Signaling truckers it's ok to change lanes

[D_E_Bishop]

I signal truckers when they are clear to change lanes after passing me by using my headlight switch. I am thinking about installing a momentary ON switch to control a double pole relay in the headlight circuit. It is hard to reach down to the headlight switch and it was not made for high usage. I have a 12vdc relay with the contacts rated at 25 amps and the momentary switches are readably available.

Can anyone think of an easier way of doing what I want?

[ol_Bombero-JC]

trucker495 wrote:
azdryheat, Truckers are no different than any other group. there are good and bad. Sounds like you may be the one with an attitude. I drove a big rig many years and helped out a lot of RVers with flats more times than i remember. If you have no respect for others then you may not get any respect!

Just ignore ignorant statements..:R

He's been in the Arizona dry heat too long - cooked too many brain cells.

Send him some of Sheriff Joe's pink skivvies to be "azcool"!..:C

~

[jake2250]

Being a CDL for over 25 years, I have found that most rv's are courteous and give trucks plenty of room. I always give an rv room be it slowing down and allowing them to pull in front or making sure I am well in front of them to merge over. Also,, if I see an rv entering a freeway I will merge over into the fast lane and pass as they are merging on.
The frustrating part is Motorist and rv's that feel the need to hold there speed and even speed up as I try to merge back into the slow lane so as to get out of your way.

You will notice that truck trailers have amber and red lights indicating the sides and corners of the trailer, Thats what we use to judge our distance from objects around us. During daylight hours please DO NOT flash your lights,,we are familiar with our "Spacial Awareness" and can judge our distance.. If you find a truck that seems to close when merging there are a few possibilities,, They may be NEW and learning there rig, they may be trying to get over but the other motorists are not backing off and allowing them over.

A few company trucks I have driven are governed and only allow a few miles over the max speed limit,, So if it seems as though we are taking FOREVER to pass,, Probly because we have it MASHED Down and are doing our best.

At night,, if you feel you need assist a truck,, and they are merging over,, just "Back Off a little" we will get over and you will be fine..
Also,, if you feel the need to assist with lighting the best option is to "turn your headlights off for a brief second then back on" This is what other trucker do for each other.. Doesn't bind us and doesn't startle us.

As I stated,, I will back off when I see an RV attempt to merge in to my lane, I except the fact that they may not have the "Spacial awareness" Most professional truck driver do.

All we ask is to SHARE the road with us and give us a little room!!

[SaltiDawg]

Post deleted by author.

[TenOC]

fla-gypsy wrote:
Pulling the turn signal control straight back on a Ford SuperDuty will flash the lights whether the headlights are on or not. At least it does in mine. I try to be courteous to them and realize they are trying to make a living and it is not the glamorous lifestyle the commercials try to make it out to be.

2X on my 2006 Dodge Ram.

I like it when a truck signals me that I am clear to pull back into the right lane. I try to do the same. I also signal when I slow down to allow a truck to move into the left lane in front of me to pass.

[Gargamel]

X2 I get it that it's a nice courtesy and all to let them know when they can get over but if they can't figure out when to get over on their own they should find a new profession. Just my 2 cents.

[WeBeFulltimers]

Bionic Man wrote:
Flash your brights.

As a retired trucker I say...DO NOT EVER DO THIS and DO NOT EVER DO THIS! Yes, I know all caps is shouting and your intentions are good but please don't do it.

As the driver is passing you he/she is checking the passenger side mirror for the proper time to pull back in. If you flash high beams when they are looking in mirror it blinds the******out of them and makes for a short term unsafe condition. Had it happen to me many times!

Did I happen to mention.....DO NOT EVER DO THIS!? :E

[Bill_S_1]

Way back, when I bought my current rig, and saw that it didn't have an ICC switch, I decided to build one. I used 2 12-volt relays, and momentary SPDT, center-off rocker switch, that I mounted on the dash.

I wired it so that when driving with the headlights are off, when I press the top of the rocker switch, the headlights come on, and go back out when I release the switch. If the headlights are on, and I press the switch, they go off, until I release it.

It works exactly the same way for the rear marker lights when I press the bottom of the rocker switch. Rear markers flash on when daytime driving with headlights off. They go out when switch is pressed while nighttime driving. This system has worked very well for 10 years, and I almost always get a "thank you" light flash from the trucker, when he has moved over in front of me. I also must say that more truckers than not, will flash me when I have passed them. YMMV.

[Gene_Ginny]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
I signal truckers when they are clear to change lanes after passing me by using my headlight switch. I am thinking about installing a momentary ON switch to control a double pole relay in the headlight circuit. It is hard to reach down to the headlight switch and it was not made for high usage. I have a 12vdc relay with the contacts rated at 25 amps and the momentary switches are readably available.

Can anyone think of an easier way of doing what I want?

Does your Bounder have a headlight flash function on the turn signal lever? Pulling the turn signal lever toward you turns on the high beams momentarily even when the headlight switch is off on most cars and trucks but I know nothing about motorhomes.

[OhhWell]

Stefonius wrote:

OhhWell wrote:

Stefonius wrote:

Cloud Dancer wrote:
More important,.....how in the heck do you signal them NOT to pull into your lane!
I've never understood why ALL of them that pass me insist on quickly getting back into my lane. They impart so much buffeting to my vehicle,....YES, they do it THAT quick! I won't put up with it anymore. I quickly change over to the lane they vacate. The fact that I'm able to do it proofs that there was NO vehicle behind them that was causing them to change lanes prematurely.

They pass you because you're going slower than they want to go. They can't simply slow down in an 80,000 pound rig like you can in a 3,000 pound car. If you don't want to be passed by trucks, change lanes when they get close in your rear view mirror and save them the trouble of having to go around you in the first place.

I think he was talking about how they pop back into the slow lane with inches to spare in front of you even though there is no one behind them in the passing lane. I think they are either showing off or letting you know what they think about us and our speed.

Ahh, that could be. Probably expressing irritation over having to pass in the first place. On the bright side, it's better than when they get behind you with inches to spare!

Aint that the truth. Just like any other profession, some of them are real jerks. It doesn't bother me so much in the coach but I've had it happen in the rain while driving a Mini Cooper with my kids in the back seat in dense traffic. I didn't appreciate that much but what can ya do?

[Stefonius]

OhhWell wrote:

Stefonius wrote:

Cloud Dancer wrote:
More important,.....how in the heck do you signal them NOT to pull into your lane!
I've never understood why ALL of them that pass me insist on quickly getting back into my lane. They impart so much buffeting to my vehicle,....YES, they do it THAT quick! I won't put up with it anymore. I quickly change over to the lane they vacate. The fact that I'm able to do it proofs that there was NO vehicle behind them that was causing them to change lanes prematurely.

They pass you because you're going slower than they want to go. They can't simply slow down in an 80,000 pound rig like you can in a 3,000 pound car. If you don't want to be passed by trucks, change lanes when they get close in your rear view mirror and save them the trouble of having to go around you in the first place.

I think he was talking about how they pop back into the slow lane with inches to spare in front of you even though there is no one behind them in the passing lane. I think they are either showing off or letting you know what they think about us and our speed.

Ahh, that could be. Probably expressing irritation over having to pass in the first place. On the bright side, it's better than when they get behind you with inches to spare!

[OhhWell]

Stefonius wrote:

Cloud Dancer wrote:
More important,.....how in the heck do you signal them NOT to pull into your lane!
I've never understood why ALL of them that pass me insist on quickly getting back into my lane. They impart so much buffeting to my vehicle,....YES, they do it THAT quick! I won't put up with it anymore. I quickly change over to the lane they vacate. The fact that I'm able to do it proofs that there was NO vehicle behind them that was causing them to change lanes prematurely.

They pass you because you're going slower than they want to go. They can't simply slow down in an 80,000 pound rig like you can in a 3,000 pound car. If you don't want to be passed by trucks, change lanes when they get close in your rear view mirror and save them the trouble of having to go around you in the first place.

I think he was talking about how they pop back into the slow lane with inches to spare in front of you even though there is no one behind them in the passing lane. I think they are either showing off or letting you know what they think about us and our speed.

[Stefonius]

Cloud Dancer wrote:
More important,.....how in the heck do you signal them NOT to pull into your lane!
I've never understood why ALL of them that pass me insist on quickly getting back into my lane. They impart so much buffeting to my vehicle,....YES, they do it THAT quick! I won't put up with it anymore. I quickly change over to the lane they vacate. The fact that I'm able to do it proofs that there was NO vehicle behind them that was causing them to change lanes prematurely.

They pass you because you're going slower than they want to go. They can't simply slow down in an 80,000 pound rig like you can in a 3,000 pound car. If you don't want to be passed by trucks, change lanes when they get close in your rear view mirror and save them the trouble of having to go around you in the first place.

[Duck]

If a truck passes me and signal that he wants to move back in and he has barely cleared me I will take my foot off the pedal to give him a little more room.
Don

[Cloud_Dancer]

More important,.....how in the heck do you signal them NOT to pull into your lane!
I've never understood why ALL of them that pass me insist on quickly getting back into my lane. They impart so much buffeting to my vehicle,....YES, they do it THAT quick! I won't put up with it anymore. I quickly change over to the lane they vacate. The fact that I'm able to do it proofs that there was NO vehicle behind them that was causing them to change lanes prematurely.