Truck Fodder

"richie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

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Riding on SH2 into Wgtn (NZ) (a 4 lane/2 wat motorway) and I swear to God

a

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large truck in the left hand land came up behind at 80-100kph swung in

close

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as it passed me and then swung back. I could see the driver looking in

his

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side mirror as I raised my finger. I've heard some truckies run

competitions

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to see how many cyclists they can blow over with a large draft at close
range.

Hmmmmmmmmmm....truckies. I wonder what score you need to get in your HSC to
be a truckie?

The beauty of it is with those massive beer guts, diet of hamburgers and
coke, lack of any exercise and use of amphetamines they have a high instance
of heart disease.

"Unregistered" <[email hidden]> wrote

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Hmmmmmmmmmm....truckies. I wonder what score you need to get in your HSC

to

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be a truckie?

Look.. I know some truckies. One happens to be the
father of a cycling buddy of mine. Both his kids rode
bikes and he's still very passionate about cycling, as
evidenced by his interest in my bike when I last visited.
Most truckies I've encountered on the road are FAR
better drivers than those in cars.
Just like cyclists and car drivers there's some dodgy
truck drivers, but they are generally the exception, not
the rule.

Quoted message said:

The beauty of it is with those massive beer guts, diet of hamburgers and
coke, lack of any exercise and use of amphetamines they have a high

instance

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of heart disease.

Sounds more like computer programmers ;-)

hippy

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

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"Unregistered" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Hmmmmmmmmmm....truckies. I wonder what score you need to get in your HSC

to

Quoted message said:

be a truckie?

Look.. I know some truckies. One happens to be the
father of a cycling buddy of mine. Both his kids rode
bikes and he's still very passionate about cycling, as
evidenced by his interest in my bike when I last visited.
Most truckies I've encountered on the road are FAR
better drivers than those in cars.
Just like cyclists and car drivers there's some dodgy
truck drivers, but they are generally the exception, not
the rule.

Yeah yeah yeah...there's good and bad in all people and I shouldn't
sterotype and blah blah blah...

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The beauty of it is with those massive beer guts, diet of hamburgers

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

coke, lack of any exercise and use of amphetamines they have a high

instance

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of heart disease.

Sounds more like computer programmers ;-)

hippy

LOL... I have a few mates (that don't drive trucks) that fit into that
category as well. If it wasn't for the cycling my beer gut would be outta
control!

"hippy" wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Look.. I know some truckies. One happens to be the
father of a cycling buddy of mine. Both his kids rode
bikes and he's still very passionate about cycling, as
evidenced by his interest in my bike when I last visited.
Most truckies I've encountered on the road are FAR
better drivers than those in cars.
Just like cyclists and car drivers there's some dodgy
truck drivers, but they are generally the exception, not
the rule.

Must admit my experience with truckies has been overwhelmingly good (over
the 30 years or so that I have been riding on the roads). Crossing the
Nullarbor we even had a truckie stop and ferry one of our injured group to
the nearest town.
You were probably just unfortunate Richie to encounter one of the few dodgy
truckies (unless things are different in NZ?).

Bjay

hippy said:

"Unregistered" <[email hidden]> wrote

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Hmmmmmmmmmm....truckies. I wonder what score you need to get in your HSC

....

Quoted message said:

Look.. I know some truckies. One happens to be the
father of a cycling buddy of mine. Both his kids rode
bikes and he's still very passionate about cycling, as
evidenced by his interest in my bike when I last visited.
Most truckies I've encountered on the road are FAR
better drivers than those in cars.
Just like cyclists and car drivers there's some dodgy
truck drivers, but they are generally the exception, not
the rule.

....

Agree with Hippy.
15+ years of road usage as car driver and cyclist, and number of car
driver/cyclist accidents/near-misses/other misc problems with truckies = 0.

I guess truckies are kinda like cyclists in some ways:
- they are unusual road users;
- car drivers pick on them to justify their own failings;
- they are hyper-aware of road and traffic conditions, both in their own
interests and the effects it has on other road users.

Of course there is the matter of particulate emissions from diesel
engines... but, ummm....

But, anyway...
[censored]
ppppppppppp

fred nieman said:

15+ years of road usage as car driver and cyclist, and number of car
driver/cyclist accidents/near-misses/other misc problems with truckies = 0.

I guess truckies are kinda like cyclists in some ways:
- they are unusual road users;
- car drivers pick on them to justify their own failings;
- they are hyper-aware of road and traffic conditions, both in their own
interests and the effects it has on other road users.

Of course there is the matter of particulate emissions from diesel
engines... but, ummm....

I'll third this opinion. Truckies in general are far better drivers than
the general public. They have to be: they're driving these bloody
massive things that take a lot longer to stop, and that cause far more
damage, than your typical car.

I'm willing to bet that the majority of accidents involving trucks come
about because of car drivers that assume the trucks can accelerate/brake
in the same way that cars can accelerate/brake. They can't. They need a
_lot_ more room, and too many people don't appreciate that.

--
My Usenet From: address now expires after two weeks. If you email me, and
the mail bounces, try changing the bit before the "@ to usenet".

fred nieman said:

hippy said:

"Unregistered" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Hmmmmmmmmmm....truckies. I wonder what score you need to get in your HSC

...

Quoted message said:

Look.. I know some truckies. One happens to be the
father of a cycling buddy of mine. Both his kids rode
bikes and he's still very passionate about cycling, as
evidenced by his interest in my bike when I last visited.
Most truckies I've encountered on the road are FAR
better drivers than those in cars.
Just like cyclists and car drivers there's some dodgy
truck drivers, but they are generally the exception, not
the rule.

...

Agree with Hippy.
15+ years of road usage as car driver and cyclist, and number of car
driver/cyclist accidents/near-misses/other misc problems with truckies = 0.

I guess truckies are kinda like cyclists in some ways:
- they are unusual road users;
- car drivers pick on them to justify their own failings;
- they are hyper-aware of road and traffic conditions, both in their own
interests and the effects it has on other road users.

Of course there is the matter of particulate emissions from diesel
engines... but, ummm....

But, anyway...
[censored]
ppppppppppp

I think the reason we notice the trucks is the size thing. I've probably
had more near misses with cars, but when a bike mirror passes a few
inches or so above your head when you're down on the bar, you *don't*
sit up, but you do take notice. Also, when they move left too quickly
after not quite finishing overtaking, they're not as easy to drop back
from as cars. Sim problem with buses. I think it's more of a problem if
there's less traffic - I've never had the problem around the city, only
way out in the burbs on not-busy roads. Whereas cars it's a uniform
low-level background irritation, regardless of where you are.

T

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 at 10:44 GMT, fred nieman (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

I guess truckies are kinda like cyclists in some ways:
- they are unusual road users;
- car drivers pick on them to justify their own failings;
- they are hyper-aware of road and traffic conditions, both in their own
interests and the effects it has on other road users.

I've rarely had bad experiences with busses, trucks (minus rental
trucks - driven by inexperienced fools), taxies, etc. You think taxies
in particular are inpatient idiots -- I get scared in quite a few
taxies because of the idiotic moves they make -- but they have been
driving long enough, and have studied the rule books enough to realise
that it is not worth taking risks around cyclists.

And as for tonight and taxies - first time actually taking one all the
way home instead of stopping at uni and picking up my bike. What can I
say? Getting lazy or just wise in my old age? It's *cold* (and wet)
out there!

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Of course there is the matter of particulate emissions from diesel
engines... but, ummm....

I was holding my nose a number of times this morning, because of
cars. I beg to disagree WRT trucks being worse.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
BSDM is fun, nothing like AIX. --Graham Reed

"bjay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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You were probably just unfortunate Richie to encounter one of the few

dodgy

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truckies (unless things are different in NZ?).

Yeah, some of those Maori boys have a different take on pakehas and life in
general. Maybe a few of them are truckies in NZ.

Cheers
Peter

"TimC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 at 10:44 GMT, fred nieman (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Of course there is the matter of particulate emissions from diesel
engines... but, ummm....

I was holding my nose a number of times this morning, because of
cars. I beg to disagree WRT trucks being worse.

The point about diesel particulate emmission is _not_ a problem of noxious
smells! It is all about the _known_ cancer causing properties of very small
particulates in diesel emmissions, that are fine enough to be breathed deep
into the tiny passages of your lungs. Petrol emmissions have lots of other
health risks but don't have this problem, so it is something that does make
diesel emmissions a greater health risk.

Cheers
Peter

"Peter Signorini" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"bjay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You were probably just unfortunate Richie to encounter one of the few

dodgy

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truckies (unless things are different in NZ?).

Yeah, some of those Maori boys have a different take on pakehas and life

in

Quoted message said:

general. Maybe a few of them are truckies in NZ.

Cheers
Peter

Is it just me, or is that a rather racist comment?

"Unregistered" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

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"Peter Signorini" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"bjay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You were probably just unfortunate Richie to encounter one of the few

dodgy

Quoted message said:

truckies (unless things are different in NZ?).

Yeah, some of those Maori boys have a different take on pakehas and life

in

Quoted message said:

general. Maybe a few of them are truckies in NZ.

Cheers
Peter

Is it just me, or is that a rather racist comment?

I hope not! Just pointing out that there is a little bit of a cultural
schism between Moari and whites in NZ. Probably for very good reason, but I
don't think it is a desirable approach to dealing with social problems.

Of course the truckie may have been white!

Cheers
Peter

richie said:

Riding on SH2 into Wgtn (NZ) (a 4 lane/2 wat motorway) and I swear to God a
large truck in the left hand land came up behind at 80-100kph swung in close
as it passed me and then swung back. I could see the driver looking in his
side mirror as I raised my finger. I've heard some truckies run competitions
to see how many cyclists they can blow over with a large draft at close
range.

I ride in a region which is heavily used by trucks involved in many different primary industries on narrow country roads. I've never had any real problems with the truckies . Though it is intimidating to be on the road with a semi trailer bearing down on you doing 90-100ks , you must be aware that they have a job to do and have as much right to be on the road as you. I actually wish they would give me a blast on a horn as they approach from behind , sometimes I don't hear them until they're about 50 metres or so. It is important to make yourself visible as necessary - lights ,bright clothing etc and stay as far left to let them pass.
Some of the riders I race with are truckies . You're just as bigger menace to them as they are to you , they don't wanna injure anyone , theyre just blokes out earning a living.
Sorry to read that you have had bad experiences with trucks. If it's worth it , speak to the police , take their rego numbers , company names etc .

cheers