If you are interested in doing more legwork, I can take snapshot pictures of all the trucks from the video software so you can get their DOT numbers lol.
Well I counted 14 truckers, I can see most of the DOT numbers but I think if we put a cam there for 24 hours we likely would catch maybe 1000s of them.
Good fucking gravy people!! If they’re not truly hurting anyone leave it be. If you want to follow the letter of the law that’s your choice but getting all butt hurt for people speeding a little bit give me a break. Now as far as texting and driving or whatever it is people do on their phones while they’re driving please turn that in because that is truly risking my life your life and everybody else’s.
That's basically what my trainer said to me, 12 years ago now the first time down Mont Eagle (which is tame compared the hills out west). He said it slightly different..."you can do every hill, too slow, every single time...but you can only go down it too fast, once!" Once I became a trainer, that's exactly what I told my trainees. It's worked out pretty well.
I worked in industry for 40 years and it is true that time is money, it's also an accident waiting for all the pieces to fall into place. You are the last of a dying breed, one that uses common sense and smarts to realize that the rules do apply to all.
You nailed it, its the weight of the truck, the inertial and momentum involved. A 70,000lb truck going down grade increases the weight of the truck and the momentum. Its like comparing a car going down that grade at 120mph
I used to drive a truck well over 30 years ago, but these sections of road are the sections where they should have cops scattered like something crazy to enforce the laws of safety.
I'll add my two-cents worth. Simplified example #1: Imagine you're on a dry level road, wearing a pair of roller blades. OK, start skating until you're going faster than a jogger. NOW STOP. No warning, nothing, but you have to stop. How long would it take to do this? Simplified example #2: Now imagine doing this again but this time you're wearing a harness that allows you to pull a loaded wagon thats 3x your weight behind you. NOW STOP. No warning, nothing, but you have to stop.The weight will continue to push even as you try to stop. How long would it take to stop? Simplified example #3: Same as #2 except this time you're going downhill and the road is icy. Same question. How long would it take to stop? A 35mph truck speed on a highway is indicative to the time it would take a truck weighing 80,000 pounds to completely stop without brake failure and without involving other vehicles on the roadway. Remember, trucks-1, passenger vehicles-0, always. Give trucks the time and room needed to stop.
Try driving in my neck of the woods. BC. 6% grades all over on every route. Lots of 8%s, one dainty little grade called The Smasher (also the star of a TV show) which is 14% and then 25 miles of 6% after. So many grades that most don't even have names. You're lucky if there's two lanes, and in the winter, you're truly lucky if you see a plow. The standard road warning all over the province during winter is compressed snow with slippery sections. That means pack ice. Some sections don't see a plow all winter. Yeah, you guys have some big hills down there, but for sheer enjoyment (or terror for most of you), try driving BC.
I was just there last week. So cool that I recognize exactly where you were because I experienced the exact same thing. Nice to know I'm not alone. Good job Scottie. And for your answer it was the only speed/gear that I didn't have to use my brakes.
My dad raced drag cars for someone and the truck and trailer they had was a showhauler and a stacker, I think it was 80ft plus and we would go down this hill at 25 or even slower just to be safe.
An answer to your question,going down hill,I learned it’s called inertia forces.As I recall going down hill,your inertia forces are what’s pushing you from behind because of your total weight,truck and load.good luck safe driving.
I would think that your explanation was spot on...the other thing about going 35mph down grade is that, I'm not a trucker, you may be less inclined to jack-knife in a braking situation as well, in other words , you have more control. Drive safe, man.
It is an unfortunate situation for that driver and their family. But like I said before, there is no ticket, no CSA points etc. they can find a new job no problem. If the CHP had seen him out there, he would have gotten a ticket, possible inspection with CSA points etc. Worst case, exceeding 35 and something bad happens, could have killed someone and/or died themselves leaving their family in pure grief. I jumped off on my channel here in 2016 after a solid decade in mourning over losing my 20 year old nephew in a bad car wreck. It can happen to anyone any time and it is the worst thing in the world to get the call that they have bad news and you need to sit down.....
A normal passenger car, in the US weighs in around 2 ton, total (4,000 pounds), GVWR. A semi and trailer weigh around 40 tons (80,000 pounds) gross. Brakes slow a vehicle by utilizing friction on the rotor (or drum). Friction creates heat (think of the old friction burn that an older sibling or cousin would give you as a kid, on your wrist, same concept), the problem is, that as the brakes get hotter, they are less effective in causing you to slow down, the more pressure you have to apply to the brakes. In Semi's, this is caused by using air pressure, and in a car, it's hydrolic fluid. You don't lose hydrolic fluid (very little loss, anyway), but trucks using air pressure, are more prone to losing air pressure. When air pressure is completely lost from overuse, the spring brakes come on, and the wheels lock up, which causes an uncontrollable skid, and in a semi with trailer configuration, 9 times out of 10, will cause a jack knife. I hope this helps.
It's physics, Potential energy. The mass of your vehicle is it's potential energy, when that mass gets put on a downward incline that potential energy turns into kinetic energy in the form of acceleration, up to the speed of a freefall at 90° down. When you're braking on a downward incline instead of stopping the trucks usual momentum (Speed×Mass+Directionality) you have to add in the amount of acceleration that is constantly being applied on a downward incline. Also the human eye gets tricked into thinking it's on a flat plane when everything around it is on the same incline, like on a mountainside. The opposite is true going uphill, you have to spend extra fuel fighting against a constant deceleration.
Sometimes it's best to go 25 MPH down Grapevine or cabbage Mountain. With your Jake's on and not one time do you have to step on the brake pedal fully loaded or grossed out..try it it works...
I'm glad you mentioned watching out for runaways b/c if you got rear ended and stayed alive, the DOT would most likely given you a ticket. When behind the wheel we're to know to avoid any anticipated accidents. Alert to all 360 deg. Thanks
Momentum. A 80,000 pound truck doing 70 will generate much more kinetic energy then the same truck doing 35. And that is why your answer of over heating the brakes is correct. Once the brakes are hot they will loose effectiveness and also can cost fire. I watched a truck once catch his trailer on fire from overheated brakes. FYI - I5 Grapevine northbound.
80,000 pounds does not stop on a dime. If you are going downhill with that much weight behind you, it is Very hard to stop. I saw a very bad accident on that Grapevine involving a tanker truck. He was coming down too fast and lost it. Ended up going over the side. Luckily the driver survived. Scared the bejabbers out of me and my husband. 😵
Thanks for addressing my question. I could have worded it differently. I’ve seen you use your jake brake going down hills to maintain your speed. Except for needing to pile on the brakes, couldn’t it be used to maintain the regular speed limit? I realize a fully loaded can’t stop like a car but are truck brakes not that “capable “? Be safe.
