No more flashing!

Hey Guys and Gals,

I'm not a trucker by any means and just recently started a new job in Nashville, Tennessee. While I'm getting a house set up for my wife and son, I've been making the 600+ mile commute between Nashville and Orlando every weekend. This leads to some fairly late nights on I-75 with no one else on the road to cruise with except you fine folk.

Needless to say, I'm realizing there is a WHOLE new world in regards to trucking on interstates.

Flashing lights. Flashing 'emergency' lights. Passing rules. Merging rules. Regardless, it's all new to me and I've become somewhat fascinated with the culture.

My main question was something I witnessed this last weekend past when a big-rig activated his left-hand turn-signal, I slowed, and flashed my lights (what I thought was telling him/her they were clear to merge). I waited a ways back, making sure the trucker had enough room to pass without me riding his ### in the process. After he'd merged back into the right-hand lane, I quickly passed him to continue my journey south to Orlando. Funny thing was, before I passed the 'passing' truck, he flashed his lights twice.

So, this left me somewhat confused and greatly interested in the REAL rules of the road as depicted by you guys. As far as I'm concerned, big-rig drivers run the road and any common courtesy us Class E'ers can give you guys should be given.

As I've read through this thread though, I've learned a few things.

1: The double flash more than likely had nothing to do with me, it was probably directed at the 'passed' truck.

2: High-Beams suck, never use them.

2A: Is it courteous to turn-off/turn-on my own headlights to signal a clear merging area?

Any help I could get in regards to making truckers lives easier on their long rides throughout the country would be great. I'd prefer to not be spending 10 hours with a bunch of truckers and pissing them off in the process.

Thanks in advance and thanks for all you guys do for our nation.

Regards,

Spankster

 

Hello Spankster , yes the trucking industry has changed alot over the years . Alot of us old hands are still out there today but many have left the road for one reason or another .
Today as you have read there is alot of opinion on what drivers feel is right and wrong out there .
I have been out there driving on and off since 1980 and have seen alot of changes . Before I get too involved here I will tell you my opion is if I was to pass you and you were to put your regular low beams on during the day or at night flash your lights when I pass I would in return signal you that I thank you . No high beams please .

Enjoy your road trips and thank you for your input and concerns .

 

Well I gotta put my two cents worth in here. On two lane roads I always flash when being passed and acknowledge when passing. Due to my slow road speed 65 in states like Neb I could spend my whole day flashing trucks. So I limit it to wide loads, extra wagons(triples etc), and when the truck passing me is being followed too close by another truck and needs to pull back in as soon as it's safe. One think I haven't seen mentioned is getting on the radio to advise when the road ahead is clear enough to allow a following truck to pass safely on a two lane.

 

Hello Jeff , good point on the 2 lane passing . I will "turn" my radio on and try to alert the other driver when and if I know it is 100 clear for the truck to do so at times . But please note , If the driver has the radio on and you tell him it is ok to pass you as a driver can be held liable by law if that driver was to get into an accident .

I know it sounds harsh , but in today's world a driver has to be very careful in his or hers actions .

Oh yea , If your being passed all day and you have to keep flashing your lights it would at least give you something to do to pass the time away . You ever consider counting the different colors of trucks to pass the time ?

Sorry , I couldn't help asking .. LOL

 

Thanks to both of you for the info!

I know it must be different for every individual driver, but...

... Given the following situation, what would be the best way to show courteous road 'manners' to a truck driver?


It's 2AM and pitch freaking dark out. It's a two-lane north-bound interstate. Truck A is following behind Truck B in the slow lane. I have 10,000 E'ers who should be wearing condoms their so close on my rear as I progress down the fast lane. Truck A turns on his left-hand turn signal - signalling he wants to pass Truck B.

Should slow up and flash my own lights (not HIGH-beams) to let him know I'm slowing up to allow him to pass Truck B? Is there a 'common' way to handle a situation like this? Obviously, I'd rather let Truck A take his time passing Truck B and hold up the fast lane as I know most drivers out there wouldn't give the time of day to a trucker needing to pass another truck.

Just curious.

Regards.

 

I don't think the CB radio is the best choice for telling another Big truck truck driver he or she is clear. I had an incident where a Werner truck was passing me, and, evidently, another Werner truck was passing another truck somewhere else nearby.

Bring 'er back, Werner -- you're clear.

So, the Werner driver passing me proceeded to bring 'er back. Only problem was, he wasn't clear of ME. I got on the binders -- HARD -- to avoid being clipped by his wagon. I yelled at him on the CB, and his reply was that he thought it was me telling him he was clear. And said he was sorry.

Not as sorry as he COULD have been if my brakes were out of adjustment or I hadn't been paying attention.

ALWAYS double check those rear view mirrors, folks.
And, don't believe everything you hear on the CB radio.
It might just be another joker pulling a dangerous stunt.

 

If you do slow down and flash the trucker, he will probably realize you're waiting for him and go out to pass. Otherwise, just speed on by and he'll pull out right after you're by.

Any time you flash a trucker, you're either saying, "Thank you" or "Go ahead" IMHO. If you flash him while behind him and he has his signal light on, he'll think, "Cool, the car's letting me in" and off he'll go so sure, that's very courteous.

It's great to hear about car drivers who know what trucks go through and make an effort to make their lives on the highways easier and safer.

 

Well I guess my mention of getting on the radio has caused a little disagreement. But what I was thinking about was on some 2 lane in mont or nev with not a lot of traffic around and I usually mention the name of the xyz trucking company or make of truck behind the covered wagon going what ever direction I'm heading. And Desperado it's really hard trying to get to that light switch when your cabs rocking from all those fast bullhaulers blowing your doors off across Neb.

 

Jeff , When I use the radio to tell someone that they missed me I have always made it real clear who I am talking to . BUT let's stop and think about this for a minute .

Let's say a Prime truck has made his way past me and I say " You missed me Prime bring it over " and he does bring it over . Now what happens when some other Prime truck hears me on his radio and he is trying to pass somebody at the same time ???? He may be 1 mile , 2 miles away or further ....

I am sure alot of us have said things like this and Never thought that another truck from that company hears it and brings it over and you know the rest ......

Thats why in most cases I use my lights to signal the vehicle instead of my radio . Oh and by the way my radio is off almost all the time . I listen to my stereo radio and I am more relaxed at the end of the day .

And yes Jeff those Bull Wagons can blow big smoke at times , hang on bud .

 

Do you really need acknowledgment?

Now I always flash back, and also flash to let somebody know they are clear as well.. I still do not see why you are so upset..

You are doing the correct thing right? isn't that what counts? sure its nice to get a thank you but really??? why get so upset???

When somebody doesn't flash me back it doesn't bother me.. I know "I" did a good thing and that person
1. didn't see me flash
2. is just a selfish jerk

just cause several don't thank you back doesn't mean the next guy doesn't appreciate it.