Tim, the practice of following closely behind a moving tractor trailer on a highway, for this purpose is the equivalent of spending a dollar to save a penny, and is a dangerous proposition to say the least.
I can give you 3 scenarios at low speed, whereas the vehicle could not be seen and the results:
1.) While hauling trusses on a Dump D Matic truss type trailer, I had the lower kit on for hauling a short, high pitch type truss from a previous load, this is a big piece of angle iron tha hangs from a heavy chain to support the load. Another vehicle, an 80 year old man, was too close at an intersection where I was turning, he tried to cut inside to make the turn at the same time, I never saw him as the tractor was already straight and I was shifting gears, I hooked onto that car and dragged it into a corner, which wrenched the car so bad it blew out all the windows, popped the tires and bent the rims inward, the car was totalled in a few seconds, I looked back only because it felt like the brakes locked up or something, early 80's long wheel base R model Mack 9 spd with 300+ in line motor, it was just enough drag to make me look, and I was going up hill at this turn, the car was nothing to this rig, the man was OK, said, well I'm getting a new car and I got a confounded ticket with points on my license. My experience with truck driving has always been like that, between dot checks, weight checks and all the rest, always getting screwed just for showing up to work, you can take driving for a living and shove it, that is for sure. $7.25/hour in those days.
2.) Sun is setting in front of me and is blinding, was late fall, I pull up to a line of traffic, long nose International 4300 tractor, lowbow behind, thought the next car could be seen, nope, so I am in Lo creeping forward, pushing the car in front of me into the next one and so on, think it was 3 cars worth, the tractor just kept pushing, never saw the guy directly in front of me until someone got out and told me what was happening ! SOunds stupid, but it happened, and proves even at an idle these big trucks are dangerous.
3.) At an intersection, with a flatbed trailer in tow, I roll back while starting off, not much but a little, I get back the yard and someone has reported me for leaving the scene of an accident, well that's just great, what d@mn accident ??? Never saw the guy, but he obviously was right on my tail !!!! I told them to pound salt, really p#ssed me off, how was I to know, you can't feel a car with 42 feet of trailer and a long wheel base tractor, give the truck driver some room for darned sake ! Again, risking my license for a job, that paid sh$T.
Higher speed: ok, this is great, I'm running a freightliner tri-axle, empty headed back to the quarry, some idiot is on the I-90 bridge crossing the hudson river dragging a bumper, the woman behind her, makes a rash decision to get out from behind this wreck on the road and pulls in front of me, I hit the brakes enough to skid sideways a little, once that skid starts you have to let off, I literally pushed her trunk into the back of the drivers seat, on a high bridge, where if I made a bad reaction to what she did, I'd have been in the drink, hudreds of feet below, no way a barricade would have stopped this truck, even worse if I was loaded, she'd have been crushed. She was ok, another car completely totalled, and here I am again, doing what I'm told, making a lousy $9/hour hauling 22-30 ton on this truck, yeah we used to run way over on state highway jobs, was even told no one is breaking chops about it, they need to complete the job before winter. Driving with 30 ton on is no joke, big ole monkey on your back, it gets a little nervy at times, stress level is up there, you don't need idiot drivers around you.
'05 - I do someone a favor by driving a rig hauling horses that year, for the show season, so in the beginning of the season, I took the rig down the road a few exits to fuel it up, and along side me comes a NYSP patrol car, he's locked onto a car and is going to pull them over. This is the first time I stepped into a rig in 12 years, I have a clean license and abstract for at least 15 years prior, never a DWI or anything of the sort, I'm a seasoned driver, not a part time novice, or CDL school trainee, we have owned rigs in the past and I did my time in the seat, hauling lumber, heavy equipment, over width and over lenght loads etc. The trooper abruptly changes lanes, gets right in front of me and turns the lights on, I narrowly missed clobbering him, and I would have, you just have no choice you have to keep that rig straight, even if it means hitting something. This rig is owned by a wealthy couple who fool with horses in the hunter jumper shows, my step mother is their trainer, I was doing them a favor, no pay, just thought it would be interesting to get some time in the seat again, something different to do in my schedule at the time. She witnessed the entire thing as she was following me to the fuel station, my father was in the passenger seat. 2 witnesses toi attest to this incident. A complaint was made, she got the plate of the patrol car or something, noted the time of the incident so it could be traced. This guy was obviously green, he made a huge mistake by driving like this and I would think to have known better, these guys are well trained too, but it just takes one wrong move. Everytime I get involved with trucks, tractor trailers, it's like I'm a magnet for trouble.
If you think there is any rationale behind your thoughts on this, just consider the guy behind the wheel you are following, he may have to make a quick decision that will leave you NO TIME to react, your vehicle is no match for a rig. Stay well away from all trucks, either pass or stay far behind, NEVER stay close to one on a highwayt. I had a front tire blow once, the retaining ring flew off to the side, fender blew to pieces, battery box blown off, how'd you like to be next to that tire blowing at speed and have all this junk coming at you ? Driving today, you must be on the defense and be totally aware of everything around you, if you cut your vision off by staying behind a trailer, you lose the ability to see problems and afford yourself time to react. This makes no reasonable sense to me, give these drivers some room or face the consequences.
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Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
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