Following/passing trucks.

**FROSTY:Me** · 27th August 2005, 09:51

Just a word of warning about following trucks. Specificly opentop or flat deck trucks.
They have a tendancy to dump stuff or drop stuff with no notice.
I just copped an eyefull of fine sand following an empty sand truck. Probably it was no more than a table spoon full that came out but it was enough to get in my eyes and blind me for few seconds.
I have in the past narrowly avoided a chunk of timber from a flat deck truck.

**James Deuce** · 27th August 2005, 09:59

Another issue I've found with trucks is B Trains and Truck and Trailers tend to blow tyres more often than other vehicles. Those big chunks of tyre on the side of the road? The tyre exploded or delaminated. I've had two near misses, one while I was alongside and one when I was behind. Make sure you have room to dodge.

**FROSTY:Me** · 27th August 2005, 10:04

FUGGIT JIM thats it -ITS JUST NOT RIGHT!!!!! you can't be agreeing with me all the time otherwise noone will believe me when I give ya shit

**bane** · 27th August 2005, 11:01

I hate follow trucks, buses, vans and 4wd's... come to think of it, when im on the bike the only thing I dont mind following is another bike

My problem with following tall vehicles is, sit back and you end up in constant turbulence - ride close enough to avoid it, and you have reduced ability to scan the road, avoid obstacles etc...

on the bright side most bikes make it fairly easy to get past

**James Deuce** · 27th August 2005, 12:06

Originally Posted by village idiot

Ohh dont forget to be careful when your eating, you might choke and die, I nearly did that once... For fuck sake frosty we are not children o condescending great one.

Dont forget to be careful when taking a bath, you might drown

Get fucked. There are people riding bikes on this site who may not have thought about the issues Frosty is posting about. It's part of a safety initiative that Frosty has undertaken. Don;t see you contributing anything except spite and bile.

**Uncle B** · 27th August 2005, 13:29

I've spoken to a few truckies about this and they like the idea.

Rule of thumb....If you can't see their mirrors, they can't see you.

I always make a point of being able to see their mirrors by riding far back enough to see the right hand mirror when in a straight line or when the truck is turning right, I move to the left hand side when the truck is turning left or going around a left hand bend just to show them that I'm still there.

**dhunt** · 27th August 2005, 13:34

Originally Posted by Jim2

Another issue I've found with trucks is B Trains and Truck and Trailers tend to blow tyres more often than other vehicles. Those big chunks of tyre on the side of the road? The tyre exploded or delaminated. I've had two near misses, one while I was alongside and one when I was behind. Make sure you have room to dodge.

Yeah Jim2 I've had the same thing, I was following some truck that was spitting tyre everywhere, so I stayed back until a reasonable straight and then passed him, while honking the horn and pointing back towards his tyres, he got the message and stopped.

**froggyfrenchman** · 27th August 2005, 13:45

i like to sit right up behind big trucks on right behind taillight, only on cold rainy days. theres a nice warm still airpocket there. have spoken to trukkies bout it. they all reconed its fine if u can ride well enuf to not rearend him and ocasionally pull out to right beside truck so they know ur still there and ok

**Jackrat** · 27th August 2005, 14:13

When following stay in MY right hand wheel tracks.
Because anything I run over is either going out the side or out from between my rear axles so don't be in either of those two places.
When you start to overtake,do it fast,don't fuck about.
If you pass at the end of passing lanes into on coming traffic ,expect to die because I'm not going cross country for you or your late passing mate in the car.I probably won't pull over for you,at times I wheigh over twenty tonne,you wheigh fuck all,it's your move.
If you come up on me from behind at 140km don't expect me to see you,I just might be looking in any one of the other directions that things appear from.
Don't blame me for the fucking spray,I don't control the weather,don't blame me for the wind buffiting,you saw me coming an if you didn't know it was going to happen,buy a car.
If you don't want sand in your eyes,wear a visor or goggles,I hear most bike shops sell them.
Don't cut up the inside while I'm turning left on a double lane,I won't even feel the bump.An yeah I know you had the right of way,but I don't control
physics either,I'm twenty meters long so get used to it,I had to.
If your broken down an need a hand give me a wave,you'll get a free ride home at the very lest.

**FROSTY:Me** · 27th August 2005, 14:57

Good call Jackrat.Its cool to see it from a truckies point of view.
Personally I don't get bent outa shape about the sand N stuff-Im warning newer riders to watch out for it. I got caught out this morning and I've been riding for mumbledy mumble years.

**Ixion** · 27th August 2005, 15:02

Gotta watch ordinary towed-by-car trailers too. All sorts of stuff blows off them. Even a handful of lawn clippings can be disconcerting when you get them full in the face. And trailer towers are less careful about fastening down their loads than truckies. Remember a biker was killed a few years ago when a sheet of building material (Gib board or summut) blew off a trailer and hit him full on.

Also, often the brake lights on the trailers don't work (cos they don't plug 'em in) and you can't see the car ones cos of the trailer.

**Hitcher** · 27th August 2005, 15:06

And stock trucks, particularly while cornering, can decant "liquid" onto the road. This is generally a piquant mixture of shit and urine. It can also be quite slippery.

And diesel. Never forget diesel. Lovely rainbow colours. And brown-soiled undies...

**Aitch** · 27th August 2005, 16:45

Originally Posted by VTWIN

I've spoken to a few truckies about this and they like the idea.

Rule of thumb....If you can't see their mirrors, they can't see you.

I always make a point of being able to see their mirrors by riding far back enough to see the right hand mirror when in a straight line or when the truck is turning right, I move to the left hand side when the truck is turning left or going around a left hand bend just to show them that I'm still there.

cars and other bikes too!!! The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of refraction.....when following a car I always try to see the drivers eyes in one of his mirrors...till I pass him of course. (yes ok, or her....)

**oldrider** · 27th August 2005, 17:29

This is true. Happened when I was a teenager in Petone. Place, Old Hutt Road.
A truck going the opposite way lost a sheet of flat-iron on a windy day. Flat iron took the head clean off a passing motorcyclist. The head and iron went one way and the headless biker and bike rode on passed another stationary truck waiting to turn off the road. As far as I can remember the first truck driver has never known what he did. The bike just went on until it crashed.
I was a biker then and just lived a long the road. Didn't know the biker but have never forgotten it. Very messy but must have been a quick death! Very little protective gear worn in those days but it wouldn't have helped him even today.

I hate trucks with their water pumping tyres creating a bloody great spray all around the truck on wet days. Great safety for the truck but fuck every one else on the road. You can be the safest rider and the best but you can't see where you are going or if there is anything else coming, then the spray is so strong it nearly knocks you over. This is my only real gripe about trucks and I love riding in the rain, the heavier the better but fuck big tyred vehicles going either way.
Gripe gripe gripe.

Cheers John.

**Aitch** · 27th August 2005, 19:49

I hate trucks with their water pumping tyres creating a bloody great spray all around the truck on wet days. Great safety for the truck but fuck every one else on the road. You can be the safest rider and the best but you can't see where you are going or if there is anything else coming, then the spray is so strong it nearly knocks you over. This is my only real gripe about trucks and I love riding in the rain, the heavier the better but fuck big tyred vehicles going either way.
Gripe gripe gripe.

Cheers John.[/QUOTE]

All they have to do is fit those brush thingies on the mudguard, and hey presto! no more spray. But that probably costs $50 per wheel........