They say, (truckers, I mean) that if you don't get flipped off at least once a day, you haven't done your job. I'm not sure I agree with that, but I do know I get flipped off a lot, and horns blasted at me a number of times per week. But, that's the name of the game when an 18-wheeler shares the road with the 4-wheelers.
I've avoided out-and-out road rage until the other night, traveling through Pennsylvania on a dark, drizzly night on I-70. There weren't too many cars or trucks on the road. We were light so going up and down the mountain roads did not slow me down.
I looked in my side mirror and saw a car approaching on the left. Suddenly, he dove behind me and followed me for a few miles. This happens occasionally and it is very disconcerting. Is it a cop checking me out? Is it someone who likes to follow big trucks?(Surprisingly there are those that think following close behind a truck increases their fuel mileage. NOT!) Are they trying to take an exit and realized that they can't pass me in time? Nothing seems to happen - just following behind.
I was approaching a slow Land Span truck in the right lane. There were 3 lanes so I wouldn't be getting into anyone's way by jumping into the middle lane. I passed the Land Span and looked into the right side mirror and saw him flash his lights. I turned my turn signal on and moved over. Suddenly I heard a roar on my right side (which would have been the shoulder) and saw a car zip past me on the shoulder! Where did he come from?!?
If figured he was the car that was following me, but why did he end up on my right side? If he wanted to pass me, why did he wait until I was passing the Land Span, and more importantly, why didn't he pass on the far left lane?
It unnerved me but I didn't think more about it. A few miles later I saw the same car on the side of the road. The driver had his door opened. I didn't think much about it, but thought later that maybe he was looking to see if he had any damage to his car. After all, the shoulder was not that wide and there was a guard rail there.
I drove another few miles thinking about where I was going to stop to change drivers. I was about an hour from the turnpike so figured once I got on the turnpike we would switch there. It had been a grueling evening, picking up the load in Columbus, OH, and I was tired and ready to stop, but wanted to give Larry a little more sleep.
There were no cars or trucks ahead of me or behind me. I wasn't paying too much attention but happened to do my cursory glance in the side mirror that I do when I'm driving. There, right on the back bumper of my trailer were headlights. I saw the car swerve just barely past the corner and then run up the side of my trailer, over the center line and as he approached the cab of the truck he swerved into me. If I hadn't swerved the truck onto the shoulder I don't know if he would have actually hit me or not. He flew past, apparently content with the payback and was up and around the hill, with my brights on full to let him know I didn't think it was funny. It happened so fast I didn't think to hit my air horn.
That unnerved me. Was he going to meet again on another corner? Did he have other intentions? I decided I didn't want to take a chance so a few miles later there was a truck stop and I stopped to get myself composed and to wake Larry up and get some TLC.
We waited about 15 minutes and I continued on down the road and didn't see him again, thankfully.
