# Huge massive vent aaaaargh



## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

OK gonna try and keep this free of expletives.

WHAT THE HELL IS WITH PEOPLE ON THE ROADS? 

I hauled my girl to a show on Sunday and travelled from just North of Houston to just south of Houston, about a 1 1/2 hour drive. The number of inconsiderate drivers really ticked me off to say the least.

WHY DOES NO ONE UNDERSTAND OR CARE THAT SOMEONE PULLING A TRAILER IS NOT THE SAME AS SOMEONE DRIVING A NORMAL CAR?

I am a pretty considerate driver, especially with a trailer. Depending on road and traffic conditions I drive at or around the speed limit. I had one imbecile pull out in directly front of me on highway 6. I had to change lanes to avoid hitting them and they didn't even seem to care. Others blocked me from entering the freeway on the on ramp.

Two cars raced me down an off ramp, actually driving up the shoulder of the ramp to overtake me. A third driver tried to do the same thing but ran out of room and had to slam on his brakes as he nearly ran into the concrete barrier in his efforts to save 3 seconds on his travel time. I was not going that slow myself so really wasn't holding up traffic in any way. WHAT THE HELL???

People cutting right in front of me and then slamming on the brakes. People cutting me off. People blocking me at on/off ramps. Is a few seconds really worth that much?

Does the average driver not understand that anyone pulling a heavy load does not have the same stopping distance as a normal car? On top of that, I try to give my horses a smooth ride by not braking too hard or taking corners too fast, bloody hard when you are surrounded by idiot drivers that only care about saving a few seconds on their commute.

Besides, this was a Sunday, what is the big rush anyway?

Aaaargh, people, they're ***holes. You should have heard the language coming out of my mouth each time someone did something inconsiderate, would have made a sailor blush.

Is it just us horse people that try to be considerate when you see someone driving with a trailer and horse? Does no one else care? Not even purely in the interests of their own safety? :evil:


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## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "Does the average driver not understand that anyone pulling a heavy load does not have the same stopping distance as a normal car?"


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

You're probably right. 

I can accept that people don't care about the wellbeing of my horse, but what about their own safety? Surely it makes sense that a heavy vehicle takes longer to stop/slow down than a light vehicle? Grrrrr.

If that's the case, I will rephrase. People are dumb***es!


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

Oh my gosh! I am so with you on this! I drive as fast as I need to and leave myself with plenty of brake time so the horses aren't shoved around! So all you A holes can pass me, ride my a**, or get the eff out of the way! My Only concern is my safety and my horses! So suck on those apples!! Grrr!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

mbender said:


> Oh my gosh! I am so with you on this! I drive as fast as I need to and leave myself with plenty of brake time so the horses aren't shoved around! So all you A holes can pass me, ride my a**, or get the eff out of the way! My Only concern is my safety and my horses! So suck on those apples!! Grrr!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


:lol::lol::lol:


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

Sorry but that's my attitude when people don't give a crap about me. So why should I give a crap about them? Glad I made ya laugh though! Lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Sarah, I'm much more alert and on the defensive when I'm hauling than when I'm by myself.

People are idiots. It's rarely a tractor trailer driver's fault when he jackknifes. It's usually the fault of some brain dead assclam behind the wheel of a motorized roller skate. :-x

I'm not exactly _afraid _to haul my horses but it's very stressful, especially if I have to access a 4 or 6 lane highway during my journey. I'd much rather keep to the back roads.

I have plenty of stories about stupid drivers and horse hauling, but I won't bore y'all with 'em. Let's just say I totally despise non horse people when I'm hauling. :evil:


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

SR - It is stressful isn't it? I was tired enough after a long day at a show by myself with a hot hot hot horsie but the trip home really did me in.

MBender - that did make me giggle, glad I am not alone in my hauling road rage.


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

Very stressful guys! But what we need to keep in mind is what I said before. Do what You need to do to get there safely. Whoever wants to be the idiot, let em!! I could care less about those stupid people! I only care about my self and my horses! Keep on truckin!! Flip em the bird!! BAhbye Baby!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Mbender, there isn't always a way to give yourself plenty of room to stop.

I wasn't going to tell any horror stories, but I'm going to give you this one as an example of people who have their bums where their brains should be. :-x

I was hauling with another couple to Gettysburg. They were ahead of me in their rig with two horses, and I was behind pulling my one. 

