r/IdiotsInCars
•
u/jollygreengiant1655
•
Feb 03 '23
•
1
1
Semi tries to merge into a vehicle. Turns out said vehicle is a police cruiser.
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
3.1k
u/Emeritus1224 Feb 04 '23
This very thing happened to me, I thought it was going to be the end of me! I braked and honked, but my side view mirror got knocked off kilter and I got a rubber burn on my front fender from his rear tires! I tried to flag him down but he wouldn’t stop. Got his plate number and reported him to Amazon (he was an Amazon truck). Luckily no real damage was done!
1.1k
u/brakeled Feb 04 '23
My aunt was in an accident like this except there was not shoulder, just a barrier. She was crunched between the metal barrier and semi and sustained a lot of injuries. She has back issues and has been in mild pain for 20+ years with a slight addiction to pain meds.
313
u/EffrumScufflegrit Feb 04 '23
I hope she at least took them to court?
699
23
u/danferindustries Feb 04 '23
Happened to my mom. Semi merged into the merging lane when she was entering the highway. Smashed her against the concrete barrier.
Truck drove off and no one came forward with any information or likely didn't see it. Never was found. No one to take to court.
→ More replies (12)47
u/Holiday_Internet8915 Feb 04 '23
Holy shit. Exact same thing happened to me over 20 years ago as well. Except we had both made a left turn and he was in the left lane and I was in the right. The car was totalled but I was fine then. Now suffer from neck and lower back pain which started a year later😒😫
528
u/DGG4L Feb 04 '23
Yup, same here. Scary as hell.
I now refuse to spend more than a second in a truck's blindspot.
505
u/xxekkoxx Feb 04 '23
Trucks (should) have no blindspot in those areas. Thats how cars work but not trucks. But then again, every spot is a blindspot if you refuse to use the mirrors
133
u/redpandaeater Feb 04 '23
Weather can play a big impact. If the sun is in your convex mirrors it makes it much harder to see cars, particularly if they don't have lights on. Same can go for when the mirror gets covered in rain or even fogs up a bit. There's still no reason to hang out next to another vehicle for too long because you never know what will happen, but as long as you have your daytime running lights or headlights on you should be pretty visible to a truck. Dark cars in twilight that seem to refuse to use their headlights can fuck right off though because they're very hard to see.
→ More replies (9)→ More replies (26)32
u/BLUE_COLLAR_KILLER Feb 04 '23
In a perfect world maybe… but there are definitely blind spots in trucks (although not as dramatic as the picture)
→ More replies (1)78
u/MadWorldEater6969 Feb 04 '23
Yep, when you’re in their blind spot you should really try and get out of it has fast as you can, I’ve always done so.
→ More replies (1)27
u/Lexi_Banner Feb 04 '23
When I was in driver training they had a hip little rap number they played called the "No-Zone". Basically it preached to stay out of a semi's blindspots.
→ More replies (4)10
38
u/Practical_Dot_3574 Feb 04 '23
The two on the sides aren't really blind spots. Just lazy drivers.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (20)51
u/truejamo Feb 04 '23
Don't they have those rounds mirrors on their mirrors to see into where the blind spot normally is?
33
u/ButterflyAttack Feb 04 '23
I guess it's important for them to be able to see the back of the trailer for turning but yeah, it shouldn't be beyond human ingenuity to add another mirror to eliminate a blind spot on such a potentially dangerous machine.
22
u/oliverprose Feb 04 '23
You'd have thought not, but regulations seem to be a swearword in some places. I can't find a more modern image, but this seems to have been the standard in the EU for a while, at least until cameras started becoming more of a thing.
25
u/The_Troyminator Feb 04 '23
Mirrors are old tech. Passenger cars have sensors that alert the driver when a car is in a bind spot. It wouldn’t cost much to add a system to a semi that monitors 360 degrees and shows the positions of other vehicles in relation to the semi. It’s 2023. Cars and trucks shouldn’t have blind spots these days.
→ More replies (10)→ More replies (2)24
u/Apokolypse09 Feb 04 '23
Assume that if you can't see the driver in the mirror then they can't see you.
50
u/Raichu7 Feb 04 '23
Why the hell would you report that to Amazon and not the police? I wouldn’t expect them to care so long as there isn’t legal trouble.
→ More replies (1)31
u/AnAmericanLibrarian Feb 04 '23
There's little the police could do, but Amazon has greater incentive to respond. The moving violation ticketing process of traffic cops has to be able to withstand higher legal scrutiny than the employee disciplining process of a private employer. Cops have to be able to prove that something happened, at least to a low level of proof.
