Big Rig drivers...

[Tam]

We have some members here who drive the big rigs (semi trucks). Can you give those of us who drive regular vehicles some tips on how we can make your lives easier on the road?

I know that when we pass a semi we need to get back on the right side of the road but only after giving you guys lots of room so we don't cut you off. Stopping a rig that big carrying that much weight takes a lot of room.

When driving at night and a semi passes you I know to flash my lights when he clears my car to let him know he can change lanes safely.

I'm curious, though. Any other tips?

[Joshuab3687]

Thanks Tam for thinking us!

First off, please understand that there are and always will be "bad apples" out there driving a big rig. Most truckers these days are mass produced out of some kind of trucking school. These schools csn last anywhere from a few days up to 20 weeks. Many of them are CDL (commercial drivers license) factories. Just churning out guys to fill a vacancy in some companies.

With that said, Most CDL drivers are safety minded and try to be as conciensious (spl?) as possible.

You're correct about the passing a big truck. It takes a lot of room for us to get stopped. Please, if you're intention is to be curteous and use your headlights to communicate a willingness to let us scoot over in front of you, don't flash your high beams. If your vehicle has daytime running lights, it may not be possible to cut your lights "off" momentarily to lets us know. If this is the case, maybe reduce speed just a little and we'll notice it.

[Tam]

Good to know not to flash high beams. Won't do that anymore.

See? I already learned something new. Thanks!

[Joshuab3687]

Another tip, most rigs that are making a right hand turn are gonna need to take up two lanes to do it. Never try to sneek around a truck on the right hand side if you see the right turn signal blinking. There's approx 60ft of blind spot in our right hand mirrors.

Also, if you are behind us and traveling so close to us that you can't see our driverside mirror up there...we can't see you.

[Tam]

Another tip, most rigs that are making a right hand turn are gonna need to take up two lanes to do it.

That's not just rigs. I regularly see tiny little cars hauling off into the left lane on a two lane road in order to make a right hand turn. *rolls eyes*

[Joshuab3687]

Good to know not to flash high beams. Won't do that anymore.

See? I already learned something new. Thanks!

Something I see out in Texas a lot is some people that are going to pass us on the left will flash their brights just before they do. Not neccesary. That just blinds us. If you're going to pass a big truck, try to always do it on the left and do it quickly. This is for your safety.

[Joshuab3687]

That's not just rigs. I regularly see tiny little cars hauling off into the left lane on a two lane road in order to make a right hand turn. *rolls eyes*

Yeah, my ex-wife does that and its irritating! If there is a shoulder big enough for a car to be on just before the right turn, I beg people to use it to make their right hand turn from.

[RobChase]

Another thing to think about is passing while going up or down hills.

I can only go like 63 mph max unless I'm going downhill. Sometimes the truck in front of me can only go 60 mph.

I will try to pass and sometimes get caught in an uphill or downhill situation.

Please be patient with us and don't get behind the other truck if We are not able to pass fast enough. We really do try to stay out of others way and will get back over if we can't pass fast enough.

[Joshuab3687]

Please also think about this; At any given time, we can weigh up to 80,000 lbs. Thats approx the accumulated weight of a modest 3 bedroom house! It takes us awhile to get up to speed and slowed down.

If you're driving down an interstate and traffic comes to a stop, try and notice which lane/s the truck are trying to get into. That'll usually be the open lane if there's an accident ahead. When you rush to the front of the line to squeeze in...guess what? Thats usually why we're all stopped. It causes the people behind you to hit their brakes and so on and so forth causing a ripple effect the whole way back.

[Joshuab3687]

I don't know about other truckers but, if you have your turn signal on, I'll always let you in. That may be just me.

When coming down an on-ramp to get on the highway, we may not be able to get over to let you on. There's probably someone just on our other side.

[Joshuab3687]

And for Gods sake! Get off your cell phone while driving! (Unless you're using handsfree device).

[Mrwaylon]

And for Gods sake! Get off your cell phone while driving! (Unless you're using handsfree device).

Ain't that the truth brother.

[Tam]

Good tips, guys. Thanks! These are things most drivers in regular vehicles don't think about when we're on the road.

