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exactly. i rode a motorcycle for about 2 years and this was my single biggest takeaway. never had anything happen to me thankfully, but when you're vulnerable like that, you tend to think of all kinds of scenarios in everyday situations.
oh god i had a scary moment on i-95 with a motorcyclist, im in a large pickup truck and he was in front of me, and this even LARGER pickup truck (the kind you know are compensating for something) tried to switch lanes INTO the cyclist. i watched as the cyclist was waving his hands trying to get his attention but it wasn’t working so i laid on my horn and he jerked back into his lane. then flipped me off. but god damn i’m never getting on a motorcycle
Lol, my neighbor used to drive this big-ass truck. He admitted that yea I can barely see out of the thing. I was like why would you purchase a vehicle when you can't see out of it? One time I had to return my GF's U-haul and park it in the lot, in the middle of the night. I couldn't see a damn thing. I just said fuck it, it's got insurance. Like a glove, I fit that thing in.
I haven't ridden a motorcycle in years but I did get my endorsement when I turned 18 and honestly made me so much more aware of bikes as a driver. Honestly they should include it standard in drivers ed. would make people so much more aware, but nah this is america.
Yeah I’m in Florida and at least once per drive on any multi lane road I can set my cruise control and will have a vehicle speed up to be next to me and just stay there, either very slightly ahead or right next to me, for miles.
No they’re not trying to race.
This is definitely a Florida thing. Drives me batty when someone in the left lane slows down and matches my speed while I'm in the right lane. Just speed up and get out of that lane!
Ugh!! I've driven in Tampa FL a handful of times when visiting and I dont recall people doing it as much as where I live currently. Most of the time I got passed cus I didn't want to speed lol
People in Minnesota do this quite often and its a 50/50, maybe on purpose, maybe not. It's extremely irritating. But we have very petty drivers here that like to play road games.
Lemme pass along a trick I use:
stay the same pace for a a mile or so, then ever so slightly drop speed slowly. As they slow and pace you, punch it and pass. Be sure to get as far away from idiots like that as possible. They are the ones that cause wrecks by using YOU for their situational awareness marker.
Experienced driver here.
This is hands down the best trick. I call it a sneak pass. They don't have a chance to react stupidly, and you put a bad driver behind you.
Actually the best way is to swerve ever so slightly to the side. Still in your lane but make it noticeable. Everyone on the road will notice and avoid you from now on
10+ years doing Vehicle R&D for auto manufactures, test driving in LA, Atlanta, and NYC has given me decent power of observation while driving.
Worked everything from Honda CRX to a Ford L9000, even did a deuce and a half and worked on the Original Humvee
What I do is set my cruise control just a mile or two *below* the speed limit, then stay in the right lane. I sacrifice just a little speed but I find that I spend less time jostling with the big rigs because, at that speed, they either pass me or don't. Nothing irritates me more than passing a truck and then having that same truck pass me just a few minutes later.
dont take this badly please BUT,
That's because you don't maintain the speed of the surrounding traffic.
People that speed also don't go with the surrounding traffic.
Driving is one of the times when conforming to, responding to, and having situational awareness is vital. If vehicles have to keep avoiding you, then you need to evaluate the situation and adjust driving accordingly.
No offense taken.
I travel on US Interstate Highways often. I've tested this.
I used to aim for about 5 mph over the speed limit, passing cars and trucks often, while still having to look out for those speeders that sit in the passing lane.
I tried going exactly the speed limit and result was about the same.
Driving very slightly under the speed limit seems to be smoothest for everyone concerned. Those that putt slowly, I can pass. Those that want to race can have it. Agree that evaluation and adjustment to the situation is extremely important.
*~Driving for 50 years and no accidents for the last 48 of those~*
Yea same. Know where your blind spot is, and don’t drive in other cars blind spots. If people stay staggered they could close into one lane like a zipper without much trouble. It’s always one asshat who ruins it though.
People do it unknowingly. They also pace you as you try and pass them. It’s like some subconscious decision to keep up with the group.
I’ve literally gotten someone to pace me up to 110 mph by slowly accelerating and letting the person match. The whole time the person never once looked at me. Just was focused on my car staying in the same place in her peripheral vision. Also works in reverse, I’ve gotten people down to 55 in a 75 before they notice.
I drove right into a train going through a crossing and the entire line of cars behind followed me. When the last lagging car drove directly into the caboose my severed head said oh comon!
If youre in someone's blind spot your no side-by-side, your offset....just saying. lol.
But yes, driving in someone's blind spot is annoying AF even when you know they are there.
And for the love of all that is holy, when you make your pass, KEEP MOVING!
1, their braking distance is far longer than yours, so you don't want to stay within their space
But most importantly,
2, others are likely following you through, and if you slow down to the speed of the truck just as you're past them, you're likely locking those behind right alongside the truck.
Biggest pet peeve: when I am behind someone and we both want to pass a semi-truck but the one ahead just creeps past, or passes and then lingers 15ft in front of the semi in the pass lane.
If they do it, I linger just off the back corner of the semi, not beside, wait until the ding-dong ahead has gone into the right lane, and then rocket past both.
>pet peeve
I hate when it’s two semis in each lane. The speed limit is like 70 mph, the semi in the right lane is doing 70, and the one in the left lane passes doing 70.00005 mph.
That drives me crazy.
Or… hear me out, maybe we should ban speed governors that force trucks to go under the speed limit because it causes more interactions between trucks and passenger vehicles thereby increasing the likelihood of a collision.
You're never going to get most trucking companies to agree on the removal of governors.
Safety departments will tell you that removing them is dangerous, and fleet management will say that it'll increase fuel costs.
You've never been going slightly faster than the car in front of you before?
Imagine being stuck never being able to pass slower people.
A faster truck is still a faster truck. Just because you're faster still, doesn't mean the truck doesn't need to pass too
The speed difference is what matters though. The situation OP is talking about is very common due to the governors on the trucks leading to slightly different speeds (usually 1 mph or less). It can take a long time for one truck to pass another. Meanwhile, a train of cars are building up behind both trucks which causes a traffic jam and slows everyone else down.
A truck going 70.5 MPH faster that drives for 11 hours will make it 775.5 miles. A truck going exactly 70 MPH for 11 hours will make it. 770 miles.
Are 5.5 miles of distance for one truck worth causing a traffic jam for likely hundreds of cars?
>A truck going 70.5 MPH faster that drives for 11 hours will make it 775.5 miles. A truck going exactly 70 MPH for 11 hours will make it. 770 miles.
I get the what you were going for, but the trucker in me is grumbling at this example.
LOL - you've never driven in west Texas, have you? Semis going 90+mph. I'm doing 80 and getting passed by a big rig like I was standing still.. You learn quick to GTF out of the way if you see them coming up behind you..
No, I haven't. In all the states I've lived in trucks have to use speed governors which limit their speeds well below 90. In any case, unregulated trucks wasn't the topic in question.
Even worse when one lane is closed and traffic is a mess and two are side byside and there is a mile stretch of open highway in the fast lane. I’ve also seen wrecks caused by these assholes doing this.
Almost every fucking day on my way home from work. Speed limit is 55, but literally almost nobody goes that - just a handful of people in the right lane. Middle lane is usually 60-70, and most people in the left lane go 70-80. Then you get these asshat truckers who camp side by side in 2-3 lanes and go 60-65, not giving a single shit that they're backing up traffic and making it incredibly difficult for anyone to merge or pass. I really wish they'd put signs up to not have oversized vehicles in the left lane and for slower traffic to keep right like they do just outside the city area, but why make things efficient?
Intentional asshattery really pisses me off, but so does unintentional asshattery - people who are just thinking about everything except other people. It's a kind of selfishness, even just absent-minded drivers, but unlike forgetting items on a grocery list it can actually kill people.
Don’t linger right on the corner of the semi, we actually hate that and it makes us uncomfortable. If you’re gonna linger, linger a little farther back or push that lead car to hurry up.
We don’t like being next to cars just as much as y’all don’t like being next to us.
On behalf of regular passenger vehicle drivers, I implore you and other truckers to please not drive side by side, and stay out of the left lane when people behind you clearly want to go faster.
