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definitely. that’s why I still sacrifice ultimate lightness and fuel economy to drive a big, heavy, stout German sedan. I’d love 30+ mpg, but with these behemoths clogging the interstates, it is all a tradeoff. I lean towards a strong defense.
SUVs and Pickups are vehicles I’m afraid of. Thats why I think twice before lowering my E30. I think about my next car being higher and/or having better side crash protection. Even about driving less and more alert. I think SUV and pickup drivers do not care about folks like me or others enough to consider making a more sensible purchase with smaller vehicle drivers in mind. Although sports car buyers may be considered hazardous to themselves also.
Definitely, especially when they tailgate you for 10 minutes.
Riding in them is a little more scary at first, you feel like you’re in a really high moving house or something really big and loud. :X
Is that Mexico? Truck drivers around here are usually very professional. I don’t worry about them as much as I do the girl on the cellphone that runs red lights and T-bones me (car should be out of the body shop next week).
Yes, that is precisely why I pursue lightness and handling (enjoying amazing fuel economy!) while keeping my eyes open and my head on a swivel. There is no amount of German (or American) mass of steel that you can wrap yourself in short of a Panzerkampfwagen V that will protect you from a collision with an 18-wheeler. Avoidance is the only strategy.
I’ve personally witnessed several big-rig shunts, a couple of them were pretty horrific. That has taught me to always stay away from these machines, so I give them a wide buffer. It baffles me that people will just pace them for miles and miles at speed.
–chuck
what a complete moron that driver was, I hope his CDL is revoked immediately and permanently for putting other’s lives at risk for his moronism.
As an avid reader of TTAC and someone who holds a CDL and has driven over Donner in all sorts of weather I have to pipe in here.
The sad reality is that in a good economy the driver in the video will have another job within a week. I personally know someone who fell asleep on Donner, laid down his set and caused a $1M+ accident. He had another job within the month.
Until as a society we raise the expectations and compensation for drivers companies will be forced to use sub par drivers. As jobs go long hauling sucks. You work 70-90+ hours per week for $35-45k per year. Now the local work that I do pays better and has far better quality of life than long haul.
That said with a few exceptions of the entry level training companies like Swift, CR England etc, most drivers are professionals who enjoy their job.
I worry more about the cowboy in his 25k lbs Uhaul driving it like a Corvette while talking on his cell phone than a truck next to me. Just yesterday I was stuck in a traffic jam for 15 min on US 395 caused by some idiot with a Dodge pickup swerved too fast and caused his toy hauler to jackknife.
Chuck nails it on the safety through mass point versus a class 8. Unless the other vehicle in the accident says Union Pacific or BNSF on the side the truck always wins. Does not really matter if you are in a Metro or a Suburban. Your only defense against a truck is situational awareness. I’m amazed when people will tuck in between to trucks, or just loiter next to one with no out. One blown steer tire and you are dead.
To echo the sentiments of RedStapler and others, I’m less nervous about professional truck drivers than I am about the drivers of U-Hauls and oversized, underbraked SUVs.
Perhaps I’m just lucky, but for the most part I’ve found drivers of big rigs in the mid-section of this country to be sensible and courteous…definitely more so than drivers of cars, SUVs and pick-em-ups. It’s just that when one of the big rig drivers makes a mistake, the sheer size of their vehicles and the damage they cause is more apparent.
That being said, I do wish that more freight in this country was shipped by rail. It may not be as fast or convenient as trucking, but it would encourage more investment in rail lines, which can make for an excellent complement to our highway system.
I have three concerns driving near large rigs.
1. The retread on a tire separates and sends a huge pile of hard rubber my way. This has happened to me a few times
2. The entire wheel falls off. We had a rash of these in our area several years ago until the government cracked down.
3. Truckers who decide to change lanes NOW!. On goes the turn indicator and the truck immediately starts changing lanes.
Because of these problems, I make a point of not driving near the truck. Also, don’t get me started on trucks trying to overtake each other on hills. They block both lanes for miles while their speed drops.
Buzz
With the recent run of of Diesel to almost $5/gal more and more time insensitive freight is riding the rails.
Only HUGE shippers have a rail siding going directly into their warehouse.
In most cases its loaded into a 53′ domestic container, trucked to the closest rail yard. It is then double stacked onto a special freight car that allows 2 cans on one car. Its offloaded at the (relatively) local rail ramp and then the final leg is via truck. So what used to be a 2000 mi truck trip is now 2 100 mi tuck trips with 1800 mi of rail for the main leg.
