Re:Truckers have no manners

[Midniteoyl]

California:

21954(a) CVC – Pedestrians Outside Crosswalk - Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway so near as to constitute an immediate hazard. (b) The provisions of this section shall not relieve the driver of a vehicle from the duty to exercise due care for the safety of any pedestrian upon a roadway.

jaywalker is at fault, with the driver maybe at fault if he was shown not to exercise 'due care' in trying to prevent the accident.

Some people misunderstand the purpose and meaning of a crosswalk, believing it is the only place pedestrians arepermitted to cross the street. That is not the case. A crosswalk is where drivers are expected to yield (if possible) to pedestrians. Pedestrians may cross elsewhere, but outside a crosswalk, they are required to yield to vehicular traffic.

[Road Pilot]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

By the way. There really is a law firm called Dog Bites R Us.

If there is one named this I couldn't find it with a fairly extensive google search.

[georgetown350]

J walker vrs car = dead j walker

car vrs merging semi truck = dead car

The little guy always loses but if he lives he can sue because he had right of way.

[Tony Lee]

Originally Posted by Romeo

Why should the look; they think THEY have the right-of-way (as do some on this thread), and they would rather be dead-right than safe-and-alive...

I know this part of the discussion finished about 30 posts ago so I hope you'll excuse an "alien" butting in and asking a question.

Australian drivers are not particularly renowned for changing lanes to let someone merge - and in fact, since the merging vehicle has to cross lane markings, it should be quite obvious that the merger has to give way to the mainstream traffic.
However, when we started driving in Germany, it was very noticeable that the instant I appeared on the merge lane, anyone in the right lane immediately changed lanes to give me a clear path onto the autobahn - and that happened even when traffic was heavy.
Now - forward to the USA, and to CA where we keep the MH, I tried to sort out which traffic rules were sufficiently different to back home that I needed to take special note of. Obviously right turn on red after stopping (but not always) was a welcome change even if I forget sometimes and sit there waiting for the lights to change (or car behind to sound horn), but I was told that in California, mainstream traffic MUST give way to traffic in the merge lane. Obviously from posts in this thread, that IS NOT the case in all states.

Any experts verify this rule in CA, and if true, any other states the same way, or is it a matter of checking for yield signs or lane markings.

[BCooke]

Before the lawyereeze:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21804.htm

[georgetown350]

My question to the truckers out there--and there seems to be many--is this still a courtesy they want from a RVer? Maybe technology has made this a thing of the past. Don't know. I hope not. Curious...

Its not really something that is wanted or not wanted. Its just a courtesy thing like waving to an oncoming Rv.

[georgetown350]

However when a truck is merging he wants traffic to use common sense and either speed up slow down or move over. Even though most in this thread feel they have the right to challenge a merging truck, I'm sure they don't exercise it.

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

However when a truck is merging he wants traffic to use common sense and either speed up slow down or move over. Even though most in this thread feel they have the right to challenge a merging truck, I'm sure they don't exercise it.

Common sense?
After reading some of the posts that feel that they have the right of way and would no way yield to a merging truck,
I say: to them

[georgetown350]

I say: to them

And thats 6 heads in a mini van hitting the windshield after not yielding to a truck..

[BCooke]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

However when a truck is merging he wants traffic to use common sense and either speed up slow down or move over. Even though most in this thread feel they have the right to challenge a merging truck, I'm sure they don't exercise it.

Would that also apply to 2 trucks going up hill, one doing 45 the other 45.1 MPH and the 45.1 pulls out I front of the left lane of traffic? ...in a 65 MPH area, 2 lanes... but at least they make up for it on the other side where they do 75-80 MPH and threaten to run over the ones that happened to get by them..... sigh... common sense works both ways.
And it is not all.... probably the same amount as there are people that can not stay in their lane in a construction zone in their 5' wide car.
I should quit looking at this thread it upsets me and makes me depressed.

[georgetown350]

Would that also apply to 2 trucks going up hill, one doing 45 the other 45.1 MPH and the 45.1 pulls out I front of the left lane of traffic? ...in a 65 MPH area, 2 lanes... but at least they make up for it on the other side where they do 75-80 MPH and threaten to run over the ones that happened to get by them..... sigh... common sense works both ways.
And it is not all.... probably the same amount as there are people that can not stay in their lane in a construction zone in their 5' wide car.
I should quit looking at this thread it upsets me and makes me depressed.

Almost as stressfull as being out on the highway

Yes common sense works both ways........ your scenario of a slow truck passing and driving to slow in the left lane and then speeding down the other side of the hill represents bad manners. But at least it should show you how difficult it is fighting gravity with such a large heavy truck. Trucks are slow to speed up and slower to stop so its best to respect them for your own safety.

[SarahW]

As someone else said earlier, "Drive Defensively." Just because you have the right-of-way does not mean you are going to get it. Arrive alive, people. (Oh, and truckers are as mannerly as anyone else these days. )

[Midniteoyl]

I find there are actually very few 'rude' truck drivers and a whole lot of very bad drivers of other vehicles. When I am in my car, I give semi's respect and receive it in kind. Try giving any other driver of a car a little extra room, flash to let him over, etc and you are usually met with a finger..

[BCooke]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

Almost as stressfull as being out on the highway

Yes common sense works both ways........ your scenario of a slow truck passing and driving to slow in the left lane and then speeding down the other side of the hill represents bad manners. But at least it should show you how difficult it is fighting gravity with such a large heavy truck. Trucks are slow to speed up and slower to stop so its best to respect them for your own safety.

I do, years of farm equipment and hauling grain (tractors, on and off road, are not known to be in top shape on smaller farms). Then again with trans, engine and exhaust brakes generating almost (some times within 2% of engine) as much BHP as HP they should have a little more control, yes at the cost of MPG. As for distance as of 2012 the new mandates state that a vehicle who's GVWR is under 60k needs to stop in 250 feet at 60 MPH and LLVW. Now I do not care if I am driving a 350 when they ride my tail because the slow one is still there because I will not drive 75 and the one behind me wants me to go 75 after topping the hill, should there ever be a reason for me to have to stop, I am going to come out with a Yaris.
I drive I81 every day and that hill I mentioned.
I do give them more respect than I expect from them as again they are heavy and probably saw 200 of the "Hondas" that I saw one of. On the flip side, when you are on a wreck (EMS) on a highway and watch a state trooper almost get sucked into the air pocket along a rig that passed within 4' state police car with its lights on you also see the other side.
We all need to share the road and be respectful. In my opinion the heavier you are the more vigilante you should be also.
Drive safe.