Growing up, my dad was an OTR, Over The Road driver, or more succinct, long distance truck hauler. He always warned that I should get out of the way from the big tractor trailers because they drive fast.
Tonight I encountered a jerk for lack of understanding behind the wheel of a big rig. I was in the San Marcos City Limits probably going over 75 and in the middle lane. The truck was probably 3-4 car lengths behind me and it flashed its lights, indicating I should move from my lane to let him pass. This was confusing because the inside "hammer" lane as my dad calls it was completely open. I'm not sure if the guy didn't want to change lanes but that means I should change lanes to make his life easier? I was then also worried maybe I had something wrong, like a low tire, or something that might fall off in the back of the truck. I hate getting honked at or flashed for no reason.
I kept going, not really accelerating for his dumbass, but getting some separation, nonetheless. I jumped to the inside lane to pass the mini van in front of me and before I knew it, I was about a football fields length from the trucker. Just when I had convinced myself that maybe he just flashed them accidentally, he flashed another car in front of him. That means this jackass thought himself a gift of god who should just stay in the middle lane and have everyone move out of his way. As we approached Kyle, he was finally trying to pass some cars on the outermost lane as I passed a few more cars in the inside lane.
My dad drove long distance for about 15-18 years and distinctly without an accident. His co-driver, my uncle, on the other hand, had a few scrapes over the years. The biggest one I remember my Dad describing was in Chicago where dad says the bridges are very old and lower than normal. On one trip, my uncle caught the front of the trailer they were delivering and it basically opened like a can of sardines, ripping down the middle and exposing all its delicate goodies to the elements.
I have no doubt that driving one of these trucks can be a scary proposition, which makes it even harder to understand why this idiot tonight would be flashing his lights trying to rush through a big city. Normally, if you're going to speed, wait and do it in the middle of nowhere, not in the middle of a city, specially when we both saw a couple of cops on either side of the highway.
My closest experience to driving a big rig was when I was in the Junior college and drove the commuter bus back and forth from Uvalde to Crystal City my second year in junior college. I was then able to use my knowledge to move the trucks and trailers around the parking lot when I worked at the moving company the year after I graduated.
I guess I just got pissed because I felt the flashing of the lights from the truck was a little dick-ish. I was already going fast, close to 80. The inside lane was completely open from the truck to ahead of me, he could have just jumped lanes and disappeared in front of me. He flashed another driver, proving he sucked, but he never did pass me.
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