History Main / DrivingIntoATruck

* [[ActionDad Stan Smith]] from ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' pulls off one at the episode ''Tears of a Clooney''. To get rid of Creator/GeorgeClooney's bodyguards on motor cycles he drives in front of them with a truck and brakes. After that he proceeds to [[HumanMail ship]] them out of country. Clooney thinks it's ActuallyPrettyFunny.

When the truck is moving, the main difficulty of course is the speed difference between the truck's ramp and the road. The Series/{{Mythbusters}}, once again, have [[TruthInTelevision shown that this is possible]], even demonstrating the trope with a car and a truck. [[labelnote:SCIENCE!]]This is due to the fact that while there is indeed a big difference to the speeding tires from the transition of passing road to static truck, the car's overall inertia is enough to overcome this and decelerates the tires. In this case, only the speed of the overall mass of the car matters, relative to the truck; the wheel speed is irrelevant. Still, it goes without saying that this is not something [[DontTryThisAtHome you should try at home.]] Even if it is completely possible, it is still a risky and highly dangerous manuver, one that should be left to professional drivers on a closed course. On top of this is the risk that you can do some major damage to your car's engine and transmission if it is not properly strengthened.[[/labelnote]] Still, it goes without saying that this is not something [[DontTryThisAtHome you should try at home.]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* In Disney/Pixar's ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'', this is where Lightning [=McQueen=] ''lives''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film -- Animation]]

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Series/{{Mythbusters}}'' did it once, to see if it was really doable or just Hollywood magic. It is really doable in either direction. The reason it works is because when the car hits the ramp, it's inertia keeps it moving at the same speed, forcing the tires (whether they are connected to the drive train or not) to quickly slow down.

Even though there's hundreds of cops looking for the car, and roadblocks are checking every vehicle, [[PoliceAreUseless distracted police]] fail to [[FailedASpotCheck check inside that big truck or look under the tarp of a flatbed trailer]]. In the variant where the car is hidden under a tarp on a flatbed, this is PaperThin Disguise.

Even though there's hundreds of cops looking for the car, and roadblocks are checking every vehicle, [[PoliceAreUseless distracted police]] fail to [[FailedASpotCheck check inside that big truck or look under the tarp of a flatbed trailer]].

Common to spy thriller shows that put RuleOfCool before realism and meticulously-planned CaperCrew heists. When the truck is trying to ''force'' you to drive into it's cargo area (or is driving into you with a big, open door), see MegaMawManeuver. Marginally related to PunkInTheTrunk (in the sense of stowing away in another vehicle). [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] simply plowing into one and crashing your car.

When the truck is moving, the main difficulty of course is the speed difference between the truck's ramp and the road. The Series/{{Mythbusters}}, once again, have [[TruthInTelevision shown that this is possible]], even demonstrating the trope with a car and a truck. [[labelnote:SCIENCE!]]This is due to the fact that while there is indeed a big difference to the speeding tires from the transition of passing road to static truck, the car's overall inertia is enough to overcome this and decelerates the tires. In this case, only the speed of the overall mass of the car matters, relative to the truck; the wheel speed is irrelevant. Still, it goes without saying that this is not something [[DontTryThisAtHome you should try at home.]] Even if it is completely possible, it is still a risky and highly dangerous manuver, one that should be left to professional drivers on a closed course. On top of this is the risk that you can do some major damage to your car's engine and transmission if it is not properly strengthened.[[/labelnote]]

The spy car needs to evade his pursuers, and/or make a pit stop while on the run. What to do?

Why, drive up into the back of a conveniently waiting semi, of course! Then you can sneak past your pursuers, RightUnderTheirNoses! Often the truck trailer will contain a complete auto shop. Sometimes a bus, airplane or other large vehicle will be used instead.

When the truck is moving, the main difficulty of course is the speed difference between the truck's ramp and the road. The Series/{{Mythbusters}}, once again, have [[TruthInTelevision shown that this is possible]], even demonstrating the trope with a car and a truck. [[labelnote:SCIENCE!]]This is due to the fact that while there is indeed a big difference to the speeding tires from the transition of passing road to static truck, the car's overall inertia is enough to overcome this and decelerates the tires. In this case, only the speed of the overall mass of the car matters, relative to the truck; the wheel speed is irrelevant. Still, it goes without saying that this is not something [[DontTryThisAtHome you should try at home.]] Even if it is completely possible, it is still a risky and highly dangerous manuver, one that should be left to professional drivers. On top of this is the risk that you can do some major damage to your car's engine and transmission if it is not properly strengthened.[[/labelnote]]

Common to spy shows. When the truck is trying to force you to drive into it (or is driving into you), see MegaMawManeuver. Marginally related to PunkInTheTrunk (in the sense of stowing away in another vehicle). [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] simply plowing into one and crashing your car.

