[jcarr]

Ok guys I'm likely opening a hugh can of worms here but I'm doing research for an informational report for a new program and need the input.

That being said;

What do you do differently when riding with or passing an 18 wheeler?

Do you ride in a different track?

Try to "draft"?

Speed up and get away?

Looking for many different points of view. Trying to compile a larger base of data to generate my report.

 

[EFINREF]

If i have to pass...I will stay wide and get out of the "dead zone" as quick as possible. If I can't get away from him....Why did I pass him? I will not jockey back and forth just to avoid the winds from the draft...If I can't clear him, I will back off.

I hope thats what you were looking for.

 

[fossil92]

Similar to the Ref. Pretty much just try to do my own ride & don't try to be around them for long. The other thing that comes to mind is when they are moving quick & going by me I will concentrate to relax my grip & move abit to the outside as that their draft doesn't get me too close to them. Relaxing the grip allows for the bike to move more naturally.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

never draft an 18 wheeler, do you know what flying gators can do to you? i had one tire blow and it took out the mudflap assembly. pass it quickly, try not to get caught on the side of one. when i headed for home from pa. it started raining again in ohio and the sun was down. i rode in the third lane so i wouldn't be hidden in the mist comming of the tires. lets not forget the wind blast when passing an 18 wheeler

 

[Eric]

Much the same as the post above. I try to carry more speed than the 18 wheeler as I am coming up behind him. Pull out and have a look and if clear, pass as quick as posiable so as not to be in the danger zone for very long. I do not sit in the danger zone at the speed limit, because that is what the law here says. It is one time that I will break the road laws. If I get fined for speeding when passing an 18 wheeler, I will just have to cop it sweet. Better to cop the fine, than to have a cross on the side of the road in my memory. Eric

 

[EFINREF]

Oh yeah!! If you are in more than 2 lanes of traffic...Be aware of cars passing on the right side of a truck and cutting across into you as they get clear. I have had that happen but was prepared for it. +1 on Doc....The gators can be mean. I have felt the impact from a truck blowout in a car. Scary Can only imagine how it would affect a bike.

 

[budoka]

The other thing to watch for is debris (pebbles, sticks etc) that gets trapped in the treads and then at a very inopportune moment gets flung out like a bullet. Not good. I try and stay away from all other vehicular traffic on multi lane roads. Yes I'll pay the speeding ticket before I get caught in a wagon train.

 

[Ron Robertson]

I always wait till I got a clear road ahead then go like mad to get around him. When riding in a group and we are passing, I wait till there is room for me behind the bike ahead of me before I make my pass, I do it Quickly. I won't ride beside a truck.
Way back in 1977 we were taking our kids to Yellowstone, as we were passing an 18 wheeler one of his tires blew, rubber slammed into the side of the car and door windows. Nothing broke and just rubber scuffs on the car that polished out easily. Scared the Day Lights out of us.

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

I make sure the trucker can see me in his mirrors. When I pass I stay wide and pass quickly.

 

[2003 GL1800 POLICE]

Holler at them on cb then pass! By holler I mean let them know I am comming around!

 

[EFINREF]

Ahh Shoot!!! One more reason I need a CB!!!

 

[Ron Robertson]

Ahh Shoot!!! One more reason I need a CB!!!

Another reason is; it will keep those other Bama Winger from talking about you when you are out on a ride with them.

 

[EFINREF]

Another reason is; it will keep those other Bama Winger from talking about you when you are out on a ride with them.

That's what they tell me.....I just can't pull the trigger a good CB.

 

[santini1953]

Interstate 65 South of Nashville an 18 wheeler passed in the left lane running at 70 mph. with a string of 4 wheelers on his bumper. I was behind two cars and had moved as near the edge of the pavement as i could to avoid his wind / wash , when suddenly he threw a re-cap and the vehicles behind him went crazy . I braked as soon as i saw the cap to avoid as much of this calamity as possible , luckily i did the right thing at the right time , because the car left of me decided he wanted my lane without asking , three cars took the median and one took the cap in the windshield . I was blessed that the wife and i wasn't killed by the car that took my lane , narrowly missing us by inches . I did have a violent shaking in my bike for the rest of the trip home !!!! I don't follow trucks ....EVER !!!

 

[Cantankerous]

If it is safe I will pass, if not I will back off. One thing I did notice when I went from the 400 to the Wing, is I don't get the feeling of being pulled under a truck. I must have a false sense of security on the Wing.

 

[T-Rex]

Passing Semi's

I agree with all the post concerning this subject. One thing I make sure of when I pass a Semi is that I don't pull back in the lane in front of the truck until I'm about a quarter of a mile in front of the truck. Always make sure I have enough distance before passing to accomplish this feat.

Saw a video on U-Tube where a Truck ran over a rider when he pulled in front of the truck and did not allow enough distance for the pass...that rider will no longer have to worry about passing anykind of vehicle again, that truck rolled over him and his ride without even a hic-up and what was left was churned out the left dualie tires.

I got religion!!
Ride Safe, Pass Safer
T-Rex

 

[willmax]

I pass quickly and try to avoid riding behind 18 wheelers when at all possible for the already mentioned reasons: lack of visibility of traffic and road surface ahead, road trash, tire gators etc. The biggest problem for me is water thrown from an on coming 18 wheelers on a two lane road on rainy days. The force of the water combined with the momentary lack of vision is disconcerting as hell. When I'm riding for pleasure locally, I ride the backroads and don't have to deal with 'em.

 

[maestro319]

I stay on the back roads as much as possible too. Guess I'm not in that big of a hurry to get somewhere around here that I need an interstate. We'll see when I take I-65 down to Ft. Knox, KY to see my daughter next summer.

 

[trourke]

Being a 10 wheel truck driver I have exploded tires with out a warning so I don't stay behind trucks if I don't have to. I do how ever respect their rights and their way of earning a living so I pass when its safe for both of us. I won't ever hang in their blind spot and that goes for cages too.

 

[Chopin]

I'll " draft" until I can pass, making eye contact with the driver before I settle in to wait my moment to make my move. Truckers are in general pretty trustworthy and predictable drivers. If they know you're there they will look out for you and yield to your right of way. On many crowded Interstates they can be used as safety zones when the group of vehicles your surrounded by just aren't acting right.