Truck Driving Etiquette

If you are in a governed truck and the truck ahead is going a little slower than you are, make a proper judgement whether you can pass him quickly, safely and efficiently. If it is going to be a snail race or if you are expecting to effect that driver to the point he is going to have to slow down for YOU (which is rude by the way)-- then YOU back off and resume speed and when you catch back up to less than 6 seconds following distance YOU back off again unless you can pass quick safe and efficient.

Sick of people thinking it is the passee's responsibility to slow down for those who cannot pass quick.

 

No such thing as driver ettiquette, just drivers getting upset because they cant get their way. Just get your truck from point A to point B without killing anyone.

 

i thought i was a male, not an inanimate object such as a font, but hey if it "gets me some", i can swing that way.

be sure to chill the sparkling water, cold duck or champagne before serving. i usually do this by putting the bottle in a plastic bag, and hang it on the mirror mount as i drive.

 

Not your responsibility, but doesn't hurt to be the better man though. Instead of a rolling road block, stalemate, holding up traffic for miles. I for one CAN NOT STAND having one of those governed mega carrier trucks beside me

 

I drive an ungoverned truck. If I am getting on the interstate, and Swift jumps into the left lane to allow me space to get on, I will not gas on it and hang Swift out in the hammer lane. I will flash my lights and let him back over, then jump out in the left lane and pass him. The driver was being courteous, don't hang him out in the left lane, let him back over. I don't care how slow his truck is, show him courtesy.

One of the things that makes me nervous is the number of drivers who drive along paying attention. I jump out into the left lane to pass a truck. I see an emergency vehicle on the shoulder. I back out of it and flash my headlights. Truck gets almost on top of the emergency and the driver stands on the brakes. Sorry Hoss. I'm not stopping on the interstate.

Synchronized Truckin. Running down the bigroad, passing another truck. Something's laying in the right lane.This driver is paying attention, he looks in his left mirror. I look left and go left. He goes left at the same time. As soon as he passes the object he goes back right. I go back right at the same time. He will wave and I'll wave back. When a driver is watching his surroundings, synchronized trucking is a beautiful thing.

Bad weather passing. Increase your passing distance in bad weather just as you would your following distance. Spray from the rain, or worse, road salt will blind the truck behind you. Help him out by increasing the distance that you normally come back right.

 

• Dim your lights to oncoming traffic (even on a four lane). It's not only courteous, it's the law.
• Don't use the high beam to signal I'm clear. I suffer from mild night blindness and this causes me to see spots for a few miles. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
  
• If you're heavy and barely going faster than traffic in front of you, don't jump in the left lane at the bottom of a hill.
• PAY ATTENTION when being passed or passing. I like my paint and mirrors where they are.
  
• Don't leave your truck at the pump after getting fuel. Wait a few friggin minutes for the truck in front of you to get done and move. Then pull forward so the next person can get fuel.
• Don't stop way back from the pumps and wait to see which pump is going to become available first. You're making it so trucks are stopping on the street creating a safety issue for them.

Just a few to add to those already mentioned.

 

What really annoys me is when you've got 2 or 3 trucks stopped at a red light in the right hand lane and one loaded truck decides to save time and shoot up the left lane. Now you have a rolling roadblock because 1 guy decided to try and save 10 seconds.

 

I do not believe in dimming the lights. If you're trucking along and come up to a pick-up pulling a fifth wheel trailer (as an example) if it's feasible I'll pass and move over and back in when I know for sure it's safe. I say that because there are times when someone new to pulling a trailer or even a driver that never goes more than 55mph is driving along at night and forgets to switch to his low beams when you're passing. The driver know he forgot to lower his beam of light and does it while your trailer is right next to him.You see this and you move over and there's an accident.

I strongly believe that if you're going to signal a driver you do it by turning off and back on your lights. That leaves no question in the passing drivers mind just what you did. Even in daylight. Besides, at night you don't even need to be looking the mirror %100 to know he's signally you. You can look elsewhere and back into the mirror to see if you're cleared . Besides, at night they always back off because I'm either asleep or on fire rolling down the road.

 

Those used to be underride bars! When I came back to trucking I couldn't figure out what people were talking about!