Speed limit went up, but not for my TT

[Murff]

As long as this subject has come up, pardon my thread hijack, when a trucker or another RVer passes you and once they have more than enough room to move back into your lane, do you turn your head lights on and off (or off then on) to let them know they have room move back over?

When we first started towing a trailer in 1983, I noticed that semi-truckers always did this, whether I passed them or another trucker. Back then, once the passing party got the headlight signal and moved back over, they would signal "thank you" by flicking their tail lights on & off.

I still do this as a courtesy but probably only get a response form less than half of the others.

Anybody else do this? (Or am I just a dinosaur)

Murff

[Edd505]

Yep 700,000+ in a big rig it's the courteous thing to do, but then I am a dinosaur

[TWP723]

Originally Posted by Murff

As long as this subject has come up, pardon my thread hijack, when a trucker or another RVer passes you and once they have more than enough room to move back into your lane, do you turn your head lights on and off (or off then on) to let them know they have room move back over?

When we first started towing a trailer in 1983, I noticed that semi-truckers always did this, whether I passed them or another trucker. Back then, once the passing party got the headlight signal and moved back over, they would signal "thank you" by flicking their tail lights on & off.

I still do this as a courtesy but probably only get a response form less than half of the others.

Anybody else do this? (Or am I just a dinosaur)

Murff

I always flick my lights. It's courteous as well as a safety habit.

[tylersdad]

The maximum speed limit for vehicles towing trailers is 55 MPH in California. There are signs every few miles that say this.

[Robbbyr]

Since we are veering off-course I'll lead us further astray!

IMHO the makeup of big rig drivers has changed, and the professionalism (and courtesy) has changed and not for the good in some cases. My brother is a traffic cop here in our city and he states that with many of the independent semi drivers he interacts with, English is definitely their second language. Not that this is bad in itself, but you have to wonder if the traditions (and courtesies) have been passed down to these drivers. Oftentimes when he inspects their trucks it is obvious they did not; and many have to come off the highway behind a wrecker. He tells me there is no comparison between the big company drivers (that for the most part are legal) and the independents. Conduct your own survey and see what you come up with.

I still flash all of them, and many do return the favor. But the occasions I don't get a response is going up as the years go by.

[Murff]

On our drive from Seattle to Ohio in June with the new White Hawk, I could not believe the way truckers drive in the mid-west. Going from Illinois to Indiana on the Tollway, the semis were in three center lanes and so close together, no one could get between them to change lanes! All of this at 65+ miles per hour.

I drove professionally for about 45 years in the Seattle area, so I am no newby when it comes to driving on the freeways. However, I bailed just inside IN. and headed for U.S. 6 and then U.S. 30. Very nice highway! So nice, we took it back all the way but wished we had found a better route through South Chicago!

Felt like this:

https://youtu.be/hwBoa-NbNL8

CAUTION: Crude language at 0:50 seconds

Murff

[chuckerg]

Think all states the minimum speed is 45 on the interstate so as for the one finger salutes ignore them and remember your on free time and not in the rat race like them!!

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

As long as you are staying in the right lane and there is a passing lane, no has any right to be upset with you. Sadly, our world has become full of impatient north ends of south bound horses that only care for themselves.


One thing to consider is many RVers do hog the roads (I'm not saying you were). I wish I had a dollar for every time I got stuck behind some inconsiderate jerk in a motorhome driving well below the speed limit on a winding two lane road with few to no passing zones that refused to use the pullouts provided for slow drivers. Selfish idiots like that foment hostility for all RVers.

Just don't ask me to drive on the shoulder and we're all good. I absolutely will not drive on the shoulder unless I have NO other option, and probably not even then. If I'm going slow on a 2-lane and the only other place to be is the shoulder, you can pass when it's safe or you can wait. Now, I will immediately move to the right to an available passing lane when it becomes available. But it drives me nuts when people cannot complete their pass within the designated area, then I have to slow down to let them in, and that really chaps me. If you can't finish your pass, then you can just settle back in behind me and wait.

I guess I'm a young dinosaur, I always give a flash to passing rigs, I get a "hat tip" maybe 1/2 the time.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Just don't ask me to drive on the shoulder and we're all good. I absolutely will not drive on the shoulder unless I have NO other option, and probably not even then. If I'm going slow on a 2-lane and the only other place to be is the shoulder, you can pass when it's safe or you can wait. Now, I will immediately move to the right to an available passing lane when it becomes available. But it drives me nuts when people cannot complete their pass within the designated area, then I have to slow down to let them in, and that really chaps me. If you can't finish your pass, then you can just settle back in behind me and wait.

