Just a little Public Service Announcement… On Interstate highways, when you are passing an RV or Semi-truck, never pass slowly. Don’t trust them to remember you’re there. Lingering in a blind spot can get you killed. Sure, the other driver is at fault… but you’re dead or just wishing the pain meds would kick in faster.
Last Monday, two women died when they were trying to pass a Tanker truck, that didn’t see them and crushed them under the truck.
Today, we get a phone call. We had to pick up 2 friends at a police station 90 miles away. The RV they had been passing decided it needed to be in their lane. RV driver said that they were in his blind spot. Car is a total wreck. Crushed in front and back. We spent the next 4 hours in the emergency room. They are bruised, contused, and confused according to the ER nurse. They’ll be fine, but they were incredibly lucky.
Please listen to a tired friend. Remember, don’t drive in someone’s blind spot, especially if they’re bigger than you. Be careful!
I’ll second that. Fault doesn’t matter when there is contact–we can all live with consequences of our errors provided we make to that point. I handle fatality claims all day long and it always surprizes me the degree to which 99% of the accidents were preventable had even ONE of the drivers been aware of what was going on around them.
Damn near witnessed a road rage fatality 20 yards ahead of me on the freeway this afternoon. Couple SUV drivers mad at each other. #2 tailgating #1 and wervin’ all over his lane (not sure what he was hoping to accomplish). #1 pulled up along the right side of the cab of a semi, #2 right on his ass and not paying attention to the Jersey barriers on his right, the trailer on his left and the signs indicating the rather abrupt ending of his lane in a moment or so. At the last minute #1 cuts in front of the semi clearing it by a hair and just missing the Jersey barriers on his right. #2 screaming up behind locks up the brakes to avoid slamming into the edge of a barrier and smacks the rear wheel of the trailer to his left. #1 moseyed on home, #2 missed having his front half torn off by a few inches, and the truck driver has an accident on his record.
So, in addition to **don’t drive in someone’s blind spot, especially if they’re bigger than you. Be careful! ** Please allow me to add, “don’t be a dumbass.” Humbleness, etc. for the hijack.
As the saying goes, “Dead right or dead wrong, you’re still dead.”
Both of you are quite correct. Never, ever stay in someone’s blind spot for long. The bigger they are, the bigger the blind spot, and the more danger you are in.
Remember that and pay attention when passing. Be ready for stupid moves at all times! And do not “polite” yourself to death! I once had an 18-wheeler start to move into my lane as I was passing, and I blew the horn like mad – the fellow heard me and moved back into his lane while I continued around him, albeit at a much faster rate than I’d started
SOP for me when passing the big rigs is to wait until the vehicle ahead of me in the passing lane has cleared the rig completely and then shoot on by as quickly as possible. Don’t drive along beside one.
And for Hell’s sake don’t fuckin tailgate a semi. Those mirrors aren’t wrap around people! And if said semi stops on a hill don’t crawl up under his bumper cause when he lets off of his brake he will roll BACKWARDS! Yes right on top of you!
