7 ms·

If a truck driver (or anyone on the road) gets flipped off, it is usually because they are driving a huge vehicle too aggressively and dangerously. If his sist

by dpcan 15y ago

If a truck driver (or anyone on the road) gets flipped off, it is usually because they are driving a huge vehicle too aggressively and dangerously. If his sister died, or he's getting paid peanuts, he still has to drive respectfully and safely to avoid causing any OTHER people on the road to die. Also, I don't think the financial information is correct. I've spoken with truckers in the past and many are making around $40k per year (hearsay), which isn't that shabby for the lifestyle. Lastly, welcome to life. Guess what. Work is hard, people are mean, and most jobs become frustrating if you are in them long enough, and everyone has personal problems. I'm not saying that it's OK to flip someone off, but I understand the helplessness of being in your vehicle with your family and almost getting run off the road by some trucker who seems to be "numb" to the fact that they are driving an enormous and deadly machine 70mph down the highway. EDIT: Not sure why I'm getting down-voted, perhaps a few rebuttals in the comments??

VladRussian 15y ago
>people are mean yes, you made it obvious without need to state it explicitly. Driving a fast, maneuverable and small, compare to a truck, car, i have no problem to accommodate for their much slow and less maneuverable dynamic, just pay attention to what they are doing or intend to do - they are pretty good and accurate drivers and signal their maneuvers in advance. It isn't trucks who are menace on the road, it is flipping off jerks in cars.
- dpcan 15y ago
  > It isn't trucks who are menace on the road, it is flipping off jerks in cars. The article states: - The driver may be "numb". - He is in emotional distress. - He has skipped meals - He has been driving the better half of 14 hours. THIS is my beef. There is NO EXCUSE for putting others in danger on the road, and instead of flipping him off, the state police should have been notified maybe, but to say we should just relax is out of line. I'd argue that NOBODY should be driving under these conditions, let alone a truck driver.
  - masterzora 15y ago
    I'd argue that NOBODY should be driving under these conditions, let alone a truck driver. I wish it could be that way, but things look a lot different when you're the driver and missing the load means your family's going to have a hard time eating. If you're going to be complaining, the drivers aren't the people to complain about.
  - juiceandjuice 15y ago
    Do something about it. Go to your grocery store and ask them to raise prices so they can treat truck drivers better.
    - dpcan 15y ago
      That's not the solution. The fleet manager should have seen the condition their driver was in and found a way to get another driver out there ASAP.
      - scarmig 15y ago
        So simple!
  - illumin8 15y ago
    The fundamental problem is that we have completely inadequate rail infrastructure in the US. Why is it that everything has to go by truck? Trucks are extremely inefficient compared to trains, and are much more likely to be involved in traffic accidents, create congestion on our freeways, and damage our roads requiring tax dollars to repair. Too many trucks and fatigued drivers is a symptom of the greater problem, which is inadequate rail infrastructure.
    - byrneseyeview 15y ago
      Source? The Economist claims that the US has the best freight rail infrastructure in the world: http://www.economist.com/node/16636101 http://www.economist.com/node/16636101 The "fundamental problem" is probably that America is a really big country, and there are lots of livable places in the US that are far from other population centers.
almightygod 15y ago
Your argument falls into "Misleading Vividness" (http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/misleading-vividness.html http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/misleading-vividnes...) The more common case is a driver being angered by the slight inconvenience of slowing down. Which usually is because they are in fact the one driving over the speed limit and therefore driving dangerously according the law.
- dpcan 15y ago
  Who flips someone off because they had to slow down? This was my point. This article was written by a fleet manager protecting the reputation of his drivers, but I am trying to say that there must be more to the story and usually people get the bird because they have done something dangerous.
  - jasonlotito 15y ago
    > Who flips someone off because they had to slow down? Uh... I can't tell if this is a serious question. Do you drive much? I see it happen all the time, and I live in Canada!
    - InclinedPlane 15y ago
      I find the Canada comment odd. I've driven in many states as well as BC and I would rank BC drivers as among the least courteous and most aggressive, even compared to SoCal drivers.
      - jasonlotito 15y ago
        I live in Quebec, and find the drivers bad. However, I don't find them discourteous to the point of slamming on the brakes in front of you, getting out, and starting to talk shit because they cut you off (New York drive in PA). Granted, I'm from Jersey originally, and I pride myself on the fact that by comparison, even Quebec drivers are safe. =) Anyways, my point was, Canadians are generally seen as more mellow, and I still see them getting angry on the road. Granted, this is all just from my experience.
