A Pause For A Cause
We interrupt this, ...well, actually "we" aren't interrupting anything. Once more then. Ahem. I interrupt this fascinating stream of wonderful conversation for a safety bulletin: Don't tail gate large trucks. Ever. Okay? The weather is warming, which means truck tires under heavy loads are heating up and exploding. This reminder came to mind a few minutes ago when the inside rear tire on my trailer went boom as I traveled north on I-95 toward Washington D.C.
As is usually the case in this region, I had someone tail gating me, and another genius tail gating him, and so on. The tire blew with an enormous BOOM, sending pieces of rubber everywhere. The little Mercedes behind me almost departed the roadway for the trees. A large chunk of rubber went over his car only to hit the one behind him. He then ran over it, and the cars behind him swerved to avoid it, nearly hitting traffic in the next lane.
I immediately put on the emergency flashers and gently coasted The Beast to the shoulder, while everyone else went about their day. It could have been much worse. On the other hand, had the traffic behind me exercised just a little bit of caution and not tried to crowd an 80,000 pound semi, perhaps they would not have been hit by flying tire chunks, or swerved into traffic, or had the sudden urge to change pants.
I know everyone is in a hurry, especially in this area. Please folks, give these trucks some space. We can't stop on a dime, nor can we keep tires from blowing out. The margin of space you allow may be the margin of safety that saves your life.
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Comments :
Jan '11
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Dave,
I regularly drive on I-10 between AZ and CA. Since reading your posts, I not only have much more respect for truck drivers, and their trucks, but also have taken your advice to heart. Thank you.
Feb '11
Re: A Pause For A Cause
The phenomenon you describe has always fascinated me. I generally ascribe it to either a subconscious death wish or the sort of stupidity that warrants removal of the subject's dna from the gene pool. It ranks on par with the delusions of immortality that induce drivers of tiny plastic econo death traps to dart in front of speeding 80,000 lb rigs and then hit their brakes.
Sep '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Dave, thanks for the reminder. Years ago I saw--and heard--a tire blow on a semi in North Carolina. Fortunately I was a few car lengths back. Made a mental note not to stay close to large trucks, whether behind or alongside.
It's not just tailgating trucks--a lot of people seem to be ignorant of very basic physics. When I was teaching at West Point I had to drive over Storm King mountain in the winter, and most of the other drivers would drive 70 mph on the icy cliffside road, come what may. Every winter there was a crash. Scariest commute I ever had.
May '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
We recently drove from Maryland to Nashville, TN and I have to say that consistently some of the worst drivers drove semi-trucks. On several occasions, a saw truck drivers texting, eating and generally not paying attention. One swerved into our lane and nearly struck our car. Don't even get me started about truck driver behavior in Norfolk on the HRBT. Tailgating is a big problem in DC, but I think everyone could stand to be more careful.
Dec '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
I stand with Dave on this. Stay the heck away, as best you can, both in back, but also in front.
Just because you can fit in front of a truck doesn't mean you should even contemplate it.
But, here's the thing: Dave has a tractor, that pulls a trailer, owned by others (I assume). You'll notice the tire that blew was on the trailer, that Dave does not provide tires for. I hate that so many companies put shoddy retread tires on their trailers, that Dave then has to haul. It's trailer tires that are always blowing and we all see them, in the road and along the sides. In my opinion, trailer retreads are timebombs and you need to stay away from them.
Notice that Dave's driving wheel tires on his tractor didn't blow, the ones in the back of his tractor. Also, his steering tires up front are always good. It's the trailer tires on the highway that are often junk and the driver has no quality-control over those.
May '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
I have always given the eighteen-wheelers a big cushion. They're bigger than me.
One of life's simple joys is driving the highway late at night and having a big rig pass you. When the rig has safely cleared ahead of you and signals to merge into your lane, if you flash your headlights to let the driver know he's clear he'll often flash his tailights back at you in thanks. I picked it up by watching the truckers do it. It's just one of those nice small moments between strangers on the highway that restores one's faith in your fellow man.
Apr '11
Re: A Pause For A Cause
When I was in high school physics, our teacher had us do a problem where we calculated what angle a garbage truck going 30 mph would be deflected if a sports car T-boned it going 90 mph. I remember the answer was something on the order of 2 degrees.
Don't mess with vehicles more massive than your own; they will always win any fight you pick.
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Karen, how right you are! There are quite a few truckers out here that shouldn't be driving golf carts, let alone semis. All the more reason to give semis as much space as possible.
Here's a good rule of thumb: I usually allow a following distance of 7 seconds between my rig and the vehicle in front of me,...14 seconds in inclement weather. If a semi tailgates you, move over as fast as safely possible. If you have a tire blow out, or if you have to brake hard for another vehicle, etc., he won't be able to stop in time, so get out of his way. Then write down his truck number and company phone number (usually on the back of the trailer), and call him in. Companies take complaints from the motoring public very seriously. Your call just might be the one that gets him out of big rigs altogether.
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Kervinlee: I have always given the eighteen-wheelers a big cushion. They're bigger than me.
One of life's simple joys is driving the highway late at night and having a big rig pass you. When the rig has safely cleared ahead of you and signals to merge into your lane, if you flash your headlights to let the driver know he's clear he'll often flash his tailights back at you in thanks. I picked it up by watching the truckers do it. It's just one of those nice small moments between strangers on the highway that restores one's faith in your fellow man. · May 5 at 4:42pm
Kervinlee, honestly, I enjoy that part of it too. The mutual courtesy that truckers extend to each other is nice, but when a car is kind enough to give me some room and flash his lights to let me know it's safe, it's extra nice. I always try to give them a light show, with the trailer lights, hazard lights, turn signals, etc., to let them know I appreciate the courtesy. Besides, if there are kids in the car, they eat that stuff up.
