Couple of things Truckers Do...but why?

Though I am (sadly) still a wannabe trucker, I have rolled many miles in my 4 wheel, sharing the highways and byways with my trucker friends. Something that I seem to grasp, that many don't, is that big trucks need a lot of room. Also, just because you have the Dale Earnhardt sticker on the back window of your car, that does not make you Dale Earnhardt.

Common sense should tell people that a large vehicle moving at speed will not react the same way as a car. I do my best to get out of a trucker's way, and occasionally that means speeding up in the right lane when a truck is coming up the onramp. If I can get ahead of the truck at a faster speed, and the left lane is not available to me, I would cause an accident if I were to slow down to 40mph. At the same time, I know it's not a race. If I am able to see far enough ahead to avoid a situation, I'll do whatever I can to get the truck on the highway as smoothly as possible. It's simple courtesy and consideration. Many onramps are too short to let trucks get to full speed by the time the merge lane goes away.

Sometimes, I have been known to just slow way down in the right lane if I can see far enough ahead. I'll pass the truck later if I have to. I'm just trying not to get hit, and maybe keep the idiot behind me from getting creamed while I'm at it. Not the guy behind me seems to be very happy with my chivalry. But screw him.

And I have had truckers keep me from a speeding ticket. When I was young and stupid, I was driving a little (ahem) above highway speeds. I wasn't being reckless, the road was clear in front of me when I was testing the physics, and I wasn't weaving in traffic. I was however in a bit of a hurry. Anyway, after about 70 miles of this, two trucks were running side by side at the speed limit. I slowed down to follow. Not 2 minutes later, we passed a trooper in the median. I followed the trucks for another couple of miles, and one moved back to the right lane, and waved as we went by.

I always thought that was sporting of them.

 

Good post. You can get a pretty good idea of what is going on out there by paying attention to what the big trucks are doing.

 

And back in the day, you could judge whether or not there was a cop around by how fast the trucks were going. I used to never pass a truck, unless he was being passed by another truck. Not so much in the days of governors, though.

 

Yes, it is hard to tell anymore, as so many companies have their trucks governed.

I can't wait until I can afford to get a CB in my car again. Have to figure out where I want to get it mounted too.

 

I recommend heavy duty Velcro. Put it where you want, and you don't have to rip the dash apart to keep your CB if you sell the car.

 

I'll have to keep that in mind. I can't use the same set up I had with my Pontiac. I was able to use the speaker base that sat on the hump in the front, but the car I have now is a stick shift, so it'll have to be mounted to the dash. The velcro is a good idea.

 

Originally Posted by CometVR4
My next question is if you guys are merging onto the highway or changing lanes and I slow you let you in... Do you prefer I flash my Hi beams or no?


Well there are some JERKS that drive big trucks too! But please no Hi beams. If I should be in the left lane passing and I see hi beams flash on and off, I just want to slow down and show the little car who is bigger. But then I consider the source and repent of my evil thoughts and get over as soon as possible. Please if you are slowing to let a big truck out head lights off and on.
Merry Christmas and Happy Jesus' Birthday

 

Not precisely, but they are not going enough faster to pass them at maybe 5 mph more than they were going before they cut in front of me.

 

Welcome to hill climbing. That's just how much of a pain in the butt it is.

 

I know that's true from experience, if there's bad weather and a truck isn't going the speed limit then I know that slower is the way to go, out in winter you guys are like lifesavers by showing what speed would be best suited for the road and I also admit that I have drafted a few rigs, got some good mileage outta it too