Traffic! I just don't get it?

[Dean10]

So I'm driving on the 605 fwy this afternoon and the 105 is merging in just before the 5. What a custerfluk! I'm in the slow lane and traffic is merging in on me. I'm backing off and letting 3 cars in in front of me and this jerk in a little silver honda wants in too. He is next to me but not out in front of me. The front of his car is at about my back door, his lane is running out, he moves up on me some as the other cars in front of me are merging in. I swear I don't know how we didn't hit. He is now in the emergency lane and still trying to get far enough in front to move over. He is still at my door and not yet in front. He doesn't back off, I'm in a company truck, I back off and let him in and he gestured out his window with a pumping fist like he won something! I immediately move to his right as another lane opens because I need to get off the fwy and I tell him if he thinks endangering people on the fwy is a victory he's crazy. He gestures to me something about yah, yah, go have another beer. We get off the fwy together and I am in front of him for about 5 mi. before he goes another direction.
What did he accomplish?! No wonder the fwys are all flocked up. Headed to Havi tonight, I don't mind traffic but I hate greedy ashwipes who want all of the road to prove a point.

[Baja Big Dog]

So I'm driving on the 605 fwy this afternoon and the 105 is merging in just before the 5. What a custerfluk! I'm in the slow lane and traffic is merging in on me. I'm backing off and letting 3 cars in in front of me and this jerk in a little silver honda wants in too. He is next to me but not out in front of me. The front of his car is at about my back door, his lane is running out, he moves up on me some as the other cars in front of me are merging in. I swear I don't know how we didn't hit. He is now in the emergency lane and still trying to get far enough in front to move over. He is still at my door and not yet in front. He doesn't back off, I'm in a company truck, I back off and let him in and he gestured out his window with a pumping fist like he won something! I immediately move to his right as another lane opens because I need to get off the fwy and I tell him if he thinks endangering people on the fwy is a victory he's crazy. He gestures to me something about yah, yah, go have another beer. We get off the fwy together and I am in front of him for about 5 mi. before he goes another direction.
What did he accomplish?! No wonder the fwys are all flocked up. Headed to Havi tonight, I don't mind traffic but I hate greedy ashwipes who want all of the road to prove a point.
Man..that sucks. I would call all your friends and relatives and talk them all into moving out of this focked up traffic nightmare..

[HighRoller]

Welcome to my world for the past 8 years. If we sat down to have a beer and talk about all the crazy, stupid, moronic and idiotic things I've seen we'd soon be halfway into a case before I even finished tales from the L.A. Area. Then there's Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas. Ughh...Dallas. People there are Fockin crazy. Most of them drive 90's Camaros or hicked out GM trucks with way too many decorations and way too little power. But they still drive 9-0 all the time.
What makes it really fun is that in a big truck your head is about 9 or 10 feet above the ground. You can see what's happening in front for a long way which makes it easy to cock block the idiots and prevent them from doing stupid shyt when it hits the fan. Human nature is a predictable factor, and I'm not bragging when I say I know what a person is going to before they do 90% of the time. I'm not a mind reader, but when you see a traffic situation developing and see car movement and body language, you know what's coming next. I guess that's part of the reason I've been able to avoid the big restrictor plate wrecks on the interstates.
Now I'm sneaking up on a million miles and I hope some prick doesn't ruin my clean record before then. After I hit a million and the pressure's off I'm gonna brake check the hell out of the first tailgater in an expensive car and destroy his front end...Then I'll get out of the truck, calmly walk back to his decimated rig and look annoyed...
"Hey! You scratched my bumper!!!":D :D

[RitcheyRch]

I hate traffic as well. I dont think we ever get used to it. Have commuted my entire career.
At one point commuted to Long Beach from the SFV for 15 focking years. And when that job ran out I started working in Ontario which was about 75 miles each way. The only way was able to deal with that commute was convince my boss to let me work 3AM to 1:30 PM to avoid traffic and keep me from blowing my brains out.
When that job was done started commuting to El Segundo which was by far the worst commute of all time. Having to deal with idiots on the 405 is the worst ever. There were times it took me 3 hours to go the 50 miles to get home.
In all this commuting you see a lot of weird and unusual stuff to say the least.
Rant over, back to your reguular scheduled posting.

