jon f mn- O/T trucker question

Jon, I just completed a drive down I-5 and then
west on 580 into the Bay Area to pick up some
machinery from my brother that I will use to
repair TRACTORS. Explain the practice of
trucks turning their taillights on and off
after passing another big rig. I see the
trailing semi flashes his headlights to let the
passer know he is clear to move back in. How
did this custom begin? And how do you (the
passer) turn your lights on and off to signal?
Is there another switch other than the
headlight switch?
I need some Advil and a stiff drink. These
roads are in horrible condition and my solid
axle Suburban ain't exactly comfy. I'm going
to look for my loose fillings on the floorboard
in the morning.

Most trucks have an interrupter switch that shuts marker lights off to say thanks for letting you come buy . the retard truckers bright the headlights instead of turning lights off then will give usually just leve the signal on an extra couple seconds .

The truck I drive has daytime running lights, which means the headlights do not turn off. I try to signal other trucks when they have cleared my front bumper, but most times that is ignored and they go farther than they need to before coming back into my lane.

The light flashing is a curtisy to let the driver pass know they've cleared and to thank for that. It started in the old days when mirrors and lights were poor and seeing when you were past was harder. It's not as necessary today with today's good mirrors. Also what is said about the high beams is correct too. Never flash your high beams, it always works out that about the time I look in he mirror is about the time I get the high beams. Truckers shut the lights of then on, no highs. nd yes most trucks have an interrupted in the clearance lights so they can be flashed. I wish cars never flashed their lights either way. You can't trust them anyway. Most are signaling to let you over, but just enough are doing it to tell you not to that you can't trust it anyway.

Back in my day of trucking,when a truck passed me I would turn the headlites on then off, the truck passing would flip his trailer lights as a act of courtesy, seems as today they don't give a hoot and they don't acknowledge ones signal that it is clear.

its been explained, the light signals actually date to the pre-cb era back to the golden age of trucking, truckers worked out many different signal systems using the truck lites and other devices to relay information to each other in the days when they had no way to actually speak to each other while underway, the majority of younger drivers today dont know most of the signals, as there really not used much. other ways if i remember were logbook held upright in the windshield to a passing truck [ headed in the opposite direction] meant scales open ahead, prepare for weigh in and possible logbook inspection, the same with the logbook held upside down in the windshield, meant scales closed, all clear, back then,there were other signals too, i believe back when drivers dressed the part, chaffures cap, dress shirt and slacks and shined shoes, the cap held by itself in the windshield meant cop ahead

That happens a lot, if you are driving a "CRST" truck.. (Caution, Real SLOW Truck)...!!!!!!!

Ya know, they fixed the Air Horns on the RoadWay trucks..?????
They CUT a hole in the roof so the drivers can stand up and BLOW the horns..!!!

Ron.

CB's, Fuzz-Busters and little Black Pills hauled a LOT of freight back then and before that, too..
Imagine how slow a loaded truck would be going up Needles (High Desert) with an old Gasoline powered truck..
400 HP Diesel can hardly maintain 30 MPH up that grade now...(without over-heating the Differentials or Main Trans)..

Ron.

Jon, Some of us in cars know how and when to flash the lights. When I am on the freeway if you signal you want to pull out to pass and I am in the inside lane I signal you to come on out and I slow down to allow you. I also signal when it is save to pull back in when you get past me. My father was a trucker for 20 years so I learned the rules of the road.But I know what you mean about some in cars.

I still flash my head lights when a truck passes me even when in a car. Guess you can take the trucker out of the truck but not the trucker out of the trucker. I still carry my CDL class A

I discovered that on some of the cars I've had here in Canada where we've had daytime running lights for decades that the lights will go totally off for a second when you turn the main headlight switch off and on. IIRC if you hold it in the middle (between off and on) they'll stay off. Not sure if that works with all cars.

