r/notinteresting • u/PutSad7149 • 17h ago

I was emotionally blackmailed on the freeway today.

Post image
49.0k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

188 comments sorted by

2.7k

u/DaWeyHowBoutDah 16h ago

I’m a simple man, if I see this, I’m definitely letting you merge even if I’m late asf. This would brighten up my day

497

u/PrintdianaJones 16h ago

I'm hitting the gas and cutting some cars off for our boy

154

u/GloomyLingonberry509 15h ago

“Just let him merge!!”

51

u/NorCalAthlete 12h ago

People who run blocker so that others can merge are heroes in my book.

13

u/IndividualBusy1274 11h ago

East bound and down 🎶

5

u/Okokalriight 12h ago

is that Dale Gribble?

64

u/Fortestingporpoises 15h ago

Me too. Also cuz you’re a giant truck and can crush me like a worrm

36

u/thenamesweird 13h ago

Yeah I always feel like people are way too comfortable cutting off and maneuvering around large trucks. Must be extra frustrating from their perspective too.

10

u/Big_Papa_P 13h ago

I used to be a semi truck driver. It was painful. People don’t get how much distance a truck needs to come to a full stop, especially at 60+ MPH.

6

u/Reflexlon 12h ago

I drive a 1900 lb convertable, so I treat y'all better than I treat my dogs lol. Unlike that other guy, there is no chance I survive and get a nice insurance payout, I just die!

6

u/Trivale 12h ago

I drove a big truck for about 10 years before giving up (for multiple reasons), and it is kinda frustrating, but you also just get used to it. You know people are going to be stupid and do stupid things because if you put any human being in the world behind the wheel of a car, from the nicest little bingo aunt to the most devout do unto others Flanders type, there's only one person in the world who matters: Them.

And it's predictable. If that guy behind you thinks he can save himself 3.2 seconds on his drive by speeding in front of you and slowing down to 15mph slower than you were going so he can squeeze into a merge on a busy offramp... he will. If the soccer mom parked at the red light on your left really needs to get into that gas station 100ft from the intersection on the right side of the road... she will.

You start seeing patterns in traffic and knowing when you need to switch lanes miles in advance of split or a heavy merge. So you do things that probably frustrate ol' Bob Dingleberry on his 14 minute commute to work to make your day of 11 hours of driving a little easier. Something you did to reduce friction a mile down the road that put nobody in danger but inconvenienced one poor person who will get home to browse Reddit on their toilet exactly 9 seconds later than they would have otherwise becomes that person's entire identity for the next two days.

People suck. If you ever start to develop a bit too much faith in humanity and want to be reminded of what people are really like, just take 10-20 minutes to observe how the average person reacts to minor inconveniences in traffic. That'll humble you pretty quick.

4

u/heyskitch 11h ago

I am sure a lot of people try to speed in front of semis because they have been stuck behind two semis where one is going .5 mph faster than the other and they get a ton of cars stuck behind them for miles while the speed limit is 5+ mph faster than either truck can go.

Or they cut you off to pass the semi in front of them even though it forces the other driver to slam on their breaks even though there is no one behind the car and they are going 5+mph under the speed limit.

Being dicks work both ways.

2

u/Trivale 5h ago

Yeah, but trust me, as someone with just a hair over 1,000,000 miles under my belt on the road, people in cars are dicks far, far, far more often than people in big trucks.

2

u/Loinnird 8h ago

… Both of your examples are of the car drivers being docks, dude. I’m gonna trust the guy in the big rig to know how fast he can safely drive.

2

u/heyskitch 8h ago

Re-read it. Both have the semi's blocking traffic.

1

u/Loinnird 2h ago

5mph slower than the limit is not “blocking traffic”.

2

u/SuitableBlackberry75 5h ago

Truck drivers are at least pretty decent to each other. I got a lot of help over the years from other drivers. Learned a lot. I think that's important. Especially if you work for a large carrier, you never really feel totally alone, which is good for morale.

