Q and A part 1

A question was recently posed to me about what to do if you are in a trucks blind spot and they start to move over.  The answer(s) is simple and yet somewhat complex.  Actually, though, there are at least 4 answers to that question, in my opinion.  I will   list them in the order I believe would be most important to least important, depending on the situation.

1)      Don’t travel in the trucks blind spots.

This is the most effective way of avoiding an accident with the truck and really needs no further explaining.  I.E. if you ain’t there they can’t hit you.

2)      Adjust your position by either;

a.       Speeding up

b.      Slowing down

c.       Changing lanes

This is most effective when you are on the open road and there are minimal amounts of traffic around. However, if you are in rush hour traffic, getting out of the way might not always be feasible.

3)      Honk your horn

Effective, but, not very effective.  Inside the cab of a semi and be noisy. Most of the trucks that I have been in have air leaks in various places. Crack your drivers side window sometime and listen to the noisy air blowing by your ear. Now add to that the noise of a diesel engine, music from the radio and it can get noisy inside these trucks.  Most car horns are barely audible in this situation.   

4)      Flash you lights at them

During daylight, this would be of no value. At night time, flashing bright lights at a truck could result in a serious accident.  Let me explain.  Take a flash light, go shine it in your bathroom mirror and then multiply that times 3.  The reason I suggest this is because most trucks are equipped with 3 mirrors on each side.  A long mirror, a spot mirror and a hood mirror.  Flashing your bright lights at them could cause momentary blindness. Turning your headlights on and off momentarily is not recommended either. This is generally the signal given to the truck driver that it’s ok to change lanes.

The bottom line is this. You have to do whatever is safe and prudent for you to prevent being hit. Each situation is different each and every time.  You have to be ready to make a split second decision based on the scenario you are in.  No matter what situation you find yourself in, you should ALWAYS leave yourself a safe way out.

As always, let’s be safe and courteous to one another. The life you save could be your own. Happy motoring………………………….

blind spots and other info

Blind spots

Driving safely around trucks: Vision Decision

Many motorists believe that truck or bus drivers can see the road better because they sit higher than the driver of a car. In fact, large vehicle drivers have serious blind spots into which a car can disappear from view.

Side blind spot: Be careful when passing a large vehicle. If you can't see the driver's face in his or her side mirror or window, he or she can't see you and may not know you're there.

Front blind spot: When passing a large vehicle, make sure that you can see the entire front of the truck or bus in your inside rear-view mirror before you pull back in front. It takes a large vehicle twice the time and room to stop as it does a car.

