Don't Be This Guy

[jonp]

http://www.truckersnews.com/video-trucker-unaware-he-was-dragging-this-car/?utm_source=tn&utm_medium=email&utm_content=04-20-2017&utm_campaign=Truckers%20News&ust_id=c2fac622405dfa33891698b98096419b

[Hickory]

I don't know what caused this, but if the car driver spent more then 3 seconds in the blind spot, that's what you get.

[DCP]

Situation awareness,Situation awareness,

[lightman]

jonp, people just drive like they are dump. Since you are a professional driver, I'm probably not telling you anything new! I usually drive 4 to 6 mph over the limit or whatever the traffic flow is doing. Its a good compromise, you cover the miles quicker but the Police don't even look at you twice. I have people come up from behind going maybe 5 or 10 mph faster and then slow down when they get in my blind spot. I watch them do the same thing with big trucks. Can't imagine why someone wants to put themselves in the most dangerous place on the road? Herd mentality, I guess? Be Safe!

[TexasGrunt]

People are ignorant. Most don't understand the blind spot. I hate people who sit in my blind spot. With my back problems my ability to twist in the seat to cover the blind spot is almost nil.

The other thing that gets me going is people in the left lanes doing well under the speed limit.

[rancher1913]

I have spent many a mile in big rigs and there is no excuse for that. the car might have been in a blind spot at one time but should have been visible to the truck driver while being dragged. I can feel my trailer when it pulls funny, I can tell when the truck is working harder, I can see every strap all the way to the back of the trailer. the truck driver knew he was dragging the car and for what ever reason ignored it.

[waksupi]

He was just giving the guy a tow~!

[tommag]

The only thing I can think of is he was playing with his cel phone. It's clearly going to be visible in his right hand mirror. Either that, or as rancher1913 says, he chose to ignore it.

[jonp]

I left the intentionally ambiguous hoping to get some speculation on what happened. Since it was in Cajon Pass I'm thinking that the guy in the car was not paying attention, probably texting, and came up behind the truck which was climbing slowly swerved at the last minute but not enough and BANG! Either way, it seems to me both were at fault with the car driver more so. The guy in the car for running into the truck and the truck driver for not paying attention to the extent that he didn't feel that crash and for not checking his mirror to see what was behind him once in a while as that car was clearly visible in his drivers mirror. Heck, it was sticking out 10 ft! Even if it was the cars fault the driver should have felt it or seen it and stopped long before someone got him stopped. Your eyes should always be moving.

As for the truck driver playing on his phone..maybe although most drivers now have gone to Bluetooths as a handheld is illegal. He could have been texting or watching a video but there was no indication of that in the story and it did say that there were no charges. Knowing California and how they love to ring up drivers that tells me the car was at fault.

I've had someone drive under my trailer tires, believe me you can feel it.

Yes, I have people do stupid things like this everyday either from behind, in front or coming from the sides and expect people to be idiots. Always be scanning.

[rancher1913]

I made a trip to grand island last week to pick up a new 50,000 bushel grain bin and ran on I-80 from kerny to grand island and back, the whole time on the interstate I was continually being cut off or having someone riding my bumper, a lot of times it was trucks. I was doing the speed limit and at least with a flatbed I could see behind me but I was ever so happy to jump on 34, very little traffic and no bumper riders.

[472x1B/A]

I made a trip to grand island last week to pick up a new 50,000 bushel grain bin and ran on I-80 from kerny to grand island and back, the whole time on the interstate I was continually being cut off or having someone riding my bumper, a lot of times it was trucks. I was doing the speed limit and at least with a flatbed I could see behind me but I was ever so happy to jump on 34, very little traffic and no bumper riders.

How many buckets of bolts did you get with the bin?

[Bzcraig]

I don't know what caused this, but if the car driver spent more then 3 seconds in the blind spot, that's what you get.

Wow....

[rancher1913]

How many buckets of bolts did you get with the bin?

did not see any but there were 6 huge sealed boxs and the drop deck was loaded from the front to the back, took every strap I had to tie it down.

[MaryB]

Just a guess but the trucker was merging into traffic and the car tried to cut him off and ran out of time to pass him... but yeah the trucker should have known he was hit and dragging a car! I rode with a friend trucking in the early 80's and the second something shifted on the trailer you could feel it. He hauled egg crate freight, super fragile stuff so the minute something changed it was pull over and make sure a strap or load lock hadn't let go.

[w5pv]

I don't drive on the freeway much I have noticed that truckers with these extra long trailers will let the trailer wonder into other lanes.I get into the far right lane and still have to watch these trailers closely for they will wonder into the lane you are in.Then you have these speed freaks will drive all over the road and cause untold number of accidents by their actions.

[jonp]

Just a guess but the trucker was merging into traffic and the car tried to cut him off and ran out of time to pass him... but yeah the trucker should have known he was hit and dragging a car! I rode with a friend trucking in the early 80's and the second something shifted on the trailer you could feel it. He hauled egg crate freight, super fragile stuff so the minute something changed it was pull over and make sure a strap or load lock hadn't let go.

hmmm..Maybe. Truck Driver merging into traffic from a ramp and a guy either not paying attention or too stubborn to back off a few feet or change lanes and let him get on. I can see that too. If that was the case then the Truck Driver is at fault. The ramp has to yield to the traffic not the other way around but the cops not giving anyone a ticket seems to make this scenario unlikely or both were at fault so nothing was done.

[WickedColt]

I always get a bit worried whenever I see the big rigs get too close. Much respect to those who drive our infrastructure to get goods from point A to point B safely as I could not do it.

[MaryB]

I spent a year behind the wheel of a big rig. I couldn't do it now because of the sub standard drivers I see all to often. Like the dude at the bar when I went up to get a burger and fries the other night because I was to tired to cook. His truck was idling out in front and he was falling down drunk. I know 3 of us called the cops to keep him from driving but he got in the truck and took off anyway. I have seen that to often with the local grain haulers who don't care. Cops did get him about 5 miles out of town so at least he didn't kill anyone. He will lose his license over this one finally. So far he has gotten off with warnings.

Friend owned his truck(his dad bought it new, died 3 months later, insurance paid it off in full) and he asked if I wanted a trip around the country. He took whatever load sounded interesting and in a direction he felt like heading. We hit all of the lower 48, MX, Canada, and drove the AlCan hwy to AK with a load. I was 20 or 21 and it was a heck of a fun year seeing the country. We stopped whenever we felt like it to sight see for a couple hours. Fun year, met a lot of interesting people, I didn't make much but all meals and lodging were paid so what the heck why not go!

[merlin101]

So far he has gotten off with warnings.

That has been a big part of the drunk driver problem for decades! Should be first time you lose your license for minimum of a year after that add jail time, no slack no second chances.

[merlin101]

I had a guy in a Dodge Dakota fail to yield at an on ramp a while back and he hit my right front steer tire with his left rear that spun him around sideways in front of my truck at 55 MPH. I pushed him down the road for about a hundred yards or so before slowing enough to pull over. I gotta admit I was tempted to take him for a longer ride!

[imashooter2]

That is about the worst camera work I've ever seen. :rolleyes:

[ACrowe25]

People are ignorant. Most don't understand the blind spot. I hate people who sit in my blind spot. With my back problems my ability to twist in the seat to cover the blind spot is almost nil.

The other thing that gets me going is people in the left lanes doing well under the speed limit.

I think doing these two things (staying out of blind spots and only using the left to pass) has kept me accident free (knock on wood) for my 10 years so far with driving.

[woodbutcher]

:D Just remember what my old flight instructor told me."Keep your head out of the cockpit".Or"Watch your six".
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo