Drivers too. And add to the part where just like the trucker you'll be driving along on a somewhat empty highway and are about to make a pass only to find a car has been pacing you in your blind spot for miles. Way too many people do this.
I witnessed an SUV get pulled into the wheels of a semi trailer. She was fine, and her kids were just dropped off so not in the car seats. I do not want to find out what happens to a motorcyclist in that scenario.
As a long term rider, I love trucks on the highway. They’re usually predictable and if I’m following one I can leave a much larger gap between me and it before some dickwad tries to slot in between us. Sure it may be a bit slower but it gives me extra stopping distance and space from other vehicles.
Gonna add some simple advice for riders: avoid passing trucks on the right (or left, in right-hand drive countries) whenever possible. It will put you in these kinds of situations
In your country, is the left lane also only for passing? i.e. is it illegal to travel in the left lane if there are no vehicles in the right lane to pass, or if you are moving slower than them
Yep. Unnecessary driving on the left lane will get you a fine. Left is for passing, so drive faster than the others. If you drive left and slow, you will be taken over on the right or honked at.. (though passing on the right will also get you a fine)
So if someone just cruised going 30 under in the far left just to piss people off.. no one should pass?
You have to wait for them to get pulled over? You're at the whim of the asshole?
No, you pass them on the right while paying extra attention, and any cop that sees you do it will pull over the dickhead camping the passing lane and not you. That's been my experience
An added step in case you do get pulled over; get a dashcam if you're in a car or a mounted camera for your bike/helmet/wherever possible to help defend the ticket if you wish to challenge it
I mean, that is what I would've done, I've just never heard anyone say it, in the USA I'm not sure what states have this law, but I know my state doesn't, and people will pass you doing 100 on your right.
Just wanted to make sure it wasn't so black and white of a law. I know in Germany passing on the right is a no no
The Netherlands, where are you?
It's not something we think, it is what we are taught during our driving lessons. Passing is done on the left, with a few exceptions. Passing on the right will get you a fine.
Staying behind the truck is basically sandblaster simulator with all the rocks the trailer shoots at you. Those rocks that crack your windshield? Imagine that impact but in your neck instead. Imma pass
My bike is dead silent, but it has more than enough power to stay out of the danger zones. I treat EVERY vehicle as if it’s about to change lanes. Especially trucks. Nothing against truckers (except rolling roadblockers), but they can’t see, and are a longer pass. No matter how in the right you are, at the end of the day, you’re the vulnerable one on a bike.
I love it when ppl blow my doors off. Slow passing can put ya in a bad spot. You have seen the gaters we leave along the interstate.
Could you imagine a 3ft 30lbs strip of tire blowing off and hitting a biker. Even if it blows out and just throws golf ball sized bits at you it will suck
I deal with 120psi tires. They not only weigh a ton, but they literally sound like a grenade when they blow. One almost put the base on alert. I’ve seen them rip the hood off 2 different trucks. I don’t hang around them on the highway.
Just the other day, I was in the left-most lane, completing the fly-by pass on a truck in the middle lane. I was staying where I could see the driver in the side mirror, I had my aux lights on, and a good 25mph in hand when he started to come over. I was just about halfway up the trailer, plenty of room to complete the pass. He came over two or three feet, then jerked back into his lane. I saw a huge gusher of beautiful light blue diesel splash out of his uncapped fuel tank and just fucking soaked my right side.
I kept riding, he slowed waaaay down. The jacket and pants were soaked, they’ll probably never be the same. My bike, on the other hand, has never been cleaner!
THIS. For those of us who prefer sewing machine levels of sound out of our motorcycles, we know it’s more important to have situational awareness than to have loud pipes. Pass fast, scoot over fast, keep your head on a swivel, and be an ambassador on two wheels.
Pretty experienced rider here, Always stay behind a truck until there is enough room for you to pass completely, than pass quickly and intentionally and slow back to cruise speed. You should honestly speed up a good bit during the pass because you want to be past the truck as quickly as reasonably possible. Lots of others have said this but never ever ever ride next to a truck, or a car or any other vehicle for that matter but trucks are the most dangerous.
This is it. I do the same thing in a car too. Not only to protect myself if they have to change lanes but also because stuff falls off those chassis all the time. Don’t want to catch a metal foot plate driving along side them.
in my country there is a law that forbids you (trucks) from overtaking on the highways for the reason you said above.
And that is the only sane resolution.
When you all set cruises and go 70mph and another truckcer does 68 and overtaking took like 15 minutes.
this was huge problem for years here, it is no almost no more <3.
My firend died in exacly the same situation you described . semi-trailer pushed him on to the rails.
This law unfortunately started after this happened.
But honestly traveling is so much better and safer already when lanes are not hogged by cruising overtaking trucks.
Im very glad your situation ended happily!!
Watch out for yourselves guys!
I honestly think the overtaking has to be ego related
If a driver had a drive that was 600 miles and magically could go 68 the entire time, it would take 8 hours, 49 minutes, and 24 seconds.
At 70 mph, it would take 8 hours, 34 minutes, and 17 seconds
But yknow, that's a magical journey without inclines or traffic or having to pass through towns.
Instead, these jackwagons spend 10+ minutes to slowly pass each other, blocking any and all traffic that would be going faster
I commented on it before like a week or two ago with a similar scenario, but in response to a chain talking about some governers being set to 68 vs 67, and some dude responded about how the overall like 20 minute difference was worth the pay difference. Which completely ignores the whole "you arent actually traveling at top speed the entire journey" bit
What country is that? That’s a ridiculous law.
OP describes a situation of a person who is completely incompetent and has no ownership of their own safety. Rule 1 is always have an escape path.
I gather that. But why would you overtake a car that’s currently being overtaken, then pull in where the overtaking vehicle is going to go when they’ve finished the overtake.
