Yes I realize my truck is slower than yours

Just recently I had my engine uprated to 550 by CAT and added a fuel temp wire. Man the truck really pulls a hill now! Only problem is that being a canadian truck its speed limited to 63mph on the cruise. So I am usually getting passed by just about everyone, doesnt bother me I just hang out in the right lane anyway. When i get to a hill I am now finding that I am passing most of those trucks that are faster on the flat lands than me. I am 99% of the time loaded to max gross so its not like I want to piss them off by passing uphill but I am not slowing down and losing my rpm and momentum just because someone will have to pass me once we get over the hill.If you have a fast truck but cant pull a hill then get used to being passed uphill and then having to get back passed on the other side. I dont think theres anything rude about it as I have no problem with having to get out and pass up the hill. The thing I find funny now is when a truck tailgates as I come to a hill then dissapears in the mirrors as we run up the hill. I had one say on the radio" must be nice being light" I replied "max gross buddy" he just gave me a dirty look when he finally passed on the other side. Gotta love the puling power of a good running CAT!

 

Unfortunately alot of drivers don't have the brains or patience for that manuver. I love it when one of the super truckers with a load tries passing me and then realizes that he can't. Sorry but I'm not gonna drop 5 mph so your dumb arse can kill my momentum. It's funny when you and another driver are doing the leap frog routine. Some guys just " get it". It's just how the hills are and how the truck pulls. With some drivers it's all or nothing. Kinda sad.

 

I have that. The truck is governed at 65, but I can tap the gas pedal twice and it will take off and go up to 70. But I can only go into that acceleration mode for 30 minutes a day so I have to use it sparingly. Most days I don't use up the 30 minutes. But driving out east on I-81, I40, etc, I will use it up and wish I had more.

When someone is merging sometimes I will stay in the slow lane long enough to make them slow down before they merge and that sometimes gives me enough of a gap to get back over before they take off.

 

I dont have a problem when i move over for another truck to merge and then pass me on my right, I have a problem when I move over for them then they get on my side and not go any faster or slower so I can get back over to the right lane, and just pace me on my side!, how stupid is that, ether slow down or speed up Idiots!!

 

I'm not going to read the whole thread, but to the OP, I agree. If you're nice enough to get over for me to merge, I always try to let you clear me before making my move. Sometimes I'm an inadvertent ####### and hang you out. Sorry if I do. Sometimes I'm grabbing gears and not about to lose my momentum for a grade, etc, and not really paying attention to whether you're going to get hung out.

 

I will say I have moved over many times to let another truck merge, that I know is faster than I. And many of those fast trucks, give me, a known governed fleet, the room to come back over, and then they pass me on the left. Both drivers being courteous. There is the occasional one that just blow by me on the right, due to traffic, and that is okay to. Just don't hang out right beside my trailer, backing traffic up in both lanes... Now for a car or pickup, I don't leave the right lane, they can adjust their speed much sooner than I can.

 

Wait, how do you know your truck is slower than mine? Have you been following me? Are you the FBI? Where is my tinfoil hat!?!?!?

On a more serious note, there are plenty of guys that will back out until you go by then pass. Some don't obviously, but more often than not they seem to back out for me if I let them merge.

 

I usually will give the truck that moved over time to pass me as I merge then I will flash him over, but a while back in Louisiana I had a Prime truck move over for me, I accelerated to 55 mph and realized instead of him gaining on me, I was gaining on HIM. It was flat ground too. Aparently he had his cruise set for 53 or 54 mph. I decided to hell with it and tapped my resume button and let it run back up to my set speed of 68.

 

Probably a l/o looking out for his bottom line

 

I remember the days when I drove for Swift(97-99).At that time the trucks would only go 57 mph.Yeah it was a B!tch.Especially when you'd try to pass another Swift.As far as passing on the right,its just plain ignorance about etiquette.The one thing you can be happy about though,is it will make you a better trucker.You learn how to read the road,using what ever you got to pass,avoid, etc.You learn to look in your mirrors.(something fast trucks don't do.) And you learn how to keep the road going smooth with cars and trucks around you(on/off ramps) So believe it or not, your getting more learning out of every day, than some fast riding buckaroo.