How to pilot

[Ozy]

I've been this close to committing ritual seppuku lately at the behavior of car drivers/pilots specifically, so have a guide.

 

How to pilot

by Ozy

 

So, let me open this up with something that should be obvious but many people do not understand; You are not a admin. You are not a cop. Let me say that again. You are not a cop. You are not a cop.

 

Now that that's out of my system, let's move on to what a pilot car is.

 

What is a pilot car?

Within the context of real life, a pilot car escorts a oversized/overweight load ensuring the safety of the load and other drivers. But, since we don't have any "real" oversized loads (Arguably the only things applicable "oversized" loads are the heavier construction equipment, due to their odd dimensions.), they are more likely used as convoy escorts for player convoys.

 

What is a pilot cars responsibility?

Since you asked, as mentioned, you're not a cop. What your job is is ensuring the safety of the load (Within the context of ATS/ETS2, the convoy) and other drivers on the road around your convoy.

 

How?

Through several main ways:

• Acting as the convoys eyes and ears. You're supposed to be up ahead of the convoy, spotting oncoming traffic, obstacles, etc, and relaying them over voice comms (be it in game CB or TeamSpeak)
• Navigating the various streets, highways, etc, among your route. It's your job and the convoy planners job to ensure the route is planned properly and everything is in place before you depart. Don't be that guy who makes a wrong turn and logjams the whole convoy.
• Acting as a warning device to other drivers, particularly on smaller roads.
• Ensuring the convoy gets from point A to point B safely.

Maneuvering, vehicle operation, etc.

 

There is really only two places the Pilot cars should be; at the front and at the back. Your job is utterly defeated by hanging in the middle of the convoy for extended periods of time as a pilot car.

 

 

Here's a (poorly drawn) Illustration of pilot cars in relevance to a convoy on a 4 lane highway:

 

Not a few things:

1. The pilot cars are not blocking or obstructing any traffic.
2. Non-convoy traffic has a clear route to pass the convoy, which will likely be driving slower than normal traffic due to its size.
3. The convoy trucks are contained within the two pilots. The pilots job is to make sure the truckers know about other traffic and that the other traffic knows about the convoy.
4. I understand controlling Convoys, particularly large ones, can be very hard, but AVOID the convoy taking up multiple lanes of a multi-lane highway. It's bad form and there will be other drivers who will want to pass the convoy. Take up the most-right lane (or in Britian, most left) and only use the others for people passing within the convoy or for making turns. On larger convoys you usually can count on having at least 1 admin able to help you out with this.

 

Some times, pilots must also take initiative to ensure the convoy can safely traverse a adverse situation. A few examples:

• If approaching a tight turn/intersection, and traffic is nearby, you're better off letting that traffic through before proceeding. You're about to potentially hog up that intersection for a while with the convoy and there's no use forcing the traffic to be stuck. Particularly true if you need to make a tight turn and the traffic is in the other lane which the truckers might need to use to turn.
• When approaching a left hand turn (or right hand turn in UK) on a two way highway, the rear pilot car should swing out *before* the convoy and occupy the left hand lane. Illustration:

 

 

Spacing + Small roads/tight corners

While spacing isn't as important on divided highways, on rural/two lane roads, the lead pilot car should increase its spacing from the convoy. It may be practical to shift the convoys arrangement from the typical highway arrangement to this:

This is for several reasons:

• The highway/road is no longer divided. Oncoming traffic colliding with the convoy is now a real possibility.
• Many roads have tight/blind corners that are prone to truck collisions.
• The lead vehicle, 3-500m infront of the convoy, can act two fold; to act as the convoys eyes and ears for oncoming traffic, and to let oncoming traffic know there is a convoy approaching.
• This ensures both the convoy and oncoming traffic knows about eachother before they meet on a small road or blind corner. Both are more prepared to safely navigate the situation, both slow down, etc.
• Pilot 2 takes over the role of 'leading' the convoy from its direct front. A rear car is no longer as important compared with the threat of oncoming traffic.

 

Setting up your ride for pilot duty

You've read the guide and want to shred it, what do you do with the Skoda?

1. Dump the big engine. You won't be needing it, it's way too finnicky, hard to handle, and you won't be needing to go 140mph anyways.
2. Use the pilot lightbar (Duh.)
3. Use the pilot skin. Don't be that guy who is like "BRUHHH IM A PILOT!" when you have a savefile modded metallic skin on the car. You just look like a troll and no ones going to take you seriously (If anyone will anyways)
4. If in some kind of official convoy, set your clan tag to CONVOY PILOT or something among those lines. It reaffirms who you are because there  will be trolls in fake pilot cars pretending to know what they're doing. The key difference is they don't and you do.