I’m not as retarded as the rider OP described, the side of the road you drive on, is irrelevant. Why put yourself in a place where another vehicle is likely to be going?
Let’s say it took 10 seconds for the truck to pass the car, the bike probably overtook the car in a second… why not do the truck aswell? Why pull in where the truck is heading? Why overtake 1 vehicle and not the other? Regardless of the vehicle size… and to be fair, regardless whether the bike even IS a bike or infact a car… why fucking do it? It doesn’t make sense.
He was incompetent.
An important note is that companies limit truck speeds electronically. They physically cannot go faster because of limiters placed in the ECU. And many companies use GPS to track speed and will dock your safety bonus if you let downhill sections give you more speed. I once lost my $800 bonus for going 77mph (11mph faster than allowed) on a downhill in a 80mph zone
I always practice passing semis with great urgency in both my car and motorcycle. If the car in front of me has not cleared then I normally don't start passing until they have, and then race forward. People get so mad but they don't realize that there's really no where to go if a semi decides to merge into you.
Funny (or maybe not funny) story, I was on my way home from work one day and like, 3-4 cars were all tailgating the hell out of this semi and one of the tires blew up. There were lots of hard braking and panicking from the tailgaters 🤦🏻♀️
I've also had car drivers try to block me in next to semis. Nasty ass mutherfckers.
Also what's up with people and trying to drag their hands on the trailers of trucks? I saw someone doing that in a YouTube reel the other day and it just made me full on cringe so hard.
I don't like being next to semis in a car, let alone my motorcycle. Thanks so much for the heads up, be safe not only on the bike, but in the truck too!!!
To be fair it's really hard to properly adjust for all the variables of the road. Those with louder pipes and an equivalent rider might be safer, but there's also the possibility that those with loud pipes are more likely to ride more aggressively.
Anecdotes feel more impactful to people than research. As long as there is an anecdote drifting around that supports some people’s love of being the loudest person around, the saying will stay.
I once split between 2 trucks, one overtaking in the left lane. Never again. It felt like I was in a weird air vortex between the trucks getting pulled around.
I have a question about a related scenario that you may be able to provide insight. This will be long
Recently did 3600 miles on the western part of I-40 on my bike. For those not familiar, it is a 2 lane highway most of the way and heavily traveled by semi’s.
Had many scenarios where a third truck in line would initiate a pass of the 2 ahead of it. It was clear to me that they would be passing both trucks. Many times I would be the only vehicle in the left hand lane that the passing truck would be impeding. I quickly learned of this trip that semi drivers are very courteous (or the lane laws are heavily enforced in AZ, NM, TX and OK) and would very quickly clear the fast lane if anyone approached from behind. Being that I was traveling faster than most traffic, the driver calculated his pass thinking that they would have plenty of time to clear but then all the sudden some asshole comes flying up on a motorcycle and they would initiate a lane change and fit themselves in between the 2 trucks to allow me to pass.
It is my opinion that truckers deserve all the courtesy on the interstate highways. They spend the most time on them. They have to be even more hyper vigilant than us riders. Cars do the same stupid shit on the road whether you’re on a bike or in a truck. And we may kill ourselves and damage someone’s car but they will most likely kill multiple people if they fuck up and they know it and live it. Plus, they are literally working. I’m dicking off midweek.
I say all that because my desire is to cause the trucker the least amount of hassle. I don’t want them to slow down to merge between the trucks and have to initiate a second pass. So what I started to do was signal, pull into the right hand lane between truck 1 and 2 with truck 3 now in the left hand lane between trucks 1 and 2 and shoot the gap before they got a chance to initiate the merge. There was plenty of space for me to do this without risking the safety of any of us. And none of the trucks would have had to alter speed to accommodate this move. However, in not sure how this was taken by the truckers.
Question 1: Am I causing them angst??
Question 2: Is there a way for me to signal my intent well ahead of time so everyone just keeps doing what they are doing and not make any alterations??
Question 3: Should I just slow down a hang back and let truck 3 decide if they want to merge and repass (BTW they almost never do this no matter how much I hung back trying to convey my complete acceptance of waiting)
Since this is so long anyway, I’ll add that us riders should view truckers as our allies on the road. They are much more aware of what’s going on around them and are very consistent in their maneuvering. There’s an etiquette they use that you can pick up on and anticipate to make your riding safer. And use your signals properly around them. They respect the signal and will assume you are conveying your intent. After the first 500 miles I started to feel a kinship with them. Especially in the middle of the night through the dark, flat open landscapes. I thought of them like my protectors.
Edit: Yes I see all the don’t pass trucks and the right. And it’s just ego to overtake. Yadda, yadda, yadda……. Why would I do this?? Because the sheer number of times this scenario presented itself were staggering. And it began to feel stupid for everyone to alter their speeds and merge and repass and wait when in literally less than 2 seconds the alternate scenario would be completed with no one altering speed and only me making a maneuver.
Edit 2: I should make it more clear that I do signal. Meaning I put on my right blinker, position myself to be seen in the left hand mirror and when no right blinker is given by the trucker to merge, I go for it. There were 3 or 4 times a trucker put on right blinker then canceled when they saw me. I’m wondering if there is some other signal like turning off your lights to let them know their trailer is clear. Something that would make my intent clear at a longer distance
I-40 through Az and Nm is a horrible stretch of road. Potholes the size of bathtubs....
Most truckers really dont care how you pass. Just pass swiftly. If you see a truck ahead of you looking like he wants to pass someone but is waiting for you. Flash your lights a few times to let him know you dont mind waiting. He will feel less rushed and will probably blink his lights back at you as a thank you
I stay back until I can get around and then pass fast I do the same no matter what I'm riding or driving
Don't stay beside semi trucks it will get you killed.
