Following OTR trucks etiquette ?

[Tycer]

Sometimes in my work truck on the highway I'll tuck up behind a semi when the headwinds are strong. The other day I had a sheet of drywall covered in painters plastic on my bed cover that was looking like the wind would rip it off in the rain so I tucked in behind a semi a safe distance behind, but close enough to ease the wind on my load. Followed him for about six miles until we took opposite legs of the fork. As I passed him on his left he swerved into my lane with his fist and bird out the window. I've never had a trucker do that. Not even close. I pride myself in being a safe, courteous driver. I allow trucks the greatest courtesy as I used to carry a CDL and always appreciated folks that flashed the all clear for lane change and gave me room. I use my signals before I brake, I do not cut people off etc. I try to drive in such a way that other drivers do not have to adjust their driving because of mine. However, if this guy was any indication, I am a poor example of a roadworthy individual. I had no clue I had upset him until he made it clear. I apologize Richard.

[Les Staley]

With the bad economy all kinds of folks are hittin' the road..most never drove OTR..getting a typical cross section of personality types..bound to be a few A-orifice types mixed in..what bugs me is someone who hangs in my blind spot, or right next to my trailer tires...ever see a cap come off?..would take out a windshield or side glass in a heartbeat..pretty scarey..but I wouldn't think it necessary to give 'em the bird...

[AJMD429]

I ALWAYS make sure I maintain the ability to see the truck-driver at all times in his mirror(s).

If I can't see the truck driver, he/she can't see me...

In college, I was a dispatcher for Mayflower, and one of our drivers also had a son who worked for us, but of course they were always in different parts of the country. This was (way) before cellphones, so we passed messages between the two. I was the one who had to trick the dad to go to a local agent where we had arranged a counselor to meet him, and then call the dad and tell him his son had been killed in a freak roll-over when exiting an interstate - caused by someone tailgating him so close that when he slowed down abruptly for a sharply turning exit ramp, the following vehicle slid (on ice) into him enough to knock his back end sideways. I'll never forget being a 'tough 20 year old kid' but crying on the phone as I had to tell this guy about that - this was a guy I never met, but who had bragged on his son all summer to me.

Anyway, I figure there are always going to be TWO definitions of 'safe following distance' - mine and the person I'm following. The one to pick has to be whichever is the longer one, regardless of my priorities; I can't read the other guy's mind, so I assume at a minimum, he wants to keep me in sight so he KNOWS where I am at, vs. having to wonder.

[Old Time Hunter]

I ALWAYS make sure I maintain the ability to see the truck-driver at all times in his mirror(s).

If I can't see the truck driver, he/she can't see me...

Absolutely correct! They might see your shadow, but try and imagine the stress the driver is going through.

[Modoc ED]

What might have seemed a safe distance for you may have been an uncomfortable distance for the truck driver. AJMD gave some good advice when he said; "I ALWAYS make sure I maintain the ability to see the truck-driver at all times in his mirror(s). If I can't see the truck driver, he/she can't see me...". I had a Class A license some time ago and didn't like people following me for long periods of time. I'd have to think if you were following the truck close enough for your material not to be blown by the head-wind that you were following too close.

Griff ought to be along soon and we'll probably get his opinion.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I used to drive OTR. If you were in his draft you were too close.

On a side note, one of my pet peeves is the driver coming up from behind in the rain or wet road driving light colored white or grey cars and they don't have their lights on. You just can't see them in that mist coming off those rear tandems.

I was behind another truck that had just pass me and as he went to move back into my lane this no-lights idiot in a light gray car just couldn't wait and tried to pass him on the right side. The truck driver could see him and just pushed him off the road right in front of me.
incredibly stupid ,

[vancelw]

I was behind another truck that had just pass me and as he went to move back into my lane this no-lights idiot in a light gray car just couldn't wait and tried to pass him on the right side. The truck driver could see him and just pushed him off the road right in front of me.
incredibly stupid ,

The stupid one was the truck driver. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I was behind another truck that had just pass me and as he went to move back into my lane this no-lights idiot in a light gray car just couldn't wait and tried to pass him on the right side. The truck driver could see him and just pushed him off the road right in front of me.
incredibly stupid ,

The stupid one was the truck driver. Two wrongs don't make a right.

