Road Safety

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Loose Nut

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Since I'm in a good mood with the arrival of a job offer, I'd like to start a thread about road safety. I didn't see any similar threads here, though I didn't look too hard, so you mods feel free to move this post if necessary. Now, y'all know I drove a big truck for a number of years, including hauling hazardous materials for more than one outfit, and I've had some additional safety training beyond what many truck drivers normally receive. So I'd like to throw down some safety tips... not all at once, this can be an ongoing thread as far as advice goes, I'll begin by posting a few tips which will dramatically increase your safety on the road, if you happen to just be starting your driving career, or RV driving career.

First, and this is a big one, always "RIDE THE GAP" whenever possible, staying in the open between packs of vehicles, even if that means speeding up or slowing down to prolong your time in that gap. Open space around your vehicle adds greatly to your safety, and also gives you more reaction time. Conversely, "camping out" near or alongside trucks and other vehicles adds to the danger, as a sudden gust, tire blowout, inattentive driver, whatever can put you on the spot in a hazardous situation. Like one old hand here in Arizona told me about real property: "ACREAGE IS YOUR BEST NEIGHBOR!" And he's right, lol... same principle applies on the road. You can't always ride the gap, but you can train yourself to MAXIMIZE the time spent there, 10-4? I do it to this day in my Toyota Camry, lol.

Another thing, this time involving courtesy: learn to dim your bright lights BEFORE blinding oncoming drivers, particularly on skinny little 2-lane blacktop roads. When you wait until that other driver is blinded, you INCREASE the odds of getting into a head-on collision with that driver. So be courteous and dim your brights before you blind other drivers, you'll be adding to your own safety as well. Granted, road courtesy is rapidly going the way of the dinosaur, but YOU can still exercise it, aye? Oh, yeah, and don't hit your high beams to "flash in" a driver who just passed you, learn to momentarily cut your headlights: same message, no irritating distraction or dangerous blinding of drivers in their mirrors. Easy adjustment to make, if you're used to hitting your high beams... makes a world of difference to the other driver.

Signals... here's another way to increase your road safety. Start signaling well in advance of any lane change, merge or other maneuver. I don't mean keep the signal on for half an hour, I mean give other drivers a few seconds for the flashing signals to register. I've seen crazy fools literally cross four or more lanes, scraping across the front bumpers of other drivers, just to make an exit which they didn't realize was rapidly coming up. I once saw such a driver leave it too late, and his pimpwagon sailed over an embankment as it dropped over the side of the exit... crackerhead probably thought he was in the Baja 1000, lol.

Patience.. this is another big one, lol. For me, the best thing truck driving ever taught me was patience, and I wasn't always the most patient man on earth in my younger days, lol. It's almost like a Zen thing, learning patience on the road. Some circumstances are beyond the control of you and other drivers, and one needs to learn how to accept them... or jump off and take a break, ya know? Granted, there are bad drivers out there who could p!ss off the Pope... how you react to them makes a big difference. Moi, I like to slow down or mash on it to get away from bad drivers, same goes for those who want to "camp out" alongside my rig. Some of them are just clueless, which is too bad... makes me long for the good ol' days of 'Driver's Ed' in high school.

Lemme tell y'all a funny story... this truck driver started up one of those walled-in on-ramps in L.A., the kind which start as two lanes and then quickly merge into one before merging with the elevated freeway. Well, grabbing gears from a dead stop, the loaded truck was a little slow in getting up to speed... nothing the truck driver could do about it, it's all physics. Well, some impatient jack@$$ in a pickup truck figured he'd race around the truck and beat him to the big road... the on-ramp canyon got narrow and that fool had to evade the truck. Wound up GRINDING the entire right side of his pickup against the concrete wall, but by God, he BEAT the truck!!! LOL. I always thought that was kinda funny... try exercising a little patience and you won't find yourselves in a similar situation.

