Thread: Mad Truck Driver

I like most other drivers make mistakes because we're not perfect. But my mistakes have never resulted in someone having to leave the road to avoid a collision, or having any accident apart from knocking the post box down in my driveway.
Just because a bloke is being paid to drive a truck doesn't mean he's a good professional driver. I know a couple I wouldn't let drive a little kids car let alone a truck. One "suffers" from anger management problems (and has had counselling courtesy of the taxpayer for it) ..... in other words he's an idiot and admits to chucking empty stubbies out the window at other drivers!
Anyone who starts overtaking without being able to see clearly he can get past safely is an idiot especially a truck driver who should know better.
AlanH.

I would like to remind you all of the Current Affairs show that 'set up' a truck driver in the Burnley Tunnel. The whole thing was staged, with the poor truckie as the fall guy. This was later exposed for the sensationalist fake that it was.
I'm not saying that this incident we have here was faked, I'm saying that a 10 second video proves nothing at all. Contrary to popular opinion, the camera can most certainly lie.
Like Ian, I am defending nobody. But I'm not crucifying someone in a kangaroo court either.

Yup, we've all seen the video... All 10 or 15 seconds of it... And with it we have a divide... approx 50% who think the truck was in the wrong and doing a dangerous overtake, and approx 50% who don't know...We have those that admit to making mistakes, but say that they've never run someone off the road (that they know of)... If they had would they be happy with being thrown in jail?

Sooo.. We have seen a truck on the wrong side of the road overtaking/avoiding/passing another truck, which in turn forced a car to take evasive action and use the gravel to avoid a head on.. What none of us have seen is the 5 minutes prior to the video.. so how can any of us decide who is right or wrong!?

I used to drive a semi for a living in the UK hauling containers... I had an incident where a car pulled out in front of me on the left. Had I not made the snap decision to cross the solid white line to avoid that car, neither of the occupants would have survived. 40 tonnes at 50+ mph does not stop instantly. I managed to clip the right side of one of the oncoming cars that was doing his best to avoid me... We all stopped.. The driver of the car who pulled out in front of me thought I was a "donkey" for 'overtaking' him, whereas the guy I hit (who I thought was going to be wild) and the car following him saw the whole thing. They commended me for not cleaning up the car who pulled out, and the guy who I hit was not phased by the state of his wing and doors! Had he not been on the ball, seen it, understood it, and avoided it, I would have been accused of dangerous driving.

Moral of the story... Don't make assumptions until you know the facts.. We don't know the facts yet. They will hopefully come out, and then we can point the finger. I know someone who works for that company, and will prob hear about it when the dust settles. If I do I will update this thread. There is a fair chance both trucks have dash cams, and that they're being viewed/investigated as we speak.

just a reminder

Before overtaking another vehicle, you must:


be sure it is safe to do so
on a single-lane road, be sure that the road ahead is clear for a sufficient distance
be sure you have sufficient distance to return to the same lane or line of traffic without endangering the vehicle being overtaken or any vehicle coming from the opposite direction
be sure no other vehicle is overtaking your vehicle by checking the road behind in your mirrors and blind spot
signal your intention to overtake for long enough to give sufficient warning to all other road users.



AUSTRALIAN ROAD RULES - REG 140


140—No overtaking unless safe to do so


A driver must not overtake a vehicle unless—


(a) the driver has a clear view of any approaching traffic; and


(b) the driver can safely overtake the vehicle.

Originally Posted by johntins

But I'm not crucifying someone in a kangaroo court either.

Its a forum where anything within reason can be discussed - the outcomes of our discussion mean diddly squat - it is forum nothing more.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Read my previous reply, there are dozens of reasons why it happened, I've only cited a few. Nowhere have I said it was legal or safe.

Can I have a show of hands of all the people who have never made a mistake or broken a traffic rule, deliberately or inadvertently?

(with up-stretched arm) Oo, Oo, Oo, Oo,,,,,


ummmm,,,



awe,, the agony of defeat

On another note that Bus driver that pulled out in front of the semi video which is a lot shorter that the incident we are talking about here has this said about it in the news.

Liverpool police today issued the bus driver with a court attendance notice for dangerous and negligent driving.
He is due to appear in Liverpool Local Court on July 19.

I'm sorry but I have just returned from India and I see nothing of consequence here. Truck overtakes other truck with oncoming traffic. No collision, death or injury, normal driving resumes. My perspective of what constitutes unsafe driving has been permanently altered.