I guess I'm a young dinosaur, I always give a flash to passing rigs, I get a "hat tip" maybe 1/2 the time.

I was not expecting you, or any one else to drive on the shoulder. Many States, including AZ, provide places called turnouts on the side of many two lane roads that offer few places for passing. These are paved areas at the side of the road that drivers of slow vehicles can pull into and wait a bit to allow the faster drivers piling up behind them to pass. AZ posts signs instructing slower drivers to use the turnout to allow faster drivers to pass but, sadly, there are many RVers who apparently feel the signs do not apply to them (or they just selfishly don't care). 89A up in the Arizona Strip (the area north off the Colorado River Canyons) is a beautiful stretch of road but I avoid it like the plague because every time I've been on it, I get stuck behind at least one motorhome driver who refuses to use the turnouts. It's a pity that a small percentage of RVers have to ruin it for everyone.

On the subject of big rig courtesy, that is rapidly becoming history. I rarely see the big rigs flashing lights for even other big rigs. I haven't had one flash me in years (get your minds out the gutter).

[MzLiz]

I was happy to see the 55 mph speed limit (if towing) in CA. I didn't realize I was also restricted to the two right lanes until I just now checked online but never ventured that far over anyway when I was there. Regarding two lane roads, I wish there were more signs to tell you there is a pull out ahead. When you need one (so others can pass) seems like there is always someone right on your butt pushing. Would serve them right if you slam on the brakes to catch it but darn, don't want to hurt the 5th!

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I was not expecting you, or any one else to drive on the shoulder. Many States, including AZ, provide places called turnouts on the side of many two lane roads that offer few places for passing. These are paved areas at the side of the road that drivers of slow vehicles can pull into and wait a bit to allow the faster drivers piling up behind them to pass. AZ posts signs instructing slower drivers to use the turnout to allow faster drivers to pass but, sadly, there are many RVers who apparently feel the signs do not apply to them (or they just selfishly don't care). 89A up in the Arizona Strip (the area north off the Colorado River Canyons) is a beautiful stretch of road but I avoid it like the plague because every time I've been on it, I get stuck behind at least one motorhome driver who refuses to use the turnouts. It's a pity that a small percentage of RVers have to ruin it for everyone.

On the subject of big rig courtesy, that is rapidly becoming history. I rarely see the big rigs flashing lights for even other big rigs. I haven't had one flash me in years (get your minds out the gutter).

We have something similar on some roads in TX. They call it a "Passing Lane". It's a second lane that opens up about every 10 miles or so, especially on longer grades, and there are signs telling drivers how far they are, and for slower traffic to move over. They're GREAT! And most people use them correctly. It's like I mentioned before when some fool is climbing in my bumper with my "stinky slinky" for MILES, then I move over in the passing lane when it becomes available, and they pull up beside me and sit there. The passing lanes are only a mile or a little more at MOST, so you gotta do your business and move on. But these fools just sit there, then when the passing lane ends, I have to slow down to get behind them. Drives me nuts.

I will ALWAYS use whatever provisions are available to let faster traffic pass me. I hate being in someone's way. But I just won't risk life or property to do it.

The worst is when you're on some REALLY rural road and you get stuck behind a combine or some other farm equipment! I just sit back and enjoy the extra good fuel economy for a little while and pass when it's safe to do so with a polite wave.

[tylersdad]

We have turnouts in California similar to what Lady Fitzgerald described. They are completely paved and are not considered the shoulder. They aren't very long, but there are warning prior to approaching them. Simply pull over into the turnout and slow to let traffic past. Usually traffic will zip past quickly and you can keep moving throughout the entire turnout. Sometimes it takes a little longer and you have to stop completely.

Drivers are required to use these by law if they are impeding the flow of traffic when travelling below the speed limit.

[BrentB]

Originally Posted by Murff

As long as this subject has come up, pardon my thread hijack, when a trucker or another RVer passes you and once they have more than enough room to move back into your lane, do you turn your head lights on and off (or off then on) to let them know they have room move back over?

When we first started towing a trailer in 1983, I noticed that semi-truckers always did this, whether I passed them or another trucker. Back then, once the passing party got the headlight signal and moved back over, they would signal "thank you" by flicking their tail lights on & off.

I still do this as a courtesy but probably only get a response form less than half of the others.

Anybody else do this? (Or am I just a dinosaur)

Murff

I do. My response rate is about the same as yours

[norty1]

I also use my lights to signal truckers and others towing a trailer. When I am passed and they are clear, I'll flash my lights. Most truckers acknowledge with a light click. Most rv'ers don't.

I get the same treatment from many truckers when I am passing them but not all.