Okay, that's it for now, I'm sure others will want to chime in on such a topic, and if they have in some other thread, you mods feel free to move my post. I have more tips for those just starting out, but I'll throw those down later. Well, maybe one or two more right now, I'm long-winded once I get started, lol. Don't hang out near big trucks: tire blowouts can damage your vehicle or cause wrecks. Don't "draft" or tailgate big trucks either: I once saw the broken leaf spring of a truck embedded in the shotgun seat of a D.O.T. bear's vehicle, the photos were posted in the Yuma chickenhouse... anybody sitting shotgun would've been IMPALED by the flying leaf spring section which came right through the windshield. I told that D.O.T. bear, "DAMN, YOU WERE LUCKY, DUDE!!!" And he was too... he nodded his serious assent.

ALRIGHT, HOPE THIS HELPS SOME OF YOU DRIVERS JUST STARTING OUT... EXPERIENCED 'HIGHWAY HEROES' ALREADY KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY, LOL. CHEERS!!! ;)
 
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I will add something very simple - SLOW DOWN.

I set my cruise at 66-67 on the (70 mph) highway. All the cars pass me, and I slowly approach the trucks so I have plenty of time to plan a safe pass. It's unreal how many motorhomes and travel trailers just FLY by me at 75-80.

My hurry and excitement to reach our destination will ALWAYS take a back seat to getting there safely. Who cares if it's 20 minutes later??
 
I have a lead foot. I always have. I am eternally thankful for cruise control that keeps me legal and safe. I am also a definite type A personality, though that has moderated since I retired. I set my motorhome cruise on 62-64 because that is the sweet spot for fuel economy/RPMs for my engine and transmission combo. If I “drive by foot” I can easily get the rig to 70 without noticing since my rig drives pretty sweetly. To repeat, thank goodness for cruise control.
 
Know that your rig is in a safe driving condition to the best of your abilities.

At every fuel or rest stop, check the condition of the tires, check the wheel hubs for overheating, and check the connection of the trailer to the tow vehicle.

Check that all lights are working each morning before starting your drive.

If pulling a trailer or 5th wheel, check the operation of the brake controller by manually actuating the controller each morning when starting out.
 
Loose Nut - I am sure you have a great story to tell but you have diarrhea of the keyboard. I am not going to read a post that is that long. You should have a blog instead and then post a short introduction to the story with a link to your blog.
 
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I think there are a lot of experienced drivers on here and more than a handful of ex-commercial drivers.

The danger is complacency. You've been doing this for so long, you know your rig, you know how to drive, it's "just" an RV. But bad habits and little things can sneak up on you over time. I know some older drivers, and they can't be told anything ;)

For the new drivers, slow down please. Driving big/heavy is a mindset. The right lane is your oyster. Check your tires - setting the pressure isn't just for the tire guy, carry a gauge. Check your fluids, your connections, walk around the rig every time you go. Those "truck" speed limits - those usually apply to you, too! It's vacation....relax!
 
Great Post. Tom only likes the "Cliff Note" version but I enjoyed the read. ;)

Riding "The Gap" was extremely important when i lived in Naples Italy for 3 years. That was Pre-cell Phone days. I could only imagine being there now.
 
Free Tip: When you see a trailer Fish Tailing Violently with a ski boat on top cruising down the highway at about 75 MPH, speed up and pass or slow down real quick, because the entire Wheel and Tire May pop off and come back at you to Dodge.

I did enjoy the 50Ft Rooster Tail of Fiery Spark. Pretty Impressive from a spectators view point.

When you see the deep Ruts carved in the asphalt...This is a Prime Example of what causes it.
 
I'm a big fan of dropping the front door windows a few inches (class C) when entering and leaving campgrounds or tight parking lots. Always listening and watching, if the window is up you might not hear something important. When leaving, I'm listening to the engine, making sure everything is steaming up okay.

Some people tear a$$ coming and going in the campground. 5mph is faster than walking, but it will get you around the campground just fine.
 
