Shoulder Safety

It is pretty much common knowledge that stopping on the shoulder of the road is a huge no-no; okay, at least among truck drivers. I don't really think 4-wheelers give it any thought at all.

         We're taught to never stop on the shoulder, but out here in the real world where I live and work sometimes I do not have a choice.

         So let's classify "sometimes I don't have a choice" as another piece of common knowledge.

         Okay, we had to make an emergency stop on the shoulder. It seems that at least once a week I have a big truck come off the shoulder from a dead stop right into the right lane, right in front of me. Sometimes I can get over; sometimes I have to stand on the brakes.  I want to share how I was taught to get back out on the road safely in this situation.  please keep in mind that the following is in reference to getting back on the highway, not what you're doing while you're stopped, and for the record, your 4-way flashers are on throughout this whole process.

1. Check your mirrors. Now do it again. When there is at least 1 truck coming up on you in the right lane is not a good time to come out.

2. Stay on the shoulder until you build up some speed. I was taught to drive on the shoulder through the low side of the transmission. (Approx. 20mph if you're driving an automatic.)

3. When the lane is clear, switch to your turn signal, come over into the lane, switch back to your 4-ways, then get back to the business of getting up to your highway speed.

4. Your 4-ways stay on until you reach top gear.

Please people, use some common sense in situations like this. Emergencies do not consider whether or not we are in an ideal place for them to happen but we can still do our best to handle them safely.