# I pit you, asshole truck driver! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 29, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002 "2013-04-29T13:24:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/1 "2013-04-29T13:24:30Z")
I get that you’re driving a vehicle with a lot of blind spots. I get that you’re carrying an 80,000 pound load behind you, which makes it difficult to stop. I get that you have to shift through a lot of gears, and that momentum is precious to you. What I don’t get is why you felt any of that was a reason to run me into the center island of the rotary in Augusta, you dipshit! Apparently you missed the two of [these signs](http://www.etfmarketpro.com/assets/images/blog-images/yield.jpg) that are posted at your (and every other) entrance. Apparently you need to revisit whatever driver training course you took to understand what [that sign](http://www.etfmarketpro.com/assets/images/blog-images/yield.jpg) means. I get that it’s a traffic circle, and the sign in question is a triangle. Maybe you flunked shapes in kindergarten.:rolleyes: I get that I was in the left lane; that does not negate your yield sign, especially with the configuration of the [rotary in question](http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=44.310492&lon=-69.779275&z=19.6&r=347&src=msa), since any time you go past the first exit, you are crossing two lanes of traffic, not merging with them! Even if it were a merge situation, you failed that the minute you hauled your fat ass from the right lane over into the left lane with my car then directly beside you! By the way, those dotted lines – yes, they mean you may make a lane change, but they also have meaning similar to that of the aforementioned triangular signs: you must first **yield** to anyone who is already in that lane! So let’s take a basic look at the [applicable state law](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-Asec2053.html) here, shall we, since the obvious signs and obvious pavement markings failed to be obvious to you! [QUOTE=Maine Revised Statutes: Title 29-A, §2053] 6. Traffic circles or rotary intersections. The operator of a vehicle: A. Approaching a traffic circle or rotary intersection shall yield the right-of-way **to a vehicle already within the traffic circle or rotary intersection** [/quote] That would have been me! > [@](#): > > unless otherwise regulated by a law enforcement officer or by traffic control devices; [2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §33 (NEW); 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).] Those traffic control devices (yield signs) did not conflict with the preceding sentence in the slightest; they reinforced it! > [@](#): > > B. Entering and passing around a rotary or traffic circle may drive only to the right of the rotary or traffic circle and **shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle on the operator’s left** ; and [2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §33 (NEW); 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).] That also would have been me! The guy in the left lane whom you almost ran over! > [@](#): > > C. May not drive on or across the center part of a rotary or traffic circle, except that the wheels of a semitrailer or trailer may cross the center part as long as the wheels of the towing vehicle do not cross the center part. [2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §33 (NEW); 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).] I’m pretty sure when they said your trailer wheels could ride up over the center island, they weren’t also referring to cars who were in between you and the center island! So, asshole truck driver, your idiocy behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound weapon of mass destruction has earned you a place of shame on the Internet, if only I had your license plate number to post with it! ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/2 "2013-04-29T13:40:57Z")
A truck is a weapon of mass destruction now? ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/3 "2013-04-29T13:43:12Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > A truck is a weapon of mass destruction now? It sure feels like it when it’s about to roll up over you. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/4 "2013-04-29T14:12:23Z")
It’s always 100% destruction from the victim’s point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/5 "2013-04-29T14:15:43Z")
Maybe the OP meant “a 80,000 pound mass weapon of destruction” (hmm, Wikipedia says that the pound is a unit of mass now, I always thought it was just used for weight, when did that happen?). ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/6 "2013-04-29T15:59:24Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > (hmm, Wikipedia says that the pound is a unit of mass now, I always thought it was just used for weight, when did that happen?). There is the [pound-force](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_(force)) (lbf) unit, which is used for weight (or force), and the [pound-mass](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_(mass)) (lbm) unit, which is used for mass. A stationary 1-lbm mass in earth’s gravity weighs one pound, i.e. it exerts 1 lbf of downforce on whatever it’s sitting on. Since damn near everyone is subject to earth’s gravity, it’s convenient on most occasions to speak of pounds (lbs) without bothering to specify whether it’s a unit of force or mass. Oh wait, we’re in the pit. You’re a dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/7 "2013-04-29T16:31:02Z")