We had stopped to get something to eat, and were trying to get out of town and back on the highway. We had managed to make a left across 4 lanes of town traffic without being killed, and had one stoplight to maneuver.

The light was green, I was gaining speed to get through it, and some idiot out of a sidestreet jumps in front of me in his itty bitty car At that time the light turned yellow, and the moron stomped on his brakes and STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF A LOADED RIG GOING AT LEAST 35 MPH! :shock: :evil:

I had NO way to stop without rear ending the stupid f*cker, so I had to make a split second decision; either hit the flarking moron and probably total my truck, his car, and injure my horse, or go to the right or left of him. 

I chose the left since there was an actual lane there, and prayed that there wasn't another vehicle in my blind spot, because someone was going to get creamed if there was.

I know my horse got flung around because I could feel him scrambling to stay on his feet as I hit the brakes, swung out into the left lane, and gunned the gas. 

To say I was beyond angry is an understatement. That IDIOT almost caused a major accident, because he was too flarking STUPID to know that you cannot stop dead in front of a loaded rig! [email protected]!!{{+!! :evil:

It's been almost 8 years since that happened, but to this day I still get mad as hell when I think about it.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

That is awful SR, sounds very similar to what happened to me on highway 6. I shudder to think what would have happened if there was someone in the left lane when I had to move into it to avoid a crash. Makes me angry too.

I found a trailer bumper sticker that is appropriate, but I feel the wording not NEARLY clear enough. Here it is:

Bumper Sticker For Horse Trailer Caution Horses To Gifts, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More - CafePress

I would change the wording to:

"Give us more room to stop you useless, ignorant, selfish bunch of idiots"

Throw a couple F-bombs in there somewhere and that says it all really.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Sarah, I'm not sure even a huge, blinking neon sign that said, "HEY MORONS! I CAN'T STOP IN TIME IF YOU JUMP IN FRONT OF ME AND HIT YOUR BRAKES!" would work. 

I'm not much of a curser, but danged if I don't cuss a blue streak most of the time while I'm hauling! :evil:


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> Sarah, I'm not sure even a huge, blinking neon sign that said, "HEY MORONS! I CAN'T STOP IN TIME IF YOU JUMP IN FRONT OF ME AND HIT YOUR BRAKES!" would work.


I guess it wouldn't work. Stupid people: They're everywhere.

I do feel much better for venting though, and for hearing that I am not alone. Thanks guys :wink:


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

I love that bumper sticker and will definitely be getting that when I buy a trailer!!!


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

^^Aw, you don't want my version? :shock:


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Yours is too nicey-nice. Mine might **** people off, but they'll pay attention to it! :lol:

I have a bumper sticker on my trailer that states, _'Welcome to the country. We have dirt, noise, and smells. If you wanted quiet, scenic vistas, you should have stayed in the suburbs.' 

_I can't tell you how many rural people love it and have commented on it. I had it custom made.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Too nicey nice? I meant this version!



sarahver said:


> "Give us more room to stop you useless, ignorant, selfish bunch of idiots"
> 
> Throw a couple F-bombs in there somewhere and that says it all really.


But I like your neon sign idea...


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Oh no, that one's great! :lol:


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## myhorsesonador (Jun 21, 2009)

It's not just horse trailers. they do crap like that to my dad all the time. to stop with a car trailer carrying a van!


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

^^Yup, same thing! I must admit, I feel sorry for truck drivers too, I always see people driving inconsiderately around them and wonder how the truckies deal with it. I try to give trucks plenty of room and wouldn't dream of pulling directly in front of them, let alone cutting them off and slamming on the brakes!


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## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

Yeah if you have a wreck with the tractor trailer, it's a safe bet to say the tractor trailer will win that battle. 

I agree, some people are stupid around trailers of any sort, and it's not worth risking your life for.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

People are stupid, what can you do? I am extremely thankful that where I live is very rural. In order to get to a city with more than 10,000 people, I have to drive for at least 2 hours. I will never forget a story my Dad tells all the time. He was riding with one of his bosses many, many years ago in some big city. They were not pulling a trailer but they were driving one of those huge honking trucks with the trailer ball that sticks way out behind. There was this woman who was a complete and utter witch about riding their *** no matter how fast they went. If they slowed down, she would lay on the horn and start shouting obscenities out of her window. So, at one of the stoplights, they started to speed up toward a yellow light and then hit the brakes. She rear ended them and drove the trailer ball right through the front of the radiator on her little sports car. When the light turned green a minute later, they just drove off and left her there (illegal as that was even in the '70s). The boss's truck had zero damage and her car was demolished.


