LEO / Heavy Haul Trucker Question...

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • maxwelhse

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 21, 2018
    5,415
    149
    Michiana
    On the way home tonight I turned on to a road with a heavy hauler w/Police escort proceeding down it in the opposite direction, so I pulled over for them. Just after I did so, the light turned red for their direction and the show came to a halt. My direction had no light as we were proceeding away from the intersection. My direction had a merging lane and their direction had 2 turn lanes, so at this point it was a 5 lane road.

    The marked vehicles all had their lights running the whole time, which to me means pull over and let them pass, so I did. Except they weren't passing, they were stopped. A couple of other motorists cruised on by and I believe the truck honked at one of them (keeping mind, they were 100% stopped in the opposite lane of travel), a few other people waited with me.

    I think by the letter of the law I did what I was supposed to do, but the letter of common sense says I should have rolled on past.

    So... What was the right move here? Part of me wanted to stop and wait just to show them that some of us still respect the job they're out doing. The other part of me was thinking those guys must think I'm a moron for just sitting here waiting for literally nothing to happen.
     

    ditcherman

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 18, 2018
    7,607
    113
    In the country, hopefully.
    I don't know the answer but I like what you did there with "letter of the law" vs "letter of common sense".

    Not everybody stops for funeral processions anymore so in the court of public opinion no one was guilty, but the ones who hurried past may have thought bad things, can't worry about them.

    I haul mildly wide, 9 1/2', not a big deal, when I'm moving my equipment from job to job. Used to haul a piece that was 13'. The worst thing that happens, in my unprofessional truck driver opinion, and this definitely applies to farm equipment as well, is when you are rolling up on someone, trying to time missing the mailbox with meeting them, and they are such a kind soul that they slow down, or even slightly pull off right across from the mailbox. Not fun. I'd rather they just keep moving at the same clip and I'll adjust the timing and get over if I have too. These are narrow country roads that I'm talking about. A lot of people know the drill, and most are just trying to be nice, but I'd rather them just roll on steady. Same with passing farm equipment. If you can get around me, do it. If I pull over and give you a chance and you don't take it, it's over for a while. That green magnetic ribbon that says be kind stay behind makes no sense to me. I don't want you back there any more than you want to be there.

    Thanks for letting me rant in your thread!
     

    Wstar425

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 20, 2018
    440
    93
    Sandia Park, New Mexico
    I’m a truck driver tho not heavy haul or over-wide. If I understand your description correctly I think you could have kept moving. It’s not a school bus, nor do I think you are forced to stop. The lights are just there to make people aware from a further distance to get their nose out of their phone and pay attention!! Why the driver honked?? I don’t know, maybe that was his girlfriend heading the other way?

    To address the bigger picture, often people will do something contrary to the law, or the “rules of the road” trying to help drivers out. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it makes it worse. If I break the law moving my truck due to someone else not following the law, tho being courteous, and something goes wrong, I’m likely going to found at fault.

    If no no one had to take evasive action, and no accidents happened, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Oversized drivers are likely a pretty patient bunch of they won’t be doing that for long.
     

    maxwelhse

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 21, 2018
    5,415
    149
    Michiana
    I’m a truck driver tho not heavy haul or over-wide. If I understand your description correctly I think you could have kept moving. It’s not a school bus, nor do I think you are forced to stop. The lights are just there to make people aware from a further distance to get their nose out of their phone and pay attention!! Why the driver honked?? I don’t know, maybe that was his girlfriend heading the other way?

    To address the bigger picture, often people will do something contrary to the law, or the “rules of the road” trying to help drivers out. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it makes it worse. If I break the law moving my truck due to someone else not following the law, tho being courteous, and something goes wrong, I’m likely going to found at fault.

    If no no one had to take evasive action, and no accidents happened, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Oversized drivers are likely a pretty patient bunch of they won’t be doing that for long.

    I this particular case I think your opinion is probably accurate as far as accepted norms, but that's not what the law says. Keep in mind my question is less about the heavy hauler and much more about the marked police vehicles with their reds/blues running. If it was just a normal wide load with flashing yellows and an civilian escort, I would have just proceeded as usual, giving them all the space they needed in the process.

    In the case of that load, I don't even think it was even oversized, but radically over weight. It was some sort of substation equipment and by counting the tires on the trailer I'd guess he was approaching double the usual limit. I think the cops were there so the guy would have room to stop and to keep people from forcing him into a panic stop situation. Since he was stopped, I was seeing pretty much 0 risk, but... The law's the law, I think? :dunno:

    IC 9-21-8-35Sec. 35. (a) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle, when the person who drives the authorized emergency vehicle is giving audible signal by siren or displaying alternately flashing red, red and white, or red and blue lights, a person who drives another vehicle shall do the following unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer: (1) Yield the right-of-way. (2) Immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway clear of any intersection. (3) Stop and remain in the position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed. (b) This section does not operate to relieve the person who drives an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway. As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.9
     

    JettaKnight

    Я з Україною
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Oct 13, 2010
    26,517
    113
    Fort Wayne
    My thought is, when see an emergency vehicle with lights running (or "blues & twos" in Europe), I take that to mean "get the **** out of my way".