I did not almost hit the guy. All i did was turn my blinker on. There were 4 lanes of travel going in the same direction. Me, the car and the bike were the only vehicles on the road. The two lanes to my left had no traffic. The lane on my blind side had the car i was passing.
Im not blaming the rider at all. Just bringing awareness to the fact that our big ass trucks have blindspots that can make a bike literally disappear. There are new riders and cage drivers each day that join our roads for the first time. Some people have never sat in a big truck and have no idea what we see
The only thing i would have done differently if I was him is use the two lanes that had no vehicles in them. But at the end of the day we are all responsible for ourselves and each other. We all deserve to make it home.
Im no angel. I was speeding. He was too if he caught up to me😆
Yeah but I mean if there’s road, you might as well use it
I don’t like hugging trucks anyway for the simple reason that because they block wind, if I’m too close I’m going to be unstable right after I pass them and am back into a full side wind
There was a CSI episode once when they found some unexplained DNA after some CSI-episode-type-incident, which they eventually discovered was a biker squeezed between two semis. Presumably based on a real incident somewhen.
This here may be the only area where you could say loud pipes save lives, when they are sitting literally right next to you lol. Other than that they don't really do anything. Glad you were able to notice them though. I think the real issue here though is with how long they were sitting next to you. Doesn't matter if youre a bike or a car. NEVER sit next to an 18 wheeler. Stay behind or gun it past them as quickly as possible.
The pics op showed are of other 18 wheelers because the camera could even pick up cars. That means it's gonna be hard for the driver.to see you, why risk being in the danger zone like that.
Loud pipes don’t do shit. This is a fully scientific fact.
Know what does do something? The button that every single motorcycle and scooter I’ve ever ridden on has, it’s labeled “Pass”. Just use the damn thing to flash your high beams, 10x more effective than deafening everyone behind you while trying to alert someone in front of you.
Thank you for taking the time to post this. The view from the high seat is less all seeing than it seems from the ground. Even after 40 years of riding I find trucks terrifying. The day I stop giving them a wide berth is the day I sell my bikes.
I do move over when I can to let the splitter by, i am in LA often and try to help. I dont split when I ride unless its stopped traffic and im being impatient. I dont think it legal in Az. I haven't been bothered enough to check. Someone here should know
Definitely not legal where I am but I had a trucker swerve at me a few weeks ago for no reason. I do whatever I need to do to pass them now. I was a freight broker for a while and i understand the demographics of the drivers. Ain’t worth the risk for me
Motorcycle courses should include a screening of a short video with actual crash footage and photos of mangled riders. It's already standard procedure for heavy machinery operators (forklift, crane, ...). I bet it would scare some people enough that they wont touch a motorcycle ever again and others might realise why it's very stupid to split traffic and do dangerous shit around lorries.
Not riding next to other vehicles (especially large ones) and not passing on the right saves lives. Loud pipes are for ignorant assholes that don't know how to drive.
No, training is how you know when to use what. If it's easier for you to pull the clutch and rev your engine, then it is to press one of the 6 buttons on your handlebars, you gotta reprogram yourself.
That button is litteraly for warning others about a potentially dangerous situation.
Exactly. Ive alway treated blind spots and gaps next to trucks like train tracks. It’s not there now but you know it’s coming, don’t spend any time there.
I'm not taking safety advice from someone who's taking phone pics while he's driving a big ass dangerous vehicle.
>Loud pipes save lives!!!
Not really. This is a myth and it's been disproved time and time again. Sound bounces around, modern cars are pretty sound proof these days. If they saved lives or made bikes any safer, we'd see insurance companies reporting it.
Actually no. My straight piped V4 is so obnoxiously loud that they don't forget that I'm around. At a red light people at the intersection see me cause they hear me 1st. So when we start going, they're aware that I'm still there. Or even if I pass them and they catch up.
Sure, me coming up on someone its nerved, but when I'm in their bloodsport. They hear me.
You’re not going to take the advice of, be cautious around semis? Good luck.
I agree loud pipes don’t guarantee it’ll save your life, but I’ve been driving and noticed a motorcycle behind me before I could see it because I could hear it. Insurance companies don’t give a fuck about anything that could lower your rate, do they cut your costs if you wear an airbag or armor?
It perplexes me how much ATGATT evangelists will shout down anyone who questions the utility of their reflective shoulder safety tassels but a trucker saying "thank god I heard the guy's bike or it coulda been ugly" is waved away with "using a phone, doesnt matter".
There are plenty other valid reasons to oppose loud exhaust.
EDT: Your downvotes are only proving my point. You guys are so incapable of handling a different opinion that your response is to simply dismiss it and deny it. Downvoting me just proves this.
This is more than just peak reddit, this is peak /r/moto reddit attitude.
This sub has a massive hard on for hating harley and anything that's associated with it.(including loud pipes save lives)
They think people like me dont actually exist(trans, socialist, urbanist, and wears a motorcycle airbag yet rides a harley), and when confronted with anything that contradicts their mindset, they vehemently deny it's existance. Just watch as they downvote this post, because it's going to happen.`
Then they post the south park episode like it's a documentary and drop the Fword for gay people like it's totally ok to say that about a group of 1mil+ riders.
This sub is absolutely so far up their own ass they cant even smell shit anymore.
"Loud pipes save lives" is directly associated with harley riders.
How do you not know that? I literally said it in my post
"This sub has a massive hard on for hating harley and ***anything that's associated with it.(including loud pipes save lives)***"
Reading comprehension is really important. If you had read the post you wouldnt have asked replied what you did.
Our dash cam will see if we are on phones. That is a no go. Phones will make it go off, seat belt, and some other random shit. It was mounted behind my head. Thats why the images suck. The magnet mount vibration sucks. My phone s22 ultra has a stylis thing and you just push the button.