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Wacky Hermit: When I was in high school physics, our teacher had us do a problem where we calculated what angle a garbage truck going 30 mph would be deflected if a sports car T-boned it going 90 mph. I remember the answer was something on the order of 2 degrees.
Don't mess with vehicles more massive than your own; they will always win any fight you pick. · May 5 at 6:02pm
Exactly. Even if the driver is a complete idiot, you may not respect him, but a healthy respect for the laws of physics is always a good thing.
Re: A Pause For A Cause
By way of an update: The blown out tire was replaced in time for me to make the 5 o'clock traffic jam on the D.C. Beltway. For those familiar with the area, I took I-495 on the west side of town to the I-270 spur, and then on toward Hagerstown. There were many accidents of course, two of which took place right in front of me. Both involved cars tailgating each other. One car has to slam on his brakes, and all the little dummies behind him slam into each other. Other drivers see this, maneuver around the accident, and then continue to tailgate each other until, Presto! Another accident happened. I've been up in this region three days now, and I swear that this bunch makes lemmings look intelligent.
May '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Dave Carter
Kervinlee, honestly, I enjoy that part of it too. The mutual courtesy that truckers extend to each other is nice, but when a car is kind enough to give me some room and flash his lights to let me know it's safe, it's extra nice. I always try to give them a light show, with the trailer lights, hazard lights, turn signals, etc., to let them know I appreciate the courtesy. Besides, if there are kids in the car, they eat that stuff up. · May 5 at 6:12pm
I'll look out for you later this year on I-5 between Dunnigan and Portland, Dave.
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Kervinlee
Dave Carter
Kervinlee, honestly, I enjoy that part of it too. The mutual courtesy that truckers extend to each other is nice, but when a car is kind enough to give me some room and flash his lights to let me know it's safe, it's extra nice. I always try to give them a light show, with the trailer lights, hazard lights, turn signals, etc., to let them know I appreciate the courtesy. Besides, if there are kids in the car, they eat that stuff up. · May 5 at 6:12pm
I'll look out for you later this year on I-5 between Dunnigan and Portland, Dave. · May 5 at 6:48pm
Okay. Just point me toward the coffee....
Jul '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
I always give truckers the right of way. If I see that a trucker needs to change into my lane, I'll slow down and flash my lights. Meanwhile, the cars behind me are honking their horns....
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Proving yet again that no good deed goes unpunished. But I'll thank you for the rest of 'em.
Mar '11
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Kervinlee: I have always given the eighteen-wheelers a big cushion. They're bigger than me.
One of life's simple joys is driving the highway late at night and having a big rig pass you. When the rig has safely cleared ahead of you and signals to merge into your lane, if you flash your headlights to let the driver know he's clear he'll often flash his tailights back at you in thanks. I picked it up by watching the truckers do it. It's just one of those nice small moments between strangers on the highway that restores one's faith in your fellow man. · May 5 at 4:42pm
Driving a Ford shuttle van in the greater Seattle area, 35,000+ miles/year, I've learned to give trucks all the space they need. Incautious or careless professionals endanger their licenses and livelihoods, to say nothing of lives. To paraphrase the pilot's phrase: "There are old truckers, and there are bold truckers; but there are no old bold truckers." I try to communicate with lights, and get a childlike thrill when it's acknowledged with flashers.
Thanks for the common-sense PSA, Dave.
May '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Dave Carter
Kervinlee
Dave Carter
Kervinlee, honestly, I enjoy that part of it too. The mutual courtesy that truckers extend to each other is nice, but when a car is kind enough to give me some room and flash his lights to let me know it's safe, it's extra nice. I always try to give them a light show, with the trailer lights, hazard lights, turn signals, etc., to let them know I appreciate the courtesy. Besides, if there are kids in the car, they eat that stuff up. · May 5 at 6:12pm
I'll look out for you later this year on I-5 between Dunnigan and Portland, Dave. · May 5 at 6:48pm
Okay. Just point me toward the coffee.... · May 5 at 7:10pm
You got it. BTW: I heard once long ago (in the "Will and Sonny" days) that in trucker CB-speak the east coast of the US is referred to as "the dirty side," and the west coast is "the crazy side." Makes sense to me. Have you ever heard that?
Re: A Pause For A Cause
Kervinlee
· May 5 at 6:48pm
· May 5 at 7:10pm
You got it. BTW: I heard once long ago (in the "Will and Sonny" days) that in trucker CB-speak the east coast of the US is referred to as "the dirty side," and the west coast is "the crazy side." Makes sense to me. Have you ever heard that? · May 5 at 8:07pm
No, I haven't heard it put quite that politely on the CB. But in general terms, most long haul drivers would tend to agree. They aren't exactly beating the doors down to either location.
Nov '10
Re: A Pause For A Cause
I have only once seen a truck tire explode on the highway. A much bigger problem, IMHO, is retreads, and tires shedding them. On more than one occasion I have seen a trailer launch one of these vulcanized pythons into the air behind it. More often, one runs across --and people swerve to avoid-- the debris stream from a truck that is no longer in sight. This has taught me to give trailers a wide berth.