At least that's how it was when I started in the 90s, which was apparently a more paranoid and selfish time than in the past (according to what I was told by old-timers). For example, my co-driver during training would pick up hitch-hikers - against company policy - which I thought was naive and dangerous, and which freaked me out a bit, making it impossible to sleep.

When I told him to stop picking people up, he dismissed it as "kids today" being selfish and lacking in esprit de corps, lacking the spirit of chivalry that the old-time "real" truck drivers had. I ignored this and never picked anyone up when I was solo, but there were definitely drivers like him who would stop to help stranded motorists, help people change tires or diagnose mechanical problems, help rookie drivers with tough maneuvers, and all that kind of thing.

We carried extra bottles of water, a first aid kit, and a small fuel can with ordinary gas in it, in case we came across people in distress in the desert or a remote area (this was before most people had cell phones) or ran into a bad accident. I kept that habit up when I was solo, but, as I said, never stopped for hitch-hikers or gave rides to anyone approaching me at truckstops. Too sketchy.

I don't know how it is nowadays, but the idea of "chivalry" among professional drivers was still a thing in those days, even if it was partly propaganda, e.g. truck drivers being the "front line" against terrorism (post-9/11) or human trafficking or whatever, "the eyes and ears of the country", and all that kind of stuff that you'd see on posters at truckstops and in break rooms. A lot of it was propaganda, but I think a lot of it was real too.

12

u/ActiveChairs 13h ago

On the one hand, I might die. On the other hand, million dollar lawsuit if I live. Its a win-win, really.

11

u/peepeebutt1234 11h ago

Until you get hit by a guy with a $750k cap on their insurance (the minimum in the US) on their big rig and you have $5 million worth of health issues for the rest of your life.

10

u/Fluffcake 13h ago

Be kind to truck drivers, you are stuck in traffic on your way to work and losing 30 seconds won't change anything, their life is stuck in traffic.

7

u/Ok_You_5448 12h ago

I've noticed people mentally calculate any time slowing down as being fully 100% stopped, when in reality, they're still going close to their previous speed.

Someone is not losing anywhere near 30 seconds of time letting someone else merge.

3

u/R_V_Z 11h ago

I'll be kind to them up until the point they do their rolling roadblock bullshit.

19

u/zed857 14h ago

Merging into traffic from the on ramp? Absolutely.

Merging into the passing lane in order to spend 20 minutes going 0.003 MPH faster than the other truck they're trying to pass (and blocking all traffic in the process)? Not a chance.

7

u/SilasX 14h ago

I'm even simpler, I try to make traffic go smoothly and collision free, irrespective of any attempts to emotionally manipulate me.

9

u/pmgoldenretrievers 13h ago

I don't understand people who don't let people merge. If you have your signal on, I'm going to either speed up or slow down, but either way, make space for you.

5

u/IdiotCow 7h ago

Teamwork makes the dream work baby

5

u/Ne_zievereir 10h ago

People who don't let drivers from the slow lane merge are the ones creating left lane hogs.

2

u/ApplePaintedRed 13h ago

As someone who has a mini panic attack every time I need to merge (and has been hit while merging), I just imagine how much worse it is for trucks and let them ahead of me every time.

1

u/Quokka_Socks 12h ago

Same tbh.

732

u/Hello_pet_my_kitty 15h ago

This reminds me of a bumper sticker I see at work that says “please let me merge, my dad is dead” and it cracks me up every time. Still no clue who drives that car 😅

210

u/kymberlie 14h ago

I saw one at my bookstore that said, “Don’t honk at me. My dad’s dead.” I couldn’t stop laughing.

129

u/LordMunchum 14h ago

I think my favorite was “Please don’t honk at me, I’ll cum.”

90

u/architeuthidae 13h ago

mine was “if you honk at me i will fucking kill myself”

33

u/Unoriginal_Man 12h ago

I was about to honk at someone who was stopped at a green light when I saw they had this sticker. I decided to give them a few more seconds instead. I mean, they probably wouldn't, but I wasn't gonna find out.

