No more flashing! - Page 7 - Truckers' Trucking Forum | Message Board

scania580 · **^ Top** #61 09.01.2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucky142

From five years living in Europe, I could not tell you if this is true or not. All I ever saw was a line of trucks that stayed in the right lane unless entering or exiting the Autobahn. Trucks were very restricted in Europe (speed and traffic lanes). However, this is just my observation and has nothing to do with understanding the laws as written.

With my limited knowledge of the trucking profession in Europe, I have always wondered about that world, as it seemed quite different from the US and Canada.

the reason for the long lines is simple firstly all truck are " Supposed to be governed " to 56 mph. this means no matter how big or powerfull the truck you are all doing the same speed, occasionaly you will creep up on another truck if you are traveling at say 1 mph more. or if you have a light load and can maintain 56 mph uphill, the truck with the heavier load will slow a little and you can pass, but as soon as you crest the small hill, the truck with the heavy load will over run the govenor slightly and pass you again. Its a Pain in the ##### and its not un common for passing trucks to sit side by side for miles in lane 1 and 2 of the motorwayfirst one edging ahead then the other much to the dissaprooval of car drivers. And yes you are correct in lane restrictions, in the Uk for example Trucks are totaly banned from lane 3. Remember also the motorways are NOT free ways, all trafic is supposed to drive in the left lane lane 1 moving only to lane 2 or 3 to pass slower trafic then moving back to lane 1 again. hence the long lines of trucks in lane 1. so this is why we flash them in because as soon as the rear of the passing truck gets to be about 10-15 feet clear you flash them in so it frees up lane 2 for other passing vehicles, and as every one is on cruise control at 56 pmh the trucks do seem at times to run a bit closser than would normaly be considerd safe. No one ever seems to want to back off. I know its not the safest practice but its the way it happens, the truck pulling in front of you traveling 1 or 2 mph quicker than you will steadily open the gap to a safe distance.

Then thers allways the Irish trucker who has pulled his fuses on the govenor pushing his big HP truck to the max 20 feet behind the truck that just passed you itching to get passed him as soon as he pulls in.

Can be hairy at times, but one thing I can say is I cant remember ever being blinded by a quick flash of the brights, Its nice for example when you come up on a slower truck in heay trafic with lane 2 full to indicate right and the trucker behind you just off your tail flash to let you out, looking in your mirror it can seem he's ony feet from your rear so a flash of the brights from him to let you know he's happy for you to pull out is great and never causes a problem.

scania580 · **^ Top** #62 09.01.2007

The strange thing about all this is that according to the British High way code. The book that lays down all the rules and regulations about the road and how it should be used is this.

the Highway code states that " Flashing your Brights " Main Beam as we call it is a warning to other drivers that means " Look out here I am I'm Comeing through "

and that siganl has universaly been adopted by proffesional drivers over the entire continent of Europe to mean the complete opposite. It is taken by all drivers in Europe to mean "go ahead I will yield to you."

it is used in all situations when you want a vehicle to pull out in front of you, When yielding and allowing some one to turn across your lane or just as a polite way of letting some one know its safe to pull in front of you.

Lucky142 · **^ Top** #63 09.01.2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.B.

In Italy, drivers will get behind someone and turn their headlights off, leaving the markers on and just draft on down the road. Freaked me out the first time I saw it.

LB

Never made it to Italy. Always wanted to but I was drawn more toward the west and South into Spain. I did drive southern Germany quite a bit and loved the Garmish area as well as Constance.

I was pretty familiar with the highways from Hamburg, South. Of course, I took the Rhine River Cruise and I did spend time along the Neker River around Heidelberg. I lived in Heidelberg for three years; outside Beuren (Paderborn area) for a few months and two years in Nellingen (Stuttgart).

Driving in Europe was interesting and because of the high speeds, I felt most drivers took better care of their vehicles. This was the case when I was growing up into my adulthood. However, after the US implemented the 55 mph laws, it seems many lost interest.

Lucky142 · **^ Top** #64 09.01.2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by scania580

The strange thing about all this is that according to the British High way code. The book that lays down all the rules and regulations about the road and how it should be used is this.

the Highway code states that " Flashing your Brights " Main Beam as we call it is a warning to other drivers that means " Look out here I am I'm Comeing through "

and that siganl has universaly been adopted by proffesional drivers over the entire continent of Europe to mean the complete opposite. It is taken by all drivers in Europe to mean "go ahead I will yield to you."

it is used in all situations when you want a vehicle to pull out in front of you, When yielding and allowing some one to turn across your lane or just as a polite way of letting some one know its safe to pull in front of you.

Yes, very true, but these high speed vehicles that flash do so from a distance and usually that does not interfere with other drivers. It tells them to move over or to stay out of the way. However, here in the US, the flashing is done up close and personal; like right in your rear view mirror when you look to see if all is clear and when this happens you can't see anything but the flash of a blinding light.

So, the European rules of the road make sense because of nature of the use of the high beams. Likewise, the turning off and back on of lights to signal clearance also has the common sense tag attached to it. Unfortunately, "common sense" is not all that "common!"

