Types of truckers passing me

They usually don't unless it's uphill or they slow down for whatever reason. I had taken your statement as I (the 57mph truck) should have to slow down even more for the other guy. I might have misread it as I run mostly overnight and this week has been day and night and got me all messed up.

But, yeah, I run 57 and I have my reasons, and that should make it easy for someone to pass. Going uphill I don't give up my momentum(?) because I'm going to be losing speed anyway as I usually run heavy pulling a reefer.

 

Nobody expects you to slow down going up a hill.

 

Oh, you would be surprised.

 

No I wouldn't actually. Lol.

But yeah going up a hill is a differnet animal...especially when heavy.

 

I prefer to run overnight. Alot less people to deal with and easy to find parking when its time to end the day. Seems like 90% of drivers are afraid to drive at night and shut down before the sun goes down and start after the sun comes up. Which clogs everything up.

 

I rarely run over 70. My truck, my fuel, my tires. If I'm coming up on a fleet truck and they're closing the gap on another one in front of them faster than I could get around them I used to slow down and let them over. I always figured it would be easier for me to get back up to 70 and let them maintain their speed in their no nuts door slammer special. After reading the responses from most of the governed truck gurus I'm going to start "minding my own business" when it comes to passing. Maybe my right foot will suddenly become "adaptive" cruise control that varies from 68 to 73 once I'm in the left lane.

A short story.....I was running across AZ a couple years ago. Had my cruise set at 70 and this dude kept trying to leap frog me only he couldn't get up enough speed. He'd make it to my drives and start falling back. He started cussing me out. I let him know I didn't need to go 80 down the hill to go 70 back up it. Guess I was just minding my business earning money to feed my family now that I look back at it.

 

Usually the 62-63 mph trucks are good about staying on the throttle, cruise, or both .

It's the trucks that can go faster but slow down to pass, even to pass a truck doing 57 or 55, that brings on the WTF factor. There are more of these types out there plugging things up than the 62-63mph passers.

 

What you newer guys don't understand, is that the radio was like our cell phones of the day. You didn't have info at the touch of a button. Most local directions were given by a local driver that knew how to get where you were going. It came in handy in most all aspects. There was no Internet or Google. ..The standard gps was something most of you new guys don't have, a motor carrier atlas. If you wanted an advanced gps, you picked the melon of an old timer that had more years out here than you could ever imagine having yourself. In order to call anyone, you had to stop and use the payphone. Believe me we had it rough compared to today's technology, but I would darn near give my left nut to have it all back the way it was.

 

They other day I was running 61 and noticed one of the original mega trucks creeping up. This guy almost got it right. He waited, and waited, for a break in traffic to pass . He moves over to the left lane about four truck lengths behind me so I drop down to 55 to help him out. Makes it to my trailer and slows down to match my speed and by this time there is a hood coming down the line... I hit the brakes a bit to drop to 50 and it barely helped.

All the guy in the hood sees is just another JB Hunt vs Prime cluster on the road.

It was strange how this guy waited for a break to pass and then drops the ball when the time came. I could understand if I was weaving around or close to the zipper but I was straight as an arrow hugging 3" from the fog line.

 

This might actually surprise you but, yes... Many of us newer guys do understand...

And as I said above...

"times change, we adjust"

Many of know there was no cell phones and one must stop and use a pay phone... Ok... That was then... Now we have cell phones.

Then one needed to use it to get local info from local or experienced driver... Now it's available to us in the palm of our hands.

Ok, then we used an atlas with special Truck Routing info but now we have access to a GPS ... Oh and it too comes with special Truck Routing info...

And finally, if you wish to give up your left nut that is fine with us newer guys... Go for it.

But, speaking on behalf of us newer guys, I just wish many of the older guys would stop berating us newer guys just because we might actually prefer to live and drive in the here and now... And not in the glory days of the 1970s.

And before you say I am some young kid with no respect for his elders... I am a second career father of two who is pushing 50 and have taken and accepted both advice and criticism from those with more driving experience than I, even if they were younger than myself....

So yes, I drive an Auto, I use cell phones, I use a Truckers GPS, I don't spend a lot of time in Truck Stops other than to top off the tanks and grab an occasional shower...

So I guess the older guys here would consider me just a "Steering Wheel Holder"... Which is just fine with me as I am enjoying being a Professional Driver and criss crossing this awesome and beautiful country of ours.

So if the older guys here want respect from the newer guys here.... Maybe try giving us a bit of respect too instead of calling names and glorifying the grand old days when we would never possible survive.

Not meaning any disrespect to you directly but

that was then,
this is now,
adjust if you wish.

As for me and my truck...
I'll be rolling ... forward.

Stay Safe,
MD

 

Respect is earned. Since I don't know you personally my feelings are based on your actions. Refuse to slow up and cause a slug race, drive 25 across a parking lot, take 30 minutes to back in to a spot? I'm sorry, you have not earned my respect yet. Handle yourself and your truck like a professional and I couldn't care less what name is on your door.