Another unintended consequence of the ethanol boondoggle is that it causes congestion on the rail system. As corn juice can’t travel via pipeline you end up with 50-80 car unit trails from the midwest to CA.
chuckgoolsbee :
Yes, that is precisely why I pursue lightness and handling (enjoying amazing fuel economy!) while keeping my eyes open and my head on a swivel.
Amen.
I became a better driver after I bought my lowered Miata. My eye-level is below the doorhandles of most family sedans and at stoplights I get a good view of the tires of even cute-utes. I’m much more aware of the dangers around me and I avoid them as best I can.
I’ve come to think that our roads would be safer if our cars were a little less safe. Those who are unwilling or unable to learn how to drive safely under such circumstances shouldn’t drive anywhere under any circumstances.
I used to travel ~12-15 in my ’84 CR-X. The car got 40+ mpg and I really liked it but the big trucks were huge by comparison. Like face level were the truck hubcaps.
My method to stay alive was to run faster than the trucks so they were never passing me and I was never beside them long.
Was making this trip home over night one time. Caught up with a tandem trailer truck with an apparently sleepy driver as the second trailer was wagging pretty badly.
Because my car only had a 1.3L engine I dropped way back and passed the truck at 95 mph. Minimizing my exposure to death. Of course he could have swerved right as I got there but… Same method I still use today when I am riding my motorcycle and the trucks are using more than just their lane.
Would still like to see the big trucks restricted to 60-65 mph and actually ENFORCED. Let traffic run about 5-10 mph faster legally. I’d also like to see aerodynamic barriers installed under the trailers ala Europe.
Trucks don’t bother me at all.
What bothers me a little bit is the person making the vid driving through the wreck. Seems a bit odd
Joe
Some North American fleets (Con-Way truckload pre CFI buyout) have the aero barriers.
http://www.laydoncomp.com/laydon_composite_trailer_skirts.html
They are just a giant plastic spoiler for the side of the trailer with no stregth.
You are thinking of the blocker bars required in much of the EU. Adding them to every semi-trailer in North America would have significant costs and efficiency reductions. Its a broader societal question of safety trade offs ie: How much do we want to spend to save a life?
I’ve found big rig drivers to be very professional and courteous, at least in the areas I’ve lived (NYC burbs, Bay Area, Seattle). I show the same courtesy to them, and all is good. The fact is that there are simply so many trucks out there that a few idiots are an inevitability. Distracted drivers in their own cars are more of a safety issue.
@joeaverage: Would still like to see the big trucks restricted to 60-65 mph and actually ENFORCED. Let traffic run about 5-10 mph faster legally.
Joe, with all due respect, the absolute WORST thing we can do is to enact a speed limit differential in the name of safety.
According to data from the European Road Safety Observatory, and countless others, “If on a particular road, the speed variance is high, this will result in less predictability, more encounters, more overtaking manoeuvres, etc. Therefore, when speed differences increase, the accident risk increases as well. Hence, a countermeasure that results in lower average speed, but in larger speed differences may not have the expected positive effect on road safety.”
Perhaps not a speed differential, but I would love to see it enforced (where it is law) that big rigs have to stay in the rightmost lane or lanes, and to have that written into law in places where it is not.
Big rigs unnerve me a bit, and I try not to drive next to them when I can. While most commerical drivers are supposedly better behind the wheel than most passenger car drivers, I have seen many rigs perform stupid moves, changing lanes quickly without signals, running up behind another car and flashing the lights to speed up, and in residential streets making turns that end up with tires going over sidewalks/peoples yards or requiring the regular traffic stopped at a light to either miss their own green, or to have to back up because the truck driver misjudged the turn.
I would love to see higher qualifications for CDL licenses, and much lower thresholds to lose them.
They scare the hell out of me. Big rig accidents often result in multiple car fatalities. The truck drivers consistently emerge unscathed.
Trucks on multilane highways should be restricted to 55-mph and the right lane.
Truckers who decide to change lanes NOW!. On goes the turn indicator and the truck immediately starts changing lanes.
Because of these problems, I make a point of not driving near the truck. Also, don’t get me started on trucks trying to overtake each other on hills. They block both lanes for miles while their speed drops.