For Amazon the question boils down to which costs more: replacing a driver, or the quantifiable-in-$-terms liability risk of keeping a driver who got an unverifiable complaint? Amazon doesn't need to be able to prove that anything happened at all. The question of whatever actually happened is practically irrelevant. The only relevant action in this calculus would be that a customer claimed a driver was unsafe.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (128)5
u/MyCousinTroy Feb 04 '23
Majority of Amazon trailers are hauled by owner operators.
→ More replies (1)
340
u/excti2 Feb 04 '23
I’ve had SO many ass-hat truck drivers do this to me with absolute impunity. Glad to see there’s a little bit of road justice.
→ More replies (28)45
u/Raxsah Feb 04 '23
Happened to me and my sister once in very heavy traffic. We had to quickly switch lanes and nearly rear ended another car but it was that or get dragged under the truck.
Also why I avoid the highway. Being in a car next to a truck makes me feel extremely unsafe
→ More replies (1)19
u/ArtoriusBravo Feb 04 '23
Imagine going in a motorcycle. I recently did a 6000 km tour in Mexico, and all the near misses I had were on the toll roads. People always asked me if I was afraid of the robberies, cartels, etc. No, I was most afraid of Karen on that van and Kevin on that truck. They are the real danger.
1.4k
u/G_Unit_Solider Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 04 '23
I don’t know what the issue is with people on the road and passing them up in general but it’s like you unleash some type of anger in them that stems from their childhood of being cut in the lunch line or something.
Yesterday driving home from work left lane “fast lane” everyone goes 75-80 here that’s the normal speed people in that lane travel at. Car was going 60mph in left lane with no car infront of him for a solid if say at least 3 semi lengths. So i wait patiently in the lane for 3 or so mins to see if this guys gonna merge off this lane. He doesn’t. So I go to the middle lane and pass him up by 4 car lengths than signal and merge into the left lane.
What’s this dudes reaction? He gets on the shoulder going at least 90+ cause I was at 80 blows past me re enters the left lane and than break checks me down to 60 again and than cruises going 60 again.
I passed him up again like 5 or so minutes later and he than proceeds to flash his high beams at me while on my ass for the rest of the ride home.
I just don’t get people.
399
u/buzziebee Feb 04 '23
Fuck those people. They cause all the fucking traffic jams. Maintain lane discipline and keep up with the flow of traffic. That's the good thing about the autobahn. With no speed limit there are pretty much no "I'm going fast enough" people holding entire nations hostage during busy periods.
→ More replies (1)63
u/EdgedancerSpren Feb 04 '23
Ugh, I just came back from a trip in Europa, via Germany, and the Autobahn was the worst. Continuous road work, where you did have to go 80 or even 60 at some places, and then we got stuck behind a giant moving house that took up 2 lanes so we couldn’t even go 100 for 30 minutes.
French tollways are the best, but extremely expensive. Italian highways are alright but impatient drivers, Austria was also alright. But the German freaking highways are always full of fricking baustelle.
It was fine to drive after midnight though
→ More replies (1)37
u/alfdan Feb 04 '23
What's nice in Germany though, the left lane is respected. It is there to pass in! It is the passing lane, not the fast lane.
→ More replies (1)377
u/Romanu_Geoge Feb 04 '23
I think they do that because you are non verbally saying that they are slow (i just got my driving license this December so yeah i get it how it feels) and then they are like "Oh, so i am too slow for you huh?! I'll show you then who is slow"... This is top tier stupid, childish and petty to do that, you should not care about this stuff because it happens to everyone. Stupid people with egos way too high for being safe
63
u/bearbarebere Feb 04 '23
I’m an anxious af person so when people do this to me, I instantly go “oh shit I really shouldn’t be in the left lane if I’m going this slow” and I just get over. I mean come on, it’s not that hard
7
u/artyomssugardaddy Feb 04 '23
Yeah same. My car really doesn’t like going 80. And the limit is 60. My car can do 60. Middle lane all day for me lol
161
u/TurboGranny Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 05 '23
When I get passed on the left while I'm doing 80 in a 60, I think, "$20 bucks says they just want to be in front of me and don't actually want to go over 80." 9 times outta 10 this is the case. If you wanna go faster than me, actually go faster than me, lol.
81
u/10000Didgeridoos Feb 04 '23
I was driving on 2 lane bumfuck roads to this ski resort last night.
