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General » rec.autos.driving » The Little Duckling That Couldn't
| The Little Duckling That Couldn't [message #794876] |
Tue, 19 February 2008 17:40 |
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A long drive down a desert Interstate brought this interesting
spectacle:
Two pickup trucks, both "wrapped" in tree camouflage, including the
windows. According to lettering on the doors, they belonged to a
building contractor; I guess this was at once a good marketing gimmick
and a way to get double duty out of the company truck come deer
season. The larger of the trucks was pulling a two-axle trailer.
They were running 70-75 and slowing down quite a bit for the hills,
so I passed them.
Several miles later, the one with the trailer got a wild hair up his
butt and decided to go faster. He caught up, came alongside... and
just hung there for a while.
I'm a big believer in lateral and longitudinal separation, and in that
country there's no reason to cluster up with randomly behaving
strangers, so I hit the gas and opened up the distance, then resumed
my cruising speed (while he dropped back for the next climb.)
Several miles later, he did it again. Slowed down to stay with his co-
worker or whatever in the other truck for a while, cowboyed it to
catch up with me, then ran out of engine, skills, or nerve (pick one
or more) before quite overtaking.
This happened once again before a long upgrade set him back for good.
Not sure what exactly what was going on with him -- big ego with too
big a load to express itself properly? Frst time with a heavy
trailer, learning how much of a performance handicap it is? Boss and/
or father back there in the other truck, getting on the CB or the cell
phone to tell him to tuck it back in his pants before he wrecked, got
a ticket, or just burned up way too much $3/gallon gas for no good
reason? (Or maybe something more like "Might as well stick with me,
kid, 'cause I'm one with the map to where we're going, remember?")
Whatever it was, I was glad to look in the mirror and see them exiting
at the next town and staying gone.
--Joe
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| Re: The Little Duckling That Couldn't [message #795000 ] |
Wed, 20 February 2008 02:11 |
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On Feb 19, 10:40=A0am, Ad absurdum per aspera <jtc... [at] california.com>
wrote:
> A long drive down a desert Interstate =A0brought this interesting
> spectacle:
>
> Two pickup trucks, both "wrapped" in tree camouflage, including the
> windows. =A0According to lettering on the doors, they belonged to a
> building contractor; I guess this was at once a good marketing gimmick
> and a way to get double duty out of the company truck come deer
> season. =A0 The larger of the trucks was pulling a two-axle trailer.
>
> They were running 70-75 and slowing down quite a bit =A0for the hills,
> so I passed them.
>
> Several miles later, the one with the trailer got a wild hair up his
> butt and decided to go faster. =A0He caught up, came alongside... and
> just hung there for a while.
>
> I'm a big believer in lateral and longitudinal separation, and in that
> country there's no reason to cluster up with randomly behaving
> strangers, so I hit the gas and opened up the distance, then resumed
> my cruising speed (while he dropped back for the next climb.)
>
> Several miles later, he did it again. =A0Slowed down to stay with his co-
> worker or whatever in the other truck for a while, =A0cowboyed it to
> catch up with me, then ran out of engine, skills, or nerve (pick one
> or more) before quite overtaking.
>
> This happened once again before =A0a long upgrade set him back for good.
>
> Not sure what exactly what was going on with him -- big ego with too
> big a load to express itself properly? =A0 Frst time with a heavy
> trailer, learning how much of a performance handicap it is? =A0 Boss and/
> or father back there in the other truck, getting on the CB or the cell
> phone to tell him to tuck it back in his pants before he wrecked, got
> a ticket, or just burned up way too much $3/gallon gas for no good
> reason? =A0(Or maybe something more like "Might as well stick with me,
> kid, 'cause I'm one with the map to where we're going, remember?")
>
> Whatever it was, I was glad to look in the mirror and see them exiting
> at the next town and staying gone.
>
> --Joe
Did this happen in your home state? If not, the front trucker
probably thought it was tourist season. I picture the back trucker
radioing back, "I said you may *not* keep it!"
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| Re: The Little Duckling That Couldn't [message #795016 ] |
Wed, 20 February 2008 02:40 |
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Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)
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