My Weekend Tow Story

Dftodd · Jun 27, 2015

Had a guy tailgating me tonight while I was towing a piece of equipment. I was doing the speed limit, sometimes a little less depending on the corner. Guy had several passing lanes where he could have gone around but chose not to. I was coming into a small town that is known in this area for being a speed trap. Cops will pull you over for any tiny infraction, so when the speed limit dropped, I made sure I was doing that speed. Guy blew past me just as we were entering the town. Got to the other end of town and the cops had him pulled over :thumbsup: Couldn't help but give the guy a wave and nod as I was going by. Especially after seeing him cussing and swearing and hand gestures for twenty miles behind me. He had a pretty nasty look on his face when I drove by

crashz · Jun 27, 2015

Thanks for hearing me out guys! Love the bumper stickers!

Mace Canute · Jun 28, 2015

I had some goofball right up on my rear bumper the other day on a long two lane street with a 60 kph speed limit with not all that much traffic at the time. I just kicked it into neutral and coasted to a stop. She stayed behind me, right on my bumper, all the way to a standstill.

RobertN · Jun 28, 2015

From Ca DMV handbook

Turnout Areas and Lanes

Special "turnout" areas are sometimes marked on two-lane roads. Drive into these areas to allow cars behind you to pass. Some two-lane roads have passing lanes. If you are driving slowly on a two-lane highway or road where passing is unsafe, and five or more vehicles are following you, drive into the turnout areas or lanes to let the vehicles pass.

dstig1 · Jun 29, 2015

I recall that from my time in Calif. Not that I ever believed anyone would do it, but they did. Calif driving is weird as despite the awful traffic and the occasional whackjob/psycho, people actually drive respectfully and try to get along for the most part. You need to merge, someone will let you in. Unlike driving in the upper midwest where signalling to merge all but guarantees the drivers in the other lane will speed match you and block you out. And drive below the speed limit in the left lane. Especially after just getting on the freeway and dangerously diving across 3 lanes of traffic to get to the left lane...

ullinghair: Etc etc...

rd_macgregor · Jun 29, 2015

I don't know about other states but California has had the 5-car rule for at least 50 years. I once witnessed the patrol stop someone driving in the mountains outside San Bernadino for failing to pull over to let the followers pass. What I was never clear on was whether someone going the speed limit was still obligated to pull over to let 5 tailgating speeders pass!

Bob

gladehound · Jun 29, 2015

No driver error is worth further endangerment to life. If someone makes a mistake be thankful when nobody gets hurt and continue driving as safely as possible. If you're holding people up, don't be self righteous about it, just pull over! For all you know they are trying to get to the hospital. Assume good intent and move on. Of course, the SUV in the video is totally in the wrong even if the truck did force him to move out of the way earlier.

rgr33 · Jun 29, 2015

I drove semi for 42 years, hauling about every thing except people. In Oregon we do have the 5 car back up rule, but if you try to hold to it strictly, you will never get anywhere, so we just do the best we can.
When you are driving a rig that is big, slow, and heavy, you feel like a whale in an aquarium. I have always said, you see the absolute worst part of nice people when they are in their car. Many times while hauling a heavy load I have had drivers cut in front of me and jam on their brakes. If they knew what we know, they would never do that.
As another driver told me thirty years ago "Idiots will always be idiots"

Cord · Jun 29, 2015

Been there. In heavy Chicago traffic in hard rain a ricer pulled around me and cut in. He then slammed on the brakes. I locked the fronts and knew that I'd lose it if I didn't release. I have now vowed that if this happens again that I'll him them than lose my rig. Brake checking is illegal so it's just a matter of making sure the truth is heard.

mikesee · Jun 29, 2015

I installed a dash cam, one on me and one forward. The cam has GPS displayed on the play back to speed of my truck and direction of travel are there.

crashz · Jun 30, 2015

I'm sure that MA has the 5 car rule. Not sure of NY. But I think that applies to slow moving vehicles only. I was doing the speed limit. Plus 5 in some spots. Also the first section of road has a minor shoulder, not enough to pull over. It just was not the safest thing to do, based on the road conditions.

