You know that steep grade on I-40 East, about 50 miles out of Nashville, just as you're climbing up onto the Cumberland Plateau? The one with the 65 MPH limit for cars and 55 for trucks? With all the big signs saying "Trucks stay in right lane", or words to that effect? Yeah, that grade.
Anyhow, when you're lugging up it in low gear at 44 MPH and come nosing up against the heavy equipment hauler doing 43, please don't swing suddenly into the left lane where the little silver car is passing you with its cruise control set at 69 MPH, okay?
Thanks, and I just loved those mudflaps. They're real classy.
Tam
It's situations like those where one can start to appreciate not being allowed to own grenade launchers...
ReplyDelete(Yes, I know, we can legally own grenade launchers. It's for comedic effect...)
Semi tractor/trailer rigs will always win, it's a matter of physics. Plus, they can haul more grenade launchers than a little 4-wheeler.
ReplyDeleteMe, I'm a big fan of the 2-second distance rule, be it in my 4-wheeler or on my 2-wheeler.
"Me, I'm a big fan of the 2-second distance rule,"
ReplyDeleteMe too.
With vehicles in my lane, that is.
Understood. Maybe his blind spot was subjective that day?
ReplyDeleteI have over 500,000 miles under my belt driving all over this country, but mostly East of the Mississippi, mostly in sports cars but occasionally towing a race car with a large pickup truck.
ReplyDeleteIt is my considered opinion that most truckers have much more road and safety awareness than the average 4 wheeler driver. In short, I'd rather "convoy" with a group of truckers than a bunch of clueless 4 wheelers who don't look more than 50 feet down the road.
"In short, I'd rather "convoy" with a group of truckers than a bunch of clueless 4 wheelers who don't look more than 50 feet down the road."
ReplyDeleteOh, I'll agree with that for sure.
Chrome-nekkid'-lady-mudflap-boy was definitely in the minority.
It takes a real dink to swing into the left-hand lane when doing less than 50mph...
The icing on the cake?
ReplyDeleteHis blinkers came on in mid-maneuver.
"Hey, pal, those things are there to announce your intentions! Once you're moving, I can figure out which direction you're going, so why bother cutting them on?"
Wonder how fast a little Beemer can appear in that big rig's mirror with a 25mph or better closing speed?
ReplyDelete(BTW, since I know you're actually monitoring your Blog, check your TFL PMs, dammit!)
It takes a real dink to swing into the left-hand lane when doing less than 50mph...
ReplyDeleteI've seen it happen quite a bit on that hill. It's rude that he didn't signal in advance, but when you see two trucks running nose-tail on a steep incline and going 20-25MPH slower than you, it might be a good ideal to float the throttle a little and anticipate something weird happening. After all, that's a lot of closing rate when you consider the mass of the truck.
My own mudflaps now sport a chrome cutout of Tam's infamous bikini picture. After that, nothing less quite does it for me & my mudflaps. Keeps the BMW's in check, too.
ReplyDeleteWhen you start to go downhill farther up I40E right where it changes to a 55MPH zone, watch out for the THP that sits on the right hand shoulder. He's always there and he always runs instant on radar.
ReplyDeleteJust a little tip for those who drive faster than 69MPH.
I think Tam needs to get another gerbil for that lil' wheel that powers her lil' silver rollerskate thingy. :D
Don't get jay g started. We're trying to work on this thing so he doesn't squash the next car that pulls in front of him on his way to work.
ReplyDeleteMike
Hey, take it easy on his mudflaps ... that might be as close as he gets to actually having sex ...
ReplyDeleteHaha. Back in 2000, my aunt, her son, grandsons, and I were driving through TN on the way back from Georgia. TN seemed to be nothing but one big-ass uphill grade (we came up through Chattanooga) - friggin' van practically stayed in low half the state.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the truckers all generally drove well - and we listened to them on the CB, so when traffic got snarled in Chattanooga, we got the alternate route from them.
Maybe an East Tennessean can explain this: on our way to the state prone smallbore match at Oak Ridge, we ran with the traffic south through Kentucky, and it was about what you'd expect. Then, in the 10 miles or so before the border crossing checkpoint, the trucks all speeded up to 85 or so. Once in Tenn., they ran at normal speed. Why the rush? County with no sheriff? Speed checked by averaging computer? Gravitational anomaly?
ReplyDeleteComatus, you were coming down I75 from Kentucky? A lot of the truckers get a running start at Jellico Mountain near the border. Many are slowed to a crawl by the time they get to the top.
ReplyDelete