[talkinghead]

Welcome to my world for the past 8 years. If we sat down to have a beer and talk about all the crazy, stupid, moronic and idiotic things I've seen we'd soon be halfway into a case before I even finished tales from the L.A. Area. Then there's Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas. Ughh...Dallas. People there are Fockin crazy. Most of them drive 90's Camaros or hicked out GM trucks with way too many decorations and way too little power. But they still drive 9-0 all the time.
What makes it really fun is that in a big truck your head is about 9 or 10 feet above the ground. You can see what's happening in front for a long way which makes it easy to cock block the idiots and prevent them from doing stupid shyt when it hits the fan. Human nature is a predictable factor, and I'm not bragging when I say I know what a person is going to before they do 90% of the time. I'm not a mind reader, but when you see a traffic situation developing and see car movement and body language, you know what's coming next. I guess that's part of the reason I've been able to avoid the big restrictor plate wrecks on the interstates.
Now I'm sneaking up on a million miles and I hope some prick doesn't ruin my clean record before then. After I hit a million and the pressure's off I'm gonna brake check the hell out of the first tailgater in an expensive car and destroy his front end...Then I'll get out of the truck, calmly walk back to his decimated rig and look annoyed...
"Hey! You scratched my bumper!!!":D :D
And in the process of making that judgment you might kill or injure someone, who may or may have not have actually tailgated you. There may be children in the car who have NO control over the driver - use your head, think!
Typical truck driver mentality IMO, which also reflects the lack of law enforcement on truckers.
There are many aggressive/dangerous/angry truck drivers on the road, theres basically nothing that can be done about it except that I recognize them as predators and potential killers and stay away from them as much as I can.
Sounds like your well on your way to becoming one of them if your not already - hopefully not though.

[77charger]

And in the process of making that judgment you might kill or injure someone, who may or may have not have actually tailgated you. There may be children in the car who have NO control over the driver - use your head, think!
Typical truck driver mentality IMO, which also reflects the lack of law enforcement on truckers.
There are many aggressive/dangerous/angry truck drivers on the road, theres basically nothing that can be done about it except that I recognize them as predators and potential killers and stay away from them as much as I can.
Sounds like your well on your way to becoming one of them if your not already - hopefully not though.
I think high roller is referring to stupid drivers in general and yes they are out there i see them everyday.And i dont bleam him for his "trucker rage"Its the drivers of the other car who should think they are the ones with kids doing stupid stuff and endangering themselves.
I drive a flatbed truck everyday in so cal about 20ft long total i do get the dumb ones who think they can drive all the way to the front then quickly cut in front of you and yes i do look in the mirror so i can block them from going in front of me and proud of it too same goes for the lil rice racer cars who make quick lane changes racing their lil fart buddy.Big rigs i will let them in as well as people towing a trailer cause they try to merge early but people wont let them in.
As for most big rigs alot of them are safe its the small cars that cut right in front of them or cut them off or hit the brakes thinking they can stop as well as their little car canWll they dont and that is the problem.I drive about 60k a year on work truck and another 40k on my own personal truck so i do see alot of this happen and worst of it is here in so cal get out of town and there is not a problem i never have a trucker on my bumper if i am going slow they go around safely just got back from powell and saw alot of them doing 70 easily without problems and in other states its a legal speed.

