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Ford Pickup n Horse Trailer vs Kenworth W900

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HorseShoer

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Today I was traveling on a Texas interstate I 35 headed south towards Laredo TX when like many time before I up on a git on ramp wher a fancy new ford pickup truck pulling a 24 foot or longer trailer was makin his entry on to the same highway. anyway ther i was mindin my own bussiness at my regular crusing speed of 75 mph :roll: and I met the show rig at the same time ... how ever i couldnt git over to allow him on. cause i had a lil black sports car on my left.... the dude in the fancy truck n horse trailer stomped on it ,, the black smoke rolled and he just wasnt pickin up speed fast enuff.. we meet... i caint git over he's running out of excaleration lane.... so guess what.. he went on the shoulder then the ditch with a cloud of dust, ( nothing was hurt but only his ego)... what do people think when encountering a big truck in a situation like this?? do they just assume we are gonna git over and let them on? Of course the thing ya might be thinkin is.. why dint i just slow down? let him on... well thats not allways the best move, i have done just that, slowed down,,and in most cases the person gittin on slows down also.. then guess what.. yer right back wher ya both started :shock: Its allways been my knowlage that the vehichcle gittin on the freeway has to"merge" with traffice..am i wroung? :???: I kinda felt bad for the guy to have his day ruined like that, i even felt worse for the wild ride his livestock took... so my question is? for you trailer pullers on the highway...do you really think Big Trucks are allways gonna give ya the road? or does anyone really think about it?
Its not just horse trailers im pickin at.. i woulda have to say the oldfarts in the RVs are the worst. Im closing,,, i have to also ask, why is it that truck drivers have to have a CDL license and go thru training, and folks pullin any other trailers dont??

Im keepin score: Kenworth 1-- Ford pickup 0
 
When hubby is trucking, It is my fear of the same thing. Omaha is really bad for cars to call your bluff.. What are they thinking??? All I can say is they must have a death wish...Horseshoer, you have the right away and they are to simply like it says merge with traffic.... You can't be responsible for someone else's bad judgement........
 
You truck drivers want respect on the road but I've seen alot of truck drivers raceing,tailgateing passing people where they should'nt.You could see the truck coming down the off ramp way ahead all you would of had to do was let off the throttle instead you chose to most likely get your ego going.I bet the first thing that came into your mind was (Watch This) I have alot of friends that drive truck for a living.Most are driveing an over powered,over loaded,under braked rig with a NASCAR attitude. I have drove my share of miles hauling and I know I can go 80 miles an hour loaded but it's the stopping that worries me in heavy traffic it's best to slow down and lose the attitude.sounds like you need to control your temper you know you were just as aggresive as the other driver you could have let him in but chose not to.We have lots of loggers here they make the 2 lane roads unsafe while hauling pulp.Most truck drivers can't work with people that's why they are in a truck most are big on ego and short on temper.SLOW DOWN.
 
Speed limit on some of our interstates in Texas is 75 mph Denny. The point he's tryin to make is the fact that most vehicles comin onto the freeway don't stop to think that there may be a small vehicle that they can't see on the other side of the truck, and they just assume the truck will move over. Sometimes they can't, cuz if they do, some innocent driver in the lil compact car will be smushed. Our "git on" ramps in Texas for some stupid reason are short, gettin on you hafta hammer on it to get up to speed so you don't cause a traffic pile up. But at the same time you are the one enterin a flow of traffic, it's your responsibility to merge without reakin havoc with the traffic that's already there, be it a honda civic, or a semi. Big majority of our git on ramps are right on the other side of an over pass. Trucks goin downhill and shouldn't hafta throw on the brakes for someone who enters the traffic flow. If it aint clear to enter, they should wait till it is.
 
the_jersey_lilly_2000 said:
Speed limit on some of our interstates in Texas is 75 mph Denny. The point he's tryin to make is the fact that most vehicles comin onto the freeway don't stop to think that there may be a small vehicle that they can't see on the other side of the truck, and they just assume the truck will move over. Sometimes they can't, cuz if they do, some innocent driver in the lil compact car will be smushed. Our "git on" ramps in Texas for some stupid reason are short, gettin on you hafta hammer on it to get up to speed so you don't cause a traffic pile up. But at the same time you are the one enterin a flow of traffic, it's your responsibility to merge without reakin havoc with the traffic that's already there, be it a honda civic, or a semi. Big majority of our git on ramps are right on the other side of an over pass. Trucks goin downhill and shouldn't hafta throw on the brakes for someone who enters the traffic flow. If it aint clear to enter, they should wait till it is.
Click to expand...


