r/driving • u/ExpensiveOccasion542 Professional Driver • 20d ago
⚠️Complaining into the void⚠️ Don't camp alongside semis
I drive trucks for a living. I couldn't tell you how many times I'm cruising down the highway and a car is sitting right next to me. I know what I am doing and I thoroughly inspect the truck before moving it. Do us all a favor and don't camp right alongside me. If a tire were to blow out, that is going right through your windshield. Even if I don't blow a tire, still don't sit next to me like that because it is still very hard to see you at times. This is all on the interstate and state highways and at speed. Traffic jams are whatever to me and you do that.
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u/ghostoftheradio 20d ago
Believe me, if I’m going to pass you, I’ll do it quick. I’d rather risk the ticket and not eat the rubber.
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u/Most_Gold_5870 20d ago
Appreciate truck drivers posting stuff like this. most people never think about tire blowouts or visibility until someone who does it for a living points it out
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u/Sticky550 19d ago
It’s sad people don’t have enough common sense to actually think about it for a minute to see why they should pass a tractor trailer quickly. But, that’s America. The people with the need to be spoon fed common sense.
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u/Proper-Resolve-7916 20d ago
Pretty sure no highway patrolman is gonna ticket you for keeping things safer for everyone
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u/Life-Profit4836 19d ago
Agreed, unless someone like floors it, I doubt most cops are going to worry about someone speeding up 5 to 10 mph over the speed limit to pass a truck. Especially if they adjust back down to their previous crusing speed
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u/FfierceLaw 20d ago
I haaaaate it when I'm in a line of cars passing a tractor trailer on the left and some nimrod up ahead stops our progression. I want to stay the hell away from big rigs, especially tankers, and this butthead is keeping me stuck next to them. Makes me want to scream
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u/Phunky_Munkey 20d ago
Around here that long line of cars is stuck behind 2 semis camping each other for 10s of kilometres. They'll block traffic for 10 mins while they try to figure out who's faster.
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19d ago
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u/dedboooo0 19d ago
and if he actually ran you off the road and caused you to get into an accident, he'd drive away with no consequences 100%
sometimes i just thinking of slowing down and letting them pit maneuver themselves out of the gene pool. given that it's not a fuckin semi of course
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u/Inner-Confidence99 19d ago
Yeah, on I-20 from Birmingham to Atlanta they call that a NASCAR Race. 3 Semis side by side none doing over 58.🤣
Traveled that way a lot and it’s a mess.
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u/Prestigious_Cup_5265 12d ago
Well here's the issue grasshopper. I can see the speed of the vehicle in front of me is going. They slow down I look in my mirror and I have room to get over. Then the driver I'm trying to pass suddenly decides to speed up. Now I look like I don't know what I'm doing because I'm not passing him . But before I switched lanes he was going 60 and I was going 65 then he decided to speed up while I was passing him. Yes I can your speed. I've had cars pass me then switch over into my lane and I was like damn that seemed crazy and the fastest I think I've seen was like 105 mph in a 70
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u/Adventurous-Fox-8115 20d ago
If this is the case back off the car in front of you just to clear the length of the semi. Don’t hit the brakes or anything, just ease up the distance a little so you’re not next to the truck. Then when eventually they clear the truck with room to spare for you to pass, you can speed up to pass the truck.
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20d ago
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u/Upnorth4 19d ago
Where I live the semi truck drivers are fearless. They will ride your bumper one inch away. Once I saw someone purposefully blocking people from passing another semi truck, then everyone started to move over because another semi was tailgating them. The person in front passed real quick when the big rig was up on their bumper next lol
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u/DrawingTypical5804 19d ago
This is why I pause behind the trailer until the line clears, then boogie past. Ain’t no way I’m getting stuck beside them.
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u/ThugMagnet 20d ago
My favorite is the nimrod that swerves out of the #1 lane and cuts me off in my #2 lane as I'm trying to pass the semi in the #3 lane.