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## drafts4ever (Sep 1, 2009)

I was taught when I was 15 in drivers ed that anything with more than two axels has a 1-3 block at least longer stopping distance. Which means my truck and trailer has 4 axels and I start stopping around a block before the light, however I also go about 5 under. AND STALE GREEN LIGHTS AND TRAFFIC CAMS SCARE ME. 
I get zoomed around by all the little cars that can speed up and make the light. I try to go slow and give myself stopping time because I know it'll turn yellow when I get past stopping point and i'll get my picture taken rolling through the intersection. 

I remember my first trainer I had from 3 years old to 10 took me to my first show when I was 9. I didn't understand anything about driving but I did know what you're not supposed to do which is cut anybody off. Some idiot cut us off only to slam on his breaks at the light in front of us. Within a second she had the rig parked and was out of the truck at his window screaming at him. It was muffled since I was inside the truck but her flailing arms told the story. She was ****ed! 

Third trainer I was showing with from 13 to 16 years old took me and a couple of her other students to the beach. We had a 6 horse gooseneck living quarters and her family's huge truck. Everyone on the road was very inconsiderate but of course that's nothing new. One guy though was trying to taunt us. He'd weave in and out in front of us, braking for no reason and just being a completely idiot. Kim pulled out her cellphone and called the state patrol. We took a detour following this jackhole until he was pulled over. 


Just recently I had a wonderful haul which gave me a breath of fresh air. I was hauling Legacy over for some pictures and I didn't have anyone cut me off, slam on their breaks in front of me or give me a hard time getting on the freeway. It was really nice! 
However just days before that I was taking Caleigh to a vet appointment and had to go over a pretty narrow bridge. Because the bridge is not truck and trailer or even Semi friendly there is a HUGE sign for both directions saying "yeild to large haul traffic" Main reason, I have to hug the side and I still cross the center line. Semi's take up the entire bridge. 
Some idiot either missed the sign or more than likely though he could squeek past me so he hugged his side, jumped the curb with two wheels and almost took out his mirror. Because of his dumba** I got the finger and honked at. riiiiiight.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Smrobs, I had something similar happen to me. Had the ball on the back of my truck, and some moron wasn't paying attention and slammed into it. Buckled the whole front of her car, and my truck had no damage whatsoever.

She was shrieking about her car, I was gunna get sued, blah de blah blah, when I reminded her that SHE hit ME and I'd be more than willing to wait for the cops to show up and make a report. That shut her down pretty quickly.

The strange part is that it was during morning rush hour, and I was stopped at a red light when she hit me. :?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, yep. That's one reason why I love old Soapy ('86 Chevy 1-ton). He looks like hell but he runs like a top and he's built like a tank. He's been in lots of scrapes that would have killed a lesser truck:lol:. He makes me feel very safe when I'm behind the wheel.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I actually somewhat understand people going crazy on weekday in traffic. However on weekends it drives me bananas. Although I have to say for the most part people are very tolerant when I drive my trailer, especially given the fact where I live (Maryland is one of those states with the rudest drivers). The worst ones are those utility tracks, UPS, FedEx, etc. The best ones are usually bikers. :wink:


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

smrobs said:


> LOL, yep. That's one reason why I love old Soapy ('86 Chevy 1-ton). He looks like hell but he runs like a top and he's built like a tank. He's been in lots of scrapes that would have killed a lesser truck:lol:. He makes me feel very safe when I'm behind the wheel.


Yep, people have much more respect for those huge older american trucks - I noticed that too. Lol!


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

drafts4ever said:


> AND STALE GREEN LIGHTS AND TRAFFIC CAMS SCARE ME.


Me too! There is a highway near where my horse lives that has lights that are impossible to judge when you have a trailer, they alway turn orange at just the wrong time. Luckily no traffic camera :wink:

Smrobs - I love that your truck is a 'he' rather than an 'it'.


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## myhorsesonador (Jun 21, 2009)

smrobs said:


> LOL, yep. That's one reason why I love old Soapy ('86 Chevy 1-ton). He looks like hell but he runs like a top and he's built like a tank. He's been in lots of scrapes that would have killed a lesser truck:lol:. He makes me feel very safe when I'm behind the wheel.


