OP
sandman2234
Super Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
- Messages
- 6,008
- Location
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Tractor
- JD2555 and a few Allis Chalmers and now one Kubota
Well, as I was reading this post, I realized a couple of things. (One: I had forgotten that I started this, two: things have gotten worse.)
I have had two accidents involving merging traffic in the last two years. First was with another tractor trailer, when the right lane was ending , and all traffic was instructed to move over (for a mile!!!) and the student I was training finally quit letting other people in at the last part of the merging lane. He let half a dozen cars and two tractor trailers in when the lane squeezed. One last tractor trailer decided to go to the end of the lane, and the student realized there wasn't enough room for the truck to get in front of us, and that we had nowhere to go. Crunch goes some mirrors...(luckily the other guys!!) so at that point the other driver actually looks over. (Remember I am sitting in the passenger seat instructing and watching). Then he hits the brakes, as we go by. He drops in behind us, cuts off somebody and comes around us. I see what is fixing to happen and told the student to "slow down, slow down, hit the brakes(!!!) as the trucker uses his trailer as a battering ram to take off our hood. Luckily he missed. Then he stops, in the right lane of an Interstate where four lanes go to two and gets out and walks back to our truck which is stopped behind him. He starts for the students door, but I motion him to mine. I tell him to go to the next exit and pull over, which he does consider, even to the point of putting on his turn signal, but then just blows by it. We stopped, called the Highway Patrol and showed them one of the videos. That driver would be charged with leaving the scene of an accident, which will cost him his license and job. Duhh!!
The second accident a SUV just moved over after putting on turn signal two car lengths back, and ran into the side of my truck with me on the brakes and horn. Pulled over and the first thing she said was, "why did you hit me, I was merging". I decided right then I would be waiting on the police. Florida allows for driver exchange of information in mild accidents, and the Road Patrol guy that stopped even told us we could. He boyfriend shows up, told me we needed to exchange info, to which I politely refused, and he said that if we had to wait for FHP, I would be getting a ticket. Told him "no problem, if that is what happens". FHP shows up, and he runs up to the Officer telling him that he needed to talk to his girlfriend first. The trooper asked who he was, and told him to go stand out of the way. He asked me what happened , and I told him I could wait, go see her. He talked to her, then me, then went to his car. Came back and gave me my info back, and the other drivers info. Said I could leave if I didn't have any questions. I asked if anyone was cited and for what, he said yes, improper lane change. Both her and her boyfriend thought I was at fault because I failed to yield to merging traffic.
Got to love people!!!
David from jax
I have had two accidents involving merging traffic in the last two years. First was with another tractor trailer, when the right lane was ending , and all traffic was instructed to move over (for a mile!!!) and the student I was training finally quit letting other people in at the last part of the merging lane. He let half a dozen cars and two tractor trailers in when the lane squeezed. One last tractor trailer decided to go to the end of the lane, and the student realized there wasn't enough room for the truck to get in front of us, and that we had nowhere to go. Crunch goes some mirrors...(luckily the other guys!!) so at that point the other driver actually looks over. (Remember I am sitting in the passenger seat instructing and watching). Then he hits the brakes, as we go by. He drops in behind us, cuts off somebody and comes around us. I see what is fixing to happen and told the student to "slow down, slow down, hit the brakes(!!!) as the trucker uses his trailer as a battering ram to take off our hood. Luckily he missed. Then he stops, in the right lane of an Interstate where four lanes go to two and gets out and walks back to our truck which is stopped behind him. He starts for the students door, but I motion him to mine. I tell him to go to the next exit and pull over, which he does consider, even to the point of putting on his turn signal, but then just blows by it. We stopped, called the Highway Patrol and showed them one of the videos. That driver would be charged with leaving the scene of an accident, which will cost him his license and job. Duhh!!
The second accident a SUV just moved over after putting on turn signal two car lengths back, and ran into the side of my truck with me on the brakes and horn. Pulled over and the first thing she said was, "why did you hit me, I was merging". I decided right then I would be waiting on the police. Florida allows for driver exchange of information in mild accidents, and the Road Patrol guy that stopped even told us we could. He boyfriend shows up, told me we needed to exchange info, to which I politely refused, and he said that if we had to wait for FHP, I would be getting a ticket. Told him "no problem, if that is what happens". FHP shows up, and he runs up to the Officer telling him that he needed to talk to his girlfriend first. The trooper asked who he was, and told him to go stand out of the way. He asked me what happened , and I told him I could wait, go see her. He talked to her, then me, then went to his car. Came back and gave me my info back, and the other drivers info. Said I could leave if I didn't have any questions. I asked if anyone was cited and for what, he said yes, improper lane change. Both her and her boyfriend thought I was at fault because I failed to yield to merging traffic.
Got to love people!!!
David from jax