Any brake use heats them up no matter what you're driving. Brake heat equals brake fade and braking going down hill is obviously going to be worse. The old rule was always go down in the same gear you went up. However, aerodynamics have changed this. If you can go up a grade in a modern truck in 7th gear, it's the load holding you back, just like it always has been. Most tractors today are very aerodynamic and even the trailers have aero aids. These days you need to go downhill 2 or 3 gears lower than you went up just because todays tractor trailers are so aerodynamic. Yes, any vehicle always picks up speed going downhill, but, modern ones cheat the air much better than they used to. The engine brake is a great tool, when used properly, but it has never been a cure all. Most tractor trailers are also still equipped with drum brakes because they worked better in air brake applications such as semi trucks and trains. However, I just ordered 2 brand new tractors with air disc brakes and the company they're leased to ordered 4 disc brake trailers as an experiment to try them out. The tractors and trailers will be on dedicated drop n hook runs and my drivers are looking forward to testing them. I've heard many great things about air disc brakes from both safety and maintenance perspectives. I have a feeling that we'll all learn that air discs are the way to go. If I'm right about this, I'll probably have to retire my baby and her twin to upgrade too...I won't sell my Classic XLs though...I'll convert them into motorhomes and put the ol girls into semi-retirement lol!
Faster you go down hill the shorter distance to stop (example 80000 truck takes up to or more than an acres to legally stop safely more like the NFL stadium field). That is why heavier trucks that obey the speed limit in California of 35mph. Plus sometimes there will be a state scale open. But it's best to obey the speed limit.
I've had truckers almost run into my bumper on my van when I slow down when coming upon backed up traffic and I hadn't even switched lanes. My dad who's best friend was a trucker taught me to not switch lanes in front of a semi unless you can see the whole front end of the truck in your rear view mirror. Also, as long as it's safe to, I try to accelerate for a bit after I get over to make sure there's enough room between the truck and I. I know that those semis handle a lot slower than my van. But some truckers terrify me by some of the tailgating they do in stop and go traffic. Don't know if you've been through Seattle, but there's some nasty bottle necks and they made some spots where people get on one side of the freeway and have to cross all the lines to get their exit. It's crazy. I'm sure that it's not the craziest city, but there's very few options to go around the city.
That is an Ideal location for an Average Speed Camera Set Up. They are used on Road Works sections of Motorways. One set brought in more fine money than the roads works cost. The down hill momentum puts increased work on the brakes to stop the vehicle, also dabbing the brakes will have raised the temperature of discs and/or drums. hence the recommended use of lower gears or engine brake and not the foot brake to check over speeding. Brake fade is a horrible experience it happened to me once and boy did I learn from it.
Almost a basic rule for heavy vehicles, although it applies even to small cars on big downhills - if you're using brakes, you might be in the wrong gear. I drive all sizes up to about 8 tons.
I yank a tank and do you have any idea how many van guys go flying Past me on the vine? And fyi I have seen 4 wheelers smoke thier brakes.....and the first time an 18 goes 70 down this grade and hits a curve it will be the last time he goes down at 70.....how can people look at this grade and do not understand how gravity works?
Fancy Gap Mountain in Virginia is 65mph down hill. Must Mountain driving down hill if riding the brakes will heat them pads up and cause brake fade. Brake fade is when the brake pads get a glaze on them and prevent them from working. No friction no stop. Yes I`m a tanker driver and I do a lot of up and down mountains.
All anyone needs to know is that it’s posted 35. It’s the law and it’s on a dangerous grade which automatically can add a dangerous driving to your record
You have your forward momentum of your speed you are going, in this case 35mph. Plus you have the momentum of the 80k weight to stop, now on flat ground this is rather simple in a big rig but when you add in the additional factor of gravity that now has more of an affect on you due to your downward slope making a stop from 35mph at 80k almost double that of a flat ground stop.
Because a loaded truck and trailer travelling at 70 MPH would take the length of a football field to stop. And yes it would crush your car like a beer can and keep going.
I run the Grapevine every weekday, I don't know how many times I have seen someone take that hill going 50+. If you keep it 40 and under no one will bat an eye because CHP is looking for those going 10 over. Another thing of interest is the amount of drivers that burn their brakes going down, it is like they have never heard of a Jack Brake.
Is this in Cali? My first time there in 5 years of trucking last month and going down that grade, I was like why are all these guys blatantly speeding? Really tripped me out.
Truck drivers are crazy as hell they don't want to slow down there trying to make money on your stand but they're endangering people's lives by going that fast down a deep downgrade like that
Light went from Green almost instantly a red... Today I am hauling 45000 lb of 7 paper rolls... I stopped, but in the middle of the intersection. Mind you this light was literally in the middle of the Hill and the speed limit was 55. PS... Don't you love it when four-wheelers are already in front of you when they get on the freeway but then decide to slow down and make it look like you're doing something wrong "to run them off the road"
Makes no sense for an empty truck to use the 35 MPH truck lane going uphill or down. I didn't see a sign that says all truck, it says truck lane. Would you use the slow truck lane going up?
Finally a trucker vlog worth watching. All you "super truckers" out there can learn a thing or two from scottied67....and maybe save a life..or your own.
If something happens and you have exceeded the posted speed limit then you'd have a tough time trying to get out of it. I wonder how often the cops are monitoring that stretch in reality, maybe not often enough. Considering the number of vehicles it would be a full time gig for a platoon.
I have never driven a truck, however I have a few friends & family that have. Much respect to you guys. As a driver of a passenger car, I frequent that pass at least 8 times a year. What I see more & more now is what I just saw in your video and trucks passing other trucks northbound I-5 before Tejon Pass, sometimes using up to 3 lanes. Is that even legal? I understand these guys are likely on a tight schedule, besides it being incredibly rude, it causes quite a bottleneck there, especially from Gorman on up. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Trucks are restricted to the right lane as indicated by the solid white line which is regarded as an imaginary concrete barrier in the eyes of law enforcement; meaning any truck on the wrong side is there illegally. However, I think there is some variance for trucks which are lighter to get out there and quickly pass and get back over. Certainly not to jump all the way out 3 lanes over and pass, that is totally illegal for truckers to do in California.
I ran that hill for years before Jake brakes and there was no escape ramp then they built it too short firs truck to use it went over the top and got killed
It was a month or 2 ago, so recently. A truck was estimated at 100+ MPH when he hit the right side litter box. He then went all the way, through all 4 bells at the end and into the side of the mountain. The cab was gone into a million pieces, there was no truck, cab or anything of the tractor recognizable. Needless to say, the driver didn't make it. I come off the 35 MPH section, Jakes on high, in 8th gear, 1450 rpm, at 33-35 mph and NEVER touch the brakes. I do this 3-5 times a week with 79500 to 80000 lbs. My reasons for doing 35 down the Grapevine are these....#1 it's the fuckin law, #2 I can't afford a controlled downhill and wrong lane ticket, #3 I don't want to die! It's really unfortunate that #1 the level driver is sadly low out here, #2 I don't work for one of them high payin companies where drivers can afford the ticket for doin the stupid shit they do all day long. My opinion on why you come off a hill, like this are... there are too many people on the road for speeding off a hill. It's my responsibility to be safe out here and not kill anyone, because I did something stupid. 80000 lbs doesn't stop on a dime, It takes MUCH more braking to slow it down and get stopped if something should happen in front of you, like a truck on fire because he couldn't slow the sum bitch down. That hill gets fog, visibility down to 50 foot or less at times, and guys still fly off the hill. And I think this is the best reason of all to the question..... IT'S THE FUCKING LAW, IT'S POSTED 8 TIMES BEFORE THE 1ST GODDAMN LITTER BOX!!!!