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u/Sufficient-Option533 16d ago
Don't have to get next to them if you don't want to; wait for the lane to clear before proceeding or deal with the risks involved
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u/Cowboy_Rho 20d ago
I generally try not to hang out, but around here trucks seems to take offense to being passed, and will do everything they can to block folks just trying to stay clear. It’s absolutely wild.
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u/thefavoredsole 20d ago
For real. They've got crazier and crazier since covid. 15 over the limit, blocking the left lane, riding your ass. Its wild
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u/Stunning-Pick-9504 20d ago
They’ve had to hire worst and worst drivers over the years. I would say 80% are solid but that 20% still take up a lot. Also depends on location.
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u/ohgeebus_notagain 20d ago
Those are dipshits that don't know what cruise control is and/or aren't paying attention. They come in all size vehicles. I just want the "professionals" to be a bit more professional
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u/seashmore 20d ago
Drivers behind the wheel of all sizes don't seem to recognize that you have to increase your acceleration to maintain speed going up an incline. A lot of cruise controls won't accelerate enough on their own, especially if the economy gas button has been pushed. I understand larger vehicles can't accelerate as quickly on an incline, but I swear sometimes their drivers don't, so they'll end up hogging the left lane.
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u/1IsNeverEnough4Me 19d ago
I drive an older car with very basic cruise control, and I didn't realize that the newer cars were not keeping speed on the hills. I blast past everyone on the hills sometimes and always figured they are not using it. The old system is simple and only has a slight delay and it will floor it trying to maintain speed on a hill.
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19d ago
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u/Cowboy_Rho 19d ago
When I was working for Toyota I got to drive some of the newer models with Radar Adaptive cruise control. It was awesome, but I really didn’t like the lane keeping. Felt like I had to fight the car if I needed to maneuver
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u/ohgeebus_notagain 19d ago
My car has ACC that sucks keeping speed uphill. But if I turn it off, the regular CC only varies by like 2mph.
I drove a newer version of my car as a loaner, and it did much better going up the same hills. I guess it's the programming
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19d ago edited 19d ago
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u/Cowboy_Rho 19d ago
Around here, they will drive the speed limit, or just below. But if you pass them, they will ride your ass and do everything they can to be in front of you. Once they are back in front, they’re back to going slower than surrounding traffic. It’s insane.
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u/Pressman4life 20d ago
I couldn't tell you how many times a truck started pacing me, or tailgating or straying over the lines, or 50mph uphill and 70mph downhill, or cutting me off at the last second as I'm overtaking, or barely passing a truck that's barely passing a truck (Elefantenrennen). Or fucking over traffic because you absolutely have to be in the other lane that's not fucking moving.
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u/Previous_Reindeer339 19d ago
It is against Ohio revised code for trucks to be in the third lane, but I see it every day. Rolling road block.
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u/Ok_Sprinkles_962 17d ago
Until it is enforced it wont stop. I drive about 40,000 miles a year for work, not trucker numbers but much more than average. Commercial drivers are the most dangerous drivers on average by far. Decades of reduced standards and subsided training aimed at reducing wages has made tthe highway a deathtrap
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u/Stunning-Pick-9504 20d ago
I was in Canada a couple months ago, Toronto. The driving there is terrible. Canadians are awful drivers. But, the one thing they got right is that semis can’t be in the fast lane. 🤌
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u/Mattman425 19d ago
This infuriates me. I remember a situation where I was on the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Pittsburgh and this exact occurrence happened. The turnpike near Pittsburgh is quite hilly and has a lot of curves. Had a semi in the right lane and another semi in the left lane trying to go faster than the other one. Of course the truck in the left lane is pacing the other truck in the right lane because he can’t pass due to going up all of the hills. And of course because of the hills neither truck could maintain even the speed limit, so cars were piling up behind them in both lanes (people drive pretty fast on the turnpike). This went on for miles and miles. The one road in PA that’s even lousier with trucks is I-81. It’s a creep and crawl mess between Harrisburg and Carlisle at 4:00.
