Godbless Dashcams

Hey guys, so my fiance bought me a dashcam so i could get used to using one for when i get my own truck.

(Getting a new one because the mount is utter crap but it is just a little 35 dollar camera on clearance no biggy)

So i am leaving the hospital after my shift and there is this slower than traffic prius. I vent ok ok this shouldnt be any problem. Soon enough im going to be the sloe moving guy and its never a big problem not in any rush.

I pull into left lane for left turn, he goes into right lane to left turn (hopingi could at least pass by and be behind the bus. The bus was faster)

The light turns green and instantly he turns infront of me jumping into my lane, then swings wider to finish in the right lane. I lay on my horn to alert him of this danger and idiotic driving. Doesnt seem to phase him. Same thing happens but going right. Im in left lane hes in right, he swings wide and cuts in front of me then turns sharp to get back into his own lane.i lay on the horn again still nothing. Finally we are side by side and i honk a couple times to get his attention and give him the wtf look with shrugged shoulders thrn i point to behind us. He gives me the finger then runs a red light casually and slowly as if he were driving green.

My girl and i are sitting there wondering what on earth just happened. We literally are so confused we burn a green light sitting there trying to figure it out. (Nobody behind us.)

Next green light i continue on my way and a cop pulls us over asking why i just sat at the green light. I told him about what happened and he was not happy at me trying to make stuff up apparently. He noticed the dash cam and asked if i had it recorded. I said i hope so but i dont drive with the screen down its too distracting and too bright. I pull the cam off and show him and he is floored with the stupidity. He had to rewatch the clip 3 times to believe it. He jotted down the license plate and took my number down incase he needed a copy of the file.

Okay...so here is an old truck driver giving you some thoughtful and possibly needed advice: never allow the stupidity of another driver distract you to the point of engaging with them, thus potentially escalating the situation and the risk. Once you are with CDL and in a CMV , you must rise above the temptation to confront other drivers.

Considering what you are preparing yourself for, you need to also protect your license. Start to "think" like a truck driver...

Understood. Thanks for the advice. I do gotta start getting myself into the mentality to ignore the behavior but dont ignore their actions. Talking to myself would probably help a lot better. Better to myself than to others lol.

The interaction with the other driver wasnt meant to be rude or me intimidating them. I was only trying to figure out what was going on, like texting or radio fiddling or whatever. I know this is no excuse or anything of the matter im just trying to clarify. Ill definitely take your advice and get straight to work on it.

Speaking of cdl , ive been repeating my high road quizes and been getting 100% on every redo and review. I feel confident on getting the permit.

Also just wantrd to point out, something like that never ever happens on a normal basis. That was the first time ive ever really interacted with another driver short of me being rearended and informijg other drivers about tail lights out and helping others. This is why i had shared it becausr of how dumbstruck it made me. Lol i think this will always stay with me in my head foor a long long while.

Reaper, in driving a large, slow moving traffic-blocker, you will get in many situations where 4-wheel divers do things you might consider "stupid". Some maneuvers are even dangerous. I'm going to re-state G-town's wisdom:

I have a job to do, and it doesn't include messing with other drivers.

It's great to use the dash cam to record what happens on the rise, but that's just a fancy extra doodad to help you out.

I understand, im sure ill see worse on the road with people trying to get around me.

Creating distance can be the safest thing you can do most of the time. Put distance between yourself and the danger, whether it's another driver or a huge storm or whatever. Get away from it. Even in my four wheeler it's not at all uncommon for me to turn into a parking lot or temporarily pull off the side of the road to let someone pass or back way, way off from someone I clearly wouldn't want near me.

The biggest thing you'll see out there is tailgating. I never let anyone sit dangerously close to me. I'll slow down very gradually to see if they'll pass first. If not then I'll turn or pull off the side of the road or whatever it takes to give them the room to get the h*ll away from me.

Most drivers are pretty dangerous in my opinion. I really don't like anyone near me if I can help it. But if someone that's exceedingly dangerous is anywhere nearby I make sure I get distance as quickly and safely as possible.

Personally I don't care who someone is or why they're driving the way they are. Just as long as they're nowhere near me I'm thrilled. Trying to figure out the logic behind what someone is doing is an exercise in madness because people who drive dangerously normally aren't making a lot of logical decisions. They're angry, they're jammin on the tunes, they're young and stupid - whatever. Doesn't matter. It's normally impossible to know for sure and in the end what difference does it make, right?

Getting distance between yourself and others is the safest and most relaxing thing you can do in my opinion. That's why I live way out in the country by myself. People can be as neurotic and illogical and overbearing as they like, as long as they're in their own space and I'm safely in mine.

That's why I live way out in the country by myself. People can be as neurotic and illogical and overbearing as they like, as long as they're in their own space and I'm safely in mine.

OH, how I envy you Brett, I prefer the company of Dogs to People!

Brett said,

The biggest thing you'll see out there is tailgating. I never let anyone sit dangerously close to me. I'll slow down very gradually to see if they'll pass first. If not then I'll turn or pull off the side of the road or whatever it takes to give them the room to get the h*ll away from me.

The tailgating is unnerving! I don't mind it so much in a big rig. I slow down to try to get them to go around me, but if they won't move, oh well--it's their own life they're endangering, not mine. Now that I'm driving down to Pueblo in my car every day, it kinda freaks me out! I don't have a huge trailer behind me to take the blow if they smash into me. Sometimes I feel like I'm not driving--I'm Moron-Dodging!!!

Speaking of dumb 4 wheeler tricks....

I was on the Ohio turn pike, minding my own business doing 60, in the slow lane.

I come up on another truck that's doing 50-55. I pull out to go around and he speeds up. Ok, fine, I get back into the right lane and continue on. 5-10 min. goes by and he slows down again. Again, I pull out and "floor it" going my full 63. Of course traffic starts to back up behind our elephant race. I'm making pretty good progress, when he suddenly speeds up to where neither of us are moving, and his cab, is 1/2 way down my trailer. I keep going because I felt like I was at the point of no return, and fully committed. Thinking he'd back down a little, I signal that I wanna get over. He doesn't budge. Finally after ****ing everyone off, he eases off and as quick as possible, I get back into the right lane.

As soon as I do here comes this car flying by, jumps in front me, and brake checks me. I try to go around, and he changes lanes to stay in front of me. By this time, we're down to 45mph. He finally takes off.

Lesson learned.... as soon as the dummy in the 1st truck locked us into a never ending race, the dummy who was driving my truck should have swallowed his ego, and backed off.

It's amazing how some people in cars think they have any snow balls chance in hell of "winning" with a rear end collision from an 18 wheeler