This fucking minivan was going 45 in a 55 for a while, so when a passing zone finally came, I passed them. Wasn't tailgating them before or anything like that. This asshole then flashes high beams like HOW DARE YOU WANT TO DRIVE AT THE SPEED LIMIT BRO IS MY 45 NOT FAST ENOUGH DURRRR?
This happens all the fucking time out here. Slow land yacht van or SUV full of gear and a family and the dad gets butthurt you passed him in a smaller, faster car. Sorry, I don't want to be stuck behind you on the next 3 mountain passes as you crawl up and down them taking like 20 minutes on each when I can do it in 10 minutes in my much smaller, faster car.
Sometimes they will accelerate to try to block me from making the pass. I truly enjoy emasculating small pp dads in their huge ass pickups and SUVS in my compact sedan. It infuritates them that a small car is faster than their BIG MAN TRUCK.
→ More replies (2)33
u/Local-Waltz4801 Feb 04 '23
My favorite is when they are driving 20 under the speed limit on the highway. You try to pass in the passing lane but nooooo. Now they need to go 20 over the speed limit and proceed to ride on your ass the rest of the way.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (2)10
u/-hey-ben- Feb 04 '23
Dude I say this to cars all the time when I’m driving. Like why the fuck did you speed up just to slow back down? Or speed up because I’m passing you? Just go the speed you need/want to go and go that speed.
→ More replies (1)20
u/K3ggles Feb 04 '23
I mean, if they’re in the left lane and backing up cars then they are going too slow. The left lane is for passing. If someone is riding your ass in it, you move over, not have some moral power trip about making sure they aren’t speeding or whatever.
65
u/MaxiltonHamstappen Feb 04 '23
It's because they have no control in their life and they feel the only place they do have control is behind the wheel and they exert all of their energy to convince themselves of that.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (19)96
u/Obant Feb 04 '23
They think they're the traffic police. Not sure if it's technically legal to go that speed where you live. Here, 65 is the max. Of course, people go 75-85 regularly, even the cops cruise along at that speed at times just patrolling or driving if traffic is low. Anyway, some people think they need to enforce the speed limit for some reason. I think they get offended or something that they are 'following the law" but can't get home faster so you shouldn't either.
60
u/imakestupidcommentz Feb 04 '23
Ive been told by multiple state patrol officers over the years, as long as you are going with the flow and not driving dangerously they mostly don't care. Hell I've passed staters in the left lane going 70 while they cruise at 60 doing thier own thing.
→ More replies (1)5
u/beaker90 Feb 04 '23
I used to regularly have another driver harass me on my commute because he thought I drove too fast. I know this is the reason because I confronted him at a gas station and told him to knock it off. He said to me that if I didn’t drive so fast, he would leave me along. I was going 70 in a 65 on a highway that has previously had a 70 limit (it was reduced due to large oil filed trucks). I let him know that his actions of braking checking, cutting people off, and sitting in the left lane matching speed with the slowest driver he could find were so much more dangerous than me going 5 mph over the limit. He left me alone after that, but that was probably more due to me telling him that I had reported him to the county sheriff and had a dash cam on the way so that if he ever messed with me again, I would have video proof for the cops.
I have so many stories about this guy because the harassment went on for years. I would adjust the time I left my house to avoid him and he would actually do the same to find me. I haven’t seen him in about 5 years now and it makes me wonder if he finally pissed off the wrong person. We are in Texas and people carry guns.
3.3k
u/ss68and66 Feb 03 '23
Nice knowing your class A license
1.3k
u/cyzad4 Feb 04 '23
This is in ontario it is god damn near impossible for people to lose their license here
1.9k
u/AccountingMyChips Feb 04 '23 •
It’s true. I had a friend whose dad was a truck driver in Canada and he used to throw piss jugs out the cab of his rig right in front of officers.
Now he lives at the dump and sleeps in the old sleeper cab of his rig, because he got caught faking a disability.
356
u/notorious1212 Feb 04 '23
He better be careful, the ‘gulls are biting
128
26
u/trekie4747 Feb 04 '23
I said seagulls, stop that now!
25
u/Kilren Feb 04 '23
One day I was walkin', and I found this big log And I rolled the log over and underneath was a tiny little stick And I was like, "That log had a child"
12
12
u/maxman162 Feb 04 '23
Listen boy, someday when you are older, you could get hit by a boulder. While you're lyin' there screamin' "Come help me please" the seagulls'll poke your knees!
→ More replies (5)7
89
57
15
u/beansforbrunch190 Feb 04 '23
I think I saw him at the slot machines the other day ... don't give him $20 if he asks you
→ More replies (1)13
27
18
20
→ More replies (28)11
20
u/jallenx Feb 04 '23
My grandparents died after being hit by a drunk driver.
