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> I almost ran this guy off the road because I couldn't see him. [...] He was right along my right-hand side. What can I do? Stopped reading and started scream

> I almost ran this guy off the road because I couldn't see him. [...] He was right along my right-hand side. What can I do? Stopped reading and started screaming at the computer after that comment. What can you do? Pay attention to what you're doing before you change lanes. You almost killed someone and you're blaming them? My vehicle has blind spots too, when I'm changing lanes I look to make sure that there isn't someone there prior to changing lanes. This whole article just screams stereotypical "I own the road" egomaniac trucker to me. > If you see a truck in your rearview, the first thing you need to do is put down your phone. Seriously, just assuming that someone is on their phone? > when you see it's a soccer mom with a van full of kids. sigh I know this is in popular mechanics so they're just playing to their audience, but, this is low even for them.

snatoeusntaoeu 11y ago
This whole article just screams stereotypical "I own the road" egomaniac trucker to me. Your comment just screams stereotypical "I have never driven anything larger than a station wagon" to me. Seriously, consider the length of a tractor-trailer. Then consider the size of the mirrors and their location. Add in bad weather, where the crap coming off the wheels creates a veritable fog bank alongside and behind every vehicle. Don't drive in anyone's blind spot. And especially don't drive in a large truck's blind spot. Being legally in the right doesn't matter if you're dead or stuck on the side of the road with weeks of chatting with your insurance agent ahead of you.
tombrossman 11y ago
My takeaway from the article was that the driver was actively trying to spot the car prior to changing lanes, and because the car remained in their blind spot for an extended period the trucker went ahead and changed lanes only to learn too late that the car was there. I didn't think there was any intent to do harm to the car. Let me tell you about a personal experience which may help illustrate the problem, and help you be safer when driving your car around trucks. Years ago I was driving a 'cabover' tractor-trailer (the kind with no hood, it's straight down from the front windows to the bunper). I had only five months experience but I was doing pretty good so far. I came up behind a car on a four-lane highway that was going slow, so I started to pass. The car was black and the sun was low and opposite, so as I began to pass and check my mirrors, I made a mental note that the black car riding on blacktop in the shade was harder to see than the other cars further back. No problem, I accelerated more and the car dropped back near my trailer tires. My exit was a couple miles ahead so I wanted to get back over into the slow lane. I looked in the mirrors and the car was gone. I took a long, hard look in the mirrors again and slowed down, in case the car had sped up again and was in my blind spot next to the truck. Nothing. A pickup truck in the slow lane flashed his lights, which is a courtesy signal meaning 'come on back over' that a lot of truckers and work trucks do. I started to change lanes back to the slow lane, nice and slowly, 3-4 seconds of turn signal in advance, and heard tires starting to skid. I held position and scanned all my mirrors again, trying to find where the noise was coming from. I slowed down more. No clue, just a loud skidding noise of tires dragging on pavement. It sounded like a long skid and I was waiting for the impact sound. I thought I'd better get over in the slow lane because someone was in the middle of a huge skid and was going to crash. I completed the lane change and slowed down more, and was horrified to see the black car flop around sideways in front of me, stuck to my bumper. A quick panic stop and I was relieved to see the man inside was fine. The side of his car was all chewed up from the tire lug bolts spinning against his door but he was calm and okay. When the police came he told them he was trying to stay in the shade next to me because he didn't like the low sun in his eyes, and he apologized for 'causing the accident'. It was totally my fault and the police cited me, but they gave me a really minor ticket for some obscure law because of the man's foolish decision. It was 100% my fault but he could have done more to help me avoid him, that's what I was making a genuine effort to do. His speeding up and slowing down to match my speed was dangerous, and you should never do this around trucks. They really can't see you well and there are a lot of other cars around they are trying to keep track of. Hope that helps you avoid an accident in your car some day.

snatoeusntaoeu 11y ago

This whole article just screams stereotypical "I own the road" egomaniac trucker to me. Your comment just screams stereotypical "I have never driven anything larger than a station wagon" to me. Seriously, consider the length of a tractor-trailer. Then consider the size of the mirrors and their location. Add in bad weather, where the crap coming off the wheels creates a veritable fog bank alongside and behind every vehicle. Don't drive in anyone's blind spot. And especially don't drive in a large truck's blind spot. Being legally in the right doesn't matter if you're dead or stuck on the side of the road with weeks of chatting with your insurance agent ahead of you.

tombrossman 11y ago

My takeaway from the article was that the driver was actively trying to spot the car prior to changing lanes, and because the car remained in their blind spot for an extended period the trucker went ahead and changed lanes only to learn too late that the car was there. I didn't think there was any intent to do harm to the car. Let me tell you about a personal experience which may help illustrate the problem, and help you be safer when driving your car around trucks. Years ago I was driving a 'cabover' tractor-trailer (the kind with no hood, it's straight down from the front windows to the bunper). I had only five months experience but I was doing pretty good so far. I came up behind a car on a four-lane highway that was going slow, so I started to pass. The car was black and the sun was low and opposite, so as I began to pass and check my mirrors, I made a mental note that the black car riding on blacktop in the shade was harder to see than the other cars further back. No problem, I accelerated more and the car dropped back near my trailer tires. My exit was a couple miles ahead so I wanted to get back over into the slow lane. I looked in the mirrors and the car was gone. I took a long, hard look in the mirrors again and slowed down, in case the car had sped up again and was in my blind spot next to the truck. Nothing. A pickup truck in the slow lane flashed his lights, which is a courtesy signal meaning 'come on back over' that a lot of truckers and work trucks do. I started to change lanes back to the slow lane, nice and slowly, 3-4 seconds of turn signal in advance, and heard tires starting to skid. I held position and scanned all my mirrors again, trying to find where the noise was coming from. I slowed down more. No clue, just a loud skidding noise of tires dragging on pavement. It sounded like a long skid and I was waiting for the impact sound. I thought I'd better get over in the slow lane because someone was in the middle of a huge skid and was going to crash. I completed the lane change and slowed down more, and was horrified to see the black car flop around sideways in front of me, stuck to my bumper. A quick panic stop and I was relieved to see the man inside was fine. The side of his car was all chewed up from the tire lug bolts spinning against his door but he was calm and okay. When the police came he told them he was trying to stay in the shade next to me because he didn't like the low sun in his eyes, and he apologized for 'causing the accident'. It was totally my fault and the police cited me, but they gave me a really minor ticket for some obscure law because of the man's foolish decision. It was 100% my fault but he could have done more to help me avoid him, that's what I was making a genuine effort to do. His speeding up and slowing down to match my speed was dangerous, and you should never do this around trucks. They really can't see you well and there are a lot of other cars around they are trying to keep track of. Hope that helps you avoid an accident in your car some day.