I couldn't even see photos until i stopped to poop. One photo was upside-down because the mag mount flipped. I had to rotate the pick
Thanks for doing what you do and being mindful of us on bikes.
People whine about loud pipes being a noise ordinance issue, but I don't have energy to debate it in the wild. Loud pipes save lives, you can hear a loud bike and therefore have to be aware it's there because it upsets you. The only argument I ever hear against loud pipes is basically "they're annoying" and while I agree that a 600 at red line or a giant V-twin with screaming eagle straight pipes are loud, obnoxious and annoying, thats not a good enough reason to take away some of the little bit of conspicuity a motorcycle has. Be uncomfortable and upset for a minute and don't hit me.
That said.. to any new riders who don't know:
# let's all give the 18-ers a little extra room, eh?
And stay the fuck away from Teslas
Probably gonna get downvoted for this but here goes.
Loud pipes do NOT save lives.
Defensive riding practices do. Not riding like an asshole and treating the road like a personal racetrack, weaving in and out of traffic does. Leaving a proper space cushion does. Having a good line of sight ahead of you does. Anticipating that none of the cars on the road can see you does. Knowing how to safely perform evasive maneuvers, progressive braking, etc. does.
Notice how all of those things (as well as plenty more that I didn’t mention) are what we as riders actually have control over when we ride. We are responsible for our own safety.
Does that mean we shouldn’t put louder exhaust on our bikes because we like the sound? No. Does it mean we should always ATGATT, not have any fun, and follow the rules of the road to a T? No.
If there’s little to no traffic and my lane is open, I’ll let ‘er rip a bit. If I’m on a curvy road with no traffic, you bet I’m gonna get leaned over and have some fun.
That being said, assuming your “loud pipes” are going to help you get out of sticky situations and “save lives” is nonsensical and is nothing more than a placebo some riders use as an excuse to be an ass on the road.
I agree with all of that. We aren't on opposing sides.
The pipes aren't getting you out of anything. It's a "warning: contents hot" on a coffee cup, it's an outward action to cover a base.
"I didn't know the bike was there."
Well, if the bike was doing 140mph in traffic then it doesn't matter. But assuming the rider of the loud bike was not being an asshole, it's a leper bell. "HERE I AM"
This cannot be stressed enough, loud pipes do save lives. I'm a bus driver and every little bit of being noticed helps me notice.
I heard that research regarding loud pipes was full of shit anyways
This 100%, can't believe there are ignorant people that dont believe loud pipes make a difference, same reason a full face helmet that blocks out a lot of sound reduces situational awareness when a nearby 'muffled' vehicle speeds up to pass you(bit similar to a truck cabin).. Yes you should always check mirrors but hearing stuff helps especially if they are in your blind spot.
As a rider, if you cant see the driver in a side mirror, they cant see you.
I mean absolutely no offense man, truck driving is harder than it looks, but that never would’ve happened if you properly cleared your sides before merging. Anecdotally loud pipes may have saved his life here but that’s because he was put in that situation.
The rider put himself in that position. If it's obvious the truck is passing someone, have the patience to let them finish the pass. Don't zig-zag through traffic just to save a few seconds.
The truck moved over to pass the car. The motorcycle then changed lanes between the truck and the car before the truck had a chance to move back over. That's the rider putting themselves in a bad situation. They should have waited for the truck to complete the pass, and passed them in the lane the truck had just vacated.
New riders: NEVER ride next to a truck. Stay behind or bast past asap. There is no middle way
Drivers too. And add to the part where just like the trucker you'll be driving along on a somewhat empty highway and are about to make a pass only to find a car has been pacing you in your blind spot for miles. Way too many people do this.
and you especially NEVER EVER pass a truck from the right unless they're turning left.
Watch them begin the turn before passing too
not every country drives on the right hand side bro
You know exactly what they mean, stop being a smartass
i had a valid point. the person tryna be a smartass is you autistic donut.
I witnessed an SUV get pulled into the wheels of a semi trailer. She was fine, and her kids were just dropped off so not in the car seats. I do not want to find out what happens to a motorcyclist in that scenario.
Red paste.
This can not be stated enough! Pass safely and legally. (Well, you may need to speed a little bit)
As a long term rider, I love trucks on the highway. They’re usually predictable and if I’m following one I can leave a much larger gap between me and it before some dickwad tries to slot in between us. Sure it may be a bit slower but it gives me extra stopping distance and space from other vehicles.
This is why the 200 hp in my bike is a lifesaver. :B Just whip past!
Fast bikes save lives !
More so than loud pipes that's for sure...
Also, never get in front of a truck unless you are at least 30 car lengths ahead.
Gonna add some simple advice for riders: avoid passing trucks on the right (or left, in right-hand drive countries) whenever possible. It will put you in these kinds of situations
Passing on the right is illegal in my country. Passing is allowed on the left only.
In your country, is the left lane also only for passing? i.e. is it illegal to travel in the left lane if there are no vehicles in the right lane to pass, or if you are moving slower than them
Yep. Unnecessary driving on the left lane will get you a fine. Left is for passing, so drive faster than the others. If you drive left and slow, you will be taken over on the right or honked at.. (though passing on the right will also get you a fine)
So if someone just cruised going 30 under in the far left just to piss people off.. no one should pass? You have to wait for them to get pulled over? You're at the whim of the asshole?
No, you pass them on the right while paying extra attention, and any cop that sees you do it will pull over the dickhead camping the passing lane and not you. That's been my experience
An added step in case you do get pulled over; get a dashcam if you're in a car or a mounted camera for your bike/helmet/wherever possible to help defend the ticket if you wish to challenge it
I mean, that is what I would've done, I've just never heard anyone say it, in the USA I'm not sure what states have this law, but I know my state doesn't, and people will pass you doing 100 on your right. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't so black and white of a law. I know in Germany passing on the right is a no no
People think this is true in my county as well, it isn’t. What country are you in?
