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Big Rig Accidents ... Not Us


Raquel

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I would take minor exception to the above "match speed". That is when matching speed puts you into a pack. Running in a pack is NEVER as safe as running outside the pack. I tow around 63 mph on most roads. Which puts me outside the packs. On purpose. If I'm holding traffic on a two lane road I'll pull over where I can. But I don't consider 65+ on most two lanes, with my trailer, to be within my safety zone. It may be, but I'm not comfortable over 65 on a two lane road. With the trailer, of course.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
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Jack, I totally agree (and mentioned something to that effect earlier). For our big vehicles, there's a sweet spot between being at speeds we're comfortable with, going slow enough to avoid the packs, but not too slow as to have dangerous closing speeds when one of those packs approaches. Space around you is a good thing, regardless of the vehicle.

 

Fortunately, when we're going slow, we're pretty visible both as a function of size and the uniqueness of our rigs. A passenger car at 63 on an interstate where traffic is going much faster is a lot more likely to catch someone off-guard.

 

Unfortunately, there's practically zero enforcement of keep-right, following distance, and signalling laws. A lot of that has to do with the amount of time required to observe the problem before writing a ticket--speed (and drunk driving) laws depend on a split-second measurement, and a conviction in most states (and Texas is an exception) simply requires proof of a speed in excess of the lawful limit.

 

John Carr at MIT maintains a good reference on keep-right laws--Alaska's includes a provision that requires pulling over if there are 5 or more vehicles behind you.

45' 2004 Showhauler -- VNL300, ISX, FreedomLine -- RVnerds.com -- where I've started to write about what I'm up to

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Thing is that each state and province has its own rules so things change constantly for drivers going across country. With the improved hiways and higher speeds and more capability of vehicles I believe more standardization is needed.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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