NO HIGH BEAMS!

The freightliner might not have a headlight interrupt, but it's not that hard to turn the lights off and on. I agree the flashing of high beams is really annoying. I would rather you not do anything then flash me with the high beams at night. Day time is not bad but day time, just don't anything if your going to do that.

And then there are the drivers who pay NO attention, no matter what you do.

Whatever method you use to signal me it's okay to come back over, I appreciate it. Too many leave me guessing. I've never had anyone hold their brights on long enough to bother me, unless they're coming toward me.

I drive a Freightliner. Look for the button on wheel that reads MRKR INT. This cancels your lights.

Agreed, absolutely hate this with a passion. I refuse to flash my marker lights as a thank you because to me its more rude than polite.

1: I dont need you to tell me where the back of my trailer is. I have mirrors.

2: Its absolutely blinding and they always flash their high beams conveniently at the worst time; right when I'm looking directly at them.

3: If you're going to do it fine, blink your low beams.

I get blinded and say " Gee thanks, I have 8 more hours of night shift to go and my eyes hurt already now."

Thank you Daniel. Couldn't have said it any better.

You wouldn't drive towards oncoming traffic with your high beams on at night so what sense does it make to flash your high beams to signal that a driver has clearance to come back over? To me it makes no sense. I don't like to be bright lighted dog an' amount of time so I refrain from doing it to other drivers. Everyone's eyes adjust differently when bright lighted at night time and as far as I am concerned, it can potentially create a hazard. Especially if the driver that just got an eyeful of high beams already has poor night vision.

I drive a Freightliner. Look for the button on wheel that reads MRKR INT. This cancels your lights.

Unless yours is wired differently from every other FL I've driven, that just flashes your marker lights. The headlights and fog lights (if you have them) aren't on that circuit.

I drive a Freightliner. Look for the button on wheel that reads MRKR INT. This cancels your lights.

Unless yours is wired differently from every other FL I've driven, that just flashes your marker lights. The headlights and fog lights (if you have them) aren't on that circuit.

Sends same message.

Agreed, absolutely hate this with a passion. I refuse to flash my marker lights as a thank you because to me its more rude than polite.

1: I dont need you to tell me where the back of my trailer is. I have mirrors.

2: Its absolutely blinding and they always flash their high beams conveniently at the worst time; right when I'm looking directly at them.

3: If you're going to do it fine, blink your low beams.

I get blinded and say " Gee thanks, I have 8 more hours of night shift to go and my eyes hurt already now."

Someone here recently remarked about how whiny truck drivers can be... this thread is becoming exhibit A.

"It's absolutely blinding..." , "...my eyes hurt already now."

What? Do you have your gaze locked on that mirror? Ever heard of taking quick glances? Using your peripheral vision?

If there is no traffic behind the passing truck then I do not signal in any way and I expect that he will stay in the left lane until he is at least a couple truck lengths past me. What I find annoying as hell are these guys that think they need to get back in the right lane just as soon as their trailer clears the front of my truck. Unless you’ve got traffic bearing down on you, stay the hell in the left lane until you have established a safe following distance between us. I like to be able to see what’s in front of me down the road… I don’t want to be staring at the back of your trailer all the while it takes for you to pull away.

That said, if the passing truck has traffic behind him then he has good reason to get back over in the right lane as soon as possible. If he doesn’t, impatient 4-wheelers will start passing him on the right. In this case I will flash my fog lights to signal that it’s okay with me if he comes back over. (By the way, Daniel, it’s not a matter of me thinking that you don’t “know where the back of your trailer is.” It’s a matter of courtesy, me saying ‘I know you want to get over asap, I don’t mind if you cut back over in front of me now.” That’s how I see it.)

I think the high-beam flash has certain advantages. For one, unlike the low-beam dimmer, a high beam flash is unmistakable. I will notice it, even if not looking at my mirror. Other types of signaling require that you give more (maybe too much) attention to your mirror. This allows me to focus more on what is in front of me.

What I really don't get is statements like this:

" I refuse to flash my marker lights as a thank you."

The guy flashing his lights was extending courtesy to you! He had good intentions!

You're being a crybaby. "My eyes hurt, sniff, sniff."

And a jerk. "I refuse to thank him, blah, blah."

The guy flashing his lights was extending courtesy to you! He had good intentions!

The guy flashing his high beams in your mirrors is a lazy jerk who knows exactly the problem he's causing other people and doesn't care. Don't even pretend staring into bright lights doesn't blind people. Just say it like it is - you're too damn selfish and lazy to do the best thing for someone else, so instead you'll do the least you possibly can because that's what's convenient for you, and then pat yourself on the back and try to convince yourself you're a helpful guy.

If you're too lazy to help someone the right way then just stay out of their way and leave them alone. Blinding someone is not helpful, and pretending that bright lights straight into someone's eyes isn't blinding them makes you sound like an idiot.

Try doing your job to professional standards. Blinding other drivers does not qualify.

The guy flashing his lights was extending courtesy to you! He had good intentions!

The guy flashing his high beams in your mirrors is a lazy jerk who knows exactly the problem he's causing other people and doesn't care. Don't even pretend staring into bright lights doesn't blind people. Just say it like it is - you're too damn selfish and lazy to do the best thing for someone else, so instead you'll do the least you possibly can because that's what's convenient for you, and then pat yourself on the back and try to convince yourself you're a helpful guy.

If you're too lazy to help someone the right way then just stay out of their way and leave them alone. Blinding someone is not helpful, and pretending that bright lights straight into someone's eyes isn't blinding them makes you sound like an idiot.

Try doing your job to professional standards. Blinding other drivers does not qualify.

Wow! I can't believe how bent out of shape some of you get about this.

"lazy jerk" ???

I don't think so. He is just a driver that learned from someone that that's the way you're supposed to do it. Fact is, this custom (flashing your brights to invite a truck back in the right lane) has a long history with truck drivers. I remember, as a kid way, seeing truckers flash their brights for this reason and others. Hell, I remember it being common for drivers to flash their brights at oncoming traffic to warn them of a cop or other hazard ahead.

Another fact. This method is still customary in other countries. When I used to go into Canada I would see this all the time.

Perhaps you can use your influence to make driver courtesy part of the established training curriculum. Then everyone will know the "right" way of doing these things.