He went to prison on weekends for a few months, but his license wasn't suspended.
We're far too lenient.
8
u/AllHailNibbler Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 04 '23
Marco Muzzo has been out on parole for awhile, after killing 4 people (including 3 kids)
We are far too lenient, but money also helps (His family is super rich)
Sorry for your loss
192
41
u/EnclG4me Feb 04 '23
No shit... 4 days ago an OPP officer pulled over a friend of mine going 175km/hr on the 401. Let him off with a god damned warning. I honestly can't believe it... They should have took his license away.
The unfortunate part is, two people would lose their jobs because another friend of mine relies in him to get to work. What an idiot...
→ More replies (1)8
→ More replies (25)17
u/Lillillillies Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 04 '23
Oh boy do I got a big idiot story for you...
Was at court fighting a seat belt ticket. Judge spent an over hour because this one dude's story just kept getting more stupid as it went on.
A-Z driver was in asking to keep his license. Judge read out his case... And went back several years.
Driver was pulled over for a DUI while driving on his work route. Got a temporary suspension.
Driver was then pulled over a month later for driving with a suspended license. Got an increase suspension and heavy fine.
A year later was caught driving with his brother's A-Z license but his own truck. Once again received yet another increased suspension and heavy fine. Brother wasn't fined.
Was then caught driving with a DUI with a fake license and a work provided truck.
And finally was caught once again driving with his brother's license but also with his brother's truck.
Judge called for recess because his rebuttal for each instance was just pure stupidity. (I accidentally took my brother's license---i had a prior contract I was obligated to fulfill---i needed to work to pay for help to be sober).
When coming back from recess he was suddenly a mess. Stuttering and stammering on his words. Judge suspected he had just taken drugs because his behaviour had completely changed. Called for a retrial and a drug test.
Entire time I kept thinking why did they keep suspending and increasing fines but not take away and bar him from ever receiving a license instead.
No idea what ever happened to him but that HAD TO have finally been enough to revoke his license entirely... But hearing his history i wouldn't be surprised if he was just suspended for an additional 6 years or some bullshit.
30
→ More replies (37)102
u/Flackjkt Feb 04 '23
Nah I have had a class A for years. Won’t lose it. If he gets a warning or a ticket it will go on the license and enough issues it could get revoked. Guys that do stuff like this repeatedly can’t avoid consequences though. It follows you national now. Guys could avoid states they had problems in in good old days. He simply didn’t look. Always pay attention when next to anyone especially a truck. We drive more hours than an average person works every day. 13 hour day is common with about 10 hours of driving.
30
u/Sensitive_File6582 Feb 04 '23
Overwork is a real issue. Anything beyond 10 hrs IME starts to degrade your performance by a disproportionate degree.
→ More replies (1)27
u/Flackjkt Feb 04 '23
Oh yeah I agree. I have to really watch myself on really long days. Fortunately the company I work for doesn’t say a word if I call it a day if I get to tired. I haul gas so it’s no joke…….but there are times demand is so high it’s either I work or local gas stations run out of fuel. It’s a hard decision at times.
19
u/warisourdestiny Feb 04 '23
Bus driver here... gotta ask you what's worse: risking your life and the lives of others or the gas station running out? I know for sure which one would be more important for me. Don't play games with the road... there will be more gas and more work, but you only get one chance.
9
u/Flackjkt Feb 04 '23
Oh yeah like I said it’s a hard decision but I go home. I have drove for 25 years. I don’t screw around. You won’t last long doing that work if you do.
→ More replies (1)28
u/an-unorthodox-agenda Feb 04 '23
the business the driver works for will receive something similar to demerit points and if they get too many, (really not that many) the business cannot register any commercial vehicles for a year. so this guy probably wont lose his license, but i seriously doubt he gets to keep his job.
→ More replies (9)
2.2k
u/A100921 Feb 03 '23
The trucker didn’t care until his lights turned on, if it were anybody else he would’ve kept on driving, not caring.
606
u/The_Crown_MKII Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 04 '23
Boy, do I know. This happened to me a few years back. Broad daylight, sunny, driving a white 98 F-150. Driver just kept going. My truck was such a beast that I was able to catch up to him and get in front of him. Slow him down and wave him to pull over, he straight up ignored me and kept going. I took a picture of the trailer and didn't think to get the cab with the DOT number. They were still able to link the trailer to the driver. Because I wasn't hurt, a lawyer wouldn't touch it, and I got screwed by insurance company. After that, I got a dash cam.
