Anybody ever have a big rig driver throw something at them?

[pago cruiser]

Coming home tonight on I10, two lanes each direction, maybe 100 feet traffic direction separation,  light traffic, open country, doing about 80 in a posted 75.  I'm being passed by maybe 10% of the traffic.  I have my helmet cam on video mode.

Following a car about half a mile back, and the car passes a semi on the left.  No drama.   No other cars behind me as witnesses.  I get ready to pass, move over to the left hand side of the fast lane as per my usual MO, and as I clear the trailer the driver throws out a cup full of ice at me.  WTF???

Its about 103F, and as I pull up even his window is down, and he is now facing straight ahead; I maintain position for maybe 5 seconds, and he refuses to look at me.  Other than trying to throw crap out the window to injure me, I can think of no reason to have your window down when it is 103F...  I goose it, give him a quick one finger salute, and leave him behind.  I got maybe a mile in front of him, and then slowed down to think about my options; thought better of it, and just continued home. 

I have an email drafted to the truck company - Schneider National Logistics.  I have timestamped pics of the trailer number ID, the truck number ID, the ice leaving his window, and a partial profile of his face - young guy with a goatee type beard.  More than enough to ID him if the shipping company or LEO wants to.

At 70 MPH, that ice is travelling about 100 ft/second.  While it slows rapidly as soon as it hits the air, I'm doing about 120 ft/second driving into it.  If I would have hit it, it would probably have dinged up the windshield at a minimum, maybe some other damage to lights, and stung like heck through my gloves.  I usually ride ATGATT, with a full face helmet, so I don't think I would have gone down do to small impacts; but really???  I am so pissed.

In my email I advise that:  "... This is serious.  Your drivers are supposed to be licensed professionals.  This drivers actions were apparently malicious, and at best express willful disregard for other motorists.  I wish to file a formal complaint, and depending upon your answer, I may make the video available to the police.  Please advise your response asap".

I have been riding almost 50 years, over 20 bikes, a couple hundred thousand miles, and have never been threatened in this manner.

Before I get this ball rolling that stops I know not where.... any thoughts/comments/experiences?
All I know for sure is that I am going to save the video from tonight's ride home...
 

[Jess from VA]

Truckers usually watch their mirrors pretty closely, but is it possible he just didn't know you were there?  The window could be down just to dump the cup.  Per your facts, the car had just passed and you had just moved to the left lane. 

On the other hand, I would never dump (waste) ice even from an empty cup, I like cold stuff when driving.  Who throws out good ice in 100* weather???

Pretty strange.    

[PAVALKER]

I hope that it wasn't intentional and suspect it was accidental.  Maybe he didn't see you when he looked.... There are photos about trucks not being able to see bikes immediately in front, beside and behind.

I think if you forward that email with attached photos, in a good tempered and informative manner, it should,be well received..... At least I hope so.

Got any photos you care to share here?

Here is a photo I have seen and shared a few times...
https://m.facebook.com/bikesbluesbbq/photos/a.330251411329.158279.172207346329/10151918203901330/?type=1&source=48&__tn__=E

[Hook#3287]

Send the email.  Even if it was by accident, he knew he did it and then tried to avoid responsibility by ignoring you.

A simple nod or wave, most likely, would have defused the situation.

[..]

Whether he saw you OR not throwing stuff out of a window is wrong.

He knows there are blind spots so the wanker is at fault.

Send the email.

[Pappy!]

Not knowing what his intentions were is a double edge sword. This may escalate for him until he sees someone possibly have an accident. May have been a one time event. Who knows.
Fact is that it was strange on a super hot day to do that.
Believe I would send the email as the fellow needs a reprimand at the very least. If he is on notice you may have done someone else a good deed in the future.

[Hooter]

IF it was an accident, why didn't he look at you and at least give you a rolling apology? Shrug of the shoulders or something to indicate he was sorry.

[BF]

I don't think it was intentional.  

Sounds like he didn't see you coming (just didn't look for you either), dumped his cup out the window (for whatever reason) and then freaked when he saw you and started looking straight ahead hoping NOT to make eye contact with you.  

Was probably afraid you'd kick his ass at that point.  

Regardless, he still deserves a reprimand.  Send your email.  

