I drive a car. What can I do, and avoid doing, to better share the road with trucks.

I'm not a trucker. I see plenty of trucks on the way to work on i290 and i55 near Chicago, and I want to be conscientious about sharing the road with you guys.

What do people in cars do that drive you crazy, and what can they do that will make your life easier?

Also, do people still flash their lights to signal its OK to merge?

 

Look up the 'No Zone' and stay where you can be seen.

Don't be afraid of the truck and hang behind; they are doing their best to keep it steady and in their lane, speed up and go by. Wait some before changing back to the other lane....

don't flash lights at night, off and back on doesn't blind them and don't run with your brights on +/or miss adjusted fog lights either....

 

Don't drive fast enough.

 

My biggest annoying thing car drivers do is try and be helpful, but in a dangerous way.
For example just had a car stop in the middle of an intersection that he had right of way. He tried waving me through not realizing other traffic around. If he would of just went everyone would have been better off.
Another bad thing is if I'm getting on the interstate, don't slow down to let me in. It's my job to merge correctly, and all showing down does is make you unpredictable.

Basically just drive normal around a truck and don't make sudden speed or direction changes and we will work around you. It is, after all, our job to do so.

 

Tailgating, then passing to only slow down or stop. So many car operators have no idea how close to death they have became with a panic stop.

Or cutting across 3 lanes to a exit because thier gps just told them to exit. Never mind it giving you advanced warnings, or road signs for 2 miles announcing the exit.

Use your mirrors on acceleration ramp, and know what a yield sign means.

I will stop, I can do this all day. However, good for you for asking. All questions welcomed. There should be more concerned travelers like yourself. I tip my hat!

 

Get around, pass properly and maintain your speed going away.

Don't be fussing to pass me near the speed limit and then slow 5 mph less than me at my front bumper after you moved over. Thats considered semi hostile. A path by insurance scammers intent on getting hit.

What I would have to do to keep that 40 ton of killing power off you might be or might not be enough. So.. if you pass, get going and keep going. Chances are there are 5 more riding your bumper wanting out as well.

When I am in our car around trucks here I give them about oh two lengths before coming over and keep going.

I sometimes end up convoying out of habit with a good driver close to the speed limit and I'll stay back two seconds in his drivers mirror far enough back not to be really a problem. So that if he has to brake or move radically I am all over it.

Just keep in mind those large bumpers under the rear of the trailer WILL take your head off in a car and probably crush your family with the engine block while burning them to death in place. If that image does not cause you to back off then I don't know what will.

There are days and nights that I am not functioning at my top form, sleeping etc while moving. Whatever happens back there? I don't even notice or care. Makes sense? Its pretty dangerous.

I am not here to pick on the OP, ive just seen way too much over the years. And I can only speak for myself.

If you are around me in a semi at or near the speed limit wherever it is going, you will see that I am constantly making room. It might not seem like it because that truck has to complete 600+ miles in 10 hours back in my day, we don't have very much time for dawdling.

 

Use Common Sense

 

Put the Dang cell phone down!!

 

Oh one other thing. Two actually.

If you ever see blue smoke from emergency braking from a semi in front of you. Stand on your own brake with both feet. Some trucks today with disks can stop REALLY fast. Faster than I can get one stopped on dry and that's pretty fast.

IF a semi truck suddenly goes somewhere else like a lane over really fast or even two lanes, follow him ready to stand on your brakes should he hit. Chances are... a little gamble here, he knows a way out. Or will make one.

And a third.

If in a ice storm and next to a semi on the Down slope of a pavement towards a bridge crossing that is leaning, DO NOT get between his trailer and gaurdrail. Gravity will drag trailer down to gaurd rail and slide along it gently. There is a reason we crawl across those in ice storms.

We would prefer to be parked and eating steak, taters, salad, sammich etc. But one eye boss man says go, we gotta go.

 

Don't hang out near the trailer.

If a truck needs to swerve for something, your vehicle is the first to go bye byes. If a tire blows, your car will eat it.

Otherwise pass like you mean it and don't play with your cell phone while driving.