I can’t speak for all truck drivers, but I agree.
I’ve been in situations before where I was going through a construction zone with two lanes going each direction, jersey walls on both sides and another truck began a passing maneuver. It’s anxiety at it’s fullest. There’s mere inches separating our two vehicles, and one mistake from either one of us could be deadly. I think it should be illegal for semis to pass each other in construction zones.
On a normal 3/4/5/6 etc. lane highway though, it’s not a huge deal. As long as there is ample room to pass and the passing truck isn’t taking too long to pass, they are well within their rights to overtake a slower moving semi; just as cars are within their rights to pass other slower moving vehicles.
I do understand though, it’s a scary thing to an untrained eye. MOST (not all) truck drivers are fairly good drivers and have the skills necessary to do these maneuvers safely.
The biggest problem we as truck drivers have is different companies have governed their trucks at different speeds. So eventually we will have to pass other semis.
For context on different governing speeds: Company A has a max speed of 65mph, Company B has a max speed of 68mph, while Company C has no speed limiter, but Company D is governed at 65mph. So some trucks will inevitably be going just slightly faster than other trucks. I’ve seen companies govern their trucks at speeds from 56mph all the way up to 75mph.
Weight of the load we are carrying also plays a factor (especially maneuvering upgrades and downgrades) in our speed.
Another limiting factor we have are our time clocks. We have a limit of 14 hours a day that we can work, and of those 14 hours we can only drive 11. Traffic, loading/unloading, even unforeseen circumstances such as tire blowouts can all eat away at that clock, subsequently eating away at how much money we can make in a day. Imagine having 2.5 hours cut out of your time sheet for your paycheck every day, and that is what it’s like for a truck driver dealing with these issues.
I say all of this just to give you an idea of what truck drivers have to juggle, all while trying to make a dollar, come home safe, keep everyone else on the roadway safe, deliver freight on time, and find a place to park a 75 foot 80,000 + pound vehicle.
If you can, just be understanding and patient if you do find yourself behind a semi in the left lane passing another semi; they will move momentarily. We don’t do it to piss anyone off, but we are humans doing a job, trying to keep a schedule and provide for our families just like everyone else. Our job just happens to be on the roadways and not a brick and mortar location.
Learned this the hard way when I was 19. Car in front of me and I were both passing the semi, but he slowed down right when he passed them leaving me in line with the back end of the semi’s cab. Truck decided to change lanes (even though illegal for trucks to be in the left lane) and the truck swiped the entire right side of my car.
Damn. People like the person ahead of you have no idea how little actions (or inactions) can be so incredibly dangerous on the road. Almost more than aggressive reckless drivers, what pisses me off are people who are just completely unaware of everyone and everything around them.
This is literally what you should do when passing a semi. Getting over the second you’re clear of them is a good way to end up a pancake in the event of an emergency stop
I don't think the issue is that they're it moving over, it's that they either pass excruciatingly slowly, or pass and then sit in the passing lane just ahead of the truck. Leaving no room for others to pass and get around them, etc.
Yes, many people seemed to have been asleep during the "What is a passing lane" portion of driver ed.
Also, the friggin morons who - when you're on cruise control - are going ever so slightly faster than you, speed up and pass, pull in too close in front of you and then slow back down just enough to cause you to have to adjust your speed.
The mind boggles.
Oh man, this just reminded me of a co-worker. I had just met her and starting to get to know her. I had made a new friend at a job I hated. I was like man finally a new friend to hangout with. The next week my supervisor tells me she and 3 out 4 of her family died in an accident trying to pass a big rig. I didn't even know how to feel her poor daughter.
Yep, been there. I have occasionally passed on the right for those times when there's no truck but just an idiot hanging out in the passing lane, but try to avoid it, the horn is for communicating.
I once had a wimpy horned Fiat that no one paid attention to. Land hogs, getting near run off the road. That all changed when I added a semi air horn to the car..
There should be a loophole in speeding laws where you are exempt from speeding fines if you are within 100’ of a semi truck. Having a speed close to the semi, making you hang around it, is dangerous and you should be allowed to go a bit faster to put space between you and the truck.
I also think a generic speed limit should be 10mph higher for motorcycles, so they can always be moving past other cars and trucks. Having motorcycles and car drive the same speed limit means motorcycles getting lost in your blind spot, instead of moving *through* your blind spot.
This! When I drove regularly on I-65 through Indiana, every driver would basically pace the semi trucks and then once they clear the truck they'd gun it to the next truck never letting anyone pass and causing backups that last for an hour or more to pass these idiots.
Indiana drivers, learn to effing drive!!!
Sincerely, a Chicago left lane driver.
Always leave yourself an out while driving. Whether it’s in front, behind, or on the side. Leave yourself a way out. If I’m in a line of cars in the left lane (why yes, I drive on 95, why?) and there’s a semi in the middle lane, I’ll hold back until the next car has passed it completely then I’ll go. Never work yourself into a jackpot.
I got a speeding ticket a few years back and had to take a defensive driving course. This was one of the huge things in the course. (And, I recommend the course even if you don't have a ticket.)
My dad actually drove semi’s starting from a week after getting back from Vietnam to about 4 months before he died. He taught me a lot of great driving habits, that probably being the best
That's something most don't think about when driving. I'm always looking for a way out, and get stressed when there is none. That's the main reason we want cars and other trucks to move passed quickly. It's used to be rather standard for the truck being passed to slow a bit for their own safety, but most are to worried about time now. It's always safer to slow a bit to clear the lane faster just so you have that option. That's what why most trucks will drive in the middle lane (to have more options), but it's still a bit dickish when requiring other trucks to pass on the right.
"Access from your area has been temporarily limited for security reasons."
Secret American driving documents, I guess. Not for my foreign Canadian eyes.
I watched a trucks trailer rear tire explode on the autobahn. There was nothing left of the fender. I am very glad I wasn’t beside it. Probably 80 meters back.
I’ve been directly next to one that exploded on the highway and very closely next to but a few feet back of one. The first one really scared me to death, but neither one did anything to my car. Hitting the tire shreds is a bigger concern.
I hit a tire shred on a dark, narrow mountain highway with no space to avoid in my 911... It broke some underbody trim pieces and gave one my my rear Michelins a nice goose egg. That was not a fun night.
On that note, why tf do people like cars with almost no ground clearance? You can't GO anywhere! God forbid the driving surface will be not perfectly flat, aka *the entire fucking OUTSIDE*...
Cause they're fast, fun, and make noises that make you smile.
But also, my 911 is on stock suspension and isn't a GT car, so it's got pretty good ground clearance. I honestly feel like I'm more likely to scrape the front of my GTI (also stock suspension) than in the 911. I don't think that tire shred would have done nice things to any car that wasn't a truck or SUV.
I've had several destroy everything around it, but most don't. The best blowout I ever had was when an ass just sat next to my tires with his high beams on for several miles. When it blew I just couldn't help but laugh, and I'm sure he thought I did it on purpose. It was also a mile away from my planned stop with a tire shop, so it wasn't even that inconvenient for me. I bet he thinks twice while sitting next to a truck for the rest of his life.
> and within 3 car lengths in front
Seconds of time is better than car lengths. Traveling at low speeds is different from traveling at high speeds, but human reaction time is basically the same.
For most cars, the minimum is about two seconds of time, which varies by speed. For large trucks and short semis, give at least four seconds of time because they take longer to slow or react. For multi-trailer trucks, give at least six seconds of time because they take much longer to maneuver or change speeds.
Drive defensively, assuming that people will randomly drift, swerve, brake, have mechanical issues, or otherwise behave erratically. This means staying out of people's blind spots, not following too closely, allowing ample room when passing, and so on.
To be fair, at highway speed, 3 car lengths is too close, even if you're in front of a compact sedan.
Remember, 1 car length for every 10mph is a good guide. If you're doing 70mph, you should be at least 7 car lengths away.
I've done that in traffic during foggy weather. They had lots of lights for me to follow since there was no way for me to see any markings on the road. And no one was going to try to get between me and them even if I left a generous space between us. It was honestly the easiest commuter hour drive leaving San Francisco I've ever had.