My dad hauls every thing with an '89 bronco! I love that beast, we even call him the beast. He's big, he's loud, he stalls because he choaks him self(needs new fuel pump) but the best thing about him is that he is INDASTRUCTABLE! :twisted: I should get pics of him.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Y'all, when you're hauling, if you go through a traffic light that has a camera, you can fight the ticket. 

Most judges, especially rural ones, know that you can't stop if you're hauling and the light turns yellow.

There are exceptions on the books just for something like that.


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## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> Y'all, when you're hauling, if you go through a traffic light that has a camera, you can fight the ticket.
> 
> Most judges, especially rural ones, know that you can't stop if you're hauling and the light turns yellow.
> 
> There are exceptions on the books just for something like that.


My mom did that right in front of a cop, and he didn't even pull her over.


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## drafts4ever (Sep 1, 2009)

I was going to check in on that because I was told by a friend that the ticket is void and you basically just have to point out you were haulling at the time. Because of safety reasons to surrounding traffic, slamming on the brakes isn't the best option and it's also a danger to whatever cargo you're hauling. 

However, in Pierce County, the law seems to be made by jackhole cops and bad apples. I hate to say it but the two cities I seem to role through the most to get places easily with a truck and trailer are known for bad apple cops and the system in pierce county seems to purely rely on if you get the one reasonable judge out of the many not so reasonable ones. It's sad. However cross the line into Thurston or Kitsap County and the whole hauling livestock and big trucks and trailers is more understood.


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## horselver1979 (Feb 14, 2011)

Yup people are crazy.

I had one guy pull out in front of me and it was not pretty because my mom was with me. Here she was yelling and screaming at this man while hanging out my truck window at the same time she was flipping him off. 

Me I just shook my head. I didnt have to do anything my mom did it for me. Go mom!

Randy my hay guy was driving his combine down the road. He moved over as much as he could and someguy passed him. Thinking nothing of it, Randy just went on his merry way. 

What Randy didnt know is that the guy that passed him got his outside mirror clipped by the combine. So guy comes back around passes Randy again then propmptly slams on the breaks and puts the truck in park. While Randy is trying not to ram the truck in front of him. ( Combines do not have very good breaking apperantly, I mean they only weigh 2 tons with wheels, correct me if I am wrong) Randy hit the truck which you can imagine crumpled the bed of the truck which then exploded the back window. (Holy Crow!!! Guy was lucky that that was all that happened)

Guy was already out of the truck and yelling at Randy for clipping his mirror and now the rest of the damage. Randy gets out and says "Do ya wanna fight?" Guy gets back in truck and called 911. 

While waiting for the cop Randy starts oiling his combine. (I mean why not he has time) Cops comes and told Guy he would be the one getting the ticket. Now this is where people are crazy.

Guy had a child with him in the truck! Now you are telling me you were so enraged that you put your child in danger too, wow. 

I know the last story was off topic but I had to pass on. Also, I guess farm machinery has the right of way all the time while on the road in Michigan. 

You do learn something new everyday.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

That is really crazy, I mean is it really worth it? Poor kid.

Good to know about voiding the tickets I was wondering what would happen if you were booked at a traffic light.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Katesrider011 said:


> My mom did that right in front of a cop, and he didn't even pull her over.


Good to know. I did pass the lights with cameras once or twice before. I HATE doing that, but I just can't stop without smashing my horse to the wall. So I thought I rather pay a ticket than have a scared to death horse...


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## Dances with Horses (Feb 25, 2011)

The last trailer we used was a gooseneck and it was when we had my first horse. We were picking him up from the person who sold him to us and the drivers kept challenging my dad and eventually my dad got tired of them being jerks and challenged them back. There's no way a normal car can fight against a truck with a gooseneck trailer hooked onto it. We forced them to the side and cut in front of them until they finally decided to give in. That was when we didn't have Rajah in the trailer of course because we don't want to get too violent with a horse in the trailer. On the way back to the stable we got the people who were considerate and the ones who were being cautious around our trailer. I don't understand why people think that because we have a horse trailer hooked on the back of our towing vehicles that we can be pushed around. 

horselver1979: Lol, I live in Michigan and the machines do have the right of way.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

i have no why, however i was born and raised here in ks. but i spent just around a year and a half in upstate NY before my wife and i got married. people up there RESPECTED size, and got the eff out of my way. just with the pickup, we didn't go anywhere with the stock trailer enough to remember.

come back here, and people generally aren't too stupid. except in the city, namely wichita, they're just dumbazzes. i never tend to get in a hurry with any trailer. i'll drive a bit slower, and start slowing probably twice as far ahead as i really NEED to just because i'm me. sometimes i forget that my brakes actually WORK because i take so long to slow down. 

and it's not uncommon for me to slow down when somebody's riding my ***, trailer or not... i'll even do the slam on the brakes thing when there's no trailer, usually not more than 10 or 15 mph, and it almost always fixes them, except when it's the chick wanting to do 80 on a two lane road while on her phone the whole **** time. i wanted to scream at that chick. gave her the brake treatment three times in probably five miles and she was clueless...


