Call it in!

Ah it's Sunday night, the 18th of Oct, 2009 and it's cold here in MI. Winter is on our doorstep. PA and CT and maybe even some of the other New England states, a neighbor told me, got snow, lots of snow. Brrrr!

Speaking of snow, wind and ice hitting us overnight without warning, it reminds me of how it feels to be side swiped by a four wheeler. One minute you're running smoothly down the turnpike, the next minute your truck is laying on it's side, smoke billowing into the air and your head spinning so fast from what just happened you cannot focus your eyes. You're in a fog of questions, what just happened?

A four wheeler who thinks he owns the road, who cares not how much larger a tractor trailer is than his little coup, believes he (or she) can zip in and out of lanes like the highway was put there for playing tag with the other vehicles or to show off just how great their driving skills are. What a crock! If I were a cop I'd have myself a field day with those drivers! Not one would get past me without a hefty ticket and hour long reprimand. But that's just me.

As a trucker you face idiot drivers every day. Something you never get accustomed to but because it's your job, you grit your teeth, say 10 hail Marys or the Lord's prayer 10 times before you turn the key in your ignition. You know you'll be faced, at least once on any given day, with a road hog idiot. It's one of the unpleasant and quite frankly dangers of the job you do. But what about trucker road rage? There are times you may be facing a truck driver who is mad as hell and he's rolling down the big road behind the wheel. Now that could turn out to not be a pleasant situation!

I once was behind two trucks, one in each lane, side by side. It was January here in MI and the roads were not in good shape. At first I didn't think much of the two trucks as I was under the assumption that the one in the fast lane was simply passing the other truck.

Then I noticed the truck in the fast lane came over the line like he was going to sideswipe the other driver's truck. Or could it be the guy was asleep at the wheel at 3:30 in the afternoon? I slowed down to put myself at least 10 car lengths behind them so as not to be in the path of metal and glass that could fly back in my path if the two road warriers collided.

Another minute went by and the trucker in the slow lane moves over the line toward the guy in the other lane. Ut oh, I'm thinking what is going on? Surely not both drivers are asleep! This happened back and forth five to six more times.
I decided to turn my CB to channel 19. Good thing I did. I could stop guessing what the problem could be. The two swerving drivers ahead of me were cursing each other out like a red headed stepmother scolding step kids who just tied her in a chair and were pulling her hair out in clumps! The drivers continued their tirade at each other and for at least 2 or 3 miles would act as though they were trying to run each other off the road. Luckily there were no other vehicles in sight, except for me, far, far behind them, or there surely would have been a problem of the super nova kind. I was in a quandry of what to do, if anything I could do, about this unhappy event. It seemd to me that clearly road rage was about to claim more victims.
I grabbed the mike and asked the drivers could they please pay attention to the road and lighten up a little. If not then take their fight elsewhere but just get off the road before somebody gets hurt.

Well, THAT was not taken very well! I was told to shut my yap and that I should get off at the next exit.  I decide I would take their advice. I got close enough to get both driver's plates and company names and took the next exit. I called 911 and each driver's company. I don't know the outcome but I'm betting those two drivers were soon pulled over and relieved of their driving duty for at least that day.

I hate to rat somebody out but that was a dangerous situation. Those drivers were not only endangering their lives but possibly others could have gotten hurt or worse, dead. There's not a better way to end your career than having an accident that, even if not your fault, harms another human being. And the guilt one lives with never goes away. I may have saved those truckers from doing something that would have changed their lives forever.

Conclusion:
Don't hesitate to call in four wheelers or truckers when you witness obvious problems. You could end up saving someone's career, prison time or life. You're not a rat for doing so and you will accomplish your good deed for the day.

I must say 99% of truckers are good folk. Most put safety first unlike a large percentile of four wheelers. So I'm not at all pointing a finger at our truck drivers but there are a handful that get hot headed now and again and are just an accident away from a diaster.

Buckle up drivers and pull out your winter gear. Winter is starting early, yet again, for most of the country and you'll have to keep your wit's sharp and mind clear, get enough rest and be ready for anything!

Marge @ Large
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