 

Conclusion

I hope this guide has at least partially taught you how to pilot. Hopefully we can fix the reputation all pilots are trolls one convoy at a time.

Have fun!

 

[DMGangster]

Very nice and very helpful thank you dude.

[Guest]

Thanks dude! 

[SpiritualWolf38]

Thanks for the guide Ozy.

[Cyrusj]

Very nice guide, thanks for taking the time to explain in detail.

[Empirekicking]

very good, and hope people will read an go with the rules. 

[Kael.]

Very good Congratulations

[Trucking Australia]

This may actually help with those who want to have a pilot company or similar or just want to be a proper pilot themselves. 

 

Well done

[James8956]

Can i use this guide on my website?

 

[Ozy]

^Give credit and sure

[Ozy]

Had a idea pertaining to this,

Would anyone (Mostly VTC's since this would most directly apply to you) be interested in me handing out 'certificates' to people who understand this guide and can answer basic theoretical questions around its content?

So, i.e, you'd read the guide, answer several theoretical questions about piloting/the guide/common sense, and if you pass you get a shiny digital certificate stating you've met the standards set forth by this guide. I'd keep a master list and tamper-proof the shiny digital certificate to prevent counterfeits going around if it becomes a issue.

 

It wouldn't have any real authority  or anything, it'd be completely optional, but it'd be a nice way to raise standards and reward people who do so. Curious on thoughts, mostly from VTC CEO's because you'd be the ones who would want to enforce such standards if it's a issue in your companies currently.

[Trucking Australia]

^ The guides section is like the unofficial tools, unless they are made by a high ranking team member, they are not official. So anything like you suggested will not happen because they are not officially associated with MP

[Ozy]

^I never said it'd have any official power or authority, it's purely optional.

You wouldn't have to do it to pilot or do anything like that. Purely optional if people want to improve their own standards.

 

if it's that much of a issue to administration though then I guess not.

[Trucking Australia]

If you want to deal out cert's I don't see why not but they wouldn't mean anything

[Ozy]

^Yeah, that's my point.

They wouldn't have any official meaning, it'd only be worthwhile if VTC's want to enforce them on their companies, which is why I was asking if there's any interest in anything like that, since it's to my understanding the general quality of pilot's right now is bad.

 

If there isn't interest in it obviously I won't pursue it.

[Alv4s0r]

^^ It could be "anything" but when it have only "few" drivers it could be good start to be company pilot or pilot for our convoys.

 

If it will be objective cert. it could be helpfull with choose pilots right 
 

[Half Blood Prince]

It's really really nice guide. I hope some players will learn from it. Thanks !

[Digital]

Very detailed guide and well-written. The images also help those which prefer a visual learning style like myself. I'll definitely share this with anyone that has concerns about piloting.

[DrHam]

Amazing guide! Hope all the pilots read this. You've  got a reputation point from me

[Fred]

Amazing.. no words

[the bored hermit]

Great guide very detailed sure will help me with piloting 

[LordBenji]

Really nice guide! But I have one concern about particularly large convoys. Not that I will host or pilot one, but I am just curious about how it could work out. You mentionned about pilot #1 leading and pilot #2 tailing in "safe" highways (4 ways highways with obstruction in middle). Let's say there's a convoy with at least 10-15 trucks, how would they manage it if they enter a rural road? Or is it a special case where pilots manage the convoy differently?

[causevd]

Thanks for the explanation, I appreciate it. By the way do you know by any chance where we can look for pilots? For example I am driving a 125Tons cargo but none of my friends is online, like is there like a website where people sign up that they can be hired as pilots or?

Cheers!

[Ozy]

@causevd I've thought about making one where pilots can get 'independently certified' using the standards set in this guide and people can search a list of them, but I haven't had the time for it.

 

@Kr4zyB3n Same way as outlined in the guide; Pilot 1 will move a couple hundred meters infront of the convoy and act as a scout; notifying the convoy of oncoming traffic and notifying oncoming traffic about the convoy approaching (I know everyone, myself included, tends to drift and we don't pay the most attention when we think we're driving alone on a rural road - notification to oncoming traffic to pay more attention because a convoy is coming stops a lot of potential accidents). Pilot 2 will switch from the rear to the direct front of the convoy where Pilot 1 was.

The idea being that - particularly on blind rural curves - any oncoming traffic would see the first pilot car and not the 10-15 trucks of the convoy taking the turn, thus (Ideally) slowing down/getting more control as needed. Also if there is a situation where the oncoming traffic isn't the best at driving, they'd just hit the first pilot car and the rest of the convoy would have ample time to stop instead of a pileup situation occuring.

[MaxOMax]

Nicely done