[Joshuab3687]

I'll probably post more as it comes to me. I've got over 12 years of Over-the-Road driving and 1 million safe driving miles (no tickets or accidents) under my belt. It may seem weird to some of you to see my posts popping up throughout the day, but I assure you, I'm not driving while I post. I'm training a new driver. He'll be with me another two weeks and then my posts will slow down to only the times I'm not rolling. Lol

[spydre]

I learned a long time ago, when my sister's BFF at the time married an OTR driver right out of high school, about how to be careful around trucks. That time we were in the accident, we were only still beside the truck because we couldn't go forward any farther.

As it is now, we don't get beside trucks unless we know we can get past them, unless the on ramp dumps us next to the truck. It's not an experience we want to have ever again.

Please also think about this; At any given time, we can weigh up to 80,000 lbs. Thats approx the accumulated weight of a modest 3 bedroom house! It takes us awhile to get up to speed and slowed down.

If you're driving down an interstate and traffic comes to a stop, try and notice which lane/s the truck are trying to get into. That'll usually be the open lane if there's an accident ahead. When you rush to the front of the line to squeeze in...guess what? Thats usually why we're all stopped. It causes the people behind you to hit their brakes and so on and so forth causing a ripple effect the whole way back.

I think we all try to let someone in ahead of us in those situations. Those people are just pricks that do that.

And for Gods sake! Get off your cell phone while driving! (Unless you're using handsfree device).

Hey, it's the law, finally, in Illinois. Doesn't mean you are less distracted even when it's hands free - studies show you are still just as impaired using a hands free device as while you are holding the phone - which is as impaired as a drunk driver.

[Joshuab3687]

Spy, I've actually read those studies about hands free not being any better, and the variables they used in the study are flawed. They used the most improbable scenario to validate an agenda. Now, that's not to say they're 100% safe. Is any of this starting to sound familiar? Yep, the same government functionaries who tell us e-cigs are bad gave us the hands free are bad. Not the same scientist, mind you. The same actuaries. Number crunchers who rely on peer-review psuedo science versus actual field study.

[RobChase]

And for Gods sake! Get off your cell phone while driving! (Unless you're using handsfree device).

I don't know if most common drivers know this but it's law that any otr driver must use hands free device if on the phone. Edited February 9, 2014 by RobChase

[Joshuab3687]

If a commercial driver is ticketed for talking on phone while driving without hands free, the minimum fine is $2,700 to the driver and $11,000 to the company that employs said driver!

[Tam]

The fine to the driver should go across the board to any driver of every vehicle type. All too often I've seen people going below the speed limit while weaving all over the road. When I'm finally able to pass them safely their bad driving is almost always due to them being on their cellphones.

[Compenstine]

My biggest pet peeve when driving were the cars that would pass me then slow down. Arrrg that was so frustrating. If your going to pass a truck keep on moving down the road.

[Tam]

That's irritating whether you're driving a big truck or a regular passenger vehicle. Much like when you're on a two lane road and you've got two idiots both driving below the speed limit side by side with no way to pass them. Argh!

[aufin]

Something else to think about ...... when you're passing a big truck ..... DO IT. Don't creep by. Ever been around a big rig when a tire blows or starts coming apart? Quite dangerous.

Above advice applies double to oversize loads. Don't creep by trying to figure out what's on the truck. Quite often the driver can't see what's coming up behind and has to rely on what the escort vehicle driver is telling him. By the same token, the escort driver can't see what may be in the shoulder ahead and has to rely on the driver's information. If there is something the driver has to change or split lanes to avoid and a 4-wheeler is gawking, things can start to get ugly, so get on by.

So, pay attention around big trucks rolling down the road. The blinking directional signal may not be asking .... he just may be telling.

Big truck drivers are doing a vital job, and most of them do it quite well.

[Joshuab3687]

Well, today marks my 7th anniversary date with my company. 7 years SAFE! No accidents, incidents, or tickets. If I can continue to average 2,500 miles per week, I should hit my 1 million mile safe driving in less than a year. (Knock on wood)!

[Compenstine]

Congrats Josh!!!

My longest stretch was 10 years accident free no tickets (not including 2 log book fines) 1.6 million miles.

[Tam]

Congrats, Josh! Good luck hitting your goal. You'll let us know when you do, right?