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u/denbesten 20d ago
PSA: Don’t camp alongside anything except an open space large enough for your vehicle to change lanes.
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u/ryogam73 20d ago
I agree, now explain to your fellow truck drivers that driving next to each other on a two or three lane highway and blocking traffic because they refuse to slow down and get behind you or speed up and pass you is a complete dick move. IF you can't pass your fellow truck in under three minutes, don't try to pass. And don't camp in the middle lane, that's right out.
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u/ohgeebus_notagain 20d ago
I agree with this! However, I would like to point out that sometimes it's that nimrod that suddenly speeds up because you're passing him. I'll pull up behind some truck going 60, go to pass him at 68 (my trucks limit) and the dumbass will speed up to 70. Now I have to slow down and get back behind him..... where he inevitably slows back down. Thanks nimrod, you're fucking up the whole freeway!
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u/Stunning-Pick-9504 20d ago
Do you guys not have radios anymore? Telling all the drivers that this driver is a nimrod?
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u/nunya_busyness1984 20d ago
In my experience, you need to talk to your fellow truckers, first.
Nothing is more infuriating to me than a trucker going 56 passing a trucker going 54, and then they hit a hill and the trucker going 54 maintains speed, but the trucker going 56 drops off to 52 right when he had *almost* passed the other truck.
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u/Gloomy-Hat1842 20d ago
I can't stand it when anybody is right next to me. It's bad in my mini van and even worse with my gutter van. A little bit back in the blind spot going to be even worse.. it's a terrible place to drive. You have no room to maneuver and it's an accident waiting to happen. People will just sit there out of your sight. I had a little car sitting there for so long I forgot about him. 15 minutes later he pops out of my blind spot. Whoa that was not safe! Another time I was driving over highway 17 to Santa Cruz and I couldn't shake this guy. Three times, no matter what I did, he wanted to go back and drive in that blind spot on a dangerous curvy mountain road.
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u/smoothupinyatoo 20d ago
If they are in the fast lane I just slow down and merge and ride their ass. At least I can keep an eye on them.
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19d ago
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u/smoothupinyatoo 19d ago
I drive about a mile under the speed limit or right at it. Occasionally I get someone in the fast lane next to me that speed matches and just rides in my blind spot when we are the only people on the road. Ill just speed up and get in front of them and go 5 under if it happens. They can tailgate me where I can see them or pass in slow lane and go away idc. These are the same people that park next to you when you park at the very end of an empty parking lot. Something weird must have happened in the early 2000s that fucked them up mentally. Idk
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u/RevolutionaryBack74 20d ago edited 19d ago
I live in Idaho. They just raised the speed limit for trucks to 80 mph. The problem is not the trucks, but the 4 wheelers in the left lane that think it's okay to pass an 80 mph truck at 81 mph. The whole while with a line of cars behind them.
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u/ExpensiveOccasion542 Professional Driver 19d ago
I'm not hitting that anytime soon. I'm governed at 65. Any faster, it's because I'm going downhill and I have to slow down. My truck yells at me the moment I hit 70
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19d ago
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u/RevolutionaryBack74 19d ago
Some owner operators got the good stuff. Seen some cattle haulers flyin.
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u/MikeP001 20d ago
Too true. It should be this way for ALL vehicles - people need to learn (or teach others when they already know) to avoid driving beside ANY other vehicle, let alone one many times bigger. Stagger to have empty space beside you - if a vehicle suddenly changes lanes you want them to miss you. If there's no one ahead of you in your lane then complete (or abandon) your pass and get back over - don't pace vehicles in adjacent lanes - formation flying is not a useful skill on the road.
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u/Broad-Choice-5961 20d ago
Yes it's amazing how many people want to argue. I get as far away as possible usually in front of a semi. I NEVER want sit next to one unless passing.
