Rock Truck Drivers on 169/ any highway...

[zstyles]

Is it just me or do those people that drive those rock trucks feel like they own the fast lane?

I have noticed this more and more since driving in south 169 in the mornings and evening. They always want to drive in the left lane regardless of speed, never move over always make you go around..I think that they think they own the road.

Had two of them today heading south on 169, took the turnpike exit toward BA and exited on olive to head to what I am assuming is a dirt/rock quarry or something south...to top it off the guy exits and passes another car on a 2 lane/no shoulder side road, the car gets pissed and speeds up most likely for his safety and the truck drive fell back..

Gimme a break people....do these guys even need to take training to drive these things?

Most OTR truckers I have seen move over, follow the rules and know how to drive..these clowns DO NOT!

[Hometown]

We make jokes about the Handymen from Hell roaming Tulsa's roadways with their loose loads, probably to relieve the tension because there are guys out there everyday putting other people's lives at risk because they don't take the time to strap down a load or because they don't know how to drive a commercial vehicle.

Couldn't our police officers write a lot of tickets, make us some money and make the roads safe in the process?  169 and 75 are dangerous because of the commercial vehicles driving like bats out of Hell.

And then there's ODOT and their contracted road crews that don't have proper equipment and who work without adequate signage.  We've seen ODOT contractors trying to dart through traffic and said they are going to get hit and sure enough a day later there was a news item about an ODOT worker being killed.  ODOT knows what they are doing and they do it because it's cheap and people die because of their negligence.

And our local Republicans want tort reform so common people can't recover damages in court.

"Cheap" is what it is all about.

[Kashmir]

I so love rock trucks and their firm yet loving signs saying:

"STAY BACK 100 FEET WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES!"

as they blow by you with a wind shower of unsecured gravel.

Yeah, right.  Then secure your damn load!

[Red Arrow]

I knew a rock truck driver in Virginia many years ago. He said they were not responsible for objects kicked up from the road but they were responsible for damage caused by their load. Anyone know for sure if OK is the same?

[tulsa1603]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

I knew a rock truck driver in Virginia many years ago. He said they were not responsible for objects kicked up from the road but they were responsible for damage caused by their load. Anyone know for sure if OK is the same?

That would sound reasonable to me.  I wouldn't want to be responsible for debris kicked up from the road by my car.  But I say if you're going to haul something, you should be responsible for keeping it in your vehicle.

Those "KEEP BACK 200 FEET!" signs can't possibly have any legal teeth.  Probably more of a suggestion.

[YoungTulsan]

Yeah I think they are about as valid as me putting a sign on my car "Not liable for any collision-related damage"

[waterboy]

A lot of times the rock hitting your car dislodged from the tread in those commercial truck tires and exit at extremely high velocity. 200 ft is not nearly far enough back when the rock is being flung off a spinning tire. Actually, a rock that would fall from the load would continue at a forward speed similar to the trucks speed until it bounced around.

The signs are laughable (probably a requirement of the insurance companies) but keep folks aware of the danger of tailgaiting them.

[Townsend]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy



The signs are laughable (probably a requirement of the insurance companies) but keep folks aware of the danger of tailgaiting them.

They remind me to haul butt around them as quickly as possible.  Those nets over the gravel loads are a joke.

[John Redcorn]

I've noticed the same thing. especially on 169. Regular truck drivers = obey the rules.
Dump truck driver = hey whatever man.

and they are always losing rocks.

I got a ticket one time related to this. N169 by 81st, not busy, Dump truck going 55, losing rocks in fast lane, both right lanes have a few people going 55 for no reason. I saw a small opening and I guess another car saw it too because we both hit it hard and got in front of everybody but then police lights. One cop pulled us both over. He even said he knew it was because of the dump truck why we did what we did. (So why didn't you give him a ticket? he's the reason for the situation) He radared me at 82 but I guess was feeling nice (not nice enough to ticket the dump truck driver) and wrote it as 74, $67 and no insurance increases I guess I can't complain too much.

[ARGUS]

the police/OHP should and could make a bundle for ticketing all loads not properly secured!

[inteller]

they could make a bundle, but they have an easier time preying on people driving their own cars and paying their own insurance because they know those people will just pay to make it go away.  These truck drivers don't give a ****.  The only consolation is when these a**holes are going north they are weighted down.  It is actually the empty loads that are the worse because what left over rocks that are left in the dump are bouncing around and out.

[Michael71]

quote:Originally posted by zstyles

Is it just me or do those people that drive those rock trucks feel like they own the fast lane?

I have noticed this more and more since driving in south 169 in the mornings and evening. They always want to drive in the left lane regardless of speed, never move over always make you go around..I think that they think they own the road.

Had two of them today heading south on 169, took the turnpike exit toward BA and exited on olive to head to what I am assuming is a dirt/rock quarry or something south...to top it off the guy exits and passes another car on a 2 lane/no shoulder side road, the car gets pissed and speeds up most likely for his safety and the truck drive fell back..

Gimme a break people....do these guys even need to take training to drive these things?

Most OTR truckers I have seen move over, follow the rules and know how to drive..these clowns DO NOT!

Thank you!!  This frustrates me more than anything.  It's so easy to move over & let people pass you on the left...that's what it's for!  I drive away from downtown every morning to go to work.  Every day I see people in the far left lane(5lanes)...but yet they need to exit 169 N or S.  So now, all of a sudden, they're in a hurry to get 5 lanes over.  Why drive all the way over there if you're going slow?

[JCnOwasso]

I have a windshield full of cracks because of that road... unfortunately when you ride 169 during the morning, it is hard to prove a rock came off the truck directly infront of you and not the one in front of him or off to your right.  Honestly the dump trucks should be banned from the highways 6:30 to 8:30 and 4 to 6.  All they do is cause slow downs and several wrecks


When I drive my wifes MINI I have watched the rocks drop off the truck and bounce over the car.