Absolutely. Trucks trying to pass each other on hills just drives me insane. A light car with great handling/active safety is wonderful in situations where you can see what’s happening ahead of time, like a truck in front of you flipping over. Where its not so wonderful is when you never see the accident coming, like getting T-boned in an intersection, or rear-ended.
In my opinion the best choice is a car that combines both active and passive safety. One with the grip and handling to avoid an accident, and the heft and full complement of airbags to make sure you can walk away from an unavoidable accident. Like My A6 S-line, for example.
I have lived in many large cities outside the US, from Bangkok to Tehran…most have a rule that would help safety and traffic jams. No trucks, lorries, (5 ton) or more on the roads between 6AM and 9AM, then banned again from 3PM until 6PM. Really helps. Some places that come to mind here: I-5 through Tacoma and 710 in Long Beach.
I have no problems with semis, the drivers are usually paying attention. When I was a kid, I went to tractor-trailer school. I got the license, but I never drove over the road. Learned some life lessons about driving that I use all the time. When driving amongst semis, pass ’em on the left only. If stuck on the right, keep the mirror in view. Get out from under ASAP.
Also, when trucks start doing the speed limit, slow down too. There’s a cop around.
LALoser
If I recall correctly from my visit to the northwest, Tacoma isn’t bypassed, so all the truck traffic goes right through the commuter routes.
So, then, clearly the long-term solution is to not have main interstates going straight through cities. Pittsburgh, for all its various traffic weirdness, does a nice job of this.
That being said, I do wish that more freight in this country was shipped by rail. It may not be as fast or convenient as trucking, but it would encourage more investment in rail lines, which can make for an excellent complement to our highway system.
Rail traffic has picked up dramatically. The local transit authority was in talks to use the rails for some interurban service before fuel went sky high. The RR is no longer interested because their traffic has jumped to all that they can presently handle.
As I tell my wife (who actually agrees!) there is no combination more dangerous than women, SUVS, and cell phones. Any combination of two of those things are perfectly safe, but all three are a recipe for disaster.
To the two people who have pointed out that rail traffic has increased recently due to the higher cost of diesel fuel, I do not disagree with your comments. But let’s be realistic here – there’s no denying that the U.S. still ships more freight by highway than most other industrialized countries. Even if you double a pittance, it’s still…just a pittance.
I don’t worry about being around trucks while I’m in my car. What bothers me is being passed by them while out riding my bicycle. Compared to that, I feel pretty safe in the car.
I’m not afraid to say it: Ha, Ha! That was freakin’ hilarious*. Also, I hope the dumbass driver is okay.
*Attn: Haters – I also laugh at morons who fall off of motorcycles due their own stupidity and I was recently taken out by a minivan. It’s his own fault I fully reserve the right to laugh at him. The truck was probably driven by the same redneck that has previously said, “Hey, y’all, watch this!”
Chuck: “Yes, that is precisely why I pursue lightness and handling (enjoying amazing fuel economy!) while keeping my eyes open and my head on a swivel. There is no amount of German (or American) mass of steel that you can wrap yourself in short of…
WRONG! The fantastic Ford Crown Victoria is a life saver in every sense of the word. Just ask this Officer:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/kelly.asp#photo2
I have driven big SUV’s for the past 20 years.Now I have a BMW MCoupe as well. Driving the SUV’s I never had a concern. Driving the MCoupe – well that is an entirely different experience. With the short distance from my seat to the rear bumper, any vehicle coming up on my rear bumper lets say at a traffic light – appears to coming into my back seat (if I had one). Like the Miata poster above, I don’t even come up to anyone’s door handles.
I give the big trucks as much room as possible, but the quality of big rig drivers on average far exceeds that of you regular passenger vehicle drivers. The drivers who scare me the most often seem to be either hooning kids, hooning middle aged guys, contractors in a hurry while chatting on the cell phone and writing on a clipboard and totally distracted drivers of all ages and both sexes. Basically it is a minefield out there.
The big rig behavior that ticks me off the most is when rig A is passing rig B on a long uphill grade while A is doing 44 MPH and B is doing 43 MPH … both in a 65 zone. In our area they can bottle up traffic for a very very long time.
I wonder how much freight traffic is caused by the shift from having manufacturing distributed all around the country to getting most of our manufactured products from China. All that stuff lands by boat and then hits the rail and/or roads. If you see a container in transit, it most likely began in China.