Serves you right for living in a state with traffic circles. “Oh, look at us! We have traffic circles just like those silly foppish countries in Europe! Lah-ti-dah!” ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/8 "2013-04-29T16:32:30Z")
You should find him and shove a banana in his tailpipe. Then look for his truck and do something to that, too. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/9 "2013-04-29T18:02:21Z")
Traffic circles are bad for everyone. That said, I’m always careful to avoid them in my semi, and barring that I slow down and pace them. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/10 "2013-04-29T21:04:49Z")
You said right there in the OP that you know semis have a lot of blind spots - are you sure he could see you? Traffic circles don’t make a lot of sense to me so I am having trouble picturing what happened, even with that cool picture! ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/11 "2013-04-29T22:49:22Z")
> [@CoastalMaineiac](#): > > It sure feels like it when it’s about to roll up over you. You are an idiot who must have missed seeing this sign in the roundabout: [traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=traffic+circle+signs+do+not+drive+next+to+trucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=LkxdMdJDYVTBaM%3A%3B6uqsVDhd5GSbhM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FNR%252Frdonlyres%252F8B88F7C4-664F-401D-B3D8-32EB9B762975%252F0%252FTestDrive00.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FProjects%252FSR539%252FTenMileBorder%252Ftestroundabout.htm%3B250%3B333) Or one like this: > **[traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=traffic%2Bcircle%2Bsigns%2Bdo%2Bnot%2Bdrive%2Bnext%2Bto%2Btrucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=auFMUY56asfDDM%3A%3Bcy_oaULujw9XpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F_PbRpYj1lC2A%252FSqa4vaSoVII%252FAAAAAAAAAGc%252Fun0AyUisSnQ%252Fs400%252FTruckSign.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fguidemeridian.blogspot.com%252F2009_09_01_archive.html%3B235%3B286)** You are the driver at fault in this situation, not the truck driver. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/12 "2013-04-30T01:54:52Z")
Except that he doesn’t live in Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/13 "2013-04-30T02:11:22Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > You are an idiot who must have missed seeing this sign in the roundabout: > > [traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=traffic+circle+signs+do+not+drive+next+to+trucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=LkxdMdJDYVTBaM%3A%3B6uqsVDhd5GSbhM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FNR%252Frdonlyres%252F8B88F7C4-664F-401D-B3D8-32EB9B762975%252F0%252FTestDrive00.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FProjects%252FSR539%252FTenMileBorder%252Ftestroundabout.htm%3B250%3B333) > > Or one like this: > > [traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=traffic+circle+signs+do+not+drive+next+to+trucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=auFMUY56asfDDM%3A%3Bcy_oaULujw9XpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F_PbRpYj1lC2A%252FSqa4vaSoVII%252FAAAAAAAAAGc%252Fun0AyUisSnQ%252Fs400%252FTruckSign.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fguidemeridian.blogspot.com%252F2009_09_01_archive.html%3B235%3B286) > > You are the driver at fault in this situation, not the truck driver. You’re not making any sense here. He didn’t drive alongside the truck, the truck ignored a yield sign, drove alongside him, then ran him off the road. I do not think he’s the idiot here. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/14 "2013-04-30T02:31:58Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > You are an idiot who must have missed seeing this sign in the roundabout: > > [traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=traffic+circle+signs+do+not+drive+next+to+trucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=LkxdMdJDYVTBaM%3A%3B6uqsVDhd5GSbhM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FNR%252Frdonlyres%252F8B88F7C4-664F-401D-B3D8-32EB9B762975%252F0%252FTestDrive00.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FProjects%252FSR539%252FTenMileBorder%252Ftestroundabout.htm%3B250%3B333) > > Or one like this: > > [traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=traffic+circle+signs+do+not+drive+next+to+trucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=auFMUY56asfDDM%3A%3Bcy_oaULujw9XpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F_PbRpYj1lC2A%252FSqa4vaSoVII%252FAAAAAAAAAGc%252Fun0AyUisSnQ%252Fs400%252FTruckSign.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fguidemeridian.blogspot.com%252F2009_09_01_archive.html%3B235%3B286) > > You are the driver at fault in this situation, not the truck driver. I have to ask: how do you avoid driving next to semis in a roundabout that all vehicles must share during heavy traffic? ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/15 "2013-04-30T04:13:01Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > You said right there in the OP that you know semis have a lot of blind spots - are you sure he could see you? > > Traffic circles don’t make a lot of sense to me so I am having trouble picturing what happened, even with that cool picture! I don’t know that he did see me, but given that I was in the rotary’s left lane, and he started from the right lane of the entrance to the rotary, there really was not any reason that he shouldn’t have seen me. Either he was not paying attention or just didn’t give a shit. Given that he proceeded to cut right over into my lane, I’m thinking a combination of the two; I don’t mean just his trailer wheels, either, he intentionally pulled the cab of his truck from the right lane to the left lane. As for traffic circles not making sense to you; at this one, there isn’t anything really peculiar about it. If you know what a yield sign means, and know how to read the arrows painted on the lanes approaching the thing, there is nothing to be confused about. ---
