I agree with you completely about the respecting the semis part. My entire family drive semis as well, both sides actually, and I am legal to drive everything except a semi with a fifth wheel. Our grain truck is a semi-converted to a box and I am legal to drive it. The majority of the public do not understand what is required when it comes to driving a semi. Nor do they seem to care, although we know who the loser would be. I believe part of the driver training course should have a section on the large vehicles so people could be educated.
In my case, it was semis meeting me in my lane on a two-lane highway. I believe the first one fell asleep, the second caught himself from the drift and the last was a very unfortunate individual who decided to proceed into my lane to go around a broken down semi instead of stopping behind and waiting when I'd already entered the area. Technically I shouldn't be here. I'm very lucky I had enough ditch to save the day because all times were during winter. The last time it happened, the entire load of students was on and I had the mother of one of the kindergarteners and 3 heavy rig trucks behind me. I'm not usually the type to get misty, and I managed to hold it together until I unloaded those students...but I cried all the way home. It was that close. Someone was lookin' down that day.
Oh no...hopefully it was not a severe stroke. How awful.