[Raven]

I would prefer to be in the middle lane whenever possible. Left lane for passing, right lane for getting off & on the highway/freeway/interstate (whatever you call it..lol) and middle lane for maintaining cruising speeds

[North of 49°]

Originally Posted by norty1

I also use my lights to signal truckers and others towing a trailer. When I am passed and they are clear, I'll flash my lights. Most truckers acknowledge with a light click. Most rv'ers don't.

I get the same treatment from many truckers when I am passing them but not all.

+1. I work in the transportation industry so I know of this practice. I haven't had the opportunity to use it until recently, and I'm sure the truck driver I did it to was pleasantly surprised. I'm sure he needed it too, since the road spray from the rain that day was making it hard for him to see me and someone else was coming up fast behind him.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

We have something similar on some roads in TX. They call it a "Passing Lane". It's a second lane that opens up about every 10 miles or so, especially on longer grades, and there are signs telling drivers how far they are, and for slower traffic to move over. They're GREAT! And most people use them correctly. It's like I mentioned before when some fool is climbing in my bumper with my "stinky slinky" for MILES, then I move over in the passing lane when it becomes available, and they pull up beside me and sit there. The passing lanes are only a mile or a little more at MOST, so you gotta do your business and move on. But these fools just sit there, then when the passing lane ends, I have to slow down to get behind them. Drives me nuts.

I will ALWAYS use whatever provisions are available to let faster traffic pass me. I hate being in someone's way. But I just won't risk life or property to do it.

The worst is when you're on some REALLY rural road and you get stuck behind a combine or some other farm equipment! I just sit back and enjoy the extra good fuel economy for a little while and pass when it's safe to do so with a polite wave.

We also have passing lanes on grades. Turnouts are different. They are paved areas on the side of the road that a slower vehicle can pull into and wait while faster traffic passes them. Slower vehicles are required by law to use them. One of these days, I'm going to get a dash cam. Then I can record these selfish, inconsiderate dolts and send the video in to DPS with a promise to testify in court if necessary. Heck, I'm retired; I have the time.

[herewego]

we tow at 60 most of the time,if they don't like it go around,last time i checked, i paid for my RV and tires and fuel, we tow high way most of the time any way ..OK rant over

[Ottawasteve]

FWIW, I have also been given the middle #1 salute when travelling in a line of traffic, i.e. my speed was limited to 45 mph by the traffic in front of me and there was no possible way to go faster unless all those other people in front of me got off of my highway and cleared the path for me. Even had a guy on a Harley once pass in the left passing lane and then cut in front of me and brake suddenly on the highway because he was frustrated that the vehicles that were going over the speed limit and passing me in the left lane were holding him up. Not sure whether I would have stopped immediately to scrape him off or waited until I stopped for gas. Guess it would have depended on whether air flow to the rad was blocked. In my experience, it has more to do with the lack of driving ability of the ashhole attached to the finger than your driving and even if you were driving 80mph, they would be frustrated that you were holding them back from their desired cruising speed of 90mph. It often has more to do with the amount of traffic on the road besides your rig than the actual posted speed limit.

On single lane, I pull off when I can to let traffic by even if I am doing the speed limit and I am not the cause of the traffic back-up, the vehicles behind me appreciate the courtesy and even though they are travelling 45 mph in line of cars ahead of me they have a clear view that it is the other cars in front of them, not the RV they can't see in front of. During construction season, if there is a single lane for both directions and you have to stop I waive traffic behind me to go ahead and pull in and follow at the end of the line. In all the year I have been camping, I have yet to have the extra 5 or 10 minutes cause me to miss anything important at my destination.

I also flick my lights for semis or other RV's to let them know they have cleared. I don't really care if I get the courtesy tail light blink as I find it allows the passing semi to get out of the passing lane sooner and often avoids having the ashhole referred to above from cutting in front of me to squeeze by the passing semi on the right.

As for the compact race cars that try to pass on the rumble strip, a gentle tug to the right on the steering wheel to the right to cause the trailer to wiggle a little while still staying in lane can cause reconsideration of this manoevre.

[Murphie]

I find that drivers don't want to be behind a trailer no matter how fast your going.
They will pass you on the right or take chances to overtake which puts everyone at risk. I maintain a very relaxed but very aware state of being. It's serious business when your towing. I hate it when they jump in front and take away my safety margin. Once just north of Seattle that happened and when we came over a rise in the road all the cars were stopped. I locked up all wheels on the trailer and missed the guy by inches. If you give your steering wheel a quick jerk to the right you can induce a nice little sway in your trailer. At that point they will give you loads of room on either side of you. It can come in handy when your trying to merge into a lane when they won't let you in. Just let the little lady know prior to doing this. It's a last resort move that can save you from missing a exit.