Technologies in trucks for safety

[JHazaravis]

Hey drivers, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the safety technology in our trucks. Specifically, please feel free to share your thoughts on the following -

1. Effectiveness – Have any of these safety features ever helped you avoid an accident or hazardous situation?
2. Distractions – Do any of these technologies create distractions or unnecessary alerts while driving?

3. Trust & Reliability – Do you trust these systems to function correctly, or do you find yourself relying more on your own instincts and experience?
4. Adaptation – Did it take time to adjust to these technologies, or did they integrate smoothly into your driving routine?

5. Feedback & Improvements – If you could change or improve any aspect of these safety features, what would it be?

 

[389 Hood]

I'm going to answer this later when I find out if you are a bot, AI, etc... because the questions are valid ones.

In the meantime, I'm stuffing my face with dinner.

 

[Electric Chicken]

They range from minimally helpful to stressfully obnoxious.

The only one I could do with is adaptive cruise but only if it doesn't suddenly brake. Sometimes you just wanna follow someone without constantly kicking off your cruise.

 

[389 Hood]

Hey drivers, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the safety technology in our trucks. Specifically, please feel free to share your thoughts on the following -

1. Effectiveness – Have any of these safety features ever helped you avoid an accident or hazardous situation?

I like ABS myself, especially on wet roads.

2. Distractions – Do any of these technologies create distractions or unnecessary alerts while driving?

YES! Big time. Bright screens kill your night vision. Touch screens for 'infotainment' systems are a huge distraction. You actually have to look at the screen(s) rather than feel for buttons or switches. Dash mounted ELDs that reboot as you're driving down the road. I just put a hat over mine,
because I really dislike hats and I thought it to be a good use for one.

3. Trust & Reliability – Do you trust these systems to function correctly, or do you find yourself relying more on your own instincts and experience?

I trust my eyes and ears over some electronic gadget that has no clue of my surroundings.

4. Adaptation – Did it take time to adjust to these technologies, or did they integrate smoothly into your driving routine?

They actually factored in the nearer time to retire for me. I like switches, buttons, dial radios, CB's, mechanical engines, manual shift transmissions, Cat engines that blow black kitty litter when I get on it, long hoods, chicken lights and chrome. The rest of this technological shit can go to hell.

How's that for answers?

5. Feedback & Improvements – If you could change or improve any aspect of these safety features, what would it be?

I no long have to care or worry about it. I refuse to drive an 80,000 pound truck that is controlled by a computer for speed and braking.

 

[Duck]

Hey drivers, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the safety technology in our trucks. Specifically, please feel free to share your thoughts on the following -

1. Effectiveness – Have any of these safety features ever helped you avoid an accident or hazardous situation?
2. Distractions – Do any of these technologies create distractions or unnecessary alerts while driving?

3. Trust & Reliability – Do you trust these systems to function correctly, or do you find yourself relying more on your own instincts and experience?
4. Adaptation – Did it take time to adjust to these technologies, or did they integrate smoothly into your driving routine?

5. Feedback & Improvements – If you could change or improve any aspect of these safety features, what would it be?

Ditto everything 389 Hood said (except I think the brightness can be turned down)



If you want to increase safety, ditch the computer "assistance"

Give us side mirrors that have wipers and washers like the rear window of every minivan.

So many people don't turn on their headlights when driving in the rain, and it's hard to see them when my mirrors are covered with mist.

Having clean mirrors really helps with depth perception when backing into a dock or parking space too.

Even in the middle of a hellacious storm, I have to have my window open while backing up a trailer so there's one less rain-covered piece of glass interfering with my vision.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Ditto everything 389 Hood said (except I think the brightness can be turned down)



If you want to increase safety, ditch the computer "assistance"

Give us side mirrors that have wipers and washers like the rear window of every minivan.

So many people don't turn on their headlights when driving in the rain, and it's hard to see them when my mirrors are covered with mist.

Having clean mirrors really helps with depth perception when backing into a dock or parking space too.

