I worry when I see a tractor without a trailer. They seem like they’re always about to tip over. Am I worrying for nothing?
Would one of those techniques be bring a book cause you are going to be there a while? 
…huh? He’s gone? Sweet!
hay fuck u man…u can shuv ur truk rite up ur @$$!!1!1!
What? He’s coming back? Oh shit oh shit oh shit
Hey, uh, how’s it goin’ there good buddy? One hundred and four, as they say, heh heh. Yep. Loves me some truckers. Uh, do what now? Oh…yeah, that crazy cat of mine, can’t seem to keep him off the keyboard…heh…
I’ve never in my life witnessed a bad truck driver. Now lots of other insane drivers, sure, but a truck driver? Never. That’s expected. I’ve probably pissed off a truck driver less than 10 times in my life, and I’m proud of that hehe
I do try to be a considerate driver when I’m dealing with trucks. I know they’re not doing it for fun; I know that they make money based on the miles they drive. I let them change lanes; I try not to get frustrated when I get behind a truck passing another truck slowly; I try to not cut in front of them sharply, etc.
But I’ll never forget about ten years ago, driving across Arizona late in the evening, around 9-10 pm, on the interstate. Apparently that was the hour at which all cars get off that stretch of interstate and leave it to the truckers to haul ass, and I found myself sandwiched between trucks, in whichever lane I tried to drive in, going 85 mph, and if I didn’t keep up, they’d run up my ass so hard and so fast I was nearly run off the road multiple times. It took about two hours to get to our destination, and I was shaking like a leaf by the time I got there. I have never witnessed such a demonstration of aggressive driving by so many massive vehicles in my life. It was awful.
So not all truckers drive safely. Running into so many all at once was one of the worst driving experiences of my life, and I am not exaggerating when I say that.
Hi, Lucy. First of all, good rant - although I am only a humble car driver, I share many of your sentiments. The only thing I would say to criticise: is cadence braking (pumping the brake pedal to avoid skidding under heavy braking) not possible in a semi? I don’t know, it may be that the mechanics of a truck’s braking system do not make this a viable technique. But if it is, it seems to me that you’re at least partially responsible for wrecking 18 tyres. I know that in an emergency situation it’s not easy to consciously let go of the brake when skidding, but if it was for 102 feet that should give you some time to think - and you are a pro an’ all :).
Second, you rightly deplore tailgating. So why do trucks often seem to do this to other trucks with no qualms at all, when they can’t possibly see the road ahead? Thanks.
Goddamnit, LucyInDisguise, you have got to stop bottling up your feelings and let us know what you really think.
Actually, one little thing got me to thinking …
I wonder if it’s worth it for you to get one of those video camera setups like the police have. Wouldn’t it be great to file an insurance claim against this bozo and have the video evidence to back it up? Just a random thought …
Can we add the truckers that decide they’re the Speed Limit Police to the pit list?
I understand that it takes for-freaking-ever to pass anything in one of those rigs. It’s sheer physics. No problem. I always try to do the “flashy thing” with the lights (NOT brights, thanks) to let the trucker know it’s safe to merge in front of me. I always try to leave extra room in front of me at the stop light so the trucker at the intersection to my right can make a left turn onto my street without having to swing clear into the next county.
I try to treat truckers with the utmost courtesy on the road. So it’s not like I’m drumming my fingers on the wheel saying, “PASS PASS PASS PASS GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU JERK!!” I understand it’ll take him forever to pass.
But what is up with the “pull into the passing lane then pace the truck in the slow lane”? Hey, jerk, I know you’re frustrated with the fact that the Speed Limit sign says
SPEED LIMIT 70
MINIMUM 55
TRUCKS SPEED LIMIT 60
But it’s not illegal for me to go 10mph faster than you! You’re not the Speed Limit Police! I understand that you’re pissed off you’re not allowed to go as fast as I do, but for the love of all that is holy, STOP TRYING TO MAKE US ALL GO YOUR SPEED. You’re just pissing off the people behind you. And yep, we know you’re doing it on purpose - you’re not trying to pass. If you were, you’d have actually passed (or at least made some progress toward doing so, sometime in the last 20 minutes or so. And you’d not have suddenly slowed down to get back behind the damn truck you’ve been pacing as soon as you saw the cop car along the side of the road.
LucyInDisguise, thank you for a fascinating thread. I’ve got a couple of questions for you.
First, when I’m sitting in bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic at speeds of about 5 to 15 mph, how much room should I leave behind you? I’ve noticed that if I can see your mirrors, I’ll have cars crowding in between you and me.
Second, I work across the street from a trucking company, and I see a lot of 18-wheel trucks in my area. I’ve gotten used to spotting the less-experienced drivers! One morning, when I came into work, a truck was parked in front of and parallel to our building, blocking several spaces. What should my employer have done? Would it have been polite to knock on the door of the cab and let the driver know he was on private property and ask him to move his truck? That time, the situation took care of itself, but it was a bit frustrating.
