Watching out for the big rigs

A tractor-trailer heads down the road Wednesday.

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Story Published: Jul 22, 2009 at 10:16 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jul 22, 2009 at 10:16 PM PDT

By Matt Loveless

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LEWISTON - State Police are launching emphasis patrols that will look for drivers who are driving carelessly or aggressively around commercial vehicles.

It may be one of the more volatile relationships on the road.

"They'll pass us over double-yellow lines," said Swift Academy truck driving instructor Bob Reed. "They'll cut us off."

"People get behind them and get frustrated," said Idaho State Police Lt. Allen Oswald.

"If we take a corner too wide and give them too much room, they'll cut us off on the inside," said Reed.

It sounds like a lot of us. Our 20-ton companions, and how we handle ourselves around them, are getting some more attention this week.

"We've had several complaints a week either from motorists or commercial vehicle drivers, wanting to report other drivers for unsafe actions," said Oswald.

Annette Sanislo made a stop at Lewiston's Port of Entry Wednesday. She and two other student drivers are learning quickly what life's like in a big-rig.

"I used to kind of be an aggressive driver and get up real close and coast off of their trailers and stuff like that," said Sanislo. "Definitely now having done it, I won't be doing that anymore."

"They're not used to it, so their heart gets racing when somebody's doing something stupid," said Reed.

Stupid, like driving in what police call the "no zone", directly behind a truck where they can't see you.

But Oswald said the relationship is reciprocal and road rage can come with 18-wheels.

"It's very intimidating looking in your rear-view mirror and seeing nothing but Peterbilt," said Oswald. "So what we do is strictly enforce the following too close, the speed limits."

One of the biggest concerns for law enforcement, is that big trucks crash hard. That and collisions with slow-moving trucks are harder to avoid.

"There's plenty of room out there," said Oswald. "You've just got to slow down, be patient, and we've got to share the road safely."

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