Open letter to all you 4 wheelers

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SarcastiSnark@reddit

It's rough out there. Many people don't understand. And many more just don't care to think that you are literally keeping the country running.

Hats off to you. I rode with my dad up and down the west coast lumping freight for a while.

Interesting job.

Up and down i-5. That freeway is a mess.

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I drive at night but usually have one 5 - 6 am load. The juxtaposition from going to peaceful night to that shit is jarring. I’ve gotten much better at squeezing cars and leading with my tractor to let them know that am coming over … now.

The helpful drivers I always make sure to give them a few flashes of my trailer lights even though they probably don’t get it.

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Squirrcles@reddit

As a kid, I got a huge thrill from pumping my fist at a truck and getting the horn blast. As an adult, I get the same level of giddiness from those trailer light flashes. Melts my heart. Now my daughter is out there driving trucks & God bless anyone out there who is looking out for y'all. 💜💜💜

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xxenoscionxx@reddit

Ya I think arm pumps are king but am with you on the trailer flashes.

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StonkAccount@reddit

Really? I don’t mind the I-5 at all. But I’m only on west coast as well so I don’t have a lot to compare it to. What’s wrong with it?

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SarcastiSnark@reddit

It used to be extremely bumpy. I nearly broke my neck from flying out of my seat a few times 😂

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Alternative-Milk-909@reddit

It’s always 2 lanes behind what it should be, at least from Albany to Portland

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snxmx@reddit

IMO Medford to Grants Pass and Eugene through to Portland should all be 3 lanes

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Tromboneofsteel@reddit

I've always been nice to truckers on the road, because they're usually nice to me. But now, going through CDL school... I show as much respect as I can possibly do on four wheels. Don't think I've changed lanes within 500 feet of a truck's nose in months.

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Various_Syllabub4985@reddit

Four wheeler here: I dig the truckers, appreciate what you all do. I was literally driving with my coworker a couple of days ago with a trucker about to make a wide right turn. It was pretty apparent from the distance we were at, so my coworker decides to gun it, passing on the right, then proceeded to tell me…”WTF! Did you see that guy?

Me: Yes. Thanks for almost killing us. Did you not see him turning? Pay attention, shit!”

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MR_6OUIJA6BOARD6@reddit

They seem to forget we bring their food to the markets, deliver gas to the gas stations for their cars, deliver their medicines to the pharmacy, and deliver their giant dildos they have up their ass while driving.

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Naborsx21@reddit

Am I the only truck driver that thinks most people are pretty decent drivers and courteous lol.

I get annoyed when there's traffic sure, but most days I don't have any complaints about other people driving. After like a year of diving you know when to slow down because people will merge over right in front of you and .... hot take... if you go slower and not give a fuck it's easier than cursing at every other driver on the road lol. idk, it's like 8 hours of doing basically nothing driving through Oklahoma then 2 hours of traffic and dealing with tight situations per day for me. Easiest $2500 I've ever made. heh

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Sensitive-Produce-40@reddit

That's the issue I have with the industry going to mostly Automatics. In a manual you pay attention to your following distance and road speed a lot more. These Autos want to drive for people who have been jamming gears for decades and they don't do a good job at it

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SaltAndBitter@reddit

OMFG, this. There's nothing code brown inducing like going down a mountain, and suddenly the computer decides it needs to grab a gear to keep the RPMs as close to 1000 as possible... shit's begging to create a runaway, and I ain't in the mood to need a sandbox

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compb13@reddit

I've had trucks wait to pull into the left lane to pass something slower, and let me go first. Not sure why as he had plenty of room - but I appreciated it. And sped up while passing him to give him more time to do his passing

I figure you guys are working and I'm usually traveling for pleasure. So I let you go when I can.

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SaltAndBitter@reddit

I do that on occasion. I don't want to risk the 4 wheeler behind me during the pass getting impatient and squeezing between me and the guy I'm passing... or moving into the granny and blocking me from getting back over because how dare I show some professional courtesy and not cut off the guy I just passed

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Born-Lie8688@reddit

Nice story. I always think truckers are at a big disadvantage. Acceleration, braking, room to merge / change lanes, turning room, etc. I like to help out and level the playing field when I can. Just like 4 wheelers or anything else though- there are dick truck drivers, but I have to think some of them are just tired of the bullshit. Except tri-axle dumps always seem to be assholes .