I disagree,
here's the rest of the story. this was on a 6 lane freeway (3 one way and 3 the other). I was in the right or shoulder lane. The truck driver passed using the middle lane and after I flashed him clear he even signaled to get back in front of me in the right lane. The far left or fast lane had a string of cars passing us both. The idiot driver in the light gray car had raced up in the middle lane to try and get around that string. I saw him coming up fast then slow down as he got up behind the passing truck. He just couldn't wait for the truck driver to get out of the middle lane so he tries to pass him on the right in front of me. What else could the Truck driver have done?

[Rusty]

I don't flip people off but I don't like tailgaters either. If people tailgate me long enough I will slow down, and keep slowing down until they pass me. I have slowed down to as slow as 45 MPH to make some people pass. Some folks are a little slow on the uptake.

[Griff]

Ah, the stories I could tell. Doc pretty much nailed it. Les too.

I don't flip people off but I don't like tailgaters either. If people tailgate me long enough I will slow down, and keep slowing down until they pass me. I have slowed down to as slow as 45 MPH to make some people pass. Some folks are a little slow on the uptake.

As a rule I don't either... but I've been told I was #1... A LOT! And I've slowed as 30... climbin' a hill... by a guy that'd followed me for over 200 miles... finally called the HP... (I had over $5mil in computers in the wagon... they had a chat on the side of the road... don't know what happened, they told me to keep going, and not stop until I got out of their state!

I don't like being tailgated. By truck or car. Neither can see around me. So neither can react to what I 'm likely needing to do based on what's happening in front of me. The truck behind me's only saving grace, is that I may be able to warn him... and at best, he probably ain't able to out maneuver me. A car... probably will, and is likely to then block me in somewhere I don't want to be... or can't get out of.

I drive with the goal to always have an escape route... I try to avoid packs of vehicles around me... I want as much room as possible, front, rear, and both sides! A car behind me that I can't see... is a worrisome thing.

Then, there's the safety factor... a tire tread on the road... while I might be able to swerve to avoid it... there's always a likelihood that I'll clip it... toss it up into that vehicle behind me... not even the very real threat that I could have a blow-out...

Nope, don't follow... the rule of thumb is one vehicle length for every 10mph. It's very hard for me to maintain that... I'm 64' from nose to tail... you're what... 15'? Even today, with a relatively light load... I'm 44,000 lbs... you're what... 4,500?

Vance, I'm sure that what Nate meant to say... is that the truck driver COULDN'T see the car... My right side has a huge blind spot. And he's very right... light colored cars, especially white or gray are invisible in that spray. Plus, when a vehicle flashes it lights to indicate that it's clear for me to move over... I'm doin' so... And sometimes, once committed... it's safest to keep on movin'. In traffic, I've often had the vehicle to me left moving over into the space I'm still vacating... something has to give... and the poor idiot that tried to dart around me on the right is usually the one.

G'nite, I'm going to bed, been driving all nite.

[AJMD429]

I don't flip people off but I don't like tailgaters either. If people tailgate me long enough I will slow down, and keep slowing down until they pass me.

Yep... If they won't "maintain the appropriate following distance vs. your speed", by altering their "following distance", then the only other thing you have control over is "your speed", so adjust it to reflect their "following distance".

I have slowed down to as slow as 45 MPH to make some people pass. Some folks are a little slow on the uptake.

You got that right. One time I actually came to a stop in the middle lane of a not-at-all-busy three-lane interstate; nobody around for miles, but this idiot wouldn't pass me, even after I'd changed lanes to make it easier for him; I moved to the right lane after awhile and he moved right behind me, so I assumed he was going to exit soon and in a hurry. I moved back to the middle lane, and he moved back to it, right on my butt.

With that kind of tailgater, there are times I wish I were driving a tri-axle full of one-inch greased ball-bearings I could dump...

[jnyork]

If you cant see the trucker in his rearview mirror, you are too close. Period.