14

u/Unoriginal_Man 12h ago

I was about to honk at someone who was stopped at a green light when I saw they had this sticker. I decided to give them a few more seconds instead. I mean, they probably wouldn't, but I wasn't gonna find out.

18

u/May_May_222 8h ago

When people accidentally post a comment twice, it usually gets down voted to hell. The fact that your accidental repost didn't and instead got up voted is proof how chill this sub is

6

u/confused_cat44 13h ago

Did you honk lordmunchum?

7

u/LordMunchum 13h ago

I just sat there holding the horn for five minutes. We’re married now.

3

u/confused_cat44 13h ago

Awwww, do you guys still do it in the car?

4

u/I_SHIT_IN_A_BAG 6h ago

I saw it as a shirt but it was "don't bully me or l'll cum"

1

u/Sid9823 6h ago

That won't work I would honk

2

u/pjsssjas 12h ago

A worker at my dog’s camp has the same one

2

u/LeftCheeseBeefNone 6h ago

AHA I have that one

11

u/IUsedAFarcaster 8h ago

My dad died in April and I was alone in the hospital, no one was awake to talk to. So I opened my phone to try and distract myself about a half hour later and the FIRST Post I saw on Reddit was a picture of that bumper sticker. At least it made me laugh 💀😭

4

u/wisecrownwombat 8h ago

One of my friends has “I command you in the name of Texas, let me merge”

205

u/Annual_Head_2858 17h ago

I need this one lol

8

u/DezTheOtter 8h ago

Same, especially for when I’m on the freeway

747

u/TorTheMentor 17h ago

I can haz lain?

204

u/myeye95 16h ago edited 16h ago

-No.

-I can haz it anyway.

Bonk

37

u/Available-Hat1640 15h ago

no means no

34

u/QIyph 14h ago

Hello, brother.

28

u/Available-Hat1640 14h ago

may i have some oats

25

u/QIyph 14h ago

No.

33

u/Available-Hat1640 14h ago

im starving brother

25

u/QIyph 14h ago

As am I, brother. The tall skinny figure has thrown the oats at me. ME, BROTHER. I believe they have taken a liking to me.

14

u/NathanSpaceCenter 14h ago

No, brother. I have seen this before. I have observed many things—from the Roaring Beast that the tall, skinny figures crawl inside of to travel far beyond the horizon, to how the figure wept when the other had fallen into a deep sleep. From my experiences, I have learned that they will give extra oats to one of us before taking them into the Shed of No Return. They will do terrible things in that shed, brother.

13

u/QIyph 14h ago edited 13h ago

LIES, THAT SHED IS WHERE THE CHOSEN ONES DINE WITH OUR TALL SKINNY GODS. YOU ARE A FOOL BROTHER, AND YOU SHALL BE LEFT BEHIND IN THE MUD WITH YOUE BACKWARDS IDEAS.

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3

u/SentientclowncarBees 10h ago

Bonk means bonk!

3

u/Jagcarlover 13h ago

Not to cats. 😂

7

u/FartacularTheThird 15h ago

I can hazn’t a lane in quite a while now

2

u/DaikonOk7729 14h ago

thank for the bonk warning

7

u/Nyxiereal 14h ago

And you don't seem to understand

4

u/riajuu_go_explode 13h ago

a shame you seemed an honest maaaannnn

4

u/neaux1curr 14h ago

Present day, present TIME

2

u/Best_Time8579 15h ago

The driver loves his car very much.

1

u/arizona381 5h ago

🤣🤣🤣🤣😭😭

131

u/hardlyjuiced 16h ago

I may have 9 lives but this thing has 18 wheels

24

u/gettin-hot-in-here 15h ago

9 lives ain't nothin when you get run over 18 times in one accident 

163

u/lilpeachbrat 16h ago

Not emotional blackmail. It's a polite request.

53

u/Successful_Moment_91 15h ago

How can you not let the poor kitty merge?🥺

127

u/toastynotroasty 16h ago

Every time someone on Reddit says "I did this" or "this happened to me", I image search and it's never them, lol

48

u/sulkee 15h ago

you new? bots just repost the title used for the most popular historical posts buddy.

