You DO know what that acronym means?

[wolfie]

Near the company yard, there's a section of road where 2 highways share the same piece of pavement. At the southern end, it's 4 lanes. Counting from the right, lane 1 goes onto highway "A", lane 2 can go onto either "A" or "B", while lanes 3 and 4 go onto highway "B".

I was travelling in lane 2 (need highway "B"), when a car that was barely moving changed from lane 1 to lane 2. I simultaneously opened 2 air valves (brake and horn). When he switched to lane 3 (cutting off a truck from a local steel company, pulling a 5-axle trailer), I glanced at my speedometer and saw that I was down to around 60 km/h. The other truck went into lane 4 and passed the car, and I started accelerating again. When I was level with the car's rear bumper, he started signalling right. Since there was no way he could get in front of me by this time, he slammed on the brakes so he wouldn't overshoot the split before he could get back into lane 2 - and nearly got rear-ended by another car that was cruising along in lane 3.

As for the acronym in the title, the car that obviously couldn't make up its mind (from his lane jumping, it was clear that he at first wanted highway "B", and then wanted highway "A"), was a KIA.

[dalesys]

...was a KIA.

Krumpled In Assholery.

[PepperElf]

killed in action?

[drunkenwildmage]

Killed In Automobile?

[wolfie]

killed in action?

Correct. From some of your posts, it appears you have a military background.

Seriously - what sort of person would, while driving a small car, cut off 2 tractor trailers?

[Mikkel]

Seriously - what sort of person would, while driving a small car, cut off 2 tractor trailers?

Either someone too dumb to understand about brake lengths and inertia or someone with a death wish.

[BrenDAnn]

I hate to say it, guys, but most people don't understand how much it takes for a semi to actually stop. Most people don't respect semis in the least. In fact, a lot would blame a semi if there was a wreck, even if there was cold hard proof that it was the car's fault. It's sad, but true, unfortunately.

[Arcus]

Things like this is why I'm glad they made it illegal around here to drive aggressive around semis. They got tired of all the traffic problems that a crash causes. I started laughing at a guy that was whining that it cost him $400 because he forced a semi to lock up his breaks when he cut the semi off.

[Elspeth]

BrenDAnn is correct, people don't have a clue that is takes a lot more to stop a semi then a car. I rode with my Dad a couple of times when he was driving and the stupidity that people pulled was amazing. My rule of thumb is never play chicken with anything bigger or more expensive then you are.

[dragon_wings]

Semi's (and their inability to stop as quickly as me) were one of the reasons I hated (and was scared to death) driving on the interstate when I lived in Tennessee. I had an old Dodge Spirit that couldn't get up to speed as quickly as a newer car and more then once I had to merge out of my lane to get out of a semi's way.
Regardless of the fact that my car was sturdily built it could and would mean next to nothing if a semi hit me (or I didn't get out of one's way fast enough).

[The cat whisperer]

The one time I drove a moving van I was terrified. I can't imagine driving a semi. That's why I always try to leave plenty of room. It amazes me how many people will cut off the trucks around here that are trying to get on/off the interstate or in/out of the Pilot station to save five minutes in their day. I know it sucks to be late getting somewhere, but I rather live.

[TawnyMyst]

I had a semi nearly drive into the side of a locomotive I was moving last night, blew a stop sign doing so. I felt like getting out to tell the driver, that a semi might win on the road but not against a train engine. Once I stopped shaking that was.

[EricKei]

My rule of thumb is never play chicken with anything bigger or more expensive then you are.

Or...as my brother put it when we were in a Geo behind an 18-wheeler..."a higher automotive life-form"

[wagegoth]

My grandfather was a truck driver for many years, and the most important thing he taught me about trucks was this: it doesn't matter who's right, the truck is always going to win.


My uncle drove trucks for a while when he was young. One day, he was going around a curve and a station wagon with a family of five coming from the opposite direction came around the curve on his side of the road. They went right under his truck and the car caught fire and ended up exploding. My uncle's friend was in a truck behind him, and had to pull him away from the fire and sit on him. My uncle never drove another truck after that.

[ADoyle90815]

I'm also one who has a healthy respect for semis, as no matter what, they win.