Freway trucks

I mistakenly posted this to Wash boards.

I am getting awfully tired of some truckers on our freeways.

Yesterday I came in from wash on I-5 maybe 11 AM. The bottleneck where I-5 meets I-84 was clogged. Outside lane near standstill, but one trucker came barrelling in on inside lane at 40 or more. some dummy moved over in front of him, then that lane came to almost stop. Truck stopped in time but I was quite scared, then that lane moved again and along came another truck doing same thing.

I have about given up on the downhill run on I-5 into PDX from Tigard rather I take Barbur Blvd. Too many trucks going too fast, almost none use outside lane and many use inside lane. When I do use it stay off middle lane because all too often all I can see in rear view mirror is radiator. I have driven some truck and know how long it takes to stop one of those things. Scarey

Today I went to Troutdale about 9AM. Decided to risk I-5 again It was not too bad, but then I noticed I-5 south bound stopped and so was I-84 west bound. Some sort of truck thing on marquam Bridge. I finished soon in Troutdale and took surface streets back to Tigard.

Anyway for visitor, I suggest you have good portland map, so you can figure how you might use surface streets.

Freway trucks

Apparently when the speed limit says 50 to some that means 65-even if you are haulin%26#39; cement blocks that might fall over on a curve. Ooops.

I would suggest going the speed limit cause you never know what%26#39;s going to come up around those infamous Tewilliger Curves. Thats whether your a visitor or not. :) You%26#39;ll see me- I%26#39;m the one in the right lane slowing everyone down doing the speed limit...

Freway trucks

My DH commutes via the Terwilliger curves everyday. And I too am one of those people that stays out of the fast lane.

Saw on the news yesterday that the police are cracking down on tailgators:) They said on 26 in a 2 hr period, they gave out 60 tickets. If they keep up patrols like that, MAYBE people will slow down. I can always hope:)

Phil--I saw that the bridge thing today was that part of the Marquam bridge was falling off in chunks, so that was probably the backup.

Oh I agree!! At the Coast, driving on 101 with logging trucks climbing up behind us too fast was no fun either.

Actually, I think Oregon has a lot of speeders..young%26#39;uns in sports cars ...bah humbug :)

I had that on 99W the other day too. Some truck was right on my bumper, and the driver was on a cell phone. Very frustrating.

';I saw that the bridge thing today was that part of the Marquam bridge was falling off in chunks, so that was probably the backup.';

What???? The Marquam is falling apart?? Okay.... As long as it takes out those new high-rise condos with it. ;-)

Unless we start building better roads instead of light-rail, the trucking situation can only get worse. I%26#39;d feel a little more comfortable if they disallowed triples, though.

Triples? dumb. I was at truck stop cafe in Chemult early one winter morn. several triples parked there. Guy next to me said which one you driving. I had to confess I was not truck driver. Then he launched into stories about why he would never drive a triple again. even though they pay extra. He had absolutely no contol of that third trailer. This was veteran truck driver.

I saw a triple go into BiMart in Tigard a week and more ago. I had planned to go there but changed my mind. somehow it had to clog traffic there.

I thought those speed signs were just a suggestion!!!

Den

Driving a truck for a living myself I will say that idiot drivers are not exclusively truck drivers by any stretch of the imagination. Don%26#39;t get me wrong, I have seen my share of stupid truck drivers and the fact that their company name is usually plastered on the side seems to escape them. I have called companies and turned many in myself. I drive a propane truck and you would not believe what people will do around my truck. I had a lady one time when I was slowing and signaling to turn left off of 101 and she was three cars back in this big SUV. I guess she was in a big hurry because she whipped out and passed all the cars behind me and myself. Lucky for her I was paying attention and didn%26#39;t make my turn or they would have been scooping her off of the bottom of my truck. Then there was the lady driving a state vehicle who passed me after the double lanes had ended and was in on coming traffic. There was cars slowing and heading for the side of the road. When I got into town guess what. We were at the same red light. (She made lots of headway with her stunt that endangered quite a few people.) It was was nice because I got her license and she turned into the state office next door to my office. I called it into the State Police. They actually went down there and called for the woman over the load speaker. She said she was late for a meeting. I was even given the option of doing a citizens arrest which I didn%26#39;t do since the officer said that everyone in the office knew she was wanted and questioned by the State Police and she was quite embarrased. He thought she had learned a good lesson.

So stupid drivers are not all truckers and all truckers are not stupid. I have noticed more and more bad driving over the recent years and this prompted me to buy a car based on high crash ratings to help protect my family from such people.

I love the line Ron White says in his comedy acts, ';There is no cure for stupid.';

So drive safely people whether your scooting along on a Vespa or behind the wheel of a 105,000lb. truck. The life you save could very well could be your own.

Now stepping off the soapbox.

Mistletoe--Yes, some truck had an improperly secured load, which became unsecured. Some huge cement pipe thingy. Anyway, parts of the bridge concrete came off and landed on cars below. Amazing that noone was hurt!

Den--LOL!

Maui--Keep preaching!!! I totally agree...too many idiotic drivers out there. Our DD is learning to drive and it is so much harder for her than when I was learning years ago. Drivers are so aggressive and dangerous. A dad I spoke with who was a cop told his boy that he has to assume every person in a vehicle is out to kill him. That is so sad, but pretty much true.

Maui

You are right more stupid car drivers. Just that stupid truck drivers carry bigger loads and make slower stops.

I did note the names on sides of the really bad trucks I saw yesterday., but they were not familiar. and that is true i find for most bad trucks. but i forget already.

I also note the names of those truckers who are courteous and obey the laws. And I have written notes to several companies thanking them for their safe driving, Werner is one, wish I could remember others, Red Oak or similar another, garbage trucks in Gorge another. I know when I am either in front or behind one of those good truck lines I feel safe.

I grew up in rural oregon where trucking was important and appreciate the need to move goods by truck, and i try to give trucks their space, but in recent years have become less patient as more and more poor truck drivers fill our freeways.

Mayflower is not

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