Dimwit on the road!!

[milkman]

Ok, I have to know, what vehicles?

You really want to start a war don't you.... one of them starts with a P, and the other is with a D and ends with P/U. Now you want to see the state license plates I hate to see?

 

[MicroPilot]

You really want to start a war don't you.... one of them starts with a P, and the other is with a D and ends with P/U. Now you want to see the state license plates I hate to see?

Porsche
Prius
Peugot
Pontiac
Police

Datsun
Dump Truck
Dodge
Dakota
Dually Pick-up

???

 

[horse7]

On the back roads it seems to be mostly roaches are a problem, on the main roads the bimbo boxes are more of a problem. Also varies with time of day and day of the week....

 

[Lyrch75]

..And that is why I straddle the yellow line when making a lefthand turn with no on-coming traffic.

 

[RadarTech]

Exactly what I was referring to. Wish law enforcement would do ride alongs with a radio to catch and ticket some of the idiots, they could shut down the speed traps and still make more money.

In my area of NC, we have couple of real steep grades.
As recent as last summer, they had a program doing exactly this!
the troopers would ride with a radio in a truck and call other troopers to ticket the idiots..

It was real effective....

I personally saw at least 3 or 4 folks pulled over after doing some stupid stunts.

J

 

[jimmyj]

I think we all can relate. There are a couple of things that really bug me in additon to the unbeleivably dangerous "blind double yellow pass."

1. The bad rep they give truckers in the press up here. Truckers are subject to more rules and have more experience and hours than any housewife or accountant on his way to work and yet the truckers are always painted bad in the press.

2. People who ignore school bus rules. In Ontario, you MUST stop for a stopped school bus on both sides of an undevided road. People blow past buses all the time.

 

[RadarTech]

JimmyJ...
I hate to say it, but Truckers get a bad wrap all over.
Not that I agree with it..
My dad was a trailer mechanic for almost 30 years.

Personally, I have a lot of respect for what you do. Having riden in and driven a couple short haul trips I really could not do it myself.

with that said... My hat is off to you and all your peers..


Later,
J

 

[jimmyj]

FYI I am not a trucker but we have a fleet at my work and the fellas (and gals) tell me all sorts of horror stories.

I agree with you though J.

 

[Bird]

I think we all can relate. There are a couple of things that really bug me in additon to the unbeleivably dangerous "blind double yellow pass."

1. The bad rep they give truckers in the press up here. Truckers are subject to more rules and have more experience and hours than any housewife or accountant on his way to work and yet the truckers are always painted bad in the press.

2. People who ignore school bus rules. In Ontario, you MUST stop for a stopped school bus on both sides of an undevided road. People blow past buses all the time.

Yes, the truckers have more rules and in most cases more hours behind the wheel, and they do sometimes get an undeserved bad rep, but there's a number of problems:
1. getting paid by the mile or load means some drive too fast and too many hours,
2. tight delivery schedules sometimes mean the same thing,
3. independent truckers sometimes don't make enough profit to properly maintain their trucks, so some of the trucks are dangerous themselves, and
4. some of them could be a bit more courteous, especially when a couple of them get side by side on the Interstate and block other traffic, or when they tailgate other traffic.

But fortunately, the majority of them are good drivers (or we'd really be in trouble). Not only was I in law enforcement for many years, but both of my brothers used to be truckers; one owned his trucks and the other just drove for a larger company. It's not an easy way to make a living, as some seem to think.

RVers, of which I was one for many years, also get a bad rep; sometimes deserved, sometimes not.

As for the school busses, we have the same law about stopping for a stopped school bus, but I almost never see anyone violate that one.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Last time I knew it actually wasn't against the law to pass on the double here in Maine; however it is illegal to pass on intersections blind curves, or other unsafe situations.

Several years ago I was walking up the highway facing traffic when I heard the sound of a horn blowing. I turned around, and stepped into the path of a car which was passing another. It scared me so bad that I threw the axe I was carrying at his back window... fortunately(?) I missed.

So, You were IN the road blocking someone who was passing legally?? Even if not passing legally the road is for vehicle not pedestrian traffic.
larry

 

[Bird]

Some of the dimwits are dimmer than others. There's a story in the local newspaper this morning about a road rage incident on I-35 yesterday about 9:30 a.m. Driver #1 said he was driving on the Interstate and there was a car stopped on the shoulder of the road. He says a person got out of the car and ran across the road forcing him to hit his brakes to avoid a collision with the pedestrian. An SUV behind him had to swerve to the other lane to avoid rear ending #1. The two drivers exchanged obscene gestures, #2 threw something at #1's car, then #1 followed #2 to an industrial parking lot where #2 went inside the building while #1 called for a police officer. #1 showed the officer the dent in his car. #2 came out of the building, said he was drinking a cup of coffee when #1 slowed abruptly causing him to swerve and drop his coffee cup. #2 said he did then throw the coffee cup at #1. In the meantime, a female driver went to the police department, said she was behind two vehicles that swerved around in the road, the drivers exchanged obscene gestures, then one threw a ceramic cup at the other. The cup broke and parts of it hit her windshield, so she had a broken windshield.

