Does this aggravate you while towing

longhauler · 03-30-2014, 06:33 PM

We just finished our 1867 mile round trip to the Gulf Coast. I find it very aggravating when driving in traffic and your trying to keep a good distance in front of you and there's always that idiot that has to pull in front of you because there's room. Just makes it frustrating when trying to keep a safe distance from the guy in front of you. These people think you can just stop on a dime, Ok rant is over thanks for listening.

fhenn · 03-30-2014, 06:35 PM

Welcome to my world

Tim D · 03-30-2014, 07:03 PM

Yep...all you can do is always drive defensively!

mike06081969 · 03-30-2014, 07:04 PM

I've pulled through a number of larger towns and cities, and I believe Nashville has to be the worst about drivers darting in front of you and then slamming their brakes on.

ZT211RD · 03-30-2014, 07:08 PM

Nine nights already..jealous.

2014stats
Nights:9
Miles:1867

Tim D · 03-30-2014, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike06081969

I've pulled through a number of larger towns and cities, and I believe Nashville has to be the worst about drivers darting in front of you and then slamming their brakes on.

Years ago I took a motorcycle trip from IL to FL. Once I got thru Nashville I had to stop and settle my nerves it was so bad.

tator447 · 03-30-2014, 07:40 PM

Chris, sorry for your problems, I put almost 5k on last year and had the same thing almost everywhere on the Interstates. I vent my frustration and the DW gets left to settle me down. I was in a 4 lane in Hartford, CT and missed my exit because we were so bunched together and I couldn't get anyone to let me in...now that really frosted my nose.

Hope the rest of the trip was enjoyable and glad you missed all the bad weather down south.

Travel well,
Jim

OhioMark · 03-30-2014, 08:41 PM

While were at it, why does 60% of the drivers not know what the clicking thingy is that blinks either right or left when you lift or pull down on the bar sticking out of the steering column.

We drove through Chicago last summer and it was like a video game. Not to pick on Illinois drivers, because rush hour in Cleveland isnt much better.

Oh, and by the way, that guy who swerved in front you, don't worry about him doing it intentionally, he didn't see you because he probably was texting someone.

I do quite a bit of driving, not like the truckers out there, but ..well, quite a bit.

I've seen just about everything going on during morning commutes. We should have a separate forum for stories.

Best story yet, A woman was swerving in front of me driving into work on the interstate. I pulled around because I thought she was either intoxicated or possibly having a medical emergency.

She was thumbing through pictures stacked on her lap...she must have just had them developed and picked up from the store...Looking at photos as 70mph......

This is why I want to pull up stakes and move to Montana...

Anyways, a shoutout to all the truckers out there...at least in my experiences..they're the saints of the highways..courteous..yeah, you get the nutty guy trying to cut over 4 lanes with a tandem, but mostly these are the folks that put up with horrible drives day in and out..

longhauler · 03-30-2014, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tator447

Chris, sorry for your problems, I put almost 5k on last year and had the same thing almost everywhere on the Interstates. I vent my frustration and the DW gets left to settle me down. I was in a 4 lane in Hartford, CT and missed my exit because we were so bunched together and I couldn't get anyone to let me in...now that really frosted my nose.

Hope the rest of the trip was enjoyable and glad you missed all the bad weather down south.

Travel well,
Jim

Jim....We did have a great trip, while the weather wasn't awesome it was better then the snow and cold they were getting at home. We got heavy rain all night on Thursday and it was suppose to rain heavy on Friday with bigger storms on Saturday so we decided to leave a day early and we stayed 2 nights at a state park by Nashville, which was nice. We ran into 2 traffic jams South of Birmingham Alabama one on the way out and one on the way back. Each one set us back an hour. Over all trip was good, no accidents, no flat tires or break downs.

anaro · 03-30-2014, 09:17 PM

Not only do they like to cut you off, they also like to get right up under the rear bumper of the tt. Guess they think drafting is legal on the streets. When I was living in Jersey, I learned Pennsylvania drivers like to pull out in front of you and forget where the accelerator pedal is causing you to stand on the brakes.... Grrr.