['75 Miller]

And in the process of making that judgment you might kill or injure someone, who may or may have not have actually tailgated you. There may be children in the car who have NO control over the driver - use your head, think!
Typical truck driver mentality IMO, which also reflects the lack of law enforcement on truckers.
There are many aggressive/dangerous/angry truck drivers on the road, theres basically nothing that can be done about it except that I recognize them as predators and potential killers and stay away from them as much as I can.
Sounds like your well on your way to becoming one of them if your not already - hopefully not though.
Law enforcement on truckers? I'm not a trucker, just a driver like most folks on here. I wish there was more truckers, less cars personally. Truck drivers, in my experience, are the most attentive and courteous drivers on the road. The problem is that once the average jerk-off gets in their car they think only of themselves (if at all). They'll think nothing of cutting across 4 lanes of traffic, cell phone plastered to their head, to make the offramp they should've merged over for 1/2 mile back. Safely enclosed in their own steel & glass world doing crap they'd never do in the line at the grocery store or in line at Mcdonalds.

[fatboy95]

It's called the PIT maneuver, you've seen cops do it. Little light Hondas and small trucks respond very well to it. They will never screw with you again or anyone else once they get a taste of it.:) :)

[IMPATIENT 1]

TRAFFIC???? whats that?:D i luv okla.;)

[Boatcop]

TRAFFIC???? whats that?:D
It's the Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.

[talkinghead]

Talkinghead, you are a fu(king moron. It's a*holes like you that don't take responsibility for their own actions that get most people in 4 wheelers killed when involved in accidents with big trucks.
The statistics are so skewed against truck drivers that it isn't even funny anymore. When some jack-off, as yourself, cuts into a big trucks stopping distance and gets hit from behind it usually gets blamed on the truckdriver for following too close even though it was the as*hole that put him OR herself in harms way. The driver has no control over basic principals of physics-> I.E., the amount of distance it takes to stop a given number of moving tons of steel.
The only thing that you so stated that shows you possess even half a brain is ->
"stay away from them as much as I can."
The rest of your idiotic post is bullsh*t.
I'll give you some free advice and I personally don't give a rat's ass if you take it or not... Stay the hell away from bigtrucks....
Now from my perspective... if you or any other self-centered idiot cuts in front of me and in so doing creates a situation whereas I am forced to "lock- it-down, I will not put it into the side of the hiway or the ditch. The reason being is that if I bend that tractor and trailer and the trailer comes down on me then who in the sam hell is going to look after my family when I'm not around? Surely not you cuz you'll be going on your marry way and not giving a damn. I promise you that you'll NOT be driving away from any accident with me that you've caused. If you have 19 kids in the car then I just guess you'll have to live with the consequences of your actions.
If I sound like a hardcore truckdriver then so be it as it's as*holes like you that have made me this way.
As for Highroller being a preditor or whatever, HE and 77Charger are basically virgins with great attitudes. a million accident free miles is something to be proud of considering all of the self-centered idiots->such as yourself- on the roads today. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 2.9->3.1 million miles in 29 years of putting up with idiots and one accident. Some assclown->such as yourself- crossed over the center mediun on I-40 in New Mexico and ran underneith my tractor/trailer at about 3am one morning. He walked away from it only because I was paying attention. That was when I gave a fu(k. Next time you cut in front of a bigtruck it could be me......be scared assclown!
Rio
Riodog: Your response assumes things you have no idea about, is illogical and emotional. Get a grip.
Just about everybody is a tough guy in a "BIG RIG".

['75 Miller]

Riodog: Your response assumes things you have no idea about, is illogical and emotional. Get a grip.
Just about everybody is a tough guy in a "BIG RIG".
I think the problem might be your driving tactics, sir. In my 19+ years as a driver I've never once had a problem with truckers. Those guys (and ladies) are the professionals of the road, we're simply amateurs. Perhaps it's time to examine your own driving.

[HokeySon]

I think the problem might be your driving tactics, sir. In my 19+ years as a driver I've never once had a problem with truckers. Those guys (and ladies) are the professionals of the road, we're simply amateurs. Perhaps it's time to examine your own driving.
I was taught the same thing- Be extra curtious to the trucks. I still am to the interstate guys and the box rigs. But after driving the 710 in my little car for years, the guys hauling containers from the port to the RR depot do not get the benefit of the doubt from me anymore. I get out of the right lanes in a hurry and stay away from them. Those guys are killers.

