Trucker/cager etiquette - not necessarily bike related

[Caffeine]

I just finished a 1,000-total round-trip in my cage to visit the family. 

Does anyone else remember when there was a sort of unwritten "code" with truck drivers that sort of went like this:

a.) Truck passes you on the highway (you might even slow down a bit to make it easy for him)

b.) Truck puts on turn signal because he wishes to get back over into your lane

c.) You flash your high beams, indicating to him that he's got ample space and your "OK"

d.) Truck moves safely into your lane

e.) (optional) Truck blinks its red taillights as a "thank you" and the world is a happy place.

DOES ANYBODY DO THIS ANYMORE?  I pretty much gave it up, because most of the truckers didn't signal lane changes at all, and a few of them just swerved back into my lane, way too close for comfort!   

My high-beam flashes were pretty much ignored, and I saw way too many truckers talking on cell phones (but that's another subject).

Maybe I'm just turning into an old fart, but does anyone have any consideration for each other any more?

Rant over.  Go back to your porn.   

[SteveM]

Those passing signals with 18 wheelers still apply, although not all new big rig drivers seem to know.

[The Buddha]

I have a new one. Tailgating/drafting semi's. Better gas mileage. Like 2 mpg. making 18 almost on a 97 F150 with 195K.
Cool.
Buddha.

[pkhoff]

I believe it's not flashing your brights, it's turning your headlights off, then back on at night, or on then back off in the daytime.

I do it and get the "thank you" about 75% of the time.

[bucks1605]

I believe it's not flashing your brights, it's turning your headlights off, then back on at night, or on then back off in the daytime.

I do it and get the "thank you" about 75% of the time.

I'm pretty sure that's what it is. My dad is a truck driver, and whenever I go on runs with him I always make sure he follows the 'code'. I even do it in my truck on occasion.

[ohgood]

I just finished a 1,000-total round-trip in my cage to visit the family. 

Does anyone else remember when there was a sort of unwritten "code" with truck drivers that sort of went like this:

a.) Truck passes you on the highway (you might even slow down a bit to make it easy for him)

b.) Truck puts on turn signal because he wishes to get back over into your lane

c.) You flash your high beams, indicating to him that he's got ample space and your "OK"

d.) Truck moves safely into your lane

e.) (optional) Truck blinks its red taillights as a "thank you" and the world is a happy place.

DOES ANYBODY DO THIS ANYMORE?  I pretty much gave it up, because most of the truckers didn't signal lane changes at all, and a few of them just swerved back into my lane, way too close for comfort!   

My high-beam flashes were pretty much ignored, and I saw way too many truckers talking on cell phones (but that's another subject).

Maybe I'm just turning into an old fart, but does anyone have any consideration for each other any more?

Rant over.  Go back to your porn.   

a-d= yep, I do it. e = man, that just makes my day.

You see, in my perfect little world, people leave for work with plenty of time to spare. They live within their means, don't complain about their wife to their co-workers, nor complain about their work to their wife. They do their job, do their very best to do a good job, and not inhibit others from doing their job -very- well.

Beit lowly machinists like myself, toolmakers, engineers, draftsmen, nurses, doctors, social workers, truckers, cabbies, or whoever. They just do their job, to the best of their abilities.

Sometimes we help each other for no reason, sometimes we wave to say 'thanks!' when merging. Give one, take one, and all that jazz. It makes my very short commute so much better when I run with the gentile crowd.

Ya, when I'm 300, 400, or 2,000 + miles from my home and family, nothing is more welcomed than one of the professional drivers showing a little courtesy back to me. They drive hundreds of thousands of miles (or millions in many cases) and log few, if any ever, accidents. Then how many were truely their fault ? Not many.

A  pro driver that gives the courtesy 'thanks' flash after they pass really is cool. It's "old school cool" or whatever kids call things that SHOULD be common sense nowadays.

The wife thinks I'm a goof because I get such a charge out of pro drivers that know how to pass courtiousely and acknowledge my flashin. Maybe so, I dunno.

Keep on truckin.

[lilbill]

My best friend and I were just talking about this and we're young farts!  Courtesy has been lost in many cases on the road but I still give trucks their space and help them do what they need to do.  I drive a small (18') trailer at work and I know what a pain maneuverability can be with that and how impatient (read "assholeish") people get...so I can't imagine.