The terrain in my neck of the woods is hills to mountains. If I’m travelling downhill in the mountains and I see a truck coming up behind me, I’ll move over into the fast lane to let him pass, rather than expecting him to change lanes to get around me. I assume this is appreciated; if it isn’t, let me know. I remember one trip back from West Virginia where a truck driver and I were going at about the same average speed so I’d routinely pass him on the uphills, then pull over and let him pass me on the downhills. It felt rather companionable.
Thanks and drive safely. I know how much of our economy depends on the likes of you and I’m glad of you.
CJ
Even moreso than Yellow, whose logo and trucks are deep orange?
My favorite trucking line is the one with the big “G.O.D.” on their trucks. I realize it’s an abbreviation for General Something Delivery, but it just seems deeply tacky to me.
Guarenteed Overnight Delivery
And it’s often not the jackass who pulls this stunt who’s the one who gets hurt, either. I lost a collegue to someone who did this. Asshole in a little car cuts off a big rig on a rainy day in 50mph traffic, then speeds off into the blissfully ignorant distance, leaving a wake of death and destruction behind him. The truck lost control and jackknifed into oncoming traffic, completely shearing away the driver’s side of my associate’s car. Rumor had it that she was decapitated in the accident, but it was too gruesome to try to confirm (didn’t want to seem morbidly curious). The guy was so distraught he had to quit driving (which I learned through another colleague who coincidentally happened to know the trucker). I second the suggestion that you guys get cameras rigged on your dashes.
P.S. I missed it happening to me by approximately 1 minute, as I left right after she did, and take the same route home. Got stuck in traffic behind the accident only moments after it happened. Shook me up pretty bad for a while, too.
Hey Mr. Truck Driver:
Is it true that you all want to see my tits? Even the female drivers? Is it OK if I keep my bra on? What about mooning?
Also, can you explain why a trucker would give the double bird in traffic so slow you could barely move? One time I was stuck in traffic on the Bay Bridge, changed lanes (slowly) and looked up into my rear view to see this trucker give me the double bird. What could I have possibly done to piss him off that much? It’s not like I could have caused an accident at 2 mph. Thoughts?
I recognize the bolded words as being correct English, but, being from the Boston area, I would never have expected that they could actually be used that way.
Anyways, I’m a bike messenger here, and I’m always amazed at the patience and skill of most truckers, especially as compared to pretty much every other person and vehicle on the road. Sure, when a trucker screws up, it’s pretty dramatic, but given how little 18-wheelers were taken into account when the roads were first laid out, and how little regard Boston drivers have for anyone else, that’s to be expected.
I wonder how the poor guy that managed to get his truck all the way onto Arch Street before realizing that it was a one way ever got himself out. Basically, his situation was that he was in a narrow, one lane road, which ended in a T intersection directly behind him at a two way street (truck was in the base of the T facing downward). There were buildings on both sides blocking all visibility, and irate cars were probably going to be showing up trying to go the other direction pretty soon.
It’s always fun watching the trucks coming through Winthrop Square after all the traffic clears out if they have to make a second attempt at the 100 Summer Street loading dock. The shorter (47’ I think) trucks simply swing around from Devonshire to Otis, then make the left onto Summer. The 53’ trucks are too long to make the left onto Summer, so if there’s no traffic, they make an elaborate U-turn in the middle of Winthrop Square and go back down Devonshire. If it’s donw well, it’s rather impressive to watch.
Oh, and the one truck driver that was nice enough to stop when I wiped out on my bike right in front of you, thanks for not running me over. It certainly wasn’t any 102’ skidmarks, but it was probably more stress than you needed.
From what I’ve read in this thread, this could easily be caused by engine governors (which physically prevent the truck going above a certain speed) and trucks trying to position themselves with the lightest in front before reaching an uphill.
“Rickkkkeeeeyyyy, I’m Home …”
Wow - what a laundry list! Hey - this is going to be long, so bear with me …
Feydeau Yes, no need to worry. Bobtail tractors are probably more stable than your car. Most, like my tractor, weigh in somewhere between 17,000 and 21,000 lb. If I were to take the cab, hood and front fender off of the frame, I’d only be removing about 1,000 pounds. If I had a sleeper on the truck, that would be another 1500 - 2000 lbs. All of the weight is in the frame, engine/drivetrain, and wheels.
Rick OG, don’t I wish … :eek:
Roland Orzabal
zuma Oh, there are bad truck drivers out there, believe me! (I spent 30 minutes dressing one down on the CB just this afternoon …) Thanks for your courtesy when around the big trucks, it is sincerely appreciated. (Helps keep you safe, too!)
Mama Tiger Ooooh boooooy, a conga line.
I sure wish those guys (& gals) wouldn’t do that. Gives all of us a black eye. Never seen it anywhere but the flatland in TX, NM and AZ, though.
Best strategy: get off the road for about 20 minutes. They tend to run in a pack - but usually not more than 8 - 10 trucks. I guess they figure that there’s safety in numbers, Highway Patrol can only grab one or two of them. Beats the shit out of me, I just get the hell out of their way then phone it in.
Thank you for your consideration.