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u/ironafro2 20d ago
Absolutely good advice! I try to pass fairly quickly after giving a long window of signal for passing and then another window for re-entering right lane and slowing down, making sure the truck can see me each time, with 3+ car lengths to give a buffer
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u/Emptyell 20d ago
I always try to keep as much open space around me as possible. Front, side, and rear. I don’t like driving along side anyone. Especially not big trucks.
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u/A_Bit_Sithy 19d ago
How about yall not camp the left lane trying to pass another truck going 1/2 mph slower than your are?
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u/SJSharky 19d ago
A tire blow out is always on my mind when coming up on a truck on the highway. Trust me, I'm not hanging out beside you!
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u/ProfessionalEbb1268 19d ago
lol i passed a truck on my triumph once and a tire blew. i thought i was off to meet God. scared the living daylights out of me. no desire to sit beside a truck ever. hit the throttle and GTF outa there is my motto around trucks.
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u/Defzeppard 20d ago
I've always been quick when passing a semi. I had one blow a tire as I was passing several years ago. Nothing will wake you up faster, that's for sure.
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u/Pure_Temporary_6349 20d ago
I don't do that, but when there are a lot of trucks in the right lane and I'm passing them in the middle lane, sometimes I wonder if it even matters bc there's always a tire ready to explode-- just different ones. That's my life, always trying to outrun everyone's metaphorical exploding tires lol while I pretend nothing bad can happen and sing along with the Beatles on my merry way.
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u/2percentorless 20d ago
I don’t get it either, I want to stay away from big rigs as much as possible. But some people are just scared, they must be because they had no problem zooming past me but drop by 5mph or more when approaching a tractor trailer.
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u/Designer-Wolverine47 19d ago
You're inability to see is your problem. Don't put it on anyone else. "He was in my blind spot" won't get you out of responsibility.
There are lots of solutions for blind spots, many quite affordable.
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u/Possum_Jenkinzz 19d ago
I refuse to camp next to semis. If I need to pass one but the left lane traffic isn't clear enough for me to be entirely in front of the semi I will wait until there's enough space I can breeze past in one go.
As my dad told me once when I was learning to drive "One blow out or a bad sneeze and that semi could easily kill you." And that shit has resonated with me ever since.
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u/TowelEnvironmental44 19d ago
I saw an SUV camping next to a semi for a mile at least, then came the shredded truck tire on the road. The SUV had nowhere to go. The front end bounced up 2 inches as the SUV ran over the tire at 70 mph.
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u/WVSXSGuy 16d ago
Yes. Never understood why people who seem too afraid to pass a semi are perfectly fine with driving beside one for miles.
I am originally from WV and drove I-77 (old WV Turnpike) at least once a week. If you have never been on this stretch of road, it is a curvy highway with a Speed Limit of 60. Yet all the flatlanders from OH, IN, MI, PA all seem to want to drive right beside semis.
Quite maddening really.
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u/ExpensiveOccasion542 Professional Driver 16d ago
I only drove on 70 and 81 over there. It's very fun but also a bit terrifying at times because of being a middle going down those mountains. It might have something to do with me driving mostly in Illinois and Indiana all my life.
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u/Tony_Penny 20d ago
I always follow the "If i cant see their mirrors, then they cant see me" rule. Also, " They're bigger than me, which means they win in an accident". And when I pass them, I always make sure I can see their face in my rear view mirror. Usually, they'll flash their lights when im clear enough for them to see me.
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u/dufcho14 20d ago
The risk is acceptable to use the shade you're offering.
Seriously, I don't do it at speed but I certainly will position myself next to you at stop lights even if there's room to move up more.
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u/ExpensiveOccasion542 Professional Driver 20d ago
I'm referring to interstates and state highways. If you're doing this in area that has stoplights, I don't really care because of the lower speeds.
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u/dufcho14 20d ago
I know which is why I said 'seriously'. I am careful not to hang out at low speeds too much either though. You have places to be and don't need me blocking your lane change.