Now that may not be the dimmest driver in town, but he sure ought to be in the running.

 

[Jstpssng]

So, You were IN the road blocking someone who was passing legally?? Even if not passing legally the road is for vehicle not pedestrian traffic.
larry

Are you saying that where you're from it's illegal to walk down a roadside?

This was very similar to the incedent which put local author Stephen King in the hospital a short time later.
Furthermore I wasn't even on the pavement until I turned to see why the horn was blowing.

 

[Jstpssng]

Yes, the truckers have more rules and in most cases more hours behind the wheel, and they do sometimes get an undeserved bad rep, but there's a number of problems:
1. getting paid by the mile or load means some drive too fast and too many hours,
2. tight delivery schedules sometimes mean the same thing,
3. independent truckers sometimes don't make enough profit to properly maintain their trucks, so some of the trucks are dangerous themselves, and
4. some of them could be a bit more courteous, especially when a couple of them get side by side on the Interstate and block other traffic, or when they tailgate other traffic.

But fortunately, the majority of them are good drivers (or we'd really be in trouble). Not only was I in law enforcement for many years, but both of my brothers used to be truckers; one owned his trucks and the other just drove for a larger company. It's not an easy way to make a living, as some seem to think.

RVers, of which I was one for many years, also get a bad rep; sometimes deserved, sometimes not.

As for the school busses, we have the same law about stopping for a stopped school bus, but I almost never see anyone violate that one.

If we auto drivers had to pass the same test that truckers do, there'd be a lot fewer licensed drivers on the road.

 

[Bird]

If we auto drivers had to pass the same test that truckers do, there'd be a lot fewer licensed drivers on the road.

That's true. Fact of the matter is that you barely have to be able to herd a car down the road to pass the regular drivers license test.

 

[JGY]

Last time I checked pedestrians have the right of way ....

Joe

 

[JGY]

And, I wouldn't test it! ... the right of way that is!!

Joe

 

[JGY]

BTW the "tractors" we drive up and down the two lane roads where I live ... take up the whole road (the combines too).

Most "drivers" get off the road when we come along. (I've even had the truckers in the eighteen wheelers pull over!)

Joe

 

[SPYDERLK]

Are you saying that where you're from it's illegal to walk down a roadside?

This was very similar to the incedent which put local author Stephen King in the hospital a short time later.
Furthermore I wasn't even on the pavement until I turned to see why the horn was blowing.

No. That guy ran off the road and hit Stephen King by driver inattention. In your case the driver saw you and warned you he was there the best way he had. Then you stepped onto the pavement and for some reason were angry at him?? Ridiculous!
larry

 

[Jstpssng]

No. That guy ran off the road and hit Stephen King by driver inattention. In your case the driver saw you and warned you he was there the best way he had. Then you stepped onto the pavement and for some reason were angry at him?? Ridiculous!
larry

I fail to see the differnece between being hit from behind because someone is playing with his dog; or someone who is in a hurry and I just happen to being in his way.
The similarities outweigh the differences. In both cases we were walking on the side of the road facing traffic; and were put in danger by a car coming up behind us in the wrong lane.
The purpose of walking against traffic is so that I can see what's coming and step further away from the road. If merely turning to look behind me put me in his path he's too close.
If it was a safe pass he never would have felt the need to lay on the horn as he came up behind me.
Just because there are no cars coming in your direction doesn't mean it's safe to change lanes.
Do you pass when there's a horse or bicyclist in the other lane, or when someone is changing a tire? (We're required to give cyclists a minimum of 3 feet... IMO that's still too close. If you hit a horse in Maine, it's YOUR fault) What about if a police officer has another motorist stopped? Do you still switch lanes, and hope they stay well on the shoulder?


BTW, even when passing you are still required to obey the speed limit.

This guy wasn't.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The similarities outweigh the differences. In both cases we were walking on the side of the road facing traffic; and were put in danger by a car coming up behind us in the wrong lane.
The purpose of walking against traffic is so that I can see what's coming and step further away from the road. If merely turning to look behind me put me in his path he's too close.
If it was a safe pass he never would have felt the need to lay on the horn as he came up behind me.

If youre so close to the road that merely turning to look puts you on the road you are too close. That guy was not in the wrong lane. He was in the passing lane and you were blocking him by your inattention to conditions and ultimately your attitude that everybody has too look out for you when youre on foot near a road. The guy beeping the horn was trying to wake you up. There was no reason you have mentioned that would make it necessary for you to be right on the edge of the road, or to not immediately move further away from it if you hear a horn.
larry