Lilly is there a yield sign or a merge sign where the on ramp joins the hiway? If it is a yeild sign the vehicle coming on has to wait for spot to get on if it is a merge sign they should be up to speed coming on the hiway and traffic should allow them in not run them off the road.
 
I think Denny's point is semis aren't eactly following the same rules that Shoer says the guys pulling the trailer should have followed. I have to agree with that. Illinois speed limit for Semis or trailer hauling trucks or RV's is 55. The average semi will blow by you if you are not going 70-75 (Speed limit for cars and light trucks and vans is 65). They come down the onramps and assume you will get out of the way, the switch lanes and cut you off right in front of you just like cars do.... It is more of a societal thing than a car vs truck thing...

Me being the nice guy that I am I generally watch the on ramps as I am coming up on them and back off the accelerator or lay on it a little harder in order to give the on ramper some space if I can't move over do to a car...
 
I've never seen a git on ramp in Texas that don't have a yield sign. So that means everyone, be it semi, truck, car, or motorcycle, Everyone is supposed to yield gettin on the freeway.
 
Horseshoer I've experienced similar situations in the time I was driving truck. I never did have anybody run off the road because of it though but have had them pull over and stop. You do have the right of way and they have the ditch and if they are smart they'll use it.

You're right also about turning on your signal and slowing down to change lanes. Sometimes that car will see the situation developing and slow up right along with you and you're still boxed in.

For myself when I saw one of these situations developing I would slow up anyway because I figured it was better to have a wreck at a low speed than a high one. I was always watching for that situation to develope to. The Texas on ramps are different than anywhere else and I never did get plumb used to them. I don't think people pay enough attention when they are on an on ramp and checking on coming traffic to see if they can make it. They get used to having people get out of there way and it surprises then and makes them mad when someone doesn't or can't.

I was listening to another driver on the cb one day tell about one of his experiances. He said he was in a similar situation to what you described.
There was a woman in a car on the on ramp and he didn't think she could see the car alongside of his truck. She ended up in the ditch. He said when he looked in his mirror he saw her go off the highway and the dirt and grass were really flying when she was sliding through the ditch. He said she got her car straightened out and back on the highway. Said he saw her coming up behind him like a bat out of hell and when she got up beside him she slowed down and gave him the finger three times just to let him know what she thought of him.
 
Denny I use to agree with you UNTIL I road with shoer.....I saw first hand the stupid things 4 wheels make.
I bet the first thing that came into your mind was (Watch This) I have alot of friends that drive truck for a living.Most are driveing an over powered,over loaded,under braked rig with a NASCAR attitude.
Click to expand...
Sorry I KNOW that was not the first thought...his first thought was "damn" then thought about the horses and if there were any kids in the truck,
You said the trucks are over powered? That is to haul the 80,000 pounds of frieght. Over loaded? They would NEVER get past the first weigh station. Have you ever really saw the weigh stations? I never did till I had to pull into one, now I see them all the time. Under braked? hmmm 80,000# doing 55 takes HOW long to stop?
You say rigs need to slow down. How about when everyone gets a DL they have to ride along with a truck for 3 days? Then they will see you can "Just slow down" to let cars on the highway. Causes back ups and you might get hit from the rear by a car. They will see when you get on the highway you have to hit the GAS peddle...........speed UP that is why it is called the acceleration lane.
You want a truck to slow down.......Here is one where the truck DID.
north bound highway look over on south bound highway Big truck in the median LONGGGGGGGGGG tire tracks in grass and a small area of brake tracks on road. Sitting in the middle of the road was a person ( ok sitting is NOT the right word) What happened? SUV side swipped civic and drivers door flew open driver fell out. Hmmm No seat belt , SUV & car speeding. SUV lost control and WHOM does everyone BLAME? the truck driver ......That truck driver saw that woman fall out of her car onto the road and did everything in his power NOT to run over her...he never touched her. Now he has to live with that vision and know his wife saw it as well for the rest of his life. Think about seeing 2 kids crying for their mother who they will never see again.