Most people are aware of the dangers posed by big trucks on the roadway. In an accident involving a large 18-wheeler and a small passenger car, the consequences are likely to be severe or fatal for the car occupants. Accidents involving large trucks can occur for a variety of reasons. Truckers drive for incredibly long distances, often covering multiple states in one day, trying to meet delivery deadlines for their goods. Truckers can be overly tired or under the influence of stimulants, alcohol, or other substances. In addition, trucks may be overloaded with cargo or improperly balanced, or a trucker may drive recklessly in order to reach a certain destination before a particular time. However, it is often difficult to determine the true cause of an accident because of the variety of factors involved from both parties. Just as the large truck plays a big role in the severity of an accident, the other vehicle can actually be the true cause of the accident. Most passenger-vehicle drivers do not know the difficulties and special skills needed to drive a large truck, and therefore do not understand the proper way to drive their own cars when in close proximity with these large trucks. A well-informed motorist can keep everyone on the road safe by learning about driving safely around big trucks. Large vehicles have large blind spots. All drivers are aware of their own blind spot-- an area near the vehicle that cannot be directly seen either through the window or with the aid of rear-view and side-view mirrors. Passenger cars have blind spots in the rear quarter of their cars. If another vehicle drives in this area, the driver must physically turn and look to see it. Large trucks, buses, and tractor trailers not only have a larger rear-quarter blind spot, but may also have additional blind spots to the front, back, and right side. Longer vehicles have longer rear-quarter blind spots. If a passenger car drives in this area, a truck driver may not be able to see the car and as a result might try to change lanes. Large vehicles also have more blind spots than smaller cars. Because of the elevated position of the truck driver, he or she may not be able to see cars on the right-hand side of the truck, and may also have a small blind spot directly in front of the vehicle. Trucks do not have rear-view mirrors like passenger cars, relying only on advanced side mirrors, spot mirrors and hood mirrors. As a result, smaller cars directly to the rear of the truck may not be visible to the driver. When driving your car near big trucks, remember that it has extensive blind spots. If you cannot see the truck driver in their mirrors, the truck driver cannot see you! As the driver of the vehicle that is most dangerous to all other drivers, it is up to the truck driver to be fully aware of these hazards and to drive with caution at all times for the protection of all motorists. However, passenger car drivers should be aware of the safety issues surrounding large trucks and should know how to drive when near large trucks. All motorists can only hope that as more car drivers become informed about safe driving near large trucks, the number of unfortunate accidents we see each year will decrease.   The length and width of large trucks can create special driving situations for both small and large vehicle drivers. Sharing the road with a truck means being aware of its capabilities and limitations. The following suggestions can help drivers share the road comfortably and safely: Keep well back when following trucks. In good road and weather conditions, you should leave a gap of at least 1 car length for every ten miles per hour between your vehicle and the truck in front of you-and an even greater gap when conditions are poor. At intersections and in slow traffic, ensure you stay far enough back for other drivers to see you. This is particularly important for motorcyclists. When following at night, keep your headlights on low beam. Keep out of a truck's blind spots. Trucks have a big blind spot directly behind them, so it's a good idea to position your vehicle so it can be seen in the truck's side mirrors. This will let the truck driver know you are there-drivers can then give you plenty of warning when they intend to stop or turn. Trucks have large blind spots on both sides-but especially on their left. On multi-lane roads or when overtaking, try to avoid these blind spots, or keep the time you spend in them to a minimum. Remember: if you can't see the truck driver in their side mirror, the truck driver can't see you! Overtaking: Be patient! Be patient when waiting to overtake a truck. It takes several seconds longer to pass a truck on a level road than it does to pass a car, so it's more important than usual to make sure there's plenty of clear road ahead so you can safely complete the maneuver. Don't come too close to the back of the truck before you move out to overtake. It's important to give yourself enough room to build up speed-but remember to keep your speed to a level that is safe for the conditions. You also need to give yourself enough room to return to your lane if there's an oncoming hazard. Remember that it takes a truck longer to stop. Any motorist who cuts in front of a truck and suddenly slows or stops is at risk of causing a serious rear-end crash. Even if the truck driver manages to avoid a collision by swerving or braking quickly, this may cause a dangerous load shift which itself may lead to a severe crash. Be aware that turning trucks may cross the center line. Trucks often need to cross the center line when turning a corner-particularly when they're making a left turn. A truck turning left may initially move to the right to give itself more room to complete the turn. It's important to look at a truck's indicators-not just its movements. Trucks my also swing wide to the left in order to make a right turn as well. Never try to pass a truck while it is turning. This includes passing on the right, too, because the back end of a truck can intrude across the lane during a turn. If you are stopped at an intersection and a truck is turning into the oncoming lane, you may want to back up or pull closer to the side of the road to give the truck more room. Watch out for air turbulence when passing trucks, oncoming trucks or when following trucks. When passing an oncoming truck, keep firm control of the steering wheel to counter the effect of air turbulence. If you're a motorcyclist, move to the left of your lane to avoid the worst of the turbulence, but not so far that you risk being blown off the road. Also change down a gear, so the bike has enough power to accelerate and steer into the wind gust.  If following too close (in racing terms “drafting”) the wind turbulence can shake your vehicle and end up losing control. This can be especially dangerous in inclement weather. The cure for this is obvious, back off. Watch out for splash and spray. Traveling behind or alongside trucks in wet conditions can be tricky. Splash and spray is thrown out and can make it difficult for you to see clearly. Many motorists consider this to be a nuisance and a danger; but unfortunately, there is no equipment available that could solve this problem effectively. However, there are some things you can do to help increase your safety: Keep the windshield clean and the windshield wipers and washers in good condition; if approaching an oncoming truck, turn on your wipers just before it passes you to ensure your windshield is wiped as soon as any spray is thrown onto it, and the time your visibility is obscured will be reduced