Garandman · Jun 30, 2015

The states that target out-of-state drivers have brought this on themselves - and that seems to be most states. NH is notorious for nailing drivers from MA, so duh I go at our near the speed limit.

But I usually pull over and locals by whenever possible. I even have a name for faster-moving cars that pass me: I call them "Radar Detectors."

RobertN · Jun 30, 2015

Yes. When safe. I try to pull over and let traffic by, to be courteous and for the law. But, only if it is safe. Some roads had turnouts for slow traffic here...

crashz said:
I'm sure that MA has the 5 car rule. Not sure of NY. But I think that applies to slow moving vehicles only. I was doing the speed limit. Plus 5 in some spots. Also the first section of road has a minor shoulder, not enough to pull over. It just was not the safest thing to do, based on the road conditions.

Luke'sScreenName · Jun 30, 2015

Garandman said:
The states that target out-of-state drivers have brought this on themselves - and that seems to be most states. NH is notorious for nailing drivers from MA, so duh I go at our near the speed limit.

But I usually pull over and locals by whenever possible. I even have a name for faster-moving cars that pass me: I call them "Radar Detectors."

Hey, we don't have sales or income tax in NH. So we let the 'Massholes' pay the tab! :cool2:

Bladehauler · Jun 30, 2015

I Know how you feel , just delivered a 21 foot wide 16.6 tall 42 long switchgear building yesterday ( over all I was 127 feet long and 170,000lbs )
90% of the route was 2 lane roads.
one guy even threatened to pull the bucket truck driver out and whoop his azz for taking up the road.he was only trying to help warn oncoming traffic that I was coming and taking the whole road.

Deere Dude · Jun 30, 2015

I was following a big guy in a pick-up who thought he was in his living room. He was all lounged back with the right arm over the passenger seat and driving about 40-50 on a slightly curvy and hilly 55 MPH road. I was pulling a 37' fifth wheel and was patient and hoping he would get up to the speed limit or pull over and let me pass. There were very few places to pass with a rig like that so I was tailing him for about 20 miles and my patience was fried.

Finally we came to a stop sign I was familiar with. It was a country 4 way stop and we had 3 lanes, left, straight or right. I decided that if he went straight I would turn left, and if he would turn left I would go straight. Then I wouldn't have to see his mug any more, and I would get home about the same time.

The left turn lane was about a block long so when he took the straight lane I passed him on the left. As I was to the left of him I never heard so much horn honking and cussing and swearing at me in my life. I guess he wanted to turn left but I beat him to the punch. Usually I feel bad when people cuss me out but I was very happy after that.

mikesee · Jun 30, 2015

Sorry Deere Dude but 40-50 on a curvy hilly 2 lane road with a 37ft fifth wheel would be my speed limit unless he was 50 in the curves and 40 in the straights

Scooby074 · Jun 30, 2015

HHR said:
Anyone who would do this in front of a truck with trailer is out of their mind.
http://youtu.be/R8WS1TNK-XQ

That is a beautiful thing. Idiot got whats coming to him, at least hurt his pocketbook! Great cop by the sounds of it too.:thumbsup:

Scooby074 · Jun 30, 2015

If anything, this thread shows the value of dash cams. I think one is on my short list. .. A cam would give you some protection in the event that some idiot brake checks you and you hit him or worse, tries a con like this:

Shutesbury · Jul 1, 2015

crashz said:
I'm sure that MA has the 5 car rule. Not sure of NY. But I think that applies to slow moving vehicles only. I was doing the speed limit. Plus 5 in some spots. Also the first section of road has a minor shoulder, not enough to pull over. It just was not the safest thing to do, based on the road conditions.

MA does not have that law.

Paul