I was on my way home today by my regular route when after just crossing a busy street an 18 wheeler (semi) blew by me and cut me off a bit. He did not give me much room. It was not a near miss or anything. Just out of sight as we rounded a bit of a bend there was a cop car parked with a radar set up on a tripod and there was a cop waving the driver of the big rig over to the place where they were writing the tickets. As I rode by the cop I gave him a big thumbs ups. He just waved me on. I guess I was not going fast enough to get a ticket.

I was glad to see the cops cracking down on speeding drivers.

It sucks that he pulled him over for speeding and not for cutting you off, almost killing you.

If i were to be a trucker it would have to be for the veiw...i mean all the great roads...and why comute to work? it just makes you happy....so why cant we all just get along?

Actually I do not know if he was pulled over for speeding or cutting me off. I did not stop to check. I just kept on going. But I am glad he got pulled over because too many trucks take too many chances. Since I have been commuting I have become a much more cognizant driver and I give a wide berth to anyone on a bike or pedestrian or other vehicles.

Around here, those 18 wheelers are very courteous and careful.

It's those mid-sized construction vans and trucks that are pretty wreckless. Stuff flopping our blowing out the back..Half the time one or more lights are burned out if they use them at all!

My commute starts by going under a highway. The right turn lane to get on to the highway doesn't present a problem much. One day last month though I had a double trailer semi pass me just as I got to the start of the right turn lane for it. No problem there. He passed me with plenty of room. A second one came up along side of me and started to brake. Rt turn signal came on. I was like OH NO. Well he continued to brake and moved to the right turn lane behind me. It was also dark out and I am sure my dual tail lights and reflective vest helped.

Now that I think about it I need to start takeing that lane to prevent this happening next time.

Most of the time I do not have trouble with the big rigs either. I agree that it is mostly 3/4 ton trucks with duallies, often pulling a trailer on narrow city streets that bother me. Instead of waiting for a break in traffic they think nothing of squezzin me so close to parked cars that I fear for my life.

I also do not have trouble with pro drivers. In fact I like them, they really cut through headwinds for me.

Yesterday was "big pickup pulling contractor trailers" day. I must have been passed by 5 of them in 20 minutes (a fair amount considering the generally low traffic volume on my commute). A couple of them were dropping crud in the road as well.

Usually the mid sized delivery and work vehicles are the more agressive drivers but this week its been the extremes that caused me the problem. Wed morning a semi pull around me on my left then immediately turns left in front of me into a business causing me to come to an immediate stop to prevent from being hit. Then Thrusday morning in the same are a PT Cruiser did the same. Luckily for me the driver took the turn fast or I would have side swiped his vehicle. Thats the first and second times since I've started commuting 2 1/2 years ago that I've had someone come that close to me doing a right hand turn.
Craig

I agree- many pro drivers are careful because their driving career is on the line, which is not the case for the typical car-commuter.