Auestion for the Truck Drivers Out There (about passing)

[LilBeaver]

So there has been some discussion on and off and I have a question that I would like to ask the truck drivers out there (since I know we've got a few in here). If you have EVER driven a semi or are currently driving it does not matter to me either way. I have a few over the road drivers in my family and we have had discussions about this particular topic from time to time. Only one of them does not want anything to do with motorcycles and his opinion is the same as the others.

 

My question is: When you are on the highway in your truck how do you prefer to be passed by a motorcycle? (lane position, speed, etc.)

 

Thanks in advance for the input!

[massey130]

I would like to know this as well. getting this information from their point of view will make traveling safer for everyone and keep this part of road rage to a minimum.

 

I have a feeling that one comment would be for the cyclist to be far back enough as to be seen in the truck's side view mirror with our blinker on as we gain speed to close the gap before switching lanes for a clear pass.

 

Dale in La.

[Tom]

get around,asap. if its raining and i am throwing a spray to the left i will move to the left lane to allow a mc to pass as not to blind him by the spray.

[Midnight Rider]

When I ride I am close to the middle of the lane while riding. When I come up on a truck I always stay in his mirror as long as possible in the passing lane. When I pass him I get as far to the left of him (white line) and go around as fast as I can. Never know when one of those tires are gonna go and I don't want to be around it when it goes. Wrongway and I were riding one time and he had a big truck tire blow right after he past it.

 

Dale

[1BigDog]

In a perfect world I would prefer that a bike pass me on my left with enough clearance for both of us, signalling his intentions. When he passes I hope he uses good judgement by signalling his intentions and and re-enters the lane with adequate clearance, at least a truck length ahead of me so if he has to make a sudden stop I can make sure I dont run over him. My truck weighs upwards of 50,000 lbs and it can take some to get stopped. ABS brakes all around sure do help but stopping that much mass can be fun sometimes. And dont ride in my blind spot. If you cant see me in my mirrors I cant see you either. You would be amazed at how many bikes and cars ride there. Common sense prevails here.

[jfoster]

I drove for 12 years...For me it didn't really matter. If they came by kinda slow I got to take a look at their ride. I thought it kinda foolish to ride real close to the trailer tandems (recaps). What I do when riding and I do pass a semi, I try to stay close to the center line in the tire grove where I will be most visible in his mirrors, then as come along side I move over towards the fog line in case a tire does blow. Depending on his mirrors, your in a blind spot about his rear tractor tandems if your close to the fog line. On the flip side, I think its disrespectful to have a semi pass a motorcycle then to come right back in front of him showering him with road debri (traffic willing) on a four lane.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

My question is: When you are on the highway in your truck how do you prefer to be passed by a motorcycle?

 

Thanks in advance for the input!

 

Easy:

Have the female passenger flash me!

 

Yummy.

 

[SilvrT]

I drove for 12 years...For me it didn't really matter. If they came by kinda slow I got to take a look at their ride. I thought it kinda foolish to ride real close to the trailer tandems (recaps). What I do when riding and I do pass a semi, I try to stay close to the center line in the tire grove where I will be most visible in his mirrors, then as come along side I move over towards the fog line in case a tire does blow. Depending on his mirrors, your in a blind spot about his rear tractor tandems if your close to the fog line. On the flip side, I think its disrespectful to have a semi pass a motorcycle then to come right back in front of him showering him with road debri (traffic willing) on a four lane.

 

It totally boggles my mind why any driver who passes someone IMMEDIATELY moves back into the lane, especially when the roads are wet ... some it seems just can't wait.

[Snaggletooth]

With 26 years in OTR transportation and out of that 13 were as a driver of tractor/trailer I always preferred that a motorcycle just stayed where I could see him coming up and then just got the pass over with as quickly as he could.

 

I had an advantage as I pulled flat and lowboy trailers most the time so I had a pretty good field of view to the rear. The one thing about any driver will tell you that he hates is someone lingering in his mirrors and and not knowing what they were going to do. More so at night with the headlights burning.

