How to get along on the road with big Trucks

Do me and every other truck driver on the highways a favor and do a few simple things.

1. Rule one: If it is raining, turn on your headlights as well as your wipers, if you can't see through that wall of water coming off my tires, without your lights on I can't see you either!

2. Please: drag out some common courtesy and use it liberally  and often, it makes the whole experience so much easier.                                                

3. Please:   Apply a lot of patience when driving, you will get there safer!
   

4.  Please: don't pull in front of a truck that is coming to a stop, it reduces the available amount of room that we have to stop in, and it only gains you about 1 car length usually.
   

5.  Please: don't slow down on the bottom of a hill  and then speed up *after* the truck has lost it's momentum.  It is far cheaper to get your car moving again then it is to gain momentum with 105.000 lbs.
   

6.  Please, Please:  use the "Acceleration" "onramp"  lane for just that... to accelerate up to freeway speed BEFORE you merge into traffic. I can't tell you how many times  I have had to  slow down, or change lanes to make room for them, and they get into the lane and zoom off and leave me hanging in the left or center lane slowing *other* drivers down because of them.
   

7.  Please, oh Please!  when you are starting down the acceleration ramp to get on the freeway, please! look over your shoulder and check your mirror and plan on a place in traffic where you will be merging.. don't wait until you are almost out of ramp *then* look... and find out that you are trying to merge into the side of a motor home pulling a ocean liner!
   

8. When traffic is busy pick a lane and stay in it.. changing from lane to lane to "gain" a little actually loses you ground... I sit up high enough to see that you usually don't gain anything, and frequently lose more then you gained.