Let’s get one thing straight quickly. When driving with big Tractor-trailers on the highways, it’s not the big guys who are the Road Hazards. It’s all of us little puppies around them! With few exceptions we can consider big-rig drivers the safest drivers out there.

But they are big.  If something bad happens to them and we’re involved, it probably won’t be a “go home” incident. 

There are three basic scenarios we will be dealing with when we meet up with Eighteen Wheelers on the highway or any other vehicles for that matter.

We will be approaching them (driving faster) and looking to pass, we will have one approaching and looking to pass us, or we will somehow end up traveling at the same basic speed.

To slightly compound the equation, any of the above can be taking place during daylight or night time hours, on straight or curved roads or on level, hilly or mountain roadways.  Oh yeah!  And is the pavement dry, wet or icy?

The first thing to do is give the truck itself, a quick eyeball.  Does the truck look well maintained?  Is it running steady or maybe swerving a little bit?  Is there anything going on with the truck that the driver might not know about – like smoke coming out of the wheels or off the tires?  Okay, he looks good.

Next let’s consider the vehicles around the truck because they’re the potential hazards. How are they treating the big guy?  In most cases it will be one of us little guys who causes a big problem.

It’s easy to see if someone is tailgating the truck.  Easy for us, that is.  The trailer driver might not have a clue they’re being tailgated and obviously the tailgater can’t see in front of the truck.  Said tailgater will have zero reaction time.  If the truck suddenly has to make an abrupt maneuver, the tailgater is forced (if he even can) to react rather dramatically – and if we’re not anticipating it, “dramatically” can happen right on our front bumper.

The next trucker aggravation will be the slower driver in front of him.  These trucker types may be safe, but they don’t get paid to slog along either.  They are going to want to swing out and pass the little dude.  When he signals to do so, we have two quick options.  If we were going to pass him, we better get it done.  We might also back off and allow him in front of us.   A flash of our brights here, can alert him to our presence and usually suggests to him he’s cool to come over.  Once he passes poky, he’ll probably be back over there and out of our way. 

Another frustration for the trucker is the little guy who decides to drive for a few dozen miles right in the truck’s blind spot.  Maybe she’s afraid to pass the big buckaroo, so she pulls right into his blind spot, then slows the pace and stays there for a few dozen miles waiting for a miracle.  Traffic backs up behind her.  We might not want to crowd the timid driver though.  Let’s not compound the problem.  I’ve even been known to back off and slip well behind the big guy until the situation rectifies itself.  Besides, it’s often the truck that will eventually take the lead and I’ll be right there with him.

The final consideration we want to be thinking about is an escape.  Where can we go if something suddenly gets nasty?  Is there a wide apron on the side of the road we can use if we have to?  Or are we pinned in by no apron and other traffic?  Situational Awareness is always a good thing but it takes on new meaning when a threat can crush you like a bug.  Drive accordingly keeping plenty of safe space around you!

So it’s scenario 1.  We’re approaching eighteen tires and we’re obviously thinking “pass.”  Do we have room to pass?  Are there buggies in front of us?  Are they safely passing or are they jammed up behind the one stalled in the blind spot?  Are we on a hill?  Are we going downhill or uphill?  The big guys like to build momentum while going downhill that they can use when they get to the upstroke part of the equation. We may be going faster than he is at the moment but when we reach the hill crest, is he going to be coming back at us?

Once we decide to pass, let’s do it.  We want to add enough right pedal to quickly get the job done – it’s not the time to be bashful.  Once by him, let’s not dive over right in front of him either.  We want to at least see him in our right rearview before we swing back in front of him. 

Once we do pass, let’s maintain our speed.  How many times have we seen a driver pass the truck only to slow back down once in front of him?  Great way to fill your rearview mirror with shiny Freightliner radiator cowling.

At night, or even in daytime, we may want to offer a quick couple of flashes with our optical horn just to confirm our passing intentions.  He shouldn’t mind – we’re helping him.

As we pass the truck let’s also keep a keen eye on his front steering tire.  If the truck is forced to make a sudden move, that tire will be the first and maybe only warning we get.

It’s now scenario 2 and the big guy is gaining on us.  He’s ready to pass us.  The simple solution?  Let him.  We may even lighten up on the right pedal to give him an edge.  When he passes us and has enough space to move back in front of us, we can offer a quick flash of the brights again, to let him know it’s safe to come over.  He may even thank us for the courtesy with a quick flash of his trailer lights.

Scenario 3 is really common sense but it’s amazing how many drivers ignore this simple rule – “give him plenty of space”.  If he’s running at the same speed we are, we’re either going to be ahead of him or behind him, but hopefully not along side of him.  If ahead, push the go pedal enough to gain a safe distance and then ease off to maintain the distance.  If behind, drift a little further back and then resume the desired speed.

Driving with the big boys doesn’t have to be life threatening.  It really breaks down into a few common sense basics.

• Don’t treat the Eighteen Wheeler like just another vehicle.  It isn’t.
• First size up the truck.
• Then size up the traffic around the truck.
• Then decide where you want to be with reference to the truck.
• Then – Be there!

Big Truck Drivers aren’t out there to play games with us.  They drive for a living and they do a lot of it.  Their primary objective is to get to their destination safely and efficiently.  By offering them the courtesies and respect that they (and their size) deserve, and by helping them in their efforts not to kill us – we can safely and more confidently “run with the big guys”!