285 to Buena Vista almost ended me and my son

[Scott & Heather]

After just driving our empty shell 8v92T I can tell you that more power is really nice. Since our coach shell is empty and light weight, our bus hung with the cars and the big boys. Even up slight grades. It definitely felt like we were less of a roadblock when we could pass slower trucks. But it doesn't solve the bad driver issue. People still cut your nose off after passing, people draft off of me which is annoying but I've learned to ignore it cause it's their head that will bash in if I stop quick, not mine. It's nuts out there. Honestly, I appreciate my bus the most when it's parked. I only drive it to change scenery and then happily park it again for months. I'd much rather see the sights in our toad. Much less stressful. Rick, explain to me what happened? If the guy was passing you how did he make you almost go through the windshield? I thought it was an oncoming passing vehicle....but you said he passed people behind you...I'm misunderstanding this somehow


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[Jon]

My three biggest gripes about drivers.........merging. They just don't understand the concept of mashing the gas to match speeds with those on the right of way. Then that creates a very dangerous situation when you don't know if they will jump in front of you at a slow speed or hit the brakes at the end of the entry ramp. A variation is the "polite" driver in the right of way who steps on his brakes to let some slow moving fool in line, and then the two of them almost come to a complete stop trying to figure out who should go first. In the meantime the traffic in the slow lane behind these morons is starting to do panic stops.

Then there is the guy that passes and as soon as he clears the front bumper he jumps back in front. That of course leaves no stopping distance for us. A variation is the moron (there is that word again) that passes and then hits the brakes as soon as he pulls back in the lane.

My final biggest gripe is when I am in the middle lane of a three lane highway. Then some guy passes and as soon as he clears my bumper shoots across all three lanes onto the exit ramp. I have no clue how these morons miss getting tangled with traffic in the slow lane or on the ramp because they sure cannot see who is over there by looking beneath my coach.

I don't know how truckers who spend their days dealing with these fools manage to keep their sanity.

[lostagain]

You need patience, relax, hang back to maintain a big following distance. It is defensive driving. You look far ahead, on both sides and behind to know what's going on all the time. That way you create a safety bubble around you. I have been driving  buses, and lately transport trucks, for 40 years, and I know this is the only way to survive the all star race out there. I have seen many bus drivers quit in frustration because they were too hyper and didn't have the patience to do it. And you cannot worry about being slow up the hills. It is what it is: a big, heavy, slow vehicle. Do you see truckers worry about being slow? I am getting into driving dump trucks and semis the last couple of years, and they are a lot slower up the hills and into the off and on ramps than my bus. The traffic piles up behind you , and they pass and cut you off as soon as they can, but oh well...

JC

[Iceni John]

I'm thinking of making some bumper stickers that say "If you can read this, you ARE my crumple zone".

John

[RJ]

Could have been worse RB if you were up at that altitude with a 6V71 N/A and a automatic then you could check out the different rock colors on the shoulder of the road 

Hey, Clifford -

Now you're describing my MC-5c!!

I didn't name it "Aesop's Tortoise" for nothing!

[Ed Hackenbruch]

On our first day on the road this spring we had 2 people pass us on the right on a gravel shoulder.  Didn't see the first one until he cut right in front of us just flying by, the shoulder ended less than 150 ft. in front of him.    The next one was a few miles farther up the road and happened just after we passed a sign saying that there was a passing lane 1/2 mile ahead. About 4 miles farther along he turned into the parking lot of a minute mart and we weren't more than 1/4 mile behind him.  Makes you wonder wtf these people are thinking......actually i don't think that they are thinking. Also makes me wonder how they have managed to stay alive as long as they have so far.

[luvrbus]

I like the idiots that fly around you then you pull up behind them at the next stop light it makes them nervous, they run people off the road to gain 1 spot in the food chain

[Brett G]

We just went up 8 mile hill out of Canon City yesterday.  8V71 in this MC7.  18 mph and I was hoping I had enough power to actually get to the top.  About half way up the hot engine light came on.  I pulled over and bungeed the back doors open.  Meanwhile a very nice Female State trooper stopped to make sure we were ok.  She was very nice.  Gave the kids some glow sticks and then followed us up the hill to make sure we were good.  Having the back doors open helped a lot with the heat.

