Really bad and terrible drivers

[Fish]

I've got state farm drive safe and save on my terrain, saves me $300 is the only reason I put up with the aggravation. So I have to drive the speed limit. Other people really hate that. I seem to be the only person on the road driving the speed limit. Luckily I don't drive it much, it sits in my shop all winter with a battery tender on it.

In the Camelot I'm in the right lane never going more than 65 and that also makes a lot of people mad. If I'm in a city with lots of on ramps I'll move into the middle lane, since people don't seem to know how to merge on the interstate.

 

[LMHS]

I try to avoid the interstates and run US and State highways. That said, I also understand that there are a lot of slower drivers on the rural highways. I understand that there are a lot of people who think the speed limit doesn't apply to them. I understand there are a lot of drivers that are driving "distracted" due to cellphones, pets, kids, radios, passengers, etc. I figure I need to drive defensively. And expect stupidity from all drivers. If someone gets near me, I keep a sharper eye on them.

As for truckers... like any one driving any vehicle, there are good drivers and bad drivers. Generally I feel safer with a trucker than I do with another RVer (unless it's a logging truck or a Swift driver.... which seems to be the same thing or they just drive the same). I've had far more near misses with RVers than I've had with truckers. And there's more truckers on the highways I travel than there are RVs.

RVers tend to think they are either entitled or they are unconscious as to what size their RV is. I'm leaning towards "entitled". I generally assume that if they are traveling with a little dog/cat (or two) wandering around on the dash, then they are an accident waiting to happen. I try to stay as far away from them as I can.

Another good example are the idiots that are currently parked next to me. When they backed in, they took out the 4X4 post with the site number on it... along with my now flattened solar stick light ON a thin pole that stuck up about 40" above the ground. I've noticed they haven't bothered to apologize for running it down and they've been here 3 days so far. Currently their big truck used to tow their fiver is parked so it is into the single lane drive by about 3 ft. How considerate of them. My old jeep is parked across the drive in the overflow parking and it's a good thing because they would have taken out my jeep otherwise. As it is, I checked to see if they had hit it when they backed their fiver into the site. And I will check every day while they are here. It's THIS mindset that indicates a bad driver.

I live in an RV park and have since 2005. I've watched a lot of bad drivers on interior park roads. I cringe to think they are out on the highways.

 

[AbdRahim]

Drivers education, at least, as I remember it from the days of brontosaurus, does not spend enough time on the subject of driving around large vehicles. And worse, I would guess that most RVers are not only missing this, they have no training or education with regard to driving their rigs.

When I bought my first trailer, never having pulled anything before. My training was twice around the parking lot and an attempt to back up. I informed the tech that I could not see the back of the trailer. His response (sitting in the passenger seat) was that he could see it just fine. ”Ok, enjoy your trailer”. Training over.Makes you feel real safe. Fortunately, I have been on the road with, talked to and studied the movements and challenges of truck drivers fir 40 years before this experience.

When I bought this rig, I took the RV Driving School course. Though I was driving it well, by then, it was greatly helpful, as the instructor took me to some more difficult places. It was nice to know ahead of time how to successfully maneuver in these situations without damaging anything. It was also reassuring to hear the instructor tell me that most of what he had to teach me, I already knew.

There is no excuse fir ignorance today. One can learn any subject today on the internet. There is enough info on the internet such that one can be well prepared, knowing how these things move, how long they take to stop, safe distances etc, before ever getting in the driver’s seat. But, I guess to some, ignorance is bliss. Unfortunately, also very dangerous and sometimes fatal.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

I try to avoid the interstates and run US and State highways. That said, I also understand that there are a lot of slower drivers on the rural highways. I understand that there are a lot of people who think the speed limit doesn't apply to them. I understand there are a lot of drivers that are driving "distracted" due to cellphones, pets, kids, radios, passengers, etc. I figure I need to drive defensively. And expect stupidity from all drivers. If someone gets near me, I keep a sharper eye on them.

As for truckers... like any one driving any vehicle, there are good drivers and bad drivers. Generally I feel safer with a trucker than I do with another RVer (unless it's a logging truck or a Swift driver.... which seems to be the same thing or they just drive the same). I've had far more near misses with RVers than I've had with truckers. And there's more truckers on the highways I travel than there are RVs.

RVers tend to think they are either entitled or they are unconscious as to what size their RV is. I'm leaning towards "entitled". I generally assume that if they are traveling with a little dog/cat (or two) wandering around on the dash, then they are an accident waiting to happen. I try to stay as far away from them as I can.

Another good example are the idiots that are currently parked next to me. When they backed in, they took out the 4X4 post with the site number on it... along with my now flattened solar stick light ON a thin pole that stuck up about 40" above the ground. I've noticed they haven't bothered to apologize for running it down and they've been here 3 days so far. Currently their big truck used to tow their fiver is parked so it is into the single lane drive by about 3 ft. How considerate of them. My old jeep is parked across the drive in the overflow parking and it's a good thing because they would have taken out my jeep otherwise. As it is, I checked to see if they had hit it when they backed their fiver into the site. And I will check every day while they are here. It's THIS mindset that indicates a bad driver.

I live in an RV park and have since 2005. I've watched a lot of bad drivers on interior park roads. I cringe to think they are out on the highways.