How many extra miles is the average widget in Wal-Mart racking up as it races around the globe today compared to 30 years ago?
Yeah they make me nervous but in general big rig drivers are certainly better than your average driver. They have also saved me from speeding by a cop a few times by getting in front of me off as I was attempting to pass. I will either stay well behind or pass quickly, tire blowouts are too common and can really mess up your car if not cause an accident.
Trucks do not scare me.
They don’t scare me because I don’t let them tailgate me. If they get too close, I speed up and get out of the way.
They don’t scare me because I don’t hang around in their blind spot.
They don’t scare me because I’m respectful of their size, and the limited visibility and extended stopping distances that come from operating a vehicle this size.
It shouldn’t matter if you’re in a Lotus Elise or a Chevrolet Suburban, having a sense of situational awareness will always keep you out of trouble with big rigs, even the ones that are going excessively fast.
From 1978 until 1990 or so drove long-haul 18-wheelers with breaks between doing local driving and construction work, blah blah blah.
130,000 miles yearly was not unusual but recessionary periods often reduced that by 20-30,000 miles yearly.
With so much time on the super-slab you learned to associate people’s behavior’s/actions/driving mannerisms/etc with likely or probable actions.
Even today with no more semis for me, I can often predict a stupid 4-wheeler action before it is done simply by a tilt of the head combined with a sudden slow-down or speed-up etc. Easier to point out in person than try to explain.
Let’s just say there’s some idiotic 4-wheelers who owe their life to my hitting the brakes before they even commenced their idiotic action. Other drivers, the good ones, also mentioned this while we shot the breeze over lousy coffee.
It’s a lousy job but if you own your own truck you can see the country and support an industry and keep many people employed with little ROI for many truck owner/operators while spreading wealth to plenty of others; especially state and federal regulatory agencies.
For the long-haul driver doing the irregular route routine it’s a life-style, not a job.
The truck was my home. No need to rent or own a place. I did visit friends scattered across the country. Some I would not see for months at a time.
Though many 4-wheelers drove us nuts we did mightily appreciate those who could actually drive. Just being self-aware and half-way alert placed a 4-wheeler in the minority. A BIG thanks!!! to all drivers who devoted even half their brain to safe driving… your efforts were and are appreciated.
And, yes, there are a minority of stupid trucvk drivers but with insurance the way it is now the truly bad do get weeded out, eventually, and the rules/laws/statutes/etc get tougher every year.
Look at how litigous society has become. There are even lawyers that specialize in suing truckers and trucking firms. Hey, there’s deep pockets there. When I left the biz federal law required I carry a minimum 5-million bucks liability coverage, and that may have been increased since I wisely departed.
The roads were obviously much less crowded in the late 70s and 80s. Trucking was a far different world back then. More fun, less stress. It is more arduous now.
For the record…. the local driver and the one driving from the same terminal to another terminal repeatedly, seldom to never deviating from the same old route, experiences a FAR different trucking “world” than the irregular route guy who travels a gazillion different routes covering new territory all the time at all times of the year.
For a wondrous time try Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado during a howling January near-blizzard. At least I was pert-near the only the vehicle on the road, making the decision to slide down the steepest grades sideways easier to accomplish.
Ten-four
Back in the days of “CB handles” they knew me as Fly by Night
I live in Chicago, the land of “I have my truck license because I paid the right guy for it,” so you BET I’m afraid of big trucks.
I’m laughing out loud at the first poster, and his “[truck are] why I drive a stout German sedan.” I drive a Scion xB, so I hear the “what if a truck hits you? question a lot. The same thing that happens if you get hit in a stout, German sedan: you die.
Do you actually think the extra 1500 lbs you’ve got on a subcompact is going to make a difference if you get slammed by 25 tons of Peterbilt? :) I appreciate your optimism, but it’s probably a better idea to avoid getting into accidents with big trucks than to assume your Beemer is just going to bounce off of them.
And I have to chime in that it goes without saying: you’re at more risk from the 22-year-old in the Tahoe than any truck on the road.
The same thing that happens if you get hit in a stout, German sedan: you die.
I agree JuniorMint, when it comes to getting hit by a semi at speed, it pretty much doesn’t matter what you’re in, you’re doomed. Might as well be on a Vespa. Change the semi into something like an Escalade though, and things change. I’ve got much better chances against an Escalade in my A6 than you do in your Scion xB. I can out handle you (especially in the rain) and out brake you, so I have a better chance of getting out of the way, and if I can’t, I’ve got a lot more steel between me and Mr. Escalade.