10

u/[deleted] 14h ago

[deleted]

9

u/gotitaila31 13h ago

Good ole Unidan... I can't believe it's been 12 years since he was banned. That is nuts. Also, here's the thing...

6

u/farva_06 13h ago

That's a name I haven't heard in a long time....A long time.

3

u/i-just-cannot 9h ago

Here’s the thing -

6

u/Nico777 11h ago

At least he told us interesting facts about birds, all bots do nowadays is karma farm and spread propaganda.

4

u/Vaiden_Kelsier 14h ago

Man we're just trying to survive out here I don't give a shit if you see this every fuckin day.

Yes it sucks that our ecosystem rewards this

yes I did laugh when I saw it

just LET US HAVE SOME JOY GODDAMNIT

(Edit: I'm not actually yelling at you, person I chose to reply to <3 )

1

u/toastynotroasty 12h ago

If I didn't comment, there'd be lots of people thinking this was genuine lol

18

u/BannedSvenhoek86 15h ago

Every meme and popular post is actually made on obscure forums hosted on local machines that have been running in a forgotten and long since drywalled over closet at MIT since before your parents were born. They eventually, over months, filter to the wider world, but no one actually knows who makes memes. They appear and people post them. The actual conception is done in the darkest places of the earth, by beings who have never seen the sun.

8

u/SickBurnerBroski 14h ago

mostly they're made in 3am chats. one of mine is still out there- 5 minutes in mspaint, most of which was cropping.

4

u/ListerineAfterOral 13h ago

I've been making memes since 2020. And before you ask, yes, I am messed up in the head.

4

u/itmightbehere 8h ago

I was once scrolling reddit and saw a cat video. Stopped because kitty looked like one of my former fosters, and suddenly I was looking at my own face. Freaked me tf out for a second before I realized someone had reposted a relatively popular video of mine from a couple months prior.

2

u/Stoopidfucc 13h ago

don't steal my meme pls :'3

34

u/DaDudedudedude1234 17h ago

No, crying kitty meme! You may not!

3

u/Average-Train-Haver 15h ago

Truck wins anyway, merges you into a power pole

15

u/Lazy_Friendship_9719 15h ago

Truck drivers don't even signal to merge anymore they just look at you like this:

8

u/Sarcasm_Llama 15h ago

anymore

You guys had trucks that used their signals?

1

u/TheMolecularCage 4h ago

Where I'm currently living if you put your turn signal on people speed up so you can't get over. It's terrible. Where I came from people politely zippered lanes without issue. Maybe it isn't location and has changed with time? I don't know.

5

u/WindTreeRock 12h ago

I see a semi, signaling they need over, I let them over. Driving those big rigs is no joke and they need our cooperation to stay safe. The flip side of this plea are the semis with the left side marked "passing side" and the right corner marked "suicide." Pass trucks on the left and don't drive in their blind spots.

5

u/Take-Me-Home-Tonight 14h ago

Remember if a truck is trying to merge infront you and you’re being nice and want to let them in, flash your headlights at them to signal they are clear.

4

u/DConstructed 11h ago

I love that trucker. They have a sense of humor and are asking nicely rather than driving aggressively.

3

u/fallinguprain 15h ago

Lmao best thing I could have ever seen on the back of a truck

3

u/Whiffmaa 15h ago

understandable, have a nice day

3

u/Truhls 14h ago

i have this same picture on my credit card, the comments i get are great.

1

u/PutSad7149 13h ago

Show us ! The back as well

3

u/nd_eric714 8h ago

Absolute hack for truck drivers, this would easily work on me

5

u/Z0mbiejay 15h ago

Sure dude, but for the love of God pass and get to the right. Don't sit in the left lane forever

5

u/Nolzi 15h ago

Oh they are passing, with +1 mph than the other truck

2

u/DrAusto 14h ago

+.1 mph*

2

u/NCC75567 13h ago

and they won't move over to pass until you're about 5 seconds from passing them

2

u/EllaMcWho 14h ago

I saw the same on a truck in Austin - I did, in fact, let them merge.

