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RE: Road Rage that lead to a trucker's death

brad kaste

brad kaste

Charter Member
RE: Road Rage that lead to a trucker's death

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...ruckers-road-rage0216-20100215,0,145811.story

The incident took place Jan.15th,..not too far from where I live. Two 18 wheeler truckers having it out verbally while on the Kennedy Expressway....which eventually brought them onto the Edens Expressway. Both heading to Wisconsin. They decide to stop and fight it out except one has a Buck knife which he uses on the other trucker three times.
I think we've all experienced road rage at times. From getting cut off by some jerk.....to where he decides you're not driving fast enough (you're doing the speed limit BTW) for his purposes. So one needs to ask himself (myself),....is it worth it to die cuz' some other guy is driving like a complete knucklehead?
I know there's a lot of stress being an over the road driver. From handling a big rig to making it to one's destination on time. However,....I think too for the past so many years younger 'Knights of the Road' have fallen from grace in their careless way they aggressively move through traffic. Just my opinion.

 
I used to see road rage all the time when I was driving 18 wheelers. Especially on my way to the west coast or in the cities. It's one reason I do not miss driving a big rig at all. There's too many crazies out there now. And it isn't only the big rig drivers, it's motorcycles and autos too.

It's very sad that happened. 2 lives lost.... one dead and one going to prison.
 
Anybody who works in retail will tell ya, there are a lot of angry/dysfunctional people out there, and they drive on the same roads you and I use. Truckers, soccer moms, retirees, executives - it's easy to channel your bad day into road rage. Better to just give 'em plenty of room on the road rather than escalate to something that can end violently.
 
Brad, you hit it on the head, my friend. OTR is what I do for a living, and you are correct about the current situation. It's sad that there are not more "Knights of the Road" out here.. Most drivers (of both large and small vehicles), choose to put their own agendas ahead of what is right. Here's to the few "Knights" left out here, no matter how many wheels their vehicle may have.:guinness::icon29::medals::salute:
 
funny how "road rage" as a term made it's debut at the same time as Starbucks' rapid expansion...
 
GT182 said:
I used to see road rage all the time when I was driving 18 wheelers. Especially on my way to the west coast or in the cities. It's one reason I do not miss driving a big rig at all. There's too many crazies out there now. And it isn't only the big rig drivers, it's motorcycles and autos too.

It's very sad that happened. 2 lives lost.... one dead and one going to prison.
Click to expand...

I've seen many examples of road rage when I used to drive for a living (~1500 miles a week on poor roads).....don't miss it one bit. I witnessed a number of fatal accidents during that time,too, and it's taught me just how precious life is.
 
Amen, Kilo........... Every week the pattern continues...... I can only pray for Divine guidance as I do my job... Human life IS precious, and NOTHING that happens to anyone during their day can be more important... "No Atheists in Foxholes" has some bearing here... I pray that the Lord will be with me every mile, every week... That is the prayer I say every week before I turn the key on the big truck... God be with me, please...............:engel016:
 
My father is, or was, a professional driver. He's driven everything from straight axle to tandoms, tankers, boxes, flats, and doubles. He's seen the business go from 37 footers, to 40 footers, to 53 footers. He can back up as good as he can drive forward. He's driven as long as I can remember ... I'm now 54 years old Dad "retired" two years ago so that should put him at 52 years of on the road/over the road/local/long distance driving. In all that time, he only had 1 accident, and that wasn't his fault. He drives part time now for a local trucking service. Mostly drives their local pick up truck for day trips. Mom has since retired from her career as a school bus driver, and now accompanies Dad on his local day runs on some occasions. Dad says, he's seen the behavior of people get progressively worse over the years and is now glad he doesn't drive any more than he needs.

My baby brother took up the driving mantle and is currently doing over the road long distance trips. Currently he's slated on a trip to go from NY state to CA and back. He says the drivers are idiots but he just putts along and minds his own business, he tells everyone, he'll get there when he gets there and not to expect him any sooner.
 
I am at a loss to understand any of this.. Road rage..I have driven rigs down to Harleys..
And It always leaves me wondering Why People somtimes are so Very mean to each other now while driving..

Kindness and common courtesy seen to be Lost Virtues..
To all who drive for a living God Bless and protect you..

:salute::salute:
 
From the Red River Valley Fighter Pilot's Association (River Rats) page....

What is a Fighter Pilot?

<!-- Text Page Contents --><!-- Rich Text Element -->A fighter pilot is noted for intelligence, independence, integrity, courage, and patriotism. "Fighter Pilot" is a state of mind, not a job title. Therefore, not all people who fly fighters are fighter pilots, nor do all fighter pilots fly fighters, some of them drive trucks.

