Scared Straight !

[Autocar]

This morning I was hauling logs into Union City Indiana and at the intersection of 47 and 49 , 49 having a stop sign. I was west bound on 47 and saw a car coming from the north on 49 and anywhere two highways intersect and one has to stop sign usually a pretty dangerous intersections. I slowed down to 45 and the car went behind a house that sets on the corner and when it poped out I saw the guy looking west and I was headed west. Just as quick as he looked west he started out into the intersection never looking back in my direction. I missed him but I almost had to pull over it scared me so bad. I keep thinking what 70 some thousand would do to a little car much less then the people in it.

[mad murdock]

Whew that sounds like it was a real close one Autocar!  Glad you and the unobservant driver/occupants pulled through unscathed! Did the driver of the car ever realize what almost happened? Or did he just keep on tooling down the road?  Must have been daydreaming of turkey at grandmas or something. I guess you got something else to be thankful for today of all days!

[Woodhauler]

I see crap like that on a weekly basis!  Part of the joy of driving a log truck!!!

[mills]

Cell phones and texting have made trucking the most dangerous part of logging.

[Autocar]

Yes I agree cell phones are alot of drivers problems, and Woodhauler your right this week alone Ive crossed paths with unobservant drivers and could of been very dangerous but like we all know we have to be on our toes every minuite we are on the road. I see someone ripping up to a intersection  at a crossroad and I start slowing down figuring the unsuspected, even at that 40/45 mile per hour is just going to let you see it longer when it hits the fan. I would of put a smile face on that but its a serous situation we face every day.

[Corley5]

  A local logger, forester, truck driver etc was involved in a crash here a few years back.  A pickup with two occupants pulled out in front of him.  He was driving his Western Star lead with a pup both fully loaded with sawlogs.  The driver of the pickup realized what he'd done too late and tried to head for the ditch to get out of the way but that was the escape route Jerry also chose.  The collision ripped the front axle out from under the log truck and the pickup was an unrecognizable mangle.  The driver of the pickup and his passenger were killed instantly.  Jerry was unhurt physically.

[sandhills]

I've never hauled logs but was pulling a load of our cattle home a fews years ago and was coming up on a intersection that also leads to a grain elevator.  I was going downhill coming up on a small car and at the top of the next hill was the entrance to the elevator, anyhow I was watching and my neighbors father was ready to pull onto the highway with a tractor and wagon leaving the elevator, he stopped and waited for the little car to pass then pulled out right in front of me, I don't know how much logs move on those trailers but I can tell you cattle move a bunch when you need to stop right now.  No accident happened, but the pucker factor was off the charts.

[barbender]

"Jerry was unhurt physically"- I bet he suffers from it mentally still, even though it wasn't his fault. People just don't pay attention, I felt like I could kill someone everyday when I was hauling wood, by that I mean if I wasn't watching out for their well being they would mindlessly drive right under the truck. I think everyone getting a drivers license should have to do a ride along in a truck. It would be an eye opener for many, however some can't be helped. You can't fix stupid. Stay safe out there guys.

[Al_Smith]

I don't know what would be worse logs or steel pipe .The bulkhead would stop neither on a crash .

A pick up or a car tangling with a loaded semi has about much chance as a Volkswagon and a locomotive ---none .

[lumberjack48]

My dad would say why are you so tired all your doing is driving truck. Well trying to keep from killing people is a high stress job. People thinking you can stop on a dime, when making a right hand turn, somebody seeks in between you and the stop sign. Somebody thinking all of a sudden their going to make a left hand turn on a 2 lane hwy going 60 mph with oncoming traffic and your behind them.
  The worst trouble i had in the 70's were the cowboy grain haulers out of N. Dakota. These guys would race side by side down hwy 2, weaving in an out of traffic like wild men, it was crazy back then 8)
Autocar I'm sure glad your on the ball, a guy can't be to careful when driving a rig.

[grweldon]

I see crap like that on a weekly basis!  Part of the joy of driving a log truck!!!