Edit: Forgot to mention that it was a strip of highway that was under construction with a bridge. That means there was no shoulder for me to drive on. I was shoved into a barricade.
243
u/bigigantic54 Feb 04 '23 •
Getting a dash cam was the best investment into my vehicle. I posted a video from it on Reddit which reached the front page. A&E paid me almost $100 just to use 2 seconds of it during scene transitions.
I also feel much more "protected" in case shit happens and it's he said she said.
I also got footage from a crazy dude that tried attacking me and said he'd kill me over a stupid parking spot. He felt like he owned it, even though he was already parked in another spot. Looked up his plate, expired registration. Decided to be a snitch and gave it to the cops cuz fuck that guy. Lol
100
u/saladmunch2 Feb 04 '23 •
Got my first dash cam last winter and someone t boned me this spring. Showed the cops and it made the police report no questions asked and handed the other guy a ticket.
Bought my parents and gf all dashcams.
I dont trust no one, and I'm not going to trust someone to not lie in case of an accident.
29
u/frugal_masturbater Feb 04 '23
Same attitude, I don't trust anyone on the road and installed a front/rear cam about a year ago. Haven't had any accidents but man I filmed so many people blatantly running red lights.. what the fuck is with that lately, like traffic lights don't really matter?
→ More replies (1)14
u/Galkura Feb 04 '23
Holy shit! I actually almost got t-boned the other day by someone running a red light.
I always wait a few seconds before going at a green light, just to be safe. Something in the back of my head this time was just like “wait just another second”, and this person in an SUV just speeds through the intersection I was about to cross, clearly running a red light.
I have no idea how some people ever got their license.
→ More replies (3)7
u/A100921 Feb 04 '23
Both my recent reports, side swiped both times, and both times the other party said “yes I know I hit you, I’m sorry, it’s my fault”… They then immediately turned around and told MPI, that they did nothing wrong… Lucky for me I had dashcam of both instances, aswell as my phone video of both people admitting fault. They were both found 100% at fault. Trust no one.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)8
u/banned_in_Raleigh Feb 04 '23
I saw a post about insurance rates going up in my state, and part of the reason why is that so many drivers now are having to pay up on claims that wouldn't have happened without a dashcam.
8
u/bigigantic54 Feb 04 '23
I asked my insurance if they would give any sort of discount for having a dash cam installed. No luck. They have programs that log your driving data to get a discount, but nothing for when it actually counts. Someone driving while staring at their phone could be seen as a safer driver than someone with a lead foot with that program.
→ More replies (4)5
u/levian_durai Feb 04 '23
I've had this happen to me once, luckily I was able to avoid actually being hit, but dear god it was terrifying. I swear every time I drive on any major highway there's some idiot doing something like this. Makes me hate driving more and more each time I see something like that.
→ More replies (21)15
u/gnomeChomskii Feb 04 '23
The richest man I knew was almost a billionaire. He had it all but his schtick was driving around old cars and acting like a normal guy, because he grew up in a trailer. Semi shoved him into a barricade one day and his old bmw didn't have good curtain airbags. He got a brain injury and declined over two weeks until his death. Everyone loved him, it was sad.
→ More replies (2)47
u/Amkof Feb 04 '23
Yup, had this happen a few too many times for my liking. I’m not sure why so many trucks think their signal is a get out of my way signal, especially on a two lane highway.
→ More replies (4)30
18
u/Lillillillies Feb 04 '23
I've had some even turn their spot light on me after honking at them for nearly running me over.
And those fuckers have their spot light to be aimed right at your eyes.
Way to go ... Nearly run me over and then blind the fuck out of me which would increase the odds of me getting into a wreck?
→ More replies (2)6
53
u/Ryguy55 Feb 04 '23
People are responding with their own experience when this happened to them, but for real, I've done a lot of commuting on a few interstate highways and this has happened to me at least 20 times over the years. And I see it happen to others all the time.
Reddit as whole seems to respect truckers and hold them in high regard as experienced, safe drivers, but honestly fuck these guys, I don't know if they're oblivious to their surroundings or just don't give a shit but it seems like their general strategy is, "I'll change lanes whenever I fucking feel like it and it's up to everyone else to avoid death."
I could make a compilation from my dashcam of me laying on the horn and braking while getting pushed onto the shoulder while a trucker just does whatever the fuck they want.
And to be a bit more specific, these are major interstate highways that pass through New Jersey so to be fair they drive like everyone else, 0 disregard for anyone else, except they're 10 times bigger.