Dead Cat Clarification: ‘Squared off’ refers to all of the flat spots that the anti-lock brake system puts on the tires in a hard stop. ‘Lock it up’ no longer means what it used to; it’s a reference to the maneuver of a hard stop, not actually locking the wheels up to where they won’t turn.
As to your second question, it’s a matter of trust. When I allow another rig in close to me, I effectively hand over the job of watching the road and the traffic until they open up enough space for me to take it back. Until then, I’m a brake light attendant, and the safety of myself, my rig and my load are all in that Drivers hands. Note that, except on steep grades, I never signal another Driver to move over until the space between the back of his rig and the front of mine is equal to double my reaction time (adjusted for my level of fatigue), or roughly about 2 seconds of following distance. On steep grades, all bets are off. I’ll let 'em in as soon as they clear my front bumper, especially if traffic is backing up behind them. If they’ve got the power to pass me, they’ll generally open up a safe following distance in a matter of a few seconds. I’m sure as hell not going to be gaining on them.
Ponder Stibbons Actually, a couple of companies are testing this idea right now. They’re both intracity carriers. From what I understand, so far the equipment available just won’t put up with the rough ride. Expense is another drawback, as is the fact that most Drivers would throw a bloody fit. The onboard satellite systems are still very much resented by a substantial percentage of Drivers that have them on board. 'Till they break down out in the middle of No Damn Place, NV - Then they’re happy they’ve got it.
Just thought (and almost certainly not the reason in the case you cited). There have been times that I have pulled out to pass a slower moving truck and got completely surprised by a strong head wind that dropped my speed dramatically. One time out on the Salt Flats in the western desert of Utah, it took me 17 miles to pass another truck. Luckily it was at 3:30 in the morning and traffic was almost nonexistent or I would have had to abandon the pass.
There are those on both side of this issue that think they should help the police enforce the law. I know I’ve had uncounted dozens of motorists & trucks try to slow me down, even though I was not speeding. They just thought I was, I guess. I don’t know the answer. I know I’ve seen a couple of other threads on this board complaining about the same thing.
Siege Rush Hour. Talk about misnomers.
5 to 15 mph, don’t leave anymore room than you would any other vehicle. Hint: if the sun is up and shining from one side or the other, the Driver can usually see the shadow cast by your car. If the sun is dead ahead, or straight behind, drift a little off center in your lane from time to time so the Driver can keep track of you. I said, just a little! Ya know, like 8 - 10 inches.
Parked, on private property, without permission? Hell, yeah - I’d bang on the door and see if anybody’s home, polite or not. :wally
Passing on a down grade? Hell, I’m happy to go 'round ya. Gives me something to do.
Seriously, though, more often than not, you’re really going to fake me out. I’ve already done the calculations and planned my moves with regard to you; my attention is focused more like 3/4 to one mile in front of you. If you change lanes without any obvious reason, I’ve got to pull my attention back to you, watch you, and try to figure out what you’re doing. It may only take me a moment, but it interrupts my concentration, none the less. (And at night, it’s really going to freak me out. I’m going to be looking for a stalled car that doesn’t have lights (or worse, a slow moving vehicle that doesn’t have tail lights), or a deer, or debris in the road, etc.) In 999 cases out of 100, I’d say try to stay away from doing anything unexpected. (Don’t get me wrong, though, the sentiment is definitely appreciated!)
Ludovic Damn straight. Hey, with the right shade of sunglasses those signs are yellow.
Shayna What can I say? “Sorry for your loss” always seems so totally inadequate.
Ghanima, I’m gonna take your questions in reverse order.
Only possible explanation: You got in front of him, which would mean that there is just one more car in his way - just that much longer to wait to get out of that mess. It’s not rational, but then, who among us can honestly say they always stay completely rational in that kind of traffic? :dubious:
What? Me? Hey, I can’t speak for the other guys, but I’m a happily married man! (I know I’m happy - my wife told me so!)
Seriously, though, a couple of years back a car load of college girls were traveling north bound on I-15 between Cedar City and Beaver, UT. Topless, and mooning truck drivers. The three passengers got $200 fines (each) and had to do 60 hours of community service picking up garbage along that same stretch of road. The driver had her license suspended for 60 days, did 30 days in the county jail, and had a whopping $1500.00 fine to pay before her license was reinstated. Something to think about in there somewhere.
Doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a good seat cover now and then. Saw a sign a rig a few years back:
“Be a flirt, Hike that skirt!” 
Pity.
Nobody ever wears skirts anymore. 
Except …
there was this one guy … :eek:
Lucy
Possible, but I doubt it in this case, at least the way DogMom described it. I really thing she found herself a cop wannabe.
Happy to hear you did not end up on the menu at the Roadkill Restaurant.
Lucy
Bending over in public beside the highway as community service.
I’m not sure why …
But whoever wrote the newspaper article about this event seemed to go out of their way to point out that the young ladies would be wearing …
Orange *bulky, oversized[ /I] Coveralls.
Chow and bedtime again.
Catch y’all on the morrow.
Lucy