I'm a big fan of dropping the front door windows a few inches (class C) when entering and leaving campgrounds or tight parking lots. Always listening and watching, if the window is up you might not hear something important. When leaving, I'm listening to the engine, making sure everything is steaming up okay.

Some people tear a$$ coming and going in the campground. 5mph is faster than walking, but it will get you around the campground just fine.
Lay off accelerator and apply brake firmly when you hear the crunch of Fiberglass, ;) .
 
I set my motorhome cruise on 62-64 because that is the sweet spot for fuel economy/RPMs for my engine and transmission combo. If I “drive by foot” I can easily get the rig to 70 without noticing since my rig drives pretty sweetly. To repeat, thank goodness for cruise control.
Amen! My rig like 65 mph for smoothness and mileage "sweet spot."
 
Use the turn signal? My city has the lowest per capita consumption of replacement turn signal bulbs in the world. No one ever uses turn signals here so the bulbs never need to be replaced. :D One of my pet peeves.
 
Wow, a whole heap of replies, I've been off the web for most of the day because the charging cord for my two-year-old laptop went kaput, and I had to track down a replacement... not always easy here in the boondocks. Wound up driving to Staples in Sierra Vista (everybody else was out of Chromebook charging adapters), but I'm good now, so let me thank y'all for your observations. And FunSteak, you mentioned something I wish to address this time around: safely passing a big rig or other large vehicle on the road.

Some four-wheelers like to haul @$$ right up behind big trucks before wildly flying into the hammer lane to pass... bad idea, truck drivers don't like surprises. At night, it's okay to get a little closer to the wagon ahead of you before hitting the hammer lane and smoothly accelerating past... less time spent with your lights in the other driver's mirrors. But for reasons I mentioned in my initial post, it's NOT a good idea to "draft" or tailgate trucks. Equipment failures & tire blowouts can cause serious damage to YOUR rig, aye?

Day or night, regardless of weather, when passing a truck or RV ahead of you, it's a good idea to choose your moment wisely: don't attempt to pass on serious curves, bridges (where railings and/or concrete dividers mean narrow shoulders or eliminate them completely), in tunnels (yes, some morons actually do this), and other locations where circumstances make passing hazardous. Instead, wait for a straight stretch of open road with wide shoulders and less traffic, if possible...

This holds especially true for any kind of oversized rig... the kind requiring pilot vehicles as escorts. When I was in a fast truck and I rolled up on such a rig, I'd back out of it a bit, get on my CB and hail the other driver, letting him know that I was about to slide on by when a good opportunity presented itself. Simple professional courtesy, that's all, and also done to let him know I wasn't gonna try to pass on a curve, bridge, etc. Every single one of those drivers thanked me in return.

Before passing any large rig on the road, I like to get out and be seen before I overtake the vehicle, giving the other driver a little time to get ready for the pass, aye? Good weather or bad, it's simply courteous to let the other driver know you are there, and know your intentions. Y'all have no idea how many wrecks I've seen due to fools tearing up and wildly attempting to pass at the worst possible time, pfffffft. See my earlier comments upon patience... it's a friggin' virtue, lol.

Oh, yeah, if the other driver is courteous enough to "flash you in" once you pass, it's always nice to respond in turn, briefly interrupting or cutting the taillights twice in the usual method of saying "Thank you!" When it is SAFE to do so, of course. I know road courtesy is rapidly vanishing from this country like the dinosaurs of old, and I won't get into the reasons for that, but it's always pleasant to receive some acknowledgement if road courtesy is extended.

I've noticed that some site members here don't like truck drivers, and perhaps they have good reason for their dislike. All I can say is this: I learn something new every f#%g day out there on the road, so if you're one of those 'Highway Hee-roes' who already know it all and don't like my posts, well, don't bother reading them, that's the best advice I can give you. In the meantime, I'm gonna share what 'limited knowledge' I possess with those who are new to the game, whether ya like it or not... enough said.

