Mark42
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,334
Yesterday on my drive home I had an experience that left me shaking for 10 minutes or so.
I was on an interstate highway, and having just merged on from another interstate on the left, put on my blinker and moved to the far right hand lane.
I could see in my rear view that there were a big dump truck (4 axle, as I later saw) in the right lane, and a tractor trailer in the center lane of the now 3 lane highway. Both trucks were about 150 plus yards behind me when I moved to the far right lane, and I kept a steady 60-62 mph speed. I looked in the rear view again moments later and to my surprise, both trucks had closed in a lot, meaning they were not just doing 75 or so, probably much faster. This seemed odd, so I kept an eye on them as I drove and the dump truck was closing very fast. Really fast, really really fast. I realized that the dump truck and tractor trailer were going flat out.
When the dump truck came within about 20 or so yards of me and showed no signs of slowing, I tapped the brakes to my lights went on. No change in his speed and he was closing fast, and when I was afraid he would hit me I had to swerve on to the shoulder so he could pass. Probably came within 3 feet of the rear corner of my car, still running flat out, and passed me doing 75 easy while doing a quick lane change to just squeek in front of the tractor trailer. Meanwhile I am driving down the shoulder at 60 mph with road crap kicking up all over my car and making sure I don't hit the guard rail or some big piece of crap on the side of the road.
After he passed, I could see light under the right hand tires and he made the lane change so fast the truck was rocking over as he tried to keep the center lane. Probably had 8" air space under those tires easy.
I got back in my lane, as there were no cars behind the dump truck. Neither the dump truck or the tractor trailer sounded their horns, flashed lights or made any indication that anything was out of the ordinary. I think these two truck drivers were drag racing down the highway.
I was going to take off and follow the dump truck to get his plate and give him a piece of my mind, but I realized I just survived being crushed, and if these two truck drivers are driving this way, I should just let them go.
So I did. They both hauled off doing probably 80 plus MPH as I kept a steady 60 or so and watched them weave through early light (3:30pm) rush hour traffic.
What jerks. No horns, no lights, run me off the road IN THE SLOW LANE!!! COME WITHIN FEET OF CRUSHING ME IN MY CAR!!!!
I don't know what was going through their minds, but it sure wasn't the safety of the other people on the road.
I was on an interstate highway, and having just merged on from another interstate on the left, put on my blinker and moved to the far right hand lane.
I could see in my rear view that there were a big dump truck (4 axle, as I later saw) in the right lane, and a tractor trailer in the center lane of the now 3 lane highway. Both trucks were about 150 plus yards behind me when I moved to the far right lane, and I kept a steady 60-62 mph speed. I looked in the rear view again moments later and to my surprise, both trucks had closed in a lot, meaning they were not just doing 75 or so, probably much faster. This seemed odd, so I kept an eye on them as I drove and the dump truck was closing very fast. Really fast, really really fast. I realized that the dump truck and tractor trailer were going flat out.
When the dump truck came within about 20 or so yards of me and showed no signs of slowing, I tapped the brakes to my lights went on. No change in his speed and he was closing fast, and when I was afraid he would hit me I had to swerve on to the shoulder so he could pass. Probably came within 3 feet of the rear corner of my car, still running flat out, and passed me doing 75 easy while doing a quick lane change to just squeek in front of the tractor trailer. Meanwhile I am driving down the shoulder at 60 mph with road crap kicking up all over my car and making sure I don't hit the guard rail or some big piece of crap on the side of the road.
After he passed, I could see light under the right hand tires and he made the lane change so fast the truck was rocking over as he tried to keep the center lane. Probably had 8" air space under those tires easy.
I got back in my lane, as there were no cars behind the dump truck. Neither the dump truck or the tractor trailer sounded their horns, flashed lights or made any indication that anything was out of the ordinary. I think these two truck drivers were drag racing down the highway.
I was going to take off and follow the dump truck to get his plate and give him a piece of my mind, but I realized I just survived being crushed, and if these two truck drivers are driving this way, I should just let them go.
So I did. They both hauled off doing probably 80 plus MPH as I kept a steady 60 or so and watched them weave through early light (3:30pm) rush hour traffic.
What jerks. No horns, no lights, run me off the road IN THE SLOW LANE!!! COME WITHIN FEET OF CRUSHING ME IN MY CAR!!!!
I don't know what was going through their minds, but it sure wasn't the safety of the other people on the road.