    There's plenty of times where immediately stopping on the roadside, or just in the road, has the opposite effect. E.g. Don't stop and block an intersection, if you have to get out of the intersection, so they can get in.


    I'm not pulling over to show respect (if so I guess I'd salute, or applaud), I'm pulling over, so they can do their job safely.



    In the situation you describe, it sounds like the best course of action was to keep moving along and not create a traffic jam.


    It's not uncommon for those big turbine blades to get escorts on freeways (I've seen a half dozen with lights going), but they have their two lanes, and if they're running ten mph under, I'll pass them in the third lane, regardless of how many lights. If I'm wrong, I'm sure the cop will let me know in that situation.


    Oh, are you sure the honked horn wasn't from some trying to say, "WTF are you stopped?" :dunno:
    (That's not me speaking, but some impatient driver, of course.)
     

    JettaKnight

    Я з Україною
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Oct 13, 2010
    26,517
    113
    Fort Wayne
    I haul mildly wide, 9 1/2', not a big deal, when I'm moving my equipment from job to job. Used to haul a piece that was 13'. The worst thing that happens, in my unprofessional truck driver opinion, and this definitely applies to farm equipment as well, is when you are rolling up on someone, trying to time missing the mailbox with meeting them, and they are such a kind soul that they slow down, or even slightly pull off right across from the mailbox. Not fun. I'd rather they just keep moving at the same clip and I'll adjust the timing and get over if I have too. These are narrow country roads that I'm talking about. A lot of people know the drill, and most are just trying to be nice, but I'd rather them just roll on steady. Same with passing farm equipment. If you can get around me, do it. If I pull over and give you a chance and you don't take it, it's over for a while. That green magnetic ribbon that says be kind stay behind makes no sense to me. I don't want you back there any more than you want to be there.

    Since I've been riding motorcycles, I've been a lot more in tune with traffic. It's not just observing, but predicting the path of other motorists and their objectives.

    Stuff like, "Ah, I see the guy behind me has his right turn signal on, so if I move over he can turn right on red." Or "there's a car wanting to move, so the guy next to me will likely want my lane to give that guy space."

    The fear of dying has led me to see those sorts of patterns and planned routes.


    There's a ton of old folks homes near me now, so seeing an ambulance in the rear view mirror is not uncommon. Sometimes I can easily pull over, and sometimes the best path is to giver 'er the beans and get through the roundabout so I can get to a spot where I can pullover.
    Last time that happened, the driver in front was oblivious to the situation, or incapable planning and executing. :xmad:
     

    maxwelhse

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 21, 2018
    5,415
    149
    Michiana
    My thought is, when see an emergency vehicle with lights running (or "blues & twos" in Europe), I take that to mean "get the **** out of my way".


    There's plenty of times where immediately stopping on the roadside, or just in the road, has the opposite effect. E.g. Don't stop and block an intersection, if you have to get out of the intersection, so they can get in.


    I'm not pulling over to show respect (if so I guess I'd salute, or applaud), I'm pulling over, so they can do their job safely.



    In the situation you describe, it sounds like the best course of action was to keep moving along and not create a traffic jam.



    It's not uncommon for those big turbine blades to get escorts on freeways (I've seen a half dozen with lights going), but they have their two lanes, and if they're running ten mph under, I'll pass them in the third lane, regardless of how many lights. If I'm wrong, I'm sure the cop will let me know in that situation.


    Oh, are you sure the honked horn wasn't from some trying to say, "WTF are you stopped?" :dunno:
    (That's not me speaking, but some impatient driver, of course.)

    1 - Well, no s***. :laugh: I wasn't going to sit there and make things worse for anybody. There was no traffic jam or other disaster unfolding because I (and the majority of other motorists) pulled over and stopped.

    2 - Those cops are already working a job. I'm more concerned about their buddies up the road that might not think it was funny I passed a marked cruiser with its lights on without being waved around. I'm asking this question expressly to solicit opinions from those in the know of what I should actually do as to avoid being needlessly pulled over.

    3 - I suppose it could have been any random car with a commercial air horn installed, but I assumed it was the only commercial truck within eyesight. ;)
     

    JettaKnight

    Я з Україною
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Oct 13, 2010
    26,517
    113
    Fort Wayne
    That text color...

    giphy.gif
     

    maxwelhse

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 21, 2018
    5,415
    149
    Michiana
    I guess a lot of what I posted is more a rant about what I see from other car operators (they're too dumb to be called motorist), not directed toward you by any means.

    A tangential rant on a gun forum? I guess there's a first time for everything.

    I did, 100%, expect a few responses like that when I started the thread but that doesn't mean I was just going to let you off the hook entirely. Finger wagging earned, finger wagging delivered. :nono:

    ;)
     

    JettaKnight

    Я з Україною
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Oct 13, 2010
    26,517
    113
    Fort Wayne
    A tangential rant on a gun forum? I guess there's a first time for everything.

    I did, 100%, expect a few responses like that when I started the thread but that doesn't mean I was just going to let you off the hook entirely. Finger wagging earned, finger wagging delivered. :nono:

    ;)

    Sorry. It's been a very distressing day for me; I'm not my usual jovial Friday self.
     
    Top Bottom