Driving tip: Don't cut off the big-ass truck

Especially if the big-ass truck is a Penske, U-Haul or Budget. Because that means the driver probably hasn't driven too many big-ass trucks.

Here was the situation on the 10 Freeway yesterday: We were moving along nicely on a long, flat stretch, got the big truck all the way up to about 65 miles per hour -- and a car in the lane next to us blows out a tire. This person thinks, perhaps logically, that she must get off the freeway ASAP. So, after slamming on her brakes to slow down to a crawl, she moved into our lane in front of us.

Bad idea. A bad tire almost became a crushed car. In our only scary moment of the day, pieces of rubber flew towards us as I slammed on the brakes, not sure if the giant truck - towing a car, mind you - would slow down in time to avoid crushing this little piece of junk (I don't remember what kind of car it was, but it was clearly a piece of junk). Thankfully, the it did, and I'm here to blog about it. But it's a lesson you should all take heed of: Don't cut off the big-ass truck.