If I go to pass someone and it suddenly appears it's going to take the next 5 miles to accomplish it , I'll back off and drop back in behind him.4 wheelers love it when we do this BTW. Its like spreading happiness in a way
Passing etiquette....
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by KeithT1967, May 17, 2014.
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This isnt an mpg or driving technique thread but since im bored. I pull a reefer, usually grossing 78+. My last 4 weeks avg are each above 7.2. In that period I've been up Grapevine and through Tejon Pass twice. Through Tahachapi Pass three times. Across Donner once. Done the Flagstaff climb on both 17 and 40 to the point I'm thinking of getting my mail forwarded there. Pretty sure I've got my mpg technique honed.Milkman719 and blairandgretchen Thank this. -
I've seen this happen before myself. My opinion on this situation is this: on level ground when a slightly faster truck is passing, I kick off the cruise and coast so that the passing maneuver is completed quicker.(why prolong the inevitable?).
On a hill, however, if a passing truck runs out of steam before he gets in front of me, I hold my speed and lane and the other driver has to get behind me until he is in a better spot to pass. My justification for this is:
(A) you need all the momentum you can get while climbing a hill in the best gear for the grade
(b) allowing a slower heavier vehicle in front of you will only put you in the situation on having to pass but now it will take longer because you are traveling slower.
I've only been driving for 3 years. I'm still learning every day. If I'm wrong please tell me. As I'd rather be part of the solution then part of the problem8thnote, blairandgretchen, All-American82 and 3 others Thank this. -
blairandgretchen Thanks this.
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Oooooooooh Goody goody goody. All stand in a circle and chant "Fight,Fight ,Fight!!!!".
Please email me directly in future!8thnote Thanks this. -
Not upset, just bored. Im aware of where fancy gap is. Cant recall the name of that little pull out of Chatty on 24 and I was sure even a rookie would have heard of fancy gap.
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The reason some of us (myself included) hit the cruise going up an incline that robs power is for the extra power. A lot of us slower governed folk; the company sets the road speed a few miles an hour higher on cruise than foot so we (natch) have it set on max and as soon as we are at the bottom we hit resume so the "power band" kicks in sooner on the climb than it would if we just used our footsies. Then as soon as we slow down on the upside to below our max speed hit off then on to kill the cruise and do our climb deal with the foot then lather, rinse and repeat till we are where we are flat again and can fly on flat ground at record breaking 65 MPH. LOL. Being a company driver my MPG concerns are gone in hilly country. I make it up by not idling like I used to.
Not slammin'; just 'splainin'.KeithT1967, 8thnote and blairandgretchen Thank this. -
I wouldn't blame him trying to pass, no harm in it, but if you can't make it, suck it up and back off. I've worked for two companies both governed at 62. I live for the day I come up on Prime. Lol. I don't get mad at other driver if I can't pass I get mad at the equipment I drive.
Milkman719 and blairandgretchen Thank this. -
Dont forget theres still a lot of split torque/horsepower trucks out there. Like the last fld120 I drove. 430 on the foot, 470 on cruise. Id like to slap the genius that thought that idea up.
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I do wish all us slower governed folks would kinda learn to give each other a bit of understanding and "feel ya" courtesy. It's not a young driver older driver we used to yada yada yada comment. It's just so many of us are in the same boat now with slower governed trucks and darned old e-logs and chasing one of four count down clocks they saddled us with that you'd think we'd kinda help each other out regardless of the company colors we are flyin' by doing a simple little thing like;
When my fellow pokey that is only 1/2 a mile an hour faster than me DOES need to pass because he has a long row to hoe and is chasing a countdown timer too and needs as much time as possible at every MPH he can squeeze outta it for as long as he possibly can in order to make to where he's goin' with a few minutes left on the clock as he quickly stops and gets off the drive line before he's in violation because load planners are just plain evil and Safety/Logs are absolutely not caring about that . . .
Just mash the foot to the floor and knock it off cruise for just a few. That couple MPH is enough that it'll let fellow pokey get on by and the whole minute it cost on my trip (if that) won't hurt. If us pokeys would just do that and think about and time a pass using a hill to our advantage (and I do hate playing leap frog I'll just hang back rather than leap frog - because I'm lazy and all that passing back and forth is a lot of unnecessary work) and check the rear view for a speeide and TIME to pass, for each other the speedies and four wheelers and us fellow pokeys would be much appreciative.
Not a rant or slam . . . just a suggestion.Last edited: May 17, 2014
Redman30, WesternEmpire, bergy and 2 others Thank this.
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