beware the 18 wheeler

Forum Sponsor
Use your nose when riding. Generally speaking, at least in my experience, you'll be able to smell burning rubber before the tire lets go. I was riding in Alabama and started to smell burning rubber, from the truck in front of me. I started to change lanes when it spat the entire tread off one of its trailer tires, which brushed my leg on the way by.
 
Ah righto. Haven't had it happen to me yet. I'm lucky I suppose. Even with Def Lepard blasting, Ive so far been able to hear/feel em before they tore up.

Side note...,,, it's Flash a trucker Friday. I'm about to pass through TO, C'mon gals, put a smile on a bored trucker's face.


The_Marl said:
Nope just depends on the severity of the blow out. Ive heard them pop and seen the treads flying onto the road in my mirrors. Ive had other times where I didnt even know I had a flat and the treads stayed right where they were.
Click to expand...
 
Retreads are not the problem, it's tire pressure. Low pressure causes excessive flexing of the sidewalls and serious heat buildup. Eventually the tire fails. Tire pressure was low due to either a road debris puncture going down the road, or more commonly lack of maintenance.
 
Was on the 403 East in Mississauga a few week ago, morning rush hour. Traffic moving ok....... then a sea of brake lights up ahead as a car lost its driver side front wheel which rolled across all lanes, hit the median and was launched into west bound traffic where, thankfully, it appeared no one was hit. Sometimes bad things happen you can't plan for.
 
Better title would be "Beware everyhing bigger than you".
 
Oh, these dreaded tractor trailers... I personally, make sure I don't tailgate one and pass it as quickly as possible.

As a side note, I'm on watchout for dump trucks, however. Those 3 axle ones with air ride, like Peterbilt or Mack for instance. I don't know if it's just me being lucky seeing the ones who drive like maniacs without checking blind spots and ignoring to signal lane changes, as well as doing well over 100 km/h (which they are supposed to be electronically limited to bwy) or are they all indeed like that?
 
Trucks should be allowed to do 120-140km/h just like cars. Why discriminate?
 
AL3RT said:
Maybe because of their size & weight, hence the stopping distance?
Have you ever driven one? I have. They are all over the road to begin with. And those air brakes waaaay too sensitive to stop that pile of metal loaded with rocks in a safely manner.

http://www.therecord.com/opinion-st...imiter-law-making-the-roads-safer-for-us-all/
Click to expand...

Oh, I see. That makes sense. Size and weight. Maybe cars should be limited to 100km/h too. A truck is to a car as a car is to a motorcycle. Ever driven a car? I have. They carry a lot of inertia at 140km/h. Everybody's always complaining about cars vs bikes. Lower speeds could only help. Like the article says: lower speed=less stress.;)
 
AL3RT said:
Maybe because of their size & weight, hence the stopping distance?
Have you ever driven one? I have. They are all over the road to begin with. And those air brakes waaaay too sensitive to stop that pile of metal loaded with rocks in a safely manner.

http://www.therecord.com/opinion-st...imiter-law-making-the-roads-safer-for-us-all/
Click to expand...

When do most accidents happen? When one vehicle is passing another. Speed limiters on trucks is just as ridiculous as split speed limits in the US. A split speed limit in case you don't know is where trucks and cars have different speed limits.
 
I was down in the US once, in Maryland and a fellow driving an old junker in another lane had a blowout. Luckily nothing got too close, but yep, tire chunks were flying everywhere. Once you see it, you know it can happen.

Look at it this way folks... at least it's not nearly as bad as it was back in the 90's. Some of you might remember that back then there was a near-epidemic of wheels flying off 18-wheelers and killing people on Ontario highways. Seemed like you couldn't go a month without hearing another story. Been a lot better since they really cracked down on track inspections in response.
 
inreb said:
Oh, I see. That makes sense. Size and weight. Maybe cars should be limited to 100km/h too. A truck is to a car as a car is to a motorcycle. Ever driven a car? I have. They carry a lot of inertia at 140km/h. Everybody's always complaining about cars vs bikes. Lower speeds could only help. Like the article says: lower speed=less stress.;)
Click to expand...

Inertia is a resistance. Who has to deal with more of it, a driver of a 1.5 ton car or a driver of a 13 ton dump truck?
IMHO any commercial vehicle, being it's a dump truck or a bus or even a tow truck should be limited in their maximum speed capability to whatever maximum posted hwy speeds are.
Either it's 140 km/h in Bulgaria or 100 km/h in Ontario, Canada.

Some companies has actually began placing sticker notes on the back of their fleet cars "This vehicle should not exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h. If it does, call 1-800-xxx-xxx".
Why do you think they do this? For everyone's safety it is.
 
Torren said:
Retreads are not the problem, it's tire pressure. Low pressure causes excessive flexing of the sidewalls and serious heat buildup. Eventually the tire fails. Tire pressure was low due to either a road debris puncture going down the road, or more commonly lack of maintenance.
Click to expand...

Bingo!

AL3RT said:
Inertia is a resistance. Who has to deal with more of it, a driver of a 1.5 ton car or a driver of a 13 ton dump truck?
IMHO any commercial vehicle, being it's a dump truck or a bus or even a tow truck should be limited in their maximum speed capability to whatever maximum posted hwy speeds are.
Either it's 140 km/h in Bulgaria or 100 km/h in Ontario, Canada.