If there’s a car that’s safer in more situations than an Audi Quattro, I’d like to know what it is.
Hm. Depends on what type of truck.
On the open highway, I generally feel perfectly safe around semis. There are always hotdogs out there like the one in video, but by and large most long haul drivers know their rigs and their limitations and behave well on the road.
Medium duty trucks tend to be more unpredictable. There might be a long time professional behind the wheel, or there might be someone who never drove anything bigger than a pickup before they hopped in a rental earlier that day.
The worst bunch I’ve seen are the local short haulers who transfer cargo containers between terminals (I live in a west coast port town). Their trucks are usually in poorer shape and the drivers don’t seem to be as conscientious… brake lock ups, running through red lights and lane drifting are commonplace occurences. I once had my MR2 customized for me by a short hauler who changed lanes without looking… wrinkled up the whole damn side of my car, and I’d had it for less than a week. Nothing like seeing a tire as big as your whole car coming at you to make your life flash before your eyes.
But, all in all, I’m scared shitless more often by people driving cars while talking on cell phones… problems with trucks simply pale in comparison. So as not to thread-jack, I’ve edited out of this post several examples of cell-induced idiocy I’ve witnesssed in just the last week. Those stories are a dime a dozen these days anyway.
Hah, some of you guys feel nervous in your little/big cages?
Try being in the right/center lane on a motorcycle lane when there is a bad crosswind already, and then one of those things PASSES you.
_THAT_ is scary.
Here in Ontario I find that the vast majority of truckers are safe, professional drivers. Frankly, I admire their skill as well as their patience with other motorists. When I see some kamikaze minivan cut in front of a semi and slam on the brakes, I wonder if the idiot has any idea that his life was just saved by an alert truck driver.
Having said that, every so often I get tailgated by a big rig for absolutely no reason, and I wonder if the driver realizes that those are my children in the back seat. How would he like a Kenworth grill looming behind HIS kids’ heads at 70 mph? Think about it, buddy, because I just might be the guy standing beside you during your next pee break.
PS: Robstar, I know what you mean. Ever take the highway on a Yamaha 250 Exciter? It’s very exciting.
Don> I have done a Falcon 400, but no bigrigs are around. My normal ride is a 600cc. If you do that on a 200/250, you have bigger huevos than me :)
They never bothered me until I was rear ended by one with my wife and 6 month old son in the car.
Our stopped-in-traffic Scion xB was thrown 81 feet after the collision and came to rest facing oncoming traffic in the middle of a major interstate.
It has been almost 4 months since the accident and my son seems to have no lasting effects, but I cannot be sure. My wife had months of pain, and I am still seeing a chiropractor and have had headaches almost daily since the accident.
I am still fighting with their insurance company.
The truck had bald tires, an inexperienced driver who was not paying attention to traffic conditions, and the truck was in a serious state of neglect. So, yeah…I get a little paranoid when big rigs follow me now.
Trucks passing trucks on a long hill definitely classifies as a “WTF ARE YOU DOING” activity, as many times the overtaking truck will swerve in front of you in the left lane at the last second.
On the largely three-lane wide Ohio Turnpike, this is not as much a hazard, as the cars still have the leftmost lane.
But then hit the narrow, two-lane Indiana Turnpike during a rainstorm when this move is pulled on you, suddenly you’re surrounded by behemoths that are blocking your progress and showering you with water as well.
That said, I was once driving the Indiana Turnpike when night fell, and a thick fog covered the road; and following the truckers (who probably had a better view) kept me out of the ditch several times. I’m sure they were aware of me, as they were passing me with great care as I wandered on the poorly-marked road with no guide rails. I appreciated the professionalism and experience of those truckers that night.
On the stretch of I-94, between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek in Michigan, when the economy is good, the 18-wheelers are so thick, in a traffic jam you could litterally WALK between the two cities by jumping from truck to truck without ever touching the ground. Clumsy way of saying they DOMINATE the road, but I hope y’all get the idea.
That road is designed with a 6 ft high and 6 foot wide concrete barrier between the east and westbound lanes. From November to April, due to the peculiarities of the Michigan weather in that part of the lake-effect snow belt, the architecture of the road, it is common to have a glaze of black ice rather than ashphalt under your tires.
