when a truck is goin past on the other side of the road

**sunhuntin** · 28th August 2005, 15:05

is there a way to avoid bein blowin into the ditch?? usually when a truck is coming, i slow and move as far left as possible. i also experimented with keeping my speed and just moving slightly. is there any hard and fast rule to keep from bein blowin around like a sheet of paper?

**Beemer** · 28th August 2005, 15:25

When I started riding I was told to move to the far left as you approach a truck coming towards you, then angle gently towards the centre line as the two vehicles pass. I was sceptical but it really does seem to work. It must have something to do with the turbulence the truck creates and where that turbulence is the worst - perhaps at the rear of the truck it is less than at the sides, I don't know!

The only hard part is if you come up to a truck on a corner, especially a left-hander, but use your common sense and you'll be right.

You can usually see a truck well ahead, so just move towards the left of the lane, then as you draw level with it, ride towards the centre line (to where you would normally ride), but on a bit more of an angle than if you were just moving back into position after letting someone pass. Hard to explain, but give it a try and you'll see what I mean!

**Antallica** · 28th August 2005, 15:41

Heavier bike helps. On my old FXR150 (118kg dry) she got blown all over the place. Bandit's all good. You could try getting as low as possible and hug the tank, worked for me.

**FROSTY:Me** · 28th August 2005, 15:45

Beemer has it nailed actually.By leaning in towards the truck you end up countering the effect of his bow wave

**Beemer** · 28th August 2005, 15:48

Originally Posted by FROSTY

Beemer has it nailed actually.By leaning in towards the truck you end up countering the effect of his bow wave

Thank you - wasn't sure how to explain it, I just know it works! The RG150 was terrible for being blown about, the Beemer hardly seemed to notice it. The Goose, being naked an' all, does tend to be blown about a bit and it's only 145kg (but my lard arse makes it quite a bit heavier...!), but this trick works on that as well.

**oldrider** · 28th August 2005, 16:20

I don't mind the wind, you know its coming and you can learn to handle it. Its the water spray as I mentioned in another thread (following/passing trucks). The driver can not influence it other than slowing right down or stopping, yeah right. Trying to see past a truck and trailer in heavy rain is almost impossible. That's going both ways too. The tyres pump gallons of water off the road making it safe for the truck (good) but fuck everyone else on the road! I don't mean that as an attack on the drivers its just the tyres that heavy vehicles use. It must put their fuel consumption up pumping all that water? Maybe I am just noticing it now I have got a smaller bike! Doesn't anyone else have this as a problem? Not withstanding the above posts. Cheers John.

**sunhuntin** · 28th August 2005, 17:51

that sounds like a plan beemer. will have to remember to try that.
btw, lard ass? dont think so!

old rider, havent had the misfourtune to be flooded by a truck in rain yet. hoopefully someone else has some advice.

**Jackrat** · 28th August 2005, 19:31

Originally Posted by oldrider

I don't mind the wind, you know its coming and you can learn to handle it. Its the water spray as I mentioned in another thread (following/passing trucks). The driver can not influence it other than slowing right down or stopping, yeah right. Trying to see past a truck and trailer in heavy rain is almost impossible. That's going both ways too. The tyres pump gallons of water off the road making it safe for the truck (good) but fuck everyone else on the road! I don't mean that as an attack on the drivers its just the tyres that heavy vehicles use. It must put their fuel consumption up pumping all that water? Maybe I am just noticing it now I have got a smaller bike! Doesn't anyone else have this as a problem? Not withstanding the above posts. Cheers John.

Don't mean to make it sound like an attack on drivers huh.
Then why the fuck do you.
I an none of the other drivers I know have a FUCK YOU attitude like you imply.In fact the exact opersite is closer to the mark.
I spend every second behind the wheel watching for and fully expecting the next idiot to do something bloody stupid in front of me,and I know full well when they do fuck up their going to blame me.
Like the fuck wit on the Kawasaki 636 that ran out of road at the end of the passing lane at Mangatawhiri last Friday.Rather than back off the idiot just froze up an sat there right beside my drivers door.If I hadn't hit the picks that one would be dead today.An then the gutless fuck flips me the bird.
Or like the lane splitter that tried to fit between me and an even larger truck on the New Market fly over a couple of months back.I stopped him by using my exhuast brake to make a cloud that stopped him coming any farther.
As far as I'm conserned I saved both those bikers lives but all I got in return in both cases was abuse,some of it by blind cunts on this site.
I don't control the fucking weather,I don't have a problem with truck spray,I know it's going to happen and I adapt to it,maybe you should try the same.
It's called reality mate,get used to it.

