Places Where Hi Viz Won't Help

[ionbeam]

In the picture below, none of the motorcycles can be seen by the truck driver, either out the windows or in mirrors. These are the places you should never ride; speed up, slow down or move over.

Strangely, this was sent to me by a Smart Car driver that I know who shares many of the same safety fears as us bikers.

 

[stevec677]

Great photo. It always helps to see it as opposed to reading it. Thanks.

 

[lonerider]

Don't like riding beside or behind semis; visibility is reduced and too many of them shred trailer tires and throw the remains all over the road.

 

[Flash1034]

Wow

 

[Bugnatr]

If you are the rider in front of the truck you have got a BIG problem.

 

[Top_Speed1]

In the picture below, none of the motorcycles can be seen by the truck driver, either out the windows or in mirrors. These are the places you should never ride; speed up, slow down or move over.
Strangely, this was sent to me by a Smart Car driver that I know who shares many of the same safety fears as us bikers.

I have a CDL, use it regularly and have to say that the one bike (on trucks right/passenger side, closest to truck) should easily be seen in his R-Fender fish bowl. Def agree with the other blind spots however.

Thanks for posting Alan

 

[bluesdog]

I won't even park near those big rigs.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I'm with the Bug about that one in front. That would require the immediate application of a LOT of throttle. Screw that.

Good post. Like others, I try not to ride too close either. I've driven trucks with trailers my whole life, and it's amazing how many people will crowd around a heavy truck that doesn't stop quickly.

 

[SkySoldier]

Those retread truck tires with a bazillion miles on em are what worry me as I pass quickly by. I don't need steaming chunks of rubber bits and snakes hitting me or the bike.. That would be a bad day and all.

 

[LKLD]

On the truck's left, I was in a similar position while slabbing it with cruise control. Overtaking him around 5mph, he just came over on me. He noticed me while he straddled the lane line, then jumped back over.

I learned to pass others like you mean it.

 

[flagstaff]

Look to me like the truck needs better mirrors.

 

[bergmen]

This is where a fully-automatic, vertically oriented flare gun with a fifty round magazine helps.

Just a push of a button away and everybody know where you are.

Dan

 

[Intech]

I'm with the Bug about that one in front. That would require the immediate application of a LOT of throttle. Screw that. Good post. Like others, I try not to ride too close either. I've driven trucks with trailers my whole life, and it's amazing how many people will crowd around a heavy truck that doesn't stop quickly.

What are you talking about? All four of those bikes should be applying WOT to GTFO of there!

 

[Goodman4]

Speaking of passing the semi's with a lot of throttle, I agree totally. My wife will quickly complain about me driving too fast if I get on the throttle, but she never complains when I blow past a semi to avoid being near it. If I ever get a ticket for that, it will be one worth paying.

 

[Fred W]

Recycling this stale thread for some opinions

On a multilane interstates, what is the best lane position to assume when passing a big rig? There seems to be two big concerns when passing one of these monsters of the macadam: maintains yourself in a visible position and keeping yourself away from potential tire blowouts / gators.

This is something that I consciously think about and try to take some semi-educated action to improve upon. Being that I'll be spending some quality time on the slab in a few weeks I was looking to either improve my technique or reinforce that I'm already doing it right.

My current MO has me approach the rear of the Semi in the wheel track closest to the truck for better visibility in his mirror and best sight lines of other traffic. It is also my preferred position for general riding anyway.

Just before getting to his back end, maybe @ 1 second following space, I'll shift to the furthest wheel track from the truck and gas it some to get all the way past the truck. I figure that gets me further from the wheels/tires in case it throws a tread. I think that it also reduces the time I am in a blind spot, and has the added benefit of reducing the bow wake you have to go through at the front.

Soon after passing Ill move back into my preferred wheel track (right in the left lane, left in the right lane) until it is clear to move back into the open right lanes.

What do other people generally do?

 

[NightShine]

There are lots of options, Fred. For example, here in California the tractor trailers are limited to 55 mph, even on interstates with 70 mph speed limits. So on highways like I-5 (two lanes in each direction) you can get a temporary road block whenever two Semi's are running a "snails race" attempting to pass each other. If they are towing tandem trailers and their relative speeds are very close, that road block can be in place for a "long" time.

But in that situation your FJR has no need to slow down from the speed limit, Fred. The California technique is to just to split lanes and come up between the two trucks. There's plenty of room even at 70 mph. Besides, it helps to break up the monotony of a long slab run! Easy peasy!

 

[Fred W]

That would scare the crap out of me.

 

[Geezer]

Being seen is important and the first thing I do, before I pass, is watch the trucks mirrors and do my best to make sure that the driver knows I'm there. Most of the time they are observant and vigilant and you can see them checking their mirrors regularly, especially if they are thinking about switching lanes. If I see a situation where the truck is likely to want to switch lanes, then I wait until I know exactly what is going on before passing. This is particularly important as I approach an entry ramp, because trucks like to move to the left rather than slow down to allow someone to merge from an entry ramp. Some states have much shorter merge ramps than others.

When passing trucks on the interstate, or even on a high speed two lane road, I find that as I pass the rear corner of the trailer the draft tries to draw me closer to the truck, so I use the side of my lane farthest from the truck, usually the left tire track as I approach.

As I get closer to the front of the truck the bow wake tends to blow me away from the truck. The force varies by the make and model of the truck. I normally get in closer to the truck as I approach the front corner so I have room to compensate for this bow wake. Normally that would be the right tire track. So I start in the left tire track and move across my lane to the right track as I go by.

The entire experience is magnified in a stiff crosswind, and I find that if I lean low and forward on the tank to provide a smaller profile to the wind it helps reduce the effect.

 

[CAJW]

There are lots of options, Fred. For example, here in California the tractor trailers are limited to 55 mph, even on interstates with 70 mph speed limits. So on highways like I-5 (two lanes in each direction) you can get a temporary road block whenever two Semi's are running a "snails race" attempting to pass each other. If they are towing tandem trailers and their relative speeds are very close, that road block can be in place for a "long" time.
But in that situation your FJR has no need to slow down from the speed limit, Fred. The California technique is to just to split lanes and come up between the two trucks. There's plenty of room even at 70 mph. Besides, it helps to break up the monotony of a long slab run! Easy peasy!

The wink means you're kidding, right? Let us know how that works out for you when witnessed by a CHP. The "spirit" of the allowance has to do with slowed traffic (generally accepted below 25 mph) where a motorcycle can safely work it's way through traffic. Aside from that, if you lane split at 70 mph between two trucks and you don't end up with a citation, needing a change of shorts, or dead, consider yourself lucky!

Back to Fred's question, yes, getting past the truck quickly is what I've always done and stress to MSF students. On our CA freeways where trucks can cause a rolling roadblock, I hang back well behind the truck to avoid any debris that they avoid that could ruin my day, wait until the left lane is clear past the front of the truck I need to pass, then I scoot past as quick as I can, hugging the left hand side of my lane watching the truck's front wheels for any indication that I might have to practice my off-road techniques.