When Common Courtesy Bites You In The Arse

So i am driving down I80 just outside of chicago today trying to get to a truck stop for the night. There were a couple of cars that were in accidents along the way cause roads were icy. I am empty and tooling along at about 50 following a bobtail and i see a wedge car hauler coming up a on ramp. So i move over into a crappy lane so he can get in. Once in about half way down my trailer, i put my turn signal on to get back in and he just stays there. He will not back off. Cars lined up behind him and i. No choice now. I gotta speed up in an unsafe lane to get around bobtail so i can get back in my lane. I am out here driving for a company that gets no respect and i am trying very hard to be courteous and respectfull and these old fat ****s are making hard.

You said one key phrase, you were in Chicago. Man, when you're in that town, drive like you own it because nobody there cares about you either. .......

Just kidding about that (please don't kill me anyone). I know where you're coming from and I always try to go the extra mile when I can safely to give enough room when I can. I had a situation the other day going through Nashville that could have gotten ugly had I not been paying attention. I was in pretty heavy traffic in the right lane with a couple cars racing on the on ramp to get in front of me. I saw them in the mirror and let up on the throttle, they were well ahead of me ready to get on when the guy in front gets halfway in and jams on the breaks. To make matters worse, they were running out of lane! ! So I'm on the brakes now glancing back and forth checking my mirrors and them when at the last possible moment they mash the throttle and get over before crashing into each other and me. It was definitely one of those pucker moments. Sometimes we try to be polite and it bites us in the butt, I'll still continue to show land courteosy when I can though, even when others aren't paying attention.

I drive Chicagoland a lot because of the dedicated route I drive and you are correct in the assessment of the mentality of the drivers there. It irritates me to no end when I move over so a car or truck can merge safely, only to have them not let me get back over. It irritates me the most when it is another trucker. OK, rant for the day is over! Glad you are safe though!

I'm also outside of Chicago on I80. I'm in Minooka at my delivery but will finish off my reset at the Pilot! Stop by!!

I'll see your Chicago and raise you a Massachusetts. The level of douchbaggary is incredible. Like said before, try not to kill anyone

I'll see your Chicago and raise you a Massachusetts. The level of douchbaggary is incredible.

I love it!

Only forum I know of where I can get the truth about trucking and learn some really useful new words at the same time. "douchbaggary" - that one belongs in the new Webster's dictionary.

Glad you like it!

If you think 4-wheelers do it to 18 wheelers - think (or remember) how bad it is for MOTORCYCLES.

S. Florida is THE.WORST. Back when I was managing a band and touring the nation with my bus - the driving would get NOTICEABLY WORSE, right around the Palm Beach county line.

Rick

I know every city has its issues but I'm sure there are more Igmos in the Atlanta area than anywhere on Earth.

If you think 4-wheelers do it to 18 wheelers - think (or remember) how bad it is for MOTORCYCLES.

S. Florida is THE.WORST. Back when I was managing a band and touring the nation with my bus - the driving would get NOTICEABLY WORSE, right around the Palm Beach county line.

Rick

Rick, I can totally see where you are coming from. What with Florida having a huge tourist economy, I've found the absolute worst place to drive is in Orlando. You could think of Florida as the melting pot of bad drivers converging from all over the world.... Orlando is ground zero. There is little worse that an entire city full of tourists who can't drive AND don't know where they are going... compounded by the fact that they are on vacation and obviously forgot their brains at home.