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A comment on Guilty Verdict Sends Message to Both Drivers and Cyclists: Calm Down!

Carolyn — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:12:59 GMT

You are so right about the many drivers who don't believe a cyclist has a right to be on the road. As a cyclist, I've learned about them firsthand. As a driver of a car, I respect cyclists. As a pedestrian, my dog and I have almost been run over by cyclists breaking the traffic laws more often than we have by cars

A comment on Truck Hours of Service Case Settlement a Step in the Right Direction

Bret Hanna — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:18:27 GMT

Dan - thank you very much for your comments. To answer your question no, I've never spent a week in the cab of a class 8 truck although I would welcome the experience. I will look into the 2010 rules you mention so I can get up to speed on them but in the meantime, I agree that your ideas on educating drivers to improve safety are dead on - what can I do to help?

A comment on Truck Hours of Service Case Settlement a Step in the Right Direction

Facebook User — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:37:48 GMT

I would like to say a few words on your story about HOS and class 8 truck drivers.
1st The new HOS brought about by the Bush Adm did add hours, but it took away a drivers chance to break up his work day {No 4 or 5 hour break, off duty}
Those breaks kept most drivers fresh for the next leg of the trip.
While we all agree Safety is number 1, we should also understand that education of all drivers will do much more than telling a driver he has to go on the clock and can NOT go off the clock untill his or her 11 hours are up.
Have you sir , ever spent a week in the cab of a class 8 truck , to see what these driveers face every day ?
I invite you to call me anytime and we can discuss this matter in detail. 1-660-322-0783
Also please do a little research on the FMCSA 2010 rules set to start in july 2010.
Thank You
Dan Little
Pres / Owner-Operators United Inc
a drivers association formed in 2008

A comment on First Response Program Offers Helping Hand to Truck Accident Victims

Bret Hanna — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:13:55 GMT

Jonathon:

If you can point me to updated numbers, I'd be happy to take a look at them. And I agree with you that looking for ways to keep habitual offender drivers of all types off the road is a great goal. I'll take a look to see what might make sense in this regard.

A comment on Trucking Safety Must be a Top Priority

Bret Hanna — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:05:33 GMT

Sandra:

I'm sorry to hear about your two bad experiences with truck drivers but thankfully you and your daughter were not seriously injured. I hope the future brings you safer travels.

Jonathon:

Thank you for your thoughtful commentary. It appears from your writings that you are a truck driver. If so, I wish all drivers provided valued transpiration services in the way that you appear to provide them.

A comment on First Response Program Offers Helping Hand to Truck Accident Victims

Facebook User — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:24:22 GMT

This is a noble cause. As a truck driver with years of experience I see allot on the road.
Just remember the facts though.
In over 80% of the fatal accidents involving trucks, the truck driver is not at fault.
Also you may want to check your numbers.
Those are old. The number of fatality's in accidents with commercial trucks has been going down ever year recently. Those numbers are a little high.
But it does make the point.
There are way too many people dieing in accidents on the road. In accidents that involve trucks and those that do not.
A good idea is to try and push for laws that will get drivers off the road that show signs of being habitual offenders of traffic laws, both in cars and in trucks.
This may be a better area to really push in. Not as much money to be made, but a worthy cause.

A comment on Trucking Safety Must be a Top Priority

Facebook User — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:43:06 GMT

I would like to apologize for the drivers out there that care.
I have never done anything like you state in your post.
I will say in the case of the first driver that he most likely never even saw you. The blind spot on the right side of the truck is very large, to be sure that no cars are in that spot a driver needs to check all mirrors several times, and still change lanes slowly and keep scanning.
Most trucks are governed at 65 or less, so you were probably passing him at a decent speed.
If you approached him in the right lane up to the time you attempted to pass, the driver should have seen you. If you had been behind him, then changed lanes to pass, then it would be very easy for him to not. Also, passing a truck on the right is never something that should be attempted. I will not even attempt it in a truck, which is very easy to see, since drivers do not expect anyone to try and pass them on that side.
As to the second time you were run off of the road, I do not know why you left the road.
There is a slight chance the driver would have hit you, but since I was not there I cannot say.
Aggressive driving is rampant in cars, and in trucks. There is no excuse for it.
All drivers, in cars and in trucks need better training. 80+% of all accidents that trucks are involved in are due to negligence of the people in cars around them. This is not a made up number, it is the number given by police organizations around this country.