[talkinghead]

Professionals? I have been driving for way more than 19 years, I have no accidents or tickets and consider myself to be a courteous and considerate driver.
To basically state that all truckers are "professionals' is simply not true, at least according to my definition of what a professional is. And yes, there are "professional" truck drivers - the ones who obey the law, who are patient safe drivers (most of the time - nobody is perfect).
I regularly witness so-called "professional" truckers breaking the law - which in general has a greater potential consequence than say a car driver breaking the law (in general). A truck is a vehicle capable of mass destruction/death.
The trucker who made the original comments basically said he was just waiting for the right set of circumstances (over a million miles, the right car in the right position) to hopefully damage and very likely injure or kill the person in the car.
That's basically what a mountain lion does - it waits for the right prey at the right time and then attacks - an ambush predator.

[jbtrailerjim]

I was taught the same thing- But after driving the 710 in my little car for years, the guys hauling containers from the port to the RR depot do not get the benefit of the doubt from me anymore. I get out of the right lanes in a hurry and stay away from them. Those guys are killers.
You're doing the right thing by staying away from those trucks. Some of those trucks are unlicensed no insurance carring mofo's and they're in a hurry. I can't blame them for being in a hurry though. They get paid around $150 to run from the port to the I.E. and that ain't shit!
In defense of High Roller and Rio, I see their point. I witness a lot not very courteous drivers when it come to big rigs. People have no clue how hard it is to stop 80,000lbs when some dimb f*ck cuts in front of them. I do look forward though when some dumb ass drives under there axles. It just means $$$$ to me when they roll into my shop with a axle torn out from underneath their trailer. ;)

[Ultrafied]

Then why don't you educate us, come on don't keep it such a secrete. I assume every driver that I encounter on the road is exactly like you. I compensate for idiots all day long. I see dead bodies along the worst stretch of hiway in California or the average of every other night during the vacation months. 99% of it is just stupidity. While I don't have to defend myself to you I'm not tough in a bigrig and I'm not out to fu(k with anyone EVER. I only tell you wait will be the outcome if you fu(k up. Period. I can only tell you what I WILL do and I'd suggest you believe it.As so stated. I will Not put one in the ditch to avoid hitting you from behind if you choose to obstruct my stopping distance. I will not 'swerve' to avoid hitting you if you choose to obstruct my stopping distance as the people next to me have no dog in this fight. If you fu(k up with your whole family on board that is YOUR responsibility and problem. I don't have accidents and I don't get tickets, don't do drugs, don't bother with a logbook anylonger and I honestly do not give a damn if you are in such a hurry that you fu(k up and don't make it home tonight. The only law that I consistently violate is Alans noice law but he ain't got me yet so it don't count. Every move I make is recorded so do what you wanna, I just don't care.
Rio
Wow, get a grip! Professionals? Get out in Mira Loma at 6:30 and see all the "professionals". I have lived long enough. You don't want to "swerve to avoid hitting me", hope you have real good insurance, because as usual, my wife will have the last laugh. It is your responsibility to avoid an accident, if not, well then let the lawyers decide. Me, I could care less. Truckers are a soar spot with me the last 6 years. Courteous? Get on the 60 and see how courteous. Sure I may lose, but like you said, "I just don't care".

[Ultrafied]

Stay off the 15 if you're gonna drive with your head up your as* and we'll never meet.
I drive it all the time. Hope to see you there. Red Tahoe.
Sorry for the rant but idiots piss me off cuz they're idiots.
The feeling is quite mutual.

[Schiada76]

It's the Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.
Rebop Kwaku Baah

[NvrL84Fun]

Wow, get a grip! Professionals? Get out in Mira Loma at 6:30 and see all the "professionals". I have lived long enough. You don't want to "swerve to avoid hitting me", hope you have real good insurance, because as usual, my wife will have the last laugh. It is your responsibility to avoid an accident, if not, well then let the lawyers decide. Me, I could care less. Truckers are a soar spot with me the last 6 years. Courteous? Get on the 60 and see how courteous. Sure I may lose, but like you said, "I just don't care".
LOL! Nice. Are we supposed to be afraid of your wife? This is a threat?!?