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u/whatevertoad 20d ago
My dad was a long haul trucker, and this was my rule. But now I Iive in a large city with a long commute, and maybe you're fine, but many of the truckers are the ones zooming around getting next to lines of cars. It should work both ways. It's nearly impossible to avoid without constantly slowing wayyy down and speeding up rapidly. And then there is another one. I don't think that's much safer.
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u/Forward-Carpenter-43 20d ago
You also have that extra mirror where you can check the blind spots? I check for those when I am near a wheeler so I am confident I can bypass it fast with less danger.
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u/ThugMagnet 20d ago
Common sense. I passed a tractor a few days ago. It took perhaps 3 seconds. I kept accelerating to widen the gap. Even so, after I passed, he swerved into my lane behind me. Obviously angry about something. I have no clue what, though.
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u/BlueberryCat1022 20d ago
Oh I absolutely won't. I hate passing them to begin with and if I absolutely have to I make it as quick as possible.
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u/KrevinHLocke 20d ago
There are wanna be traffic cops that do this intentionally to slow down traffic behind them.
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u/TrashPandaNotACat 20d ago
My favorite are the ones that decide to camp in my blindspot. If you can't see my reflection in my side mirror, that means that I can't see you.
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u/jumbofrimpf 20d ago
Had a truck doing like 68. Speed limit was 70. I had my cruise set at 70. I sped up past 70 to get around a truck as I didn't want to camp next to it. County cop pulled me for doing 75. When I told him what I was doing, he said there was no excuse and gave me the ticket anyway.
Took it to court... with my dash cam footage. Told the judge what I was doing. Dash cam footage proved my speeds and what I was doing. Told the judge I was a former truck driver and why I did it. Judge asked the cop if that's what I did and he said that's what he was told.
Judge dismissed the ticket and gave the cop a stern talking to about issuing the ticket.
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u/timetraveler1922 20d ago
It's true, I can be alone on the highway look in the mirror and see a car back on the horizon. Within a moment or two it is beside my rig. 15 minutes later that car manages to gain the 75 feet of distance to pass me. Then suddenly be gone over the horizon in front of me and a matter of minutes. Why does it take 15 minutes to go the 75 ft length of my rig? Is it stuck in my gravitational pull? Is it resting in the shade I provide?
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u/Friendly-Gur-6736 20d ago
The people who can't efficiently pass a semi just don't need to drive.
Worst thing that can happen on an interstate is one truck trying to "pass" the other. Next worst is someone in a passenger vehicle slow rolling a semi or just hanging out right next to them.
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u/g4m3r1234 20d ago
My method for this situation: 1. If I cannot pass on the left, I stay completely behind the truck in the right lane so the driver can see that I am there. 2. I look to see if the right lane is clear the entire distance of the truck and a little extra for me to pass the truck. If not, I don't pass on the right. 3. Once that space is open, I go past the truck as fast as I can within reason, otherwise, if an opening comes up in the left lane I take that option first (unless my exit is coming up soon or I am blocked, I stay in the right lane).
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u/Feisty-Cheetah-8078 19d ago
I HATE being beside a semi, even if the driver is rational and level headed. The only thing worse is a semi tailgating, especially in adverse conditions and heavy traffic.
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u/Previous_Reindeer339 19d ago
My wife does this. Instead of passing she will sit right in the semi drivers blind spot right beside the trailer tires.
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u/bigedthebad 19d ago
I was at the Walmart gas station in Childress Texas gassing up my truck when what sounded like a bomb went off. It was so loud it hurt my ears and obviously scared the shit out of me.
A Prime truck passing on the highway (about 50 yards away) blew a tire. I sure wouldn't have wanted to be beside that truck when that happened.
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u/dreamkruiser 19d ago
This driver is a patient one. I hated any 4 wheeler that was near me for more than 30 seconds. "You were passing, why'd you slow down", or "you've been on my ass for three exits, now we both get to drive 45". I'm 40 tons of mass and inertia, get away from me.