[czuch]

Not buyin it. Nobody tosses ice when its 103-110. This driver is a hazard and a fool. That ice is a life saver and the difference between being just uncomfortable and heat stroke. If his window was down, was the A/C broke, or the guy just an idiot. Send the E-mail and demand a response.
I drive CDL and that is past unnacceptable.
I'm in Vail, PM me.

[Davemn]

I don't know. Give it some more thought. Young hardworking guy. He might lose his job and career over it.

[Hef]

Hard to say if it was intentional or not. Would have been nice if he had acknowledged that he was sorry. Most of my experiences with truck drivers while on my bike have been ok. Had one just the other day on an interstate pull over to pass a s I was passing him. I took the shoulder and honked. He quickly pulled back over and as I went on by him he mouthed the words "sorry". I gave him a thumbs up and kept on going.

A few years ago I had a young guy in a pickup spit tobacco on me from the passenger window. They were having a good laugh until they saw me keep following them. They finally pulled over and jumped out of the truck and started mouthing me. I didn't say a word. Walked up to the one who spit on me and hit him as hard as I could right in the mouth. He went down and I bent over and spit right in his face. The driver stood there dumbfounded. Then they both ran to the truck and took off.

[NewValker]

Hate to think it was on purpose, but I'd send the e-mail.
Couple years ago I was passing a POS pick-up on a 2 lane divided road.
Driver threw out a partial cup of coffee on me as I passed.
I pulled beside his window and he was laughing.
I pulled my water bottle out of the holder and whipped it into his face.
He stopped laughing...
Craig

[Moonshot_1]

At the speeds involved I would be pursuing this as an assault.
File the complaint with the company and I'd present your photos and evidence to the local LEO.

[Stormchase]

As a truck driver myself I can put my money on what happened. When you pulled up next to him he was taking a leak, Trying to keep the truck straight maybe for your safety as well, (He may or may not have seen you), Emptied his cup so he didnt over fill to have max liquid volume. The cup most likely ended up on the median about 3 miles up. be glad you went behind him then.. just sayin. He may have looked just before you got over in the lane. Im sure he was working at emergency speeds to get that cup empty.. then full. Truck drivers are very safe drivers. It takes driving one to understand. That company have pretty high standards. Unfortunately most of the places you (car motorcycle) can pull over for a break a truck driver can be ticketed regardless of the reason or get their truck stuck. You only get a potential break on average once an hour. sometimes you cant hold it, You got to do what you got to do. I have done it Hundreds of times. See a truck stop coming up.. next one in 100 miles. I think sure I can make it to the next one. AS SOON as I pass it I feel like Im ready to pee myself. I prefer 32oz gatoraid bottles with a lid. And discreetly dispose of them later in a trash can for the sake of respect to enjoying clean highways.
Anyways sending an Email will do nothing. Even if it got back to the driver through 4-5 departments its easily pushed aside. I was ran off the road in New Mexico but a driver from Navajo trucking. Into the dirt at 45mph. nothing happened to him. Was questioned and that was it.
oh, his window was still down because he had priorities first. A/C on.
Just hope he hit a big bump on a bridge and dropped the cup right after you passed him. Cups are the worst for that trust me. That would be the best revenge.
Sorry it happend tho.. it does suck but dont take it personal.

[pago cruiser]

Thanks for the response guys.
Think I will indeed send it, after another rewrite and dialing it down a bit. 
If he was indeed just stooped, and not malicious, would hate to see him lose his job. 
I did find a federal based "Report Dangerous Truckers" website.  If the trucking company blows me off, this would be the next step; this step could affect his license...

That said, some, more than I would have thought, of the truckers on this stretch of I10 are assholes.  Not a day goes by when one does not pulls out to pass a slower moving vehicle maybe 50 feet (less than a truck length) in front of me; on the bike and in the car.  And it's not just us.  I have watched them (B4 my helmet cam) force cars off onto the shoulder.  Seriously, we have had to slam on the brakes HARD a couple times/month.  Then they pass at a velocity ranging from 1 to maybe 5 feet per second faster than the car/truck they are passing.   Today I went 7 miles doing 55-60 in a posted 75, about the 10th car in a gaggle of maybe 30, while the semi in front was passing another semi. 