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SaltAndBitter@reddit

I'm continuously appalled by what my fellow drayage drivers do at the port... it's like the traffic laws experience the peacetime equivalent of the Geneva Conventions becoming the Geneva Checklist. Shit really do be essentially a third world country the moment you're in spitting distance of cargo vessels

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PShubbs91@reddit

You are 100% correct. There are plenty of other truckers I've seen out there that make me wonder who the hell thought it was a good idea to give them a CDL. Some of these Truckers will blow your doors off doing like 80 in a 65. It's ridiculous. I am always super appreciative when 4 wheelers will slow down to let me merge. I especially appreciate when I'm going wide around a tight turn and the 4 wheelers in the turning lane or oncoming lane are nice enough to back up to give me extra space. I can tell you filk dont understand how much that type of stuff is appreciated.

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Sensitive-Produce-40@reddit

They're either gonna back up so I can make the turn or we can hop out about it. Chances are I'm not the one whos moving backwards. Switching lanes to get out of the way during a turn is fine too, all the assholes prefer that over backing up

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InspectionSenior1@reddit

Lol those dump trucks are i think trying to get one extra trip for the day . They always in hurry , cutting everybody .

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Born-Lie8688@reddit

I’m pretty sure they get paid by the load and weight so time equals money and overload = cracked windshields

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Utpulse@reddit

I let a flat bed in on 66 heading in to DC yesterday morning with a quick light flash. I think the guy could’ve have sent me the entire War and Peace novel in Morse code he flashed his brake lights so much afterward. He seemed genuinely grateful.

The jerk off weaving through traffic behind me to go no where wasn’t though 😆

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JeepersCreepersV12@reddit

I love blocking traffic behind me to let you guys in all the time 😂 we're all going to end up at the same light or passing each other eventually ✊️

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awhq@reddit

Question from four wheeler. If I'm doing that for a trucker, does it help if I flash my headlights to let them know I'm waiting for them? Or is there another way? I've done what you describe in the past but some truckers just don't trust that I won't run up in the lane as they are merging and they seem to try to wait me out.

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FreeAndRedeemed@reddit

Thank you for helping us out!

During the day definitely flash your lights. At night dim your lights momentarily a couple of times. It gets kind of difficult to judge when you’re just behind our bumper if we’re in tight traffic, and we’d rather not assume anything and end up in an accident.

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awhq@reddit

Will do!

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cryptkicker130@reddit

I am a four wheeler and I wish the cops enforced the laws as written, too many people run hot and slippery with the actual rules. I couldn't drive a truck for a living because I would run somebody into a guardrail for being an idiot.

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No_Strain794@reddit

It's all of our dreams. I want to give someone a PIT maneuver all the time.

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theREAL_ENIGMA_@reddit

If I didn’t care about my insurance rate going up or other consequences of doing it man it would be such a great feeling just to ram right into them😅

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cryptkicker130@reddit

That works too.

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theREAL_ENIGMA_@reddit

I had that happen yesterday in Tennessee then the asshole flipped me off. Funny thing is these are the same people who vote for Trump and say they are great Americans and blah blah blah. Yet they do stupid shit like this all the time to truckers. They are truly pieces of shit.

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thecrankything@reddit

I was taught early on, (80s), when it comes to big trucks, if the turn signal comes on, assume they're gonna move in a few seconds. DO NOT be in the way when they do. So far this has served me well for the most part. Drivers have been generally cool. Still do the arm pump every now and again. Still works. Drive safe people

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driftless@reddit

You deliver my shit. Anything to make it easier. :)

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PhysicalSpeech2074@reddit

I was just trying to merge in bumper to bumper traffic, there was a coveted large gap and the 4 wheeler at the end seemed to be going slow like 10 mph to let me in. the minute I threw on my signal I swear he stomped on the gas and went to like 40 mph , I still merged anyway tho. He stomped on his brakes and honked his little horn. I just calmly said “thanks bitch”

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mblack1993@reddit

I had someone do something similar, except I was needing to move over because there was a giant square hole in the road for construction. I got a call from safety like 10 minutes later, stating that I had tried to run someone off the road and almost killed them and their family (10 mph will do that, I guess). Explained the situation, and it was all good.