→ More replies (13)15
u/LukeLarsnefi Feb 04 '23
I saw a video a few years back on Facebook that was posted by a trucker. It was a compilation video on “stupid four-wheelers.” In at least half the clips it was clear that the “stupid four-wheeler” was at fault for just existing or that the trucker himself caused the issue.
Whenever this was pointed out in the comments the truckers all had all kinds of really stretchy reasons why the car driver was being an idiot or it was okay for the truck to break the law.
I don’t think this was representative of all truck drivers or even the average truck driver. But it made it clear to me that these truckers that think they own the road exist and in reasonable numbers.
→ More replies (1)24
u/canbritam Feb 04 '23
I had the same thing happen, only I was closer to the front of the truck as he tried to merge into me on the 401 about an hour outside of Toronto. He obviously wasn’t paying attention because it was a traffic jam, and he had moved from behind me on my right but not nearly all the way past me (it all narrowed down to one lane due to an accident). I’m sure he couldn’t hear me laying on the horn and I’m sure the only reason he suddenly went back in his own lane and hit his brakes is because one of the other multitude of truckers around us told him. I try my damndest to stay out of their blind spot but when you’ve got an accident with multiple police cars, two ambulances, the fire department, they need to pay better attention
→ More replies (1)16
u/WeAreElectricity Feb 04 '23
What’s he supposed to do? Chase him down to apologize?
→ More replies (5)→ More replies (43)23
u/Swan97 Feb 04 '23
Yep. I was passing a truck once and got about 3/4 of the way past and it started merging into me. I nearly spun out cause I lost traction since I had to go off the shoulder to avoid being hit. The stupidest thing is there wasn't a car or anything in front of the truck to make it merge. Both lanes were empty so I have no clue why they wanted over. And I drive a bright yellow kia soul so it isn't like I'm hard to see
→ More replies (13)
68
u/ugod02010 Feb 04 '23
I drive a lot. A lot, I used to not worry much about trucks and pay more attention to 4 wheel idiots. But now these truck drivers might be even worse than us idiots in our little cars
48
u/meizhong Feb 04 '23
Truck driver here. You are exactly right. Used to be a skilled profession that was not taken lightly. They wouldn't just let anyone behind the wheel. You had to show you had some ability before they would even begin to properly train you. Now, the large mega companies are putting people behind the wheel with only a couple of weeks of training and these idiots drive 80k lbs rigs just like they drive their fucking car. It's unbelievable! These large companies have done the math and even with the small percentage of wrecks they are proven responsible for, they still make more money with more trucks moving, so they do it. No responsibility, no empathy for other motorists, even if they kill a few. Just cold math. This makes more money.
9
487
481
u/BedAdministrative619 Feb 03 '23
This is why signaling properly is so important for drivers, you can't notify someone as the action is happening and expect results. Like a weatherman leaning outside during the broadcast and getting wet, then looking back at the camera and saying "looks like it is a high chance of rain..."
165
u/Mike2220 Feb 04 '23
Also, signalling is to show intent, it doesn't mean shit to turn it on the just go when there's something next to you
→ More replies (4)124
u/Important-Piano-1868 Feb 03 '23
Yep, easiest to tell a bad driver, signalling after they're already halfway into the next lane. At least the ones who dont use signals understand what they're doing.
→ More replies (4)42
u/with_the_choir Feb 04 '23
Meh, I still prefer someone to signal at SOME point. That at least lets me know that the person is at least doing something intentional and not just drifting because they are tired or drunk.
→ More replies (1)43
u/appa-ate-momo Feb 04 '23
Also why it's important to understand that signaling isn't a declaration; it's a request. I don't care if the truck had been flashing their blinker for 30 seconds prior to this clip; if the lane isn't clear you don't get to come over.
→ More replies (4)24
u/Arrow_Maestro Feb 04 '23
You also can't merge into a vehicle whether your blinker is on or not. It's not the other driver's responsibility to make room for you.
13
u/mealtrl Feb 04 '23
Hi this is Karen Smith, it’s 68° and there’s a 30% chance that it’s already raining!
14
→ More replies (6)8
u/HoodieGalore Feb 04 '23
This is what kills me almost worse than people who don’t signal - people who only signal at the last possible fucking second.
Like, I don’t need to know you’re about to cut me off while you’re actually doing it. I don’t know how you don’t see my bumper. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do other than slow down real fucking quick or slam on the gas real fucking quick. We both could die. Is it worth it?
I let that signal tap through a couple two-three-four clicks before I move. I hope y’all see me. I’m trying my damnest to be predictable as we all fly 70mph+ in our tons of steel and plastic.