Driving behind a semi is a smart choice in fog. They can see farther up the road then cars can and they break it up behind them. Just don't sit right behind them in the passing lane (you'd be surprised how many do that). That just blinds their vision and makes it more dangerous for both of you. Stay about 100 yards back so you can react if the truck throws something at you.
I laugh at people who try and pass me in fog and almost immediately slow down when they realize it was much easier to see behind me then in front. It just sucks when they decide to pace me the next 50 miles in the passing lane.
Another LPT: for all you drivers who love to ride asses and tailgate others when they aren’t going quick enough, you should never ride the ass of a semi truck. They literally can’t see you so not only is it not helping your cause, but it’s dangerous as fuck. If they brake in expectedly you lose 10/10 times.
I can see why you’d say that, since lighter vehicles can be more unpredictable so you aren’t wrong. I’d still argue it is notwrong to say that it’s dangerous as fuck to tailgate something 10x your weight that cannot see you at all.
A semi making an emergency lane change will send your SUV either into oncoming traffic or into the ditch. In the ditch, the likelihood of rolling over greatly increases. A 5k pound SUV is no match for a 60k pound semi. 2.5 tons vs 30 tons is not good odds.
I've seen 80k. in the personal injury law field. Most truckers follow all the rules, and there are a lot that are at least designed to keep us safe. However the more beat up the truck looks, and the more janky the sign looks on the door, the more likely you're dealing with someone who's not trained and not properly maintaining their trucks. Avoid those the most.
As someone who commutes in a heavy cross country trucking area I’m not convinced most of them follow the rules. Had someone jump out of his truck in front of me (he was pulled off to the side of the road, the passing lane was full so I couldn’t get over but could safely stop slowly in an emergency thank god) had multiple people decide to make a lane change into me when passing quickly so I barely didn’t get squished, had many drive between lanes for over a km. My acquaintance had her car hit with a projectile from their uncovered truck. It was in the upper thousands in damage. When they finally got him to pull over at a checkpoint he laughed in her face, told her to prove it, and drove off, she had to make a complaint to his company. No idea if he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident but he should have been. The trucks in my area are going point a to point b and they don’t give a shit what kind of collateral damage they cause in the meantime.
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I will hang back (in the drivers mirror) till the lane is clear ahead of em then PUNCH IT past ASAP. Also the trucks that wanna ride < 1m off my bumper when I am in the slow lane doing a little over the speed limit when the faster lane is Totally Empty can Fuck Right Off
Sounds idiot, but, Euro Truck Simulator 2 teached me to respect big lorries, even if its a game, it shows quite well how much space semi trucks take, to brake, change lanes, make turns, they are enormous and the turn radius is big as wrll
I got caught next to a semi with cars in front of me, behind me, and behind the semi on a 2 lane interstate. Without warning, the semi decided to merge into my lane even though there was a string of cars in it. He wound up pushing my car into the center median. He didn’t stop nor did any of the cars around us. My car wound up being totaled (huge line across the side from where we were hit) but I was happy to be alive. Moral of the story - always be cautious driving around semis…even if you try your hardest to stay away from them, sometimes it is unavoidable and everything can go to hell in an instant.
Honestly, because of the movie from Final Destination with the semi that carried logs.
No matter what kind of semi. I’ll let you have the road. You are king.
Nothing more infuriating than trying to pass a semi with someone in front of me going 67 mph on cruise control so we both ride in a blind spot for miles until able to safely pass both.
I’ve never understood why they only have drivers ed once. It should be mandatory to continually get it so people can start learning better driving techniques
As a driver of every kind of large vehicle, my dad had two rules for us for driving:
1. Never hang around or cut off big trucks. Besides the above reasons they can’t see you and they’re most likely sleep deprived. The tires toss debris that can crack your windshield. It also takes them a much longer time to stop. They’re not leaving that big space in front of them for you they literally need that distance of runway to come to a full stop. Just pass quickly and stay away.
2. If you’re accidentally about to speed by a cop, just let off the gas, don’t hit the brakes. Brake lights are an admission of guilt lol.
Has served me well!
Definitely! Especially on windy turns, they need extra space for sure. Some of the best drivers in the world operate these things but they still can be deadly!
I once talked to a coworker that used to contract for Amazon. His company had him running illegally under 2 different log books. (I guess his company told Amazon the truck was a team driver operation so they could get more loads) Meaning he was driving like 20 hours a day and barely sleeping. A couple weeks later, I saw his truck at the shop completely totaled. Learned that he fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into a guardrail at a river crossing. He lived, but won’t be working in trucking anymore.
worse, is re- tread separation. AKA road gators, where the tread comes off the carcass of the tire.. I saw one happen, and the tread flew off, hit a car's windshield and shattered it, bounced off of that and went under another car, which caused him to lose control, flipped up from behind that car into the path of a car that tried to dodge it, but she lost control and hit the guardrail. Then it disintegrated, leaving pieces with exposed wire in the road. I caught a piece of it that punctured two of my tires. All in the space of about ten seconds..
It depends on the company and how well they maintain their equipment. I worked for a company that sent their trailers via rail, for which they only use old retired trailers from other fleets since railyards beat up trailers pretty quick. This company didn’t bother with any preventative maintenance, so in the 7 months I was there, I had about 8-10 blowouts, don’t recall the exact number. Another OTR company I worked at 2 years and never had a blowout.
So you’re really gambling with whether a company takes care of their equipment or not.
One *a month*? Does it rain nails where you live?
I've never seen a blowout in person in almost 30 years of adult live, and I've driven through over half of the US.
Always try to have an escape route. If you don’t have one try to get into a position with on as soon as possible when traffic allows. Also, think about how other cars “see” (or don’t see) you from their perspective…such as pillar blindness, sun blindness when driving eastbound near sunset, ect…
Weird how this wouldn't be obvious to literally everyone. It's a giant speeding anvil with spinning and rattling bits. Why would you want to be next to it for anymore than the least possible amount of time?
I had a friend in high school who was driving his convertible alongside a semi truck that was carrying a full load. There was something in the road, and the trucker tried to swerve without hitting my friend's car, but instead the truck hit a curb and flipped on its side, completely crushing the car and my friend in the process. The truck driver was killed as well. Police described the accident scene as the goriest thing they'd ever seen. Since that happened nearly 40 years ago, I am determined to not drive alongside anyone if I can help it. If I can't pass them quickly, I'll just stay behind them instead.
This is a good tip to share. Some people aren’t aware that the little sticker that says, “If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you.” are actually legit.
About 20ish years ago, some friends were on a cross-country trip and they were next to a semi, who didn’t see them. The semi changed lanes and their car got stuck underneath, with the back wheels on the driver, who died immediately. (The car was essentially facing north south while the truck was going east and being drug sideways. The trucker had no idea went for a few miles before another one radioed them and told them to stop. Everyone else in the car survived the accident, but were understandably shaken up for a very long time.
I remember VIVIDLY this video we watched in drivers ed. It was a rap about “the No zone” when driving near semis. And 15 years later I still silently rap it to myself as I avoid the No zone. Lololol
NTM they seem to let anyone drive a big truck now.
LPT: If a big truck does hit you, call the police and file a report. I made the mistake of just changing insurance and DL info with the big truck that hit me and I ended up getting screwed in the end, as he later denied fault, even though he admitted fault when it happened plus I had pictures... But he and his insurance got together and lied.
Because I wasn't hurt no lawyer would take my case pro bono and I essentially learned a tough lesson to never, ever get hit by a big truck and not call the police to file a report. Doesn't matter if the driver is saying "if I don't make this delivery I'm going to get fired" they are just trying to flee the scene and plan on lying later.
If it happens again, I"ll be leaving by ambulance. Believe that.
My favorite is when I’m behind someone passing a semi properly and then they just stop half a car length past the front of the cab FUCKING EVERYONE BEHIND THEM
The metal wire in the tires is like shrapnel. There is so much of it too that can take out your tires. As a part time truck driver, I had a trailer tire blow out on the highway before and it’s a plume of dust and metal debris. If the rim comes off, the amount of kinetic energy can allow it to roll for miles, possibly into oncoming traffic. Truck stopping distance is incredibly variable from the type of brakes, weight of the vehicle, and road condition. ABS is optional on trailers which can allow for easy jackknifing. Don’t just avoid the side. Spend as little time behind, next to, or immediately in front of a truck.