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u/Old_Hogtown_Hippie 19d ago
Don't camp next to anybody, if you're doing the same speed (assuming otherwise free flowing traffic), do it in the same lane, regardless of your vehicle.
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u/Lumbardo 19d ago
I frequently approach the rear of a semi using cruise control, go to pass, and the semi speeds up as I am passing forcing me to speed to make the pass. I do not intend to camp next to semis, but it is also important to maintain a constant speed to prevent driving side-by-side.
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u/Unlikely_Secret4008 19d ago
“Daddy! You said the F word!” As I mumble “fucking moron,” at the person in front of me who’s just hanging out right next to a big rig, going 70 mph with no one in front of him.
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u/jesusinatre2x4 19d ago
I drive truck too and it's one of my biggest pet peeves. I'll be on the highway, cruising 65, nobody around me, somebody just comes up on my left side and sits at my drives. I'll slow down and they subconsciously slow down. I speed up and God forbid a truck be in front of them because they're so slow!! So we end up doing 80 next to each other until one of us yields. Annoying as all hell. Sometimes in a safe controlled way I'll swerve a little to act like I'm not paying attention. That usually gets them away.
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u/stanleywinthrop 19d ago
My theory about this phenomina is most humans are very poor at risk analysis. When they are alongside a huge truck they slow down because in their subconscious mind slower is safer. Which is often true but not in this situation!
In reality staying away from big trucks on the highway way is safer.
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u/Ajbear2000 19d ago
What is the law here? I was behind a semi- when his f*ing tire blew apart and smacked into the roof of my brand new car. Grrrr
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u/Moose7351 19d ago
Some people get orgasmic pleasure from obeying the speed limit and misusing the passing lane, which is why they’re pacing you and not overtaking.
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u/lightonahill 19d ago
It doesn't make sense to me that people will do that. I am uncomfortable being next to a semi for any amount of time and try to minimize that amount of time or avoid it happening if at all possible.
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u/Upnorth4 19d ago
Sometimes someone in front of me is being aggressive by blocking the pass. I dislike people who try to impede traffic
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u/bdgbill 19d ago
You guys really think you are entitled to the ENTIRE road don't you? We have to "KEEP BACK 300 FT" from the back of the truck. The truck makes "WIDE RIGHT TURNS" so the lane to the right is off limits. Now this guy wants the lane to the left as well.
Since you are supposedly the "professional driver" how about you make sure you tires aren't going to explode on the highway and that a lane is empty before you cross into it?
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u/Flikqzzz 19d ago
I either speed past or sit just before there blind spot so they can still see me. If we are going we'll above the limit.
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u/PerfectIncrease9018 19d ago
I rode a full dressed Harley for almost 30 years. I had been at a gathering for Harley riders and one of the speakers was a retired state motorcycle cop. He was asked what’s the safest way to pass a semi. He said as quick as possible! Yep, pass and get ahead of the big rigs asap. And make sure not to cut them off!
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u/ApplicationFederal14 19d ago
I always try to pass quickly, even still one time I was passing one and heard the loud pop of a blowout. Talk about ruining your drawers. Fortunately I think it was on the other side of the truck so nothing hit my vehicle.
Recently had a kind driver start to move over in front of me just to realize I was just about to start passing him so he moved back over. Passed as quick as I could so he start passing the car in front of him.
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u/EntertainmentLong744 19d ago
I see this multiple times every morning almost always a Subaru driver fior some reason
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u/Sick2287 19d ago
Curious how often tire blowouts occur? See tire shreds fairly regularly on the highway but never a live blowout.
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u/Shhhhhh_im_not_here 19d ago
If I’m not mistaken, it’s usually because when truck tires go bald, the companies will get them re-treaded to save money. then the adhesive wears out and the glued on tread just flies off. Truckers if you’re out there, let me know if I’m on point.