Give this a listen....
http://www.river-rats.org/battle_hymn_of_the_red_rive.php
 
Stories like this convince me our civility has gone to the dogs! Except, I think dogs are mostly friendlier, so perhaps it's actually far worse than that!

I worked in the trucking industry for several years in the metro Atlanta area. Some of the drivers were real works, let me tell you. Most were great guys, however. Trust me though, even within the industry, it is well known that a few of the drivers shouldn't be on the road, much less driving such a potentially lethal large vehicle.

The people who are the greatest critics of these few losers are the majority of the drivers who are good and very professional people. They are the kind who will pull over to help people in need.

Ken
 
Working for a OTR trucking company, I have seen and heard alot over the last 16 years. We have 100 sleeper cabs and 250 53 foot dry van trailers. Some of our drivers are very good, professional, rarely have any trouble with their driving, trucks, trailers, weather, pickup-deliver times. Others here seem to always have problems, every week same old gripes, some things with the truck or trailer like the wipers dont work right, the doors wont close right, cant unhook the fifth wheel, cant crank up the landing gear, getting stuck in the snow, the truck and trailer getting banged up.
I thing some people just do not belong out there driving.
 
I'm sure a lot of you have heard this analogy and just applying it to the average driver is scary enough, but when applied to those who drive the "Big Rigs" it takes on an even more ominous meaning.

Many of us would like to think we have a firm grip on our lives, our relationships and our jobs. . .but the fact is that unless we work for ourselves (and even then it may be true), more often than not we have very little real control over what may be happening day to day. It is frustrating, disheartening and debilitating beyond ones own imagination at times. We need to feel we have "some control" so that we feel grounded and confident. . .it's human nature to want to be in control of yourself and your surroundings.

So you go through the day, at your job, at home, wherever. . . .and you are overwhelmed by deadlines, expectations, financial obligations, parental obligations and so on and you just want to grab hold of something, anything and get the world to stop moving beyond you and get it under control. You get in your car, your truck, your motorcycle or that rig and turn the key. . . .You're in control, for however long you are in that vehicle, you tell it where to go, what to do, how fast, how slow. . .it has to obey your commands.

When the stress and anxiety and other factors that tend to lead us to an early grave take control and we are behind the wheel of the one thing we do have control over. . .the consequences are sadly, very violent and almost always aimed at someone who did nothing wrong, other than forgetting to put on a turn signal before he/she moved into your lane. It happens all the time and it will continue to happen. People are pushed to the brink every day, some use a gun, some a knife, some an airplane and others use the only thing that gives them the sense of control they desperately need to keep their sanity. . .their vehicle.
 
I don't deal well with all the large traffic on the Interstates these days, so I take the old 2 lane US highways instead when I go down to Memphis or east to Nashville. A nice slower pace, the scenery is better and people seem to be friendlier. Funny thing is that I can't tell that my monthly trip to the Memphis area takes any longer on the back roads as it does by the time I have to go way down to Jackson to catch I-40.
 
Falcon,

You are so right!

What cements that fact for me are the two examples in recent years where some guy comes home alive and well from combat ops in Afghanistan or Iraq, and finds himself the innocent bystander or victim of some thug at home who shot him dead or beat him to death! :isadizzy:

There ain't no warranty on life, nor a reset button! :engel016:

Ken
 
I was going home one night, still had my uniform on but had thrown a coat on.. As I was getting onto the freeway I noticed an 18 Wheeler coming off the on ramp right at me.. I pulled way off side of road and jumped out of my car and threw my coat off as I was climbing out.. Flashlight in hand and waving at him to stop as he breezed right by me.. I hopped back in my car and gave pursuit, grabbed my cell and hit the speed dial for a direct line back into our dispatch. As we made out way through the underpass he ended up blowing a light to get back onto the freeway going in the right direction..

Long story short, he ended up pulling over in a dead spot in a very dark and secluded area of the freeway.. I did manage to get the info out to the dispatcher and she relayed it to the State Patrol.. As I pulled up behind his truck I climbed out of my car and just decided to observe from behind the safety of my car door and with my weapon drawn waited to see what he was going to do.. He climbed out of the cab, grabbed a tire iron from that back part of his truck and proceeded to run towards me. I immediately advised him I was a cop and that he had best drop the tire iron and get on the ground, once he heard COP he threw the tire iron underneath his trailer and started complying with my commands..

I handcuffed the guy and walked him back to the right hand side of my car to wait for the SP to arrive, I asked him what the hell were you thinking... He said that he thought he had hit someone back at that underpass and was scared because he shouldn't have been driving.. I informed him that I was the one he had almost hit and had he just stopped it wouldn't be as serious as it is now. The SP finally arrived and the driver was arrested, he did have drugs in his system.
 
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