[jkbrea]

I know a lot of motorcycles like to get in behind trucks on long trips to ride in the draft . I never could do it. Too scary for me. I always worried that if the truck had to brake or had a blowout, I'd be roadkill. I never drove a big rig but towing a large fifth wheel sure gave me an appreciation of how difficult it is dealing with some inconsiderate and idiot drivers. My biggest gripe is getting cut off and trying to slow that heavy load down, especially on an uphill grade. It takes alot to get back up to speed.

[AmBraCol]

I know a lot of motorcycles like to get in behind trucks on long trips to ride in the draft . I never could do it. Too scary for me. I always worried that if the truck had to brake or had a blowout, I'd be roadkill. I never drove a big rig but towing a large fifth wheel sure gave me an appreciation of how difficult it is dealing with some inconsiderate and idiot drivers. My biggest gripe is getting cut off and trying to slow that heavy load down, especially on an uphill grade. It takes alot to get back up to speed.

Aaahhhh, motorcycles. Nearly clipped an idiot bikerchick on I-5 in Oregon a couple years ago. Heavy traffic, saw a bike coming up the ramp to the right, gave him plenty of room, was checking to make sure there was plenty of room to my rear and sides as well and did NOT see the idiot chick come roaring up on her Harley or whatever "Live Free Or Die" bike she had. She was running WAY faster than the guy she was trying to catch up with and was NOT visible until she nearly took us in the right rear quarter panel. Of course she flipped the bird after she zigzagged around us.

I ride bike myself - but don't assume EVER than a car or truck sees me. Her hurry to catch up instead of riding safe nearly took her out - but she was too dumb to realize what she'd done.

Never have driven an 18 wheeler, but did spend time running farm trucks in the silage harvest. Folks in cars have no idea that a big rig can't stop on a dime. Being a safe driver means seeing things from the other vehicle's perspective when possible.

[Tycer]

All good points. Thanks guys!

[Gobblerforge]

I drive with the goal to always have an escape route... I try to avoid packs of vehicles around me... I want as much room as possible, front, rear, and both sides! .

"Always leave an out." This was preached when I took drivers training in the 70's. It was and is part of my driving strategy weather on the bike, car or truck.
Gobbler

[Borregos]

I drive with the goal to always have an escape route... I try to avoid packs of vehicles around me... I want as much room as possible, front, rear, and both sides! .

"Always leave an out." This was preached when I took drivers training in the 70's. It was and is part of my driving strategy weather on the bike, car or truck.
Gobbler

+1

[Old Time Hunter]

I drive with the goal to always have an escape route... I try to avoid packs of vehicles around me... I want as much room as possible, front, rear, and both sides! .

"Always leave an out." This was preached when I took drivers training in the 70's. It was and is part of my driving strategy weather on the bike, car or truck.
Gobbler

+1

+2...Over 2 million miles without an incident, always drove by evaluating means of escape between me and the horizon while being cognizant of the conditions/situation surrounding me.

Have seen more than a few four-wheelers get tidily winked into a field or ditch because they attempted to take advantage of an eighteen wheeler's blind spot.

[Gobblerforge]

I hear ya. I drove a strait body around Cleveland and NE Ohio for 15 years. Sometimes it feels like I've seen it all.
Gobbler

[Ysabel Kid]

I don't flip people off but I don't like tailgaters either. If people tailgate me long enough I will slow down, and keep slowing down until they pass me. I have slowed down to as slow as 45 MPH to make some people pass. Some folks are a little slow on the uptake.

Or they don't realize it soon enough. I drive a 2013 Ford Explorer for work. It has a feature some people love and some people hate - "adaptive cruise control". I'm in the "love" column, because it allows me to take my foot off the gas and plant it, so I'm not irritating my right heel (which still gives me fits after my car accident a coulpe years ago).

Basically I turn on the cruise control, set my desired speed, and set my distance between me and the car in front of me (in car lengths). I have often found, since the speed changes are so gradual, that I'm going much slower than the posted speed limit because I have got behind someone doing the same. I should pay more attention to the speed, but I don't because I know with the cruise control on I won't be speeding, so my focus goes to watching the road and other drivers. I'm looking out for the idiots we all share the road with, not those going a safe, steady speed.

