If you're a cop (or ex-cop), you don't catch folks by "driving defensively"... Being of the "a good defense is only bested by a better offense" driving school mindset... I'm often called out by back seat drivers. Namely my son. But, like I told him on the day he got his 'learner's permit'... "If you're too scared to speed up and merge into traffic, stay on the frontage road. We'll figure out how to cross the lake on side roads..."
Now, driving a "big truck", one thing I hate is the "pack mentality"... Space is our mutual friend... you wanna pass me, it's okay. But, (insert favored naval expletive here) PASS me already! And wait till I won't be tailgating you when you do! And whatever you do, don't pull back in front AND slow down! I often wonder to myself what're people thinking... when they pull back in front of my rig, (which empty weighs nearly 35,000 lbs)... with just 5-10 feet to spare, so that little 3,600 lb p/u on their bumper can get around THEM...
I learned to drive when there were far more two-lane roads than folks deal with today. When passing meant getting into oncoming traffic (hopefully you were aware of the need to pick opportune times), to pass someone... So, I was taught to speed (insert favored naval expletive here) up in order to reduce the time you were in that oncoming traffic lane. I've never had anyone tell me the same directive doesn't apply on 4-, 6-, or even 8 lane roads!
Oh, and just so you can't ever say "...no one ever told me that...", that big heavy truck you passed going uphill... is very likely to quickly get back up to the speed limit going down... so if you don't keep YOUR speed up, you're relying on his brakes to keep from runnin' over your azz! Those are called "drag 'n' fly" trucks. Speed governed trucks are both a 'good' and 'bad' thing. Good in that they CAN'T go too fast... bad in that they instill a desire to make up the time they can't go the speed limit. If you ever noticed, Schneider, Prime, CFI, Swift, among several others will be seen inside city limits being issued speeding citations... That's because they're governed below the highway speed limit, and the driver feels they HAVE to keep that speed up to make their delivery on time.
Okay, rant off!
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)