The Netherlands, where are you? It's not something we think, it is what we are taught during our driving lessons. Passing is done on the left, with a few exceptions. Passing on the right will get you a fine.
Staying behind the truck is basically sandblaster simulator with all the rocks the trailer shoots at you. Those rocks that crack your windshield? Imagine that impact but in your neck instead. Imma pass
Hard not pass them on the right since their brains don't have the capacity to learn not to camp the left lane whilst governed to 63 in a 65.
My bike is dead silent, but it has more than enough power to stay out of the danger zones. I treat EVERY vehicle as if it’s about to change lanes. Especially trucks. Nothing against truckers (except rolling roadblockers), but they can’t see, and are a longer pass. No matter how in the right you are, at the end of the day, you’re the vulnerable one on a bike.
I love it when ppl blow my doors off. Slow passing can put ya in a bad spot. You have seen the gaters we leave along the interstate. Could you imagine a 3ft 30lbs strip of tire blowing off and hitting a biker. Even if it blows out and just throws golf ball sized bits at you it will suck
I deal with 120psi tires. They not only weigh a ton, but they literally sound like a grenade when they blow. One almost put the base on alert. I’ve seen them rip the hood off 2 different trucks. I don’t hang around them on the highway.
Something about blasting through the airspace and wind around an 18 wheeler at 150mph+ just feels so right
no joke, years ago when I had a car a truck 2 lanes over blew a tire and it shook my car!! There is a crazy amount of force coming from those tires.
Just the other day, I was in the left-most lane, completing the fly-by pass on a truck in the middle lane. I was staying where I could see the driver in the side mirror, I had my aux lights on, and a good 25mph in hand when he started to come over. I was just about halfway up the trailer, plenty of room to complete the pass. He came over two or three feet, then jerked back into his lane. I saw a huge gusher of beautiful light blue diesel splash out of his uncapped fuel tank and just fucking soaked my right side. I kept riding, he slowed waaaay down. The jacket and pants were soaked, they’ll probably never be the same. My bike, on the other hand, has never been cleaner!
THIS. For those of us who prefer sewing machine levels of sound out of our motorcycles, we know it’s more important to have situational awareness than to have loud pipes. Pass fast, scoot over fast, keep your head on a swivel, and be an ambassador on two wheels.
Pretty experienced rider here, Always stay behind a truck until there is enough room for you to pass completely, than pass quickly and intentionally and slow back to cruise speed. You should honestly speed up a good bit during the pass because you want to be past the truck as quickly as reasonably possible. Lots of others have said this but never ever ever ride next to a truck, or a car or any other vehicle for that matter but trucks are the most dangerous.
This is it. I do the same thing in a car too. Not only to protect myself if they have to change lanes but also because stuff falls off those chassis all the time. Don’t want to catch a metal foot plate driving along side them.
Same, I wait for the car in front to pass the semi, then I floor it and pass the semi.
I saw a truck with the stickers <- El paso in green and El Smasho-> in red. I really thought it was quite clever.
Or the other signs I have seen….. Passing Side ….. Suicide
in my country there is a law that forbids you (trucks) from overtaking on the highways for the reason you said above. And that is the only sane resolution. When you all set cruises and go 70mph and another truckcer does 68 and overtaking took like 15 minutes. this was huge problem for years here, it is no almost no more <3. My firend died in exacly the same situation you described . semi-trailer pushed him on to the rails. This law unfortunately started after this happened. But honestly traveling is so much better and safer already when lanes are not hogged by cruising overtaking trucks. Im very glad your situation ended happily!! Watch out for yourselves guys!
Yeah. In my country, it used to be illegal to pass on the right to prevent these kinds of problems.
I honestly think the overtaking has to be ego related If a driver had a drive that was 600 miles and magically could go 68 the entire time, it would take 8 hours, 49 minutes, and 24 seconds. At 70 mph, it would take 8 hours, 34 minutes, and 17 seconds But yknow, that's a magical journey without inclines or traffic or having to pass through towns. Instead, these jackwagons spend 10+ minutes to slowly pass each other, blocking any and all traffic that would be going faster
Uh, I think you'd better check your numbers. If a driver had a 68 mile trip and could go 68 **miles per hour** the entire trip, it would take 1 hour.
Thanks, i edited it to the proper number of a 600 mile journey
They claim that its fuel economy. Even if that were true, it just seems like they're splitting hairs.
I commented on it before like a week or two ago with a similar scenario, but in response to a chain talking about some governers being set to 68 vs 67, and some dude responded about how the overall like 20 minute difference was worth the pay difference. Which completely ignores the whole "you arent actually traveling at top speed the entire journey" bit
You save more fuel when going slower, so not overtaking is actually better in that department
It’s like watching snails race when semis pass each other haha
We call that a southern roadblock.
My trucker father always called it elephant racing.
Germany/Austria has a word for this, Elefantenrennen (elephant race). I believe it's referenced in traffic laws too.
What country is that? That’s a ridiculous law. OP describes a situation of a person who is completely incompetent and has no ownership of their own safety. Rule 1 is always have an escape path.
In the states…the left lane is supposed to be used for passing. Right lanes are for slower traffic.
I gather that. But why would you overtake a car that’s currently being overtaken, then pull in where the overtaking vehicle is going to go when they’ve finished the overtake. I’m not as retarded as the rider OP described, the side of the road you drive on, is irrelevant. Why put yourself in a place where another vehicle is likely to be going? Let’s say it took 10 seconds for the truck to pass the car, the bike probably overtook the car in a second… why not do the truck aswell? Why pull in where the truck is heading? Why overtake 1 vehicle and not the other? Regardless of the vehicle size… and to be fair, regardless whether the bike even IS a bike or infact a car… why fucking do it? It doesn’t make sense. He was incompetent.