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PhysicalSpeech2074@reddit

Wow somebody really called your company and complained

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Helpful_Finger_4854@reddit

He was likely just on his phone and then looked up and noticed the gap as you were merging in it

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nevrfastalwysfurious@reddit

yeah they don’t wanna let us merge, but then fucking whine and cry when their packages are delivered late or the product they want is out of stock 😒

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Nero-Danteson@reddit

I remember the day I had a store delivery (rare for me). Bringing in random stuff from the DC. Idiot who cut me off forcing me to have to go to the next exit and come down. Store didn't mind, I had called them and let them know I'd be running a smidge behind. Turns out the asshat who was speeding and doing dangerous things to get there needed something off the trailer.

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nevrfastalwysfurious@reddit

😆😆 that’s great

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Quadling@reddit

Hey I drive a minivan and always double flash to give a tractor trailer space. :). It’s courteous. Stop and go in a big truck has to be painful.

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Helpful_Finger_4854@reddit

And thank you to the ones who don't try to pass on the right whenever we put our signal on and swing wide to the left for a very very tight turn

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Wheres_Jay@reddit

I drive in DFW daily as a local driver. It is a hellscape.

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Professional_Trade45@reddit

And still not as bad as Houston.

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Vic_Gatsby@reddit

Smd to all those who refuse to be behind us for a few seconds by not letting us over. Let us over, switch lanes, and by the time we can even get up to speed, you could switch back in front of us.

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skeletons_asshole@reddit

Seriously, I drive through DFW weekly and without people like this I’d never get around anywhere there.

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RamenPizza113@reddit

I’m one of them who let truckers merge 🤙 when you gotta merge you gotta merge, and not letting people merge just makes the congestion much worse. The majority of people are way too selfish and it’s really sad. Godspeed truckers 🫡 may the road paved with good intentions lead to an endless supply of Fireball

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Ok_Replacement5811@reddit

My personal favorites are the ones that pretend to block the lane for you. They wait off the rear corner until the space gets about halfway up my door, then floor it and block me out.

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bcsublime@reddit

Unless you have been in that seat, you have no idea how much attention needs to be paid, and how much room is needed. Always cool when a 4 wheeler understands the need for space.

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Sensitive-Produce-40@reddit

I explain tractor trailers as a sensory overload. They'res so much information to process in such a small amount of time.

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bcsublime@reddit

It really does get easier the longer you do it. Keep your eyes on the road and check your mirrors. Never be embarrassed to GOAL. It will become second nature.

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Sensitive-Produce-40@reddit

Lol see I've been driving for about six years and I still get out and look. I have seen 70 years olds hobble their ass out the cab and go look. So I have no excuse.

I'm not understanding what's wrong with some of these newer guys that wanna do a 90° back in high reverse with no GOALs lately.

Regardless of experience it is a sensory overload. Thats kinda what makes this job addicting.

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Sensitive-Produce-40@reddit

I am extremely active with 4 wheelers. If I see somebody "loitering" next to me instead of passing and I need to get over I will straight up start violently waving and screaming out my window. Thats when they start moving. If it's a blindside on ramp situation I'll try to slow down and get over; but when my signals on I'm coming over period. Im that guy who will push you into the next lane. I will See how much you care about your car and your safety. All these people who think it's okay to merge at snail speed don't get on the highway in front of me. I'm not playing with these fools anymore. If we are in traffic I'll wait, but if I watch you decide to not let me over after you've been three car lengths away from the back of my trailer and therefore shouldve seen the signal Im coming over.

If they got a problem they can either call about it or we can pull over and hop out about it. Their options for a complaint is A: An asswhoppin; B. A hollow tip, or. C: A fake apology from some dude in Europe running the phone at safety.

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Bbqandjams75@reddit

Be out here trying to get over to avoid a disaster and folks speed up to block you !! WTH

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Dangerous_Ad1115@reddit

I used to could drive a big truck. I let drivers in all the time. I know you need a break sometimes. Ya know been there, done that. You do a great job keep up the good work

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quackl11@reddit

I always try to follow the logic of you either have a long day head of you so let me try to make it easier now or you had a long day and I might as well help while you're eyes are heavy

Or worst of all you've done an 8 hour day and are only half way done which would make anyone miserable

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BadTitleGuy@reddit

I love it when I let a truck merge and they flash the hazards to say thanks

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Grimol1@reddit

4 wheeler here. If I see a truck trying to merge I will always slow down and get behind him and flash my lights when he’s clear just so I might get a flashing trailer light in thanks. That always makes my day. If in a city and I see a truck trying to make a tight right turn and I can back up to give him room and I get an actual hand wave in thanks, that carries me for a year. I love trucks and drivers. That’s why I’m here.

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