A good rule of thumb when passing anyone in a car or a truck is to never pass on the right. In most country's it is illegal, and in the US the states need to get laws for this as well.
The truck should not have been in the left lane, unless he was passing or had moved over to let people in at a ramp. Then he/ she should have looked twice before moving back into that lane, then done so slowly to insure nobody was in the blind spot.
Also, if you cannot see the driver in their mirror, then they cannot see you. When passing you should always watch their mirror, make sure you see them see you.

I have seen accidents happen on ramps right behind my truck. When someone came on the ramp and I could not move over. Then the driver reacted poorly and caused an accident.
Do you believe I was involved in that accident?
When passing an on ramp a truck driver is supposed to do a few things. 1. Maintain speed. 2. Maintain appropriate following distance.
That is it.
Moving over is not one of the things we are supposed to do. It is nice when we can safely move over, but it is not something we are supposed to do. Slowing to let people in is a no no. Slowing to allow traffic to merge is one of the most dangerous things we can do. It is a merge area. Meaning the person entering traffic is required to adjust their speed to safely enter the flow of traffic.

Again. I am sorry that you had the issues that you did. Both drivers did things that they should not have. You also did something you should not have, in attempting to pass on the right.
I also agree that aggressive drivers need to have severe penalties. Both aggressive drivers of cars and of trucks.
Better driver training for both could help this issue.

A comment on Trucking Safety Must be a Top Priority

Sandra — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:11:14 GMT

On Sunday, November 23, 2009, my daughter and I were traveling from Tampa, FL to Atlanta, GA. The speed limit was 70, so I put on the cruise control and stayed in the center lane. I started to pass a semi in the right lane. When I was alongside, he put on his turn signal and IMMEDIATELY crossed the lane line to come into my land...where I was. I tried to get out of the way, but he was coming so fast, he drove me off the road...and we took the guard rail at 70 mph. The truck just kept driving. My car was totaled. Four hours later, we continued on in a rental, staying in the far right lane at 60 mph. Another truck came up from behind us and drove us off the road. Luckily, my daughter was able to escape via the exit ramp. Truck drivers used to be the most courteous drivers on the road. No more. The first idiot who left us apparently didn't care whether he had killed us or not. And my accident probably would not have been listed as being caused by an aggressive truck driver...WHO LEFT THE SCENE!

These guys have a way of letting each other know where the highway patrol is, so they can break the law and bully other drivers with impunity.

SHAME ON THEM!

A comment on Trucking Safety Must be a Top Priority

Facebook User — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:22:56 GMT

On a positive note.
The number of deaths in truck related accidents are getting lower every year. In part due to the current hours of service regulations.
Drivers having the 34 hour restart available to them is a huge step that is helping to keep drivers and other motorists safe.
Many drivers feel pressure from their company's and shippers to run their hours thin. This provision gives them a great way to get a needed break and to replenish their hours.
I just wish that the "safety" groups that you named would see it for the great provision that it is, and direct their efforts in getting shippers and receivers to have to pay an hourly rate for keeping drivers waiting for load and unload.
If the price of keeping the truck sitting was high enough, then the drivers would not be pressed for time while on the road.
Or a more usable sleeper berth provision could be made. That would allow a driver to take a nap for a few hours when needed without running their 14 hour clock down.

Even as the current hours of service are set up they were a step in the right direction. Deaths in trucking accidents are at the lowest level since records have been kept.
The 14 hour rule is completely flawed, and leads to issues as well, but they are much better than the old rules.
If anyone from these organizations reads this post. Please look at the facts and try to see how hours of service affect the drivers. The rules in effect need to be done in a way that the driver can stop and get a nap without hurting there income, or the on time delivery of a load.
They need to allow a well rested driver to be able to run as needed to get all the things that every consumer in this country buys, in a safe and legal manner.

A comment on Straight Talk on Tort Reform from Texas

Mike Bryant — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:50:37 GMT

This was a very good article , thanks for pointing it out here.