Tips & Tricks - Ask a question.

greenspun.com : LUSENET : B.C. Trucker's Forum : One Thread

This categories for 'newbies' wanting technical or drivng tips, or 'old-timers' wishing to share their experience.

-- Gary Allan Halonen (g_a_halonen@hotmail.com), July 11, 2001

Answers

Sorry for not replying earlier (I've been on the road). The sound you describe are probably Engine Brakes (usually refered to as a Jake Brake) which a truck driver uses to slow the truck down quickly while going down hill. Not to get too technical, but the engine brakes are applied by throwing a switch on the dash which cuts the fuel to usually two or four cylinders which forces the truck to slow down.

That loud noise you hear is the back-pressure coming from the exhaust. The engine manufacturers are coming out with quieter engine brakes starting later this year ( but I don't think you'll notice any difference for quite a few years yet).

As for why do the truckers come up behind your car and apply those brakes? I suspect that if it is happening quite often to you, it's probably because you tend to slow down your car too much while you're car is going downhill which is, by the way, a very DANGEROUS and STUPID thing to do!!

Try to keep with the 'pace of the traffic', that is, go the speed that others around you are going. If you must slow down for a steep hill just so you don't pick up too much speed as you go down, ONLY slow down slightly unless weather and road conditions warrant it.

Some truckers will use the sound of applying their Jake Brakes as a means of intimidating slower drivers to get out of their way. This use, I do not condone. That also is DANGEROUS and STUPID. I've seen too many people get frightened and automatically slow down even more, or even apply their brakes! Just the opposite of what the trucker was trying to do (which is get out of his way). It makes for an unsafe situation especially if the truck is right up the ass of the car!!

I think we should write the phone number down if available on the trailor of the rig and call and report the driver to the company. They are a menace on our roads and is a form of road rage (threatening other drivers).

As for you Jane, again try to keep up to the flow of the traffic around you. Don't unduly slow down on steep down-grades and force traffic behind you to pile up (literally). If you're too cowardice to drive the speeds of our highways and thus cause unnecessary dangerous slowdowns, get someone else to drive!!

Gary

-- Gary (g_a_halonen@hotmail.com), July 22, 2001.


Why do you guys come up to my car so fast and make that God awful noise? It sounds like your motor is going to blow up! What is that?

-- Jane (jane@yahoo.com), July 17, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