[Douglas]

I would like to think that driving at night (until dawn) would have many advantages. One thing I'm already aware of is there is a lot less traffic. I'd also like to think more weigh stations would be closed (I might be wrong on this), and also it being a bit easier to find a parking spot at truck stops during the day. It also seems like there'd be a lower chance of getting robbed during the day as well.

But are there any negative sides to night driving? Are there a lot less loads that need to be delivered at night? Driving in rain during night is probably a greater hazard than rain during the day.

[GAnthony]

Originally Posted by Douglas

I would like to think that driving at night (until dawn) would have many advantages. One thing I'm already aware of is there is a lot less traffic. I'd also like to think more weigh stations would be closed (I might be wrong on this), and also it being a bit easier to find a parking spot at truck stops during the day. It also seems like there'd be a lower chance of getting robbed during the day as well.

But are there any negative sides to night driving? Are there a lot less loads that need to be delivered at night? Driving in rain during night is probably a greater hazard than rain during the day.

negatives are many.

like the weather. you will be MORE focused then ever, watching for spin outs in the dark, beyond your headlights. animals running into the road, drunks driving, people driving without lights.

NO, NOT ALL weight stations are closed at night, you'd be surprised many are indeed a 24/7/365 operation, as many know, this is when drivers go rouge and carry either more weights, or drive past thier hours.

robbery, is another 24/7/365 thing.

parking may be a good perk, during the daytime, but when you think about it, how can YOU guarantee, that YOU will only be driving at night.>??

i right now, DO HAVE a night time driving job, it is dedicated...but i go back to the d/c center each morning.

truck stops for me are for only a coffee and a hot dog, as we get onsite fueling, so no need to find parking, to stay there for a 10 break.

the weather will run you down, wear you out...driving in fog is the worst. all other weather events are doable.

there is not always LESS traffic at night, nor do not believe there are no traffic jams..try driving thru a construction site, some time...

so you see, there aren't any more ADVANTAGES to driving at night, over driving during the day.

it all goes to the job YOU GET HIRED FOR........

if you work for a carrier, long haul...YOU WILL BE driving at all hours. you simply cannot choose all your driving hours, as you will have appointments to keep.

if you want a specific driving job, like i have, dedicated, THEN you can drive either day time only or night time only.

good luck

[Mr. Ford95]

I like driving at night..........but the weather sucks even more at night. Snow is terrible at night with how it reflects your headlights just like fog does. The flakes can also distort your depth perception and mesmerize a driver to the point it's a complete loss of focus and spatial awareness.

Many states only do construction work and lane closures at night instead of the day...........so 2 lanes of a 3 lane interstate are closed instead of 1, traffic jams can therefore be worse at night. The less traffic theory completely depends on your location. The roads around here do not really go quiet even in bad weather during the night. Come 2 am, I-95 going into DC starts picking up traffic. Mind you, rush hour coming out only truly stopped around 11 pm.......I was pushing snow for VDOT a few years ago, 1 am, roads were incredibly busy during a snowstorm where we saw 6 inches. It was very nerve-wracking being around that many doofuses.

[repete]

I run at night and run into lots of potential problems, but less than daytime. I've had beer bottles thrown at my trucks and snowballs/ice chunks tossed off overpasses. I've also hit lots of deer, coyotes and almost a bear all at night never in the day. Most appointments are in daytime so that can be a real logging problem if there is no onsite parking. The roads are poorly plowed at night, many times they only have one lane partially plowed and there's always some white knuckled slo-poke in that lane and they ALWAYS have their high beams on when you finally get around them. With all that said, I don't think I'd go back to day time and still drive.

[Hiringnow]

I have a day job for you. Call me. 479-668-0900

[VPIDarkAngel]

It has a few. Aside from the presence of deer and other wild, suicidal animals, there's a higher chance of black ice and other crappy weather causing trouble, along with the one I really despise: the wind. It's hard to see the weeds or treetops blowing about in the breeze at night. Also, with the 30 minute break, it's difficult to find a place to park for 30 minutes at night. Also, depending on your dining habits, some places that would have hot food during the day don't have that at night.

[Mr. Ford95]

Another problem at night that I have been noticing lately is the folks who have no clue how to dim their high beams. Just because your on a divided highway, that narrow grassy median does nothing to stop me from being blinded by your headlights of ignorance! Or they wait till your good and blinded to eventually dim them! Of course I also see the imbeciles who have an aversion for ever using their high beams, so they drive at 10-15 under the posted speed limit, and you run up on them VERY fast.

[repete]

I've been seeing alot of aholes with the LED off road light bars, those things are blindingly bright and half of em don't give a shizit that you can't see cause it's all about them!

[Mr. Ford95]

YES!! Those HIDs are also terrible, really wish they were banned. Yes the driver of the HID vehicle can see so great but the oncoming vehicles can't see jack!

Yes I realize that high beams during the day can be just as bad, I see plenty of that too but at night it's mush worse.

[repete]

I would love to have one of those old fully automatic BB guns you used to see at county fairs, just hook it up to the trucks air system and lay down a stream and let them drive thru it and take out those hi beams! You'd probably get away with it once maybe twice before getting caught but sure would be fun while it lasted!