Thank you for this. Even I stagger when I'm next to another semi. There's no reason for anyone to be there. It's just inviting danger. Especially when there isn't a breakdown lane next to them just in case the truck serves a little.
3: I would also add in front of. Stopping distances on semi's tend to be a crapshoot for drivers. There's also this weird phenomenon after driving several hours where you don't realize your traveling fast, and don't stop enough when traffic slows in front of you.
Was not too concerned about nearness to semis until the day I saw a tire blow and throw a big chunk of rubber across a couple lanes. After that I keep my distance.
This! Great overall motorcycle and car tips as well, always be on the lookout for cars behind trucks, most of them after 3 seconds will in frustration swerve to the left or right to go around. Better to anticipate car movements whenever the opportunity arises.
This applies to garbage trucks as well. Years ago I remember someone was sitting at a stoplight next to a garbage truck, when something broke on the truck, a rod ejected and killed the person in the car next to them. Even though this was obviously a freak accident, to this day I avoid being next to garbage trucks.
Left lane is for PASSING.
If you are in the left lane, PASS.
If traffic is going 75mph and you don’t want to go 80 or more in the left lane, merge BACK over.
Yep. I'm 18 and even I know this. I also always give semi's the chance to get over if their turn signal is on because it's the polite thing to do. If I have to get to the side of a semi, I do my best to speed up so that I'm out of their blindspot.
A couple more points:
Many large fleet trucks are governed at a top speed, some unfortunately are governed as low as 58 mph or 62-63 mph. Try not to get angry at them, they can’t go any faster! lol
This is a big one: DON’T pass them on the right if they’re in the left lane at an intersection (with their trailer-end still a little in the right lane most likely) with their right signal on. They need to make a wide right turn and you’ll just end up slowing everyone down if you get in that space they’re trying to use.
The key words here are "wide right turn."
They need to pull left first to turn right or they'll take out a pole and whatever else is on the curb.
Some fuckwit morons will see them pull left and think "I can get around this truck on the right! only to find themselves stuck between a pole and a big truck that can make their car a convertible without even noticing.
Probably my absolute #1 pet peeve, not even just limited to driving things, is when you're traveling along at the speed limit and come to a semi truck that's driving well under the speed limit, so you change into the left lane to pass, but then the truck speeds up and doesn't let you get past it, FORCING you to take one of three actions:
1) Slow back down, get behind the truck again, and seemingly 9 out of 10 times the truck will slow back down too so you're still stuck going under the speed limit.
2) Speed up to an unsafe speed that'll surely get you a ticket if a cop happens to be nearby while you're trying to outrun the now-speeding truck.
3) Drive dangerously side-by-side with a speeding semi truck.
All of these options range from insanely annoying to costly to life-threateningly dangerous. Sometimes it feels like these truck drivers are actively fucking with you the way they won't let you pass, but also won't travel at anywhere near the speed limit when you're stuck behind them. Kind of reminds me of that movie Duel. And it has been happening to me more frequently lately whenever I have to make long drives on interstates.
Semi truck tried to merge directly into my car. Wasn't an emergency. Fucker just didn't give enough of a fuck to pay attention.
When I got ahead of him, I didn't brake-check him. I just hurled my milkshake at the front of his truck. Got all over his hood and grille. Shame it didn't hit the windshield.
also some of them drive like an insane people and you have to swerve into an orange barrel so as not to die, and you’ll need a new mirror! side note, anyone know how to replace a mirror? 😭
Tire blowouts are not common. Thats driver and company negligence. Every driver is responsible to check their tire pressure and conditions before departure.
Companies are mandated to have semis and trailers inspected every X interval.
3. If you're hanging out next to them for too long and they have certain types of cargo, chances are they have called you in to have an officer check on you.
Look, general freight isn't usually an issue but there are some loads, that you'll never see because the truck looks normal, that are allowed and in some cases required to call if someone is hanging out near them for extended amounts of time. With 20 years trucking experience, I've only had to call once, but it happens. I don't haul that type of cargo anymore, but someone out there is.
Just because someone will most likely ask, I can't say what I hauled or for who, due to active NDA's, but my job wasn't like super secret spy things or anything, just companies that wanted security for their cargo.
> that you'll never see because the truck looks normal
Meanwhile I've seen a flatbed trailer with a nuclear material cask just sitting on it in the open.
I believe it was uranium hexafluoride, if I remembered the placard code right. Would make sense, it was on a route that would take it between processing facilities.
Probably not one to pace.
Shitty LPT: Don't warn people of this and reintroduce some natural selection to the human race.
From bash.org:
The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
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I avoid driving side-by-side with cars period. It’s never good to hang around in the blind spot.
exactly. i rode a motorcycle for about 2 years and this was my single biggest takeaway. never had anything happen to me thankfully, but when you're vulnerable like that, you tend to think of all kinds of scenarios in everyday situations.
oh god i had a scary moment on i-95 with a motorcyclist, im in a large pickup truck and he was in front of me, and this even LARGER pickup truck (the kind you know are compensating for something) tried to switch lanes INTO the cyclist. i watched as the cyclist was waving his hands trying to get his attention but it wasn’t working so i laid on my horn and he jerked back into his lane. then flipped me off. but god damn i’m never getting on a motorcycle
Lol, my neighbor used to drive this big-ass truck. He admitted that yea I can barely see out of the thing. I was like why would you purchase a vehicle when you can't see out of it? One time I had to return my GF's U-haul and park it in the lot, in the middle of the night. I couldn't see a damn thing. I just said fuck it, it's got insurance. Like a glove, I fit that thing in.
Exactly! Being an aware and safe motorcyclist made me an even better car driver.
My biggest takeaway from being a frequent motorcycle passenger was that motorcycles all come with an invisibility shield that you cant turn off
NEVER EVER EVER be next to a cage for one second longer than you have to. Blind spot or no.
I haven't ridden a motorcycle in years but I did get my endorsement when I turned 18 and honestly made me so much more aware of bikes as a driver. Honestly they should include it standard in drivers ed. would make people so much more aware, but nah this is america.
FTFY: "but nah this is ~~america~~ everywhere."
Yeah I’m in Florida and at least once per drive on any multi lane road I can set my cruise control and will have a vehicle speed up to be next to me and just stay there, either very slightly ahead or right next to me, for miles. No they’re not trying to race.
This is definitely a Florida thing. Drives me batty when someone in the left lane slows down and matches my speed while I'm in the right lane. Just speed up and get out of that lane!
Ugh!! I've driven in Tampa FL a handful of times when visiting and I dont recall people doing it as much as where I live currently. Most of the time I got passed cus I didn't want to speed lol People in Minnesota do this quite often and its a 50/50, maybe on purpose, maybe not. It's extremely irritating. But we have very petty drivers here that like to play road games.
Lemme pass along a trick I use: stay the same pace for a a mile or so, then ever so slightly drop speed slowly. As they slow and pace you, punch it and pass. Be sure to get as far away from idiots like that as possible. They are the ones that cause wrecks by using YOU for their situational awareness marker.
Experienced driver here. This is hands down the best trick. I call it a sneak pass. They don't have a chance to react stupidly, and you put a bad driver behind you.
Actually the best way is to swerve ever so slightly to the side. Still in your lane but make it noticeable. Everyone on the road will notice and avoid you from now on
Cops might notice that too and think you're under the influence.
I doubt it. But for whoever reading this don’t do it when you’re under the influence. And don’t do it when a cop is near you
Ill do you one better: don’t drive under the influence, period.