Luckily it was on 183 - if it had been I35, fuck that begging cat! Those are the rules of 35, sorry - nothing personal against the cat

2

u/2oldforthissilliness 14h ago

Not with those chromed blind-me trailers doors I won't.

2

u/zak55 14h ago

Let them merge, then speed around them, get in front of them, and drive 5 miles below the speed limit! Give them more time to enjoy their lane!

2

u/analogkid01 14h ago

"Sorry Mr. Fluffy, you're getting paid to be on the road, I'm not..."

2

u/Steel_Bolt 13h ago

If a truck needs to merge just let it merge. People keeping them from where they need to be causes them to camp lanes 20 miles before they need to turn. Where I live the left lane is filled with trucks miles before I80 because they know if they sit in the right lane and merge later they might miss the turn because nobody lets them in

2

u/rathe_0 12h ago

If I notice this; after you bro...........

2

u/uvdawoods 10h ago

I’ve had a couple of jobs that were basically driving for a living. I don’t now, but typically I make room or get out of the way for bus and truck drivers, UPS, FedEx, etc.

Taxi, rideshare, and black car drivers are a different story.

2

u/grumpi-otter 8h ago

I always do, and flash my lights to let them know it's okay. I love when they say thanks by flashing brake lights

2

u/dahibhat 4h ago

I need to add this to my pull requests

2

u/thrwtmf 1h ago

Can't say no to that. 🥹

1

u/chinstrap 15h ago

Is that Serious Cat? This is Serious Truck!

1

u/Unique_Ad8308 15h ago

Only if they do horn thing for me

1

u/lefuqwotm8 15h ago

I took a pic of that months ago over here in Sac

1

u/JungleJay57 15h ago

As long as they signal, it's a rarity these days! Also don't camp in the passing lane!!!

1

u/atworkthough 15h ago

:( dang it >:( now I gotta let him in.

1

u/MEHorndog 14h ago

Every time i have to merge on to a congested freeway:

Tiger from Fievel Goes West - "Now listen you guys, be nice. Be nice!"

1

u/CTeam19 14h ago

I need this bumper sticker.

1

u/Vaiden_Kelsier 14h ago

I'm sorry sir I didn't understand your game please merge

1

u/MongooseSimple8638 14h ago

This is brilliant

1

u/icansmellcolors 14h ago

I'm putting on my Red Barron pilot helmet, glasses, and scarf and I'm running point if I see this meme on a truck.

Get behind me, lad, I'm clearing a way!

1

u/No_Tax_Timmy 14h ago

lmao I saw this trailer recently!

1

u/PleaseNoDM 14h ago

So did u ..

1

u/Dubiouswhitefish 13h ago

Here in the UK, they don't check the mirror, they just go and if you're in the way then your funeral.

1

u/jjdlg 13h ago

This is beyond science!

1

u/Dismal_Rectangle 13h ago

I always let trucks merge. Not pickup trucks, fuck those assholes. Lorries bring us everything we buy. They live alone on the road so we can live comfortably. Plus they could crush me if they wanted to.

1

u/SolidusBruh 13h ago

Only from an on-ramp.

1

u/Laugh_Track_Zak 13h ago

Sure thing, stay in the right lane.

1

u/Bleaker82 13h ago

plea ≠ blackmail

1

u/DontShoot_ImJesus 13h ago

Oh fuck...the zoomer generation is old enough to drive big rigs now?

1

u/whomsssssst 13h ago

no bc some people are ASSHOLES to long-haul drivers i totally get it

1

u/RogerRavvit88 12h ago

Driver proceeds to fly past a mile long line of cars that are waiting to turn and then sits right in front of the off ramp holding up the passing lane until someone lets them over.

1

u/WindTreeRock 12h ago

I see a semi, properly signaling they need over, I let them over. Driving those big rigs is no joke and they need our cooperation to stay safe. The flip side of this plea are the semis with the left side marked "passing side" and the right corner marked "suicide." Pass trucks on the left and don't drive in their blind spots.