Physics - some of it, anyway. 1) At the top of the hill, the loaded truck has a lot of Potential Energy (called PE). At the bottom of the hill, the truck has shed all of that energy. (assuming it is now at the same speed as at the start). 2) If the truck could not get rid of that PE, it would turn into Kinetic Energy (KE) and the truck would go faster. By the bottom of the hill, it might be going very fast indeed. 3) Where does the energy go? It has to go somewhere, in some form of energy. It's a Law, y'know. 3a) Much of it is turned into heat within the engine, by using a lower gear, and reducing fuel (throttle) so that the engine "holds back" the truck. This makes use of the internal friction of the engine (which is normally seen as a loss of power of about 10-15%, in normal engine running modes) and is spread right across the engine, gearbox, drive train, cooling systems, electrical load, EVERYTHING that normally consumes fuel but does not get to the drive wheels. 3b) Exhaust brakes work by using the engine to re-compress the exhaust gases, creating heat. This heat is dumped from the system via the engine cooling system (as is the heat from 3a). Note that in these modes there is very little engine heat created by combustion of fuel - in some engines and profiles the engine will use no fuel at all. 3c) The brakes slow down the vehicle by converting motion into heat. Friction within the brake system slows the axles/wheels, and heats up the discs/pads, and all the elements of the brakes. This heat is radiated into the air, and also removed by convection and conduction. Thus, KE is converted to heat. 4) As the brakes get hotter, they become less efficient at moving energy (heat) from the vehicle to the air, and so the brakes start to "Fade". At a higher point, they will not be able to move energy fast enough, and the brakes can even catch fire. Even without fire, they can be destroyed and have to be replaced. 5) The key to safe descents in a vehicle is to use the correct low gear, and to start off going slowly enough. If the hill is too steep, a lower gear is needed, so the truck needs to be moving more slowly at the start, to engage and maintain that lower gear. Unless there are curves that are too sharp, or the road is blocked or traffic is slowed. Then, you get some pucker. I hope this is useful, if people think I have made errors (and I agree) I will edit the above. Happy Trucking from Australia.
Some more physics, Stopping Distance, which relates directly to Brakes. 1) To stop a moving mass, you must either a) apply force to it, against the direction of motion (you stop when you crash), or b) remove energy from it, within the reference frame 2) To remove energy, the only method we have is to convert it to heat, and dump the heat into the air. Engine cooling system, radiator fins, airflow through the brake disc (all those slots and holes and vents), transfer to wheels and axles and bearings. 3) So, the brakes are actually a Heat Pump, converting KE to heat and pumping into the air. 4) Like any pump, they can only do so much work, before either reaching capacity, or failing. Think of a water pump, it runs to a design maximum, producing a design flow and pressure. You can increase flow and pressure by running the pump a bit faster - to a point - and then back pressure and flow constriction will maximise, and after that the extra energy being forced into the system simply creates heat, noise, vibration, and eventually failure. 5) And like any pump, it can only move a maximum number of units of energy PER SECOND. The bigger the truck, the more energy has to be dumped, so it will take an amount of time, and this has nothing to do with how hard the driver steps on the pedal. So next time you are about to change lanes in front of a Heavy Vehicle, think about how much space it might need to stop in a hurry, and what happens if YOU have to stop IN A HURRY, about 5 seconds from now. And remember the Prime Rule of Vehicle Collisions - the one with the most lug nuts usually wins.
77gravity Exhaust brakes are rare in North America. Here we use compression (release) brakes. I'm sure you know how they work, but I'll explain to add to your explanation. As diesel engines aren't air throttled, they get a full charge of air in the intake cycle. Even though there is relatively no fuel, the combustion cycle is still powered by 16:1 compressed air pushing the piston down. With Jake on, that air is released near top dead center, so instead of having that push, the piston is slowed by vacuum. Instead of increasing coolant heat, the energy is dissipated through the exhaust as increased noise, or music, depending who you ask.
On this edition of Truckers Behaving Badly......... People need to slow down on this grade. Rarely do I do 35. I keep it between 25 and 30 depending on my weight. If I am empty, I will do 35.
Here's an easy way to look at it. When the truck is on level ground, gravity pushes straight down. As the descending grade increases, a larger component of the force of gravity is pushing the truck forward instead of straight down. Braking for control or stopping on a descending grade is similar to braking with one foot while pushing the accelerator with the other foot. Downhill speed is a calculated estimate of the braking capability (when they fade and burn out) against the gravity pushing the truck downhill. There is some leeway because (probably) the speed limit is based on worse case (downshifting and air brakes, no Jakes). Downhill trucks run away because gravity continues to push the truck forward, accelerating when there is no, or less, opposing force (burned up brakes, gear ratio too high, Jakes failed). That is the reason behind use the same gear ratio down as you would up on the same grade.
The first time I went down the GRAPEVINE solo with Stevens Transport was in 2004, with NO JAKE BRAKE. Did I smoke my brakes?.....yes, I did but I wasn't going extremely fast so I was able to pull over on the shoulder and sit for about twenty minutes to let them cool. It was all quite scary but I took off again and a bit slower and made it on down without incident and stopped at the "OLD" TA at the bottom of the hill to rest. I definitely respected that 35mph sign and could not figure out why all those yahoos would disobey the law like that. That really chaps my hide and they look at me like I'm the idiot. I can see that you are a very safe driver sir and I appreciate that. That new TA is great; I always loved stopping there. Is that rest area on the right going northbound still closed; or even still there. Also I was wondering about that runaway truck lane on the left. Wasn't that built recently? It looked like it was blocked off; or was that something else?
Yep, best thing to do is the speed limit. Your truck can get away from you very fast. The faster you go the more your movements are exaggerated. Heavy loads down hill, best thing is low gears and engine brake. Your load is not worth a life.
Because he said it right 80,000 pounds plus gravity is working against you it's like rolling a golf ball or a bowling down the hill with one has more mass more mass means more rolling force because of weight.
I never drove a truck in the mountains I assume the speed limit is to prevent run a trucks maybe the trucks passing you have a 220 Cummins or a 238 Detroit and they need the speed make up the next hill still it's not a safe practice even under then
Maybe California needs to eliminate the blanket truck 55 mph speed limit on Interstates and concentrate on enforcing truck speed limits on dangerous down grades.
Since the invention of the radar detector they all think they can outsmart the CHP and by running in clusters, "only the first truck will be pulled over". I've heard it so many times is not funny.
My wife doesn't understand why I do the speed limit while others are flying by. I think it's for the same reason you do. It's legal and it's safer. I found out that on a two or three hour trip I would save maybe 10 or 15 minutes but it's not worth taking a chance of a ticket or and accident. I've been driving for 59 years and no accidents yet. I want to keep it that way. I remember seeing some trucks with a device on the wheel (on the hub) of the trailer that recorded the speed. At least I think that is what it was for. Do you know if that is right and if so, do they still use them? Keep safe and God bless.
hal4utube listen rookie.,, its used for checking mileage. .not because your tractor doesn't have one..the owner can have an exact # of how many miles that trailer has been,because there will be many different drivers hooking up to it..so now the owner knows just how much to charge (@so much per mile) your Company for the use of it.
