Rules of passing?

Maybe it is the courteous thing to do, idk. But I'm not gonna take the shoulder just because some crazy trucker behind me has no patience. In my case, I'm usually the one with the fast truck, and if you take the shoulder I'm not gonna pass you.

Just too much liability imo. If you take the shoulder and the fast truck hits you, your company and/or the cop is gonna want to know what you were doing on the shoulder. I think the best thing to do is maintain your speed until he tries to make the pass.

 

Rule #1 of passing; Do not pass that contentious little four wheeler by driving over the top of him.

 

Let me guess...Texas. Perfectly legal to do there, but not so much in other states.

 

As long as you're in Texas, it is the courteous and polite thing to do, and perfectly legal:

Sec. 545.058. DRIVING ON IMPROVED SHOULDER. (a) An operator may drive on an improved shoulder to the right of the main traveled portion of a roadway if that operation is necessary and may be done safely, but only:

(1) to stop, stand, or park;

(2) to accelerate before entering the main traveled lane of traffic;

(3) to decelerate before making a right turn;

(4) to pass another vehicle that is slowing or stopped on the main traveled portion of the highway, disabled, or preparing to make a left turn;

(5) to allow another vehicle traveling faster to pass;

(6) as permitted or required by an official traffic-control device; or

(7) to avoid a collision.

 

You pass when you have the biggest speed advantage over the slower truck instead of half a second after you notice there is a slower truck.

 

Yap, all over the place, hill billies driving on shoulders, on top of lane dividers, and through fields separating service road with the freeway. Freeway ramp usage is optional. If you got a truck just load up a bunch of hill billies in the back and you are good to go!

 

Not all Prime trucks go slow. I run a 64 mph governed truck, and some Primes I can't catch, and others have (sort of) blown my doors off.

A few companies are bumping up speed all of a sudden. Swift, National Freight, and JB Hunt are all advertising 65 mph cruise speeds. Prime may also be in the process of increasing speed as trucks get to shops for PM's, etc.

 

Yeah, I remember those days when I first started trucking, it was nothing to see a Prime or England truck blow past you running 75-80mph. I remember Prime had those Great Dane reefers with 2 sets of mud flaps. England had those red Classics too

 

Wow lol, thanks for posting that. Good to know.

Still, if I'm going the speed limit, why should I have to ride the shoulder to let someone faster get by? Honest question, not trying to be snarky. I guess it's one thing if you're going 62 in a 65, but what if I'm going 55 in a 55 and someone decides to ride my ###?