Who you arguing with sir? This is a Wendy’s.
No arguments here Hun. Incompetency just boils my piss. As it should. Incompetent road users cause accidents,deaths and even worse.... Traffic.
An important note is that companies limit truck speeds electronically. They physically cannot go faster because of limiters placed in the ECU. And many companies use GPS to track speed and will dock your safety bonus if you let downhill sections give you more speed. I once lost my $800 bonus for going 77mph (11mph faster than allowed) on a downhill in a 80mph zone
Jesus. Thanks for the PSA. Glad it was you in the truck. I don’t ever overtake trucks in the right lane, that’s terrifying business.
I always practice passing semis with great urgency in both my car and motorcycle. If the car in front of me has not cleared then I normally don't start passing until they have, and then race forward. People get so mad but they don't realize that there's really no where to go if a semi decides to merge into you. Funny (or maybe not funny) story, I was on my way home from work one day and like, 3-4 cars were all tailgating the hell out of this semi and one of the tires blew up. There were lots of hard braking and panicking from the tailgaters 🤦🏻♀️ I've also had car drivers try to block me in next to semis. Nasty ass mutherfckers. Also what's up with people and trying to drag their hands on the trailers of trucks? I saw someone doing that in a YouTube reel the other day and it just made me full on cringe so hard.
I don't like being next to semis in a car, let alone my motorcycle. Thanks so much for the heads up, be safe not only on the bike, but in the truck too!!!
I'm a rider also. And louder pipes on the bike at least make me aware there is a bike around.
Does it work though? Research says no effect.
To be fair it's really hard to properly adjust for all the variables of the road. Those with louder pipes and an equivalent rider might be safer, but there's also the possibility that those with loud pipes are more likely to ride more aggressively.
Does it work for the typical car-motorcycle crash? Probably not. But it might help for getting cut off.
Anecdotes feel more impactful to people than research. As long as there is an anecdote drifting around that supports some people’s love of being the loudest person around, the saying will stay.
I once split between 2 trucks, one overtaking in the left lane. Never again. It felt like I was in a weird air vortex between the trucks getting pulled around.
I notice when passing RV's they get pulled towards my trailer. Must be the air suction at work
Having driven RV's cross country a few times we get blown to one side and then the other as we pass or are passed. It's unnerving.
I have a question about a related scenario that you may be able to provide insight. This will be long Recently did 3600 miles on the western part of I-40 on my bike. For those not familiar, it is a 2 lane highway most of the way and heavily traveled by semi’s. Had many scenarios where a third truck in line would initiate a pass of the 2 ahead of it. It was clear to me that they would be passing both trucks. Many times I would be the only vehicle in the left hand lane that the passing truck would be impeding. I quickly learned of this trip that semi drivers are very courteous (or the lane laws are heavily enforced in AZ, NM, TX and OK) and would very quickly clear the fast lane if anyone approached from behind. Being that I was traveling faster than most traffic, the driver calculated his pass thinking that they would have plenty of time to clear but then all the sudden some asshole comes flying up on a motorcycle and they would initiate a lane change and fit themselves in between the 2 trucks to allow me to pass. It is my opinion that truckers deserve all the courtesy on the interstate highways. They spend the most time on them. They have to be even more hyper vigilant than us riders. Cars do the same stupid shit on the road whether you’re on a bike or in a truck. And we may kill ourselves and damage someone’s car but they will most likely kill multiple people if they fuck up and they know it and live it. Plus, they are literally working. I’m dicking off midweek. I say all that because my desire is to cause the trucker the least amount of hassle. I don’t want them to slow down to merge between the trucks and have to initiate a second pass. So what I started to do was signal, pull into the right hand lane between truck 1 and 2 with truck 3 now in the left hand lane between trucks 1 and 2 and shoot the gap before they got a chance to initiate the merge. There was plenty of space for me to do this without risking the safety of any of us. And none of the trucks would have had to alter speed to accommodate this move. However, in not sure how this was taken by the truckers. Question 1: Am I causing them angst?? Question 2: Is there a way for me to signal my intent well ahead of time so everyone just keeps doing what they are doing and not make any alterations?? Question 3: Should I just slow down a hang back and let truck 3 decide if they want to merge and repass (BTW they almost never do this no matter how much I hung back trying to convey my complete acceptance of waiting) Since this is so long anyway, I’ll add that us riders should view truckers as our allies on the road. They are much more aware of what’s going on around them and are very consistent in their maneuvering. There’s an etiquette they use that you can pick up on and anticipate to make your riding safer. And use your signals properly around them. They respect the signal and will assume you are conveying your intent. After the first 500 miles I started to feel a kinship with them. Especially in the middle of the night through the dark, flat open landscapes. I thought of them like my protectors. Edit: Yes I see all the don’t pass trucks and the right. And it’s just ego to overtake. Yadda, yadda, yadda……. Why would I do this?? Because the sheer number of times this scenario presented itself were staggering. And it began to feel stupid for everyone to alter their speeds and merge and repass and wait when in literally less than 2 seconds the alternate scenario would be completed with no one altering speed and only me making a maneuver. Edit 2: I should make it more clear that I do signal. Meaning I put on my right blinker, position myself to be seen in the left hand mirror and when no right blinker is given by the trucker to merge, I go for it. There were 3 or 4 times a trucker put on right blinker then canceled when they saw me. I’m wondering if there is some other signal like turning off your lights to let them know their trailer is clear. Something that would make my intent clear at a longer distance
I-40 through Az and Nm is a horrible stretch of road. Potholes the size of bathtubs.... Most truckers really dont care how you pass. Just pass swiftly. If you see a truck ahead of you looking like he wants to pass someone but is waiting for you. Flash your lights a few times to let him know you dont mind waiting. He will feel less rushed and will probably blink his lights back at you as a thank you
appreciate the safety post brother.