 

So stay in out of the No Zone and pass as with as much room as you can and do it quick and clean. Move well ahead of the truck before changing back into his lane.

[aspen60]

Just my two cents, ALWAYS pass on the left side. Nothing made me madder than someone passing on the right or even worse the shoulder. And when you pull out to pass -----get it over with. Then get back in the right lane after you get two seconds ahead.

[GaryZ]

I do not drive a big rig, however, this seems like an opportunity to say something to bikers in general . . .

 

It is absolutely wrong when a car changes lanes in front of my motorcycle and gives me less than a car-length of space before moving over. It is every bit as wrong for a motorcycle to do the same thing when changing lanes in front of a car or truck.

 

And yet I see bikes doing this foolishness five times as often as cars!

 

Let's get out collective heads in the game.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

"Auestion"

 

Huh?

 

[nickle]

all good answers. been driving a truck for 37 years. i agree with just be safe. and alow for space and vision:Venture: be safe

[ken]

I think the question has been answered here, but I do have a commit. I drive part time and have been driving for about 6 year and one thing that really peevs me off is when I merge over to the left lane to allow a vehicle to merge in from over pass and the vehicle doesn't slow to let me back over. My truck will only go 62mph so I end up holding up the fast lane. I just sayin thats all.

Edited August 18, 2009 by ken

[LilBeaver]

all good answers. been driving a truck for 37 years. i agree with just be safe. and alow for space and vision:Venture: be safe

With 26 years in OTR transportation and out of that 13 were as a driver of tractor/trailer I always preferred that a motorcycle just stayed where I could see him coming up and then just got the pass over with as quickly as he could.

...

So stay in out of the No Zone and pass as with as much room as you can and do it quick and clean. Move well ahead of the truck before changing back into his lane.

 

Thanks everyone for their input (well maybe except for tx2sturgis ). This is pretty much what the folks I have talked to have said as well. So that is what I try to do. As well as avoid, when I can, passing on the right (even in a cage)...

 

Easy:

Have the female passenger flash me!

This is something I have been trying to talk my girlfriend (actually the current one and the last one) into for a long time... The answer is always no.

When I ask why not.... They explain that they do not want to lose the camera!

 

"Auestion"

 

Huh?

 

 

Well how about that. I guess the less than 4 hours of sleep per night for the last week is starting to show a little bit. Not because of my mistake there but because it took me reading your comment about 4 times to see what you were pointing out.

[Guest Ken8143]

Not a OTR driver - just a comment - on a recent trip I was preparing to pass a semi - other vehicles were slowly passing. I don't like being beside those tires. Sure enough. You guessed it. BLAM. Tire blow out. Nearly soiled my shorts. Good thing was, being as I was hanging back no problem for me. That tire separated and peeled off to the left.

 

Reaffirmed my practice of not lingering around when I pass.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Hey its all good. In fact, you may have swerved into a new word completely by accident.

 

SO...yeah, pass a truck on the left, get it done, stay clear, and allow lots of room in front before pulling back over, traffic permitting of course.

 

As a matter of fact, bikers and truckers are BOTH busy avoiding the idiots in cages. So we actually have more in common than would first appear. I tell folks when I'm working, that Im driving my OTHER 2 wheeler..but this one has 16 training wheels!

 

[LilBeaver]

... Im driving my OTHER 2 wheeler..but this one has 16 training wheels!

 

 

That's good.

[RoadKill]

I have driven a truck before and agree with most all that's said. Always pass on the left, don't come back over till well past, and get it over with quick. Don't know why so many drivers think they can't use the throttle/gas peddle when passing, but choose to creep by. When I learned to drive our intsructor said never come back over till you could see both headlights in the rearview mirror.

 

On the flip side I ride my Wing on the Interstate 120 miles round trip to work and I try to be aware of what's going on especially for the Semis. Let them over when someones merging, let them pass if they are gaining on a truck in front, etc. It just common courtesy. Its always nice when you know they noticed your kindness and wave or flash their thanks. If more people treated each other they way they would like to be treated it would be alot safer out there. The GOLDEN RULE, believe it or not still applies.

