Question:
Don't use the left lane if you're just going to sit there. Either clear the traffic flow behind you promptly and safely, or move back over behind me.
Better yet.....don't even take the left lane unless you have at least 4 or 5 mph on the other vehicle.
4-5mph is a "brisk walk". Imagine yourself walking next to my truck as you pass. If the difference in speed is slower than a "brisk walk" you're spending too much time driving in unsafe promixity to my truck.
Passing too slow also results in pulling back over too soon. Sure, I might even give you lights at 40 feet just to help keep someone from getting rear-ended behind you, but it sure would have been nice if I didn't have to compromise MY following distance just to bail you out and reduce the risk of a tradegy. You should have stayed behind me.
Most dangerous of all, is forcing traffic behind you to abruptly slow their flow. They crowd each other's following distance and create other safety hazards when you interrupt their established speed and flow.
It's no compliment to truckers that some of this mess is over a measly 2mph........which costs a whopping 2 minutes the first hour, 8 minutes after 4 hours..... Minutes. It's not worth it. Keep it in perspective. Knotch your cruise down two or three clicks, and stay back there for a while. Make up the difference by shutting off your tv 5 minutes earlier that night .
Watch my speed on hills.
Are you heavier? Do I pull away from you on hills? If so, the only way you're getting around me promptly is going down hill, where your heavier truck can drift faster than mine. I'll even hold my speed and help you out.
If you're lighter than me, you might get some speed advantage going uphill.
When we reach a good hill and the left lane is clear behind you, go for it. Cheat to the left a little -- I'll do the same to the right. Nothing personal, but get and stay a safe distane from me as soon as possible please.
Get some distance in front of me -- get some distance behind me -- I don't care.
Just don't drive like we're trying to mate
.
[This message was edited by Shuffler on May 18, 2003 at 1:06.]

Answer:
i agree with you shuffler.
im not on the road with the big truck yet but im already following the defensive driving principles they are teaching us at school in my four wheeler, because of the hightend risk and more respect for the trucks ,and what damage they can do because of my mistake.
nothing is more frighting than cutting in front of a truck and hearing the jakes work over time to slow that thing down before it makes love to the rear of your car, now that i know what it takes to stop that thing.
i plan on driving smooth and at a safe following distance always never over the speed limit or at the flow of traffic which ever is safer.
there is no sense in me driving 5 over weaving in and out of traffic just to get more fatiged and more stressed for a couple reasons .
one i wont get as tired driving because i wont be tense looking over my shoulder for the blue light special .
two i wont be workin the gears as much and wont be stopping as much to take a break because im tired and i will still get there as fast as the hot dog speed demon driver.
three the risk of getting in a wreck is not worth the extra speed when it only gets me minuites ahead and not any real advantage over the traffic .
i think people in todays society think life is a race to the front and it carries over into our driving habits taking risks to just get ahead.
maybe we all need to go back and read the old fable of the tortise and the hare and realize why the tortise won the race.
thanks for your post man it makes sense to me and i agree so if you see me out there ill be doing the same as you. watchin out for the abundance of idiots causing all the accidents on the road. so hopefully i wont become entangled with them to.
Kevin
[This message was edited by bigk300 on May 18, 2003 at 9:59.]

Answer:
In some states a big truck better not even be caught in the left lane.Be familiar with the traffic laws in the states you travel.

Answer:
Good post Shuffler!
Another thing for you drivers to ask yourself before pulling out to pass is, "How fast is that truck in the left lane going?"
I can't count the number of times I've had a slower truck just jump out in front of me. It seems that they don't even look in their mirrors before pulling out!
*******************************
"I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane!" (from Waylon Jennings)
"The feel of the wheel delivers me, from a life where I don't wanna be." (from Joe Stampley)


Answer:
I too appreciate seeing the world from your - seat. I'm about to start school and I too am noticing alot more on the road, being sensitized by what we read in our manuals and such.
Let's here more - we're new, but we're listening!
Bg