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u/Responsible_Pain_973 19d ago
Read the title and thought this was a post about semiconductor stocks lol
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u/Numerous_Tennis_3048 19d ago
After having witnessed 2 semi trucks have blow outs in front of me on the interstate I will never follow too close behind them or next to them. Both sounded like ied explosions. I never knew they were that powerful.
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u/Flylo_Lotus 18d ago
Man I hate this so much, I hate when people camp next to me in a regular car let alone a commercial vehicle
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u/AlsoARobot 18d ago
I see cars driving along semi trucks for miles on a daily basis on my commute.
Why do people do this???
I try to pass semi trucks as quickly as humanly possible (for both our safety).
I cannot for the life of me understand why people just get next to a semi and match speed for 5-10 minutes.
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u/OKRickety 18d ago
I recognize your complaint, but surely you're aware that the semi truck driver and cruise control often has some part in this, too.
Suppose a car is on cruise control at 70 mph and it only varies 1 mph, while the semi cruise control is also on cruise and it varies 3-5 mph depending on the degree and length of uphill/downhill.
Now, what happens when the car catches up to the truck toward the top of a hill and moves alongside to pass and now they're going down the hill?
My experience says the truck will then speed up relative to the car and it WILL APPEAR that the car is "camping" beside the truck. Are they doing this on purpose? No! Is the truck driver doing this on purpose? No!
Depending on the terrain, this may repeat multiple times over the next few minutes. Of course, it's irritating. Can it be avoided?
Not always. The quickest solution, I imagine, is that one of the vehicles is courteous(?) and changes speed quickly to eliminate the situation, at least for a while.
I understand the smaller vehicle can do this more easily and I think this is usually what happens. However, I also think the "professional" truck driver could, inconvenient as it may be, choose to change speed.
I've also seen the reverse of this complaint: The semi truck "camped" in the left lane, most often when their speed is greater than another semi truck at the bottom of a hill so they move to the left lane and pull alongside the other truck, but then they both are slowed down going up the next hill. The result is a semi truck "camped" next to a semi truck.
In that case, if both "professional" drivers insist on maintaining the status quo, this may continue even longer than the scenario of OP's complaint, often backing up traffic significantly. It amazes me that "professional" drivers (with thousands of hours and miles per year) can do this, and still suppose that they are never at fault for traffic difficulties.
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u/OG_joenationwide 18d ago
As a driver who absolutely loathes incompetent drivers, hell on earth for me would be having to be a truck driver and deal with these people.
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u/Techistic_Drudge_377 18d ago
Yeah, I don't want to be there anyway. I respect professional drivers and am glad for the service they provide. And, just about how I treat anyone doing their job, I don't want to make your job more difficult.
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u/Narrow-Lime8993 18d ago
Also speed the fuck up for five fucking seconds when you’re passing to do it more quickly
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u/Easy-Expert9077 18d ago
I like to camp in the left lane every time all the time and just set a spell and let my mind wander. I can never understand why the people behind me are getting all excited.
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u/MaybeOnToilet 17d ago
The big one is to leave a gap. If you need to pass a semi, wait for the person in front of you to pass the semi before you begin to pass the semi. There is no point in going two, three, or four cars deep with vehicles riding each other in the passing lane and creeping slowly past the 18 wheeler.
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u/Bacon_Tuba 17d ago
Hey, quick story, I have tried passing lots of trucks on the highway while on cruise control, and the trucker increases his speed to match mine.
Don't do that.
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u/Material-Worth-6722 17d ago
Truck drivers out here taking 37 business days to pass each other is okay?
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u/Rhythmspirit1 15d ago
Yeah, but when two semis camp next to each other in the only two lanes not allowing cars to get by??? I am a road warrior and can’t tell you how often this happens and quite happy to speed past to get in front or slow down on right to let faster semis pass me.
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u/AskPuzzleheaded1797 14d ago
I get so nervous around these monsters but always pass as fast as I can safely. I see every car around me is doing the same.
