Well it happened again today. I'm in my smart on the freeway (four lanes in each direction) passing a truck who is in the slow lane. I'm in the lane to his left passing at a moderate speed. Then he begins to move into my lane as if I'm not there. If I hadn't been there there would've been plenty of room for him. But, I am there and have to take evasive action to avoid getting pushed over. I don't recall this happening before getting my smart. Have you also had this problem?
Oh yes, even before I drove a smart I experienced this, and not only from trucks. Kind of surprised that you haven't experienced this prior to driving a smart. It most likely isn't your car, it is the morons (inattentive drivers) you share the road with. Are you serious? LOL.
One of my first smart mods was upgrading the horn though. Consider an air horn.
It probably was on purpose, I've had them purposely try to run me off the road before since I got my smart. I dislike truck drivers with a passion now.
Scary first time experience! It happened to me yesterday. I was hounded by this coal truck for miles. He was trying to pass me in a passing zone that lasted about a mile, but I was just too fast and stayed on in front as the passing lane ended. He must have been furious not being able to pass. Then I saw him so close to my smart and honked repeatedly (!) as if I was slowing him down deliberately! It was unbelievable! I do try to observe village speed limits (40 mph) and not speed downhill(!!). But I had enough of him when he honked me again in the middle of a little sleepy hollow. I rolled down my window, stuck out my left arm like asking "Hey what's your problem", and then I looked out, putting my head out my window. Saw him in my left mirror doing the same gesture. Not sure what he meant, but I guess he needed to see me as a human not a car.
Then, I rolled down my window and went off, literally, doing 85 to 90 on the rolling route, and I could have lost him if not for me meeting up with slower traffic after a while. No more honking from him. We reached the four-lane highway after about 15 miles (there was a trooper cruiser and a truck inspection team at the merge!), but he stayed his distance behind me as I drove my way (65-70) to Pittsburgh the next 30 miles.
I really thought he would be doing more of the same on the 4-lane, but like I said, he might have forgotten that there was a real human driving that 'silly little golf cart'.
Later on, as I thought about the incident, I felt that I should have not driven away from the truck (doing 85 and up) but to stay my ground and drive as I usually do. I'm just glad that nothing untoward came out of it.
I am all for standing my ground but you need to remember that a truck weighing several times as much as you is not the best thing to go up against. Sure these cars are safer than most but when you are dealing with a potential road rage situation, it is usually best to just get out of their way. I have had a few idiots want to pass me doing a higher unsafe speed on some back roads when I was on my motorcycle. It is gratifying when you pass them later sitting with a patrol car parked behind them and the lights are flashing.... What goes around, comes around.
Thanks for your advice, jim. What he did was unsafe and what I did in reaction was also unsafe.
I'd probably more of that now, i.e. letting them pass at passing zones, even if it might mean eating the stones flying off their beds. It was a first road rage for me..
Last edited by wahi; 06-26-2009 at 04:38 AM.
Reason: added name
Back when I rode the motorcycle to work, I was once told to drive like they are out to get you and you'll never be suprised. Parinoid, yeah but I'm still alive... If my Smart didn't have the capability of going fast enough to get out of their way, I probably wouldn't have bought it. On a narrow road, you more than likely did the right thing. You can handle the road much better in a Smart than a large truck can.
To the OP
If you cant see the driver of the truck in his mirror, not just seeing the mirrors, They they don't see you.
When passing a truck I always give up millage sor safety and get past them as quick as I can.
To WHAI
In rolling hills you have to remember the fully loaded trucks need some extra oompf getting up the hills and they get that while going down hills. Next time let him pass in that passing lane. You can then draft behind him a lot safer than when he is trying to draft behind you. Chances are he may never realy get all that far ahead of you but you will be a lot safaer.
If you're worried about stones from the coal truck, put some distance between the two of you after the truck passes. Not letting someone pass is rude; sometimes that can deteriorate to unsafe.
To the OP
If you cant see the driver of the truck in his mirror, not just seeing the mirrors, They they don't see you.
When passing a truck I always give up millage sor safety and get past them as quick as I can.
To WHAI
In rolling hills you have to remember the fully loaded trucks need some extra oompf getting up the hills and they get that while going down hills. Next time let him pass in that passing lane. You can then draft behind him a lot safer than when he is trying to draft behind you. Chances are he may never realy get all that far ahead of you but you will be a lot safer.
You are right on all points. I rarely pass anyone, but when I pass a truck, I've always made it a rule to do it fast, tho not unexpectedly so (I don't suddenly put on the aft thrusters and shift into hyperdrive). I've done this since I first started driving a few cars and many years ago. It just makes sense.
And yes, trucks DO need that extra oomph, and I respect that, so I always speed up when a truck's not far behind me on a downhill before an uphill.
But I've had a few trucks come right up behind me -- within 3 feet sometimes -- and I'm not sure why they've done it. Eventually they pass me, but it can be a bit frightening! I've even seen that mirror writing A C from the M A C K truck as it got way too close. Yipe!
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smart - aka Smurf
1999 Ford Expedition
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