pulling idiots

jevanb · 07-14-2013, 09:08 PM

pulling up hills earlier this week and about 2 miles behind I see this big 5er coming up strong.. well 5 minutes later he is behind me and we just hit a pretty big hill, he mashes his v10 SD and I could hear it over my radio and A/C blower, he get up besides me and peters out so I let him in front, then I have to slow down to 60MPH because I am about 40ft from his bumper. got sick of slowing down so I pull into the fast lane and accell to 65, buy the time I hit the top he is 4 lengths behind and as we come down he blows past around 75MPH. Every hill is almost the same. so I just slowed to 60 and left it on cruise... some people need to get a bigger engine, smaller 5er or stay off the road... finished my rant....

bakken · 07-14-2013, 09:14 PM

I simply do as you did, slow down for a minute and let the idiots get safely ahead. I would rather be watching them a mile ahead of me than having to keep looking in my rearview mirror for them to do something really dumb.

wyo700 · 07-14-2013, 09:18 PM

I'm sure he was getting great gas milage too.

acadianbob · 07-14-2013, 09:32 PM

This is the very same behavior for semi-trailer trucks. Drives me nuts to be around those guys in the hills. 80 down the hill and 40 up the hill.

bakken · 07-14-2013, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acadianbob

This is the very same behavior for semi-trailer trucks. Drives me nuts to be around those guys in the hills. 80 down the hill and 40 up the hill.

I don't have an issue with semi drivers, as they are trying to make time, but limited by the horsepower under the hood. They are working while I am playing, so I try to help them out when I can, and never get frustrated with them. Their job is not an easy one.

dalford · 07-14-2013, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acadianbob

This is the very same behavior for semi-trailer trucks. Drives me nuts to be around those guys in the hills. 80 down the hill and 40 up the hill.

The trucker is trying to make a living. Trying to get the best average speed they can. He/she is not doing it to aggravate anyone, it is the best their rig can do. The RV'er on the other hand is being an idiot doing 70+ mph, tires, tires, tires...

Think about this question for the trucker.. "Name one thing that you own that was not delivered by truck?

OldCoot · 07-14-2013, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acadianbob

This is the very same behavior for semi-trailer trucks. Drives me nuts to be around those guys in the hills. 80 down the hill and 40 up the hill.

And a growing number will sit in the passing lane going up hill just enough behind another on to prevent passing but refusing to pull over. Ran into a bunch on I40 running 25mph in both lanes between Memphis and Little Rock. Finally got around those two and ran about 5 miles and ran into another pair. Don't know what they were trying to prove, but it sure had traffic messed up. Luckily we were in a car and not towing anything.

bakken · 07-14-2013, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

And a growing number will sit in the passing lane going up hill just enough behind another on to prevent passing but refusing to pull over. Ran into a bunch on I40 running 25mph in both lanes between Memphis and Little Rock. Finally got around those two and ran about 5 miles and ran into another pair. Don't know what they were trying to prove, but it sure had traffic messed up. Luckily we were in a car and not towing anything.

Must be an eastern thing, as all of the truckers we ran into on our trip to Yellowstone were professional and courteous.

dalford · 07-14-2013, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

And a growing number will sit in the passing lane going up hill just enough behind another on to prevent passing but refusing to pull over. Ran into a bunch on I40 running 25mph in both lanes between Memphis and Little Rock. Finally got around those two and ran about 5 miles and ran into another pair. Don't know what they were trying to prove, but it sure had traffic messed up. Luckily we were in a car and not towing anything.

Think about it.. Do you think they just do it to hog the lanes and torque people off? Probably not, they get hung out in a lane and I guess they could drop off and back but I know enough about big rigs that gear management can be a bear and it is easy to miss a gear and really screw things up. They probably just hang on in as low a gear as possible and wait for the next downhill to gain some advantage. Next time, just realize the trucker you are angry with is WORKING.

Now, there are people in cars that do that and don't know what the left hand lanes are for.