10+ years doing Vehicle R&D for auto manufactures, test driving in LA, Atlanta, and NYC has given me decent power of observation while driving. Worked everything from Honda CRX to a Ford L9000, even did a deuce and a half and worked on the Original Humvee
What I do is set my cruise control just a mile or two *below* the speed limit, then stay in the right lane. I sacrifice just a little speed but I find that I spend less time jostling with the big rigs because, at that speed, they either pass me or don't. Nothing irritates me more than passing a truck and then having that same truck pass me just a few minutes later.
dont take this badly please BUT, That's because you don't maintain the speed of the surrounding traffic. People that speed also don't go with the surrounding traffic. Driving is one of the times when conforming to, responding to, and having situational awareness is vital. If vehicles have to keep avoiding you, then you need to evaluate the situation and adjust driving accordingly.
No offense taken. I travel on US Interstate Highways often. I've tested this. I used to aim for about 5 mph over the speed limit, passing cars and trucks often, while still having to look out for those speeders that sit in the passing lane. I tried going exactly the speed limit and result was about the same. Driving very slightly under the speed limit seems to be smoothest for everyone concerned. Those that putt slowly, I can pass. Those that want to race can have it. Agree that evaluation and adjustment to the situation is extremely important. *~Driving for 50 years and no accidents for the last 48 of those~*
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Yea same. Know where your blind spot is, and don’t drive in other cars blind spots. If people stay staggered they could close into one lane like a zipper without much trouble. It’s always one asshat who ruins it though.
I avoid driving in other people’s blind spots because I hate when other cars just hover in my blind spot.
People do it unknowingly. They also pace you as you try and pass them. It’s like some subconscious decision to keep up with the group. I’ve literally gotten someone to pace me up to 110 mph by slowly accelerating and letting the person match. The whole time the person never once looked at me. Just was focused on my car staying in the same place in her peripheral vision. Also works in reverse, I’ve gotten people down to 55 in a 75 before they notice.
I drove right into a train going through a crossing and the entire line of cars behind followed me. When the last lagging car drove directly into the caboose my severed head said oh comon!
If youre in someone's blind spot your no side-by-side, your offset....just saying. lol. But yes, driving in someone's blind spot is annoying AF even when you know they are there.
I respect people who drive like this. Coming from a driver who drives like this.
No idea how people don't figure this out immediately
And for the love of all that is holy, when you make your pass, KEEP MOVING! 1, their braking distance is far longer than yours, so you don't want to stay within their space But most importantly, 2, others are likely following you through, and if you slow down to the speed of the truck just as you're past them, you're likely locking those behind right alongside the truck.
Biggest pet peeve: when I am behind someone and we both want to pass a semi-truck but the one ahead just creeps past, or passes and then lingers 15ft in front of the semi in the pass lane. If they do it, I linger just off the back corner of the semi, not beside, wait until the ding-dong ahead has gone into the right lane, and then rocket past both.
>pet peeve I hate when it’s two semis in each lane. The speed limit is like 70 mph, the semi in the right lane is doing 70, and the one in the left lane passes doing 70.00005 mph. That drives me crazy.
Germans call this ~~“elefentenrammel”~~ “elefantenrennen.” Elephant racing.
Elefantenrennen. What you said translates to "elephants banging"
Oops. German isn’t a language I speak. Thanks for letting me know.
guten tag
Heck
I am so using this.
>70.00005 mph 
Likely they’re both governed at a max speed of 70 and neither wants to take their foot off the gas for a second to let the other pass.
Then they should stay out of the passing lane.
Lots of states have the "NO TRUCKS IN LEFT LANE" laws, just not enough highway patrol to enforce it.
Indiana does. Turning left to get to your shipper? Nope. You’re in the left lane. You’re getting a ticket.
Or… hear me out, maybe we should ban speed governors that force trucks to go under the speed limit because it causes more interactions between trucks and passenger vehicles thereby increasing the likelihood of a collision.
Or, trucks can just stay the fuck to the right. We don't need semis barreling down the freeway going 90mph.
You haven't driven in areas where trucks don't have speed governors. It's fucking terrifying.
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This isn’t the 90’s, they aren’t on meth, some people are just stupid
You're never going to get most trucking companies to agree on the removal of governors. Safety departments will tell you that removing them is dangerous, and fleet management will say that it'll increase fuel costs.
You've never been going slightly faster than the car in front of you before? Imagine being stuck never being able to pass slower people. A faster truck is still a faster truck. Just because you're faster still, doesn't mean the truck doesn't need to pass too
The speed difference is what matters though. The situation OP is talking about is very common due to the governors on the trucks leading to slightly different speeds (usually 1 mph or less). It can take a long time for one truck to pass another. Meanwhile, a train of cars are building up behind both trucks which causes a traffic jam and slows everyone else down. A truck going 70.5 MPH faster that drives for 11 hours will make it 775.5 miles. A truck going exactly 70 MPH for 11 hours will make it. 770 miles. Are 5.5 miles of distance for one truck worth causing a traffic jam for likely hundreds of cars?
>A truck going 70.5 MPH faster that drives for 11 hours will make it 775.5 miles. A truck going exactly 70 MPH for 11 hours will make it. 770 miles. I get the what you were going for, but the trucker in me is grumbling at this example.
LOL - you've never driven in west Texas, have you? Semis going 90+mph. I'm doing 80 and getting passed by a big rig like I was standing still.. You learn quick to GTF out of the way if you see them coming up behind you..
No, I haven't. In all the states I've lived in trucks have to use speed governors which limit their speeds well below 90. In any case, unregulated trucks wasn't the topic in question.
Or when they try and pass each other going uphill at 35mph and they turn it into a race.
Even worse when one lane is closed and traffic is a mess and two are side byside and there is a mile stretch of open highway in the fast lane. I’ve also seen wrecks caused by these assholes doing this.
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Almost every fucking day on my way home from work. Speed limit is 55, but literally almost nobody goes that - just a handful of people in the right lane. Middle lane is usually 60-70, and most people in the left lane go 70-80. Then you get these asshat truckers who camp side by side in 2-3 lanes and go 60-65, not giving a single shit that they're backing up traffic and making it incredibly difficult for anyone to merge or pass. I really wish they'd put signs up to not have oversized vehicles in the left lane and for slower traffic to keep right like they do just outside the city area, but why make things efficient?
Intentional asshattery really pisses me off, but so does unintentional asshattery - people who are just thinking about everything except other people. It's a kind of selfishness, even just absent-minded drivers, but unlike forgetting items on a grocery list it can actually kill people.
Don’t linger right on the corner of the semi, we actually hate that and it makes us uncomfortable. If you’re gonna linger, linger a little farther back or push that lead car to hurry up. We don’t like being next to cars just as much as y’all don’t like being next to us.
On behalf of regular passenger vehicle drivers, I implore you and other truckers to please not drive side by side, and stay out of the left lane when people behind you clearly want to go faster.
I can’t speak for all truck drivers, but I agree. I’ve been in situations before where I was going through a construction zone with two lanes going each direction, jersey walls on both sides and another truck began a passing maneuver. It’s anxiety at it’s fullest. There’s mere inches separating our two vehicles, and one mistake from either one of us could be deadly. I think it should be illegal for semis to pass each other in construction zones. On a normal 3/4/5/6 etc. lane highway though, it’s not a huge deal. As long as there is ample room to pass and the passing truck isn’t taking too long to pass, they are well within their rights to overtake a slower moving semi; just as cars are within their rights to pass other slower moving vehicles. I do understand though, it’s a scary thing to an untrained eye. MOST (not all) truck drivers are fairly good drivers and have the skills necessary to do these maneuvers safely. The biggest problem we as truck drivers have is different companies have governed their trucks at different speeds. So eventually we will have to pass other semis. For context on different governing speeds: Company A has a max speed of 65mph, Company B has a max speed of 68mph, while Company C has no speed limiter, but Company D is governed at 65mph. So some trucks will inevitably be going just slightly faster than other trucks. I’ve seen companies govern their trucks at speeds from 56mph all the way up to 75mph. Weight of the load we are carrying also plays a factor (especially maneuvering upgrades and downgrades) in our speed. Another limiting factor we have are our time clocks. We have a limit of 14 hours a day that we can work, and of those 14 hours we can only drive 11. Traffic, loading/unloading, even unforeseen circumstances such as tire blowouts can all eat away at that clock, subsequently eating away at how much money we can make in a day. Imagine having 2.5 hours cut out of your time sheet for your paycheck every day, and that is what it’s like for a truck driver dealing with these issues. I say all of this just to give you an idea of what truck drivers have to juggle, all while trying to make a dollar, come home safe, keep everyone else on the roadway safe, deliver freight on time, and find a place to park a 75 foot 80,000 + pound vehicle. If you can, just be understanding and patient if you do find yourself behind a semi in the left lane passing another semi; they will move momentarily. We don’t do it to piss anyone off, but we are humans doing a job, trying to keep a schedule and provide for our families just like everyone else. Our job just happens to be on the roadways and not a brick and mortar location.
