Going Too Slow?

I would think the truck and tires can handle it as long as your not running maypops on them and the truck is mechanically sound.If your not comfortable its irrelevant as to what the truck can because your just going to Jedi Mind Screw yourself and not drive to your potential due to thinking about it to much and getting your adrenaline going,which will lead to pointless mistakes.Ive been OTR trainer for going on 8 years now and i see this alot.First,dont worry about the people behind you as they can pass you or if its a 2 lane road they shouldnt be ridding your ##### to begin with.Another tip,as mentioned earlier,is slow down before the curve and then maintain your current speed or just slightly increase speed in the curve and this will mostly eliminate the feeling that your having about going to wide in the curve or running off the road.Last,if you tell him you are not comfortable doing what hes telling you and only responding with a"the truck can handle it"response that is INSANE.Never would i do this as i value my life to much and dont want to kill anyone else do to student freaking out and loosing control of vehicle and hitting someone.

 

Hey there driver, don't let some of these posts get to you...
It all comes with experience, i remember when i first started driving my first solo trip was through Virginias and i can say i was scared as hell.
Some of those curves i was taking as slow as 50 mph and to make things worse i had my CB radio on lol... all those truckers were flying by at least 65 mph by and talking smack, but few months later i felt so much relaxed and learned how the truck i was driving handled curves...
So stay positive and go as fast as YOU feel through the curves
Also keep in mind what kind a load you have in your trailer since some of them can be top heavy

 

As someone that taught herself, I didn't have that kind of pressure from a trainer.That being said,I have read everyone's text,and i dont agree...I STIL think you HAVE to do you.He or she can DO THEM!!! I think it's a great idea to get agood feel for the truck and go from there. If you are on a hwy that is 55 or 65 mph and you are dropping down to 10 mph,you are putting other drivers at risk,but I doubt you are doing that. If you are just dropping 20 mph from the original speed in the rain I think that is fine Remember those "suggestive " signs are FOR CARS not us.If the sign says something like "exit 45mph" that is for a car,you should exit at a lower speed.


Closing...just ignore that trainer on this issue,bc you need to go with your gut,again UNLESS you're putting others at risk.

 

Joysuf request a new mentor preferably someone with patience.He does'nt need to be yelling at you like that.It only makes things worse.Heck with your mentor,you go the speed you feel most comfortable with.You DO NOT want to fly round curves,that's an accident waiting to happen.How long has this guy been a mentor?My guess is not very long.Probably another newby training a newby.Just because the speed limit says 60 does'nt mean you have to do 60.Going around wicked curves I slow down to the speed im mostcomfortable with.Better safe then sorry.Keep doing what you're doing and ask for a new trainer ASAP.

 

One thing I can say is that if you are unfamiliar with the road you are on and you don't know the curves well, it only makes sense to take it slower the first time until you are familiar with the stretch of roads. You'll also notice that some states "cry wolf" with their advisory speed signs (PA is the worst for this, there are turns that state "45mph" turn that I'll take at 65+, while OH for example tends to be very honest about their curve speeds.

One big thing you need to consider is the weight of your trailer, and more specifically, how high the trailer is loaded. If the trailer is loaded floor to ceiling, it has a higher center of gravity which will make rollovers much more likely. The worst load I've had for that (other than liquid/bulk, which pretty much is the worst) is corrugated cardboard sheets, floor to ceiling loaded, and they also move and shift when you turn as well. That's the worst combo for rollovers, high center of gravity load that also will shift when in motion.

On the other hand, if you have a heavy load of auto parts for example, chances are they'll be loaded right along the floor of the trailer and since the weight is all at the very bottom of the trailer and the height of the actually load is only like 2 or 3 feet, there is little chance of a rollover in that instance unless you really hit the turns at a high rate of speed.

And in regards to your questions about high winds, keep in mind the lighter the trailer, the worse the winds will blow you around. The best thing to have in high winds is a heavy load.

 

It's not what the truck can handle, IMO. At least in this situation as described by the OP. It boils down to what you feel is safe and are comfortable with, not some "trainer". He should never "yell" at you for slowing down cause you don't feel in control or safe. If this is true, the dude is a moron.

Drive at speeds you feel safe at and in control of the truck at. Screw what anyone else says. As someone told me once, you can go to slow over and over but too fast just one time.

 

A couple of thoughts:

1) Sit down with your mentor and have a frank discusion over the issues you're facing.

2) What one person calls yelling another may view as giving corrective feedback.

3) By all means drive what you're comfortable with - within reason. If the weather is fine and the curve is labeled 55 but you're doing 35 there is a problem.

4) As a general rule of thumb if you're dropping more than 10 mph below the posted speed put your 4 ways on.

 

If a trainer is telling you to go faster then he's a {{{male donkey}}}, period. Driving within your comfort level is the key, SAFETY is paramount, and in the overall scheme of things, being cautious in the mountains by the way you've described may in fact just add a few minutes extra to the destination time. Big whoop for that. At least you've arrived, and arrived alive.

 

Not true in all cases. Bottom feeders let drivers be trainers after 6 months. Hence why we call them bottom feeders.

 

What he said.