[krcevs]

Passing on double yellow lines on blind curves, forcing other drivers to the shoulder on passing lanes, paying more attention to the damn cell phone instead of that 2800 pound missile they are herding down the road, the emergency lane is both a passing lane and a 5 mile turn lane. Red lights don't mean stop it means 5 more cars can go through  and in TN the drivers that merge onto the highway then without looking shoot across three lanes of traffic to be in the fast lane just drive me crazy! How do you stop the madness?

Ken

[lostagain]

Maybe our children, and for sure our grand children, will just sit in autonomous cars guided by sensors and computers. Travelling on public roads will be 1000 times safer. They won't even be texting because they'll have sensors implanted in their heads to communicate with their friends. All that is coming on fast, and humanity will be all the better for it. I would miss the pleasure of driving though.

JC

[Iceni John]

Maybe if driving licenses weren't handed out like candy and people had to actually learn how to competently drive, not unlike what's needed to get a private pilot's license, then this country wouldn't have the accident rate it now has.   In most Western European nations it's not an easy or cheap process to get a driver's license, and those are the countries with much lower accident rates than here.   Essentially the current process epitomizes the educational system as a whole  -  getting a piece of paper seems to be more important than acquiring real knowledge or skill.   Style over substance, just paying lip-service, going through the motions (so to speak)  -  call it what you want.

In the meanwhile, I drive here no differently than in Mexico  - I just assume anyone can do anything at any time for any or no reason, and am not surprised when the unexpected happens.   Amazingly, even when in a honking-great bright yellow bus people still act as if they haven't seen me!

John 

[eagle19952]

Yup...here's how they do it in Mexico..

[Jon]

Maybe if driving licenses weren't handed out like candy and people had to actually learn how to competently drive, not unlike what's needed to get a private pilot's license, then this country wouldn't have the accident rate it now has.   In most Western European nations it's not an easy or cheap process to get a driver's license, and those are the countries with much lower accident rates than here.   Essentially the current process epitomizes the educational system as a whole  -  getting a piece of paper seems to be more important than acquiring real knowledge or skill.   Style over substance, just paying lip-service, going through the motions (so to speak)  -  call it what you want.

In the meanwhile, I drive here no differently than in Mexico  - I just assume anyone can do anything at any time for any or no reason, and am not surprised when the unexpected happens.   Amazingly, even when in a honking-great bright yellow bus people still act as if they haven't seen me!


John 

They do have a program not unlike that of the FAA licensing program. Not as rigorous, but along the same lines. Maybe someone could take a poll among RVers who probably are the safest drivers and see how many would actually favor having to get the equivalent of a CDL. Then multiply that result by the number of total drivers compared to those surveyed and you will quickly see the US drivers are not going to embrace anything that requires them to actually earn a driver license. Then if you want to really screw up the equation find out how many would support technology that turns off their phones until the car comes to a stop.

The morons are out to get us.

[Geoff]

Clifford you were right as usual. She's sluggish but she never got over 170 degrees. The blue smoke is getting worse so I'm hoping she makes it home to get the blower seals checked.

RB

So now I get a different picture--  if your bus is blowing blue smoke no wonder everyone wanted to pass you.  I can't stand being behind a "stinky" diesel myself!

--Geoff

P.S.  Leaky blower seals put oil out the air box drains, blue oil smoke comes from bad rings or leaky piston pin retainers.

[belfert]

A number of years ago I went to see BK in Union City in my bus.  Not far from his place I almost hit a car that pulled out at high speed right in front of me just so they wouldn't have to be behind a "slow" bus.

When I drive my car I think about what I've experienced driving my bus.  I won't pull out in front of a bus or truck because I know they can't stop fast and I would rather not get hit.  I also won't pull in front of a truck in heavy traffic as I know the driver was leaving that space for safety.