Now, that being said, I set the gap very large, just so I don't get up in any trucker's blind spot. Also means I've looked down and found myself putzing along like I'm out for a Sunday drive!

[AmBraCol]

OK, you want to see tailgating? I'll show you tailgating...













Yep, that's the way they roll here. Check out the guy on the right. Yep, he's carrying a box in one hand while holding on with the other... brilliant - absolutely brilliant...

And NO, I did not take the pic while driving - it was taken by my lovely co-pilot at my request, however. Figured you guys might be impressed...

[Canuck Bob]

I drove oilfield equipment for years and drive around big rigs and logging trucks both on the highway and logging roads. I understand the drafting thing but most truckers up here would take a real dim view of drafting while being invisible to the driver. It is no real issue on busy multi lane roads due to volumes of traffic. Obviously you are a sensible driver but the guy may have been talking to his divorce or tax lawyer!!!!

I just sit a decent ways back with my left edge visible in his mirror. I subscribe to the rule to always have a line of sight to one of his mirrors and no hard acceleration over taking from his blind spots. I find the sweet spot for drafting is too close for my own personal comfort level anyway. Also I buy a lot of windshields from following trucks.

The best drivers I know are professional truckers.

[plowboy 45]

Try a cow truck @ 80000 plus and get cut off. The tail gater don't bother me because its all gonna be his problem when it comes out from under the pot cause he ain't gonna get no warning. They are also kinda hard to stop real quick cause don't wanta go breakin legs there no good after that so please stay outa the way of the cow trucks I promise I won't hold you up no longer than that freight hauler takes to get outa my way. See yall in TX somtime maybe I20 US 287. Be safe. BEEF ITS WHATS FOR DINNER. AND SUPPER

[Lastmohecken]

I know a lot of motorcycles like to get in behind trucks on long trips to ride in the draft . I never could do it. Too scary for me. I always worried that if the truck had to brake or had a blowout, I'd be roadkill. I never drove a big rig but towing a large fifth wheel sure gave me an appreciation of how difficult it is dealing with some inconsiderate and idiot drivers. My biggest gripe is getting cut off and trying to slow that heavy load down, especially on an uphill grade. It takes alot to get back up to speed.

I have been riding for several years, and I remember being told by a long time big mile biker to never ride behind any duel wheeled truck, because they can throw rocks, or other debris, etc from the wheels, or run over stuff in the road and kick it up. One time, it was a beautiful spring morning, and I was riding my old Harley Wide Glide into town, and I came up on one of those duel wheeled bread delivery trucks, it was a two lane highway, and I couldn't pass for a mile or so, so I made the conscious decision to fall back a few car lengths knowing the potential danger, until I could pass. That decision most certainly kept me from having a bad accident.

I heard a metallic clang from in front of the bread truck, and out from under the back wheels comes a steel truck bumper, at first it was tumbling then it laid flat and started spinning on the pavement like a Helicopter blade. This all happened so fast, and I knew I couldn't stop, 98 Wide Glides don't have very good brakes, anyway. I was just about to do a hard counterstear to the left, because it looked like the spinning helicopter blade was going into the ditch on my right, but then caught some grass or something, and headed back across the highway to my left. By this time, it was almost on me, and I hard countersteared to the right instead, and the spinning bumper just missed my front wheel and left foot.

This all happened in no more then maybe 6 car lengths. Immediately, the truck makes a left turn into a service station, and I believe I still saw a front bumper on his truck, I wanted to stop and turn in with him to see where in the heck that bumper came from, but I was so shook up that I was afraid to try to stop, and not knowing what was behind me at that point, so I just kept going. It took another mile for me to calm down. I believe the bumper was already laying in the road, and he ran over it.

All of this happened so fast it was unbelievable. So, as I was told, years ago, never follow too close behind a big rig, and never ride beside one, either. Never stay stagnet beside or in anyone's blind spot, I don't even do that with a pickup.

[Sixgun]

It's easy for an American owner-operator to get into a bad mood real fast. I load trailers for a living and when I hand the driver his paperwork to sign, and he speaks English, I shake his hand. Fully half of drivers who come to our place are either Russian, Romanian, Mexican/Spanish of some kind, or some other third world country.