By the time he passed the first rig, he was maybe half a mile behind another slow rig; so he just parked his dumass in the fast lane doing maybe 62.  The 9 cars in front of me all said screw it, and speeded up to pass him on the right.  The last 3 all gave him a one finger salute as they merged back in front of him in the fast lane.  I followed suit (passing and salute...), with easily a full truck length to spare. 

So he honked his horn as I got back in the fast lane...

It really would be funny, but these guys cause a fatality maybe once every couple months on my commute.  The latest was indeed just about 2 months ag in the am; backed up the freeway for hours.  B4 then was as I was coming home; LEO CLOSED the freeway about 10 miles from my house.  Had to go back 20 miles, had dinner with another interesting guy on a Rocket 3, then do a 75 mile detour to get home; at about midnight!!!  2 years ago two trucks, going the SAME way, collided and burned under the bridge near me.  The fire DESTROYED the bridge.  It took over a year to rebuild it... 

These guys know there is absolutely nothing a car or bike can do about their actions; so they just continue with impunity...  Fair or not, the actions of maybe 30% of the truckers around here color my mindset to not let this go without at least an email.

Regards all.  I'll update with their response.

[Willow]

Anybody ever have a big rig driver throw something at them?

It's an interesting question.  I'm sure the answer is yes, but it's not me and likely not you.

Just a casual observation on your numbers, you failed to consider that you and the discarded ice were traveling the same direction.  It was not nearly as dangerous as your related speeds seemed to indicate.

It was an accident.  He didn't see you.  Probably didn't even realize he'd hit you.

Get a cold drink and relax a bit.  Life is pretty much what you make it most of the time.

[GiG]

If the semi driver created the "accident", then he should absolutely be reported.   

[Davemn]

Agreed Willow. Lots of revenge seekers on this board. No proof that he did it on purpose. The ice was traveling at the same speed.....good point.

[Stormchase]

sorry to go on.. im passionate about safty on the highway. I was a CDL trainer for years and tought people how to drive semi trucks with no expierance at all. Its a crazy job to say the least..
Ill start with this,
Everyone that gets a liscence should have a basic knowledge test for both semi trucks and motorcycles or they dont get to share the road with them. It makes 0 sence because they are all so very different in every way. As we,all ride we know this between cars and bike.,now not trying to be a know it all but I do have many miles of studies this kinda stuff.
Semi trucks are governed at speeds set by the companies. He was at 62. Swift is at 52. Most trucks are set between 60 and 65 mph. Trust me is stinks to drive that slow 14 hours a day. They can't go any faster then that. Most people think they can just step on it and pass someone like a car. That's wrong. They pass slowly. Most of the time within a 3 mph difference or even .5 mph. It's not their fault but they need to pass too. They might have 2500 miles to go. The exception is if they own their own  truck. Then they can open it up to what ever speed they want. The following distance for a loaded highway truck (82,000 lbs) at 65 mph is 8 seconds. It takes that long for a loaded truck to come to a stop without crushing the one infront of them. They have computers on some of the trucks to determine this distance. 8 seconds at 65 mph is about 20 car lenths. Any sooner of a lane change for the truck is a danger to the person he just passed and every person on the road. That choice is made safly buy the truck driver. He can see whats going on 3 miles up the road unlike cars and bikes. They can see to the next car. When everyone said screw it and jumped between the 2 trucks, they just put thier life into the faith of their choice and the experience of the truck driver to correct the danger the cars created at that time. I had someone do that to me about 6 months ago. A person on the sidewalk made the motion to start j-walking and a car driver didn't see it happening in the haste of his (get around this slow truck) choice and panicked when he got infront of me. When he saw the person about to cross and hit his breaks in front of me. The j-walker realized quickly that they were not going to do it. The only know it was a Nissan altima is from before the impact. After you couldn't tell. 100% his fault. Please never cut in front of semi trucks, scooters, cars, or a skateboard like that. It's very dangerous! Lucky the kid i hit was ok outside of 5 citations. Give trucks space. Give cars space. Don't ride or drive with aggressive manners. Enjoy the trip. Life is short.

[Hoser]

Did you ever pass a cattle transport when the passengers have to potty?  I wish it had been ice!  Hoser 

[Stormchase]

Yup don't want to talk about that one lol. I realized late...

[Jess Tolbirt]

i was filling up my bike at a truck stop and i thought dam it stinks around here,, it was me, brown spots all over me and the bike..