OldCoot · 07-14-2013, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalford

Think about it.. Do you think they just do it to hog the lanes and torque people off? Probably not, they get hung out in a lane and I guess they could drop off and back but I know enough about big rigs that gear management can be a bear and it is easy to miss a gear and really screw things up. They probably just hang on in as low a gear as possible and wait for the next downhill to gain some advantage. Next time, just realize the trucker you are angry with is WORKING.

Now, there are people in cars that do that and don't know what the left hand lanes are for.

Don't think gear management has anything to do with not pulling over behind the other rig and letting the string of traffic go on or running side by side 25mph on a busy interstate like I40. I understand if they are running side by side up a hill, but not when they could pull over and let traffic behind them go on.

Timtation · 07-14-2013, 10:29 PM

Not as a reply to any specific post but:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, some work and some work smart, some tow and some tow with consideration. Drive much and see even more. 95% are the norm and 5% remind you of the prejudices you have whatever they may be.

OldCoot · 07-14-2013, 10:33 PM

99% of the OTR drivers are very considerate, it's just that 1% that really are jerks.

dalford · 07-14-2013, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Don't think gear management has anything to do with not pulling over behind the other rig and letting the string of traffic go on or running side by side 25mph on a busy interstate like I40. I understand if they are running side by side up a hill, but not when they could pull over and let traffic behind them go on.

Sorry Old Coot, I thought they were running up hill. Why were they only doing 25? Boy they were idiots and I would be angry also...

OldCoot · 07-14-2013, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalford

Sorry Old Coot, I thought they were running up hill. Why were they only doing 25? Boy they were idiots and I would be angry also...

2 separate cases, running uphill in the passing lane about 30-50 ft behind another rig, both running about 40-50 mph when the one in the passing lane could pull over. The other was between Memphis and Little Rock where for the most part the interstate is fairly flat with few hills and running side by side 25 mph. Sorry for the confusion.

Weezer · 07-14-2013, 11:33 PM

On our trip to the dealer yesterday the biggest 5er I've ever seen came barreling around us doing at least 75-77 on the interstate. They were cutting in and out of traffic like their 5er's arse was on fire.

When we hit that severe rub board section we saw him way up ahead and he dang sure had slowed his butt down some, but was still driving like a bat outta hades.

(sigh) Reminds me of that bumper sticker;

Speed on buddy, hell ain't even half full yet.

Except that I never understood why speeding dictates that one won't get through the pearly gates. (smh)

Weezer · 07-14-2013, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

2 separate cases, running uphill in the passing lane about 30-50 ft behind another rig, both running about 40-50 mph when the one in the passing lane could pull over. The other was between Memphis and Little Rock where for the most part the interstate is fairly flat with few hills and running side by side 25 mph. Sorry for the confusion.

Did you ever spot any flashing blue lights? Sometimes cops get on their CB and ask the 18ers to run a rolling road block for 'em when they are in pursuit of someone.

rlmcinty · 07-15-2013, 12:13 AM

I get annoyed by people that should have a sway bar, but don't.

OldCoot · 07-15-2013, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HERmit

Did you ever spot any flashing blue lights? Sometimes cops get on their CB and ask the 18ers to run a rolling road block for 'em when they are in pursuit of someone.

Didn't see any from Memphis to about 30 miles from LR where we turned off.

TURBS · 07-15-2013, 06:31 AM

Being a truck driver........ full and part time. And hauling loads approaching
80, 000 lbs untill you've sat behind the wheel you have no idea!
With that being said there are still a few throttle jockeys that are clueless.

Please realize a lot of trucks are computer limited to 65 mph and are doing there best to maintain acceptable speeds.

Turbs

**Herk7769** · 07-15-2013, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalford

Think about it.. Do you think they just do it to hog the lanes and torque people off? Probably not, they get hung out in a lane and I guess they could drop off and back but I know enough about big rigs that gear management can be a bear and it is easy to miss a gear and really screw things up. They probably just hang on in as low a gear as possible and wait for the next downhill to gain some advantage. Next time, just realize the trucker you are angry with is WORKING.

Now, there are people in cars that do that and don't know what the left hand lanes are for.

AMEN, Brother

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