I work on the big rigs every day, know lots of truck drivers and like and respect almost everyone of them. I say almost casue like everything else there are some real duds out there. I especially dislike having to work on the guys truck that never cleans it and it smells like socks and mold. Luckily that doesn't happen often though.

I always give total respect on the interstates and in town. Truckers are the nicest group of people I have ever met. Some of your trucks are a pain in the neck to work on though (Peterbilt) If any of the truckers here are ever in Kentucky (I-65) maybe I'll see you around.

 

wow i love how we get off topic so easily

 

Okie-Dokie: My X-husband used to drive an oil tanker through residential areas....dealing with constant 4-wheelers jumping in infront of him to snap up his buffer space, sometimes just as the light would change. He would moan " they must not realize that when I apply my brakes, my fuel load slams forward....and I can't stop my rig !! " For me, it's hauling mules on the highway...if we're forced to make sudden corrections for the Mario Andretti's, it's brutal on our animals...and maybe even fatal. Thanks to all who understand ...Mulelady

 

Well since that other thread was taken completely off topic, I decided it wouldn't fit too badly if I split all the trucker posts into it's own topic....

I always am as respectiful and curtious to truck drivers as I can be....but I am usually that way to other drivers unless they do something stupid to screw me up.

 

you don't back them up, you split them apart and back them one at a time. And to all those that flash lights to let us drivers know we can pull over, THANKS But please oh please don't flash your high beams that just blinds the driver, and is not helpful (kinda like someone forgetting to turn down there high beams when they are coming at you)
My personal pet peeve in the truck is people that hang out by my trailer tires, if I have to hit my brakes hard enough to lock them up that trailer is probably coming around one way or another and I don't want ot have to worry about where the 4wheelers are, and if a car is hanging out there you have just eliminated an option for me if something happens, besides have you ever seen the "aligators" along the road those things way like 60lbs, and when they come off they can really tear up your vehicle, I personally don't like caps but when you work for someone else you don't have a choice of what they put for tires on the trailer.

 

Matt, my computer uses wood.

I try to give the truckers every chance I can. I know they are heavy and I try to stay out of their way. If I can give them a break, I will.

 

I've puled trailers of most every size, and have driven a big rig at one time to see if I could , and my buddy that let me do it said it looked like I had done it for years the way I winged it through the narrow streets of the town I had turned back in. Point is, I have seen every complaint that has been brought up by the full time drivers, and do all I can to help them out on their tasks, whether flashing the lights off to signal they are clear, or keeping a lane clear so they can turn, I even yield to them in construction that is one lane so they don't have to worry about slowing down for me to get clear, I also try to signal in that occasion. It doesn't matter if your pulling a 53' 80000 pond rig, or a single car trailer and a pickup, they will still act like they better hurry up and get around, they may slow them down... I had one guy go around me in a construction area and pass on the right, through the construction, to get around me and the 2 car trailer I was running. A buddy of mine was right behind me and saw it all and just couldn't believe it. A little later, another had to hurry up and get around me on a long hill in Wisconsin, and then promptly slowed down to get off the exit, and I had nowhere to go, as we had just entered more construction, and had a rough time getting going again. Just too many idiots that are allowed a license.

 

I had a short period of driving tankers. They were smooth bore "acid" trailers. It's amazing how many people think that you can stop on a dime!

It also amazes me how many people try to pass trucks on the right when they are trying to make a right turn.

One thing I always do automatically is stop back from the white line at intersections to make extra room in case a truck comes by and needs to make the turn.

 

Out of curiousity, what does it mean when truckers turn their headlights on or off when you pass them, and what is it with flashing the taillights? I am just curious.

 

Flashing the headights is just simple way of letting the passing vehicle know that they are completely passed the slower vehicle, and can safely pull back into the driving lane. Flashing the tailights is done by the passing vehicle as a way of saying thanks for letting a person know it is safe.

 

Cool, thats what I figured.

 

we have a ten ton dump truck with one of those big farmer sized fertilizer tanks on the back we use to spread water on the job site. it's pretty simple, just open the valve and drive up and down the road spreading water. hardest part is driving real close to the edge next to a 50 foot drop and not slipping off the edge and having to go ask the bulldozer guy to tow me out

but what gets me is my twenty year old supervisor who will pull up next to me in his honda and start yelling about something or other

30 year old diesel engine with a full load of water = i can't hear a damn thing... i'm just watching my mirrors and ******** here is yelling and waving his arms

now when i talk to drivers i climb up on the step and talk to them... those guys do long days to earn a living and it doesn't do any good to stand down there yelling at them