I see crap like this every day riding on a 2-lane state highway 50 miles each way.  Every day someone pulls in front of me when I'm going over 60 and they are going 20-30.  Then they turn off in a couple hundred yards.  I look in my rear-view and there is no one behind me much of the time.  The car could have waited 3 seconds to let me by, but no... they pull in front of me.  That and worse happens all the time...

[Al_Smith]

They pass me all the time on a 45 MPH two lane road with double yellow lines .Then turn within 200 yards .Makes sense to me . :

[GRANITEstateMP]

I think Barbender hit the nail on the head, all drivers should get a nice ride-a-long when they are about to get there operators permit.  Just to try and experience the size and weight of a big truck, nevermind the turning or stopping radius.  Maybe they would think just a little harder before making the wrong move...

[Leigh Family Farm]

My coworker started to teach me how to drive a semi, so I can get my CDL. Lets just say I now have a much deeper appreciation for truckers and the gross tonnage involved. In my opinion, gross tonnage rule applies in all things mobile (boats, cars, people, animals, etc.), and by that I mean: if the other object has more gross tonnage, move out of the way!

[Al_Smith]

I've had a chaufeurs license since I was 18 years old so I "grandfathered " the CDL .I doubt seriously if I ever drive commercially again but you never know so I keep it up .

[barbender]

It's easier to keep it now that you have it, by far Al. You never know when you might need it, I figure I can always find work enough to put food on the table with a CDL.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

There are alot of Morons out on the roads with no road sence at all these days sadly Trucks are getting bigger you can gross in at 65 to70 ton (bout 150000lbs) on most roads here with a B-Double if your set up for it but its like stopping a small train its handy to have that extra weigh but I think ill stick to 22  wheel semi combinations coming in at 43 ton or 95000lbs roughly  ;) ;D Plus the fact they are cheaper for rego and insurance plus the cops and roads authority dont look at you as hard  ;) :D :D 

We had a big one 10 mi from here at the start of the year quiet crossroads over a major hwy route couple on holiday in the country come strait across it and got collected buy a Bdouble doing 65 not much left of anything as the car got disitegrated on impact and spread out over  a couple hundred yards  :(

cars taking on trucks has being happening since day dot and the Truckie's get blamed by the media most of the time  ??? : the thing is they are getting their own back with dash and bumber cams and the govt is allowing it in court along with considering people being able to be charged with reckless driving and other offences just off private evedence handed in like one judge put it theres coming a time with these cams when people who want to act like idiots with disregard for others or when they think no ones watching  on the highway will be charged   ;)

I use to be a very very agressive driver in my early 20s so much so that if i had some clown come past me then cutin while also hitting the breaks it would wind me rite up if they stayed on the same run with me they where in for a wakeup call as i would wind er up overtake then cutin infront of them with about a foot to spare and old boy whos truck it was use to say shes not a bloody ferrari  mate  :D :D but seriously i just dont see the point in getting wound up as its stressfull enough driving for everyone else these days  ??? : :P :(

Regards Chris

[Ron Wenrich]

I'm not a truck driver, but I've worked with them for a number of years.  I consider myself a pretty good driver, give trucks the benefit of the doubt and watch what's going on ahead and behind me.  Not all boneheads are driving cars.

I was traveling on I-78 which is a 6 lane highway in eastern PA.  Speed limit is 65 and we're going up a hill.  I'm in the center lane doing 70, there are trucks in the right lane, one behind me, and those folks going fast in the left hand lane.  There's traffic passing in the left lane, and on my tail.

As we crest the hill, there's a sign that says the right lane ends in 1 mile on the downhill side.  The truck to my right puts on his turning signal.  It was a turning signal, because as soon as it came on, he came over into my lane. 

Choices are limited.  I could stay in my lane and challenge the truck that is taking over my lane.  Not a good choice.  I could slam on the brakes to give him room and get rear ended by truck in the rear view.  Equally not a good choice.  So, I veer to the left and cut off the guy who was about to pass me, who was not pleased.  It worked out well in the end, but was a situation that shouldn't have happened.

I've also watched some of these guys veer off the road at times.  When you pass them, they're talking on their cellphones.  Cellphones and semis don't mix either.  Don't ever get in the way of a NJ trash hauler.  Just sayin'.