I Nearly Died Tonight ...

[Bereta_Eder]

You should taken out your pistol and shoot him

[JohnT]

Glad to hear you're safe, Gatekeeper!

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
That the thing these days: Semi drivers are getting far more aggressive and reckless on the road. Although still in the minority, plenty such drivers cause undue terror to unwary motorists. And we have our fellow motorists' aggressive/reckless driving habits to thank for that. Some truckers have had enough and are getting more gutsy and reckless. Few things (like your encounter, for instance) are more unnerving as doing 75mph in a 65mph and having an 18-wheeler catching up at +85mph and you can't change lanes yet.

Oh, please. Believe it or not, truckers say the same damned things about you. Your problem lies that fact that you are "unwary" - your words, man.

[Az]

Some scary ****. Things like this happen. I almost got killed some time ago while trying to avoid running over a cat.

How was the adrenalin Rush, btw?

[JohnT]

Actually, reading the DOT's Fatality Analysis Reporting System you will see that semi's are, at worst, just slightly more likely to be involved to be involved in accidents:

http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/4.pdf

"In 1999 large trucks accounted for 4% of all registered vehicles and 8% of total vehicle miles driven.... In 2000, large trucks accounted for 9% of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes and 4% of all vehicles involved in injury and property-damage-only crashes."

Otoh, as one would guess, these accidents tend to be more fatal, with 12% of all auto fatalities coming at the hands of the laws of physics which argues that big, steel boxes will tend to crush aluminum framework.

In short, I just don't see the evidence that supports the assertion that truck drivers are inherently more dangerous than any other class of driver... but I do see plenty of evidence that trucks are more dangerous than any other class of vehicle.

[Arrian]

Close call, man. Glad you're ok.

-Arrian

[monkspider]

Wow, glad you're okay Gatekeep.

[DaShi]

Bah, you'd probably have survived.

[Shi Huangdi]

"Oh, please. Believe it or not, truckers say the same damned things about you. Your problem lies that fact that you are "unwary" - your words, man."

Well the thing is truck drivers are supposed to be alot better then all of us since they are professionals.

[Az]

AND they drive trucks.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

That's life, one minute on the other one off...

good that you were lucky

make the most of the remainder of your life... or should we all

[Spiffor]

Wow, glad you are ok

I hope you'll be able to get over it

[Zopperoni]

Good to see that you're fine, Gatekeeper. How are you feeling today?

[Chris 62]

Was that YOU?

[Richelieu]

Yep. You missed him Chris.

[chequita guevara]

First, glad you're okay. Dying tend to ruin your weekend.

When I drove down to Florida in my rental truck, people tailgaited me constantly, would cut me off with no warning, zip into my safe zone that I had established so that if traffic stopped suddenly I wouldn't smash into the car in front, etc. People tend to be idiots around trucks. On top of this, truckers get **** for pay, have penalties for late delivery, mandatory overtime, etc.

None of which excuses what almost happened. You migh wish to consider the possibiity that 1), the driver misjudged the light (it happens), 2) his brakes failed. You don't mention if he honked his horn. He could have just been zoning out, which isn't a mitigating factor. Just saying there are other possibilities than his simply beng an aggressive driver.