Tingting Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 I realize this is slightly off-topic (sorry), but this whole situation and the rather "Wild West" driving conditions finally got us to install our dashcams (front and rear) that had been sitting unused for a while. They're surprisingly pretty cheap for good quality. No it won't prevent any accidents, but it may just save our bacon if we're in one and there is a question of who's at fault. Just my two centavos, but I really recommend them if you drive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside7 Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Tingting said: I realize this is slightly off-topic (sorry), but this whole situation and the rather "Wild West" driving conditions finally got us to install our dashcams (front and rear) that had been sitting unused for a while. They're surprisingly pretty cheap for good quality. No it won't prevent any accidents, but it may just save our bacon if we're in one and there is a question of who's at fault. Just my two centavos, but I really recommend them if you drive. That is a great idea...I guess it will work ok if you are involved with another "foreigner" but I have my doubts if your accident involves a Mexican Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tingting Posted September 21, 2021 Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 I was thinking along the lines of at least preventing you from being accused of something that you clearly didn't do, not to sue because that's (usually) a losing situation. I wasn't going to mention this, so will try to make it very short. When I was doing a bike tour in Mexico, I was hit by a bus. I had done everything right (stayed all the way to the right, bright clothes. lights, etc) and yet the driver hit the car in front of him, fishtailed and hit me, sending me and my bike flying. There were 2-3 motor vehicles involved and me (yay, my luck!) with one person killed. I had to give a statement to the investigating official and was absolutely scared out of my gourd that I'd get the blame. I didn't have a GoPro, so it was just my word/statement. While it seemed a bit on the cold side, the cops were professional and I was out of there after a few hours. Lesson learned and the next time, I'll have a camera. Absolutely worth the investment. BTW, while I was injured, I was super, super grateful just to get out of there and return home...and on a funny note, the bike was titanium, so it came out like a champ, just needed some wheel/spoke adjustments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeser Posted October 8, 2021 Report Share Posted October 8, 2021 Large trucks, RVs, buses and trains all use air brakes. The brakes go off when air pressure is applied, brake full on is the default position. You often hear a loud hiss when one of these is started and before driving off, that is the air exiting to let the brake off. No emergency or parking brake is necessary as a lack of air pressure lets the brakes activate. If you see a tow truck towing a large truck or bus note that it has an air hose from the wrecker to the dead rig in order to get the brakes off. I am sure many of you have seen the signs calling for the use of the engine or Jake brake on mountain roads in the USA as it is standard practice. When a vehicle's brake is used on a long decent they over heat and stop working. This does not happen with the engine brake. Sure they make noise but they are the most reliable way to slow a heavy load. It is a wonder that more trucks and buses haven't plowed through the Walmart intersection. The people who complain about the noise should ask themselves if this is new or was it the situation when they purchased their home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside7 Posted October 8, 2021 Report Share Posted October 8, 2021 42 minutes ago, geeser said: Large trucks, RVs, buses and trains all use air brakes. The brakes go off when air pressure is applied, brake full on is the default position. You often hear a loud hiss when one of these is started and before driving off, that is the air exiting to let the brake off. No emergency or parking brake is necessary as a lack of air pressure lets the brakes activate. If you see a tow truck towing a large truck or bus note that it has an air hose from the wrecker to the dead rig in order to get the brakes off. I am sure many of you have seen the signs calling for the use of the engine or Jake brake on mountain roads in the USA as it is standard practice. When a vehicle's brake is used on a long decent they over heat and stop working. This does not happen with the engine brake. Sure they make noise but they are the most reliable way to slow a heavy load. It is a wonder that more trucks and buses haven't plowed through the Walmart intersection. The people who complain about the noise should ask themselves if this is new or was it the situation when they purchased their home. My guess is that many people purchased homes here before the start of the heavy traffic and more new construction...or not 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyPanda Posted October 8, 2021 Report Share Posted October 8, 2021 59 minutes ago, geeser said: Large trucks, RVs, buses and trains all use air brakes. The brakes go off when air pressure is applied, brake full on is the default position. You often hear a loud hiss when one of these is started and before driving off, that is the air exiting to let the brake off. No emergency or parking brake is necessary as a lack of air pressure lets the brakes activate. If you see a tow truck towing a large truck or bus note that it has an air hose from the wrecker to the dead rig in order to get the brakes off. I am