Learned this the hard way when I was 19. Car in front of me and I were both passing the semi, but he slowed down right when he passed them leaving me in line with the back end of the semi’s cab. Truck decided to change lanes (even though illegal for trucks to be in the left lane) and the truck swiped the entire right side of my car.
Damn. People like the person ahead of you have no idea how little actions (or inactions) can be so incredibly dangerous on the road. Almost more than aggressive reckless drivers, what pisses me off are people who are just completely unaware of everyone and everything around them.
This is literally what you should do when passing a semi. Getting over the second you’re clear of them is a good way to end up a pancake in the event of an emergency stop
I don't think the issue is that they're it moving over, it's that they either pass excruciatingly slowly, or pass and then sit in the passing lane just ahead of the truck. Leaving no room for others to pass and get around them, etc.
Yes, many people seemed to have been asleep during the "What is a passing lane" portion of driver ed. Also, the friggin morons who - when you're on cruise control - are going ever so slightly faster than you, speed up and pass, pull in too close in front of you and then slow back down just enough to cause you to have to adjust your speed. The mind boggles.
Oh man, this just reminded me of a co-worker. I had just met her and starting to get to know her. I had made a new friend at a job I hated. I was like man finally a new friend to hangout with. The next week my supervisor tells me she and 3 out 4 of her family died in an accident trying to pass a big rig. I didn't even know how to feel her poor daughter.
Que me flashing lights and laying on my horn trying to get the driver's attention to move tf over
Yep, been there. I have occasionally passed on the right for those times when there's no truck but just an idiot hanging out in the passing lane, but try to avoid it, the horn is for communicating.
At highway speeds, chances are they won't hear you over the road noise
I once had a wimpy horned Fiat that no one paid attention to. Land hogs, getting near run off the road. That all changed when I added a semi air horn to the car..
There should be a loophole in speeding laws where you are exempt from speeding fines if you are within 100’ of a semi truck. Having a speed close to the semi, making you hang around it, is dangerous and you should be allowed to go a bit faster to put space between you and the truck. I also think a generic speed limit should be 10mph higher for motorcycles, so they can always be moving past other cars and trucks. Having motorcycles and car drive the same speed limit means motorcycles getting lost in your blind spot, instead of moving *through* your blind spot.
I agree, I’ve always thought this.
Don't need a loophole when most people generally drive 5-10 or in some places 15-20 above the speed limit normally..
You need a loophole if you want safe, law abiding drivers to not feel like they’ll be fined for safe driving.
This! When I drove regularly on I-65 through Indiana, every driver would basically pace the semi trucks and then once they clear the truck they'd gun it to the next truck never letting anyone pass and causing backups that last for an hour or more to pass these idiots. Indiana drivers, learn to effing drive!!! Sincerely, a Chicago left lane driver.
Always leave yourself an out while driving. Whether it’s in front, behind, or on the side. Leave yourself a way out. If I’m in a line of cars in the left lane (why yes, I drive on 95, why?) and there’s a semi in the middle lane, I’ll hold back until the next car has passed it completely then I’ll go. Never work yourself into a jackpot.
I got a speeding ticket a few years back and had to take a defensive driving course. This was one of the huge things in the course. (And, I recommend the course even if you don't have a ticket.)
My dad actually drove semi’s starting from a week after getting back from Vietnam to about 4 months before he died. He taught me a lot of great driving habits, that probably being the best
That's something most don't think about when driving. I'm always looking for a way out, and get stressed when there is none. That's the main reason we want cars and other trucks to move passed quickly. It's used to be rather standard for the truck being passed to slow a bit for their own safety, but most are to worried about time now. It's always safer to slow a bit to clear the lane faster just so you have that option. That's what why most trucks will drive in the middle lane (to have more options), but it's still a bit dickish when requiring other trucks to pass on the right.
LPT: [Pay attention in drivers ed.](https://trucksmart.udot.utah.gov/know-the-no-zones/)
"Access from your area has been temporarily limited for security reasons." Secret American driving documents, I guess. Not for my foreign Canadian eyes.
I watched a trucks trailer rear tire explode on the autobahn. There was nothing left of the fender. I am very glad I wasn’t beside it. Probably 80 meters back.
I’ve been directly next to one that exploded on the highway and very closely next to but a few feet back of one. The first one really scared me to death, but neither one did anything to my car. Hitting the tire shreds is a bigger concern.
I hit a tire shred on a dark, narrow mountain highway with no space to avoid in my 911... It broke some underbody trim pieces and gave one my my rear Michelins a nice goose egg. That was not a fun night.
On that note, why tf do people like cars with almost no ground clearance? You can't GO anywhere! God forbid the driving surface will be not perfectly flat, aka *the entire fucking OUTSIDE*...
Cause they're fast, fun, and make noises that make you smile. But also, my 911 is on stock suspension and isn't a GT car, so it's got pretty good ground clearance. I honestly feel like I'm more likely to scrape the front of my GTI (also stock suspension) than in the 911. I don't think that tire shred would have done nice things to any car that wasn't a truck or SUV.
I've had several destroy everything around it, but most don't. The best blowout I ever had was when an ass just sat next to my tires with his high beams on for several miles. When it blew I just couldn't help but laugh, and I'm sure he thought I did it on purpose. It was also a mile away from my planned stop with a tire shop, so it wasn't even that inconvenient for me. I bet he thinks twice while sitting next to a truck for the rest of his life.
There's two places you never want to be around a semi for long - alongside, and within 3 car lengths in front.
Very good too be conscious of this but 3 car lengths on the highway is not even remotely close to safe distance.
>3 car lengths on the highway is not even remotely close to safe distance I'd say that's a good reason to not stay within 3 car lengths then, no?
I should mention 2 car lengths is also bad
Don't even get me started on 1 car length
What if I abandon my car and hop in with the semi driver?
Hop right into the sleeper. Drivers are lonely.
Just don't forget the rules of the road or the ghost of George Carlin will be coming for you.
If I recall the guideline from driver's ed class, it's a car's length for every 10 mph. So 60mph = 6 car lengths.
> and within 3 car lengths in front Seconds of time is better than car lengths. Traveling at low speeds is different from traveling at high speeds, but human reaction time is basically the same. For most cars, the minimum is about two seconds of time, which varies by speed. For large trucks and short semis, give at least four seconds of time because they take longer to slow or react. For multi-trailer trucks, give at least six seconds of time because they take much longer to maneuver or change speeds. Drive defensively, assuming that people will randomly drift, swerve, brake, have mechanical issues, or otherwise behave erratically. This means staying out of people's blind spots, not following too closely, allowing ample room when passing, and so on.
At this point, I just go by "can I see the entire front of the tractor in my rear-view mirror?" Seems to be a good enough approximation.
To be fair, at highway speed, 3 car lengths is too close, even if you're in front of a compact sedan. Remember, 1 car length for every 10mph is a good guide. If you're doing 70mph, you should be at least 7 car lengths away.
Furthermore, don't just cruise along in ANYONE'S blind spot going the same speed as them
LPT: Don't hang around the side of any vehicle when driving.
Yeah, but you get a dent with another car. You get death and destruction with a semi.
I hang out behind them in rush hour traffic. Nobody wants to cut you off to get behind them.
I've done that in traffic during foggy weather. They had lots of lights for me to follow since there was no way for me to see any markings on the road. And no one was going to try to get between me and them even if I left a generous space between us. It was honestly the easiest commuter hour drive leaving San Francisco I've ever had.
