Do you drive like a Trucker?

[ChasL]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Maybe in Texas. Here in the Northeast corridor many of them a bullies on the road with their rigs.

Tailgating, speeding, cutting back in inches past your front bumper, riding the center lane even with the right lane empty....

No different then any aggressive driver up here but with a bigger rig.

The word on the street is if you pass a drug test and insurable, with CDL, your hired.

There are a bunch of truckers Here in Dallas/Fort Worth area that do This. Don't ask me how I know.

[dix39]

I have experienced some wonderful and courteous truckers on the road. I remember some I sincerely appreciated several years ago while leaving Denver on 470 going toward 70 during a very busy afternoon/evening. Several times they formed a hole in the bumper to bumper traffic allowing me to move over to avoid a forced exit taking me somewhere I didn't want to go. Some of them are the best, and I try to emulate their actions.

On the other hand, I have observed a few of them that fit twinboats' description. Those I would just as soon not be associated with.

I realize truckers have a schedule and try to help them with that on the road as much as possible.

Steve

[69Stang]

Can't answer yes or no. Some of those questions are what you should do and some are what you shouldn't do.


My impressions of drivers now days are they aren't very good at what they do. Not all, but the drivers are becoming worse, just like other (non-truck) drivers.

[V3600]

I know when to use your and you're.

[AbdRahim]

Originally Posted by geordi

I think the point of asking "do you drive like a trucker" is better asked: Do you drive like a PROFESSIONAL DRIVER and not a yobbo / nogudnik who doesn't understand the physics of the vehicle he is piloting?

To answer that - YES. I do drive like a trucker. And getting on the highway, truckers will make room for an RV coming on (as I will do for them as well) b/c they KNOW how these boxes perform. I do indeed flash to let them know it is clear, even in my car. If I am entering the highway, it is up to me to adjust to the highway conditions to properly merge, NOT to expect the highway to make room for me.

Many car drivers are quite surprised when THEY are the ones attempting to enter, that I do not stomp on my brakes to make room for their 40-mph-stupidity b/c they can't find their gas. That's not my problem, and I hope there isn't any debris in the breakdown lane if they reach the end of the ramp without learning what the floor under their right foot feels like! There are limits to being polite, and those limits are not imperiling myself or my vehicle while trying to fix someone else's stupidity.

Agreed. Many of the new generation drivers don't seem to be schooled in the old road courtesies or don't care. But, yes, I try at all times to drive like a professional and courteous truck driver at all times and in all vehicles.

[Nudge]

Traffic is full of all kinds of drivers.
My expectations are for someone to do something stupid at any given moment.
I anticipate them to cut me off. Not use directionals. To drive as if it’s their own personal space and everyone else has to adapt.
Some days are better than others.
It is what it is.
Stay safe y’all ~

[akeagle]

This is something I've wanted to ask for a long time and this seems like a near perfect opportunity to ask.

Are there common sense things, courtesies, or other "tricks of the trade" among truckers that RVers can learn and apply that would make operating on the highways easier, safer, and less stressful for all drivers?

Here's an example I learned years ago from my dad who wasn't a trucker but did hold a CDL: When a large truck passes you and is an appropriate distance ahead to safely change back to your lane, flick your high beam headlights a couple times when you can see the driver looking in his mirror. Instead of guessing if he can make the lane change safely, now he knows he can. The appreciative trucker will thank you by blinking his clearance lights or for trailers without clearance lights, activate the hazard blinkers for a couple seconds.

Surely there are many more things we RVers can learn to make "running with the big dogs" safer and more enjoyable.

To all of you former and current truckers out there, how about it?

[RRR]

Originally Posted by akeagle

When a large truck passes you and is an appropriate distance ahead to safely change back to your lane, flick your high beam headlights a couple times when you can see the driver looking in his mirror. Instead of guessing if he can make the lane change safely, now he knows he can. The appreciative trucker will thank you by blinking his clearance lights or for trailers without clearance lights, activate the hazard blinkers for a couple seconds.


