- Thread starter
- #21
You didn't have two hands on the wheel.
Jake brakes are applied simply by lifting off the accelerator. As the truck slows it is very hard to get it back up to speed again. This will impede traffic even more. He's pulling his speed up to keep from dropping back too much and losing all momentum. Perhaps there were cars behind him, too?
Why couldn't you have sped up a little to increase the gap? You were going under the speed limit, no doubt.
Yes, I was under the speed limit by 2, maybe 3 mph. Shoulders are soft gravel, there is no *safe* puling over onto the shoulder without almost coming to a stop.
As to the jake brakes, I understand that they apply when you lift the accelerator, but when someone is following at about 1/2 second following distance and repeatedly pressing and lifting the accelerator, it was not "normal" driving that was causing the sound. He would also pull back a bit and get a run right up behind me and lift again, over and over. It was not as if he was preparing to pass, as even I, at my low sight-level, could see that there were vehicles coming and we were in a no passing zone.
His sole intention was to intimidate me to increase my speed. No, I did not speed up, nor did I slow down, cruise control was set and steady the entire time. If I had been in an area where I had cell signal I would have called 911, rather than record his behavior.
Just for the record, I am actually very courteous to truck drivers (and other cars/pickups etc for that matter) (my experience is absolutely positive with respect to 99.9% of truck drivers - yes they can make mistakes but a mistake is far different than what this driver was doing.)
I know it's not easy getting around objects in an 18 wheeler, handling winds, accelerating when loaded etc. I will back up (if able) when a truck is making a wide turn, I give them plenty of room on the interstate, I don't dwaddle in blind spots, I don't cruise in the left lane on a 4-way road, I'll lift off and slow down if a passing semi needs it, and will accelerate on a 4 lane road to complete a pass if a driver (car or truck) is approaching faster than I am travelling in the left lane (If I can safely do so with regards to weather and traffic ahead).
This particular driver was simply being a bully who should not be allowed to drive anything larger than a bicycle until he can get his attitude under control.