Because the foreigners are driving trucks for like $10 an hour and creating disturbing competition, owner-operators tell me they are just barely making payments on their rigs.

It's easy to tell just by looking at the tractor whether or not the driver is an owner/operator or a scab. Owner operators have clean, newer trucks (like Griff's) with the proper lettering and DOT numbers and the others drive 20 year old tractors, filthy, with cheap magnetic lettering often with recapped tires showing a 1/8" of tread.

I see this every work day and it's not speculation. It's a stressful world we live in today and we European Anglos are supposed to hold our temper and "tolerate".-----6

[vancelw]

never follow too close behind a big rig, and never ride beside one, either. Never stay stagnet beside or in anyone's blind spot, I don't even do that with a pickup.

This...

It never ceases to amaze me how many people will tailgate you while you're in the left lane passing someone, then once you pull back to the right to let them pass, they will simply hover in your blind spot. Yeah, you're supposed to be aware of what and who is around you, but if someone hangs in your blind spot long enough, you might forget they are there. I have even slowed down to let them pass, or eventually sped up to get away from them, but some will continue to hang in your blind spot for miles????? I guess they can't figure out how to use their cruise control or drive without their cell phone in their hand.

I've driven all over the country and I still swear Kansas City area drivers are the most aggressive.

[FWiedner]

The driver of the truck should have been reported to the state police.

It's unimportant whether traveling in his draft annoyed him or whether he was upset because he couldn't see you in his mirrors. He should have continued to operate his rig in a safe and responsible manner rather than playing chicken.

If he'd succeeded in forcing you off the road and injured you or your family, or if he'd managed to pile up his rig by losing control of it because he wanted to play road-warrior instead treating 20-tons of cargo with the respect it deserves, would you still be asking what you did wrong?

[plowboy 45]

You never know about some folks. I had aguy just south of Amarillo on 287 pass then brake check me once. I flaged him down to ask him what I had done, he was 60 years or so and wanted to fight being around 40 at the time I figured he was a little more experience than myself , after he got through stomping and cussin, all he could say was I tried to kill him and his wife, never did know how, he was tailgatin me, unless something came out from my trailer Ill never know

[mark08]

One I still laugh about. Happened in high school while hauling FFA show cattle back home. One dairy cow had calved at the fair that morning. She cleaned herself in the truck on the way home. A car tailgated us for about twenty miles and three uphill passing lanes. Then it happened, the afterbirth vibrated though a crack in the floor boards of the truck. The wind caught the afterbirth. It opened up like a sail. Was almost a perfect fit for the tailgater's windshield. The tailgater stopped , we didn't.... stop laughing til we were home and to this day my cousin and I still get the giggles when this is told.

Moral:::: Don't tailgate!!!!!!! period.....

[Sixgun]

What Vance said about people hanging in your blind spot, you,know, with their front end several feet past your tail end and just riding there in the passing lane without a care in the world, mile after mile. I slow down, they slow down....I go 45 in a 65, they do the same. Can't figure out people......they are either stupid or just don't give a #+*=.

In my younger days, I would throw napkins at them, them thinking it was something bad coming their way. Now, my patience is even shorter...but a little smarter .I will stand on the brakes and then they will pass...

My BIL was a little more of a nut job than me and he would wing beer cans at anyone who did not fit his style of driving. Yea, sometimes the cans were full. He's Italian, my wife's brother.

I don't think anyone likes to be tailgated. ---6

[AJMD429]

I don't think anyone likes to be tailgated. ---6

While I agree with FWiedner that one shouldn't "vent anger" on tailgaters, to me "tailgating" a person is not much different than pointing a loaded gun at them - it may be innocent and even done 'carefully', but there is risk there that is unneeded, and unacceptable.

Bottom line with cars (or guns) is that there is really no place for hot tempers, but whatever can be done to safely mitigate the risks when someone does something stupid, or to educate them, is indeed appropriate.

[AJMD429]

Road Rage didn't work out too well for this guy... http://clashdaily.com/2014/03/instant-j ... bered-god/