Why Do You Do That, Trucker?

Why Do You Do That, Trucker?

● Why do you truckers ride beside each other all the time ?

● Why do you truckers drive tired ?

● Truckers used to be the Knight's of the highway. Not anymore, Why not ?

● Why do truckers make " wide right hand turns " ?

● Why do you truckers put your turn signal on right when I get beside you ?

● Why do truckers wait until I get in the right lane to pass then decide to get over ?

Why do you truckers ride beside each other all the time ?

One of the main reasons for this is that most company trucks have their top speeds cut back not allowing them to pass as quickly as they would like. Most people do not know this. Most major companies have top speeds of 65 mph or less using a computerized governor. I think we ALL agree this is a major frustration on the highways. The main reason this is done is because of insurance costs and fuel costs. One problem is when one truck, lighter than the other, starts to pass as the heavier truck slows down but doesn't have enough hill to make it around fast enough as the heavier truck ( governed at about the same speed ) levels off and then they're stuck beside each other. All truckers have places to be at certain times which means they need every single mph they can possibly get and need to sustain it. Most truckers do not do it on purpose and are just as frustrated as the cars at being stuck.

Why do you truckers drive tired ?

Undoubtedly some truckers intentionally drive tired for whatever reason be it poor planning or whatever. But, another reason is to be blamed on shippers/receivers which give a specific time to load or unload and do not keep their times. These sitting times can often be 6 to 8 or more hours of waiting after appt. time only to have 600 miles still to do. These sitting times are NOT paid. A trucker only makes money when the wheels are turning (per mile). As he is not a robot that can turn a knob in his head to drop off to sleep on the drop of a dime, he sits up and waits with no sleep. They are human beings trying to feed their families just like you. The thought of this website is that this problem of tired drivers can be drastically reduced with the co-operation of shippers in keeping their times that they set or compensating them for time after 2 hours. If the driver was paid for this time he would not have to run tired to make up for lost time with no pay. [split speeds]

Truckers used to be the "Knight's of the highway". Not anymore, Why not?

Of course, there is no one answer to explain this but I will do what I can. We all have noticed the unreal explosion of traffic volume in the last few years, right? Well, one of the problems lies in the fact of seeing so many cars and trucks on the shoulder just sleeping or even eating a picnic. How does one know if one really was needing help? It's a classic case of " calling wolf too many times ". Insurance regulations prohibit truckers from picking anyone up, no matter if they are in dire straits. Truckers are dollar signs to lawyers. They are chomping at the bit daily to hear of a case such as a driver picking someone up to help them and something happening (accident, etc.). It's a really sad fact that you just can't afford to take the chance.

( most drivers would anyway, of course, if someone were obviously dying )

Why do truckers make " wide right hand turns " ?

Truckers make wide right hand turns because of no visibility and because of "off-tracking" of the trailer. If the tracking of the trailer tires is not moved over by the tractor then the driver will run over a curb, light pole, or even a pedestrian. When making a tight right turn your mirrors are completely obstructed. It is hard to judge exact distance from the right convex mirror when making a tight turn. So, it is better to be safe than sorry! The only difference in a left turn is that you can look out the window making a left turn.

Bird's Eye View Of Wide Right Turn Due To Trailer Tracking:

Why do you truckers put your turn signal on right when I get beside you ?

Truckers look ahead long distances to see hazards or slow moving traffic. A lot of the time they are asking you to do something (hurry up and pass or back off) if you have been riding beside them for some time. We do not think we own the road, rather we are asking you to work with us so we can keep a steady speed up and traffic flowing.

NOTE: We go from 0-60 in about an hour

Why do truckers wait until I get in the right lane to pass then decide to get over ?

Truckers have to be as patient as humanly possible meaning they can't make abrupt maneuvers like cars. They try to give whom they are passing ample space to see around them when they come over. Imagine what would happen if all truckers drove like cars, swerving in and out real fast. Some do, and they end up turned over! Be patient with us.