Big rigs limited to 65 mph

[tasdrouille]

EcoModders rejoice, tanks to similar bills passed in Quebec and Ontario, starting January 1st, 2/3 of all big rigs driven miles in Canada will be speed limited to 65 mph.

It is estimated the measure will save over 2500 gallons of diesel per truck per year, and reduce emissions by close to 400 000 tonnes per year.

That pretty much as if, for every big rig on the road, 10 cars started hypermiling.

[MazdaMatt]

My father's trucking company has had limiters of 95 to 100km/h (that's what, 58 to 62mph?) for many many years. His company won the ontario safe trucking award and continues to have lower crash rates... less gas used is just a bonus.

[99metro]

Most vehicle accidents between two vehicles are are result of those two vehicles traveling in different directions and/or different speeds. If you could eliminate those variables, you could eliminate most accidents. If truckers are going slower than most other traffic, sounds like vehicles accidents will increase also. But, yes, you will save lots of fuel by eliminating (killing) other drivers on the road. Sounds like a well thought out plan.

There are LOTS of car/trucker accidents here in Colorado as a result of cars plowing into the rear of tractor trailers. LOTS and LOTS.

[Ptero]

Most vehicle accidents between two vehicles are are result of those two vehicles traveling in different directions and/or different speeds. If you could eliminate those variables, you could eliminate most accidents. If truckers are going slower than most other traffic, sounds like vehicles accidents will increase also. But, yes, you will save lots of fuel by eliminating (killing) other drivers on the road. Sounds like a well thought out plan.

There are LOTS of car/trucker accidents here in Colorado as a result of cars plowing into the rear of tractor trailers. LOTS and LOTS.
----------------
Kind of a strange argument there, 99metro. I've driven trucks in Colorado so I am somewhat intrigued to learn that some idiot plowing into the back of my rig is not at fault, but that I am. And that I am a killer if some fool drives into my truck. I've always believed that we should execute killers to protect society but this puts a new twist on things. Does this logic apply to rocks and trees as well?

So enlighten me as to how I can make my fully-laden truck go faster on those mountain roads. You want me to keep up with skiers? I'm all ears. I can't imagine anything more exciting than going 80 on snow-covered mountain roads racing a bunch of skiers in a supertanker full of gasoline!

My suggestion is to pay attention to traffic and pass slower vehicles on the left. The sudden death penalty sometimes applies to those who don't.

By the way, the safest place on the road is just ahead of the braking distance of a big rig manned by a professional driver.

[MazdaMatt]

Uhm... slower trucks = safer highways... period. if some a-hole can't see the 10ft by 9 foot back of a truck and plows into it before he's able to brake... he shouldn't be driving... he should be dead.

[99metro]

I was talking about the legislators, not the truck drivers. Sorry I was unclear. It isn't the trucker's fault someone can't time a proper pass around a vehicle as big as an 18+ wheeler. But it IS the legislators fault by creating hazards, rather than preventing them (subject to argument). I see both sides of the car/trucker thing. My uncle/brother/ex-stepdad/ex-step grandfather etc, all drive/drove 18 wheelers, so I am very aware of their stories and point of view.

I respect the professional truck drivers. After all, they are AT work, and "we" aren't. I love driving with the truck drivers in my little ole 4 wheeler (F250) on the interstate. A lot can be learned just by watching how a professional drives. I've adopted the good habits I hope (left lane to allow on-ramp drivers on, left lane for emergency vehicles and vehicles on the side of the road that may have people in them, flash truckers when they are clear to pass back into the right lane, follow at 4 seconds behind, back to right lane after passing when BOTH headlights are in the rearview mirror - stuff like that). My ex step-father (still a trucker) taught me to drive 30 years ago.

I still think a CB should be standard issue in every vehicle...

later

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by 99metro

There are LOTS of car/trucker accidents here in Colorado as a result of cars plowing into the rear of tractor trailers. LOTS and LOTS.

Sounds like Colorado must be Darwin Award country. Kind of hard to imagine "lots and lots" of drivers so oblivious to their surroundings that they can't see the back of a bloody great semi in front of them, and slow down before they hit.

There's a similar limit on at least some California freeways, but to 55 mph (and the trucks are restricted to the two right lanes). Doesn't seem to cause problems (at least from my limited experience driving there). Quite the opposite, since the faster traffic tends to stick to the left lanes, instead of dodging into whatever lane is handy.

[tasdrouille]

Transport Canada commissioned studies before the provinces went ahead with the legislation. The studies conclude that the introduction of speed limiters set at 105 km/h increases safety in "uncongested region(s)." The maximum safety gains, though, were obtained when speed was set 15 km/h less -- at 90 km/h for uncongested volumes.

However, as the volume of traffic and percentage of trucks increased, the safety gains associated with limiters "become less pronounced."

More information can be found at:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safev...iter/index.htm

[99metro]

This is from a Colorado website:

Increased Stopping Distance
The unique features of large rigs also contribute to many accidents:

* Stopping distance for a truck is dramatically greater than a car - for a speed of 65 mph it takes a car about 162 feet to stop, but a semi-truck needs about 420 feet to stop.
* For bobtails (trucks without a trailer) and empty trucks, the stopping distance is even greater because the lighter load has less traction. Heavy trucks are designed with brakes, tires, springs and shock absorbers optimized with the weight of a full load.

Under riding
One of the most deadly type of accident results when trucks lack adequate safeguards on the rear of the truck to prevent vehicles from "underriding." A car underrides a truck when the truck brakes quickly and the car fails to stop before plowing into, and under, the semi - typically shearing off the top of the car. Underrides kill approximately 1,000 persons each year, and all of them are car occupants - only about 2% of those occupants survive the accident. These accidents occur because trucks stop or slow suddenly and the driver of the car is unable to avoid rear-ending the truck.

Those traveling in passenger vehicles must drive defensively when sharing the roads with the increasing numbers of semi-trucks, to avoid the awful consequences of large truck accident.


So this says that an average truck stopping distance is 420 feet, yet it takes a car 162 feet to stop. Yet somehow when the truck suddenly slows the car slams into the rear end. Does that mean the car was tailgating? And they are trying to blame the truck driver? I guess that would be like blaming the train for hitting the car.

Back on subject:
Everyone is entitled to their opinion of slow trucks and fast cars. I should concede and admit that it is safer for a faster moving car to pass back in front of a semi, than it is for a car traveling the same speed as the semi, and then disappear from site over/under the trucker's hood (because they typically try to clip the trucker's front bumper).

Just because the speed limit is 65, doesn't mean you HAVE to drive it. having the same speed limits for trucks and cars at least gives the trucker the option of keeping up with traffic, or driving less than the speed limit.

I will now go back to my corner and hide in the fetal position...

[MazdaMatt]

The way i see it... if the truck limit is low enough, then every trucker will want to drive at the limit, not below it. If every trucker goes the same speed, no trucker will ever pass another. No more 2 lanes blocked by slower vehicles, no more morons blocking in a truck instead of giving them the space they need. Cars use the left 2 lanes, trucks use the right one.