The Big Rigs

Aug 5, 2007 - The view from high up

Yep, that's the view from the driver's seat of the red Peterbilt 379 in the left margin - thanks Vikki! 

Now, my Dodge Ram 3500 isn't nearly as high as Vik's Pete, but we both have the same pet peeve... cars that insist on staying in a blind spot or right next to us without passing. 

One thing I learned early on when Dad was explaining the nuances of long-distance highway driving - give yourself and other vehicles a safety cushion.  That means room for the unexpected to happen.  News flash - unless it's one of the front tires, a tractor trailer can keep going on 17 donuts.  You do not want to be next to a 315/80R22.5 if it blows at 65 mph.  So unless you're in bumper-to-bumper traffic, always try to keep some space in front of you, and don't "lock in formation" with the vehicles next to you.  If you or the vehicle next to you has to make a sudden evasive maneuver, you could be in for a nasty sideswipe or worse... just ask NJ governor Jon Corzine. 

Another tip...  yes, truckers can see inside your car from that high up without much effort, and a cell phone camera is pretty easy to use (you often don't even need to actually look at the phone's screen).  Find a place to park if "that" mood strikes on the highway.

7:38 am | Categories: trucks, highways, driving styles, safety, video Comments (2) | Permalink | Alert Administrator

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