Cannot believe it has gotten that bad on the grapevine. Wow, what a bunch of knuckleheads! As for the running out of brakes scenario, all I can say is if you survive a runaway because you acted stupidly, you will most likely never be that stupid again. Ashamed to admit I'm speaking from experience. This is how I was taught to come down the Grape with a load on; as you begin the descent 1) put truck in same gear it took you to get up the hill, 2) set the trailer brakes to 10 lbs., 3) use foot valve to control speed as needed. I didn't mention using "Jakes" because the first trucks I drove to and from L.A. didn't have anything as fancy as that.
Donna Tillery you sound like an experienced driver. My dad was an owner operator for nearly 40 years and I've been one for 25. He knew I'd be a trucker and I can quote word for word the most important lesson he taught me. "Boy, you can go down a hill the right way a million times. On the other hand, you can only go down the wrong way once!". Dad passed from a heart attack back in 2008 but I still use this lesson for myself as well as all of my trainees to this day and I always will. Be safe out there and watch out for all of the idiots trying to kill us!
I do remember a few trips down that hill where there lots of drivers going down at 35 mph and not so much of all this passing like they are a bunch of bad-asses. Looks like those days are gone.
It's been a few years since I've run the Grape but this video doesn't look much different from anything I see on the "big" hills East of the river these days. Mont Eagle is the biggest I run now and I actually had a trainee try to argue with me about pulling into the brake check area there a few years back. I guess this highly experienced "driver", a whole 3 days out of community college, thought that he knew how to drive! I proceeded to tell him to hit the exit lane since it was MY truck and he WOULD drive it how I told him to! After we did the brake check, I got in the drivers seat. When he questioned me I told him flat out that his few weeks in school didn't teach him how to actually drive and that he'd get a real lesson now. Besides that, it was me that paid nearly $140k for the equipment, not him and I'd be damned if he was gonna wreck my baby and/or kill anyone! I pulled out and immediately got passed by several trucks. I went down the hill low n slow ignoring him saying he could do it faster. About 1/2 way down we started hearing about a crash on the cb. When we got to the scene I told him to take a good look and remember what he saw. The kid has now been driving for the company that my tractors are all leased to (the same one that hired him out of school and assigned me as his trainer) for 5 years. I had him for 4 weeks and after seeing that wreck he NEVER questioned me again. In fact, any time we see each other at the shop or a truck stop, he thanks me for that lesson. When we all gather for the company picnic every July, his wife gives me a hug and a peck because she knows what happened that day too. She makes this old man blush every time too lol!
scottied67 oh yeah. I knew he was a good kid, just had to teach him, and many others, what the so called schools don't. I keep in touch with all of my trainees. I'll be setting another one loose Friday and SHE'LL be on her own. She's good though. I've trained several women, including my own sister, and I think they take better care of their equipment than most guys do. Anyway, my turn to drive...be safe out here bro!
Driverlesstruck@gmail.com, ,,,,,,, NO WOMEN LISTEN BETTER THEN MEN BECAUSE THEY COME IN KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT TRUCKS, ,,,,,,, MEN COME IN AND THEY HAVE A MIND SET THAT I ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M DOING I'LL SHOW THIS GUY I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING
@@fredlotz1120 Mmm not necessarily. I was a female trainee who spent about a year riding around with my cousin. I learned A LOT from him before I EVER went into training. There were only 4 drivers in my section and while I didn't tell anyone all the "driving' stuff I knew, I did tell em all what it's REALLY like out there. Now this was back when ya could fudge on your logbook and the funniest question was from the other female trainee when she asked "don't they HAVE to give you plenty of time to get to your pickup/delivery"??? Yes, yes they do, snicker snicker. That was 19 yrs ago, I often wonder how she faired out there...she was a GREAT at backing etc!! And yes before I became disability retired I went out to Shaky every week and have done the Grapevine more times than I care to count, and ALWAYS obeyed the speed limit!!!!
As a trainer once myself A few newbies ended up taking buses home. Had one he refused to give me his copies of his logs i was like okay we'll play this game I dropped him off in Elko NV there was two buses first one was going to be a 3 day ride for him the 2nd bus would of had him home in less then 24hrs. Mind you i was going to tell him about the 2nd one but he said he wanted to catch the first bus cause the other one wouldn't be coming around for an hour his choice.. But good he started to listen to you and not think you was talking out of your arse. My first rule with newbies is forget what you was taught. we are starting all over again.
Okay i'll stop you there with your comment at the 7:55 mark. ALL trucks are suppose to be doing 35 or less off the Vine. Now they all don't have to be in the right hand land But its spring time and i'm surprised i don't see CHiP CEO on pulling trucks over.
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So many truckers are breaking laws in this video its hard to keep track of them all. At least one company's management will know about their driver.
If you are interested in doing more legwork, I can take snapshot pictures of all the trucks from the video software so you can get their DOT numbers lol.
Well I counted 14 truckers, I can see most of the DOT numbers but I think if we put a cam there for 24 hours we likely would catch maybe 1000s of them.
i see alot of trucks that speed on the 10 west freeway heading into california
Good fucking gravy people!! If they’re not truly hurting anyone leave it be. If you want to follow the letter of the law that’s your choice but getting all butt hurt for people speeding a little bit give me a break. Now as far as texting and driving or whatever it is people do on their phones while they’re driving please turn that in because that is truly risking my life your life and everybody else’s.
Mark Harral, safety first. The life you save may be a cute girl's in a BMW… or the family in an SUV… or your own.
As an old trucker once told me, you can go up and down a mountain as many times as you want driving slow, drive too fast and you'll only do it once.
That's basically what my trainer said to me, 12 years ago now the first time down Mont Eagle (which is tame compared the hills out west). He said it slightly different..."you can do every hill, too slow, every single time...but you can only go down it too fast, once!" Once I became a trainer, that's exactly what I told my trainees. It's worked out pretty well.
For some reason you make me feel safer out on the road.. good job. Better to lose 1 minute in your life than losing your life in 1 minute.
I worked in industry for 40 years and it is true that time is money, it's also an accident waiting for all the pieces to fall into place. You are the last of a dying breed, one that uses common sense and smarts to realize that the rules do apply to all.
You nailed it, its the weight of the truck, the inertial and momentum involved. A 70,000lb truck going down grade increases the weight of the truck and the momentum. Its like comparing a car going down that grade at 120mph
That's a lot of law breakers. So many ppl do not have commonsense, especially when driving. Thanks for posting handsome! Love you!
I enjoy watching you Drive!
I used to drive a truck well over 30 years ago, but these sections of road are the sections where they should have cops scattered like something crazy to enforce the laws of safety.
I'll add my two-cents worth.
Simplified example #1:
Imagine you're on a dry level road, wearing a pair of roller blades. OK, start skating until you're going faster than a jogger. NOW STOP. No warning, nothing, but you have to stop. How long would it take to do this?
Simplified example #2:
Now imagine doing this again but this time you're wearing a harness that allows you to pull a loaded wagon thats 3x your weight behind you. NOW STOP. No warning, nothing, but you have to stop.The weight will continue to push even as you try to stop. How long would it take to stop?
Simplified example #3:
Same as #2 except this time you're going downhill and the road is icy. Same question. How long would it take to stop?
A 35mph truck speed on a highway is indicative to the time it would take a truck weighing 80,000 pounds to completely stop without brake failure and without involving other vehicles on the roadway.
Remember, trucks-1, passenger vehicles-0, always. Give trucks the time and room needed to stop.
Try driving in my neck of the woods. BC. 6% grades all over on every route. Lots of 8%s, one dainty little grade called The Smasher (also the star of a TV show) which is 14% and then 25 miles of 6% after. So many grades that most don't even have names. You're lucky if there's two lanes, and in the winter, you're truly lucky if you see a plow. The standard road warning all over the province during winter is compressed snow with slippery sections. That means pack ice. Some sections don't see a plow all winter. Yeah, you guys have some big hills down there, but for sheer enjoyment (or terror for most of you), try driving BC.
A great video! Did not know we had so many unruly un safe folks!!!
I was just there last week. So cool that I recognize exactly where you were because I experienced the exact same thing. Nice to know I'm not alone. Good job Scottie. And for your answer it was the only speed/gear that I didn't have to use my brakes.
Lots of truck drivers are breaking the law but trucker follows the law they understand what can happen if they speed down a steep hill, NO BRAKES
Flying, and from the look of the way those trailers are axeled out, heavy. Very heavy.
My dad raced drag cars for someone and the truck and trailer they had was a showhauler and a stacker, I think it was 80ft plus and we would go down this hill at 25 or even slower just to be safe.
An answer to your question,going down hill,I learned it’s called inertia forces.As I recall going down hill,your inertia forces are what’s pushing you from behind because of your total weight,truck and load.good luck safe driving.
I would think that your explanation was spot on...the other thing about going 35mph down grade is that, I'm not a trucker, you may be less inclined to jack-knife in a braking situation as well, in other words , you have more control. Drive safe, man.
Update for Smokey Point Distributing/Daseke: Driver was asked to go out with a trainer, driver refused then was told to find "alternative employment".
It is an unfortunate situation for that driver and their family. But like I said before, there is no ticket, no CSA points etc. they can find a new job no problem. If the CHP had seen him out there, he would have gotten a ticket, possible inspection with CSA points etc. Worst case, exceeding 35 and something bad happens, could have killed someone and/or died themselves leaving their family in pure grief.
I jumped off on my channel here in 2016 after a solid decade in mourning over losing my 20 year old nephew in a bad car wreck. It can happen to anyone any time and it is the worst thing in the world to get the call that they have bad news and you need to sit down.....
A normal passenger car, in the US weighs in around 2 ton, total (4,000 pounds), GVWR. A semi and trailer weigh around 40 tons (80,000 pounds) gross. Brakes slow a vehicle by utilizing friction on the rotor (or drum). Friction creates heat (think of the old friction burn that an older sibling or cousin would give you as a kid, on your wrist, same concept), the problem is, that as the brakes get hotter, they are less effective in causing you to slow down, the more pressure you have to apply to the brakes. In Semi's, this is caused by using air pressure, and in a car, it's hydrolic fluid. You don't lose hydrolic fluid (very little loss, anyway), but trucks using air pressure, are more prone to losing air pressure. When air pressure is completely lost from overuse, the spring brakes come on, and the wheels lock up, which causes an uncontrollable skid, and in a semi with trailer configuration, 9 times out of 10, will cause a jack knife. I hope this helps.
Better safe than sorry, the job is to deliver freight safely and on time; safe comes first...Good job.
It's physics, Potential energy. The mass of your vehicle is it's potential energy, when that mass gets put on a downward incline that potential energy turns into kinetic energy in the form of acceleration, up to the speed of a freefall at 90° down. When you're braking on a downward incline instead of stopping the trucks usual momentum (Speed×Mass+Directionality) you have to add in the amount of acceleration that is constantly being applied on a downward incline. Also the human eye gets tricked into thinking it's on a flat plane when everything around it is on the same incline, like on a mountainside.
The opposite is true going uphill, you have to spend extra fuel fighting against a constant deceleration.
Signs, We don’t need no stinking signs!
If it takes longer to travel the same distance, your brakes don't have to work as hard and don't heat up as much.
I thought I was the only trucker that followed the mountain speed limits like the Bible.
Sometimes it's best to go 25 MPH down Grapevine or cabbage Mountain. With your Jake's on and not one time do you have to step on the brake pedal fully loaded or grossed out..try it it works...
I'm glad you mentioned watching out for runaways b/c if you got rear ended and stayed alive, the DOT would most likely given you a ticket. When behind the wheel we're to know to avoid any anticipated accidents. Alert to all 360 deg. Thanks
Momentum. A 80,000 pound truck doing 70 will generate much more kinetic energy then the same truck doing 35. And that is why your answer of over heating the brakes is correct. Once the brakes are hot they will loose effectiveness and also can cost fire. I watched a truck once catch his trailer on fire from overheated brakes. FYI - I5 Grapevine northbound.
Ahh good ol North Bound I-5 on the Grapevine know that road to damn well.
80,000 pounds does not stop on a dime. If you are going downhill with that much weight behind you, it is Very hard to stop. I saw a very bad accident on that Grapevine involving a tanker truck. He was coming down too fast and lost it. Ended up going over the side. Luckily the driver survived. Scared the bejabbers out of me and my husband. 😵
I can't believe that all the trucks that went past you have never been down that pass!
Engine / Jake brakes are pretty much my brakes on steep grades and hardly ever have to touch the pedal
Thanks for addressing my question. I could have worded it differently. I’ve seen you use your jake brake going down hills to maintain your speed. Except for needing to pile on the brakes, couldn’t it be used to maintain the regular speed limit? I realize a fully loaded can’t stop like a car but are truck brakes not that “capable “? Be safe.
1musicsearcher No, you need to be in the right gear to hold the truck back. In a higher gear, they'll pick up speed faster.
Any brake use heats them up no matter what you're driving. Brake heat equals brake fade and braking going down hill is obviously going to be worse. The old rule was always go down in the same gear you went up. However, aerodynamics have changed this. If you can go up a grade in a modern truck in 7th gear, it's the load holding you back, just like it always has been. Most tractors today are very aerodynamic and even the trailers have aero aids. These days you need to go downhill 2 or 3 gears lower than you went up just because todays tractor trailers are so aerodynamic. Yes, any vehicle always picks up speed going downhill, but, modern ones cheat the air much better than they used to. The engine brake is a great tool, when used properly, but it has never been a cure all. Most tractor trailers are also still equipped with drum brakes because they worked better in air brake applications such as semi trucks and trains. However, I just ordered 2 brand new tractors with air disc brakes and the company they're leased to ordered 4 disc brake trailers as an experiment to try them out. The tractors and trailers will be on dedicated drop n hook runs and my drivers are looking forward to testing them. I've heard many great things about air disc brakes from both safety and maintenance perspectives. I have a feeling that we'll all learn that air discs are the way to go. If I'm right about this, I'll probably have to retire my baby and her twin to upgrade too...I won't sell my Classic XLs though...I'll convert them into motorhomes and put the ol girls into semi-retirement lol!
Faster you go down hill the shorter distance to stop (example 80000 truck takes up to or more than an acres to legally stop safely more like the NFL stadium field). That is why heavier trucks that obey the speed limit in California of 35mph. Plus sometimes there will be a state scale open. But it's best to obey the speed limit.
NB off the Vine there is no scale Next scale depends on your route if you are going up 5 its Santa Nella on 99 its Chowchilla
At least you won't wreck! I can't say so much for all.the trucks that pass you!!! Keep driving safe!
I've had truckers almost run into my bumper on my van when I slow down when coming upon backed up traffic and I hadn't even switched lanes. My dad who's best friend was a trucker taught me to not switch lanes in front of a semi unless you can see the whole front end of the truck in your rear view mirror. Also, as long as it's safe to, I try to accelerate for a bit after I get over to make sure there's enough room between the truck and I. I know that those semis handle a lot slower than my van. But some truckers terrify me by some of the tailgating they do in stop and go traffic. Don't know if you've been through Seattle, but there's some nasty bottle necks and they made some spots where people get on one side of the freeway and have to cross all the lines to get their exit. It's crazy. I'm sure that it's not the craziest city, but there's very few options to go around the city.
That is an Ideal location for an Average Speed Camera Set Up. They are used on Road Works sections of Motorways. One set brought in more fine money than the roads works cost.
The down hill momentum puts increased work on the brakes to stop the vehicle, also dabbing the brakes will have raised the temperature of discs and/or drums. hence the recommended use of lower gears or engine brake and not the foot brake to check over speeding. Brake fade is a horrible experience it happened to me once and boy did I learn from it.
Almost a basic rule for heavy vehicles, although it applies even to small cars on big downhills - if you're using brakes, you might be in the wrong gear. I drive all sizes up to about 8 tons.
I think it would be voted down like those red light cameras in most locations have no teeth any more.
Good Moaning Vietnam the speed limit is set in place just for people like you .. learn how to drive!!
watashi so you blew up your motor ? That's the only way it can fail .
I yank a tank and do you have any idea how many van guys go flying
Past me on the vine? And fyi I have seen 4 wheelers smoke thier brakes.....and the first time an 18 goes 70 down this grade and hits a curve it will be the last time he goes down at 70.....how can people look at this grade and do not understand how gravity works?
Best explanation I can give is "Gravity is a bitch".
If you lose your air brakes then you're screwed
Fancy Gap Mountain in Virginia is 65mph down hill. Must Mountain driving down hill if riding the brakes will heat them pads up and cause brake fade. Brake fade is when the brake pads get a glaze on them and prevent them from working. No friction no stop. Yes I`m a tanker driver and I do a lot of up and down mountains.
I hang back in heavy traffic always looking for an escape if I need to
All anyone needs to know is that it’s posted 35. It’s the law and it’s on a dangerous grade which automatically can add a dangerous driving to your record
You have your forward momentum of your speed you are going, in this case 35mph. Plus you have the momentum of the 80k weight to stop, now on flat ground this is rather simple in a big rig but when you add in the additional factor of gravity that now has more of an affect on you due to your downward slope making a stop from 35mph at 80k almost double that of a flat ground stop.
Should I assume the speed limit increases on the flat or uphill portion or the highway?
I believe it is still 55 southbound through that stretch but the trucks are climbing so they might make 27 miles per hour going uphill.
Amazing! the last truck moved to "Truck Lane Speed Limit 35" at end of restricted area? I guess it was "Oppisite Day"
I think about myself and others us truckers have to repspet that but guess some don’t care. Be safe out there
Because a loaded truck and trailer travelling at 70 MPH would take the length of a football field to stop. And yes it would crush your car like a beer can and keep going.
I run the Grapevine every weekday, I don't know how many times I have seen someone take that hill going 50+. If you keep it 40 and under no one will bat an eye because CHP is looking for those going 10 over. Another thing of interest is the amount of drivers that burn their brakes going down, it is like they have never heard of a Jack Brake.
Is this in Cali? My first time there in 5 years of trucking last month and going down that grade, I was like why are all these guys blatantly speeding? Really tripped me out.
I clicked on this video by accident, but watched it thinking it was about Bill Engvall, but, boy was I wrong.
Going down the grapevine at 35 mph you must have just got out of trucking school
Nah, shitter "drivers" like you are the reason there are so many trucking regulations.
Truck drivers are crazy as hell they don't want to slow down there trying to make money on your stand but they're endangering people's lives by going that fast down a deep downgrade like that
Light went from Green almost instantly a red... Today I am hauling 45000 lb of 7 paper rolls... I stopped, but in the middle of the intersection. Mind you this light was literally in the middle of the Hill and the speed limit was 55. PS... Don't you love it when four-wheelers are already in front of you when they get on the freeway but then decide to slow down and make it look like you're doing something wrong "to run them off the road"
Makes no sense for an empty truck to use the 35 MPH truck lane going uphill or down. I didn't see a sign that says all truck, it says truck lane. Would you use the slow truck lane going up?
What people don't realize is that in truck driving school they only teach you how to get a CDL license not how to be a truck driver
Finally a trucker vlog worth watching. All you "super truckers" out there can learn a thing or two from scottied67....and maybe save a life..or your own.
Thank you my friend!
Just wait let me get my grandma to drive that truck down the hill for ya...
Better to follow the rules of the highway & keep urself & others safe.
If something happens and you have exceeded the posted speed limit then you'd have a tough time trying to get out of it.
I wonder how often the cops are monitoring that stretch in reality, maybe not often enough. Considering the number of vehicles it would be a full time gig for a platoon.
I have never driven a truck, however I have a few friends & family that have. Much respect to you guys. As a driver of a passenger car, I frequent that pass at least 8 times a year. What I see more & more now is what I just saw in your video and trucks passing other trucks northbound I-5 before Tejon Pass, sometimes using up to 3 lanes. Is that even legal? I understand these guys are likely on a tight schedule, besides it being incredibly rude, it causes quite a bottleneck there, especially from Gorman on up. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Trucks are restricted to the right lane as indicated by the solid white line which is regarded as an imaginary concrete barrier in the eyes of law enforcement; meaning any truck on the wrong side is there illegally. However, I think there is some variance for trucks which are lighter to get out there and quickly pass and get back over. Certainly not to jump all the way out 3 lanes over and pass, that is totally illegal for truckers to do in California.
Thank you, that clarifies a lot!
I cannot think of a better reason to go slow down hill.
I ran that hill for years before Jake brakes and there was no escape ramp then they built it too short firs truck to use it went over the top and got killed
Jake brake in over time,let em roll. Can't run with the big dogs,stay on the porch.
It was a month or 2 ago, so recently. A truck was estimated at 100+ MPH when he hit the right side litter box. He then went all the way, through all 4 bells at the end and into the side of the mountain. The cab was gone into a million pieces, there was no truck, cab or anything of the tractor recognizable. Needless to say, the driver didn't make it. I come off the 35 MPH section, Jakes on high, in 8th gear, 1450 rpm, at 33-35 mph and NEVER touch the brakes. I do this 3-5 times a week with 79500 to 80000 lbs. My reasons for doing 35 down the Grapevine are these....#1 it's the fuckin law, #2 I can't afford a controlled downhill and wrong lane ticket, #3 I don't want to die! It's really unfortunate that #1 the level driver is sadly low out here, #2 I don't work for one of them high payin companies where drivers can afford the ticket for doin the stupid shit they do all day long.
My opinion on why you come off a hill, like this are... there are too many people on the road for speeding off a hill. It's my responsibility to be safe out here and not kill anyone, because I did something stupid. 80000 lbs doesn't stop on a dime, It takes MUCH more braking to slow it down and get stopped if something should happen in front of you, like a truck on fire because he couldn't slow the sum bitch down. That hill gets fog, visibility down to 50 foot or less at times, and guys still fly off the hill. And I think this is the best reason of all to the question..... IT'S THE FUCKING LAW, IT'S POSTED 8 TIMES BEFORE THE 1ST GODDAMN LITTER BOX!!!!
Physics - some of it, anyway.
1) At the top of the hill, the loaded truck has a lot of Potential Energy (called PE). At the bottom of the hill, the truck has shed all of that energy. (assuming it is now at the same speed as at the start).
2) If the truck could not get rid of that PE, it would turn into Kinetic Energy (KE) and the truck would go faster. By the bottom of the hill, it might be going very fast indeed.
3) Where does the energy go? It has to go somewhere, in some form of energy. It's a Law, y'know.
3a) Much of it is turned into heat within the engine, by using a lower gear, and reducing fuel (throttle) so that the engine "holds back" the truck. This makes use of the internal friction of the engine (which is normally seen as a loss of power of about 10-15%, in normal engine running modes) and is spread right across the engine, gearbox, drive train, cooling systems, electrical load, EVERYTHING that normally consumes fuel but does not get to the drive wheels.
3b) Exhaust brakes work by using the engine to re-compress the exhaust gases, creating heat. This heat is dumped from the system via the engine cooling system (as is the heat from 3a). Note that in these modes there is very little engine heat created by combustion of fuel - in some engines and profiles the engine will use no fuel at all.
3c) The brakes slow down the vehicle by converting motion into heat. Friction within the brake system slows the axles/wheels, and heats up the discs/pads, and all the elements of the brakes. This heat is radiated into the air, and also removed by convection and conduction. Thus, KE is converted to heat.
4) As the brakes get hotter, they become less efficient at moving energy (heat) from the vehicle to the air, and so the brakes start to "Fade". At a higher point, they will not be able to move energy fast enough, and the brakes can even catch fire. Even without fire, they can be destroyed and have to be replaced.
5) The key to safe descents in a vehicle is to use the correct low gear, and to start off going slowly enough.
If the hill is too steep, a lower gear is needed, so the truck needs to be moving more slowly at the start, to engage and maintain that lower gear.
Unless there are curves that are too sharp, or the road is blocked or traffic is slowed.
Then, you get some pucker.
I hope this is useful, if people think I have made errors (and I agree) I will edit the above.
Happy Trucking from Australia.
Some more physics, Stopping Distance, which relates directly to Brakes.
1) To stop a moving mass, you must either
a) apply force to it, against the direction of motion (you stop when you crash), or
b) remove energy from it, within the reference frame
2) To remove energy, the only method we have is to convert it to heat, and dump the heat into the air. Engine cooling system, radiator fins, airflow through the brake disc (all those slots and holes and vents), transfer to wheels and axles and bearings.
3) So, the brakes are actually a Heat Pump, converting KE to heat and pumping into the air.
4) Like any pump, they can only do so much work, before either reaching capacity, or failing. Think of a water pump, it runs to a design maximum, producing a design flow and pressure. You can increase flow and pressure by running the pump a bit faster - to a point - and then back pressure and flow constriction will maximise, and after that the extra energy being forced into the system simply creates heat, noise, vibration, and eventually failure.
5) And like any pump, it can only move a maximum number of units of energy PER SECOND. The bigger the truck, the more energy has to be dumped, so it will take an amount of time, and this has nothing to do with how hard the driver steps on the pedal.
So next time you are about to change lanes in front of a Heavy Vehicle, think about how much space it might need to stop in a hurry, and what happens if YOU have to stop IN A HURRY, about 5 seconds from now.
And remember the Prime Rule of Vehicle Collisions - the one with the most lug nuts usually wins.
Excellent write up my friend!
77gravity Exhaust brakes are rare in North America. Here we use compression (release) brakes. I'm sure you know how they work, but I'll explain to add to your explanation.
As diesel engines aren't air throttled, they get a full charge of air in the intake cycle. Even though there is relatively no fuel, the combustion cycle is still powered by 16:1 compressed air pushing the piston down.
With Jake on, that air is released near top dead center, so instead of having that push, the piston is slowed by vacuum.
Instead of increasing coolant heat, the energy is dissipated through the exhaust as increased noise, or music, depending who you ask.
On this edition of Truckers Behaving Badly......... People need to slow down on this grade. Rarely do I do 35. I keep it between 25 and 30 depending on my weight. If I am empty, I will do 35.
They'll regret it if a cop pulls them over, not worth it.
Here's an easy way to look at it. When the truck is on level ground, gravity pushes straight down. As the descending grade increases, a larger component of the force of gravity is pushing the truck forward instead of straight down. Braking for control or stopping on a descending grade is similar to braking with one foot while pushing the accelerator with the other foot. Downhill speed is a calculated estimate of the braking capability (when they fade and burn out) against the gravity pushing the truck downhill. There is some leeway because (probably) the speed limit is based on worse case (downshifting and air brakes, no Jakes). Downhill trucks run away because gravity continues to push the truck forward, accelerating when there is no, or less, opposing force (burned up brakes, gear ratio too high, Jakes failed). That is the reason behind use the same gear ratio down as you would up on the same grade.
That’s outlaw truckin. You’re just a dime holding up a dollar.
cdllife reports CHP is cracking down on speeding truckers on the Grapevine due to too many crashes caused by speeding.
maybe some trucks are not laden ....
Oh, this is the first video I watched Scottie before I got to know you better and your party peeps. Fate and Destiny :p
The first time I went down the GRAPEVINE solo with Stevens Transport was in 2004, with NO JAKE BRAKE. Did I smoke my brakes?.....yes, I did but I wasn't going extremely fast so I was able to pull over on the shoulder and sit for about twenty minutes to let them cool. It was all quite scary but I took off again and a bit slower and made it on down without incident and stopped at the "OLD" TA at the bottom of the hill to rest. I definitely respected that 35mph sign and could not figure out why all those yahoos would disobey the law like that. That really chaps my hide and they look at me like I'm the idiot. I can see that you are a very safe driver sir and I appreciate that. That new TA is great; I always loved stopping there.
Is that rest area on the right going northbound still closed; or even still there. Also I was wondering about that runaway truck lane on the left. Wasn't that built recently? It looked like it was blocked off; or was that something else?
I recognize this...grapevine northbound on I-5 in cali
Get a speeding ticket And watch your insurance go up. Doing so in a posted 35 truck lane will go up more, close to being reckless driving.
Yep, best thing to do is the speed limit. Your truck can get away from you very fast. The faster you go the more your movements are exaggerated. Heavy loads down hill, best thing is low gears and engine brake. Your load is not worth a life.
Since I ride a motorcycle, I give the sign a lot, I mean really a lot to dumbass drivers in cages
Maybe 35 mph was only a suggestion ?
Because he said it right 80,000 pounds plus gravity is working against you it's like rolling a golf ball or a bowling down the hill with one has more mass more mass means more rolling force because of weight.
I never drove a truck in the mountains I assume the speed limit is to prevent run a trucks maybe the trucks passing you have a 220 Cummins or a 238 Detroit and they need the speed make up the next hill still it's not a safe practice even under then
Maybe California needs to eliminate the blanket truck 55 mph speed limit on Interstates and concentrate on enforcing truck speed limits on dangerous down grades.
Since the invention of the radar detector they all think they can outsmart the CHP and by running in clusters, "only the first truck will be pulled over". I've heard it so many times is not funny.
Grapevine is no laughing matter when it comes to trucks.
I've seen alot of speeders and brake fires in my 30 yrs of local driving a semi in SoCal....
Apparently no one can read ENGLISH...🙄
Glad that at least you know the laws and can read signs ...🚫💯🆘🆗🆙🚨🚛🛣
Which Falls faster a feather or a 1-pound rock
The old saying goes "which falls faster, a ton of feathers or a ton of bricks?"
Professional 4 wheelers getting CDL drive like idiots and no common courtesy, no longer can be called "professional drivers"
The rule of thumb is whatever gear you're in going up the grade should be the same gear going down the grade.
My wife doesn't understand why I do the speed limit while others are flying by. I think it's for the same reason you do. It's legal and it's safer. I found out that on a two or three hour trip I would save maybe 10 or 15 minutes but it's not worth taking a chance of a ticket or and accident. I've been driving for 59 years and no accidents yet. I want to keep it that way. I remember seeing some trucks with a device on the wheel (on the hub) of the trailer that recorded the speed. At least I think that is what it was for. Do you know if that is right and if so, do they still use them? Keep safe and God bless.
hal4utube listen rookie.,, its used for checking mileage. .not because your tractor doesn't have one..the owner can have an exact # of how many miles that trailer has been,because there will be many different drivers hooking up to it..so now the owner knows just how much to charge (@so much per mile) your Company for the use of it.
Turn ur CB on Scottie. U might hear what's going on up ahead.
Why in the hell would you want to back off and lose your momentum going up the Grapevine or any Hill
Time stamp reference?
Look up the definition of the word 'inertia' and you'll know why you don't want to drive an 80,000 lb truck at 70 mph downhill.
Cannot believe it has gotten that bad on the grapevine. Wow, what a bunch of knuckleheads! As for the running out of brakes scenario, all I can say is if you survive a runaway because you acted stupidly, you will most likely never be that stupid again. Ashamed to admit I'm speaking from experience. This is how I was taught to come down the Grape with a load on; as you begin the descent 1) put truck in same gear it took you to get up the hill, 2) set the trailer brakes to 10 lbs., 3) use foot valve to control speed as needed. I didn't mention using "Jakes" because the first trucks I drove to and from L.A. didn't have anything as fancy as that.
Donna Tillery you sound like an experienced driver. My dad was an owner operator for nearly 40 years and I've been one for 25. He knew I'd be a trucker and I can quote word for word the most important lesson he taught me. "Boy, you can go down a hill the right way a million times. On the other hand, you can only go down the wrong way once!". Dad passed from a heart attack back in 2008 but I still use this lesson for myself as well as all of my trainees to this day and I always will. Be safe out there and watch out for all of the idiots trying to kill us!
It's simple follow the sign. People have so many problems following simple instructions. It 55 there , why be in a hurry?
I do remember a few trips down that hill where there lots of drivers going down at 35 mph and not so much of all this passing like they are a bunch of bad-asses. Looks like those days are gone.
8:53... Safety space? I'm looking at the cardboard safety side rail on your right!
What gear should you go down a hill in. Anybody? There is a specific answer
You are putting out dangerous information when you say there is a specific gear to be in going down a steep grade.
One gear lower than it took you to climb the hill
First sign the signs for 35mph for trucks starts back further then that
Best time to turn the a/c on! lol
It's been a few years since I've run the Grape but this video doesn't look much different from anything I see on the "big" hills East of the river these days. Mont Eagle is the biggest I run now and I actually had a trainee try to argue with me about pulling into the brake check area there a few years back. I guess this highly experienced "driver", a whole 3 days out of community college, thought that he knew how to drive! I proceeded to tell him to hit the exit lane since it was MY truck and he WOULD drive it how I told him to! After we did the brake check, I got in the drivers seat. When he questioned me I told him flat out that his few weeks in school didn't teach him how to actually drive and that he'd get a real lesson now. Besides that, it was me that paid nearly $140k for the equipment, not him and I'd be damned if he was gonna wreck my baby and/or kill anyone! I pulled out and immediately got passed by several trucks. I went down the hill low n slow ignoring him saying he could do it faster. About 1/2 way down we started hearing about a crash on the cb. When we got to the scene I told him to take a good look and remember what he saw. The kid has now been driving for the company that my tractors are all leased to (the same one that hired him out of school and assigned me as his trainer) for 5 years. I had him for 4 weeks and after seeing that wreck he NEVER questioned me again. In fact, any time we see each other at the shop or a truck stop, he thanks me for that lesson. When we all gather for the company picnic every July, his wife gives me a hug and a peck because she knows what happened that day too. She makes this old man blush every time too lol!
I'm happy you and the driver are friends now.
scottied67 oh yeah. I knew he was a good kid, just had to teach him, and many others, what the so called schools don't. I keep in touch with all of my trainees. I'll be setting another one loose Friday and SHE'LL be on her own. She's good though. I've trained several women, including my own sister, and I think they take better care of their equipment than most guys do. Anyway, my turn to drive...be safe out here bro!
Driverlesstruck@gmail.com, ,,,,,,, NO WOMEN LISTEN BETTER THEN MEN BECAUSE THEY COME IN KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT TRUCKS, ,,,,,,, MEN COME IN AND THEY HAVE A MIND SET THAT I ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M DOING I'LL SHOW THIS GUY I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING
@@fredlotz1120 Mmm not necessarily. I was a female trainee who spent about a year riding around with my cousin. I learned A LOT from him before I EVER went into training. There were only 4 drivers in my section and while I didn't tell anyone all the "driving' stuff I knew, I did tell em all what it's REALLY like out there. Now this was back when ya could fudge on your logbook and the funniest question was from the other female trainee when she asked "don't they HAVE to give you plenty of time to get to your pickup/delivery"??? Yes, yes they do, snicker snicker. That was 19 yrs ago, I often wonder how she faired out there...she was a GREAT at backing etc!! And yes before I became disability retired I went out to Shaky every week and have done the Grapevine more times than I care to count, and ALWAYS obeyed the speed limit!!!!
As a trainer once myself A few newbies ended up taking buses home. Had one he refused to give me his copies of his logs i was like okay we'll play this game I dropped him off in Elko NV there was two buses first one was going to be a 3 day ride for him the 2nd bus would of had him home in less then 24hrs. Mind you i was going to tell him about the 2nd one but he said he wanted to catch the first bus cause the other one wouldn't be coming around for an hour his choice.. But good he started to listen to you and not think you was talking out of your arse. My first rule with newbies is forget what you was taught. we are starting all over again.
Okay i'll stop you there with your comment at the 7:55 mark. ALL trucks are suppose to be doing 35 or less off the Vine. Now they all don't have to be in the right hand land But its spring time and i'm surprised i don't see CHiP CEO on pulling trucks over.
chp loves to sit right there past the overpass, with radar