The great highway chase

[Midnight Son]

For those that don't know, I drive a truck for a living.

So the other day, I was driving down the highway, minding my own business, when I noticed a car pull up behind me and start tailgating me. Now, there are two valid reasons to tailgate a truck (not good reasons, but valid). The first is that one plans to take the next exit, and, while I applaud them for not increasing to ludicrous speed and zipping in front of me at the last second to make their exit, they really should hang back a bit.

Anyway, I kept an eye on my tail till the next exit and, nope, he didn't take it. This brings us to the second reason why one might tailgate a truck; namely, they watch Mythbusters and know that drafting off a truck will increase your MPG. I dislike having someone that close, since I can't see them, and I also believe that if you can catch me, you can pass me. As such, I slowed down from 60 to 50 to encourage him to pass, but the guy just slowed down and stuck behind me.

This brings me the the non-legitimate reason one might tailgate a truck. Namely, they're a criminal and want to hijack the load. So, wondering if I've picked up a tail, I pulled into the left lane and slammed on my brakes to make him pass. He slammed on his brakes too. At that point I knew I had a tail, so I let him follow me till the next rest area. In Canada, rest areas have restaurants and are always busy. Anyway, I pulled in, thinking, "If he follows me in, I'm pulling right back out and dialing 911." He didn't follow me in, but he did slow way down to make sure he didn't pass me till he was sure I was actually taking the exit.

so, slightly scary day for me, but I managed to elude him.

TL;DR I was tailed for about 30 miles, but I eluded the bastard.

[Partof1]

Wow, that's pretty scary. I didn't even know that kind of thing happened. I don't regularly talk to truck drivers, but among those I have, I'd think it'd be a big topic of conversation.

[Brother Oni]

One question - if they are planning to do something criminal, why would they signal that intent by tailgating you?
Or would sitting back at a reasonable distance, but still following you for miles on end, still trigger a warning?

[Artemis97]

Wow, I never even knew that was a concern. I do as Brother Oni says up there and will often just hang behind a truck as I go down the highway. I never get too close and try to make sure they'd be able to see me in their mirror. But trucks stay pretty consistant in their speed, so I can flip on the cruise control and just stay there without fear of being run over by the big pick-up trucks and SUVs going 90mph in the fast lane. Have I inadvertantly been freaking out truck drivers by trailing them in my little Jetta?

[Brother Oni]

Over in the UK, tailgating a truck with the intent to steal the load doesn't happen that much (robberies like this tend to be of the driver rather than the cargo), but what does happen is that a driver gets very close to a lorry, coach or some other vehicle that clearly belongs to a large-ish company and attempts to get the other vehicle to hit them, usually by driving in an erratic and/or dangerous manner.

This way, they get to claim for personal injury and for damage to the vehicle (which is often insured as being far more valuable than it actually is) from the mark and the various insurance companies.

This is usually done by people forced or desperate enough to work for organised criminal gangs.

[Cristo Meyers]

Wow, that's pretty scary. I didn't even know that kind of thing happened. I don't regularly talk to truck drivers, but among those I have, I'd think it'd be a big topic of conversation.

You'd be surprised. I see quite a few insurance claims for stolen trailers and haulers cross my desk pretty much every day...

[Lappy9001]

Wow, glad you're safe after that!

On a slightly less serious note, I once had a chase with a large truck on a 2.5 hour trip to see my then girlfriend in a far-off city. After turning off the main Interstate, I notice that a truck is going about the same speed as me (I rarely speed more than 5 over on a big road like that) and takes all the same exits for a good hour and a half.

I could have just been tired, but it seemed like we kept trying to get ahead of each other just for the lols :smallwink:

[Pika...]

You'd be surprised. I see quite a few insurance claims for stolen trailers and haulers cross my desk pretty much every day...

But, how...how do you hide such big things? :smalleek:

[Tebryn]

In bigger things. Like warehouses.

[ForzaFiori]

That's... intense. I didn't expect stuff like that to happen much. Though I must admit, I don't really know any truckers. What's the job like, other than the possibility of highway pirates?

[Pika...]

That's... intense. I didn't expect stuff like that to happen much. Though I must admit, I don't really know any truckers. What's the job like, other than the possibility of highway pirates?


I hear back/spine problems are a big concern.

[TheThan]

My brother is a truck driver, so a story like this strikes a little close to home. He does mostly pickup and delivery in town and not so much long haul. At the very least in a Truck vs. car scenario, truck wins.

[Killer Angel]

Impressive story, I'm glad it ended all right.

A light note: maybe the car driver wanted to do its own version of "Duel"? :smalltongue:

[KuReshtin]

I hear back/spine problems are a big concern.

Well, truckers do sit down on the job all day, but then again, so does a lot of office workers, so I wouldn't think a trucker would have any more risk of getting back or spine problems than a regular office worker.

In fact, I'd hazard a guess saying that it would be less likely for a trucker to get spine injuries than an office worker, as the driver's seat in the truck is likely to be more suited for sitting in it an entire day compared to a lot of office chairs.

Like I said, though, that might be completely inaccurate on my part.

[Starwulf]

Well, truckers do sit down on the job all day, but then again, so does a lot of office workers, so I wouldn't think a trucker would have any more risk of getting back or spine problems than a regular office worker.

In fact, I'd hazard a guess saying that it would be less likely for a trucker to get spine injuries than an office worker, as the driver's seat in the truck is likely to be more suited for sitting in it an entire day compared to a lot of office chairs.

Like I said, though, that might be completely inaccurate on my part.

I think you might not be including the effects of the truck jostling up and down all day long as it goes down the road. Shocks on Semis aren't the greatest(or so my brother-in-law tells me), so as your truck vibrates up and down, so does your spine. not to mention pot-holes and just flat-out bad highways in desperate need of repair. That's a lot of stress and impact being put on your spine in a single day. so, yeah, I can fully see where truckers would have bad backs after several years of driving.

[Midnight Son]

I'm not sure it actually was a criminal. If he was, I'm glad he was stupid enough to let me notice him. The fact remains that I was most definitely being tailed by someone and have no idea why. I really cannot think of any legit reason why one would tail a truck, though.

As for back issues, yeah, shocks on a truck are pretty lame. Hard to adequately cushion that much weight. Result is my lower back muscles tend to be sore at the end of the day.

[Fri]

Impressive story, I'm glad it ended all right.

A light note: maybe the car driver wanted to do its own version of "Duel"? :smalltongue:

So he's hoping that midnight son's going to chase him and try to kill him :smallbiggrin:?

(I absolutely love that movie, btw)

[bhtooefr]

A third valid reason to tailgate a semi is to reduce the amount of air you have to displace.

Occasionally I'll follow a semi at a safe distance (not tailgate) to get that effect, decreasing fuel consumption significantly, if I don't have to get to my destination quickly. I'll even speed up to follow a semi that passes me, because the impact is that big.

[Zeb The Troll]

This brings us to the second reason why one might tailgate a truck; namely, they watch Mythbusters and know that drafting off a truck will increase your MPG.


A third valid reason to tailgate a semi is to reduce the amount of air you have to displace.

[...], decreasing fuel consumption significantly, [...].Nope, he mentioned that one. :smallcool:

[bhtooefr]

Nope, he mentioned that one. :smallcool:

Clearly 11 AM is too early in the morning for my reading comprehension to kick in.

(And I've been awake since about 4 AM.)

[grimbold]

But, how...how do you hide such big things? :smalleek:

faerie magic?

[Mercenary Pen]

faerie magic?

Don't be silly, too much iron in a trailer to hide it with faerie magic...:smallbiggrin:

[Melayl]

I once followed a truck/trailer for 400+ miles, but not closely. My wife & our friends were on our way to the Twin Cities during a blizzard - not all that smart, I know. Following that truck was likely the reason we made it. He kept a path clear, drove wonderfully straight and true at a very reasonable speed. We never did get a chance to thank him/her/it for that, as they continued past the exit we took. [/irrelevant story]

Glad to know you are safe, if a bit creeped out. People tend to do stupid things to increase their gas mileage. My bet would be on some twit trying to hypermile.

[Midnight Son]

I once followed a truck/trailer for 400+ miles, but not closely. My wife & our friends were on our way to the Twin Cities during a blizzard - not all that smart, I know. Following that truck was likely the reason we made it. He kept a path clear, drove wonderfully straight and true at a very reasonable speed. We never did get a chance to thank him/her/it for that, as they continued past the exit we took. [/irrelevant story]

Glad to know you are safe, if a bit creeped out. People tend to do stupid things to increase their gas mileage. My bet would be on some twit trying to hypermile.
Ahh, yes. I had forgotten that reason, but, since there was no snow within 100 kilometers, they couldn't claim a safety follow.

A twit trying to hypermile, would have passed me when I slowed down to 35mph. Plenty of other trucks on the road.

[pendell]

Midnight Son, is there a "right" way to hypermile? I ask, because I wouldn't mind saving gas mileage but I think both I and a truck driver share a common interest in avoiding an accident because you can't see me.

For my part, I always try to lag far enough behind a truck where I can see his mirrors. Of course, that means I get no benefit from drafting, right? I can live with that. Better lose a few dollars in gas than go to the hospital.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Midnight Son]

If I recall the Mythbusters correctly, they were getting some benefit at a safe range, but didn't see any major uptick till they were fairly close. Then they got too close and lost benefit due to having to constantly feather the accelerator in order to maintain distance. I have no idea what distance is best. As for tailgaters, some drivers don't mind them (usually the idiots who tailgate cars). If the driver you're following slows down when you get behind them, just pass and move on to the next one.

[bhtooefr]

What's fun is having a car with a fuel economy gauge of some sort, or plugging in a scan tool that shows fuel consumption.

Then you can see, in real-time, the real effect of getting closer to something.

(I really need to finish the instrument cluster swap on my car, so I can get that readout.)