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Speed Racer said:


> Sarah, I'm much more alert and on the defensive when I'm hauling than when I'm by myself.
> 
> People are idiots. It's rarely a tractor trailer driver's fault when he jackknifes. It's usually the fault of some brain dead assclam behind the wheel of a motorized roller skate. :-x
> 
> ...


People just don't seem to get that larger/heavier vehicles take longer to stop than regular vehicles. The number of times I see people cutting large vehicles off is just astounding, to be honest - and for what? Saving 30 seconds' worth of driving time? I followed behind my friends hauling a 4 horse gooseneck this past weekend, and I was stunned at the amount of people that (needlessly) cut them off - the ones that drove me _completely_ up the wall were the ones that cut over into their lane with inches to spare without signalling; no warning whatsoever. 
Coming up to stop lights, I'm always astounded at the people that decide to zip around the big trucks to get ahead of them at the light. People, the reason he's taking so long to slow down and stop is because it takes that long. He's not kindly waiting for you to zip around him... the reason he's buried in your bumper right now? He planned on enough room, and you decided for him that your car could definitely fit in there. 
I try my damndest to give trailers/large vehicles lots of room, no matter where I am. I stay far back enough that they can see me in their mirrors and therefore know where I am. I pass wide and give them breathing room before I signal back into their lane. 
Common sense sure isn't common anymore. 
On a kind of related note - has anyone seen the show "Canada's Worst Driver"? It's... embarrassing for our country... but it really highlights that there are many, many drivers on the road that should not have their licenses... not by any stretch of the imagination.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Allie, don't feel bad, it's not just you guys. I think, as a country in general, America is quickly becoming one of the most stupid nations in the world.

I remember when I was a kid, we used to have this group come to my school that talked about the reasons behind the "Stop, look, listen" thing with railroad tracks. They brought a slideshow of cars that had been completely obliterated by trains and sometimes even brought the remains of some cars on a flatbed semi. I think that something like that should be a part of every driver's ed course.

Something like "This is why you always respect vehicles bigger than you"









And I don't know about anyone else, but if someone got stupid and one of my horses got hurt or died because of it: God help them, because nobody else would be able to.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

oh yeah, and as long as you're RESPECTFUL of the big trucks with a horse/stock trailer (or maybe it was just me in my old crappy stock trailer) and pay attention to them, they'll help ya out when changing lanes and things. just have to watch their headlights. and we've gotten in CB conversations with quite a few of them when going cross country. hell, we slowed down to just over 60 most of the way through MO once just because we had such good travel company...


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I have had a few people pull out in front of me when hauling my horses - one entered an on ramp, hesitated and then putted out in front of me on the curve - it is a badly engineered on ramp. I had to hit my brakes - I was shooting out blue language and thank GOD all my Brenderup did was bump the hitch 3 little times - I was doing about 50 MPH. I wanted to drop kick her for a field goal.

My cousin Archie was hauling in a stock trailer and he said some idiot kept getting RIGHT up in the back of the trailer blowing their horn. Must have upset the horse. Horse dumped a load of urine and poop right when they took off...all over convertible car...oh well....don't follow so close!!! LOL he was rolling when he told me that!


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## WesternJake (Jan 29, 2011)

QOS said:


> My cousin Archie was hauling in a stock trailer and he said some idiot kept getting RIGHT up in the back of the trailer blowing their horn. Must have upset the horse. Horse dumped a load of urine and poop right when they took off...all over convertible car...oh well....don't follow so close!!! LOL he was rolling when he told me that!


Bet that taught them! :rofl: The horse knows how to get revenge. lol. 

I've never hauled a trailer (yet...need to learn how) but one night I was with my trainer, and we were coming back from drill practice. We stopped at a stop sign, and where this road is, there's a gravel strip that goes out from the right side, and connects with the main road a bit further down. This one guy thought that by going that way (which is illegal, as it's not a road, just a dump of gravel - people park there to wait for the schoolbus) he could beat us. Well by the time he stopped, we were already rolling past. 