Today, I learned that there are some really bad and unsafe drivers in Sierra Vista, perhaps due to the nearby Army post (Fort Huachuca), perhaps due to the proximity to Mexico, perhaps due to the old age of many retirees in this area... including one old gal who never saw my oncoming car and pulled out right in front of it. Meh, it's a tan Camry, blends in with the background, so I cut her some slack, ya know? Old gal probably never even saw me, but thanks to my defensive driving techniques, no harm done.

ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ONE DAY, GUESS I'LL GRAB ANOTHER DRINK OUTTA THE FRIDGE...

P.S. Oh, yeah, some fools think it's wise to hit their high beams right before they pass a big truck or RV... letting the truck or RV drivers know they're there, I suppose. In reality, all those fools are doing is blinding the other drivers right as the pass is about to start, which of course is the most dangerous thing one can do, even in good weather. Dunno where this bad habit originated, but it's dangerous, so I recommend NOT doing it... just my $.02, of course, I never did like fatality wrecks, lol. ;)
 
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I set my cruise at 66-67 on the (70 mph) highway. All the cars pass me, and I slowly approach the trucks so I have plenty of time to plan a safe pass. It's unreal how many motorhomes and travel trailers just FLY by me at 75-80.

I have often said a few things about speed.
1: The RV life is about "Stopping to smell the roses" Not about "Getting there first"
2: We are all headed to basically the same place (Our funeral) I'm not in any big hurry.
3: My Motor home the "Sweet Spot" MPG wise was about 60 MPH. Go faster the gas gauge went down almost as fast as the speedometer went up.. Now that I drive a jeep 65 and same comment.

(The difference on the jeep between 65 and 75 is truly amazing by the way)

My motor home once hit 14 (well 13.8) mpg.. I'm not kidding.. Had a bit of help though There was a bit of breeze.. I was doing 60MPH and the tumble weeds were pushing 100 as they passed me going straight down the road.
 
Today's road safety topic: weather. In the transportation industry, where deadlines for pickup and delivery are often tight, truck drivers don't always have the luxury of avoiding bad weather, or jumping off for awhile to let the bad weather pass. But this is EXACTLY what I recommend if you DO have that option... and modern sites like 'NOAA Weather' offer detailed forecasts for specific areas, unlike the old days where travelers 'winged it' with guesswork when it came to weather forecasts for specific areas.

Let's start with high winds, as they can be quite dangerous to vehicles with taller profiles. If high winds kick up and affect the handling of your rig in a dangerous way, the rig being blown halfway into the next lane with every gust, well, that's a good sign that it's time to jump off and take a break, or find a campsite where you can let the winds blow themselves out, as they always do. I recall 60-m.p.h. gusts pushing my empty 53' wagon (13'6" tall) into the next lane near Amarillo... shut down in town, woke hours later and it was totally calm. An empty 53' wagon is like a SAIL in high winds.

Snowstorms & ice storms: sometimes it's best to try to run out from under an advancing storm, particularly if the storm is rolling up on you in the same direction you are traveling, but once visibility and road surface conditions get so bad that driving is dangerous, it's time to jump off and seek shelter. I've driven through some pretty bad snowstorms & ice storms, I even wrote about ice storms in my thread 'Tales From The Road'---but if I had ANY choice in the matter, I would NOT drive in such conditions. Bad weather and dangerous conditions will always (eventually) pass, that's the key here...

Sandstorms: for those who've been through bad sandstorms in the Southwest, y'all know how visibility drops like a rock as soon as they hit, and that's when the fender-benders & fatality wrecks start piling up on the road. Best thing to do here is get off the road as soon as you see a sandstorm approaching... I don't mean pull over onto the shoulder either, except as a last resort, best to exit the highway and park where fools speeding into the storm won't plow into your rig. And I've seen the aftermath of such collisions... they are never pretty, and sometimes folks die.

These sandstorms never last that long, but they are extremely dangerous to drivers. After hearing from other drivers about an approaching sandstorm near Eloy, AZ, I jumped off and pulled my truck into an enclosed Speedco bay for an oil change... perfect timing, rode out the storm as the rig was being serviced (our company used Speedco for oil changes on the road, and the oil change was due anyway, so that scene played out well). By the time the rig was done, the sandstorm had already passed, and I simply resumed travel on my original course. Other times, I was NOT so lucky, lol.