[socalmoney]

Wow, look at the size of all these posts. People really have something to say about traffic. I hate it also. Everything that has advanced our lifespan is taken up by traffic.

[Ziggy]

The pushy drivers just need to leave 10-15 minutes earlier so they don't have to be such assholes trying to rush to their destination. It's that simple.
There is so little patience and/or common sense left on the busy freeways.
I expect traffic when going to certain areas and add drive time to compensate.;)

[brianthomas]

Then why don't you educate us, come on don't keep it such a secrete. I assume every driver that I encounter on the road is exactly like you. I compensate for idiots all day long. I see dead bodies along the worst stretch of hiway in California or the average of every other night during the vacation months. 99% of it is just stupidity. While I don't have to defend myself to you I'm not tough in a bigrig and I'm not out to fu(k with anyone EVER. I only tell you wait will be the outcome if you fu(k up. Period. I can only tell you what I WILL do and I'd suggest you believe it.As so stated. I will Not put one in the ditch to avoid hitting you from behind if you choose to obstruct my stopping distance. I will not 'swerve' to avoid hitting you if you choose to obstruct my stopping distance as the people next to me have no dog in this fight. If you fu(k up with your whole family on board that is YOUR responsibility and problem. I don't have accidents and I don't get tickets, don't do drugs, don't bother with a logbook anylonger and I honestly do not give a damn if you are in such a hurry that you fu(k up and don't make it home tonight. The only law that I consistently violate is Alans noice law but he ain't got me yet so it don't count. Every move I make is recorded so do what you wanna, I just don't care.
Rio
Please, please, please find a new job,,,,,,yesterday. Sometimes people make mistakes, even the best of drivers.

[Froggystyle]

To basically state that all truckers are "professionals' is simply not true, at least according to my definition of what a professional is.
Well, here is Miriam Webster's definition...
a: participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer>
b : having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier>
c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>

[Dean10]

I think I get it now! Everybody thinks that the way they drive is the right way! Well let me tell you something, everybody makes mistakes. Sometimes fatal ones. But when somebody makes a move to deliberately screw you and better their own position regardless of the conequences then they are the ashole. Blinkers, hand signals (the nice ones), brake lights, flashers etc. are all indicators of your next move and/or a request to make a move. Ask and you will be surprised how many good drivers will oblige.
A few simple clues:
If the car in front of you makes a green, you too should make that green or your just too far back and hindering traffic.
If someone is desperately trying to get over they may have car trouble, are lost, or will continue to get over out of your way because they are probably trying to get off soon. Let 'em over, they're getting off!
When I'm at A red light, I'm waiting for one thing. A GREEN ONE! GO ALREADY!
Big rigs have the right of way, even when they don't! At five miles an hour they can ruin anything you can put in their way. Why chance it. Besides, they are carrying everything that makes our life go around. Clothes, food, auto parts, boat parts, BEER, furniture, mail, WHATEVER. LET 'EM THROUGH.
Use your blinkers and allow others to make a move. Don't leave anybody guessing what your next move is going to be.
Get a hands free phone set. It will soon be the law anyways.
And, invest in cordless accessories (bluetooth, etc.) because everyone with a cell phone will have to buy it starting next year.
That's why I'm the best driver.

[talkinghead]