I firmly believe that everyone should be required to learn to tow a trailer as part of drivers ed, then maybe there would be some more awareness out there.

**mark5w** · 03-30-2014, 09:20 PM

I remember it being the opposite; Jersey drivers pull out in front of you and stop.

anaro · 03-30-2014, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark5w

I remember it being the opposite; Jersey drivers pull out in front of you and stop.

No they don't stop when the person in front of them stops and they accelerate into you when you are sitting still at a stop sign... my poor Durango showed major evidence of that.

avvidclif · 03-30-2014, 11:20 PM

In Dallas that clicky thingy is to let other drivers know what you want to do so they can speed up to block you. Standard procedure on the freeways is forget the turn signal, keep'em guessing. That's why I moved to the country and refuse to go back....

socoguy · 03-31-2014, 06:53 AM

Makes you have respect for the guys who do it for a living. Tractor trailer drivers live with it on a daily basis. Thankfully we are out there trying to have a good time.
Keep your eyes open and your speed down.
Go Well

Tim D · 03-31-2014, 07:19 AM

I think when some people go to pass they don't realize just how fast they are going to get it done, then have a oh s#%* moment and hit the brakes.

OhioMark · 03-31-2014, 07:36 AM

You're spot on about the speed. Speed is the key factor in keeping a trailer on the road. We've been caught in some windstorms driving back from Yellowstone last year, and we were fine once we slowed down quite a bit (like 45). Conversely, here is an excerpt from the Minnesota State Troopers report of an accident we saw getting cleaned up on the other side of 90...

VEHICLE 1 WAS WESTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 90 PULLING A TRAILER, CROSS WIND HIT THE TRAILER CAUSING IT TO FISHTAIL AND SLIDE OFF THE ROADWAY WHERE THEY BOTH OVERTURNED. JACKSON AMBULANCE AND FIRE ASSISTED ONSCENE

Thank goodness, and I don't know how, no was seriously injured. Both truck and trailer were burnt out and the cap was completely crushed from the rollover. I will always have that scene in the back of my mind when I'm towing.

sleepyT · 03-31-2014, 08:14 AM

I worked for a major telecom company, and hold a CDL license. Every year I had to take a course on Defensive Driving. I think there is two reasons why there are so many bad drivers on the road. (1) Too easy to obtain a drivers license. (2) A total lack of consideration for the other guy, the yeah me screw you syndrome.

Personally I think the total lack of courtesy is why it is so challenging to drive these days. That seems to be the prevalent attitude in our society today. If someone bumps into you in a crowd they don't say excuse me anymore they look at you like " get the hell out of my way" and that attitude just translates to the road.

avvidclif · 03-31-2014, 08:32 AM

I drove a big rig for a while and still hold a CDL. While not as easy to lane change as a car most people are courteous, believe it or not. Just don't look for it during rush hour. Besides what are they going to do, run you off the road? I don't think so, you're the biggest SOB out there.

**Lloyd** · 03-31-2014, 09:20 AM

I to hold a CDL. Have agree with Cliff.
Probably been about 10 years ago we were traveling from northern CA. down to AZ. Traffic was fast, (faster then I was used to) but we stayed with them.
The one thing I was totally amazed at was even at the high speeds everyone was traveling, when they turned on the signal light--that meant they were coming in and expected you to give them room. In the same respect when I turned on my signal light the car behind me backed off to let me in, and they expected you to move in when that signal light came on. They get impatient if you turn it on and don't move right away.

To me that is the proper way for it to be done. I have to admit, since then, when I turn on my blinker, I start moving over to that lane. Believe it or not, it does work for the majority of the time.
Most people will give some room when you start creeping over into their lane.

sleepyT · 03-31-2014, 09:45 AM

Cliff & Lloyd
I still hold my CDL also. I live 50 miles SW of Phila. I have had people actually step on the gas when I signaled to move into their lane. God forbid someone should get in front of them. They also love to drive with their front bumper in my trunk. When that happens I will try to pull over and let them by, (on a country road) but sometimes that doesn't even work, because the next guy takes the 1st guys place in my trunk. I try to be courteous on the road and drive defensively.

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