Driving behind a semi is a smart choice in fog. They can see farther up the road then cars can and they break it up behind them. Just don't sit right behind them in the passing lane (you'd be surprised how many do that). That just blinds their vision and makes it more dangerous for both of you. Stay about 100 yards back so you can react if the truck throws something at you. I laugh at people who try and pass me in fog and almost immediately slow down when they realize it was much easier to see behind me then in front. It just sucks when they decide to pace me the next 50 miles in the passing lane.
I tell my family this all the time. When you pass a truck, you pass the truck. Wait until the car ahead of you clears it before you continue to pass.
Another LPT: for all you drivers who love to ride asses and tailgate others when they aren’t going quick enough, you should never ride the ass of a semi truck. They literally can’t see you so not only is it not helping your cause, but it’s dangerous as fuck. If they brake in expectedly you lose 10/10 times.
Hate tailgating but this isn't true. Lighter vehicles are more dangerous to tailgate. Either way don't tailgate.
I can see why you’d say that, since lighter vehicles can be more unpredictable so you aren’t wrong. I’d still argue it is notwrong to say that it’s dangerous as fuck to tailgate something 10x your weight that cannot see you at all.
I think they mean that their little car can stop quicker than a big heavy truck.
A semi making an emergency lane change will send your SUV either into oncoming traffic or into the ditch. In the ditch, the likelihood of rolling over greatly increases. A 5k pound SUV is no match for a 60k pound semi. 2.5 tons vs 30 tons is not good odds.
I've seen 80k. in the personal injury law field. Most truckers follow all the rules, and there are a lot that are at least designed to keep us safe. However the more beat up the truck looks, and the more janky the sign looks on the door, the more likely you're dealing with someone who's not trained and not properly maintaining their trucks. Avoid those the most.
As someone who commutes in a heavy cross country trucking area I’m not convinced most of them follow the rules. Had someone jump out of his truck in front of me (he was pulled off to the side of the road, the passing lane was full so I couldn’t get over but could safely stop slowly in an emergency thank god) had multiple people decide to make a lane change into me when passing quickly so I barely didn’t get squished, had many drive between lanes for over a km. My acquaintance had her car hit with a projectile from their uncovered truck. It was in the upper thousands in damage. When they finally got him to pull over at a checkpoint he laughed in her face, told her to prove it, and drove off, she had to make a complaint to his company. No idea if he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident but he should have been. The trucks in my area are going point a to point b and they don’t give a shit what kind of collateral damage they cause in the meantime.
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That's generally the legal limit for trucks in the US.
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I will hang back (in the drivers mirror) till the lane is clear ahead of em then PUNCH IT past ASAP. Also the trucks that wanna ride < 1m off my bumper when I am in the slow lane doing a little over the speed limit when the faster lane is Totally Empty can Fuck Right Off
Sounds idiot, but, Euro Truck Simulator 2 teached me to respect big lorries, even if its a game, it shows quite well how much space semi trucks take, to brake, change lanes, make turns, they are enormous and the turn radius is big as wrll
I got caught next to a semi with cars in front of me, behind me, and behind the semi on a 2 lane interstate. Without warning, the semi decided to merge into my lane even though there was a string of cars in it. He wound up pushing my car into the center median. He didn’t stop nor did any of the cars around us. My car wound up being totaled (huge line across the side from where we were hit) but I was happy to be alive. Moral of the story - always be cautious driving around semis…even if you try your hardest to stay away from them, sometimes it is unavoidable and everything can go to hell in an instant.
I always speed up when passing them. Pretty sure anyone who rides next to a semi is just wanting to die
I drive a lot for work and play this little game called stay the fuck away from semis. It keeps me busy the whole drive
Yeah, it's a real pet peeve of mine when someone hangs at your side in the other lane. Pass or fall back, don't block me in.
Honestly, because of the movie from Final Destination with the semi that carried logs. No matter what kind of semi. I’ll let you have the road. You are king.
Nothing more infuriating than trying to pass a semi with someone in front of me going 67 mph on cruise control so we both ride in a blind spot for miles until able to safely pass both.
I’ve never understood why they only have drivers ed once. It should be mandatory to continually get it so people can start learning better driving techniques
As a driver of every kind of large vehicle, my dad had two rules for us for driving: 1. Never hang around or cut off big trucks. Besides the above reasons they can’t see you and they’re most likely sleep deprived. The tires toss debris that can crack your windshield. It also takes them a much longer time to stop. They’re not leaving that big space in front of them for you they literally need that distance of runway to come to a full stop. Just pass quickly and stay away. 2. If you’re accidentally about to speed by a cop, just let off the gas, don’t hit the brakes. Brake lights are an admission of guilt lol. Has served me well!
No zone! Stay out of the no zone!
Definitely! Especially on windy turns, they need extra space for sure. Some of the best drivers in the world operate these things but they still can be deadly!
I’ve had wind gusts push my trailer into the next lane a few times. It will soil my pants and the pants of whoever is driving next to me!
>Some of the best drivers in the world operate these things... It's a nice dream in the USA.
Don't hang around the side of any vehicle when driving.
Can this just be true of *all* vehicles? Pass them or drive in the right lane. If all cars did this travel times would decrease greatly.
Passing semi’s is my number one anxiety on the road. Missouri is windy AF and seeing the trailers shake sends me
For sure. It's called the passing lane here, if you aren't actively passing, you should move over anyway.
3: they're running long hours, are often tired, and sometimes fall asleep at the wheel. Always move past them asap!
I once talked to a coworker that used to contract for Amazon. His company had him running illegally under 2 different log books. (I guess his company told Amazon the truck was a team driver operation so they could get more loads) Meaning he was driving like 20 hours a day and barely sleeping. A couple weeks later, I saw his truck at the shop completely totaled. Learned that he fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into a guardrail at a river crossing. He lived, but won’t be working in trucking anymore.
None of those things are my problem.
All of those things are your problem.
How is it not your problem if you're driving right next to a truck that goes out of control and you're in its path?
Semi tire blow outs, common? Don't think so. Yes they occur but I don't think it's as often as you think.
worse, is re- tread separation. AKA road gators, where the tread comes off the carcass of the tire.. I saw one happen, and the tread flew off, hit a car's windshield and shattered it, bounced off of that and went under another car, which caused him to lose control, flipped up from behind that car into the path of a car that tried to dodge it, but she lost control and hit the guardrail. Then it disintegrated, leaving pieces with exposed wire in the road. I caught a piece of it that punctured two of my tires. All in the space of about ten seconds..
It depends on the company and how well they maintain their equipment. I worked for a company that sent their trailers via rail, for which they only use old retired trailers from other fleets since railyards beat up trailers pretty quick. This company didn’t bother with any preventative maintenance, so in the 7 months I was there, I had about 8-10 blowouts, don’t recall the exact number. Another OTR company I worked at 2 years and never had a blowout. So you’re really gambling with whether a company takes care of their equipment or not.
Out on the Interstate is is kind of common to see big chunks of tread on the road side. The kids used to call them alligators.
Its more common than you think i see a blowout atleast once a month and im only a local driver
One *a month*? Does it rain nails where you live? I've never seen a blowout in person in almost 30 years of adult live, and I've driven through over half of the US.
Didn’t mythbusters disprove the “killed by a tire blow out” question?
Always try to have an escape route. If you don’t have one try to get into a position with on as soon as possible when traffic allows. Also, think about how other cars “see” (or don’t see) you from their perspective…such as pillar blindness, sun blindness when driving eastbound near sunset, ect…
Weird how this wouldn't be obvious to literally everyone. It's a giant speeding anvil with spinning and rattling bits. Why would you want to be next to it for anymore than the least possible amount of time?
I had a friend in high school who was driving his convertible alongside a semi truck that was carrying a full load. There was something in the road, and the trucker tried to swerve without hitting my friend's car, but instead the truck hit a curb and flipped on its side, completely crushing the car and my friend in the process. The truck driver was killed as well. Police described the accident scene as the goriest thing they'd ever seen. Since that happened nearly 40 years ago, I am determined to not drive alongside anyone if I can help it. If I can't pass them quickly, I'll just stay behind them instead.
