test your towing knowledge here

[rob10858]

after a week of mutiple fog and rain related pile-ups in the moutains here in va. lets see what you guys think about vision and following distances in bad weather. lets say that you are pulling a 15000 lb fiver with a 3500 truck [regardless of make] what distance do YOU maintain to allow proper braking time. i ask this because it seems like many big rig drivers seem to have skipped this section in the cdl drivers manual as the last few days have shown on our interstates.

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[Shovelhead]

Not sure of the answer the book may be lookin' for 'cuz the answer is "does'nt matter"!
Even if you only leave 10 feet between you and the vehicle in front at 100 mph, some moron will jam his little POS jap car in front then hit the brakes(while talking on his cell phone, and holding his "Frappachino"). #ad

 

[RustyJC]

Shovelhead,

You must have driven in Houston! #ad
You try to leave a safe distance between you and the next car and some twerp in a Ford Escort cuts in front of you and slams on the brakes to make a right turn into McDonalds! #ad
Meanwhile, you're standing on the brakes trying to keep 20,000 lbs of truck and 5ver from going right over the top of the Escort. #ad
#ad
Ah, the fun of RVing! #ad


Rusty


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96 4x2 Driftwood 3500 Club Cab SLT V-10, automatic, 3. 54 axle, trailer & camper groups, all the 96 goodies, factory CD changer, Reese 14K 5ver hitch, B&M auxiliary trans cooler, 205* fan clutch, Smittybilt side step tubes

Towing a 13,500 lb 36' triple slide 2000 Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS 5th wheel.

Looking for 2001. 5/waiting to order 2002 bright white/tan leather 4x2 Quad Cab 3500 SLT+ Sport ETH/DEE, 4. 10LS axle

2000 Durango SLT+ 5. 9L, bright white/tan leather, all the goodies (wife's ride)

 

[Champane Flight]

I am sure there are a few drivers out there who are following to close. I can tell you that I would feel much safer in 65' of semi following at one truck length,than 15000'fiver with a 3500 in front of it,with one length.
The reason? Much stiffer and capable suspension and much better brakes.

However,in my days of driving there were always those who would get agreivated and go to riding someones bu!!. There was also some idiot cutting cars off and doing more than twice the speed limit to.
(This is one of the many reasons I quit driving truck,I didn't want to be associated with such idiots!)

I would always give one truck length and expand from there,bad weather,slick roads,visibility,ect. The thing is (as stated above)some idiot will always cut in front of you. All I can say is keep your cool and your distance.

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95 Dodge 2500 Luverne grill guard,headache rack,running boards and Amzoiled. Soon to be mildly bombed. 84 Dodge d-150, 318 Hooker headers,Edelbrok intake,mallory ignition,Carter Afb,Accel coil,and Custom dual exhaust. Boat,fifthwheel,motorcycles,and shop. 72000 as of 3/1/01,not even broke in yet. Old Dodge 126000 miles and running better than new.

 

[BCFAST]

This is exactly why a Ranch-hand bumper (or equivalent)is worth the big bucks... you wont waste any time slowing down for the idiots. . just plow the road and keep going! The money you'd save by not breaking dishes in the RV would pay for the bumper in no time! #ad

 

[illflem]

WA state CDL manual says in bad weather don't drive so fast that you can't stop in the distance you can see. Sounds logical to me.

 

[jthorpe]

I would put at least 3 to 5 seconds between myself and the vehicle in front of me, but that's almost impossible these days with all the morons out there.

 

[Joe G.]

When the weather is lousy I get behind a big rig with quite a bit of room to stop and just take it easy. Oh yeah, I drift out a little so he can see me once in a while. The thing you can't defend against in any weather is the crazies that charge onto the road from some on ramp and don't look. I almost ran over some guy in Seattle pulling my 32' TT when he did that and there was a big rig on my left. I had my teeth gritted and was ready for the crash when he slammed on his brakes. I think he was going to pull in back of my truck and then he saw the TT.

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Joe George
Eureka, CA

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,3. 54,Combo EGT/boost guage,custom switch panel,PacBrake,TST #5,DTT TC/VB,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver, KDP 160,000-NM-WT Insurance

 

[KB0OU]

As far as I can tell by reading CDL books, experience, and looking at the above there is no safe distance to follow, especially in fog.
How about the smoke pile up in Florida the other day???

Guess I will just have to take some time off when it gets too smoky or foggy, some potential Jayco trailer buyer may have to wait for the trailer!!!!
John Callison, KB0OU

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96 CC 4X4 2500 SLT AUTO transmission WITH TRANS-GO KIT, PrimeLoc, ISSPRO EGT Boost transmission Temp, GUTTED CAT, 190,000+ Miles still goin' strong, Lots of Ham Radio gear, NO IGNITION NOISE!!! Love my diesel!!! # 8 TST Fuel Plate. 136 Gallons of fuel, 20K 5th Wheel, Goose Ball, Reciever with all size balls, Pintle. We Haul to Please!!!
I haul for JET Inc. http://www.jettransport.com

 

[Davison]

Distance between vehicles

HA! MAY PERSONAL FAVORITE PET PEEVE!!



I don't know the correct answer to the question either, but I'd know it when I saw it. I want enuf room to stop@!



My peeve is when I am going along and someone passes or gets in front of me.



They cut in one, maybe two car lengths ahead of me! Commercial truckers included!! Then I have to back off to get my 'space'.



I've given this a lot of thought (gotta do something with the brain on the long trips) and here's my theory:



It is human nature that when passing you are pressing on the accelerator, and once completing your pass and in your desired lane, unconsciously back off the pedal, thus slowing your acceleration and cheating the guy you passed out of his 'room'.



MY SOLUTION:



When they pass me leaving only a length or two, I just slowly move to my left into the passing lane. Seeing this in their mirror, they think that I am going to pass them, and they step on it to get ahead! Then I just ease back to my right and have my 'space' again!



This way I never have to touch my cruise control! Constant speed all the time and the proper distance to boot!!