To all of you former and current truckers out there, how about it?

Nothing worse than someone trying to "help" me by telling where the rear end is by giving me a mirror full of five million candlepower light and burning my retina and letting me see spots in my eyes till the next uneducated clown does the same thing.

No offense to you but the high beam flash came about due to the daytime running lights.

Just short of 45 years in a truck, half or more of it at night, till the DW said "retire, divorce, or wake up dead." I chose option one.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by RKins

I think some of the professional drivers can't read English - I was driving South on 40 east of Knoxville on my way toward Asheville. I was in my Jeep and 40 is 2 lanes each way and very curvy. The left lane was marked (on the payment) "No Big Rigs In This Lane" and sure enough this one 18 wheeler was in the left lane the whole way while all the other pros were in the right lane passing him.

There are a lot of Mexican truck drivers on USA roads every day, many cannot speak English.

Had personal experience with that issue.

[gpounder]

I see traffic as a dance with many moving pieces. My part is very different when in the big RV as compared to my little truck or car. For the most part truckers are a predictable bunch and they are good at what they do.
I want to be good too. I drove a bus for a few years and learned the dance.

Now with the RV the dance is different and the same. I want to glide with the traffic and make me predictable to others. I want to be where I need to be far in advance. I want to fit in, not push my way in. I want to work my machine so I am not in the way by shifting properly and timely.

[akeagle]

Originally Posted by RRR

Nothing worse than someone trying to "help" me by telling where the rear end is by giving me a mirror full of five million candlepower light and burning my retina and letting me see spots in my eyes till the next uneducated clown does the same thing.

No offense to you but the high beam flash came about due to the daytime running lights.

Just short of 45 years in a truck, half or more of it at night, till the DW said "retire, divorce, or wake up dead." I chose option one.

Wow, I didn't know my stock headlights were anywhere near "5 million candlepower". Besides, I can't see the driver in his mirror at night but the driver should see the reflection of my headlight flash on road signs, trees, etc. I can't believe that would "burn the retinas". Yep, there are unappreciative drivers out there.

[69Stang]

Originally Posted by RRR

Nothing worse than someone trying to "help" me by telling where the rear end is by giving me a mirror full of five million candlepower light and burning my retina and letting me see spots in my eyes till the next uneducated clown does the same thing.

No offense to you but the high beam flash came about due to the daytime running lights.

Just short of 45 years in a truck, half or more of it at night, till the DW said "retire, divorce, or wake up dead." I chose option one.

If that's true why do truckers flash other truckers?

What do DRL's have to do with flashing headlights?

[jeanluc001]

recently retired after 38 years driving. have driven just about every size rig there is. the absolute worse development in that time is the cell phone.
you can now assume that all drivers around you are distracted by a little screen.
so many accidents have happened due to the fact that people think they can get away with a few seconds of inattention to the road.
not the case.

[BillJinOR]

Trucks have a momentary switch to turn OFF the headlights and back on Not flash the brights. When I drove , for one of the largest companies, it was against policy to “flash” because the lawyers in the suits said it accepted partial responsibility. If things went south you are accepting $$$ “you said it was ok” Like not seeing the impatient driver try to pass on the right when you say it’s ok to move over
The flash is a good old boy trucker thing from the past ... long before daytime running lights ... And as I said NEVER with bright lights . I can’t tell you how many helpful souls blinded my mirror at night just when I needed it!
Not helpful! There is a major trucker shortage, and like the public in general there are less than qualified drivers on the road who can barely get out of bed let alone be a pro at the wheel.
When I was trained I was told a pro knows were the rear is and doesn’t need help , if they do they aren’t a “pro”. Kinda blunt but it got the point across In 30 years I never needed help to know where my rig was in relation to yours..
but back to the topic [emoji6]