Notwithstanding the professionalism and courtesy of most 18-wheel drivers, eaach and every one of them is forced by the nature of their jobs to do a constant calculus in their heads: Slow down, be safe but run the risk of being late with my load, thus jeopardizing my future livelihood; or try to keep my speed at the razor’s edge of safe, thus jeopardizing the lives of other drivers.
To add to the fun, the counties where this road sits has one of the highest densities of deer population in the state.
After even only a moderate snowfall, you can usually count a dozen sites where a semi jack-knifed and slid off the road. I myself was involved (last vehicle hit!) in an 86 vehicle pile up on this road, caused by god knows what, but made worse by both trucks and cars traveling at too much speed for the road and weather conditions.
So, yeah, while I wouldn’t say I FEAR the trucks, I certainly respect the damage they can do and am wary of them, always conscious of where they are in proximity to me and avoid driving too close. In fact, I now avoid this stretch of road like the plague, if I can. Since you can’t tell which drivers are tired and which vehicles have not been maintained, a good solid rule is to keep you distance from ALL.
Big trucks, SUVs, limos and other cars don’t scare me. What scares me are the people driving the vehicles.
Quasimondo
Trucks do not scare me.
They don’t scare me because I don’t let them tailgate me. If they get too close, I speed up and get out of the way.
They don’t scare me because I don’t hang around in their blind spot.
They don’t scare me because I’m respectful of their size, and the limited visibility and extended stopping distances that come from operating a vehicle this size.
I am pretty much in accord with this, except that, well, lets just say I have a healthy respect for them. I would much rather be in a light, agile car around them than in a big SUV, because I don’t think an SUV is going to do any more to protect me in an accident with a truck, but an agile car gives me a better chance of getting out of the way.
But I’m much more afraid of people who text while driving–especially when I’m on my bicycle.
Yep, I do not like them at all. We need more freight to be on rails.They make me sick to see them drive. it The dump truck drivers are the worst! (the others are not far behind)
The rigs are getting to big and the engines are too powerful.
When I was a little kid, I was impressed with them, they where very good drivers.
(I spent a lot of time a car growing up, not living one, we took a lot of road trips) Sad to say not anymore
crackers :
I agree with you…had a couple of incidents similar to yours.
1. The retread on a tire separates and sends a huge pile of hard rubber my way. This has happened to me a few times
That happened to me a few weeks ago. Was caught behind a slower car and a rig on my left. One of the trailer tired blew out and sent giant rubber pieces into my windshield. Funny thing is the driver never knew what happened until about 15 miles down the road.
2. The entire wheel falls off. We had a rash of these in our area several years ago until the government cracked down.
Never seen that happen myself, but I have seen accidents where one wheel takes out an entire vehicle…and its occupants.
3. Truckers who decide to change lanes NOW!. On goes the turn indicator and the truck immediately starts changing lanes.
Yup…and all the horn-blowing in the world ain’t gonna help you. As a result I stay at least a lane apart from these guys. But when it can’t be helped I park myself at least 5 car lengths behind him so I can at least anticipate anything.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hitting out against big rig drivers on a whole. Just that sometimes you have to wonder what shmuck is behind the wheel.
joeaverage:
“Was making this trip home over night one time. Caught up with a tandem trailer truck with an apparently sleepy driver as the second trailer was wagging pretty badly.”
Those are called “Wiggle Wagons” in trucker parlance for a good reason. Those double-trailer rigs are wont to do exactly what you describe, through little or no fault of the driver at the wheel.
Having been around trucks all my life (never a driver, but family have been…I just work on ’em), they don’t scare me too often on the roads. Echo what everyone else here has said: The moron soccer mom in the Ford Expedition who’s putting on her makeup and talking on the cellphone scares me much worse. Bear in mind, I’m a motorcycle commuter 60-75% of the year.
You folks should install a cheap CB in your car sometime. I’ve got a permanent install in my nondescript white Ford Ranger. I’ve had plenty of wonderful conversations with truckers, and they’ve given me the heads-up to many a state patrolman up ahead when a radar detector would’ve been too little, too late. After all, once the radar detector goes off, they’re probably already shooting you! You haven’t lived until, at 90 miles per hour, you’ve heard “You’re lookin’ good back to the [fill in landmark or mile marker post here].”
10-4, pedal on the floor.
