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Old 09-13-2014, 04:47 AM   #14 (permalink)
Baltothewolf
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf View Post
Why so? Quite apart from the fact that, as was pointed out above, any crash is going to be less severe if you are very close, maybe nothing but a little paint scraped off, in a rear-end collision, isn't the following driver always legally at fault?

Further, I've never understood why truck drivers are bothered by cars close behind them, but have no problem at all following a length or two behind a car.

As for pieces of tire and such, they fly off to the side much more often than directly behind.
My dad has been a class A truck driver for almost 30 years. He HATES people following close behind him. On several occasions when I was with him and a car is following too close behind his truck (that has a trailer) he will give them a few warning brake light flashes (tapping the brakes enough to trigger brake lights, but not enough to change speed) and if they continue their transgressions, he pulls the trolley valve. 9/10 Times they get the hint and back off. He told me that an accident, his fault or not, shows up on his record and follows him for the rest of his life. And that's the first thing that class A companies look for. They check for accidents before they check for tickets.

TL;DR If you get brake checked by a truck driver because you are too close, don't get mad at him, he is trying to keep you from ruining HIS/HER life.
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