katieben 15y ago
Though I see what you're saying, and ideally he should still drive his very best, he's human, and he's upset, and that matters. You're getting downvoted because you show little empathy. Everyone's story deserves to be heard, including yours, and why you do what you do when you're not at your best. Excellent article.
Goronmon 15y ago
>If his sister died, or he's getting paid peanuts, he still has to drive respectfully and safely to avoid causing any OTHER people on the road to die. Very much this. A few weeks back I had to deal with a truck carrying a portion of a pre-built house, driving 75mph+ with traffic, switching lanes occasionally without using a blinker but mainly staying in the left lane of a two-lane highway. The paved service was minimal on both edges of the highway and there were times when the left tires of the trailer were nearly leaving the paved surface. Even if he had a shitty week, that doesn't make him immune to criticism.
masterzora 15y ago
My father's been a truck driver for nearly as long as I can remember and I can tell you, a lot of what's in this article is generally correct and a lot of it is only correct for some drivers, but none of it is total bullshit. I've known a number of truck drivers and I've seen even more than that. Generally speaking, as a group, they are better drivers and more aware of the road than the average driver on the road. Not all of them are, and some of them do make stupid mistakes or drive dangerously. Sadly, from what I've seen, even the safest ones get flipped off and honked at just because the car driving too closely behind them apparently thinks the truck should be driving faster. The financial information is pretty spot-on. Some truck drivers are making $40K (or even more than that!). The shabbiness of this depends on where they're based, of course, but it can be pretty comfortable. Some drivers make significantly less than $40K. It's a function of mileage and experience, for the most part. I'd say $500/wk is probably lower than average, but it's certainly not unheard of. Especially right now (I hate the phrase "in the current economic climate", but it's kind of relevant right now) loads are getting harder and harder to come by and the further ones tend to be the first that go. The miles just aren't there and this can kill the driver's family's finances. Really, when it comes down to it, if a driver runs you off the road, call the number on the back of the truck (please, have a passenger do it if there's one in the car). But if a truck is just slowing you down a little bit, I know you in particular may know that there's no cause to flip anyone off, but this knowledge seems to be lacking in some people on the road.
- InclinedPlane 15y ago
  Most people don't drive defensively, courteously, or safely. When they drive around big vehicles their bad habits just amplify the consequences. It's pretty typical for people to drive in a truck's blind spots by either following too close behind or driving where the mirror's don't have much coverage. Also, many drivers don't seem to understand that trucks have different limitations in driving than cars. Typically I try to avoid driving just behind a truck (even in a neighboring lane) and I try to avoid being side by side with a truck for long. In my experience truck drivers are generally better drivers than the average non truck driver, but they certainly aren't perfect as a group.
  - 15y ago
URSpider94 15y ago
You're getting down-voted because you are trying to stereotype all truckers as aggressive, dangerous drivers. The author stated at the beginning of the piece that the trucker specifically got flipped off because he was taking too long to pass another truck. You are assuming a totally different case, where a trucker gets flipped off because he has just swerved into your lane. You're right, work is hard, and perhaps truck drivers don't deserve our sympathy. But, I do think that we owe them common courtesy and respect as they conduct their business on our highways.
guelo 15y ago
I only downvoted you for the "why am I being downvoted" karma whoring.
- dpcan 15y ago
  Sorry, I didn't know that was karma whoring because I never think about it, I was just confused because I was down to -2 with no replies and I wasn't sure what it was people weren't agreeing with. I'm on HN for the conversations, not the points, but points are indicators of the community's opinion of my views, and in this case, I had no comments to back-up the down-voting, so I begged a little //
jberryman 15y ago
I down voted you because 1) I think the way you process driving situations that annoy you is probably to imagine the other driver has ill intentions and to get pissed off, and as a biker in a city I'm tired of dealing with that kind of person 2) your implication that a truck driver making 40k is more than enough "for the lifestyle" isn't your judgement to make. as a person who has heard that line from employers who don't want to pay me fairly, that pisses me off 3) "Lastly, welcome to life". Fuck everything about that.
ahoyhere 15y ago
> If a truck driver (or anyone on the road) gets flipped off, it is usually because they are driving a huge vehicle too aggressively and dangerously Really? How do you know? Have you done a study?

