Curious why guys run their lights during the day

I hate catching a heavy truck in a steep mountain pass dimly lit tunnel with no lights or 4 ways on travelling 45 mph under the posted due to weight and small power

 

My issue with 4-ways on customer property is because I normally assume a truck is going to be driving forward. But if he has his 4-ways on, I assume he is going to reverse and park it. And he has claimed the spot he was next to when he put his flashers on. But since we all have to have them on all the time, I can never really know for certain.

 

I put on my 4 ways when I’m getting on the highway and going slow. So you can see me a mile back and know to get into the hammer lane.

By highways I mean the ones in the country with no ramp. I’m not throwing my 4 ways on for merging with a ramp.

I also use them when I stop not in a parking spot so you know to go around. That’s about it. I never use my strobes because they are annoying and I forget to turn them off.

 

But you noticed he had em on right.
Never assume with today's driver.

At a customers dock I would only use while backing up to my hole.

I will also use 4 ways when traveling under legal limits and starting/stopping from RR crossings.

Most states have laws pertaining to hazard use on the road but I've not heard of anyone being cited but sure someone has.

I off load in weird places and even use cones/pylons cause in my opinion..most have no awareness of surroundings.

 

I drive a lot of 2 lane roads and 4 wheelers like to pass me, or pass somebody coming at me. It's a lot easier to judge how far away a set of headlights are coming at you than a dark shadow.

 

Why do so many have the high beams on all the time when on the lighted freeway?

 

Why?

Because for some really odd reason, the idiot a little bit ahead of you will see your lights but won't see your bright colored truck and make a lane change.

The more thing that you can make you visible, the better because there are more idiots getting cdls than ever.

 

Actually, you aren't correct.

Headlights will help somebody see you FASTER than if you don't have your headlights on. This is especially true if the color of your truck blends in with the background or if folks are trying to see you if the sun is in their eyes.

When I was a boy WA-18 from Auburn, WA to Snoqualmie, WA was a two lane death trap. It seemed there was a fatal head on collision at least once a week. Then the state did an experiment, putting up "Headlights Must Be On, Day Or Night". They issued tickets if you didn't. Fatalities on the stretch of road plummeted by over half.

Here is the thing, folks around you make split second decisions. In that split second they either see you or they don't. I want to increase the chances I am seen.

Saccadic masking - Wikipedia

Humans see the world in 24 frames per second. In between each frame is a fraction of a second when you see NOTHING. This allows your eyes to pan across a landscape without seeing a blur. This also prevents you from seeing anything at all for a good chunk of your waking hours, especially if you are in a complex visual environment, like rush hour traffic. Having headlights on is a safety measure at all times because it increases the chance that a driver's quick glance in your direction will result in them seeing you and not stomp on the throttle to initiate a pass around a big rig, only to finally see you when it's too late.

If my vehicle is in motion my lights are on.

 

That's ok when loud pipes, and loud train horn are secondary saftey useage.