Heavy rain: another situation where visibility drops like a rock, and it's best to jump off and take a short break, chances are the rain will ease before you finish eating a meal or having a cup of coffee or whatever. Again, when visibility gets really bad, I like getting completely off the highway, not just pulling onto the shoulder, which can be dangerous. Many times, when in the middle of nowhere, I'd simply take the next exit, pull through the stop sign (if there was one) and park on the shoulder of the far on-ramp to wait out the worst of the weather. Make a sandwich in my sleeper or whatever, just till the heavy squall passed.

I reckon you're all noticing a general trend here: when weather deteriorates to the point where driving becomes dangerous, then it's time to take a break and let that bad weather pass. If you're equipped with an 'Exit Guide' and have some idea of when you might encounter this bad weather, you can actually plan your brief stop or overnight stop, 10-4? That's where decent weather sites and Exit Guides come in handy... and a Trucker's Atlas which shows rest areas. Walmarts too, if I ran into bad weather I'd often jump off at the next Walmart, by the time I finished resupplying (i.e. shopping), the bad weather would already be gone.

Here's another point to consider: if you are already somewhat tired after a long day of driving, and you run into bad weather, you will be upping the ante when it comes to danger. Driving through bad weather can really tax and fatigue a person, same way night driving can do this after a long day. That is why I always liked to do my night driving first thing, getting underway at 0400 or whenever so that I'd only have a couple hours of driving in the dark, rather than driving in the dark after a long day. Of course, that was when I had a choice, and night driving is a separate topic, lol.

Twisters: we all know these are deadly, and you don't want to be anywhere near one when it touches down. If there's a tornado warning in effect, it may be best to roll on out from under the potential danger. Plan ahead and cross 'Tornado Alley' in one shot, so you don't have to linger overnight... this is especially true in 'tornado season'---May & June, but some twisters can arrive earlier or later in the year. One time, while driving west on I-40 near Yukon, OK, I saw a huge black "super cell" lowering ahead, trending southeast across the interstate: I jumped off and parked my truck at the Yukon Walmart, then went shopping inside until the danger passed. Obviously, if you see a tornado while you are driving, use evasive action to avoid it, or pull over and let it cross your path ahead of you.

In conclusion, try to avoid driving altogether in bad weather, if you have the option. You & your passengers (if you have any) will be safer that way. If you're surprised by a sudden squall, and it looks like it might last awhile, jump off and take a break, or roll into the next rest area if there's one handy, they are great for riding out the worst of the storm. As a trucker, I always kept food, gallons of water, extra clothing, etc., in my truck, that way I could ride out any bad storm if necessary. Good idea to plan ahead for such a situation, that will make it easier for you to simply relax and ride out the storm. Makes for less stress too, and an occasional break from driving is usually a good thing, even if you remain inside your rig to stretch and unwind.

THUS ENDETH THE SERMON, LOL... HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP SOME NEWER HANDS STAY SAFE. CHEERS!!! :)

Edit: Wait, I almost forgot to mention this important tip... if you have a CB radio, turn it to Channel 19 when you run into bad weather. Truckers will probably be talking about the bad weather, and you may learn about worse weather ahead, or improved weather, lol. Might help you make a decision about stopping or driving on to get out from under the bad weather. Remember that most storm systems generally travel from west to east across the country, with some variations to northeast or southeast. I'm not talking about hurricanes here, I'm talking about common weather fronts. Use this knowledge to aid you in decisions. Okay, that should do it, I'm off to see the wizard... that chump still owes me a C-note, but every time I try to collect, he vanishes pronto, lol.
 
