When it comes to driving-related frustrations, professional truck drivers probably have the longest list of complaints. The sheer amount of time they spend behind the wheel gives them a unique perspective on the behavior of their fellow drivers.
While that can go both ways — the list of good drivers they see is probably also longer than the average person’s — those frustrating situations tend to stick out the most in people’s minds. TikToker @crossbordertruckin recently shared his number one pet peeve when it comes to drivers.
The post is getting a lot of attention as people share their thoughts on the issue, including some other truckers who joined the discussion in the comments. Surprisingly, people have many similar complaints, which makes it sound like this should be an easy problem to fix.
However, the consensus is that people drive the same way because they are all guilty of the same thing: using their phones behind the wheel. Although it’s illegal in most states, people commenting on the video say many drivers still do it.
Trucker Shares the Driving Habit He Hates to See
@crossbordertruckin this video is about my arch enemy in traffic: the inconsistent driver 😤 kia sorento. the entire video: fast, slow, fast, slow. like the gas pedal’s a suggestion and the brake’s a hobby. i finally get past them… so they speed up, pass ME, pull in front of me, and slow right back down. that’s when i lost it a little 😅 just pick a speed. any speed. that’s all i’m asking. what’s your arch enemy in traffic? because this one’s mine #trucking #CrossBorderTruckin #baddrivers #dashcam #truckdriver ♬ original sound – Ryan
According to @crossbordertruckin, the worst thing you can do while driving is to be inconsistent about your speed. Ryan, the man behind the TikTok video, captioned the clip to explain what was happening, pointing out that a Kia Sorento was giving him major headaches as the driver kept speeding up and then slowing down.
“I finally get past them so they speed up, pass me, pull in front of me, and slow right back down,” the video’s caption said. “That’s when I lost it a little.”
The Trucker Yelled at the Kia When He Got Close
Most people avoid confrontation, but that didn’t stop Ryan from losing patience with the driver as he got closer. In the clip, Ryan described the Kia’s speeds, starting at 73 miles per hour and dropping as low as 66.
Ryan finally laid on the horn, which he says made the Kia speed back up into the 70s, presumably closer to the interstate’s actual speed limit.
“Just pick a speed, any speed, that’s all I’m asking,” the video caption continued.
Commenters Shared Their Own Gripes
A lot of people agreed with Ryan in the comments. “I cannot figure out why people don’t use cruise control …I’m in a car and get f–king annoyed with the speed fluctuations; I can only imagine how terrible it is for you guys,” one person wrote.
“I get so irritated with inconsistent drivers, too,” another person added.
Another person piped up about the use of cruise control again, explaining that it was difficult to use when other drivers failed to maintain consistent speeds. “Man, I hate the drivers that don’t maintain a consistent speed,” they wrote. “Always causing me to disengage my cruise control.”
People Blamed Cell Phones
It looks like everyone was on the same page about why drivers keep changing speed on the same stretch of road. “They are on their phones,” one person suggested. “They slow down to text or watch a clip and speed up once they are done. Repeat all the way to their destination.”
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 33 states plus Washington, D.C., have what are known as “no-touch” phone laws that make it illegal to use handheld devices. However, different states have different restrictions included in those laws, as well as different penalties for violating those laws.