SEMI cameras

[fill]

Last week I braved the wilds and drug my RAH camper through the hiways of Atlanta, a situation reminiscent of driving through St. Louis and worse than the Los Angeles system. But away I went.

Now we have all heard the excuse “I just didn’t see him, Officer”. The GoldWing is big enough, but I was worried no one would see the trailer and do a quick lane change into it. It sits only about 36 inches high so that some Van/Pick-up/Semi wouldn’t see it. Didn’t happen.

What did happen was in the stop & go traffic of the Interstate merges a Semi stopped leaving about 6 inches between his bumper and my trailer. There is no way he could see over his hood at ‘lil ol me’.

The question is; Are some truckers putting those RV back-up cameras on their front bumpers?


Fill
’08 GL 1800
Pulling a ’80 Eagle 1 Trailer or ’12 Roll A Home (wide bed, brakes)
GWRRA

[Horsedoc]

tell you a story about Atlanta traffic and pulling close to the vehicle in front of you. As a young man, I had a variety of jobs. One of which was for Chevron (Standard Oil back then) One of our transport drivers was approaching a redlight and had slowed down to keep from completely stopping. Driver of a convertible sports car passes our guy on the left lane and then quickly changed back to the left lane wanting to turn left at the inter section. Light turned red and our driver stopped. When the light went green, the sports car sat there waiting to make his left turn until the opposing driver cleared the intersection. Our driver did not see him because of the big hood on the Peterbilt. He starts forward and strikes the sports car. He felt the bump and thought it was the liquid load in one of the compartments bumping the partition. He gets another gear and pushes the sports car across the intersection until someone yells and gets him stopped.
Atlanta traffic is strange on some streets and the drivers do dangerous things without even knowing it is dangerous. Tall hoods of big trucks are fine for interstates but heavy traffic and surface streets are not the best combinations with the trucks.

[free_radical]

Z-Peller wrote:
Many years ago I went to professional truck driver school for a class 1 with air. Was taught there to NEVER pull up so close behind a stopped vehicle that you cannot pullout again without backing up. If traffic ahead in your lane jambs up or vehicle in front of you stalls and traffic is pulled up close behind you, you are stuck there.

I was also told to keep far back enough to see the tires of vehicle in front of me.

[wa8yxm]

The problem is not... generally.. the truckers. I was riding shotgun with my brother and he ask where a motorcycle that suddenly appeared in front of us was.
(He had come up on the right. there is a reason you should not pass on the right except at an intersection where the car you are passing is turning LEFT)

I said "I don't know but I think we have tire tracks on our front bumper" Meaning he road over it. or at least close enough to touch it.

Cutting in front of a Semi like that is ... Or any other vehicle for that matter... IS simply stupid. and I've had it happen with my motor home (And one of those little rag top sports car would not have even made a good bump if I'd have run over it) and in my car. DO NOT cut in front of people if you enjoy life... IF you want to die, there are better ways.

[bucky]

They have mirrors everywhere. The trucker knew where they were.

[JRscooby]

dodge guy wrote:
When I installed my pioneer touch screen in my class A I also installed a front view camera. I installed a switch so I can turn it on and see what’s in front of me. I only use it for parking. But it could be useful in stop and go driving.

Truckers know where thief bumper is. I’m betting he wasn’t leaving any room for someone to squeeze in between you and him.

Years back I was stopped well back from a big bike. Somebody came up on right, cut in and bumped the bike he likely never saw. No real harm, other than the rider did not know how to pick it up.
Likely the driver was protecting you.

[dodge_guy]

When I installed my pioneer touch screen in my class A I also installed a front view camera. I installed a switch so I can turn it on and see what’s in front of me. I only use it for parking. But it could be useful in stop and go driving.

Truckers know where thief bumper is. I’m betting he wasn’t leaving any room for someone to squeeze in between you and him.

[coolmom42]

Z-Peller wrote:
Many years ago I went to professional truck driver school for a class 1 with air. Was taught there to NEVER pull up so close behind a stopped vehicle that you cannot pullout again without backing up. If traffic ahead in your lane jambs up or vehicle in front of you stalls and traffic is pulled up close behind you, you are stuck there.

Or if someone hits you from behind.... you become sandwich filling.

[Z-Peller]

Many years ago I went to professional truck driver school for a class 1 with air. Was taught there to NEVER pull up so close behind a stopped vehicle that you cannot pullout again without backing up. If traffic ahead in your lane jambs up or vehicle in front of you stalls and traffic is pulled up close behind you, you are stuck there.

[Lwiddis]

"Are some truckers putting those RV back-up cameras on their front bumpers?"

Yes! It is good idea too.

[sch911]

Aware divers know how long and wide their vehicles are. Unfortunately many, many drivers don't. These are the ones who have to leave 20 ft between themselves and the vehicle in front of them at every stop. No need for a camera for a good driver....

[PartyOf_Five]

There's plenty of semi dashcam videos on YouTube but bumper view sounds novel. I would add some giant flags or more LED lights. Be safe.

[rightlaneonly]

I messed that up somehow

[rightlaneonly]

fill wrote:
Last week I braved the wilds and drug my RAH camper through the hiways of Atlanta, a situation reminiscent of driving through St. Louis and worse than the Los Angeles system. But away I went.

There is no way he could see over his hood at ‘lil ol me’.

When you're good, you're good!;)
Fill
’08 GL 1800
Pulling a ’80 Eagle 1 Trailer or ’12 Roll A Home (wide bed, brakes)
GWRRA