by dpcan 15y ago

VladRussian 15y ago

>people are mean yes, you made it obvious without need to state it explicitly. Driving a fast, maneuverable and small, compare to a truck, car, i have no problem to accommodate for their much slow and less maneuverable dynamic, just pay attention to what they are doing or intend to do - they are pretty good and accurate drivers and signal their maneuvers in advance. It isn't trucks who are menace on the road, it is flipping off jerks in cars.

dpcan 15y ago
> It isn't trucks who are menace on the road, it is flipping off jerks in cars. The article states: - The driver may be "numb". - He is in emotional distress. - He has skipped meals - He has been driving the better half of 14 hours. THIS is my beef. There is NO EXCUSE for putting others in danger on the road, and instead of flipping him off, the state police should have been notified maybe, but to say we should just relax is out of line. I'd argue that NOBODY should be driving under these conditions, let alone a truck driver.
- masterzora 15y ago
  I'd argue that NOBODY should be driving under these conditions, let alone a truck driver. I wish it could be that way, but things look a lot different when you're the driver and missing the load means your family's going to have a hard time eating. If you're going to be complaining, the drivers aren't the people to complain about.
- juiceandjuice 15y ago
  Do something about it. Go to your grocery store and ask them to raise prices so they can treat truck drivers better.
  - dpcan 15y ago
    That's not the solution. The fleet manager should have seen the condition their driver was in and found a way to get another driver out there ASAP.
    - scarmig 15y ago
      So simple!
- illumin8 15y ago
  The fundamental problem is that we have completely inadequate rail infrastructure in the US. Why is it that everything has to go by truck? Trucks are extremely inefficient compared to trains, and are much more likely to be involved in traffic accidents, create congestion on our freeways, and damage our roads requiring tax dollars to repair. Too many trucks and fatigued drivers is a symptom of the greater problem, which is inadequate rail infrastructure.
  - byrneseyeview 15y ago
    Source? The Economist claims that the US has the best freight rail infrastructure in the world: http://www.economist.com/node/16636101 http://www.economist.com/node/16636101 The "fundamental problem" is probably that America is a really big country, and there are lots of livable places in the US that are far from other population centers.

almightygod 15y ago

Your argument falls into "Misleading Vividness" (http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/misleading-vividness.html http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/misleading-vividnes...) The more common case is a driver being angered by the slight inconvenience of slowing down. Which usually is because they are in fact the one driving over the speed limit and therefore driving dangerously according the law.

dpcan 15y ago
Who flips someone off because they had to slow down? This was my point. This article was written by a fleet manager protecting the reputation of his drivers, but I am trying to say that there must be more to the story and usually people get the bird because they have done something dangerous.
- jasonlotito 15y ago
  > Who flips someone off because they had to slow down? Uh... I can't tell if this is a serious question. Do you drive much? I see it happen all the time, and I live in Canada!
  - InclinedPlane 15y ago
    I find the Canada comment odd. I've driven in many states as well as BC and I would rank BC drivers as among the least courteous and most aggressive, even compared to SoCal drivers.
    - jasonlotito 15y ago
      I live in Quebec, and find the drivers bad. However, I don't find them discourteous to the point of slamming on the brakes in front of you, getting out, and starting to talk shit because they cut you off (New York drive in PA). Granted, I'm from Jersey originally, and I pride myself on the fact that by comparison, even Quebec drivers are safe. =) Anyways, my point was, Canadians are generally seen as more mellow, and I still see them getting angry on the road. Granted, this is all just from my experience.

katieben 15y ago

Though I see what you're saying, and ideally he should still drive his very best, he's human, and he's upset, and that matters. You're getting downvoted because you show little empathy. Everyone's story deserves to be heard, including yours, and why you do what you do when you're not at your best. Excellent article.

