Why do truck drivers pass eachother on the highway?

[Molis]

Because they want to move faster than the other truck. How many lanes do your highways have?

This is a non issue in the USA as hiways have enough lanes.

Not true at all.

Travel on the 15 to Vegas or on the 5 to San Francisco from Los Angeles.

Most of the mileage is 2 lanes each way with trucks passing trucks at every opportunity.

[announced]

based on official rules
left lane=only for passing only
right lane= for constant driving

but when the roads are super busy and theres too many cars for one lane.
left lane= faster traffic
right lane= slower traffic

looking up your answer it seems to be drafting which apparently increases miles per gallon by 40% if you are 10 feet apart, however this is extremely dangerous to do cause trucks cant really stop in time i spose all the other trucks are on radio so they dont really care.

[Etheric]

So the other night i was driving home and some asshole did it again.
Caught up and started driving 80 km/h in front of him for the next 10km.
He even honked but fuck that. Payback, HOOZAA.

So basically you are proud of preventing working people from doing their job? Grats, you're pushing your country forward.
You're also the kind that complains because lazy unemployed people feed on your hard work?

[Deleted]

Anyway, there was 2 box trucks driving together in the same lane, but once I got closer one of the trucks moved into my lane, pulled up next to the other truck, and then matched his speed for probably a good 10 minutes. They were also going well below the speed limit.

Haha, highway trolling is the best kind of trolling, they coordinate this over voicecomms.

[Stacyrect]

Don't know about other countries but in Holland its goddamn awfull.



130km/h road, trucks can drive 90 max. Somehow they always feel the need to pass eachother going 91 km/h taking 5 minutes to pass one another holding up every normal car in line up to the point of causing traffic jams and accidents because people have to emergency brake.

I feel like they doing it on purpose to piss off the regular highway user.
Any truck driver can shed some light on this?

Slingshotting that's why. The truck in front of the other is going slower, the truck creates a type of vacuum where automobiles will face less wind resistance and thus travel faster. Won't see it to much on flat terrain but on inclines and declines, yeah you need to. It's why police give truckers some leeway about speeds, particularly around hilly areas on roads high speed ways. You don't a 65mph lane being reduced to 40 mph.

[Orlong]

Because they want to move faster than the other truck. How many lanes do your highways have?

This is a non issue in the USA as hiways have enough lanes.

Most highways in the US outside of huge cities only have 2 lanes. Its NOT common to have 8 lanes like the highways in California. Even I95 near NYC only has 4 lanes. Ive long promoted the idea that we need a law prohibiting trucks from driving in any lane other than the right lane. No passing either. Id even support going further and only allowing them on the roads between the hours of 7PM and 6 AM so everyone else can get to work and home from work on time

- - - Updated - - -

it's a special lane designed to promote car pooling and reducing air pollution, if you have a passenger, you're allowed to use it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-o...y_vehicle_lane

You can drive in them with a realistic mannequin too

[PACOX]

Isn't saying the left lane isn't the fast lane just an argue over semantics?

You have to go fast to pass people, thus its the fast lane...

[Illuminance]

No, the left lane is the passing lane. You aren't supposed to travel in it.

People keep saying this, but if I'm literally the fastest person on that road, I should be in that lane, yes? I'm never not-passing when I'm driving long distances.

[Etheric]

People keep saying this, but if I'm literally the fastest person on that road, I should be in that lane, yes? I'm never not-passing when I'm driving long distances.

If there is traffic, you're right. But if there is no other vehicle you have to go back to the right lane.

[Bryntrollian]

In the USA its generally accepted the left lane is the "fast lane" while slower moving vehicles use the right lane.

Technically, its the passing lane...

[Deleted]

If there is traffic, you're right. But if there is no other vehicle you have to go back to the right lane.

Not if you go at like 200+.

[Rudkobing]

Because they can?

[Deleted]

They ride on their own schedules I guess?

[Orlong]

Isn't saying the left lane isn't the fast lane just an argue over semantics?

You have to go fast to pass people, thus its the fast lane...

By fast, it means driving the speed limit to pass someone in the right lane who is going less than the speed limit, hence faster than the right lane. It doesnt mean you can speed in the left lane

[Gheld]

based on official rules
left lane=only for passing only
right lane= for constant driving

but when the roads are super busy and theres too many cars for one lane.
left lane= faster traffic
right lane= slower traffic

looking up your answer it seems to be drafting which apparently increases miles per gallon by 40% if you are 10 feet apart, however this is extremely dangerous to do cause trucks cant really stop in time i spose all the other trucks are on radio so they dont really care.

Actually that's a major misconception that probably gets a lot of people killed every year.

There's a lot of items trucks might be transporting that either A. Can't be co-mingled and thus reduce the overall capacity of the trailer, or B. Are high volume but ultra light weight (i.e. rolls of insulation foam) which will actually leave the load weight in the low 5 digit range. Hell, sometimes even 4 digits. And then not only do they have 18 contact patches with the road versus a passenger vehicles 4, but those contact patches are much larger than the ones on a passenger vehicle.

So if road conditions are fair, and the semi isnt' hauling a full load, the sheer stopping power they have is mind-blowing. But of course the bumper on a passenger vehicle doesn't line up with the rear bumper on a semi. So you're pretty much dead if you rear end one at 90km/h.

[Reeve]

Actually that's a major misconception that probably gets a lot of people killed every year.

There's a lot of items trucks might be transporting that either A. Can't be co-mingled and thus reduce the overall capacity of the trailer, or B. Are high volume but ultra light weight (i.e. rolls of insulation foam) which will actually leave the load weight in the low 5 digit range. Hell, sometimes even 4 digits. And then not only do they have 18 contact patches with the road versus a passenger vehicles 4, but those contact patches are much larger than the ones on a passenger vehicle.

So if road conditions are fair, and the semi isnt' hauling a full load, the sheer stopping power they have is mind-blowing. But of course the bumper on a passenger vehicle doesn't line up with the rear bumper on a semi. So you're pretty much dead if you rear end one at 90km/h.

On the other hand, if it's a tanker that's half full, the slosh of several tons of liquid forwards all at the same time can really screw stopping.

[Gheld]

On the other hand, if it's a tanker that's half full, the slosh of several tons of liquid forwards all at the same time can really screw stopping.

Yeah. Every situation is different. But most trucks out there are carrying a mixed bag of goods. Running nowhere near their maximum weight and thus if they are on dry blacktop they can stop reasonably fast. So if you are drafting them and a deer runs out in front of them you are basically screwed.

Not to mention air brake systems are designed fail safe. So if there is a sudden failure in their brake lines they are going full stop whether they want to or not.

[Reeve]

Yeah. Every situation is different. But most trucks out there are carrying a mixed bag of goods. Running nowhere near their maximum weight and thus if they are on dry blacktop they can stop reasonably fast. So if you are drafting them and a deer runs out in front of them you are basically screwed.

Not to mention air brake systems are designed fail safe. So if there is a sudden failure in their brake lines they are going full stop whether they want to or not.

Yeah, of course tailgating anyone, regardless of vehicle type, is stupid as hell.

[Deleted]

Yeah, of course tailgating anyone, regardless of vehicle type, is stupid as hell.

You do it to normal cars, to make them switch to the right lane. You can also use the far distance lights if they still resist.

[Orlong]

You do it to normal cars, to make them switch to the right lane. You can also use the far distance lights if they still resist.

Or if you do it to me, I slam on my brakes and get a new car, meanwhile your insurance goes up, because in every rear end collision its the person in the back who is at fault on the accident report. Ive done it twice before