Some companies has actually began placing sticker notes on the back of their fleet cars "This vehicle should not exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h. If it does, call 1-800-xxx-xxx".
Why do you think they do this? For everyone's safety it is.
Click to expand...

Negative, the trucking companies do it to save fuel, and lots of it. It has nothing to do with safety since countless studies in the usa have revealed that varying speed limits for cars and trucks actually result in more accidents.
 
Paul1000RR said:
Negative, the trucking companies do it to save fuel, and lots of it. It has nothing to do with safety since countless studies in the usa have revealed that varying speed limits for cars and trucks actually result in more accidents.
Click to expand...

Some people drive their cars at posted speed limit, and some drive above the posted speed limit. That alone already creates variety of speeds. Digitally limiting commercial vehicles to, let's say, 100 km/h will prevent their drivers from speeding. Therefore there will be MORE gas left for the rest of us! :D
 
AL3RT said:
Some people drive their cars at posted speed limit, and some drive above the posted speed limit. That alone already creates variety of speeds. Digitally limiting commercial vehicles to, let's say, 100 km/h will prevent their drivers from speeding. Therefore there will be MORE gas left for the rest of us! :D
Click to expand...


Thats a great theory, however everyone here drives at 120 minimum.

Also speed limit in the states is 65-80 mph which is 100 - 130 give or take a few km.
But hey all in the name of $afety
 
More than cracking down on truck inspections. That was when the wheel technology really changed with the transition to "daytona" wheels. The techs were tightening the wheels the same way they had the previous steel wheels. The result was the pandemic of wheels coming off of tractors and trailers. When our fleet gets tire tire changed we get that wheel retorqued within a specified time period.

I have driven all over North America and I suspect the 105 km/hr limit in Ontario is more the OTA (Ontario Trucking Association) giving a home court advantage to the carriers here. Keeps outside fleets from bringing freight here since to run in Ontario they are supposed to have their trucks neutered while they are here.

Super single tires, side skirts on trailers, perforated splash guards on trailers etc are all there to save fuel costs which are a huge expense for carriers.

I drive bus mainly now and I find it surprising that buses are exempt from many of the restrictions that tractor trailers have to adhere to; expecially since they carry the most precious freight of all: humans.

Mongrel said:
I was down in the US once, in Maryland and a fellow driving an old junker in another lane had a blowout. Luckily nothing got too close, but yep, tire chunks were flying everywhere. Once you see it, you know it can happen.

Look at it this way folks... at least it's not nearly as bad as it was back in the 90's. Some of you might remember that back then there was a near-epidemic of wheels flying off 18-wheelers and killing people on Ontario highways. Seemed like you couldn't go a month without hearing another story. Been a lot better since they really cracked down on track inspections in response.
Click to expand...
 
Zoodles95 said:
More than cracking down on truck inspections. That was when the wheel technology really changed with the transition to "daytona" wheels. The techs were tightening the wheels the same way they had the previous steel wheels. The result was the pandemic of wheels coming off of tractors and trailers. When our fleet gets tire tire changed we get that wheel retorqued within a specified time period.

I have driven all over North America and I suspect the 105 km/hr limit in Ontario is more the OTA (Ontario Trucking Association) giving a home court advantage to the carriers here. Keeps outside fleets from bringing freight here since to run in Ontario they are supposed to have their trucks neutered while they are here.

Super single tires, side skirts on trailers, perforated splash guards on trailers etc are all there to save fuel costs which are a huge expense for carriers.

I drive bus mainly now and I find it surprising that buses are exempt from many of the restrictions that tractor trailers have to adhere to; expecially since they carry the most precious freight of all: humans.
Click to expand...

The hub style is a "dayton" style wheel. They were not the cause of wheels coming off of trucks. They are still used today and are the are commonly used for heavy applications. Most of the wheels that came off were from wheel bearing faiulres where the whole hub came off the spindles. Budd wheels are so much easier to work with. No wedges to fly off and hit you square in the naughty bits.

I also suspect that the OTA was the driving force for the 105 speed limiters. It just doesn't make sense, therefore it has their name all over it. If Ontario is going to implement speed limiters on heavy trucks then they should be on all vehicles.

On another note, People who drive like animals have no place on our roads, be in on a bike, in a car or a 40 ton dump truck. But in order to accomplish this police would have to do some actually work rather then just revenue collection.
 
Paul1000RR said:
Bingo!



Negative, the trucking companies do it to save fuel, and lots of it. It has nothing to do with safety since countless studies in the usa have revealed that varying speed limits for cars and trucks actually result in more accidents.
Click to expand...

Which is why MOST US states are now getting rid of the split speed limits, like Ohio for example. They tried it, realized it didn't work and are getting rid of it. For some reason Ontario and Quebec have decided to ignore that though, just to make people FEEL better about trucks being on the road, its ridiculous.
 
The_Marl said:
Which is why MOST US states are now getting rid of the split speed limits, like Ohio for example. They tried it, realized it didn't work and are getting rid of it. For some reason Ontario and Quebec have decided to ignore that though, just to make people FEEL better about trucks being on the road, its ridiculous.
Click to expand...

So what's the answer? Allow trucks 120-140 as traffic flows or limit cars to 105? Wait, the speed limit IS 100 now. This is confusing.
 
Do what parts of Europe do with variable speed limits depending on the road AND the weather and it applies to all.

So some areas are 130 for all and then there is a 100 sign with /// for rain.
Takes some decision making.

Here?? we do that anyway and cops generally ignore on the slab.
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom