stupidity
humpthedog@reddit
This is 100% on you. If you would have had a collision that’s a preventable on you. Swallow your pride, slow down and merge.
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
He was passing just before the clip started, I was giving it a second to see if he was gonna speed back up. Just as I was about to slow down and let him merge, that happened. After the clip he continued to speed up and slow down without trying to change lanes for another 30ish miles. At times I passed him on the right because the right lane was completely clear but they were easily doing 15 under the limit in the middle lane and the left lane had a truck restriction. Then 5 minutes later he’d be screaming past 10~20 over the limit. This went on over and over again for about 30 miles…
QuietRightSlick@reddit
It’s weird how you’re hanging out by his tandems on his passenger side. Don’t hold that position. Period.
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
To be fair, he was passing just before this clip, then he slowed down just before finishing the pass. I was giving it a few seconds to see if he’d speed back up.
Either way tho, yah, I should have realized something was up sooner and gotten the heck out of dodge. The master of all teachers are mistakes.
hooligan-6318@reddit
I'm a firm believer in it only being a fuckup if you do it again.
Running next to other big trucks, especially on the right side, is extremely unpredictable.
SeaRow556@reddit
Reddit content. Regardless if op ended up hitting that barrier it would have been his fault.
Its better to let that driver hit you than you hit something or someone else.
thewolfesp@reddit
Because hitting the breaks is never an option
qudunot@reddit
Never break, never surrender, situational awareness left behind!
SeaRow556@reddit
Exactly!!!!
Dragomier@reddit
My first thought as well talk about a mental midget move to hang out on a truckers blind side
RCP7700@reddit
Stop turtle racing another driver. You’re both professionals, act like it.
FreedomFingers@reddit
I mean just slow down and back off ezpz
AostaV@reddit
OP you should take a Smith Systems or some other defensive driving course. Think it would help avoid getting into situations like this.
DankDarko@reddit
wack
SwampMagician1234@reddit
Got to get out of that blind spot
ScarcityTough5931@reddit
This is a good training video for what I've said 1,000 times. If a truck is determined to just barely pass you, ease off a little and let them get by. Trucks riding side by side for miles is dangerous. If it's bad for a driver to try to pass, barely going .5 mph faster, it's just as bad to allow it. Back off and let them go. I promise it won't cost you any time, and could even save you from an accident like almost happened in this video.
Er1cDravn@reddit
Clark...NoDramaDriver on TikTok and YouTube had a really good negative wisdom he's actually a trainer and was my road cops and back when I drove for Nussbaum.
On this very topic of trucks piss each other just simply back it off about a couple miles an hour for 60 seconds nine times out of 10 that driver wanting to drag race you is going to be well ahead of you and then you get back on the throttle where you were you probably aren't going to be saying it again if you're on a long stretch.
You pass him and then his ego gets in the way and for a variety of actors you may end up losing some momentum he catches back up and you're playing this idiotic drag race game for hell what could be hours
Er1cDravn@reddit
Sucks to suck, don't pass on the right 🤷
duhrun@reddit
Its always best to slow down when someone paces the front corners either side like this, the percentage of near accident is highest imo.
Elderado12443@reddit
That’s your fault, bud.
Silver_Material_7249@reddit
The old distracted trucker never fails I never understood how drivers see another truck and would rather lean into a fellow trucker then a 4 wheelers on their left side smh
Songgeek@reddit
Yea this is why I try and avoid the interstate these days, if I can take a highway and there isn’t a stop sign or light every other mile I’m adding a few miles off route just for the sake of an emptier road.
I dread i40 Memphis to Nashville or Memphis to Little Rock. Thankfully there’s a few highways I can hop on and just cruise. Less truck stops but also less dumb driver drama
Revolutionary-Tone54@reddit
Maybe lower cruise by 1 or 2 mph for a few seconds. Or let off the accelerator. Just let him clear you. Everyone in a hurry.
geneticdeadender@reddit
Don't hang out in the No Zone.
palebd@reddit
Should avoid passing on the right. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Technically illegal in some jurisdictions.
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
Normally I’d agree with you, but that guy was camping in the middle lane, speeding up to 70, then drifting down to 45ish. If I wanted to avoid passing on the right I’d have to either pass in the far left lane and speed to prevent being passed again, or accept randomly slowing down and unnecessarily causing traffic in the right lane. Just before this clip they were passing, then started matching my speed. As the clip starts I was giving them a few seconds to speed up and finish the pass, but just as I was about to slow down, that happened.
Cute-Roll2849@reddit
Don’t sit in that spot.
Triad4Cats@reddit
Good on ya for coming off the throttle a bit and saving your azz and equipment.
Self-preservation 🫡
PsychologicalArt8242@reddit
Bro, back off…if me and another truck are rolling side by side I make sure it doesn’t last more than a few senonds.
Ornery_Ads@reddit
Insufficient air horn
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
Context: Before the clip, I’d passed them, then they sped up. Just before they pass, they match my speed and the clip starts. In the video I’m giving it a few seconds to see if they’re gonna speed up and finish the pass, and just as I’m about to slow down that happens. After this clip they repeatedly slow down and speed up, causing us to pass each other multiple times. I was in the right lane at a constant speed while they were drifting down to 45ish, then flooring it up to 70ish. After the clip they slowed WAY down so I’m passing again, I look over and see a second person in the passenger’s seat so I believe the driver was a student.
mvamv@reddit
Sorry, but nobody forced you to almost hit that concrete barrier, that was your own doing.
Personally, if I'm between a truck and concrete barriers, and the truck starts drifting or swerving into my lane, I'm gonna do my best to avoid getting tagged, but I'm not gonna swerve into the barriers just to avoid getting hit. That would count as a collision of my fault and doing, and accumulate points.
In the same scenario if it's inevitable that the truck will hit me, so be it, but I'm staying in my lane. That way it's recorded as the truck colliding into me and it's the other truckers fault and points go on HIS/HER record, and their insurance will be the one writing the check.
stinky_underwear@reddit
In this video?
HashnaFennec@reddit (OP)
Not all of it was in this video. Before the clip, I’d passed them, then they sped up. Just before passing they match my speed and the clip starts. In the video I’m giving it a few seconds to see if there gonna pass, just as I’m about to slow down that happens. After this clip they repeatedly slow down and speed up, causing us to pass each other multiple times.
Green-Estimate-1255@reddit
OP should not have a CDL because he clearly doesn’t know what the brake pedal is.
Choice_Pop3111@reddit
tag, your it Driver 😄😄
Definitive_confusion@reddit
He just wanted to cuddle
halfcow@reddit
I think you meant to say, "So I almost got forced to maintain my lane, and make contact with this other truck, so that I was not forced into a concrete barrier, and then forced to explain to my safety department why I was involved in a single-vehicle accident." Or did I misread?