You said truckers cant work with people LOL your soooooooo funny on that one :roll: OK lets see how many people they have to deal with......DM's give them thier loads. Saftey dept to make sure they do speed limit knowing the dms gave them a load that takes 6 hours to drive and they have 4 hours to get there. How many other drivers on the road? Other truckers on the cd...uggggg. They get to the receiver and have to check in with a guard. Then have to take the paper work to the clerk who 9 times out of 10 wont even make eye contact cuz they are only the "trucker" Then they have a set amount they can pay for someone to unload the trailer....well the "lumper" wants more so they have to dicker with them or unload themselves. Now sometimes you have to deal with the warehouse mgr. Now on to the shipper....guard check in~ go sit turn cb on channel--- NO you cant use bathroom, who cares you have been on the road finding this place with BAD directions. You can wait another 6 hours till you can leave and HOPEFULLY find a spot at the almost NONEXCISTANT truck stop. Now you have to deal with the clerk at the shippers then the warehouse workers. After you have sat for 6 hours when you should have only been there for 2 you have to make up time so your load is NOT late.
How is that not being able to work with others? You are treated like a nonperson and expected to be superman at the same time.
90% of truckers are family men who go weeks without seeing thier kids or wife. They miss out on the milestones of a family. They can only give hugs over the phone. The only food they eat most times is convience store food.....try it :? They want the best for thier familys and know there is no other job they can get paid what they do driving. How about you give THEM a brake ....move over to let them on the highway, let them over so THEY can let another car on the the highway. DONT ride in thier BLIND spot. If they have a turn signal on LET THEM OVER. Do NOT pass then get in front and SLAM on your brakes.
All of us are in CONTROL of our own vehicles and should be on the look out for trouble. If we work together everyone gets to lay thier head down on thier pillow that night.[/b]
 
OH goody, another us vs. them kinda thread :roll: Bottom line,EVERYONE needs to start watching what the heck they are doing on the Hwy,s and Biways.All I can say thank-goodness that guy and his animals made it out ok.And Shoer.
 
That's for sure, (good that everything turned out okay.)

I think some of these rude truck drivers are the young bucks that haven't been driving long.
That seems to be who is involved in semi-accidents around here anyway.
We don't have the heavy traffic or the roads that other states do. Although
the interstates are busy, it still isn't like where it is more populated.

One thing Denny touched on, that he is 100% correct on, is the pickups pulling these trailers are made to go fast, but they can't stop very well. We have an exhaust brake on our 1-ton because we do haul heavy loads and Mr. FH is a stickler on good braking. This is the second pickup we have had with an exhaust brake. But they don't come on them,
they have to be added.

He is also a real stickler about giving a semi the right-of-way.
It is fustrating to watch how some people drive in cars. I think they
just don't understand how long it takes a semi to stop.

Most semi drivers are real heroes. They've done a world of good. I'm
not sure these young ones coming up are of the same caliber. I hope I'm
wrong.

FWIW.
 
I like the theory that simis have "air brakes"so can stop faster than a car can :lol: Makes as much sense as "the designated driver drinks less,they don't have to be sober!!
 