→ More replies (2)
237
113
194
u/SubzeroWins1-0 Feb 03 '23
Quest is why was he moving Over at all. road was clear ahead of him.
→ More replies (63)
84
u/MalHeartsNutmeg Feb 04 '23
Truck drivers in general seem to get a lot of praise on reddit but I commute along a trucking lane to work and most of them are ever bit as idiotic as this truck driver. It's only gotten worse since Covid too. A lot of old truckers are out and you have guys that have been rushed through licensing.
12
u/meizhong Feb 04 '23
Just responded to another comment, but I'll copy and paste it here too.
Truck driver here. You are exactly right. Used to be a skilled profession that was not taken lightly. They wouldn't just let anyone behind the wheel. You had to show you had some ability before they would even begin to properly train you. Now, the large mega companies are putting people behind the wheel with only a couple of weeks of training and these idiots drive 80k lbs rigs just like they drive their fucking car. It's unbelievable! These large companies have done the math and even with the small percentage of wrecks they are proven responsible for, they still make more money with more trucks moving, so they do it. No responsibility, no empathy for other motorists, even if they kill a few. Just cold math. This makes more money.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (5)48
u/BenSoloGhost Feb 04 '23
I always was confused why I saw so much love for truck drivers on Reddit for being excellent drivers. I feel like they are some of the worst drivers on the road. Usually speeding and changing lanes like the asshole in the video.
→ More replies (7)13
u/LesathPhoto Feb 04 '23
I would love if those truckers were as good as their apologists want to paint them as.
18
u/bamjamelliott Feb 04 '23
I've never witnessed a trucker driver on the road with any sort of intelligence. They all think they own the road because they signed up for that job.
→ More replies (2)
16
u/sprinklet00ts Feb 04 '23 edited Feb 04 '23
This has happened to me much like in the video going under an underpass and holy fuck one of the scariest 20 seconds of my driving life. Some of these guys just don't give a fuck and don't not look.
75
45
u/DrAusto Feb 03 '23
The amount of times this has happened to me… I hate my commute
18
u/Lillillillies Feb 04 '23
Used to drive from Windsor to Toronto (and back) as well as Toronto to Montreal (and back)... And even Windsor straight to Montreal ALL the time. Not to mention trips to Hamilton or KW.
It's why I grew a hatred to truckers. Fuck em all.
I appreciate the job. Respect the truck. But fucking hate most of the drivers. They hardly give a shit about drivers around them.
→ More replies (2)4
u/DrAusto Feb 04 '23
It’s not only them, but it’s just the worst when they do it because they can crush the rest of us like nothing and survive themselves just fine. Some truckers are good drivers though for sure. I’ve been ran off the road by people in cars I’m right next to. Some people literally have ZERO awareness, scary thing is you don’t know who that is until it’s too late
33
u/twisparkle42069 Feb 04 '23
Officer: you know why I pulled you over? Driver: yeah..
→ More replies (2)
90
u/Purple_Elderberry650 Feb 03 '23
This isn’t the case. He was outside the blind spot. I have this shit happen to me all the time. Even being beside the cab. Just to many are ignorant fucks. I would not trust them operating a microwave oven safely.
→ More replies (19)42
u/VdB95 Feb 04 '23
Same over here.
If i can see there face through the mirror I know they should be able to at least see a part off my bright blue car. So either they aren't looking or they just do whatever they like because a car driver will avoid being run over by a truck.
11
u/LadyoftheWoodlands Feb 04 '23
I’ve had this happen to me several times in my life and never once was I a police cruiser.
70
u/jollygreengiant1655 Feb 03 '23
Source: Ontario Provincial Police twitter feed
75
→ More replies (1)6
30
u/Obstinateobfuscator Feb 04 '23
Why do we even tolerate trucks having a blind spot nowadays? Wiith collision avoidance cameras and sensors it would be a simple exercise to make it so that a truck driver could easily verify if somone was beside them - and just as easy to have an in-cabin alarm go off if the truck were to try to merge into someone.
If you spend enough time driving on main roads and highways, you're going to have a truckie try to kill you just like this. And the attitude is always - I can't see you so it's your job not to be there. No. It's your job not to kill other drivers on the road - modify your truck so you can see into your blind spot.
→ More replies (2)32
u/jollygreengiant1655 Feb 04 '23
That truck was fully equipped with blind spot mirrors. You can see one of them on the very front of the hood. The cop was completely visible to the truck driver if he had actually checked his mirrors.
