Truck experience !!!!!!

[Diane]

Well I had a day of firsts, my baby was due for her first service( which I was very proud of cos I had finally to the 1000 kms ) so headed up to Bendigo dropped her off there and headed off for a morning of shopping etc.


Picked her up after lunch and head back home along the hwy to Harcourt, doing my 100 cos I can finally do that comfy, looked in mirrors and saw big semi truck a bit back behind me and thought yep all cool I'm doing speed limit so he will to, yeh right the bloody big mongrel come up behind me in no time and of course passed well farkenell did I get chucked around just a bloody lot, I didnt know whether to slow down or stay same speed or what, so in the end concentrated on keeping my line as best I could, wobbling all over the place it felt like and stayed same speed, waited till he got in front and then I slowed down and let him get way way ahead then picked up my speed again with heart thumping madly, thinking OK thats another lesson well learned, lets just get me home now to change undies

[Lainie]

Sorry mate I shouldn't laugh but i will anyway It's all part of the learning, you know me loves ya and will give ya big hugs on Friday

[Diane]

LOL yeh mate I reckoned it was funny after too, but shit at the time I was concentrating soooo hard I didnt really think of nothin but looking after me and then getting home to change
Looking forward to big hugs friday too

[ZX10R King]

Trucks can be a scary thing, but once ya get used to them they can also be a help.
I betcha had a big stiff drink after ya changed ur undies too

[chameleon]

there a squeal arn't they I passed one coming the the other way on Wednesday, up a narrow country road, and I "Forgot" to keep well clear. Well the semi passed me in about 1.5 seconds but it was a good 5 before I got the bike settled down. Left hand wheel track for me from now on.

[Diane]

LOL yep had a beer

[aardvark]

I do a lot of km's on the highway for work, and there are somethings about trucks and motorcycles I've learnt over the years.

- If you are on a single lane highway, and a truck is approaching you from the opposite direction (preferably on their side of the road), move to the far left of the road before you reach the truck. As the truck approaches, angle your bike towards the rear of the truck so that you are moving from the left of the lane to the right hand side of the lane. You should arrive at the right hand side of the lane as the truck has gone passed. This helps reduce hitting the wall of air they often leave behind at right angles.

- Tuck down behind your screen as best you can.

- Hold on, but not too tight.

- Never pass a truck, either one you are overtaking, or one approaching you close to the truck. Air pressure produced by the truck moving at speed can suck you in towards it.

- Likewise, that same air pressure may blow you away from the truck, so don't ride too close to the edge of the road.

[balanse]

Yeah and if your behind one and you see any rubber flapping around then you've got seconds to get away. Damn retreads fly into million bits when they go.

It's a bitch - hurts like hell too.

[photomike666]

and after all that high speed high way stuff, watch out for the bastards in traffic too. The hog a whole lane, often wander across the white line and have these fug off great wheel studs that'd shred a steel block.

[wazza1234]

funnily enough trucks have never bothered me. I pass coming in the other direction or in my direction about 20-25 a day and sure you hit the massive wall of air but its never really bothered me...and bloody hell can some of the cattle trucks/road trains produce a unique wall of air....phew.

[Diane]

Thanks everyone for all the info and advise Thats one more learning experience down, many many more to go.

[Blackzxr]

If you think it's one of my rello's, get off the road (my brother is the worse )

Yes, a lot of my family are truck drivers and you need to give them plenty of space. ( it's a size issue )


My motto is... Might i right

[mick_dundee]

Yeah and if your behind one and you see any rubber flapping around then you've got seconds to get away. Damn retreads fly into million bits when they go.

It's a bitch - hurts like hell too.

Had that happen to me on the Western Hwy heading to Ballarat one day, big bang, bits of rubber going everywhere, f'n dangerous but they all missed thank god.

Re the windstrem, if you get it right you can sit behind the truck and virtually take your hand off the throttle and get towed, great for fuel economy Not so god if truck runs over some chuck of wood or somethng that has no effect on him but will make nasty impact on you, try it sometime, but don't hang there too long I suggest just in case

[Diane]

Yeh have felt that pull when I had my little sigma, of being behind a truck, felt like we were floating, can only imagine what it be like on the bike and not sure I realy want to try that one.

[Stereo]

If a big truck gets on my tail, I speed up and stay about 200m in front of him... (5 seconds)

If I have to do 130 to do that, so be it...

If a cop pulls me over, I will explain WHY I did it.... Although hopefully he would pull over the truck not me...

This way you can let the truck past when you get to a safe area to do so, either by waiting for a passing lane, or by pulling over...

At the end of the day, if I have to choose between my safety, and sticking the road limit, I pick my safety.......And so should all of you.... The police are people too... they dont want you breaking the law for your own safety... but they would prefer most things over removing you from the edge of the road with a spatula...