No more flashing!

Pete_379X; if your safety is really the main concern you have to do what you think is right. I have been helped before. I do NOT stop to help someone just to stop. If they yell on the CB, are older, a lady, only one person, or upon looking there does not seems to be any red flags of a safety concern(and they are flagging me), I will stop, have many times, and will again. I am more cautious at night, if my wife is in the truck, or there are other things that look out of place. I have stopped hundreds of times in 13 years. Had people offer to pay me, went out of my way to go back to a truck stop, helped save a life, got dirty helping, and my standard reply when offered money is, PASS IT ON THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE SOMEONE IN NEED. Probably someone reading this was given a hand by "Lucky Dog".

 

I think if all of you would check some trucks you will find that they have a switch of some kind that is easly to use for flashing headlites or blinking trailer lites.The headlite flashers that I have seen all ways flash the highbeams.

 

And, therein lies the problem and cause for complaint(s). Many Big truck truck drivers don't appreciate being flashed at night by the high beams -- it's blinding. But some of today's Big trucks offer no other way.

Following the old adage that if you don't have anything nice to say, it's probably better NOT to flash another driver if high beams are your only choice. IMO

I may not be the brightest bulb on the billboard, but I think I'm smarter than the average Big truck. I'd prefer that the manufacturers of Big trucks would let ME do the thinking, rather then depending on the Big truck I'm driving to do that for me.

I still think always on headlights is a bad idea. Desk drivers seem to disagree though. I say, give 'em a lamp for their desk and notice how they turn it off during daylight hours.

IMO, if any driver of Big trucks doesn't know when they SHOULD be running with headlights lit, they shouldn't be driving a Big truck.

 

It's the law in Canada that all vehicles have daytime running lights. They are only 80% as bright as regular headlights and they make you MUCH more visible in the distance, especially on rainy/foggy days.

We got flashed by a car driver the other night with his high beams and it didn't bother us at all - you can't flash anything else in Canada (in a CAR) because you cannot turn off your headlights. Long as it's a VERY quick flash, it's no biggie. You CAN turn your headlights off in a truck so you don't HAVE to have them on in the daytime but it's always safer.

The problem is a lot of people in Canada turn on their high beams in the daytime and though they're not as bad as at night, they're still WAY too bright and VERY annoying!!! The cops around here and a lot of the bus drivers drive with high beams on all day every day and, even though it's illegal, they do it anyway.

 

Yes, most vehicles are equipped with flashers these days, but I will still "NOT" flash high beams in the rear view mirrors of someone in front. A simple on-/-off of the light switch is not only adequate but also common courtesy.

Blind me, and I don't show any appreciation.

 

In case you have not been reading, it is not about help as much as it is about ROAD COURTESY!

 

Come on people: This posting is NOT directed at anyone in particular, but all that are not SUPER TRUCKERS, or the new drivers.
The reason, and the "point" for flashing(lights) is NOT to tell anyone to come over. It is for safety, and that was the intent from the start, to let someone know that they have cleared you(the person being passed) and have left enough room. This DOES NOT mean, to those of you that are super truckers with full death benefits paid up, that you should ever just---do-- anything. Checking, double checking, expecting the unexpected, as it will happen, is a given. The sun can be at the wrong angle, a driver could be more tired than they think, a simple miscalculation, the weather bad, dirty mirrors or any one of a thousand things. OK, you just came thru a lot of falling snow, it is twilight(or dusk) and you are heading to the next truck stop to fuel and clean your mirrors, before someone comments about dirty mirrors.
I was passing a big truck, was flashed, started my lane change and was over the line, and the driver yelled to watch that 4-wheeler. He was flying and as I proceeded to pass the other truck he got in my blind spot directly behind my trailer. When I had enough room to move over(with blinker) he jumped around me. This was after I checked my mirrors not once, twice, but three times during the lane change. I had my Serious radio on but also my CB squelched. It could have been bad.
IF YOU THINK YOU***NEVER*** NEED ANY HELP, I dont care how great your safety record is ,***SO FAR***, remember this posting if you survive that "FIRST" crash. The same for "SUPER TRUCKERS" that dont use a radio any more, even when backing into or out of a parking spot. I have seen, and saved several truckers before. I try to tell all new truck drivers that if they NEVER use a CB--this is a great time.
REMEMBER SUPER TRUCKERS, YOU---may be the best, YOU may have a spotless record(so far), YOU may be the most careful, ***BUT*** --YOU-- are not the only one on the hi-way. Some are new, inexperienced, older needing their first glasses, having a bad day, just found out their wife left them(common in trucking), someone in the hospital, on the phone or otherwise distracted, and it only takes a 1/2 a second for things to go wrong. HELPING someone is NEVER a bad thing. Being helped, or the intent, should not be bad either.
To the person that made a comment on daytime flashing: I have NEVER been bothered in the daytime by flashing bright lights. I know some have daytime lights, so I just carry on.

 

I agree!

I couldn't have said it better myself.
Thanx OTR500.
It's only your sixth post?
I'm looking forward to more.

 

Never really understood the reason to flash, If you don't know how far you are from another truck when you pass you shouldn't be driving. These drivers that flash you when your no farther than 5ft in front of them is just stupid, I give at least 1 full truck length before coming back to the right