how can a 4 wheeler best help an 18 wheeler?

One of my biggest pet peeves is when you move in front of me, you don't leave enough space. You should be at least two car lengths in front of me before you merge into the lane. Ideally, you should be able to see the whole front end of my truck in your rearview mirror before you change lanes. And for crying out loud, SIGNAL!

 

Best way to help trucks? Stay far from us, when you pass us, do it quickly, don't cut too close, don't tail gate, give us space, pay attention to what is going on with traffic, don't drive as if you were the only vehicle on the road. If you see us asking to change lanes in front of you, slow down, don't speed up, and use low beams when passing us, and please use your turning signals everytime you change lanes. I think this is all for now. I wish it were part of driving course to teach 4 wheelers how to share the road with big trucks.

 

I wonder, any of you big rigs are driving I280 in Toledo during the day?


I ask, because (today is a great example) I'm driving my ram van 2500, tooling along at 61mph (safety, I cannot stop on a dime either) and it never fails during the day, I get tailgated by a semi over the Skyway Bridge over the Maumee, every time! Personally, I hate that #### bridge, and I'm just trying to do my own thing in the right lane, knowing you want to pass no doubt and have plenty of room, but there he is, RIGHT ON MY ARSE!

I don't have a rear view mirror, wouldn't use it I did, I use my mirrors, all 4 of them, and that big rig filling up all 4 is quite scary.

WHY?!? There are 2 other lanes, usually free because people just zip over that bridge in the far left like its a nascar race, but not the semi, the semi is tailing me for some reason! Does he know there are 2 entrance/exit ramps coming up: one for Front and one for Star that have the HUGE concrete rails making it very difficult to even see traffic as you merge, not to mention, the lane ends after Star Ave. exit.... I am purposely trying to let you pass, no I don't want to speed up, anything over 65 is getting me 10mpg. But nope, rides my arse til I move over, then tries to race to the merge point.


It's getting to the point I just get off at the Greenbelt, and go through downtown, go through the east side, and get on Woodville just to get BACK on 280 further down.

I don't agree with this king of the road mentality. But it never fails, never. Again, I ask why? Are you in such a hurry to get to the turnpike and truck stops? Are you taking the "beautiful" skyline (not!)? Looking for barges?

After reading the first 10 pages of this post, and see the comments to the 4 wheelers, I turn it back on you.

Carriers? Sure, KLLM, Schneider, some local LTL jobbers, and I don't recall off the top of my head the others.

It never fails, to the tune that if I have a passenger in the van with me, I let them know after merging on 280 from 75, watch this: and every single time.

You ain't drafting me, I know this. Is it the uphill of the bridge? Are they trying to "intimidate" me coz I'm doing 61 (speed limit is 60/55 trucks)?

I'd love an answer from someone who has traveled this section, and maybe next time let the hands around you know that I too, want you as far away from me as well.

This, and this alone, has puzzled me to no end.

 

I can't speak for the companies you listed but I know that at my company, Roehl Transport there is a very strict written policy on following distance. You are given three chances if caught violating said policy before they terminate you!

A safe seven seconds of following distance is drilled over and over again at Roehl. They've even employed a company to video tape our drivers around the nation to insure we're driving safely. Actually, we've been awarded the "Safest Carrier with over 500 Million Miles Award" by the ATA several years.

Nothing is more important at Roehl than safety.

 

Those would be the drivers in a hurry to get to the scene of their own crash. They're everywhere. Unfortunately you have two options, non-exclusive:

1. Get away by briefly accelerating and passing someone else to put a buffer between you and them.
2. Plan your escape path and be extra observant for stopped traffic ahead.

Sometimes driving defensively is more than doing the speed limit and using your turn signals. I ride a motorcycle in traffic like that - a little easier to get clear of aggressive drivers, but also easier to get squashed by them. At least you're in a van.

If you want to take it up a notch, turn them in to their carrier or call 911 and let the police do it. If you have a passenger that can safely shoot cell phone pics or video, even better.

 

give them room to manuver and just mind your own business. you would appreciate this answer when you start to drive. unless you are in that driver seat then you can't drive it. when i am in my personal vehicle then this is the rule i follow. if the trucker been driving long they want trust your kindness anyway/ there is too much chance of a staged accident.

 

I'm going to college to be a Heavy Duty Truck mechanic (as well as Class A Training), so I know what you guys and gals are going trough. I always give truckers extra space (if I have a truck in the right lane, and I'm in the left I stay behind the trailer and give the trucker the option to switch lanes, and i stay there until i can tell there's enough space for me to pass the truck.), if the road is single lane i try to move as close to the shoulder on the right side and give him/her some of my lane. I also wave or tip my hat to passing truckers to say someone cares from the general public, finally I also try to talk to a trucker or two and say thanks, and that I'm glad for the work they do, while filling up at the truck stop.

 

Stay Home...

 

I'm not a truck driver, hopefully some day, but I have driven on the highways alot. I always pay attention to my surroundings and I can honestly tell ya'll that I have never had a problem with semi's. If I see a rig comin up quick in my mirrors I get out of his way if it's safe or if not a little farther down the road. If a rig cuts infront of me to pass a slower vehicle I assume it's because it was his/her only chance to, but I'm ready for it cause I already saw 4 trucks in a row and thought hmmm I bet that last truck probably is gonna want to pass. I also don't understand this whole "trucks don't own the road" mentality either. In my opinoin yes they do! They don't come into my hotels and tell me how to fix things. The road is their job, they know it way better than any of us 4 wheelers. I'm not sayin I'm the greatest person on the road, just my .02

 

I think driving standards have been going down hill for years. Was out driving my 4 banger in Brooklyn, NY and every other frigging car either had their high beams on, or had some HID lights installed by a monkey with Down's Syndrome. I have to look at the sidewalk not to end up with sun spots in my eyes, and use my peripheral vision to see the road. And no one is doing anything about this problem.

But no one seems to know that it's the law in most (if not all states) that you have to have your lights on whenever you use your wipers. Though, with their use of highbeams, maybe that's for the better.

And getting back to moving left to let a truck pass on the right, I did that one time. On a two lane highway, a FedEx truck hauling a double trailer came up behind me fast, even though I was easily doing 5 over. Then got on my behind. Didn't appear to have any intentions of passing, just tailgating me. Moved over to the left and he went on his way. Seems there are plenty of bad truckers out there, too.

I've slowed down in the middle lane many times when I saw cars on the shoulder, so that the truck to my right could move over, and most of the time, they just stay in the right lane.