Goronmon 15y ago

>If his sister died, or he's getting paid peanuts, he still has to drive respectfully and safely to avoid causing any OTHER people on the road to die. Very much this. A few weeks back I had to deal with a truck carrying a portion of a pre-built house, driving 75mph+ with traffic, switching lanes occasionally without using a blinker but mainly staying in the left lane of a two-lane highway. The paved service was minimal on both edges of the highway and there were times when the left tires of the trailer were nearly leaving the paved surface. Even if he had a shitty week, that doesn't make him immune to criticism.

masterzora 15y ago

My father's been a truck driver for nearly as long as I can remember and I can tell you, a lot of what's in this article is generally correct and a lot of it is only correct for some drivers, but none of it is total bullshit. I've known a number of truck drivers and I've seen even more than that. Generally speaking, as a group, they are better drivers and more aware of the road than the average driver on the road. Not all of them are, and some of them do make stupid mistakes or drive dangerously. Sadly, from what I've seen, even the safest ones get flipped off and honked at just because the car driving too closely behind them apparently thinks the truck should be driving faster. The financial information is pretty spot-on. Some truck drivers are making $40K (or even more than that!). The shabbiness of this depends on where they're based, of course, but it can be pretty comfortable. Some drivers make significantly less than $40K. It's a function of mileage and experience, for the most part. I'd say $500/wk is probably lower than average, but it's certainly not unheard of. Especially right now (I hate the phrase "in the current economic climate", but it's kind of relevant right now) loads are getting harder and harder to come by and the further ones tend to be the first that go. The miles just aren't there and this can kill the driver's family's finances. Really, when it comes down to it, if a driver runs you off the road, call the number on the back of the truck (please, have a passenger do it if there's one in the car). But if a truck is just slowing you down a little bit, I know you in particular may know that there's no cause to flip anyone off, but this knowledge seems to be lacking in some people on the road.

InclinedPlane 15y ago
Most people don't drive defensively, courteously, or safely. When they drive around big vehicles their bad habits just amplify the consequences. It's pretty typical for people to drive in a truck's blind spots by either following too close behind or driving where the mirror's don't have much coverage. Also, many drivers don't seem to understand that trucks have different limitations in driving than cars. Typically I try to avoid driving just behind a truck (even in a neighboring lane) and I try to avoid being side by side with a truck for long. In my experience truck drivers are generally better drivers than the average non truck driver, but they certainly aren't perfect as a group.
- 15y ago

URSpider94 15y ago

You're getting down-voted because you are trying to stereotype all truckers as aggressive, dangerous drivers. The author stated at the beginning of the piece that the trucker specifically got flipped off because he was taking too long to pass another truck. You are assuming a totally different case, where a trucker gets flipped off because he has just swerved into your lane. You're right, work is hard, and perhaps truck drivers don't deserve our sympathy. But, I do think that we owe them common courtesy and respect as they conduct their business on our highways.

guelo 15y ago

I only downvoted you for the "why am I being downvoted" karma whoring.

dpcan 15y ago
Sorry, I didn't know that was karma whoring because I never think about it, I was just confused because I was down to -2 with no replies and I wasn't sure what it was people weren't agreeing with. I'm on HN for the conversations, not the points, but points are indicators of the community's opinion of my views, and in this case, I had no comments to back-up the down-voting, so I begged a little //

jberryman 15y ago

I down voted you because 1) I think the way you process driving situations that annoy you is probably to imagine the other driver has ill intentions and to get pissed off, and as a biker in a city I'm tired of dealing with that kind of person 2) your implication that a truck driver making 40k is more than enough "for the lifestyle" isn't your judgement to make. as a person who has heard that line from employers who don't want to pay me fairly, that pisses me off 3) "Lastly, welcome to life". Fuck everything about that.

ahoyhere 15y ago

> If a truck driver (or anyone on the road) gets flipped off, it is usually because they are driving a huge vehicle too aggressively and dangerously Really? How do you know? Have you done a study?