Community Chat

[bikerbabe]

On 1/3/2015 happy housewife said:

On 1/2/2015 sylviahomeatlast said: The drivers of those tremendous RV's that are bigger than a Grethound who drive in the mountains (speed 50 mph) at approximately 15 mph. we have a 5 car law. If there are 5 or more cars trailing, pull off and let them by. I don't know if these people are sightseers or scared to death of the mountain turns. aaaaaakkkk!

Do you have any idea at all how many feet of road it takes to stop a large motorhome or a truck pulling a trailer or fifth wheel? WAY WAY WAY more than it takes to stop a car. Maybe if you had a clue what you are talking about this post would not sound so inane.

Wow. Grumpy. Her post was not inane. It has to be frustrating to encounter that daily when you live in the mountains. That is the very reason the roads have pull-outs. I know it takes much longer to stop and I know what I'm talking about. Some drivers are scared. Some don't have an engine that will make it up a steep grade very fast. Until recently, we owned a very large Prevost motorhome. Believe me, when you pull into a park and see how many drivers can't park their motorhome into the space, you quickly realize that quite a few do not know how to drive an RV. My DH has parked many RVs when he saw husbands and wives screaming at each other because they can't get the motorhome parked so they can hook up.

[LilacTree]

My nephew, who drove 18-wheelers cross country for 25 years always told us to never get in the way of one. Even if they are driving in the left-hand lane which in most states is against the law, do not ever try to pass or get in front of one because they cannot slow down or stop in time not to hit you. He said with merging, even if one is only within sight and doesn't seem close, you have no idea how fast they are going, and you should stop and let it pass. It is better to get rear-ended by the car in back of you than risk being hit head on or side-swiped by an 18-wheeler.

He said very candidly that most drivers of large trucks and especially 18-wheelers really do think they own the road, and that he was guilty of that mindset himself. He was fortunate because although he had some close calls, he was never in a serious accident.

[glb613]

On 1/3/2015 Ford1224 said:

My nephew, who drove 18-wheelers cross country for 25 years always told us to never get in the way of one. Even if they are driving in the right-hand lane which in most states is against the law, do not ever try to pass or get in front of one because they cannot slow down or stop in time not to hit you. He said with merging, even if one is only within sight and doesn't seem close, you have no idea how fast they are going, and you should stop and let it pass. It is better to get rear-ended by the car in back of you than risk being hit head on or side-swiped by an 18-wheeler.

He said very candidly that most drivers of large trucks and especially 18-wheelers really do think they own the road, and that he was guilty of that mindset himself. He was fortunate because although he had some close calls, he was never in a serious accident.

Driving in the right hand lane is against the law? Are you kidding. I pass semis all of the time and have never had an accident. Stop on an exit ramp? You and your nephew are giving terrible advice. Please, don't anyone do this.

[LilacTree]

On 1/3/2015 glb613 said:

On 1/3/2015 Ford1224 said:

My nephew, who drove 18-wheelers cross country for 25 years always told us to never get in the way of one. Even if they are driving in the right-hand lane which in most states is against the law, do not ever try to pass or get in front of one because they cannot slow down or stop in time not to hit you. He said with merging, even if one is only within sight and doesn't seem close, you have no idea how fast they are going, and you should stop and let it pass. It is better to get rear-ended by the car in back of you than risk being hit head on or side-swiped by an 18-wheeler.

He said very candidly that most drivers of large trucks and especially 18-wheelers really do think they own the road, and that he was guilty of that mindset himself. He was fortunate because although he had some close calls, he was never in a serious accident.

Driving in the right hand lane is against the law? Are you kidding. I pass semis all of the time and have never had an accident. Stop on an exit ramp? You and your nephew are giving terrible advice. Please, don't anyone do this.

I caught the mistake and edited my post. Obviously you answered it before I changed it. Of course I meant the left-hand (fast) lane. As far as merging off an exit ramp, I stand by what my nephew said. I myself never had to face that situation, but if I did, I would flash my lights and brake slowly, not just a hard stop. And I never said "passing" a semi was wrong, I said merging in front of one was very dangerous.

During my driving days I was a very good and careful driver and always merged onto a highway . . . however, not in front on an oncoming 18-wheeler. So please, don't anyone do this.

[mstyrion 1]

On 1/3/2015 glb613 said:

On 1/3/2015 Ford1224 said:

My nephew, who drove 18-wheelers cross country for 25 years always told us to never get in the way of one. Even if they are driving in the right-hand lane which in most states is against the law, do not ever try to pass or get in front of one because they cannot slow down or stop in time not to hit you. He said with merging, even if one is only within sight and doesn't seem close, you have no idea how fast they are going, and you should stop and let it pass. It is better to get rear-ended by the car in back of you than risk being hit head on or side-swiped by an 18-wheeler.

He said very candidly that most drivers of large trucks and especially 18-wheelers really do think they own the road, and that he was guilty of that mindset himself. He was fortunate because although he had some close calls, he was never in a serious accident.

Driving in the right hand lane is against the law? Are you kidding. I pass semis all of the time and have never had an accident. Stop on an exit ramp? You and your nephew are giving terrible advice. Please, don't anyone do this.

driving in the LEFT lane for semi trucks is against the law in some states-not all.

I think you mis-read the post.

Some exit ramps have stop signs/lights. The busiest on ramps here have metered lights that control two lanes of traffic to merge onto the freeway. If you don't stop, you are violating the law.

ETA I see Ford corrected her original.

[glb613]

I didn't miss read the post. Anyone who follows that advice , is asking for an accident.

[mstyrion 1]

On 1/3/2015 glb613 said:

I didn't miss read the post. Anyone who follows that advice , is asking for an accident.

see my ETA

ford had already corrected hers when I saw your quote

[LilacTree]

On 1/3/2015 mstyrion 1 said:

On 1/3/2015 glb613 said:

I didn't miss read the post. Anyone who follows that advice , is asking for an accident.

see my ETA

ford had already corrected hers when I saw your quote

Thanks, but forget it mstyrion. Once this poster has opined, she will never change it no matter what.

[mstyrion 1]

On 1/3/2015 Ford1224 said:

On 1/3/2015 mstyrion 1 said:

On 1/3/2015 glb613 said:

I didn't miss read the post. Anyone who follows that advice , is asking for an accident.

see my ETA

ford had already corrected hers when I saw your quote

Thanks, but forget it mstyrion. Once this poster has opined, she will never change it no matter what.

I kind of got that impression, ford!

[tdog]

This subject reminds me of George Carlin talking about drivers and said that everyone going slower than you is an a#&hole and everyone driving faster than you is an idiot!! Sometimes I wonder just what kind of driver I am when someone is behind me! Are they cursing me or what? I think I am a pretty good driver but not an aggressive driver, and I think many drivers are on the aggressive side and impatient. My husband is always in such a hurry when he drives. Even going to the airport at 5 a.m. he drives fast when there is hardly anyone on the road. That's just the way he rolls, and he thinks I drive too slow most of the time. I try to drive the speed limit or 5 miles over!! I think texting while driving is one of the biggest safety issues on the roads today, almost as bad as drunk driving.