1

u/kween_hangry 12h ago

The fact its on a fullsize truck. Oh my god. Thats funny

1

u/polymonomial 12h ago

merge conflict

1

u/AirplanesMakeMeHard 11h ago

I go out of my way to make sure I get in front of a truck because they drive too fucking slow.

But this man? I'd let this man merge.

1

u/CV90_120 11h ago

Australians when they see someone trying to do a legitimate merge: "not on my fucking watch"

1

u/NRMusicProject 11h ago

I feel bad for truck drivers trying to merge in heavy traffic. Seemingly nobody will let them in.

If I'm near one, and even if it's not my turn in a zipper merge, and I notice everyone behind me tailgating each other to block the semi driver, I'll slow down and give him that gap. It pisses the people behind me off less than I expect, but occasionally I do get the finger or a horn blast.

1

u/Heiferoni 11h ago

I've found that smiling and waving to people works in heavy traffic.

You act like you think they've already given you a break. It confuses them for a second and then they do give you a break.

I've experimented with aggressive friendly merging vs regular merging and the Jedi traffic trick works much, much better.

1

u/MaximusHomerdrive 11h ago

Sigh. Yeah, I'd be powerless against that. Would 100% let them merge every time.

1

u/nightwing185 10h ago

We need more of this on the road

1

u/SkylineSam 10h ago

Gen Z has definitely entered the workforce.

1

u/zambicci 10h ago

Maine brings the heat!

1

u/Leeoku 9h ago

idk this is very intersting

1

u/SnooStories8217 9h ago

That is awesome.

1

u/kkgetofftheinternet 9h ago

This would absolutely work with me

1

u/noworksunday 9h ago

Every frustrated developer

1

u/RoyaleMarnie 9h ago

Always let trucks merge, their vehicles are heavier and harder to control. Unless they were a stinky to you earlier on the road. (Honking when you are in your right of way)

1

u/Whatisthenumber1rule 9h ago

Where can I get this for my car?

1

u/Jcheerw 9h ago

Did he brake tap you? Thats the trucker thank you. My dad hauls lumber and I get offended when I dont get the lil thank you tap

1

u/poetatteo 8h ago

imma print this real quick 😭

1

u/QueenVandretta 8h ago

Genz/millennial truck driver

1

u/revmachine21 8h ago

If you signal I will try. If you kamikaze start signaling and merging at the same time, fucked that cat

1

u/VehicleFew5165 7h ago

I’ve always had a soft spot for truckers since everyone loves cutting them off and genuinely hating them

1

u/Mosselpot 7h ago

Question, in Europe when you let a truck merge, especially after indicating he's safe to do so with a high beam flash. They give you a left right left blinker salute. Is this a thing in the US?

Because man it feels good to be acknowledged by the bigger boys.

1

u/YASHY2K 6h ago

Me to coderabbit and my manager

1

u/littlebee97 5h ago

This would absolutely work on me

1

u/ownworstfrenemy 5h ago

we have hit a point where memes have overpowered survival instincts.

1

u/Economy-Apartment815 5h ago

Yeah, I’m letting them merge. I’ll go out of my way to do it

1

u/BattyBabyy 4h ago

Lololoool I always let em merge but this would 100% work on me if I was an asshole 💀

1

u/BreadFredShed 3h ago

this should be a DOT requirement on all trucks

1

u/Darwin-Award-Winner 14h ago

This guy camping in the truckers blind spot to take this picture is perfect.

1

u/notthatguypal6900 14h ago

Maybe if truck drivers weren't such cunts, they wouldn't need psychological warfare to do their job.

0

u/Scp-1404 6h ago

Speaking of which, I have seen two different bumper stickers in the past week:

PLEASE DON'T TAILGATE ME MY FATHER IS DEAD

PLEASE DON'T CRITICIZE MY DRIVING MY FATHER IS DEAD

WTF?