Why? Why is it so hard for a trucker to pull into the “slow lane” so that the backed up traffic behind him can get by?

I commute 45 miles, one way, to work each day and I am constantly befuddled by this bad behavior. State law (I’m in Washington) says that if there is a backup of more than five vehicles the offending vehicle is to pull off the road to allow for faster traffic to pass. Most of the time this law is violated by the big rig trucks. It also happens from travel/recreational vehicles, but mostly by trucks. But my grumpiness today has to do with trucks.

Just this morning the offending monstrosity was a giant vacuum for storm drains. I had to follow it for more than 15 miles (granted I was in a long string of cars also following it) before we reached a passing lane. At the first passing opportunity, it SPED UP?!? What is with that? So, only two of the trailing victims could get by. At the second passing opportunity, it NEVER EVEN MOVED OVER into the passing lane, thus causing all trailing vehicles to move over and speed up to go around it. Now, why does that have to happen?

Maybe all big rigs should be required bear their loads between certain hours of the night. Maybe they should only allowed to navigate from sun down to sun up. Maybe they should follow the traffic laws and not torture other motorists simply because of their size and because they can.

I’ll be commuting home this evening and I’ll be, more than likely, shaking my fist at another tyrannical trucker.