Do you pass trucks governed 1mph less than you?

Yes I pass other slow trucks all the time. I just "stalk" them until I determine when they are slower/faster than me. I stalk them on flats, climbs, and descents until I see where our speed differential is most. I also, immediately kick off the cruise control once another "slow truck" pulls alongside. If a slow truck got up to you, he's faster than you, let him pass.Cellphones distract many drivers and they wouldn't notice if a flaming haywagon was beside them. Pay attention, it's your job.

 

Observe a drivers weakest skills. Some can't shift pulling a grade. Others brake on corners. Many don't manuver a truck well. Like they say. There's fast drivers and there are good drivers. But very few fast good drivers.

 

It depends.


If I can pass him on a hill, yes. If not, no.


If its flat and no traffic, sure, why not. If there is traffic, unless that driver slows down, no. Then again, I have caught a lot of drivers quickly only to have them speed up because they don’t want to be passed. Those guys have issues.


If for any reason it can’t be done fairly quickly and safely, I always bump the C/C down to match their speed.


If one is passing me and not being a jackwagon about it, I slow down just enough for the driver to get back over and keep going. It costs me nothing, but a few seconds and almost no extra fuel. It’s called being courteous. I especially pay attention on hills if someone is able to pass me, I let them so the situation doesn’t become dangerous. I shouldn’t, but I expect the same from others.

 

Maybe he was just trying to keep his momentum for as long as possible. He may have known he couldn't pass, but didn't want to lose too much speed too soon.

 

When I was new, I would pass someone governed 1 mile slower then me. Not anymore, unless it is night and there are only 2 of us out there and it is an interstate. The chances of us driving for 11 hours is not only remote it is illegal as we have to take a break. I will ride behind him and let him pull me through the air and get the gain in MPG from drafting.

 

I drive in MI mostly, so I set the cruse to 60. If I'm creeping up on someone I'll hit the decel a couple time to drop to 58. If I'm still creeping up, I'll kick the cruse back to 60 and jump up to 62-63 to pass and then slow back down to 60 once passed. I figure to 5mph difference means I'm not taking too long to pass, and only doing 3 over a cop is very unlikely to bother me.

-Steven

 

Question is, when you DO decide to paas like that, do you insist on doing it Right This Second even when you are milliseconds away from being passed by one or two trucks going 15 mph faster than you, with nothing but an empty lane behind them for MILES? I love giving up 15 mph for 10 minutes so you don't have to give up .5 mph for 2 seconds.

 

So you don't have a good reason then.

I rarely run against the governor so it's unlikely I'll catch someone who's going 1 mph less than my max speed.

I can't imagine passing someone with such a little speed advantage. Even if there's nobody else on the road why would you want to be that close to another truck for so long for no real gain?

Here's the thing, unless you have no concept of what a safe following distance is you risk faster vehicles running up on your right and cutting you off before you actually catch this slightly slower truck. Once you eventually get by you either cut over way too soon or the 4 wheelers will cut the other truck off and get by you on the right. In other words, no matter how you go about it you're creating a dangerous situation.

I try to stay out of the herd, not create it.

You drive a large, governed vehicle. You need to accept it's limitations.

I bet when you merge onto the highway you have no issue about leaving people hanging in the left lane that have moved over to let you on either. Heck, you probably don't even know what I'm referring to.

Dropping a few mph for a part of your day will have no real impact but putting space over speed will pay off someday.

fwiw that's my opinion.

 

I just wish those who do this would wait until they know they're not going to back up the left lane for miles before they do. Fine, you wanna pass they guy. Just don't hold up those of us who want to pass both you do, and especially stop ####ing cutting us off!

 

I'll pass another truck if it's going 1 mph slower than I am. I'm governed at 67 and the truck runs 68+ with new(er) tires on it. it seems 9/10 trucks can't maintain speed so I put it on the governer and let it eat. if I'm getting passed the same I will back it down just to expedite the process. I run at night and rarely is there much if any traffic to block. I won't try it if I see someone holding down that hammer lane 4-500' behind me.