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Trucker Rules Posted by Snowmobile [Email] (#686) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Snowmobile) on Mon, 13 Apr 2015 07:31:46 In Reply to: Re: How Hilly?, AdamSAAB2kAero [Profile/Gallery] , Fri, 10 Apr 2015 17:20:32 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Relevant rules from drivers ed:
1) If you can't pass a vehicle within 3 seconds, you are passing unsafely.
2) Rear view check at least once every 8 seconds, and after any intersection turn, before braking, etc.
3) Pass on the left. It is actually illegal to pass on the inside in some countries!
4) Stagger vehicles as much as possible.
5) 3 second minimum lead time. Amazingly, few people do this!
6) Drive a speed appropriate to the traffic and conditions. Obey the law within reason, but don't just follow the posted limits. Sometimes you need to drive higher or lower to be safe.
7) Whenever possible, drive in the lane of least resistance.
Corollary to 1): In most instances, Trucks should not pass anything. Ditto for Winebegos.
Corollary to 3): Don't hog the left lane driving slowly there... like when you are driving a truck or winibego passing another truck or winebego. Admittedly more a problem with 2 lane than 3 lane.
Corollary to 6): If all the traffic is going faster than you, you are quite possibly driving too slowly. Driving too slowly can be unsafe too!
In Ontario, trucks are now regulated to drive 105 max (about 60mph), so they are mostly not moving as fast and furious as they used to. If one drives in the right lane at approximately their speed, the variation over hills will often lead to them tailgating on downhills (dangerously violating rule 5), and holding you up on uphills. In general, with 3 lanes, I would advocate driving in the middle lane at the speed of the middle lane (not at the speed of the right lane!), as it usually is the lane of least resistance: fewer trucks, fewer mergings. Usually a bit faster than the trucks, so they become a non-issue. Use the left lane to pass vehicles moving too slowly in the middle lane. Do you want to force everyone else to have to pass you?
If I am being overtaken by an aggressive truck driver, I just let them go by on my left, but I ease off the gas to slow down as they go by to ensure that they pass quickly enough (3 seconds). When they pass you on the left, you are in a huge dangerous blindspot of a massive vehicle. What happens if the driver forgets you are there? I always want to have control of the situation: pass trucks fast, help them pass you fast. It's all about relative speed!
Also, trucks don't use more gas to switch lanes really. I don't see how switching lanes would help them - might just confuse them.
I've seen this a few times: open 2 lane each way divided highway. 2 cars driving side by side with no other cars in sight... as I slowly catch up to them for miles (wondering if they will let me by). What happens if a deer jumps out? Why wouldn't they stagger? Darwin?
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