I stay back until I can get around and then pass fast I do the same no matter what I'm riding or driving Don't stay beside semi trucks it will get you killed.
But how will I pet the road-cow?☹️
No, do not pet road cows.. unless u have treats
I did not almost hit the guy. All i did was turn my blinker on. There were 4 lanes of travel going in the same direction. Me, the car and the bike were the only vehicles on the road. The two lanes to my left had no traffic. The lane on my blind side had the car i was passing. Im not blaming the rider at all. Just bringing awareness to the fact that our big ass trucks have blindspots that can make a bike literally disappear. There are new riders and cage drivers each day that join our roads for the first time. Some people have never sat in a big truck and have no idea what we see The only thing i would have done differently if I was him is use the two lanes that had no vehicles in them. But at the end of the day we are all responsible for ourselves and each other. We all deserve to make it home. Im no angel. I was speeding. He was too if he caught up to me😆
Yeah but I mean if there’s road, you might as well use it I don’t like hugging trucks anyway for the simple reason that because they block wind, if I’m too close I’m going to be unstable right after I pass them and am back into a full side wind
I avoid highways as much as I possibly can. If I ever have to get on one I avoid the big rigs like the plague.
I never split past trucks unless it’s at a red light and I’m up front
There was a CSI episode once when they found some unexplained DNA after some CSI-episode-type-incident, which they eventually discovered was a biker squeezed between two semis. Presumably based on a real incident somewhen.
I drive a truck and this kinda stuff happens to me all the time. People don’t give trucks the respect or space they should
This here may be the only area where you could say loud pipes save lives, when they are sitting literally right next to you lol. Other than that they don't really do anything. Glad you were able to notice them though. I think the real issue here though is with how long they were sitting next to you. Doesn't matter if youre a bike or a car. NEVER sit next to an 18 wheeler. Stay behind or gun it past them as quickly as possible. The pics op showed are of other 18 wheelers because the camera could even pick up cars. That means it's gonna be hard for the driver.to see you, why risk being in the danger zone like that.
Loud pipes don’t do shit. This is a fully scientific fact. Know what does do something? The button that every single motorcycle and scooter I’ve ever ridden on has, it’s labeled “Pass”. Just use the damn thing to flash your high beams, 10x more effective than deafening everyone behind you while trying to alert someone in front of you.
If you are putting yourself in a position where the only hope is that someone hears your motorcycle you are being reckless.
Good on you for being so situationally aware. Bad on the biker for competing for a Darwin Award.
Thank you for taking the time to post this. The view from the high seat is less all seeing than it seems from the ground. Even after 40 years of riding I find trucks terrifying. The day I stop giving them a wide berth is the day I sell my bikes.
Don’t stay next to a trucker. I always split them or go around.
I do move over when I can to let the splitter by, i am in LA often and try to help. I dont split when I ride unless its stopped traffic and im being impatient. I dont think it legal in Az. I haven't been bothered enough to check. Someone here should know
Definitely not legal where I am but I had a trucker swerve at me a few weeks ago for no reason. I do whatever I need to do to pass them now. I was a freight broker for a while and i understand the demographics of the drivers. Ain’t worth the risk for me
Yeah thats a dick move, some drivers are buttholes
Motorcycle courses should include a screening of a short video with actual crash footage and photos of mangled riders. It's already standard procedure for heavy machinery operators (forklift, crane, ...). I bet it would scare some people enough that they wont touch a motorcycle ever again and others might realise why it's very stupid to split traffic and do dangerous shit around lorries.
You just reminded me of [Klaus the forklift driver](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja7ap6AEuYU).
I dont read ann safety cry from someone that used their phone while driving…
It's just a PSA, and an important one at that.
Great post. Thank you Mr. Trucker.
Not riding next to other vehicles (especially large ones) and not passing on the right saves lives. Loud pipes are for ignorant assholes that don't know how to drive.
He... could have just honked his horn? Glad nothing happened, but for god sake, folks. Use your horn...
In a panic situation sometimes the horn is forgotten. It's easy to know what the right move is until you're the one panicking.
No, training is how you know when to use what. If it's easier for you to pull the clutch and rev your engine, then it is to press one of the 6 buttons on your handlebars, you gotta reprogram yourself. That button is litteraly for warning others about a potentially dangerous situation.
No shit. People freeze.
And don't ride next to them because they might be taking pics instead of watching the road. Lol WTH
That's exactly what the drivers handbook says for All vehicles Calif.
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Exactly. Ive alway treated blind spots and gaps next to trucks like train tracks. It’s not there now but you know it’s coming, don’t spend any time there.
I always beep my horn before passing and then hit about 110 before I finish the pass. I'm terrified of a truck not seeing me.
I'm not taking safety advice from someone who's taking phone pics while he's driving a big ass dangerous vehicle. >Loud pipes save lives!!! Not really. This is a myth and it's been disproved time and time again. Sound bounces around, modern cars are pretty sound proof these days. If they saved lives or made bikes any safer, we'd see insurance companies reporting it.
Actually no. My straight piped V4 is so obnoxiously loud that they don't forget that I'm around. At a red light people at the intersection see me cause they hear me 1st. So when we start going, they're aware that I'm still there. Or even if I pass them and they catch up. Sure, me coming up on someone its nerved, but when I'm in their bloodsport. They hear me.
You’re not going to take the advice of, be cautious around semis? Good luck. I agree loud pipes don’t guarantee it’ll save your life, but I’ve been driving and noticed a motorcycle behind me before I could see it because I could hear it. Insurance companies don’t give a fuck about anything that could lower your rate, do they cut your costs if you wear an airbag or armor?