Having been a camp host for a few years has taught me that you are correct. Watching a lot of folks in action trying to maneuver their rigs down "narrower" but not really narrow roads and then attempting to back into a site (and not just trailers) at times had me running for cover. We never buried posts deeper than 6 - 8 inches because they wouldn't break off at such a short depth. Buying new posts all the time is expensive. Concrete filled steel tubing or big rocks are used to protect services for a reason. I have rarely seen this type of armor used where truckers hang out

Darrell

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Sorry guys! I don't think size matters. My trips to the stores seals that opinion. Seems observation in a store gives one an idea who to stay away from on the road!

I believe you learn at home to respect life, or things.

If life is what you protect, you will likely be able to handle your rig.

If things are what you covet, then insurance is your thing, to hell with others.

I had drivers training in junior high, without behind the wheel training. The rest of my training was next to my mom. Other than that I learned as I go. I've hauled some awesome loads, with nair a problem, but I value all life and drive like insurance was nonexistent.

I know someone that had a quote for insurance.

The agent laughed at him when he said he wanted the same coverages, he had maintained. The agent said that coverage would only keep him out of jail!!!
Later that evening he told his wife he was going to need to change the way he drove.

I think that just about says it all!!!

 

[sanda]

I try to avoid the interstates and run US and State highways. That said, I also understand that there are a lot of slower drivers on the rural highways. I understand that there are a lot of people who think the speed limit doesn't apply to them. I understand there are a lot of drivers that are driving "distracted" due to cellphones, pets, kids, radios, passengers, etc. I figure I need to drive defensively. And expect stupidity from all drivers. If someone gets near me, I keep a sharper eye on them.

As for truckers... like any one driving any vehicle, there are good drivers and bad drivers. Generally I feel safer with a trucker than I do with another RVer (unless it's a logging truck or a Swift driver.... which seems to be the same thing or they just drive the same). I've had far more near misses with RVers than I've had with truckers. And there's more truckers on the highways I travel than there are RVs.

RVers tend to think they are either entitled or they are unconscious as to what size their RV is. I'm leaning towards "entitled". I generally assume that if they are traveling with a little dog/cat (or two) wandering around on the dash, then they are an accident waiting to happen. I try to stay as far away from them as I can.

Another good example are the idiots that are currently parked next to me. When they backed in, they took out the 4X4 post with the site number on it... along with my now flattened solar stick light ON a thin pole that stuck up about 40" above the ground. I've noticed they haven't bothered to apologize for running it down and they've been here 3 days so far. Currently their big truck used to tow their fiver is parked so it is into the single lane drive by about 3 ft. How considerate of them. My old jeep is parked across the drive in the overflow parking and it's a good thing because they would have taken out my jeep otherwise. As it is, I checked to see if they had hit it when they backed their fiver into the site. And I will check every day while they are here. It's THIS mindset that indicates a bad driver.

I live in an RV park and have since 2005. I've watched a lot of bad drivers on interior park roads. I cringe to think they are out on the highways.

These people not only lack driving skills but also don't understand campground etiquette.

 

[GypsyR]

Went "to town" on our normal Saturday run. It was like one idiot after another. One sample was us on a literally otherwise empty five lane cruising in the left lane and a BMW comes steaming off the interstate, straight across the right lane and directly in front of us so I had to brake. Causing me to go off a bit. At the third such incident causing me to....comment, my wife said, "Well you're just road raging." I replied that I darn well wasn't there just seemed to be an excess of idiots out tonight.

So we went to a store and nosed into a parking spot like normal. Fairly crowded and busy place. Not easy to find a good parking spot. Came back out to find a car parked almost diagonally across the two spaces facing our car. I just pointed at it with my hand and my wife said "OK, OK, maybe you have a point."

Oddly enough, the trip back home was idiot free. Like a box of chocolates...

 

[MFJ]

I don't know if it's gotten better or worse with drivers. I live in an area that's gotten more populated over time, so when I feel that drivers are getting worse I think it's just that I'm seeing more of them. What legit scares me is when I'm towing and your options to maneuver safely uncomfortably dwindle.

Last summer I went to visit my Aunt and we took our trailer with us to sleep in. Traveling down Rt. 40 near Ohiopyle for those familiar. We're in a line of traffic coming up on a stop light where the road merges into one lane. We have some guy behind us trying to merge over in my lane, which has a line of traffic. Getting up to the merge, now he's hanging out beside out trailer. Not by the truck where I could reasonably slow to give space, but near the axle of our 31' trailer. He decides the best way to merge was to speed up and cut right in front of us, and I mean less than maybe 2 car lengths. I tell you what, I almost wish we hit him so I can get his license off our dash cam and go after him because I was p@#$ed. What I can say is that the trailer brakes worked very well and thank god we were already slowing.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

The best ways to avoid horrible, crazy drivers is to avoid Interstates and avoid large cities.

So my 5 or so years in Deming NM showed me that people on surface streets are kind and considerate(not!!!). I have come to believe foot travel is the only way to avoid the "people" we are talking about!!! well, I don't think that works either, as I hear peds get mowed down too

 

[old timer]

I find that most people are compliant and then there is the ones that never towed anything or driven any thing big.