Even in the middle of a hellacious storm, I have to have my window open while backing up a trailer so there's one less rain-covered piece of glass interfering with my vision.

I really like the idea of an automatic squeegee on the side mirrors. That would be brilliant. I have a mirror width squeegee I keep in the truck within arm's reach, but it's only good for the driver side in the moment. Doing the passenger side is another level, and by the time you get back into the driver's seat it's wet again. And you're not going to do either one of them while driving down the road.

 

[389 Hood]

I may get scolded about this, but I always used RainX on the mirrors and side windows. NEVER on the windshield. I put it on about every 2-3 weeks. Rain just blows right off. It's like there was no rain at all. Even tire spray just blows right off. I would put it on the headlights and fog lights too. Believe it or not, it makes a big difference in heavy rain.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I may get scolded about this, but I always used RainX on the mirrors and side windows. NEVER on the windshield. I put it on about every 2-3 weeks. Rain just blows right off. It's like there was no rain at all. Even tire spray just blows right off. I would put it on the headlights and fog lights too. Believe it or not, it makes a big difference in heavy rain.

What rainx did you use? I see different variations on the shelves these days.

I'd like to try it but don't know what to buy.

 

[gearjammer]

if you use rainx on the windshield at highway speeds, you don't even need wipers at all

 

[Duck]

if you use rainx on the windshield at highway speeds, you don't even need wipers at all

Every vehicle I've ever driven with Rain-X on the windshield would get a really bad glare from oncoming headlights.

 

[Rigjockey]

if you use rainx on the windshield at highway speeds, you don't even need wipers at all

That is true. I didn't even apply Rain-x to my windshield, I just used the Rain-x washer fluid and wipers and at highway speed didn't even need the wipers going.

 

[Electric Chicken]

That is true. I didn't even apply Rain-x to my windshield, I just used the Rain-x washer fluid and wipers and at highway speed didn't even need the wipers going.

RainX washer fluid is awesome. Especially the bug blaster stuff. I stocked up when Walmart put it on sale. It was the same price as the useless cheap blue stuff, so I got a dozen gallons or so.

 

[389 Hood]

Every vehicle I've ever driven with Rain-X on the windshield would get a really bad glare from oncoming headlights.

That is precisely why I NEVER put it on a windshield. I did use it once on my '59 Cadillac when the wipers quit on my way to Detroit with it.

What rainx did you use? I see different variations on the shelves these days.

I'd like to try it but don't know what to buy.

Just the original RainX in the yellow bottle.

 

[Duck]

RainX washer fluid is awesome. Especially the bug blaster stuff. I stocked up when Walmart put it on sale. It was the same price as the useless cheap blue stuff, so I got a dozen gallons or so.

I had that stuff freeze solid in the tank on my ranger once. The ranger had been sitting in Iowa for like 6 months and I drove it home for vacation.

It just so happened to be below zero °F that day and snowy, and the salt spray from everyone's tires was making it hard to see through the windshield.

I ended up putting cardboard over the grille to slow down the wind under the hood, and I poured a bottle of air brake deicer on top of the ice in the washer fluid tank.

And stopping at every other gas station to use the squeegee.

I was only about 100 miles from home by the time it thawed enough to start working.

Now I only use the blue stuff rated for -40°F

 

[Electric Chicken]

I had that stuff freeze solid in the tank on my ranger once. The ranger had been sitting in Iowa for like 6 months and I drove it home for vacation.

It just so happened to be below zero °F that day and snowy, and the salt spray from everyone's tires was making it hard to see through the windshield.

I ended up putting cardboard over the grille to slow down the wind under the hood, and I poured a bottle of air brake deicer on top of the ice in the washer fluid tank.

And stopping at every other gas station to use the squeegee.

I was only about 100 miles from home by the time it thawed enough to start working.

Now I only use the blue stuff rated for -40°F

Yeah it has a pretty high temp rating. Definitely not an all season.

 

[Hammer166]

Yeah it has a pretty high temp rating. Definitely not an all season.

The orange Rain-X is rated to -25°F. The bug remover that's purple is summer only.