CoachPotato continues to snort...

Au contraire, experts. I have years of big rig driving experience, and
much of it in the mountains. I drove logging trucks back in the 70s.
Those were the old days with twin stick main and Brownie transmissions,
selectable Jake brakes (2, 4 or 6 cyl) and uphill or downhill seemingly
all day long. I hauled logs in those days from the Susanville and
Chester areas to Red Bluff in Northern California. And I've hauled
lumber and plywood to the LA area from mills in the north. I've also
pulled tanks all over California, as well. I do have a clue about how
to drive a loaded big rig through the mountains.

And I'm gonna tell ya that if you're going downhill on an interstate
highway at 15 MPH in an RV or a big rig, or anything else, you're nuts.
You're causing an unnecessary hazard to other vehicles - some of which
weigh 40 tons and more.

You seldom see grades greater than 6% on the Interstate system. You may
see 7% grades on state or US highways, but I don't recall any such
interstates. And loaded to 80,000 lbs, the usual maximum big rig limit,
you can go downhill on the Jake for miles and miles at 35 MPH without
overheating the service brakes. I've done it hundreds of times. Didja
ever go down "Five Mile" towards Bakersfield on the "Grapevine" with a
backhaul of sheet rock? Maybe you should try it so you'd know something
of what you speak. If you drove down "Five Mile" at 15 MPH you'd likely
cause an accident.

For myself, slowing down for some fool doing 15 MPH downhill on an
interstate is something I don't recall ever having to do. My hope is
that you stay out of my way, Tom!

Third gear in a twelve speed transmission, eh,? Twelve speed? Well,
I've never driven a twelve speed, don't even recall hearing of one, but
third gear in the old 13 speed RoadRangers would likely be even less
than 15 MPH.

Chatter on, "experts"...

Dale

Tom J continued:

Thanks for the prayers and the best. Now don't worry about what you
say about the way you THINK I drive because it doesn't bother me 1
bit. The way you think is the way most truck drivers think. Did you
ever notice how few OLD truck drivers there are?? ;-(
===========================
Dear Tom,

It isn't the way I *think* you drive, it's the way you say you drive!

You claim to drive 15 MPH on interstate highway downgrades and even the
6% grade below Bakersfield. Man, that's my old stomping grounds and
I've *never* seen anyone drive that slowly there or anywhere else. I
don't know why you claim to drive so foolishly right here in front of
God and everyone. Strange. Any real truck driver that might join in
would tell you the same.

Loaded trucks blown over on the grapevine, and you saw it happen?
You've never seen a flatbed load blown over, I'd bet, and how can you
tell a van or tank is empty? Come on! Get real.

And now you're taking that old motorcycle drivel about no old truck
drivers, insinuating it's because they drive over 15 MPH down hills?!
Truck drivers generally grow old, Tom. Only 905 died in 2005 on the
job. That's a tiny minority. And I'd dare say most of those deaths were
caused by sleep deprivation or four wheelers.

I gotta give you the benefit of the doubt, Tom, and blame these
outrageous claims on medication or something. Nothing else makes sense.

I hope you do well. Let's continue this after you get back from a very
successful surgery.

Dale

I see where Jim Redelfs <jim.redelfs@NOSPAMredelfs.com> contributed:

See my reply to know-it-all.   The OP was in WV, BTW.

Will Sill
The Curmudgeon of Sill Hill

Typing single handed after bing cut on, but I can tell all of you that
there are interstates that have grades a lot steeper than 6% (most in
the East), Mount Eagle I-24 east bound in TN (MAXIUM truck speed if
fully loaded 25 mph) and very few try it that fast, I-40 in eastern
TN, same as as I-24 & the steepest grades of any, interstate I-68 in
West Viginia that makes several back to back 90 degree turns on short
radius at over 8% grade.

The last item I was rediculed on was 18 wheelers blowing over on the
interstate. Four times have I seen this. One WAS downhill on the Grape
Vine in CA where 8 trucks were blown over within minutes of each
other, spliting open and spilling loads. One was between Tuscaloosa
and Birmingham, AL on I-20 where a tornado picked a loaded truk up and
scattered it for about 1/2 mile. One was on the bridge from Buffalo,
NY to Ft. Erie Onterio where 2 18 wheelers being escorted by the
highway partol at 15 MPH because of high winds overturned while on the
bridge not moving. One was on I-194 just north of South Haven, MI
where a furniture van was blown off the road by staright line winds
coming off Lake Michigan. I was never there when it happened, but
there have been enough 18 wheelers blown over on the Mackinaw bridge
between Canada and upper MI, that they run escorts at 15 to 25 MPH
many days of the year and the bridge can be completely shut down for
hours at the time. I waited over 7 hours for them to open the bridge
on 1 trip.

When you guys have driven 48 states and Canada 12 months a year in all
weather conditions, Just maybe you'll get the message. If not, God
help you!!

Tom J