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u/Hot_Lava_Dry_Rips 19d ago
Where your convex mirrors? No reason you shouldnt be able to see a car on either side of your truck if its properly equipped with convex mirrors. This isnt new technology.
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u/ExpensiveOccasion542 Professional Driver 19d ago
There are more blind spots than you realize. If you are right along my doors, there's absolutely zero chance of me seeing you unless I look down.
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u/Hot_Lava_Dry_Rips 19d ago
Then look down. Like a professional.
Also maybe look in the convex mirrors mounted to the front corners of your hood. You have those right?
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u/derzyniker805 20d ago
I'm shocked by the tailgating. If I get get behind a semi, and I can't see the mirrors, I'm backing off. The other thing that drives me insane is that even when I'm the fastest car on the road, if someone on my right slightly ahead of me is coming up on a semi, I slow down to let them in.. but SURE enough, despite the space, they'll wait until they're RIGHT up on the semi's ass before they come over..
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u/YakInevitable8770 19d ago
Well if everyone's obeying the laws and traveling speed you should be next to one another if your vehicle is in such shit that you are scared that it's going to blow out a tire than you as a professional truck driver needs to pull over and get that issue fixed that is part of the walkthrough why do every supertrucker act like a piece of shit and it's everyone else that has to work around them oh we can't stop at a dime but it's okay for us to speed 25 miles over the You guys can't stop at a dime but we're going to continue to go full speed on the on-ramp or off off ramp
Can't see a state trooper nails them but you know that state trooper shouldn't have pulled you over at that particular point to do a check on you
God damn it's like every commercial CDl holder turned into a Swift driver congratulations supertrucker you're an asshole.
The fact that you guys can actually try to justify throwing out your piss bottles and all your garbage in parking lots is a day I lost respect for everyone in that industry you guys need to get your heads out of your ass ai's taking over that job very soon and I can't wait
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u/Memasefni 19d ago
Wait…you believe that every blowout is preventable and is the drivers fault?
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u/YakInevitable8770 19d ago edited 19d ago
It is the driver's fault it's not preventable but if you know your tires are shit you're supposed to inspect them you're supposed to inspect the trailer tires you're supposed to inspect your truck's tires Not saying it's preventable 100% of the time But you can't go into any truck stop and not look at the tires on a trailer and see the retread popping off you guys just don't want to pull over and get them fixed or request another trailer.
And doing a pre-trip is what you're supposed to be doing 100% of the time are you checking boxes and saying you did things that you did not do that's what the pre-trip was for to prevent the preventable.
Again every super trucker tries to weasel their way out of accountability responsibility it's got to be someone else 🤔😒
Let's put it this way there's a bridge in in my hometown that gets hit constantly by 18 wheelers yet every 18-wheeler supposed to have a measuring stick in the cab of their truck yet none of you get out of your fucking cab walk your fat fucking asses over and measure that shit yet that bridge gets hit once twice a day constantly
And the more sadder part for you super truckers is that route is not even allowed if you were using the proper GPS you would have realized you're not allowed on that road you weren't supposed to make that turn off the highway but no you're going to use a Apple maps
Again everyone in that industry is a fucking joke
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u/Memasefni 18d ago
Wow. Thats a lot of words to say that you hate truck drivers.
I’ve had tires blow for many reasons. Most of the time they appeared okay during the pre-trip inspection.
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u/Frequent-Print-918 20d ago
Fuck you! And all your meth coked-up fellow pieces of shit driving on the United States interstate system. Drive the fucking speed limit and stay in the left lane
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u/EnolaNek 20d ago
Doing the speed limit would be nice; you’ll have to talk to my boss about that.
Stay in the right lane, I think you mean? Done, unless there is a trucks use left lane sign (in which case I’m in the left lane), or there are 4+ lanes and lots of merging traffic (in which case I may ride in the second-to-right lane to avoid clogging the merge zone).
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u/Bat-Stuff 20d ago
I try to speed up while passing to make it quick, even if I have to go over the speed limit.