Would love advice on how to travel safely and not be in your way...

Out of curiosity why are you doing this?

 

DO NOT PARK IN THE TRUCK PARKING AREA OF THE TRUCKSTOP!

The biggest thing 4 wheelers can do for us is learn how to merge onto the highway correctly! By law, it is your responsibility to merge not ours so if you need to gas it to get ahead of us or slow down and fall in behind us then that is what you should do!

 

Stay in front or behind and never pace alongside any cmv's

 

State parks are usually cheaper than campgrounds, some have comfy cabins.

Wave and smile when you go by us, we're bored.

 

Don't park in a "truck" space in a rest area, service area, etc, there's plenty of spots in the 4-wheeler area, nuthin more disappointing than pulling into a rest area when your hours are up, and seeing a car with a small utility trailer parked there.

 

I have to second this advice. The most dangerous place to be while driving is beside a big truck. If someone blows a trailer tire while you're lingering beside the tandems, both the car and its driver are going straight to the hurt locker. The best way to pass an 18-wheeler is quickly but safely; don't ever linger there.

Another thing to keep in mind: despite a lot of the horror stories you may have heard, there's really no need to be "afraid" of us. None of us want to send you to the hospital (or worse) any more than you want to be there, and that hesitation that some people feel around a semi can sometimes cause them to make some weird decisions (freeway merges are probably the best examples of this).

Also, never be an unpredictable driver. Sudden lane changes without warning have been the principal cause of many an accident/incident/near miss. In fact, at many of the more notorious traffic bottlenecks around the country, those instant, ADHD-afflicted lane changers have actually been the cause of the traffic jamming up even worse than it usually should.

 

To the OP and all other drivers (sadly includes too many "pros"); look to the left of your steering wheel. See that little lever? Pull it down towards the floor. See the neat little light flashing on the left of your dash? Get out and notice the lights flashing on the left side side of your vehicle front and rear. Push little lever up towards the roof. Note how the lights are now flashing on the right side. Cool, huh?

This is called a Turn Signal. Bet you didn't know that cars and trucks have been equipped with those for years didya? Their purpose is to warn folks ahead and behind you that you're gonna change direction (changing lanes, making turns... like that). Use the "pull downwards" if changing to a left lane or turning left; "push upwards" for right. BTW, Left is towards the door you opened to get in, Right is towards the passenger side door, ok? Return the lever to center position (halfway between left and right) after you make your movement (no, not that movement Phewww). Driving for miles with a turn signal still flashing is not cool.

Utilizing this little known but amazing feature will keep you from getting rear-ended alot and cut down on the "one finger salutes" from we truckers.