Answer:
Be familiar with the traffic laws in the states you travel.
Good point. Each state's laws are (usually) posted as you enter the state. But lane restrictions for trucks sometimes change for different roads and sections of road within that state. So real ALL those black/white signs.
Out west I see "Trucks Not Permitted In Left Lane Except To Pass" on many stretches of interstate. "Pass" means actually "passing" -- advancing on the other vehicle with at least a few mph advantage. "Trying to pass" ain't good enough. You got to be DOING it, or enforcement may (and should) write you up for inhibiting the flow of faster traffic.
Read every sign you see as you drive.
Signs advising you of specific law are black and white.

Answer:
Just an observation. When a vehicle is in the left (hammer) lane going the speed limit. They are not a slow vehicle. They are running legal and can be there. When passing it also is not legal or safe to accelerate above the limit. Although many do it. Speeding by another vehicle as fast as you can could actually be more dangerous.
Another observation. Many companies like Swift, Werner and others are supposed to be governed at the same speed. Often a truck will be doing just under the governed speed and is actually safer. In case of a blow out or other problems having a little room on the accelerator is good. Lots of times another truck from the same company will start to pass at just a mile or so an hour faster. He should not be doing that when traffic is coming. But they do it all the time. Unfortunatly the guy on the right who's trying to be safe just maintains his speed also. It would be nice if one of them would give but they don't in most cases. If your on the right just back off for a couple seconds and let him pass. It will keep us all safer.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

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I must say
Great info Shuffler!
Excellent post......

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Hoss
"I can't count the number of times I've had a slower truck just jump out in front of me. It seems that they don't even look in their mirrors before pulling out!"
Hoss your truck fits the profile of a freight train.The average square hood truck has a pack of them attached to the back of them and people don't want to wait for a long freight train to pass before they can use the left lane,so they take it while it's open,before the pack of left lane hogs get in their way.
I'm amazed that the left lane speed demons complain about people getting in their way,but don't think it's a problem that they are in others way as they block the passing lane with their long convoys.
In 1962 President John Kennedy was the first president to send Congress a transportation message recommending a cutback in regulation of surface freight transportation.
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv14n3/reg14n3-moore.html
Answer:
Hoss your truck fits the profile of a freight train.The average square hood truck has a pack of them attached to the back of them and people don't want to wait for a long freight train to pass before they can use the left lane,so they take it while it's open,before the pack of left lane hogs get in their way.
I was refering to the idiots that don't look in their mirrors to see if anyone is moving much faster than their 65 mph truck, before they just jump out and try to pass a 64 mph truck.
*******************************
"I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane!" (from Waylon Jennings)
"The feel of the wheel delivers me, from a life where I don't wanna be." (from Joe Stampley)


Answer:
If a speeding vehicle is coming-up in the left lane, some drivers will pull in front of it, and justify it by saying, "well if they weren't speeding I'd have time to get around before they reached me....so it's they're fault they have to slow down since they're speeding....."
Whether they're speeding or not -- it's irrelevant. You don't get out in front of them if it causes them to take evasive action, no matter how much over the limit they're speeding.
Similiarly, if you're doing the speed limit in the left lane and speeding traffic has come-up behind you, you should move over and let them by if it's otherwise safe to do so.
By driving faster than the flow of traffic (speeding or not) they create risks you'd rather have as far ahead and away from you you as possible.
Competing governed trucks....
I DO agree with Stiffiu on this one. It's insane to try to pass another similiarly governed truck with only a 1/2 - 1mph speed advantage. My drive tires are getting close to replacement, and their slightly smaller circumference makes my truck about 1/2mph slower than most other Werner trucks right now, so I get some of this --- other governed Werner trucks trying to pass me with 1/2 mph. I ask them what they're doing on the cb? If this doens't shame them into pulling back in behind me, I kill the cruise and let them by promptly.
Stuffiu makes a good point I left-out of the original post: If someone wants to play games, give-up and cut your speed. They're an idiot, but for safety's sake, let them win.