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If high winds kick up and affect the handling of your rig in a dangerous way, the rig being blown halfway into the next lane with every gust, well, that's a good sign that it's time to jump off and take a break, or find a campsite where you can let the winds blow themselves out, as they always do.
When I had a 34' gas Bounder, I hit BAD winds just north of Trinidad, CO, Nbound on I-25. I had to slow to 30 mph (from the 60-65 I'd been doing), and even then felt like I would soon be blown over. It seemed a long time 'til Walsenburg, but we got off there, pulled into a truck stop and parked facing the west wind. Finally wound up spending the night there, but driving was fine the next day.

A couple of years later we got a DP and, though we've encountered similar winds since, haven't yet reached the point of needing to pull off, and only a couple of times have we needed to slow down, though a couple of times we were getting close. Rig configuration and weight and balance are probably the difference.

for those who've been through bad sandstorms in the Southwest, y'all know how visibility drops like a rock as soon as they hit, and that's when the fender-benders & fatality wrecks start piling up on the road. Best thing to do here is get off the road as soon as you see a sandstorm approaching

When I first moved to Albuquerque I found out first hand about those sandstorms. They are why just about every back yard in ABQ has a concrete block fence, or something just as solid. But when driving, although the first problem you encounter is visibility, the second problem is sandblasting, that is, the glass may be scoured to be only translucent and the paint may be blasted clean off if you're out there too long, but it's MUCH worse (even if you can see) if you keep driving (especially INTO the wind) since that adds to the relative velocity of the sand.
 
Good point, Larry N., bad weather can also affect your rig in negative ways... icing up and adding weight, causing damage, affecting performance, etc. One time, I loaded my truck in Depew, NY (Buffalo area), had a load of Reader's Digest magazines bound for TX. Heavy enough to make things easier while driving on snow & ice, but I had all weekend to get to TX, so I asked the shipper if I could camp in the outer lot that Friday night... a blizzard was already moving into Buffalo, full-on "lake effect" too so it was really dumping snow. The guy said, "No problem, just park over there by those trailers."

So I rolled over, pre-positioned the truck, and backed into a slot with my cab facing the storm. Had no "winterfront" on my truck grille for protection, and I watched in disbelief as my water temp gauge dropped 30 degrees!!! I mean FAST too, lol, even with the motor on 'high idle.' Thought to myself, "This isn't good!" Pulled out and nosed into the slot, with the rear end of my wagon now facing the storm, and the temp gauge climbed back up to where it should be. It was crazy, I've never seen a temp gauge drop so fast in my life... while outside my rig, the snow was piling up pretty fast too.

Good news was that a bar beckoned across the street, lol. Threw on a jacket, stepped down and locked the truck, then started walking toward the open gate of the outer lot. Problem was, I had to walk 100 yards into the teeth of the storm to reach the gate, round the post, and walk another 100 yards to the bar... made it about ten paces before going back to my truck, throwing on additional layers of clothing, gloves, watch cap, etc., lol. And I'm not easily affected by cold, but that blizzard brought some COLD AIR with it, which is why I left my truck on high idle with the heater warming my cab & sleeper.

Anyway, I made it to the bar and had a good time, they had a heater cranked in there and the barroom was nice and toasty. Had enough 'antifreeze' in my system for me not to notice the cold on my return to the truck. By the following morning, the storm had already broken and the "salt shakers" (plows) were hard at work, clearing the surface streets & highways. I took my time eating breakfast in my sleeper, bringing my "comic book" (driver's daily log) up to speed, and easing out of the lot. Made such a difference, just wisely camping out till the storm blew over, can't stress that enough to the newer hands here at this site.

Edit: Just wanted to add this bit for the newer hands... whenever really bad weather hits, authorities and commercial property owners are generally more lenient about drivers "camping out" and riding out the bad weather. Authorities in particular don't want you driving in that slop, just means one more potential wreck they'll have to clean up later. Signage and parking restrictions are usually ignored too, not many meter maids out working in a full-on blizzard, lol. But don't linger too long once the storm breaks, or you might find a ticket on your windshield. Bad weather can only be used as an excuse for so long, lol...
 
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