If that wasn't enough, he then proceeds to PASS us, in an illegal zone, right before we're about to turn....left. He's lucky he didn't try that a few seconds later, or one of us would have gotten t-boned... :-x Wow....****ed me and my trainer off so bad. She goes the speed limit - it's not like we go slow. Some people just have no respect for trailers, etc. 

Emily


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## AppyLuva (Oct 25, 2010)

People in Battle Creek aren't usually agressive drivers unless someone is challenging them. We barely have problems with people getting too close to the trailer, but there are the people who aren't from Michigan who decide to challenge us at times. They never win against our massive trailer and they'll learn the hard way about giving us the space we require when Quinn decides to send out a few land mines. In that case I hope they enjoy being splattered with horse droppings. :lol:


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

^^Just made me wish there was some way you could have a poop shooter at the front of the car to cannonball a coupla poop grenades at the cars in front that cut in and stop, that would be GOLD!


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## AppyLuva (Oct 25, 2010)

sarahver said:


> ^^Just made me wish there was some way you could have a poop shooter at the front of the car to cannonball a coupla poop grenades at the cars in front that cut in and stop, that would be GOLD!


I would get one installed in a heartbeat. :rofl:


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

This thread kinda made me nervous a bit. =/ I just learned how to pull an empty trailer and on april 3rd I will be pulling it for the first time with horses....I was pretty sure of myself but now I'm a tad nervous about it...I don;t know whatI would do if I got into an accident with a loaded trailer and I know what @$$holes people can be when I'm driving normally...oy


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Phantom, don't be nervous about it, just be cautious. Always give yourself plenty of room between you and the car in front and tons of room to stop. If you cruise the last 80 feet to a stop light at 5 mph to be comfortable, then the folks behind you will just have to deal. If someone cuts in front of you, slow down off their *** as quickly as you can without throwing your horses off balance. Just do what you have to do to be comfortable and sane . It's not normally such a stressful experience to pull a trailer, you just have to be so much more alert to what everyone else is doing.


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

^^^ thanks smrobs....I'm still really nervous but this makes me feel a twinge better. The first time I pulled the trailer (it's a 4 horse stock bumper pull) I did like 30 and the speed limit was 50 haha let's just say I was nervous. But now I can drive pretty normally with it empty...it's going to be so different with horses in it. And that is my main concern is having the horses stay balanced (my first time I'll be hauling 3 ~eep~), I don't know what I would do if something happened while I was hauling cause 2 of the horses aren't even mine which just makes it more stressful.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Just take the turns and stops slow and you'll do just fine. 

I was terrified my first few months of hauling as well, but it gets better.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

And bear in mind too, this particular driving experience I had was driving from one side of Houston to the other - Sunday afternoon city traffic. Very different from driving further out of the city where the roads are quieter and the other drivers are more tolerant on the whole!


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

That's what the horn and a bullbar is for!!


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

Most people in our local area are pretty good about the trailer and personally I don't give a crap about them. My concern is my horse, first and foremost. We take Hunter to our property which a 3.5 hour drive and we have had a few almost mishaps but the worst one was on the highway and an old couple in a motorhome pulled in front of us from a dead stop. Thank goodness hubby was driving and we were able to change into the next lane. We honked and gave them a dirty look. They passed us later shaking there fists at us!! WHAT don't you get that we are hauling live animals??? Grab a brain people.


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

You know, I've never had too much of a problem hauling the horse trailer. Of course the monster truck and the big blue wall behind it are a bit intimidating, lol. But hauling hay, OMG. Totally different story. We have been baling our own hay for years, and years before that we would go get it ourselves, and the number of idiots that come out of nowhere to pass us or cut of off is crazy! We had one guy almost run us off the road and we ended up losing half a trailer of square bales in the street trying not to hit him. Even with them strapped down, the force was enough to pull them down. Hubby always says he wants to get a big loud train horn mounted on the car. That way anybody that cuts us off will think they are being run over by a freight train. May not fix them, but sure would scare the crap out of them.

