This looked like a “Didn’t care” situation more than a “Didn’t look” situation.
Texan and Redditor /u/memeNOTavailable shared head-shaking dashcam footage from an I-35E Express Lane in Dallas earlier last this month (June 20, 2024) to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit showing the moment a driver in a GMC Sierra 3500 HD truck changed lanes without looking properly almost sandwiching OP into the side of the freeway barrier.
Check out the dashcam footage for yourself below. (source)
As mentioned, the incident happened on an I-35E Express Lane, half a mile from the Walnut Hill Ln exit (exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As OP’s footage shows, he’s driving in Lane #2.
At the particular section of the Texpress Lane, traffic from a merge lane on the left (as seen in this overhead linked here) is merging with Lane #1.
A driver in a white GMC Sierra 3500 HD truck can be seen merging into the Fast lane and immediately continues to change lanes into Lane #2 on a collision course with OP’s car.
To be fair, OP had plenty of time to, at least, let off the accelerator or hit his brakes.
We see the Sierra 3500 HD truck continue into Lane #2, practically forcing OP into the side of the Texpress Lane freeway barrier.
It’s hard to make out but OP does honk his horn for several seconds, letting the driver know the colossal mistake he made.
Thankfully, it looks like neither of their cars touched.
If you drive long enough, you start to recognize these situations as high-risk situations. You have to assume every car you’re around is going to do something stupid…After he moved into the first lane, you have to assume he won’t stop. It’s very basic defensive driving. Take this as a learning moment,” /u/Hydrottle commented.
“OP, you have the reactions of a sloth,” /u/graspme lightly chided OP.
“Amazing that this truck just kept coming over and didn’t hear the horn. Probably didn’t give a f*** and said he already made a mistake so he’d go full send on the mistake. OP just left there honking the horn while he’s shifting over fully,” /u/StackThePads33 added.
That Sierra 3500 HD driver made a reckless lane change.
Regardless, to be a good defensive driver means reacting to traffic around you in a way that mitigates your own increased risk toward what was an impending collision.
