Do you drive like a Trucker?

[Rollin101]

Originally Posted by 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.

I totally agree with you. I never talk, look, or text on the cell phone while driving. If mine rings or I get a text the wife answers it or it goes unanswered until I stop somewhere.

[Petcar]

I do try to be courteous to all drivers, especially trucks.

Have learned, having driven class A’s since ‘74, the problems large vehicles face.

In the early days maybe 85%, or more, truckers signaled, & acknowledged RVrs signals, when passing. Today maybe 15% do so.

With that said, if pulling out to pass a truck, and I see the driver is rapidly approaching another vehicle, I will signal that I will let driver move to left lane. If I’m already beside truck, I’ll accelerate to pass as quickly as possible even exceeding speed limit. (I dislike losing momentum & I bet they do also)

Even if truckers don’t flash for me to pull back in, for the most part they appear to be good drivers. Peter

[MSHappyCampers]

I've always had a lot of respect for truckers and I know that most of them are professionals doing their job and respecting other drivers. It seems like we are seeing more and more who are obviously new drivers who think they own the road, bullying and disrespecting other drivers. Sad......

[Nudge]

True story happened two weeks ago. I was driving Hwy93 from Las Vegas to Caliente (home). A 2 lane road I know fairly well. I see headlights coming someone’s passing the Semi I can see. As I watch her lights in my lane I’m thing she’s coming from far back and passing more than the Semi. I slow down. Lights still coming. I slow to 25 Mph and start to think this IS BAD! The Semi driver is now flashing HIS lights!! I then truly thought about bailing into the desert on the side of the road.
She made it over. She was driving a lead car for a oversized load (Huge Tires). As I drove past in order there were~Semi-Semi-Class A-Semi-Tire Load & rear Oversized load follow car!!! The trucker had backed everyone up for this IDIOT! He tooted his horn at me as I passed. (Or her dunno)
After my heart came out of my throat I said “I hope she crapped her pants!”
That Trucker (and the smart drivers behind him) saved lives that day. And you guessed it she pulled in front of the Semi with only inches to spare!
I hope she quits her day job.

[John Boy]

Sounds like you had a BAD day!

[Cover Dog]

Originally Posted by RubiconTrail

Unfair characterization of truckers. Like everyone, some are cool, some are not.

+1....... I’m a retired semi driver with 2.3m miles of accident free/ticket free driving. Not all are like what you think.

[LarryFlew]

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.

Was about to answer nearly identical to above. Saved me typing time. AWESOME response IMO

[W5CI]

I will admit to driving like a trucker since I made a living driving a truck for 30 years. Yes I check my mirrors before changing lanes and don't give a flip what is behind me.

[T12]

As a former truck driver trainer I can tell you I drive to both stay alive and let others live. Most drivers are professional and drive that way. The few who don't spoil it for the rest. I have also Sen. RV drivers who should not be driving without training. I now drive my 1984 27 ft class A just like I drove my big truck.

[kwahl1]

Originally Posted by gpounder

This was not meant disparage truckers at all. Most of my questions are about bad habits anyone can do. I live on the southern end of Yosemite NP and RVs abound on our mountain roads. Many RVers do not drive there rigs very well IMHO.

Yosemite!!! Quite familiar with RV drivers in the park or on either side of the Park. RV rentals, Cruise America Yahoo!’s, El Monte RV rentals. These are the people from the East coast, flying into SFO or LAX and try to see California in 1 or 2 weeks- San Diego to the Redwoods, ocean to Death Valley in their “rig”. The trucking industry is not the professional drivers it used to be. Most are immigrants unfamiliar with the physics of 120 tons, taking the first available job, many times working longer hours to “git er dun”.

[MillerDE45]

Amen, just watch the mirrors you'll see them!

[BSHGTO]

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.

Living in The MD.WV,PA.> triangle this is 100% correct the arrogance of the truckers around here is appalling . My wife refuses to drive on the freeway I81,I70 anymore. Even FEDX UPS Amazon trucks are tailgating and trying to intimidate people even speeding in the fast lane, Professional ? Not anymore, if you breath and haven`t been in prison in the last 2 years for driving offensives your hired.

[StageCoachDr]

I pull a 35' 5er. I leave 3 seconds between me and the vehicle in front. At 60 MPH, that's 90 yards.

When a trucker passes me, I flash my headlights signaling he/she can pull in.
I slow or change lanes for emergency vehicles on side of road.
I slow for merging traffic.
I check tires for heat when I stop.
I do a full walk around with lights and 4-ways on before pulling out.
We plan every trip and have reservations before we start.
I usually stay in the right lane - some states that's the law.
I'm aware of things overhead (learned that one the hard way).
My GPS knows my height, length and weight.

[flipper003]

For me, gpounder and spdracr39 nailed it. Also I noticed in my trips in the RV this year that there wasn't much light blinking going on to give clearances for turning in. Most of the trucks passing me were well past me when they hit their blinkers, not that they were waiting on me, but knew their spaces and needed no help. I try to look at the entire traffic flow while driving and anticipate what is happening in front and rear and drive accordingly. If I need to change lanes for whatever reason I do it well in advance. I have little sympathy for those who wait until the last second then try to bulldoze into a lane. Smooth transitions seem to be the best means for safe traffic flow. JMHO.