I will not 'swerve' to avoid hitting you if you choose to obstruct my stopping distance as the people next to me have no dog in this fight. If you fu(k up with your whole family on board that is YOUR responsibility and problem.'
What part of "it's not my responsibility to injure myself or any other innocent driver on the road due to YOUR fu(kup" do you NOT uderstand? I don't make those kind of mistakes on the road as my driving record will reflect and I expect the same from you. What? You think you're special and can damn well do what you like? You're trying to tell everyone that YOU have no responsibility for your own safety? Maybe you think everyone else has the 'chore" of looking out for you? Are you stoooppiidd? YOU, sir, are sounding like a POS democrat that needs someone else to take care of them as they are too stupid and lazy to take care of themselves.
I really don't give a rat's ass if you you have a sore spot for 6 years cuz drivers with their heads up their ass like you have given me a sore spot for about 30 years. You are correct about one thing, you have probably lived too long and your wife could probably do better in the next 'go-round'. Don't worry bout my insurance cuz with idiots as yourself out there it's YOUR insurance that matters.
AS for professional drivers in Mira Loma, there might be a few but you choose to hang out with a bunch of clowns that bought their licenses in TJ and drive the crap they do then when you get run over by an assclown with no insurance maybe you'll find A. you shouldn't be cruising the trucklots of Mira Loma trying to pick up a tender young boy, AND maybe you shouldn't have been supporting NAFTA all this time.:D
It's just like the quality of drivers towing boats up and down the road. We have boat pullers that take their responsibility seriously and we have the beginners, unexperienced, and the ones that think that by running 90 mph, in the wrong lane, without working trailer lights, bald tires, wheel bearings smoken, don't think twice about not using turn indicators, cutting in and out of traffic, and the most important thing in the world is to get where ever so they can slug down the next cocktail, (if they haven't already started). There are garbage drivers every where and I wouldn't insult anyone's intelligence by trying to convince anyone there isn't. We have more roadtrash pushing bigrigs down the road here in Crapifornia now than ever before. Guess what? YOU put them there.
Think about this, every time one of your assinine politicians comes up with a new plan to 'make the roads safer" it's idiots that don't want to take responsibility for their own actions that are all over this like stink on sh*t. People like you vote this crap in when in reality all it does is slow down the progress and put more trucks on the road. Next month, our estemed courts have decreed we go back to driving shorter hours. What it does is cuts 1 hour of driving off of my day. That 1 hour means that I won't be able to legally finish my run and have to 'layover'. That means since there are about 50 drivers that run my run per day that we've got 50 trucks still out of the yard, in motels, truckstops, rest areas, etc., that are not able to return in time to make their run for the next day. That in turn means that the company has to buy 50 more trucks, trailers, and hire 50 more drivers to cover the business demands. Ya following me still?
That means that YOU the consumer are going to pay for 50 more units, (tractor and trailer), license fee's($3000, per yr) insurance(3000.+ per yr), plus all of the associated costs for those new drivers that are on the road. (drivers with 7 years or less experience are involved in over 75% of the accidents).
Ultra, I'm pretty sure that you are not capable of following along so I'll cut the lecture short. The bottom line is that when As*holes like yourself screw up and hinder in any way, shape or form the big trucks......You and the rest of the population are the ones that pay for it. Think not? When we have to have Jim repair our trailers cause you fu(ked up, he probably charges us about $100 bucks an hour labor. Who do you think is gonna pay the bill? Think about it when you buy that next head of lettuce cuz that increases your cost more so than hiring legal lettuce pickers and paying them a decent wage.
Oh yeah, I haul for one of our larger grocery companies to Vegas and back everyday when I feel like working and I've got the seniority that I can basically work when I feel like it. Anymore I'm burned out after about Tuesday and take the rest of the week off. Stay off the 15 if you're gonna drive with your head up your as* and we'll never meet. Probably be better for you but just in case you wanna get stupid, what's your wife look like cuz we always need a few more good lookin widows for entertainment purposes at the river.
Sorry for the rant but idiots piss me off cuz they're idiots.
Rio
Riodog - Then you must piss yourself off a lot.

['75 Miller]

Mr. Talkinghead I'd love to hear what your REAL beef is. Did you come home early to find a trucker pounding your wife or what?
Truckers usually stay to the right, signal well in advance of turns/lane changes, and slow to let in those who drive with respect. Exactly how is it that large, heavy, cumbersome bigrigs are the problem in your mind?
On the other hand, people in passenger vehicles are all over the road, seldom signal, and change for no reason other than to be one car-length closer to their destination. Oh, and let's not forget the asswipes that purposely seek out lanes that end so they can rush ahead and gain another precious car-length.
Explain your reasoning, if you will, as the reasons you've stated thus far just don't add up.