Fu(Ken Cowboy Truck Drivers

[mad082]

I do wish people would adhere to the "Keep left unless overtaking" rule.

That said, Western Ring Road in peak hour is so indescribably bad that road rules are useless and getting to the speed limit is a dream.

(in qld at least) that rule only applies to roads with a speed limit of 90kmh and above.

transport companies, ring up, ask for the operations manager and take it from there, i worked transport for a while, this is the person you want to talk to if he is not available ask for the the fleet controller and mention if it is a rigid or a semi/bdouble/tripple.

clearly you were both in the wrong by antaginizing each other but, this guy has a massive truck and it is potentially a dangerous weapon. fyi it is illegal to cause some one to brake unnec eg: when coming up to an ending lane with lines, the person in the ending lane must give way as in they should phisically stop the vehicle not just indicate and merge but if the lane just finishes with no lines (lines just come to an end suddenly) who ever is in front wins the race, also just because you indicate to change lanes doesnt make you right, i hate people, when you are driving leaving a safe distance between you and the car in front and some nit wit jumps in front of you, i want to jump out of my car at the next set of lights and rattle out a clip into the driver, i'm sick of other drivers

a friend of mine had a semi side swipe her. she rang the transport company with the truck details. they just gave her a bullshit story about how the truck was no-where near where the incident happened, etc.

[ARTZ]

, also just because you indicate to change lanes doesnt make you right, i hate people, when you are driving leaving a safe distance between you and the car in front and some nit wit jumps in front of you, i want to jump out of my car at the next set of lights and rattle out a clip into the driver, i'm sick of other drivers

yeah headchecks dont seem to be very common these days...too much effort for most people it seems who just indicate and merge slowly...

figuring you will let them in...i want to run in to them everytime but i never do...

[blind_elk]

By chance, found this press release from the Minister and Vicroads, dated just 2 days prior to my incident:

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/NewsRoom/News+Releases/Trucking+down+the+Road+to+Respect.htm

I'm about to ask the company what the outcome was of their talk to the driver. An unsatisfactory result will instigate a letter to the minister.

[blind_elk]

Update

Wrote to Terry Mulder (Minister for Roads), who passed it on to Vicroads. A response came back stating that the company had "acted responsibly" to investigate the matter internally, and stated that the driver "has a good driving record". Nothing about any disciplinary action the company might have taken. And because I had reported the incident to police, it would be "inappropriate for further investigations by Vicroads".

What a load of do nothing bureaucratic twaddle.

The police aren't going to do anything (although I will be talking to them again to ask why not). I too have a (pretty) good driving record. My last fine was for 58k down Flinders St on a Sunday afternoon (heaven forbid) 6 years ago, and the last serious crash I was involved in - well I can't remember, but it must be close on 30 years (a couple of minors about 6-7 years ago, where I was basically stationary). Yet, despite this record, if I was to do 58k down Flinders St again, I would be nailed - no "oh you've got a good driving record, we won't do anything this time". No sir! Straight up "hand over $135 (or what ever it's been jacked up to recently)".

It would seem that it's ok for a 70T truck to tailgate a 1.5T car. And if that level of intimidation doesn't get results, said 70T truck is permitted to attempt to crush said 1.5T car between the truck and a set of concrete blocks. Not in my world!

The powers that be might talk the talk on road safety, but have no f$#@!n idea about walkin' the walk.

[W0rp3D]

So what your saying is that you want vic roads/vicpol/transport company to take action based purely on what you say happened?

You would be very surprised how many truck haters there are out there and at the slightest thing they dont like they ring the company to complain that the truck pulled in front of them and only left 57 mtrs instead of 60, transport managers are also all to aware of this so unless the driver has lots of complaints against them or you have evidence all they can do is ask them about it and unless they fess up tell them to be more carefull, which of course is just covering there arse.

Of late i have noticed cars being a little more courteous to trucks (maybe its all the publicity of truck V car fatals lately that scares them) but its still a battle just to change lanes, the amount of times i have passed someone on the freeway doing 80 and as soon as they see my indicator and realise im going to pull in front they speed up and and try to get beside me, this is where the arrogant truck driver hat goes on, my tri axle's alone weigh as much as your car so if you want to go to battle with them you can but i suggest you stay where you are when you realise your doing 80 in a 100 zone because your on the phone and not paying attention and go around me or stay where you are.

If every one had to spend a few days in a truck they would certainly see situations from a different angle, especially the tail gating, we can see your tail lights but we can also see your head, hands, body and how your car is drifting, put all of these things together and we usually know what your going to do before you use your brakes or indicators, but if you want to unexpectedly brake check an agro driver who is more than willing to teach car drivers a lesson then go right ahead, but before you do it think about the consequences, the prime mover i drive weighs 9.5ton on its own, add the trailer and freight.............. i know i would let it go and live another day.

I also love the tards that say "truck drivers are on drugs" lol, there is more of chance that the person in a car next to you is on drugs than any one of the truck drivers around you, there still are some that are but they are very few with all they weigh bridges that are open with drug testing these days.

[owenliberts]

So what your saying is that you want vic roads/vicpol/transport company to take action based purely on what you say happened?

You would be very surprised how many truck haters there are out there and at the slightest thing they dont like they ring the company to complain that the truck pulled in front of them and only left 57 mtrs instead of 60, transport managers are also all to aware of this so unless the driver has lots of complaints against them or you have evidence all they can do is ask them about it and unless they fess up tell them to be more carefull, which of course is just covering there arse.

Of late i have noticed cars being a little more courteous to trucks (maybe its all the publicity of truck V car fatals lately that scares them) but its still a battle just to change lanes, the amount of times i have passed someone on the freeway doing 80 and as soon as they see my indicator and realise im going to pull in front they speed up and and try to get beside me, this is where the arrogant truck driver hat goes on, my tri axle's alone weigh as much as your car so if you want to go to battle with them you can but i suggest you stay where you are when you realise your doing 80 in a 100 zone because your on the phone and not paying attention and go around me or stay where you are.

If every one had to spend a few days in a truck they would certainly see situations from a different angle, especially the tail gating, we can see your tail lights but we can also see your head, hands, body and how your car is drifting, put all of these things together and we usually know what your going to do before you use your brakes or indicators, but if you want to unexpectedly brake check an agro driver who is more than willing to teach car drivers a lesson then go right ahead, but before you do it think about the consequences, the prime mover i drive weighs 9.5ton on its own, add the trailer and freight.............. i know i would let it go and live another day.

I also love the tards that say "truck drivers are on drugs" lol, there is more of chance that the person in a car next to you is on drugs than any one of the truck drivers around you, there still are some that are but they are very few with all they weigh bridges that are open with drug testing these days.

i agree, and i would say i see a lot more bad car drivers than truck drivers.

your point on people spending time in a truck is perfect, if people drove in a truck for a day or two and realised how long it takes to stop or get up to speed maybe they would stop cutting off trucks or driving slow as f**k in the right lane making them slow down