Maybe i'm an a$$hole in my thinking but when it comes to driving with the semi, my idea is people driving like idiots are playing russian roulette, and if they do something stupid and cross my path, i'm not risking my life or my business for it. I have a dash cam to record, why take the ditch and risk getting messed up badly or writing off my truck/equipment and costing me huge amounts of money for someone else's stupidity? Taking a steep ditch with a hoe on the back is a really bad idea and there is not a chance in hell I will do it to save someone else from themselves. The part that baffles me it seems with my old truck compared to when I used my dads, people are worse for cutting me off which I don't get, his was a 2015 durastar which doesn't look big, compared to my old western star that is all steel in the front that will not be forgiving. But I will say I never rush with the hoe on, if it takes a few more minutes to get somewhere so be it. But you can't win, i've found if you leave more room in front of you, you get cut off even worse and it's more dangerous. I swear every trip i'm swearing at a handful of idiots at least.
The last one wasn't related to driving per say. Dropping off hoe at a dig in a residential area a few weeks ago where they are redoing the streets so it's a nightmare getting in. I unchain hoe get everything prepped before I back in to unload because I have to block the street, just as i'm getting in the hoe guy is yelling and swearing at me to move saying he needs through you can't block the road it's illegal, etc, etc saying it's an emergency so I ask what kind? Family emergency he says, Ya BS. Whole time he is sitting in his SUV yelling and swearing at me, I bet he didn't wait 3 minutes and he could have got around if he went on the sidewalk which I pointed out but he said "i'm not driving on the sidewalk". People are just idiots. I would have let him have it but the customer was coming to meet me so the last thing I wanted was them to show up and see me arguing with someone. For the record it was in a higher end subdivision with people who think they are somebody and the douchbag was driving the typical fancy SUV.... The type that will cut you off 5' in front of your bumper to get 1 car length ahead.....