Denny-

Your clueless! overpowerd? I got a 550 CAT motor, im not underpowerd by any means but I caint drag race pullin 80,000, Im not under braked, my truck goes thru periodic inspections to make sure my equipment is in good workin order, and im definitley NOT overweight the ports of entry or scales at the border of most states makes dang sure my weight aint changed since the last state that wieghd me.. I wasnt speeding I can do the speed limit same as anyone else can, rather it be 75 or 65 in most states...or unless in ILL, CA, OR, or OH its 55.. yer right, most trucks dont do 55 in Illinios, but even the Highway patrol will agree its a stupid law to have differnt speeds for cars than trucks.......So ya tell me to slow down? trust me the guy in the ford can slow down easyer than i can.. he can fall in BEHIND my truck a heck of alot easyer than speed up to pass me... i mean heck.. is it soooo bad being "behind" the big truck???.. it aint like im going to slow for ya.. ya just told me to slow down,, so i must be going fast enuff..
And NO my first thot wasnt.. "watch this" my first thot was.." please make a wise choice" then it my thot was "oh god this is gonna hurt",
then my next thot was.." The livestock in that trailer is prolly smarter than the guy draggen em"

This aint the first time something like this happens at sure wont be the last, i was just curios what other folks think.

When this happens to you.. and you end up in the dirt.. when ketch back up to me..wave.. but please use all 5 fingers when ya do :lol:
 
This has turned into a "mine's bigger than yours ' thread.


Bottom line...everyone slow down.
 
All I'm gong to say is that I've seen alot of kindness from truckers than rudness from them..... What is it? Truckers never die, they just get new peterbuilts. :wink:
 
I don't know where to start. First there are idiots driving every kind of vehicle in this world. I would rather do something I didn't have to and save a wreck than be right and have a wreck. For some reason being right and having a wreck would kinda suck. The guy was wrong in trying to pass a truck like that but it would be a little easier to slow down and save a wreck..................let's say you saved ten seconds. Kinda small compared to a wrecked Kenworth. But you were the one there and it was your call................and you live with the byproducts of your actions, just as the guy with the trailer had to live with his. I'll bet he is rethinking his actions. But let's say this...........if you had slowed down, you probably would not have even posted about this guy making you slow down.
And don't jump on me as I do drive a truck when needed. I tend to think most long haul truckers are better than locals. I know I will get it for this but what burns me is cattle haulers who have to open their trap door and clean the trailer all over the highway.
Tourists as a general rule are the worst.
 
I've hauled a 24 foot tri axle stock trailer in Texas behind a 1 ton... those on ramps are the most dangerous bit of "engineering" ever built. They have a sharp corner off the side road and a very short speed lane. It is almost impossible to enter with any kind of trailer.

That being said, semis (yes I drive one too) usually will give some room, if they can. The ones that fly at 75 mph loaded are going too fast. I never saw the likes of the boys running way down South at sea level...they did like the extra power, and they rarely backed off.

Backing off a bit and giving the air horn after the guy got on the freeway would have been the more decent thing to do. I'd say both were somewhat at fault on this one.
 
This is a very interesting thread...Being on both ends...we have our own Semi that we haul cattle and feed...plus a 1ton pickup that we haul everything from horsetrailers to flatbeds full of stuff...so needless to say I've ridden in both situations. Out here in the wideopen spaces of Nebraska, we don't run into to many "hairy" situations, but there have been times that folks in the RV's or pulling large camper trailers, have caused more concern for us than anything. I agree that they should have some kind of instruction and lisence to be able to drive them. I don't want to single out the "older crowd" but they seem to be the ones that does the most driving, and the most not looking where they're going or the situation they are in...Pulling horse trailers in this country is second nature, but Semi trucks always have the respect and the room they need, no matter if they are in the wrong..or in the right! Glad that you're alright shoer...bet it added a grey hair or two! That's just my 3 cents worth.. :)
 
Old Burma Shave ad:

He was right, dead right
as he sped along
but he's just as dead
as if he'd been wrong.

Burma Shave



When studying business law more years asgo than I care to remember,
we studied torts a bit. One thing that stuck with me:

The last person who has a clear opportunity to avoid an accident is ultimately responsible!!

I don't tailgate. If someone wants in front of me, that's OK. If someone else want in, that's OK, too. If someone is conimg on an entrance ramp, I will speed up or slow down to let them on.

I would hate to go to my grave thinking that I had been in a fatal accident which I could have clearly avoided. Probably going to have a toughtime with St. Peter without it.
 

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