I was heading norhtbound on US-127 and noticed a semi truck pulling a trailer without lights. I drove behind the semi for a while, hoping I could find an area without traffic coming so I didn't get pulled over for turning my headlights on and off a few times to alert the driver. The parking lights on the tractor were on, and when he stepped on the brakes, the trailer brake lights came on. Eventually, I decided I couldn't wait all day and passed. When I had enough room, I tapped on the brakes repeatedly, just so he'd see my brake lights flashing. I got about 1/2 mile in front of him and noticed all kinds of people flashing the brights at this driver. The trailer really wasn't reflective at all in the back and people could have easily rear-ended him. How can I alert these drivers when I don't have a CB? Should I have called the cops (I feel I should have, but didn't want to dial 911 and possibly ruin his career)? If I had a CB, I would have told him over the radio. I almost called my dad to see if he was in the area with his CB so he could say something, but I really have no idea how far those signals can travel.

Don't worry so much about it really. It happens from time to time. There is a separate switch for the night cruising lights on the trailer. Sometimes you just plan forget to turn them on. I am sure he noticed sooner or later when glancing in the mirror in a turn. Other drivers would notice this pretty fast. Thats why they were flashing him. But I bet he just thought they thought he had his brights on. LOL It happens. There is no real non CB message for this. But I would not recommend flashing lights to send a message. There are just TOO many reasons to pass such a message. It just blinds the guy in the end. Just FYI, I would never have called the cops on this. It would be too far down the priority list to care, or just begging to ticket the driver for being forgetful. Its just an accident. No big deal. For that matter, it could have been a defect that the driver new about and intended to correct at the next stop. May explain why the radio was off, he may have got sick of hearing about it. LOL

Drivers, is traveling at night without trailer lights "no big deal"... something that "happens from time to time"?

I can understand that a driver may forget to flip on the switch, but I would hope that he'd be alert enough to notice it within a quarter mile or so of his starting point. I'd hate to think that traveling with an unlit trailer is something to be dismissed as "no big deal" and "happens from time to time".

Please reassure me that most professional drivers are above such a casual attitude about safety on the highways.

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I was thinking the same thing. A driver not paying attention easily could have rear-ended the trailer. That's why I drove behind him for a ways.

Trust me it is NOT NO BIG DEAL like was posted else where. IT IS A BIG DEAL because no lights begs some one to rear end you, and that would cause ALL SORTS of other problems.

For example the deal that it is to me.................. the truck I sold to member broncrider was a flatbed with a lighted headache rack on the tractor. Once in broad daylight I had another truck pull up beside me and wave the CB mic at me. I switched mine on and talked to him. It seems my trailer turn signals were not working but he knew I was using them because of the lights on the head ache rack. I thanked him and pulled over on the next exit.

No lights IS A BIG DEAL.

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No lights ESPECIALLY at night is a VERY big deal. I had a similar problem with a turd of a trailer (central trans) rolling to Indy at night. The trailer lights would keep going in and out, and it caused quite the stir on the CB. Luckily I had seen it before anyone else had to tell me, and I was able to drive with my four ways on till I got to a place to repair it (turned out it was the pigtail, had a short in it).

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Sometimes I wonder if anybody ever looks in their mirrors anymore? Not just noticing lights but changing lanes as well... Everyday I have many trucks just pull out in front of me when I am getting ready to pass them...
You know the 1/2 sec look then pull on over.... (you know those people never check their mirrors) Not paying attention to the speed difference they may have between the two...


Anyways no light on TRL....
Well it is a big deal and has happened to me (pig tail come lose) some TRL seem to be harder to notice this than others cause you may only see one light (the rear marker light)
Far as alerting the driver?
Well you did what you could.... Calling the police? well I would not consider that a way to deal with the issue... That's me though.....

He may of already knew his lights where out and was on the way to get them fixed (still pretty dumb thing to do)... and if he was he should of had his flashers on...


Things happen pretty fast sometimes... just on my last trip I did my pre trip and know for a fact that both my headlights where working.... No more then 15 minutes later I had a lady ask me if I knew I had a headlight out.....

OK Professional Driver.... Lets be real then.

Driver forgot to put his lights on the trailer. His CB is off. He is ignoring flashing lights. Your in a four wheeler. What do you do? Thats the kids question. What do you do? He has already devoted all his attention to flashing and break checking the guy. What would you have him do to further endanger himself and everyone else on the road by giving his attention to this problem. What do you want him to do? Maybe slow the truck to a stop? Force the truck off the road? When I say no big deal, I am saying, its not a bid deal from his prospective because he had done all he could do, and if this driver did not get it, or could care less to find out anything further, there was nothing he could do. If he did anything more it would just create a bigger problem. The guy was ignoring the CB and flashing lights. When that happens on the road driver, which it does, do you turn your rig around and chase him down? When you do, what do you do about it?

So, no complaints when 4-wheelers flash there highs at you too. Lets just be real then. There is no saftey concurn there right?

Perhaps you misread my post in many ways...
I was in a four-wheeler. I was going to flash my lights on and off if I got a chance--NOT high beam/low beam (which many cars behind me were doing--after I was far ahead).
I didn't have a CB--which is probably the only reason he didn't figure it out sooner.
I DID flash my brake lights when there was noone else behind me. I was in the other lane, and only tapped them enough for the brake lights to come on.
I'm not going to create a big hazard to try fixing another one.

Yeah, let's be real. The driver may have forgotten to put his lights on... he may have had his CB turned off... and he ignored vehicles flashing their lights at him. It sounds like the TRUCKER was the one not paying attention to what he was doing. And that's DANGEROUS when you're driving a big truck.

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