Lucky142 · **^ Top** #65 09.01.2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by scania580

the reason for the long lines is simple firstly all truck are " Supposed to be governed " to 56 mph. this means no matter how big or powerfull the truck you are all doing the same speed, occasionaly you will creep up on another truck if you are traveling at say 1 mph more. or if you have a light load and can maintain 56 mph uphill, the truck with the heavier load will slow a little and you can pass, but as soon as you crest the small hill, the truck with the heavy load will over run the govenor slightly and pass you again. Its a Pain in the ##### and its not un common for passing trucks to sit side by side for miles in lane 1 and 2 of the motorwayfirst one edging ahead then the other much to the dissaprooval of car drivers. And yes you are correct in lane restrictions, in the Uk for example Trucks are totaly banned from lane 3. Remember also the motorways are NOT free ways, all trafic is supposed to drive in the left lane lane 1 moving only to lane 2 or 3 to pass slower trafic then moving back to lane 1 again. hence the long lines of trucks in lane 1. so this is why we flash them in because as soon as the rear of the passing truck gets to be about 10-15 feet clear you flash them in so it frees up lane 2 for other passing vehicles, and as every one is on cruise control at 56 pmh the trucks do seem at times to run a bit closser than would normaly be considerd safe. No one ever seems to want to back off. I know its not the safest practice but its the way it happens, the truck pulling in front of you traveling 1 or 2 mph quicker than you will steadily open the gap to a safe distance.

Then theres allways the Irish trucker who has pulled his fuses on the governor pushing his big HP truck to the max 20 feet behind the truck that just passed you itching to get passed him as soon as he pulls in.

Can be hairy at times, but one thing I can say is I cant remember ever being blinded by a quick flash of the brights, Its nice for example when you come up on a slower truck in heavy traffic with lane 2 full to indicate right and the trucker behind you just off your tail flash to let you out, looking in your mirror it can seem he's only feet from your rear so a flash of the brights from him to let you know he's happy for you to pull out is great and never causes a problem.

Shame on the Irish, but then they have always been rebels, right?

I guess it is more a matter of what you were taught from the start of your driving career. I was always taught, never to use the brights unless you could do so without blinding others. My father and my grandfather followed those rules.

Lucky142 · **^ Top** #66 09.01.2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by alabamayankee

How true and how sad, we used to all sit and drink cofee together, well its like you said we are a dying breed brother.

Yes, it was great sitting around and talking about what ever. Now days, most don't talk at all. We have lost something in this world. Everyone just does their own thing.

Roadie363 · **^ Top** #67 10.09.2007

I grew up driving on the road in 4 wheelers, big Rv's, towning, etc and learned "common driving courtesy" early.
I am now in truck driving school, and yes, we are taught NOT to signal another truck is clear.
Reason is IF there should be some type of accident at that time, ie not cleared, blow out, truck pulls in front of us and slows down, creating a rear end collision, loses control due to snow, ice, etc ANYTHING, we, the signaler would be held liable so its just not worth the risk.
Not sure how I feel about it until I get out there on a regular basis again in a truck. I can see both sides of the coin. Nice to have someone tell me I'm good, (and I DO acknowledge and thank) then again, do I want to risk anything I don't need to?
Cheers

ConcreteAngel · **^ Top** #68 10.09.2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by broncrider

o i thought you meant " flashing" not flashing lights....silly me...lol Hmmm, oh my I did too.. I wonder where my mind went for a split second.... Apparently no where good!! ... lol

dont stop becuase the ones who didnt return the favor were either ignorant or newbies who dont know any better...got to teach them somehow...i figure the same way we teach our kids manners...by doing it ourselves Exactly... in fact.. some trainers.. do NOT teach you to do that... they don't allow it when you're training with them. They feel it's a safety issue that YOU, being the driver passing should know when it's SAFE to come over.....

i will flash my headlights when your clear to come over, and i will flash my 4-ways after i come over, regardless if you do any of the above or not, or if you care to even look for it, to me it is simple manners with safety included I will to... I will either say thanks on the radio.. if they don't acknowledge me there.. I will flash 4 ways... .. it's common courtesy.. but then again.. some have it.. some do not!... Remember some people don't think they need anyone to help them out.. a Chip on their shoulder.....

now back to the kind of flashing thoughts truckers like.....

Now this is where I go quiet again.... I know nothing.. really nothing..!! ..

Designors · **^ Top** #69 10.09.2007

When I was running a straight tanker in Raleigh, NC .... I had a 2006 KW T800 .... by accident I found a little trick on the headlights .... if ya pull it towards you it goes to high beam .... if you push it towards the dash it dims the lights (doing this at night)

If someone was passing me on the freeway at night I would dim the headlights to let them know .... I know from past experience that high beams are a killer at night .... I always try to either turn them off and then on or if the truck has that dimmer I will use that

Always flip the 4 ways on when I get back over after someone flashes me in (would be nice to get that "flashing" once in awhile though)

birddog0001 · **^ Top** #70 10.09.2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by broncrider

o i thought you meant " flashing" not flashing lights....silly me...lol

dont stop becuase the ones who didnt return the favor were either ignorant or newbies who dont know any better...got to teach them somehow...i figure the same way we teach our kids manners...by doing it ourselves

i will flash my headlights when your clear to come over, and i will flash my 4-ways after i come over, regardless if you do any of the above or not, or if you care to even look for it, to me it is simple manners with safety included

now back to the kind of flashing thoughts truckers like.....

well i have to say as a "newbie"

i have found the same problem and it doesnt not matter if i am in my truck or my own car. i always flash to let them know they are clear and when they flash me i always hit blinkers to say thank you, i would say it is just the ones that dont care ...same one that yell at you for going down a 6 to 7 percent grade at a safe speed but not fast enough for them. it takes all kinds

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