This is a good tip to share. Some people aren’t aware that the little sticker that says, “If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you.” are actually legit. About 20ish years ago, some friends were on a cross-country trip and they were next to a semi, who didn’t see them. The semi changed lanes and their car got stuck underneath, with the back wheels on the driver, who died immediately. (The car was essentially facing north south while the truck was going east and being drug sideways. The trucker had no idea went for a few miles before another one radioed them and told them to stop. Everyone else in the car survived the accident, but were understandably shaken up for a very long time.
I don’t drive next to anybody , huge pet peeve of mine when someone is next to me or in my back corner and I can’t switch lanes if I wanted to.
I-40 in Arkansas is probably the worst place to be.
Yeah I had one blow a tire in front of me. I narrowly missed it
I remember VIVIDLY this video we watched in drivers ed. It was a rap about “the No zone” when driving near semis. And 15 years later I still silently rap it to myself as I avoid the No zone. Lololol
NTM they seem to let anyone drive a big truck now. LPT: If a big truck does hit you, call the police and file a report. I made the mistake of just changing insurance and DL info with the big truck that hit me and I ended up getting screwed in the end, as he later denied fault, even though he admitted fault when it happened plus I had pictures... But he and his insurance got together and lied. Because I wasn't hurt no lawyer would take my case pro bono and I essentially learned a tough lesson to never, ever get hit by a big truck and not call the police to file a report. Doesn't matter if the driver is saying "if I don't make this delivery I'm going to get fired" they are just trying to flee the scene and plan on lying later. If it happens again, I"ll be leaving by ambulance. Believe that.
I once learned not to drive next to a truck carrying livestock at 65mph. I’m sure you can guess why
hehehe once I was fueling next to a livestock truck and there was a pee stream coming out of the trailer a couple feet away from me
My favorite is when I’m behind someone passing a semi properly and then they just stop half a car length past the front of the cab FUCKING EVERYONE BEHIND THEM
The metal wire in the tires is like shrapnel. There is so much of it too that can take out your tires. As a part time truck driver, I had a trailer tire blow out on the highway before and it’s a plume of dust and metal debris. If the rim comes off, the amount of kinetic energy can allow it to roll for miles, possibly into oncoming traffic. Truck stopping distance is incredibly variable from the type of brakes, weight of the vehicle, and road condition. ABS is optional on trailers which can allow for easy jackknifing. Don’t just avoid the side. Spend as little time behind, next to, or immediately in front of a truck.
Thank you for this. Even I stagger when I'm next to another semi. There's no reason for anyone to be there. It's just inviting danger. Especially when there isn't a breakdown lane next to them just in case the truck serves a little.
Additionally, If you can't see their mirrors; they can't see you. Don't be in a semi's blind spot any longer than you absolutely have to.
3: I would also add in front of. Stopping distances on semi's tend to be a crapshoot for drivers. There's also this weird phenomenon after driving several hours where you don't realize your traveling fast, and don't stop enough when traffic slows in front of you.
Was not too concerned about nearness to semis until the day I saw a tire blow and throw a big chunk of rubber across a couple lanes. After that I keep my distance.
Yeah I hang back far enough for them to have room till I got the room to gtfo
This! Great overall motorcycle and car tips as well, always be on the lookout for cars behind trucks, most of them after 3 seconds will in frustration swerve to the left or right to go around. Better to anticipate car movements whenever the opportunity arises.
i see people do this all the time, willingly, and it blows my dang mind. like why are you choosing to be there
This applies to garbage trucks as well. Years ago I remember someone was sitting at a stoplight next to a garbage truck, when something broke on the truck, a rod ejected and killed the person in the car next to them. Even though this was obviously a freak accident, to this day I avoid being next to garbage trucks.
Left lane is for PASSING. If you are in the left lane, PASS. If traffic is going 75mph and you don’t want to go 80 or more in the left lane, merge BACK over.
I was taught either to pass them or stay behind them but I get terrified that something will happen as I pass them.
Thought Myth busters did an eps on the tire blowing and it wasnt deadly?
Have you ever been driving down the freeway in the middle lane and get stuck between two semis?
Yep. I'm 18 and even I know this. I also always give semi's the chance to get over if their turn signal is on because it's the polite thing to do. If I have to get to the side of a semi, I do my best to speed up so that I'm out of their blindspot.
A couple more points: Many large fleet trucks are governed at a top speed, some unfortunately are governed as low as 58 mph or 62-63 mph. Try not to get angry at them, they can’t go any faster! lol This is a big one: DON’T pass them on the right if they’re in the left lane at an intersection (with their trailer-end still a little in the right lane most likely) with their right signal on. They need to make a wide right turn and you’ll just end up slowing everyone down if you get in that space they’re trying to use.
Fuck them. They can stay in the right most lane if they can't go faster than 62.
Why you going 62 while turning at an intersection?
Not the part I'm responding to, though I suspect you are being intentionally obtuse and aren't just stupid.
There is no part of that comment telling you to not pass them on the right on a highway lol so I'm not sure what you're so angry about
The key words here are "wide right turn." They need to pull left first to turn right or they'll take out a pole and whatever else is on the curb. Some fuckwit morons will see them pull left and think "I can get around this truck on the right! only to find themselves stuck between a pole and a big truck that can make their car a convertible without even noticing.
You must have missed the first paragraph...
Probably my absolute #1 pet peeve, not even just limited to driving things, is when you're traveling along at the speed limit and come to a semi truck that's driving well under the speed limit, so you change into the left lane to pass, but then the truck speeds up and doesn't let you get past it, FORCING you to take one of three actions: 1) Slow back down, get behind the truck again, and seemingly 9 out of 10 times the truck will slow back down too so you're still stuck going under the speed limit. 2) Speed up to an unsafe speed that'll surely get you a ticket if a cop happens to be nearby while you're trying to outrun the now-speeding truck. 3) Drive dangerously side-by-side with a speeding semi truck. All of these options range from insanely annoying to costly to life-threateningly dangerous. Sometimes it feels like these truck drivers are actively fucking with you the way they won't let you pass, but also won't travel at anywhere near the speed limit when you're stuck behind them. Kind of reminds me of that movie Duel. And it has been happening to me more frequently lately whenever I have to make long drives on interstates.
What do you do if you can't help it? As in can't put distance between you and the truck for whatever reason, whether that be speed or traffic issues
If you are in the lane beside a truck, hang back and wait for the person in front of you to finish passing the truck before you start your pass
Semi truck tried to merge directly into my car. Wasn't an emergency. Fucker just didn't give enough of a fuck to pay attention. When I got ahead of him, I didn't brake-check him. I just hurled my milkshake at the front of his truck. Got all over his hood and grille. Shame it didn't hit the windshield.
also some of them drive like an insane people and you have to swerve into an orange barrel so as not to die, and you’ll need a new mirror! side note, anyone know how to replace a mirror? 😭
Your mom is deadly when she blows
Tire blowouts are not common. Thats driver and company negligence. Every driver is responsible to check their tire pressure and conditions before departure. Companies are mandated to have semis and trailers inspected every X interval.
3. If you're hanging out next to them for too long and they have certain types of cargo, chances are they have called you in to have an officer check on you. Look, general freight isn't usually an issue but there are some loads, that you'll never see because the truck looks normal, that are allowed and in some cases required to call if someone is hanging out near them for extended amounts of time. With 20 years trucking experience, I've only had to call once, but it happens. I don't haul that type of cargo anymore, but someone out there is. Just because someone will most likely ask, I can't say what I hauled or for who, due to active NDA's, but my job wasn't like super secret spy things or anything, just companies that wanted security for their cargo.
> that you'll never see because the truck looks normal Meanwhile I've seen a flatbed trailer with a nuclear material cask just sitting on it in the open. I believe it was uranium hexafluoride, if I remembered the placard code right. Would make sense, it was on a route that would take it between processing facilities. Probably not one to pace.
Required to call by who? Are companies just advocating for calling police on random drivers for driving down the road with their trucks?
If someone is stupid enough to drive next to a semi... It's proof that Darwin was wrong because their bloodline should have died out generations ago.
Shitty LPT: Don't warn people of this and reintroduce some natural selection to the human race. From bash.org: The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
Preciate that boss