On 25 Jan '11 at about 11:45 AM I tried to enter I-95 northbound at exit 130. A Heartland Express semi nearly ran me off the entrance ramp - I had to speed up to 68 mph to get on the highway, or go off the road! Then, I exited I-95 at exit 133B. The exit ramp speed is 25 mph, but this truck was literally on my bumper, so I was forced to speed up to 40 mph! I'm sure the driver thought it was fun to haze a little Toyota, but what if I had been a less aware or less skilled driver? What if there had been a child in the car? I had gotten this guy's phone number, I would have called the police.
Heartland Express, tell your drivers to OBEY SPEED LIMITS, and be considerate of others on the road. The Fredericksburg area is congested- drive cautiously.

In trucking school, and training for a company, every trainer I've had has taught me to stay in the right lane & let the cars adjust their speed to fit in my lane. Sometimes they recommended moving over if there was space, BUT THEY RARELY DID!

This has always been a concern of mine, because I try to be considerate of everyone, however, having driven for 2 years, a situation keeps coming up.

Now 18-wheelers are often supposed to stay in the right-lane, by law. Often the signs on the road will tell a trucker which lane he should be in. Cars can ignore these signs & often do, but not 18-wheelers. Often we need to legally be in the right lane so we don't get a ticket, and moving over to the fast/passing-lane is a risky choice, but still, I'd often do it, with the hope that I can get back in the legal lane without pressing the brakes and using up too much expensive fuel. But every now & then, when I let a car in, that car would not let me back into the slow lane. Some cars actually will ride in my blind-spot. Some cars, after I let them in, actually pass me, slowly, on the right - in my huge blind-spot, which is highly dangerous for both of us & the rest of traffic. Ever see those signs on trailers saying, don't pass on this side? But that's not all, once one car passes a truck on the right, more jump in, and then they are all flowing down my right, keeping me from getting back in the slow lane. Most 18-wheelers are speed-limited. We cannot speed up to the same speed as the rest of traffic, and moving into the fast lane slows everyone down considerably, and it stands to reason that they would all try to pass on the right. Some areas are worse than others, like NY, or OH, or cities.

Often, the car I let in just has no idea that I was being polite to move over, and he, likewise, should be polite, and give me plenty of space to get back in the slow lane.

That's another thing cars will do when I move over for them. They ride about 2 or 3 feet behind the trailer, in the slow lane, matching my speed. It's very difficult to judge distance with the right-side mirror in a truck. That's the blind-side. I don't know if the car is beside me, or behind me, often, and often I just have to guess, and hope, and start moving over w/ my blinkers on & hope they are not texting, and get out of the way if they are next to me. This is very dangerous and scary for a trucker, but this HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!!! You see, cars simply expect proper etiquite from the trucker, but they have no idea what to do, to be polite in return. It's like opening the door for a lady who locks it behind you before you can also get in.

So you got the truck's number, eh? You going to turn him in? Well, hope it makes you feel better. I for one, will not move over most of the time either, & if the cars don't like it, they can speed up & move in front of me, slow down & move behind me, or crash into my side & die. As for the cars, if you don't slow down to let my 18-wheeler in, I'll slow down until someone does, or run out of lane - which has never happened yet. Trucks can't accellerate like cars can, to let themselves in. We need help. Often, they can't move over. Often, moving over ends up biting them in the butt, cause the car's driver has no idea what is required of an 18-wheeler. Those guys leaving me 2 feet of room to get back in probably think they are returning the favor. Ignorance is not an excuse. Trucks need to drive legal to make a living & avoid tickets. We didn't write the laws. I'm tired of paying for car's ignorance. That's why I don't move over like I used to. That's why I don't mind running you cars off the road if you don't crash into a bridge or guard-rail. Cause it's just not worth it to me most of the time. Sorry. I'd rather us both be knowledgable & do the right thing & be considerate, but the fact is cars are ignorant of 18-wheeler laws, & rules, & limitations.

To be considerate to a big truck who moves over & lets you in, you give him plenty of space to get in front of you, and blink your lights, to signal him that no one is about to try to pass him on the right, and he has plenty of space to get in. 1 in 2000 cars actually do this, but every trucker is supposed to know that to be polite he needs to move over & let a car in. We all need a proper education & knowledge. I'm considerate. I care. I want to make it easier on you, but not at the expense that my 13-hour day is so stressful I make serious mistakes at the end of my shift & kill or crash or take out some signs or a tire & become unemployable. Why don't you be more considerate and just adjust your speed to match an empty space & slip in, instead of expecting the big-truck to move over for you, your royal highness.