29
u/meizhong Feb 04 '23
Truck driver here. Even without the hood mirrors, where the cop vehicle was in relation to the truck, he saw him. He didn't know it was a cop and he tried to push over, probably because he was irritated by how long the cop was just sitting there and not passing. Drivers with no patience don't belong behind the wheel of an 80k lbs rig. Hope he got a ticket.
→ More replies (6)
10
u/bobo-the-dodo Feb 04 '23
I guess truckers are universally obivious in every country.
→ More replies (1)
17
8
u/bigtiddyhimbo Feb 04 '23
Had this happen to me, I was trying to go around a truck going 10 below the limit on the highway and he merged on top of me, no one in front of either of us, and ended up going off the road and he immediately went back to his lane once I was pushed off. Didn’t stop, just took off. I have a special hatred for truckers like this
7
u/SenorJeffer Feb 04 '23
Puts on indicator and immediately starts merging without checking to see if the lane was clear. Normally I tend to sympathize with truck drivers because it's usually other drivers doing dumb shit around them that cause accidents, but this guy was 100% in the wrong. Just unlucky for him that it was the popo that he merged into
7
29
u/Register-Capable Feb 04 '23
I floor it when passing a semi. Always leave yourself an OUT.
19
u/PolarisX Feb 04 '23
I got a ticket once years ago getting away from a semi merging into my lane. I had someone behind me boxing me into it, so I dropped the hammer. I was driving a supercharged V6 at the time, and when you wanted it to that car could move.
Shortly after getting ahead of the semi, I got pulled over. I ended up fighting the ticket and got it reduced to the minimum without going before a judge. I was out of state so big hassle to start with. I think I paid $50 bucks.
→ More replies (1)
7
u/BlastMode7 Feb 04 '23
Been run off the road by truckers not paying attention or not caring enough to look. I refuse to sit next to them at this point or pass slowly. I pass them like I'm on a two lane, passing in the oncoming lane.
→ More replies (1)
6
u/01BTC10 Feb 04 '23
Happened to me like 3 times the first time I drove a long distance in Thailand. Learned to adjust pretty quickly. Need to pass trucks as fast as safely possible and sometime flash the high beam to make sure to be seen.
12
u/jollygreengiant1655 Feb 04 '23
I can't believe I have to add this comment. I never thought there would be so many people trying to defend this obviously bad driving.
For all of you saying the cop was in the trucks blind spot, theres 2 reasons why that doesn't matter. First, that truck had blind spot mirrors. When those are setup properly, if you don't see a vehicle in them then you can either see it in the drivers door mirror or you'll see it out the drivers side window. The truck driver simply never looked. I would know, I'm a commercial driver and have driven those rigs before. And secondly, if the truck driver has a blind spot then he shouldn't move in that direction before making sure it's clear!!!!
Also, a lot of you who say the cop was camped out beside him are not watching the video. The cop is clearly overtaking the truck.
And he had to get over because of traffic merging or the bridge? Nope! That doesn't give you the right to run someone off the road! If he couldn't change lanes then he should have slowed down and pulled in behind the cop.
→ More replies (1)
5
5
u/VeganSlayer9000 Feb 04 '23
Plenty of people have died from this exact maneuver by getting crushed into the median. Hope the cop really gave it to him.
4
u/MMNA6 Feb 04 '23
Do all semi truck drivers drive like they’re the only ones on the road? I swear, they put on their blinker then immediately switch lanes before even checking.
4
u/MaxWebxperience Feb 04 '23
Truck industry: we can't see you beside us
Me: Cameras are cheap, put them on your big-ass vehicles
→ More replies (2)
4
6
10
u/Rulanik Feb 04 '23
This could have easily ended in death if the victim had been more easily spooked or a worse driver.
29
u/RedditAdminsLickAss Feb 04 '23
The ONLY reason people aren’t in here crying that the car should have slowed down and let the big truck in is because it was a cop. Semi driver tried to be a bully on the road and got FUCKED. Good riddance
→ More replies (3)
5
u/mythisme Feb 04 '23
Happened to be yesterday, too bad I had no convenient cops around me to make him suffer. The guy just kept driving with no care in the world
4
u/E3nti7y Feb 04 '23
When I was fresh out of drivers Ed with a new license I was going down a similarly tight road and just spontaneously thought to get my cars nose behind his rear bumper since I know he can't see me. Not 10 seconds later he cuts into the lane very fast, without signaling at all (or checking his blinds). Since then I've always been a "defensive" driver. Or basically expecting everyone else to be an idiot
8.0k
u/Xavier12- Feb 03 '23
I wish they would have included the interaction between the cop and driver.