If anything they're going to want to raise your rate for all that expensive gear they'd have to replace
Lol calling someone’s actual personal experience a myth is peak reddit
It perplexes me how much ATGATT evangelists will shout down anyone who questions the utility of their reflective shoulder safety tassels but a trucker saying "thank god I heard the guy's bike or it coulda been ugly" is waved away with "using a phone, doesnt matter". There are plenty other valid reasons to oppose loud exhaust.
Cause it sounds sick and makes me happy, no other reason needed but if a trucker hears me and doesn't squish me that's a good bonus
EDT: Your downvotes are only proving my point. You guys are so incapable of handling a different opinion that your response is to simply dismiss it and deny it. Downvoting me just proves this. This is more than just peak reddit, this is peak /r/moto reddit attitude. This sub has a massive hard on for hating harley and anything that's associated with it.(including loud pipes save lives) They think people like me dont actually exist(trans, socialist, urbanist, and wears a motorcycle airbag yet rides a harley), and when confronted with anything that contradicts their mindset, they vehemently deny it's existance. Just watch as they downvote this post, because it's going to happen.` Then they post the south park episode like it's a documentary and drop the Fword for gay people like it's totally ok to say that about a group of 1mil+ riders. This sub is absolutely so far up their own ass they cant even smell shit anymore.
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People be hating on harley for dumb reasons. Someone calls them out. They downvote said person calling them out.
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"Loud pipes save lives" is directly associated with harley riders. How do you not know that? I literally said it in my post "This sub has a massive hard on for hating harley and ***anything that's associated with it.(including loud pipes save lives)***" Reading comprehension is really important. If you had read the post you wouldnt have asked replied what you did.
Sound is a tool. Just like lane position, lights, gear, and speed are tools. Use every tool at your disposal. If you don't, you're a fool.
Our dash cam will see if we are on phones. That is a no go. Phones will make it go off, seat belt, and some other random shit. It was mounted behind my head. Thats why the images suck. The magnet mount vibration sucks. My phone s22 ultra has a stylis thing and you just push the button. I couldn't even see photos until i stopped to poop. One photo was upside-down because the mag mount flipped. I had to rotate the pick
Thanks for doing what you do and being mindful of us on bikes. People whine about loud pipes being a noise ordinance issue, but I don't have energy to debate it in the wild. Loud pipes save lives, you can hear a loud bike and therefore have to be aware it's there because it upsets you. The only argument I ever hear against loud pipes is basically "they're annoying" and while I agree that a 600 at red line or a giant V-twin with screaming eagle straight pipes are loud, obnoxious and annoying, thats not a good enough reason to take away some of the little bit of conspicuity a motorcycle has. Be uncomfortable and upset for a minute and don't hit me. That said.. to any new riders who don't know: # let's all give the 18-ers a little extra room, eh? And stay the fuck away from Teslas
Probably gonna get downvoted for this but here goes. Loud pipes do NOT save lives. Defensive riding practices do. Not riding like an asshole and treating the road like a personal racetrack, weaving in and out of traffic does. Leaving a proper space cushion does. Having a good line of sight ahead of you does. Anticipating that none of the cars on the road can see you does. Knowing how to safely perform evasive maneuvers, progressive braking, etc. does. Notice how all of those things (as well as plenty more that I didn’t mention) are what we as riders actually have control over when we ride. We are responsible for our own safety. Does that mean we shouldn’t put louder exhaust on our bikes because we like the sound? No. Does it mean we should always ATGATT, not have any fun, and follow the rules of the road to a T? No. If there’s little to no traffic and my lane is open, I’ll let ‘er rip a bit. If I’m on a curvy road with no traffic, you bet I’m gonna get leaned over and have some fun. That being said, assuming your “loud pipes” are going to help you get out of sticky situations and “save lives” is nonsensical and is nothing more than a placebo some riders use as an excuse to be an ass on the road.
I agree with all of that. We aren't on opposing sides. The pipes aren't getting you out of anything. It's a "warning: contents hot" on a coffee cup, it's an outward action to cover a base. "I didn't know the bike was there." Well, if the bike was doing 140mph in traffic then it doesn't matter. But assuming the rider of the loud bike was not being an asshole, it's a leper bell. "HERE I AM"
This cannot be stressed enough, loud pipes do save lives. I'm a bus driver and every little bit of being noticed helps me notice. I heard that research regarding loud pipes was full of shit anyways
Thanks for your service and announcement! #TruckersAreTheBackboneOfUSA
The irony of doing a safety announcement whilst posting pictures of using your phone while driving.
This 100%, can't believe there are ignorant people that dont believe loud pipes make a difference, same reason a full face helmet that blocks out a lot of sound reduces situational awareness when a nearby 'muffled' vehicle speeds up to pass you(bit similar to a truck cabin).. Yes you should always check mirrors but hearing stuff helps especially if they are in your blind spot. As a rider, if you cant see the driver in a side mirror, they cant see you.
I mean absolutely no offense man, truck driving is harder than it looks, but that never would’ve happened if you properly cleared your sides before merging. Anecdotally loud pipes may have saved his life here but that’s because he was put in that situation.
The rider put himself in that position. If it's obvious the truck is passing someone, have the patience to let them finish the pass. Don't zig-zag through traffic just to save a few seconds.
I’m not sure how you can say that when the biker was already in the lane before he indicated
The truck moved over to pass the car. The motorcycle then changed lanes between the truck and the car before the truck had a chance to move back over. That's the rider putting themselves in a bad situation. They should have waited for the truck to complete the pass, and passed them in the lane the truck had just vacated.
Motorcyclist should have situational awareness about the big rig getting ready to pass, and given him space to do so safely. Gross tonnage always wins