**Author:** ![Recusant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@Recusant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recusant)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/16 "2013-04-30T04:16:30Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I have to ask: how do you avoid driving next to semis in a roundabout that all vehicles must share during heavy traffic? Ideally, you do the sane thing and keep the government from putting up roundabouts in places semis have to drive- or worse, on state or national highways, which are, by law, class 2 or 3 truck routes. If that’s not an option, do the smart thing, pull over and wait for the semi to get through. Legal? Maybe not. But the Laws of the Land play second fiddle to the Laws of Physics when 40 tons are being guided by a blind man through a drinking straw right next to you. ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/17 "2013-04-30T04:26:24Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > You are an idiot who must have missed seeing this sign in the roundabout: > > [traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=traffic+circle+signs+do+not+drive+next+to+trucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=LkxdMdJDYVTBaM%3A%3B6uqsVDhd5GSbhM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FNR%252Frdonlyres%252F8B88F7C4-664F-401D-B3D8-32EB9B762975%252F0%252FTestDrive00.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wsdot.wa.gov%252FProjects%252FSR539%252FTenMileBorder%252Ftestroundabout.htm%3B250%3B333) > > Or one like this: > > [traffic circle signs do not drive next to trucks - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=traffic+circle+signs+do+not+drive+next+to+trucks&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nfd-UdW3B4qtigL55IHIAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=934#imgrc=auFMUY56asfDDM%3A%3Bcy_oaULujw9XpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F_PbRpYj1lC2A%252FSqa4vaSoVII%252FAAAAAAAAAGc%252Fun0AyUisSnQ%252Fs400%252FTruckSign.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fguidemeridian.blogspot.com%252F2009_09_01_archive.html%3B235%3B286) > > You are the driver at fault in this situation, not the truck driver. Barring the fact that there are no such signs that I know of at any of Maine’s rotaries, and that I know for a fact there are no such signs at the rotary in question; I was already in the rotary; he was not. He had a yield sign; I did not. I didn’t pull in beside him, he pulled in beside me, and then pulled the entirety of his big rig right into my lane. Even if we did have those signs you mentioned, they would not give big rigs carte blanche to barrel into the rotary without regard to the traffic already going around. ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/18 "2013-04-30T04:36:09Z")
double post, sorry ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/19 "2013-04-30T04:49:10Z")
> [@CoastalMaineiac](#): > > I don’t know that he did see me, but given that I was in the rotary’s left lane, and he started from the right lane of the entrance to the rotary, there really was not any reason that he shouldn’t have seen me. Either he was not paying attention or just didn’t give a shit. Given that he proceeded to cut right over into my lane, I’m thinking a combination of the two; I don’t mean just his trailer wheels, either, he intentionally pulled the cab of his truck from the right lane to the left lane. > > As for traffic circles not making sense to you; at this one, there isn’t anything really peculiar about it. If you know what a yield sign means, and know how to read the arrows painted on the lanes approaching the thing, there is nothing to be confused about. I guess my lack of experience with roundabouts means I can’t picture this. What I’m seeing is the semi pulls into it from the right and wants to get over to the left right away for whatever reason, and he just didn’t see you. Or are you saying he didn’t spend any time in the right lane? ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002/20 "2013-04-30T05:11:07Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > I guess my lack of experience with roundabouts means I can’t picture this. What I’m seeing is the semi pulls into it from the right and wants to get over to the left right away for whatever reason, and he just didn’t see you. Or are you saying he didn’t spend any time in the right lane? [![](https://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/r658/CoastalMaineiac/rotary_zps10b45147.png) ](https://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/r658/CoastalMaineiac/rotary_zps10b45147.png) The blue path was me, the red path was the truck. If that clarifies things any. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-you-asshole-truck-driver/657002.md?page=2)