How exactly do you merge with a big truck?

It's easier to lose speed than gain it in a big truck so get up as much as you can on the ramp. You will be surprised, for every idiot that doesn't let you in usually 10 will. It's not as difficult as you think. There are no hard and fast rules here but if the area has heavy traffic then it probably means it has a lot of trucks and other drivers will usually let another big truck in. Again, usually!

 

So let me get this straight, your not supposed to go screeeeeemmmmming down the ramp, then at the last second slam on the brakes and come to a dead halt, then pull out into the traffic lane a five miles an hour?

 

You can if you want!!!

 

DONT BE AFRAID OF THE THROTTLE!
punch it and get on the highway!

 

G.O.A.L. Get Out And Look!

wonder if anyone will try this, its worth a laugh.

 

I want to add that, there are times when people will not let you merge. Rush hour traffic with cars bumper to bumper not paying attention to you. You see a truck at the back of the pack and expect him to let you over. Unfortunately, he's a super trucker and would rather push you on the shoulder than slow down to 55mph to let you merge. This will happen at times. Don't just push yourself over, especially when your new, because if someone happens to wreck your going to bite the bullet. As others have said, riding the shoulder does not hurt these trucks. Just make sure to look ahead to see if there are any disabled vehicles on the shoulder or if the shoulder ends. Worst case scenario, come to a full stop on the shoulder and wait until there is a big gap to jump back on, and make sure to keep your hazards on until you reach 55+ mph.

95% of the time it will be just like merging with your car in your small town. So really nothing to get anxious about.

 

There's so many different situations that can happen. You describe a on-ramp that has a perfect shoulder, one you can drive on. I've seen so many where the end of the ramp is the end. It's just using common sense and doing your best to make it as safe as you can.

 

If you are in a truck trying to merge in heavy traffic with a lot of trucks it's best to try to find a hole and time into it. Thankfully a lot of truckers will move over for you if they can. If you run into that one DH (if you need DH defined PM me) that won't get over do the best you can to not make an already bad situation worse .

If your in a car use your maneuverability to merge as safely as possible.

 

Yea. We have an on ramp going northbound that has a truck accident about once a week. Has a flying j on the exit, so lots of truck traffic. The on ramp is an incline so heavy trucks can't gain any speed. It's in a construction zone so you can barely see over the jersey walls for oncoming traffic. And it only gives you a small amount of merge time before the jersey wall cuts the shoulder and pushes you into traffic. But like you say, as long as you play it by ear and use common sense it's nothing to worry about. The majority of the truck accidents are from merging trucks just pushing their way on and causing a 4 wheeler to wreck. Or sometimes a truck driver will try to move lanes to give the merging truck room, but takes out a 4 wheeler sitting in that lane.