We also have a big issue with bikers around here. They ride in groups of 20 or 30 and we live on a road with a lot of curves, so when you come around a bend you are right on top of dozens of bikes, riding 2 and 3 deep in the lane, which they aren't supposed to do. Of course, if they didn't, the line would be a mile long. One day while hauling in round bales, we were stuck behind two guys riding side by side, and just tooling along at a slow pace, chatting. We tried twice to pass them and the outside guy would swerve over each time, so we couldn't. Just being a jerk. We'd finally had enough and just went. We were as far into the wrong lane as we could get. The bales were sticking over the edge of the trailer and the outside guy ran into one of the bales, then ran into his friend, and they both ran off the road. We slowed down long enough to see them both get up, and then went on our way. If they had been single file, like they should have been, they would have had several feet of clearance.


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

apachiedragon said:


> You know, I've never had too much of a problem hauling the horse trailer. Of course the monster truck and the big blue wall behind it are a bit intimidating, lol. But hauling hay, OMG. Totally different story. We have been baling our own hay for years, and years before that we would go get it ourselves, and the number of idiots that come out of nowhere to pass us or cut of off is crazy! We had one guy almost run us off the road and we ended up losing half a trailer of square bales in the street trying not to hit him. Even with them strapped down, the force was enough to pull them down. Hubby always says he wants to get a big loud train horn mounted on the car. That way anybody that cuts us off will think they are being run over by a freight train. May not fix them, but sure would scare the crap out of them.
> 
> We also have a big issue with bikers around here. They ride in groups of 20 or 30 and we live on a road with a lot of curves, so when you come around a bend you are right on top of dozens of bikes, riding 2 and 3 deep in the lane, which they aren't supposed to do. Of course, if they didn't, the line would be a mile long. One day while hauling in round bales, we were stuck behind two guys riding side by side, and just tooling along at a slow pace, chatting. We tried twice to pass them and the outside guy would swerve over each time, so we couldn't. Just being a jerk. We'd finally had enough and just went. We were as far into the wrong lane as we could get. The bales were sticking over the edge of the trailer and the outside guy ran into one of the bales, then ran into his friend, and they both ran off the road. We slowed down long enough to see them both get up, and then went on our way. If they had been single file, like they should have been, they would have had several feet of clearance.



I hate some of those bikers, they are just rude.


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## HopalongCassidy (Dec 19, 2010)

More or less it would be nice to get a sticker that says.

"If you don't want a truck and trailer up your A**, then don't pull in front of me and brake!"


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

hopalongcassidy said:


> more or less it would be nice to get a sticker that says.
> 
> "if you don't want a truck and trailer up your a**, then don't pull in front of me and brake!"



Love it!


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

Pffft! Stuff like this is why I want a huge middle finger decal on our truck  A train wistle would be nice too!... And a big ol' bash bar, and some wide fenders!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

apachiedragon said:


> You know, I've never had too much of a problem hauling the horse trailer. Of course the monster truck and the big blue wall behind it are a bit intimidating, lol. But hauling hay, OMG. Totally different story. We have been baling our own hay for years, and years before that we would go get it ourselves, and the number of idiots that come out of nowhere to pass us or cut of off is crazy! We had one guy almost run us off the road and we ended up losing half a trailer of square bales in the street trying not to hit him. Even with them strapped down, the force was enough to pull them down. Hubby always says he wants to get a big loud train horn mounted on the car. That way anybody that cuts us off will think they are being run over by a freight train. May not fix them, but sure would scare the crap out of them.
> 
> We also have a big issue with bikers around here. They ride in groups of 20 or 30 and we live on a road with a lot of curves, so when you come around a bend you are right on top of dozens of bikes, riding 2 and 3 deep in the lane, which they aren't supposed to do. Of course, if they didn't, the line would be a mile long. One day while hauling in round bales, we were stuck behind two guys riding side by side, and just tooling along at a slow pace, chatting. We tried twice to pass them and the outside guy would swerve over each time, so we couldn't. Just being a jerk. We'd finally had enough and just went. We were as far into the wrong lane as we could get. The bales were sticking over the edge of the trailer and the outside guy ran into one of the bales, then ran into his friend, and they both ran off the road. We slowed down long enough to see them both get up, and then went on our way. If they had been single file, like they should have been, they would have had several feet of clearance.


Those arent bikers, those are weekend warriers. Nobody likes them 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

Yeah, except here, it's every afternoon when the weather is nice. I swear nobody works around here. I have actually lost a couple lesson students because they were sick of having to battle the ginormous packs of bikers just to get here on time.


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

Well yesterday after a lovely ride in the park I was trailering back to the barn DOING THE SPEED LIMIT and this chick flies by me horn blaring giving me the finger WTF?????? Um you are in horse country if you don't like it move! Sheesh it's not like I was going slow.