sure many of you have seen the signs calling for the use of the engine or Jake brake on mountain roads in the USA as it is standard practice. When a vehicle's brake is used on a long decent they over heat and stop working. This does not happen with the engine brake. Sure they make noise but they are the most reliable way to slow a heavy load. It is a wonder that more trucks and buses haven't plowed through the Walmart intersection. The people who complain about the noise should ask themselves if this is new or was it the situation when they purchased their home. Hardly the point. Using jake brakes in most of the US and Canada is illegal in residential areas. Here, who knows, but it is unnecessary. Coming down the libramiento at speeds fast enough to overheat is definitley illegal. As well as stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcscats Posted October 9, 2021 Report Share Posted October 9, 2021 You can muffle or unmuffle a jake/exhaust brake. The real loud ones are the un muffled type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside7 Posted October 9, 2021 Report Share Posted October 9, 2021 But when in Mexico the loudest is the best..forget about the quality 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVGRINGO Posted October 9, 2021 Report Share Posted October 9, 2021 My guess is that Andy has never driven a big rig with air brakes. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyPanda Posted October 10, 2021 Report Share Posted October 10, 2021 Your disrespectful comment deserves no answer that would help you understand my life or anything about me, and you don't actually give a crap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted October 10, 2021 Report Share Posted October 10, 2021 5 hours ago, RVGRINGO said: My guess is that Andy has never driven a big rig with air brakes. Well I have and Andy is making a valid point. That incline is neither sufficiently steep or sufficiently long to require use of a jake or pac brake. Any properly loaded and maintained truck that approaches that short incline can easily handle it with brakes if approached at an appropriate speed. Same goes for the libremiento in front of WalMart. All the time I see truckers in Mexico driving unsafe and overloaded rigs far too fast. It is very easy to spot one of these trucks by how they sit low on their suspensions and wallow with every bump. Start watching them and it will be obvious pretty quickly because there is zero inspection of very often if not usually overloaded trucks with lousy maintenance of tires and brakes any other safety equipment, no mufflers, untrained and unskilled drivers because of the lack of training. The truck accident rate in this country is atrocious. Truck and bus accidents kill multiple people, including drivers, in this country every day. Because the government is so derelict in performing even the most basic oversight of the trucking industry in this country they are wrecking the roads, killing people, blasting everyone with a bunch of unnecessary noise and pollution. Take a drive on the so called "Pan American Highway", Ruta 45 for a first hand experience in all of the above. I just did. It is a primary truck route and most of it is just simply destroyed and dangerous by the hundreds of trucks that use it. I can't imagine how anyone could ship product over that road without it and the truck arriving with a lot of damage. I don't blame the drivers because the corrupt companies they work for give them the choice of either driving these death traps on wheels or not working at all. And we all know how high unemployment is in this country and how people are desperate for work, any work, that pays them enough to live on. So they get out their and risk their lives, and ours, and wreck the country's roads. Not long ago when this was being debated at some level of government it was the drivers asking for more inspections and weighing. This whole trucking situation in this country, which is typified by this all too common type of accident, is a national disgrace. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil in mexico Posted October 10, 2021 Report Share Posted October 10, 2021 Most all gravel, cement, and other material trucks are overloaded, causing brake failures and road damage, it would be nice and smart if transito would apply there investigations efforts on other violations other than only looking for gringos without seat belts attached. There are so many safety violations on Mexican vehicles its truly dangerous, yet they concentrate on paper work and seat belts, I see so many vehicles with nonfunctioning brake lights which in my opinion is a mortal sin !! I'm venting I need to stop, Drive defensively ⚠️ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stream Posted October 10, 2021 Report Share Posted October 10, 2021 Heavy machinery has it hazards no matter how many safety features. The automatic braking due to low pressure isn't that great when already at speed on a downhill grade. Pretty much an invitation to overheated brakes dragging the pads on the drums. I know the automatic braking didn't do me any good coming down a mountain one day. One trip luckily all the ammo in a friends small trailer behind his 5 ton truck was empty when automatic braking it lit the trailer brakes on fire. That was funny rolling up on him on fire. His extinguisher didn't put it out but my 5 gallon water can seeped into the inside of the brakes and put it out. Brakes had to be caged open so he could drive without lighting back on fire. Yep heavy machinery has it's hazards and sometimes the hazard can be the safety features Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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