But it makes my day when I get the thanks flash or see some other similar act on the road.

[ATLRIDER]

I believe it's not flashing your brights, it's turning your headlights off, then back on at night, or on then back off in the daytime.

I do it and get the "thank you" about 75% of the time.

+2 on that.  I used to drive trucks for a few years and you turn the lights on/off slowly a few times to let them know you're giving them courtesy.  Looks different from flashing. 

[annguyen1981]

I just finished a 1,000-total round-trip in my cage to visit the family. 

Does anyone else remember when there was a sort of unwritten "code" with truck drivers that sort of went like this:

a.) Truck passes you on the highway (you might even slow down a bit to make it easy for him)

b.) Truck puts on turn signal because he wishes to get back over into your lane

c.) You flash your high beams, indicating to him that he's got ample space and your "OK"

d.) Truck moves safely into your lane

e.) (optional) Truck blinks its red taillights as a "thank you" and the world is a happy place.

A)  I've never thought about it, but I'm sure as hell gonna start.
B)  Most truckers do this from my experience
C)  I always do this
D)  Yup
E)  I get this about 8 times out of ten.  I also get a wave afterwards when I pass them. (actually, now that I think about it, I HAVE done (A)...  then afterwards, I pass them if needed)

I always get a nice feeling when they thank you by either flashing their lights or giving you a wave...  makes me think that there IS intelligent life on this planet.

[shiznizbiz]

I do the thank you flash in every vehicle.  Its mostly habit from when i use to drive a van.  I drive my girls car around when im not on my bike.(need the third seat for the lil turd)  And The back of the car is high, and theres a spoiler (08 lancer) so waving is pointless. 
A little coutesy can go a long way when in traffic.  You may even notice how contagious it can be. 

[yamahonkawazuki]

i do it all, also i use a cb, key teh mike, and id the truck and say, its yours if you want it,( traffic lane) 

[Kasumi]

I don't drive lorrys however working on the farm in the harvest driving large articulated tractor-trailers its always nice to get abit of courtesy. I understand were big mofo's wide and sometimes slow (not if your in a fastrac  ) but we do our best and like the HGV crowd some of us give the rest a bad name.

Personally if im getting a queue of traffic behind me i always try and pull over and let it past if they give me time. I try and wave people past if i can see a clear road ahead. I always appreciate the guys who see me coming and wanting to make a turn or reverse and they just stop. They have no problem waiting and holding the traffic back to give me room to manouver and i acknowledge them with a thumbs up.

However in this day and age that person is usually waiting till theres just enuf room to squeeze past, even if your still moving they will force their way through on the rush to get to work.

It is getting less often that people are courtious to us during harvest, they whizz around the corners and crash into combines and blame it on us, you have to expect it during harvest, accept there could be a tractor round any corner hauling 20 tonnes of grain and he aint guna stop on a penny for you. Be courtious. Our trailers are all branded with the saying "Jam Today, Bread Tomorrow" if people took time to read it they would realise that what were doing is benefiting them, so if they're not prepared to work 13, 14, 15 even 16 hour days plus to get the crops cut and the grain in to make food for them then the least they could do is spare 5 minutes of patience when they see us coming.

[Mdow]

i do it all the time

[annguyen1981]

i do it all, also i use a cb, key teh mike, and id the truck and say, its yours if you want it,( traffic lane) 

What channel do you use to talk to them?  I figured that they all use different channels.  Is there a universal channel?

[yamahonkawazuki]

19, is the main one the truckers use, they may go to other channels if 19 is cluttered, but 19 is by far teh most used

[Kasumi]

And if anyone cares to know, its channel 4 in the UK for agriculture -mostly!

[LOUiE]

up here in Canada-land. we have daytime running lights (headlamps light ALL day).  I believe the etiquette up here is a simple flash of the high's and back to reg.

thats what I do anyways

And how many people are being passed by trucks anyways?  I mean... the gas/throttle is on the right   

[shiznizbiz]

im usually never passed....by anyone for that matter.  If I am its usually an emergency vehicle, or a crazy cage.