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## Coyote (Oct 23, 2010)

apachiedragon said:


> You know, I've never had too much of a problem hauling the horse trailer. Of course the monster truck and the big blue wall behind it are a bit intimidating, lol. But hauling hay, OMG. Totally different story. We have been baling our own hay for years, and years before that we would go get it ourselves, and the number of idiots that come out of nowhere to pass us or cut of off is crazy! We had one guy almost run us off the road and we ended up losing half a trailer of square bales in the street trying not to hit him. Even with them strapped down, the force was enough to pull them down. Hubby always says he wants to get a big loud train horn mounted on the car. That way anybody that cuts us off will think they are being run over by a freight train. May not fix them, but sure would scare the crap out of them.
> 
> We also have a big issue with bikers around here. They ride in groups of 20 or 30 and we live on a road with a lot of curves, so when you come around a bend you are right on top of dozens of bikes, riding 2 and 3 deep in the lane, which they aren't supposed to do. Of course, if they didn't, the line would be a mile long. One day while hauling in round bales, we were stuck behind two guys riding side by side, and just tooling along at a slow pace, chatting. We tried twice to pass them and the outside guy would swerve over each time, so we couldn't. Just being a jerk. We'd finally had enough and just went. We were as far into the wrong lane as we could get. The bales were sticking over the edge of the trailer and the outside guy ran into one of the bales, then ran into his friend, and they both ran off the road. We slowed down long enough to see them both get up, and then went on our way. If they had been single file, like they should have been, they would have had several feet of clearance.




Sorry to interrupt, but as a biker myself what you did was extremely callous and you could have potentially killed one or both of those bikers. It sounds like they were in a staggered position, one on the left of the lane and one on the right of a lane, a few feet apart with one being just slightly ahead of the other. This is a CORRECT way for bikers to ride in groups. You say everytime you tried to pass he would swerve over? Could this be because the rider didn't think it was safe for you to pass on that part of the road? Even if he was being a jerk, when you did pass why on earth did he manage to hit any of the hay bales? I'm positive he would not purposely ride into them, so that would mean you were A.) in the other lane, B.) Tried moving back into the lane too soon, C.) had a wide load that would have hit the bikers no matter what unless they were in a single file line. When the bikers crashed you just slowed down then left them? You understand that in most places it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident you were involved in. One or both of those people could have been seriously hurt, crashing a motorcycle going at any speed is enough to break legs or give a concussion. 

IMHO You put people in harms way, even if the biker was an arrogant ***** your actions were uncalled for and could have killed someone. Bikers don't have even 1/3rd of the protection a car or truck offered a driver. They HAVE to drive defensively because if they don't it can put their life in serious danger. :-x


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

It wasn't a motorcycle, it was a bicycle, and the reason he hit the bales is because he was so busy chit chatting with his neighbor (that he was directly beside of, not staggered) that he swerved into the opposite lane, which we were still completely in. So yes, completely his fault, and they were both up, and back on their bicycles before we drove on.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

Actually most motorcycle riders are very respectful of us horse riders. At my old barn there was many times that we had them stop and shut there engines off and let us ride past, its the cyclists that are the worst, they think they own the whole road AND its usually the guys on the pocket rockets that have no respect. I had a group of guys on their harleys pass me the other day and they all revved the engines as they passed, poor Hunter was not impressed.


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## Coyote (Oct 23, 2010)

apachiedragon said:


> It wasn't a motorcycle, it was a bicycle, and the reason he hit the bales is because he was so busy chit chatting with his neighbor (that he was directly beside of, not staggered) that he swerved into the opposite lane, which we were still completely in. So yes, completely his fault, and they were both up, and back on their bicycles before we drove on.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Excuse me then, I am sorry that I misunderstood. I am used to being a defensive rider-- people try to run over us motorcyclists all the time. I do have to agree with you about the bicycles, because they technically have the right of way they are horrible in traffic. Motorcyclists get a bad rap from those sport bike idiots who are immature and reckless, in return the more normal riders have to be extremely careful because if we aren't we get ran over. I personally have had to deal with a-hole drivers, and nearly been ran over 3 times in the past 2 months.


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

That's alright. The way I worded it, it was easy to misunderstand. We actually don't have any problems with motorcyclists around here, and when we do encounter them we are very cautious and respectful of each other. My father rode a motorcycle when he was in better health, and my husband is about to buy one himself, so I understand completely where you were coming from.


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