Image Credit: Jacob Gillam Tree CareWhat do you do when you just can't wait to get by another vehicle? You disregard others and do whatever you feel like, apparently. One very impatient driver used the shoulder of a busy Florida highway to pass an arborist truck towing heavy equipment. They squeezed through a narrow gap at highway speed as traffic moved on both sides of the work vehicle. Dashcam footage from the arborist truck, taken on July 30, shows a white sedan crossing the solid white line and driving onto the shoulder to get around the truck on its right while it traveled at about 60 mph.The truck was towing a long trailer loaded with tree-service machinery, including what appears to be an aerial lift. Several other drivers passed the truck normally in the neighboring lane, but the sedan took the shoulder instead. Then it continued to accelerate alongside the trailer on a limited strip of pavement with grass and uneven ground.The maneuver briefly boxed the truck in, as you can see in the footage. As the sedan pushed up the right shoulder, another vehicle passed the arborist truck on the left. That left the work vehicle surrounded with no safe direction to move if the sedan had lost control or even hit some debris. Front-facing footage shows the sedan reaching the truck's cab before pulling ahead and merging back into the travel lane, showcasing its impatience.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe arborist held its speed and avoided sudden movements during the sedan's passing actions. None of the equipment on the trailer appeared to shift, and the sedan continued down the highway, onto its destination. Still, one wonders why that person thought passing on the shoulder like that was a good idea or why it needed to happen around such heavy machinery.Why Passing on the Shoulder Is DangerousThe shoulder isn't a passing lane, plain and simple. Using it that way is illegal in Florida, as it is in most states. State law generally requires drivers to overtake on the left and avoid the shoulder for doing so entirely. A driver who passes on the right shoulder gives up their margin for safety in the shoulder and boxes themselves in. It's not surplus area to do whatever you want with.It's even more dangerous when you factor in trucks that haul around heavy equipment. For instance, a loaded trailer has long blind spots along its right side, so the truck driver may not see a car coming up on the shoulder. The bottom line here is, especially after seeing the dashcam footage, you just shouldn't do it.How to Pass a Large Truck or Trailer SafelySafe passing around a big rig or an equipment trailer comes down to visibility, space, and patience. You should pass on the left, signal clearly, and move on at a steady speed so you don't get stuck in any blind spots. A basic rule of thumb is that if you can't see the truck driver in their side mirror, they can't see you.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe other half is accepting that a loaded work truck may be moving slower than the flow of traffic. You should then wait for an opportunity to pass instead of forcing one. If you can't find an opening to make your move, you might just need to stay in your lane for a while. Do you know what you shouldn't do in that situation? Pass on the shoulder. Class dismissed.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