[Venturous Randy]

Let me add just a little more to this. When I am being passed by a semi, I will usually always flash my highbeams for a second to let them know they are clear to move over in front of me and I am not going to speed up. I also make a special point to allow them back in line if they moved over to let me or someone else merge.

My question is, I will usually do the highbeam flash for a second to let them know I am passing them, if not on an interstate. My fear is the highbeam flash may indicate to them that they can move over and not see my signal light that I am passing and I am assuming they would use thier indicator if they are going to change lanes. Would you rather have someone give you that half second highbeam flash to let you know they are passing?

RandyA

[1BigDog]

Let me add just a little more to this. When I am being passed by a semi, I will usually always flash my highbeams for a second to let them know they are clear to move over in front of me and I am not going to speed up. I also make a special point to allow them back in line if they moved over to let me or someone else merge.

My question is, I will usually do the highbeam flash for a second to let them know I am passing them, if not on an interstate. My fear is the highbeam flash may indicate to them that they can move over and not see my signal light that I am passing and I am assuming they would use thier indicator if they are going to change lanes. Would you rather have someone give you that half second highbeam flash to let you know they are passing?

RandyA

 

Now thats a good question. Old time truckers, not the hotshots that are out there today would flash their lights once to indicate their intention to pass and the truck they want to pass would blink their body lights to indicate that its ok for them to pass. Kinda like making eye contact if you know what I mean. Unless the truck you are trying to pass has a turn signal on then I would say that its ok to pass. Experience behind the wheel also comes into play on the truck drivers part. The truck, as well as the bike need to evaluate the situation before making a move. All that being said, I have seen a great deterioration of common courtesy among the truckers lately, which prompted my hot shot comment. Many are in such a rush that they speed through congested areas and change lanes without signalling. Since I have 35 years behind the wheel I guess I fit into the old timers (read that old fart) category. And yes, in answer to your question, a quick flash would be welcome.

 

Thats one of the reasons why im not a big fan of headlight modulators. But thats another thread...LOL

[LilBeaver]

Now thats a good question. Old time truckers, not the hotshots that are out there today would flash their lights once to indicate their intention to pass and the truck they want to pass would blink their body lights to indicate that its ok for them to pass. ...

And yes, in answer to your question, a quick flash would be welcome.

 

Huh, good to know! Thanks for the info!

 

I knew about flashing when it was okay to come back over, but not about the getting ready to pass business.

 

I usually wave when I get back in front (or flash the hazards a couple of time) just as a 'thanks' - (As a quick 'thanks' and maybe a little because something THIS guy doesn't want is a ticked off 80,000 lbs truck behind him)

[Hazenson]

Been driving semi for 17 years and a lot of great advice here, one other thing- and I dont wanna scare anyone any worse about tires and such, but most dont realize some of the junk that is running down the road. Thank goodness for d.o.t. officers because some employers dont care what shape their rigs are in. When Im on my bike I know I need to be seen, but I waste no time getting around every rig and getting him behind me. Their loads alone will kill you if a single scrap of wood or metal comes sailing off. I once saw a full sheet of pole barn steel come sailing off a loose loaded trailer- it spun around thru the air and stuck 2 feet into the ground. Would have a cut a biker in two if it had hit one. Respecting a semi on the road is very very smart in my opinion. Each driver is supposed to check his tie-downs and make sure his load is secure OFTEN-- but many do not

[solo rider]

If you are passing my truck and you're passenger flashes then you can stay beside me as long as you like .

[dksmith196958]

I drove for fifteen years......please to all of you out there thats reading this....look in the mirror of the truck try to see the driver or get his attention by flashing your lights....................then do not waste time passing...besides tires blowing out....other parts can and do break on big trucks...without warning....you also depending on lane position become invisable try to take a look on the right side before passing if there is a emergancy vehicle ( police.wrecker.fire truck>broken down vehicle....in most states it is the law that you move over as soon and as saftley as possible ! and or reduce your speed there is a lot to take into consideration when passing a truck or large vehicle....please dont try to pass in a work zone..that is deadley:12101: