Author Topic: Too many lights on transport trucks (Read 6893 times)

quadzilla · « **on:** October 02, 2013, 09:50:54 am »

Between the trucks hogging the passing lane so nobody can get by and being cut off by a few trucks on my long drive home yesterday and seeing others also cut off as they drivers would pull out with only a couple of feet of space, one thing that really started to bug me was the amount of lights some of these trucks now have.

The worse one is red lights (facing the rear so you have to drive into them) that hang from the mirror and/or front bumper. Some of these are crazy bright, enough to bother while passing.

Another guy had about a dozen orange lights across his/her bumper, probably bright enough they didn't need to even use head lights.

Saw a couple of trucks that look like Christmas tree.

I have a feeling that if I put that many lights on my car I would be beat down and locked up for stunting in seconds but how can these guys get away with it. I thought there were laws about how many lights you can have on your vehicle.

Railton · « **Reply #1 on:** October 02, 2013, 11:38:50 am »

The Christmas lights don't bother me but the way they hang the parking lights off the front side corners of the cabs adds another 4 or 5 inches to the width of the cab that you have to maneuver around. Same for those spike like wheel nuts that stick out 3 inches or more from the face of the front wheels, WTF is wit h those?!
Railton

johngenx · « **Reply #2 on:** October 02, 2013, 11:55:03 am »

I could live without them driving 140 through Jasper on highway 16 relying on massive push bumpers to deal with wildlife strikes.

Railton · « **Reply #3 on:** October 02, 2013, 12:06:12 pm »

And while we're on the topic; there should be a law that regulates the 18 wheelers off the metro Toronto 400 series highways between the hours of 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Have them parked at rest stops.
Railton

Ex-airbalancer · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2013, 06:43:43 pm »

I have no problem with 95% of the truck out there
I have more problem with the drivers from COTU driving out here

X-Traction · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2013, 07:46:37 pm »

There's a lot of ego involved in equipping many transport trucks. It's an interesting subculture and several recent tv shows such as Ice Road Trucker and Highway Thru Hell provide a fascinating look at it.

Fobroader · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2013, 07:49:37 pm »

I have no issues with lights on them, I think they should be seen from far away.....most of the time they look cool. Much less distracting than the ricer with the $39.95 Shoppers Drug Mart "HID" lights.

Firm · « **Reply #7 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:01:38 pm »

Quote from: Railton on October 02, 2013, 12:06:12 pm

And while we're on the topic; there should be a law that regulates the 18 wheelers off the metro Toronto 400 series highways between the hours of 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Have them parked at rest stops.
Railton

Yeah, the lights don't bug me, but this is right on. Really, how productive can it be to have them on the road during these peak hours? There should at least be some type of restriction on them to prevent them from clogging the 401 at 6:30am....Maybe a certain permit that would allow them to be on the 400 series during those times if it was a rush delivery or something.

blotter · « **Reply #8 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:05:47 pm »

Quote

Maybe a certain permit that would allow them to be on the 400 series during those times if it was a rush delivery or something.

sounds like you're proposing another Government cash grab!

wouldn't it be something if a single lane of each 400 series highway was dedicated as a truck lane.
the logistics might be something to work on but i'm sure something like that could work.
single file, no passing, dedicated lane.

Weels · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:16:16 pm »

Quote from: Firm on October 04, 2013, 02:01:38 pm

...allow them to be on the 400 series during those times if it was a rush delivery or something.

Bet the majority of trucks on the 40X would be in this category since the 401 is essentially a warehouse on wheels

tpl · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:16:27 pm »

Quote from: blotter on October 04, 2013, 02:05:47 pm

Quote
Maybe a certain permit that would allow them to be on the 400 series during those times if it was a rush delivery or something.

sounds like you're proposing another Government cash grab!

wouldn't it be something if a single lane of each 400 series highway was dedicated as a truck lane.
the logistics might be something to work on but i'm sure something like that could work.
single file, no passing, dedicated lane.

That would not work for some obvious ( to me ) reasons.
With single file and no passing there would be a nose to tail, like 15 feet apart, convoy miles long moving at the speed of the slowest. You see the convoying happen anyway on the 401 but fortunately only a few trucks at a time.

If it were the right lane then how would a car exit. Would YOU try to squeeze into one of those gaps in the dark or in bad weather to exit...even if you could even see the exit sign. I wouldn't.

If it were the left lane then the other lanes would be full of trucks trying to enter or leave that lane on every exit/entrance and for the exiting trucks they would be moving right, their 'blind side' across two or three lanes of faster car traffic.

blotter · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:27:24 pm »

that's the "logistics" we need to figure out. LOL

something I'm sure could be figured out which is better than the status quo.
i think though the real trick is cash and some areas lack obvious expansion capabilities.

isn't there anywhere else in the world that has a better setup?

tenpenny · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:29:59 pm »

Since the 4xx series of highways is meant to be part of our national transportation system, why not ban local traffic and commuters from using them?

blotter · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:31:11 pm »

we have a national transportation system???

Seafoam · « **Reply #14 on:** October 04, 2013, 04:15:29 pm »

Quote from: blotter on October 04, 2013, 02:31:11 pm

we have a national transportation system???

We had one until Mulroney pulled up all the railway tracks .

tpl · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2013, 04:47:04 pm »

Quote from: blotter on October 04, 2013, 02:27:24 pm

that's the "logistics" we need to figure out. LOL

something I'm sure could be figured out which is better than the status quo.
i think though the real trick is cash and some areas lack obvious expansion capabilities.

isn't there anywhere else in the world that has a better setup?

In France large trucks are not allowed on the roads on Sundays.

I think that the idea of no trucks at rush hours has promise but that would mean 3pm to 8pm and 6am to 10am on the 401 between KW and TO

Why not just widen the 401 to 4 lanes from Mississauge to Windsor and the QEW the same from the 427 to the US border. And when the road builders have finished there how about 6-8 total lanes of expressway from Ottawa to Vancouver...with tunnels through the snowy, steep bits. Its only money, take it out of equalization.

Railton · « **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2013, 05:23:30 pm »

Quote from: Firm on October 04, 2013, 02:01:38 pm

Quote from: Railton on October 02, 2013, 12:06:12 pm
And while we're on the topic; there should be a law that regulates the 18 wheelers off the metro Toronto 400 series highways between the hours of 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Have them parked at rest stops.
Railton

Yeah, the lights don't bug me, but this is right on. Really, how productive can it be to have them on the road during these peak hours? There should at least be some type of restriction on them to prevent them from clogging the 401 at 6:30am....Maybe a certain permit that would allow them to be on the 400 series during those times if it was a rush delivery or something.

Fack the permits and special lanes - just ban them from using the metro highways between the hours of 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Chances are good anyway that they need a rest. Everyone wins.
Railton

Triple Bob · « **Reply #17 on:** October 05, 2013, 07:10:10 pm »

Quote from: Railton on October 02, 2013, 11:38:50 am

Same for those spike like wheel nuts that stick out 3 inches or more from the face of the front wheels, WTF is with those?!
Railton

This! ^^ It's like frickin' Ben Hur out there! Those would be highly illegal in the UK, I'm amazed they are legal here.

KD · « **Reply #18 on:** October 05, 2013, 09:11:30 pm »

Quote from: johngenx on October 02, 2013, 11:55:03 am

I could live without them driving 140 through Jasper on highway 16 relying on massive push bumpers to deal with wildlife strikes.

I know the majority of trucking companies around here are moving to a govern system that limits speed to 100km/h max. It saves a huge amount of fuel and I'm sure it also reduces accidents. Some of the private ones are real assholes though, especially the logging trucks! But for the most part most have figured out they can save fuel by slowing down without any loss in time.

X-Traction · « **Reply #19 on:** October 05, 2013, 10:39:05 pm »

Quote from: KarlsDarwin on October 05, 2013, 09:11:30 pm

Quote from: johngenx on October 02, 2013, 11:55:03 am
I could live without them driving 140 through Jasper on highway 16 relying on massive push bumpers to deal with wildlife strikes.

I know the majority of trucking companies around here are moving to a govern system that limits speed to 100km/h max. It saves a huge amount of fuel and I'm sure it also reduces accidents. Some of the private ones are real assholes though, especially the logging trucks! But for the most part most have figured out they can save fuel by slowing down without any loss in time.

Maybe this is why they block the rare double uphill passing lanes on a lot of highways, because they can't go fast enough to pass on the flats.