As Jon said some cars can't be trusted. I have heard of some car drivers signaling early so to be involved in accident so can sue. My luck is wouldn't be enough of me to sue with.
I drive a little P/U and flash lights when is clear to come back in. As others has posted many drivers ignore it and drive farther on. Oh well it's there choice.
Many times if I notice no other trucks are in the area and I pass a speed trap I flash lights.
Another thing I do is flash my lights when a truck is in center lane and I'm passing on the right.
These are just things I learned from a former truck driver.

'81 tandem long wheel base Mack model R I used to drive for the lumber company, had a switch, top left of the steering wheel, and it was high beams, specifically for that purpose, and it looked factory, the bezel had a label on it, courtesy light or something, it was a spring loaded toggle so as not to stay on high beams.

That switch came in real handy one time, I lost all lighting on the truck and trailer while on the return from Manchester Vt, one late afternoon, the best I could do was duct tape that switch into the on position. Opposing drivers flashed me on the way back, nothing I could do, was not going to run in complete darkness, and of course the office and yard was closed, no one gave a crap about you after hours, some of the adventures I got involved in when making late deliveries, no cell phone, no one to answer the 2 way radio, up to you to get home or be stuck.

It was always courteous to turn your lights on and off when a tractor trailer cleared you, I still do it in the car if in that situation, but with the daytime running lights, on/off contrast is not the same.

You'd be a darned fool to do this with the intent to collect by virtue of intentional collision by flashing those lights too early, who does things like that? Only a fool would test the waters of colliding with a trailer, obviously the know nothing of physics LOL !

The joke with Consolidated Freightways was,"don't blow the air horn,you'll lose 5 mph".
Very slow trucks.

(quoted from post at 10:29:58 03/12/15)
You'd be a darned fool to do this with the intent to collect by virtue of intentional collision by flashing those lights too early, who does things like that? Only a fool would test the waters of colliding with a trailer, obviously the know nothing of physics LOL !

Click to expand...

Some of here call that the "Law of Tonnage" so best to leave that one alone.

After getting the clear signal i will sometimes cheat and tap the brakes twice, i have to lean forward to reach the switch in my truck and am more concerned with controlling the trailerat that time.

Billy
That blinker switch was standard on the model C Mack back in early 60's, maybe earlier, not sure. Model U had it too. Also pull it back, would blink the trailer markers. Was wired so if running daytime/no lights, it would blink them on, but if running night/lights on, would blink them off.
With the daytime running lights, many drivers would replace the fuse with a blown one. Then could blink, but if someone checked lights such as when servicing or inspecting the response was "gee, never noticed that before".
On some cars/small trucks the daytime lights can be shut off by setting the park brake just one click. Not enough to drag brake, it will also turn on the Park Brake light on the dash. Works on my GMC, 2 Chevvys, & SWMBO's Suzuki. Just have to experiment a little.
Willie

My Dad hauled cars out of Lansing Michigan for 30 years, the company he worked for was sold numerous times over that time. The one thing all the owners seem to have in common (except Roger Penske) was they didn't like fixing things. He was out in Iowa with a spare truck on trip and as it's getting dark he finds out the headlights have quit. He pulls into a little Iowa farming community with a real gas station and asks the guy behind the counter if they have a mechanic, he replied "no we have a farmer, that's better 'cause they can fix anything" "Does he work on truck?" "Sure" "Good their's a 65 footer with 50 feet hanging out in to the street" The farmer looks at it and he finds the headlight switch is bad and not a place open in town to get one. The farmer splices a wire into the dimmer switch and puts a terminal in the other end that can be plugged into the fuse box, it got Dad home, he tied the wire up into a little ball and wrote the truck up. Three months later he's loading with a few of his buddies and they were thinking about running out together, one of his friends has the spare and is saying he needs to get going 'cause he has no lights. Dad asks if their's a little ball of blue wire hanging by the clutch. His friend says yes, Dad replies don't worry you have lights.

That, too....!

What happened to Camel and "Humpin to Please", CF and more...we had a GOOD time in our "Good Time Gangs"..!!
Sometimes even included a Smokey in our Convoys, all traveling 82 MPH across Oklahoma.. "The Hemeroid" at Devil's Elbow (Rhubidue Creek, Mo.)
and others were usually there and replied...!

Ron.