One of the most frustrating things about driving is all the other drivers you’re forced to share the road with. You’ve got aggressive drivers, hesitant drivers, distracted drivers, people who think weaving through traffic gets them to their destination significantly faster, tentative drivers who seem to be afraid of the accelerator pedal, late brakers, and cars with no operational brake lights.
Beyond seemingly mindless drivers, the roads are full of people hauling poorly secured loads that drop full paint cans, aluminum ladders, and other things like mattresses and cause all sorts of road hazards with nary a warning to other drivers. I once went on a canyon drive with some friends, and their sticky tires flicked up gravel that cracked my windshield.
Regardless of what you get stuck behind, being a smart, aware, and defensive driver is an important strategy to keep you and your vehicle safe and out of harm’s way. All this is to say that there’s a seemingly endless array of vehicles that you don’t want to be stuck behind on the road. But what’s the worst kind of vehicle to get stuck behind? Let us know in the comments below.
I refuse to follow behind cement trucks
I’ve driven more in my 10-ish years of being a licensed driver than many people have. I was a pre-production vehicle test driver for about three years, so I’ve spent an alarming amount of time cruising on public roads. In all of my time on the road, I had one experience that surprised me so much it changed the way I drive, and that was driving behind a cement truck.
When I worked as a field validation test driver for Mercedes-Benz Research and Development, I was forced to drive a shiny new S-Class all day long. I spent countless hours slaving away behind the wood-rimmed wheel of one of the most opulent vehicles on the market, spending hour after hour getting mercilessly massaged by the leather-lined, climate-controlled seats. It was a pretty grueling gig, and if you can’t detect my sarcasm here, I can’t help you.
One day while I was getting my massage, a cement truck merged in front of me. The driver signaled and merged respectfully, but likely didn’t realize that their truck was dripping drops of cement. I was unlucky enough to end up with several drops of cement flung onto the previously pristine hood of my work S-Class, and nothing we did could ever get it off. Ever since then, I actively avoid following cement trucks, especially in my personal car. That’s enough of my lore though, what kind of vehicle have you learned to avoid on the roads?