**Ixion** · 28th August 2005, 19:48

Do not some trucks have sideskirts over the wheels , which reduce the amount of side spray ? It is certainly true that passing or being passed by a truck in the wet can dump enough water on you that you can't see anything for a few seconds. I always just regarded it as one of those things, ducking your head down a second before the "wave" hits, helps. Doubt there's much the driver can do to reduce it, it's a function of the truck design. Actually, it's just as bad in a cage, many times I been hit with a wave big enough that wipers can't clear it for a minute or so.

**sunhuntin** · 28th August 2005, 20:17

yup, think maybe duck and make sure ya mouth is firmly shut or your visor is down, lol. saw a little doohicky on an american site some years back that was kinda like the window washers at gas stations that was the right size to wipe a visor, and fit over the riders finger.

**Motu** · 28th August 2005, 20:25

Isn't it a pity we have made such advances in tyre technology that trucks now have safe tyres that can pump water to stop aquaplaining.....not to mention car and ....motorcycle tyres.If you want trucks to have tyres that don't pump water,then we should go back to some choice motorcycle tyres too - the Avon New Supreme was my favorite for getting loose in the wet.

**oldrider** · 28th August 2005, 21:52

JackRat, I don't mean my posts on the water pumping tyres as attacking the drivers, even if you or others think I am. I am not attacking the drivers, as I have said I agreed with all your stated sentiments from the truck cab. I am pissed off with the effect on other road users of the water spray being pumped from the big tyres. It is the design and effect that I am at odds with. I have excellent wet weather gear, wet is not a problem. I enjoy riding in the wet. The visibility problems when following a truck and trailer are bad enough when its really raining hard and you want to pass. (The truck driver is doing nothing wrong). If another truck and trailer come the other way the spray is diabolical. Getting up close enough to pass and be able to see ahead is almost impossible and the risks are high in high volume traffic areas. Often the truck drivers cant see you anyway for the spray. Not only trucks I mean any big vehicle travelling in their upper speed limits. Their tyre designs shift a hell of a lot of water. If you take a look from further back and gun it up past the "truck" quick and as safe as possible then you have to add plod to the equation. I am slamming the tyre design not the vehicle driver. The tyres are making the truck safe but fuck the rest of the road users! Oh I have just realised why you took um-bridge, it sounds like I mean the driver saying fuck you. Sorry that is definitely not what I mean. Bad use of language there, sorry mate. You ride bikes do you not see what I mean? I know it's up to me to take charge of my own safety and stay back or stop but like the drivers with the water pumping tyres, I want to get where I'm going too. Cheers John.

Edit: Just reread your post above thinking from your point of view! No I was not meaning the drivers! I can now see why you were pissed off. I have been trying to say that fixing the aquaplaning problem for trucks has created a safety problem for other road users. Have I got it right this time? Cheers John.

**Ixion** · 28th August 2005, 22:46

Originally Posted by Motu

Isn't it a pity we have made such advances in tyre technology that trucks now have safe tyres that can pump water to stop aquaplaining.....not to mention car and ....motorcycle tyres.If you want trucks to have tyres that don't pump water,then we should go back to some choice motorcycle tyres too - the Avon New Supreme was my favorite for getting loose in the wet.

Racing slicks on everything. A 12 wheel drift in a truck would be fun.

**Ixion** · 28th August 2005, 22:48

Originally Posted by sunhuntin

yup, think maybe duck and make sure ya mouth is firmly shut or your visor is down, lol. saw a little doohicky on an american site some years back that was kinda like the window washers at gas stations that was the right size to wipe a visor, and fit over the riders finger.

My winter gloves (tecnics I think) actually have little squeegees on the fingers, built in

**Beemer** · 28th August 2005, 23:10

Just on the subject of trucks, I wish I'd seen a company name or number on the truck I was behind heading north out of Shannon today. Most considerate driver I have come across in a long time and I would have been more than happy to ring his company to pass on the praise. It's pretty straight along there, with a couple of rises and some yellow lines half-way along before you come to the first corner. He put his right indicator on to let the car behind him know it was safe to pass, then after the yellow lines when I knew it would be safe for me to pass after the one oncoming car had gone, he put his indicator on again to let me know it was safe. He didn't need to as the visibility was good, but it was a nice touch so I waved as I went past.

Yes, spray can be a problem but it's just as bad in a car as on a bike (except you are dry inside!) - you have to keep back until you can see far enough ahead to pass or a passing lane comes up. Can't blame the truckie - it's almost as bad following a car in those conditions. When it is THAT wet, just keep a larger following distance and try a little patience.