Also, when trucks start doing the speed limit, slow down too. There’s a cop around.
This is the primary reason trucks don’t bother me; they’re excellent speeding companions.
We should always be aware of and afraid of other drivers, no matter the size of their vehicle.
I agree 100% with the below.
“Trucks do not scare me.
They don’t scare me because I don’t let them tailgate me. If they get too close, I speed up and get out of the way.
They don’t scare me because I don’t hang around in their blind spot.
They don’t scare me because I’m respectful of their size, and the limited visibility and extended stopping distances that come from operating a vehicle this size.
It shouldn’t matter if you’re in a Lotus Elise or a Chevrolet Suburban, having a sense of situational awareness will always keep you out of trouble with big rigs, even the ones that are going excessively fast.”
But you know what does scare me…? Pick-up trucks and SUVs.
Mostly it is (sorry if this sounds sexist – just the facts though) women blabbing on their frickin’ cell phones while (ostensibly, supposedly) driving their Stupid Utility Vehicles which scares the hell out of me. I’ve nearly been clobbered so many times, I literally went out and have bought only new cars with side air bags since 2002 in some kind of attempt to give ourselves some level of protection (since the government and police don’t seem to give a shit and won’t pass or enforce laws about idiots driving while blabbing on the cell phone here in Michigan).
But as for big rigs, I used to think fairly well of the drivers until our big trip through Canada this July/August. We were up north of Lake Superior on Hwy 17 going west (it’s 2 lane, up & down steep hills) and this semi truck flew up on our tail so fast it literally made my wife scream. We literally had noplace to go, since there was traffic ahead of us, no sufficient shoulder to the side of us and – OF COURSE traffic coming the other way. The truck driver sat on our tail for miles after he obviously slammed on his brakes. He VERY clearly was just being obnoxious and angry because the people in front of him were doing the speed limit.
My respect for truck drivers tanked that day and hasn’t recovered, probably never will.
I got two fears, bad drivers, and people who think that some particular class of vehicle denotes an air of danger and/or safety.
The first group of idiots are the source of the problem. It’s not the vehicle, it’s the driver. While there is certainly a difference in mass as well as handling, those easily known characteristics are only slightly variable compared to the incredible swing of quality of judgment and skill between one driver and another.
The second group of people are part of the reason the problem persists. A Ducati can kill you just as dead as a Peterbuilt. Anything in between is all the same. How does anyone expect the country to be run any better if we persist in blaming “things” instead of insisting on individual responsibility?
Even a buick century can be driven safely, though I rarely see one driven that way.
When I used to live in Reno, NV and did a few road trips a month over Donner Summit, I always had a healthy respect for big trucks. Seems that, for the most part, the people driving that route knew what they were about (I’d hope so, especially in the winter!). As long as you were smart (no tailing, not cutting them off, no riding in blind spots), everything was good.
In the last five years or so (and I’ve been in Phoenix, AZ for three), big trucks now scare me. Most of the time, the guys are on their cell phones, hardly paying attention to the road. That scares the crap out of me. You’ve got a vehicle -that big- and you’re on your _cell phone_?! I just move away as quickly and safely as possible, and keep an eye out for any trouble they cause.
I suspect truckers on freight routes (I-80, etc) are still better than the yahoos you see doing in-town stuff.
P71_Crown Vic:
Using one example of a crash where the driver of a Crown Vic survived proves nothing. In my home state of Connecticut a semi *drove over* a parked Crown Vic and destroyed it utterly, killing the officer in it.
Also I’ve seen news reports of a Subaru WRX (a compact sedan) that was crushed between two semis much like that Crown Vic was. The driver had to be cut out of the car, but was unharmed aside from minor cuts & scrapes. Does that mean a WRX is safer than a Crown Vic? No, it means both drivers were very lucky to not be the usual car vs. truck statistic.
If a truck looks like this after a crash with another truck:
http://www.wreckedexotics.com/newphotos/bad/bad829.shtml
what makes you think a large car is any safer against a truck than a small car?
Trucks and the people driving them scare the crap out of me. Anytime I have to pass a truck on a highway, I do it as quickly as possible. A lot of truck drivers seem to have problems staying in their lanes even when they’re not passing someone, and a lot of them don’t signal. I’m sure there are a lot of good truck drivers, but it seems there are a lot of bad ones too, which makes it much worse for the good drivers that actually respect the road and the other drivers they share it with.