[[folder:Film--Animation]]

[[folder:Film--Live Action]]
* Used in ''Film/TheGumballRally'' to evade a police roadblock and make a pit stop.

* The original ''Film/TheItalianJob1969'' is probably the TropeMaker. In the film, three Mini Coopers make their getaway by driving up into the back of a converted bus. The [[Film/TheItalianJob2003 2003 remake]] does this with a boxcar.
* ''Film/HudsonHawk''. The ambulance carrying Eddie and Tommy Five-Tone away from the Mayflowers drives up a ramp into a truck.
* ''Film/NeverSayNeverAgain''. While James Bond is riding a motorcycle the enemy {{Mooks}} force him to ride up a ramp into a truck so he can be captured. However, as the ramp is rising up to trap him he guns it and jumps the motorcycle over the ramp and out of the truck.
** In ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'', a "[[WeaponsUnderstudies Jeep]]" evades pursuers by driving onto the lowered rear door of a taxiing [[WeaponsUnderstudies C-130]].

* In ''Film/SpeedZone'', a speeder calls for help to a trucker hauling a empty car carrier when being pursued by a state cop. The trucker agrees. With some fancy driving the speeder loses the cop by driving aboard the car carrier... or so he thinks. The speeder unexpectedly gets a tap on his window, and the cop is there asking him for his license and registration. (Its implied that the cop has driven aboard the car carrier also.) The speeder gets out of the ticket because the truck hasn't stopped, and they all cross a state line, so the cop is now out of his jurisdiction.
* In ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', the Mule escapes the Reavers by driving up the ramp into ''Serenity''.
* The Argo Jeep and a cargo shuttlecraft play this role in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis''. Picard even drives the Argo ''over a cliff'' in order to park it in the shuttle.

* Done similarly in ''Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit'', where the sheriff's car jumps off the side of an berm and lands on a flatbed truck.
* In ''Film/TheTransporter'', the Martin drives off a bridge onto a moving car carrier, landing on a conveniently empty spot, then knocks off the car behind him and backs off the truck.
* In ''Film/FastFive'', they use two cars and a chain to slide a container into a truck.
* Done in the first ''Film/{{Taxi}}'' movie by the German bank robbers. They drive in a truck, paint their cars a different color and flee under the police's nose.
* After the gang pulls off the ArmedBlag at the start of ''Film/DiamondsOnWheels'', the drive the hijacked armoured van into the back of a waiting truck and drive off.

* ''Film/AirAmerica''. The protagonists crash a cargo plane on a jungle runway. Later when they're being pursued, they land the smaller airplane they're flying on the same runway and taxi it straight into the cargo bay of the previous aircraft, ripping its wings off but concealing them from the helicopters searching for them.
* One of the female main characters in ''Film/TheStabilizer'' is captured by the bad guys when they ram her car into a back of a truck with an another truck.

* An unintentional version happens during a car chase in TheEighties cop show ''Collision Course''. In a subversion, the car smashes through the front of the truck instead of stopping.

* A similar trick is pulled on Commander Shaw in one of the novels of Philip [=McCutcheon=].

* ''Series/KnightRider'' is the TropeCodifier, using KITT's mobile support unit The Rook.
** Inverted in an episode where they're up against a gang of truck hijackers. KITT drives out of the truck instead, in a TrojanHorse ploy.
** Played with by ''Series/TeamKnightRider'' and ''Knight Rider'' version 2 (2008), where it's a C-130 cargo plane instead.
* ''Series/{{Mythbusters}}'' did it once, to see if it was really doable or just Hollywood magic. It is really doable in either direction. The reason it works is because when the car hits the ramp, it's inertia keeps it moving at the same speed, forcing the tires (whether they are connected to the drive train or not) to quickly slow down.
* One of the stunt challenges on ''Series/FearFactor'' required the participants to drive a car up the ramp of a moving truck as the last part of the challenge. Inside the truck was a ramp that would flip the car and send it flying out the side of the truck for a spectacular movie-style ending.

* ''Series/PersonOfInterest''. When Samaritan agents finally locate Sameen Shaw, Root rescues her on a motorbike and they drive into the back of a furniture-moving truck (the removalists are unaware of this) to hide from Samaritan's [[BigBrotherIsWatchingYou all-pervasive surveillance]]. Later Detective Fusco pulls over the truck on some pretext in an area not monitored by CCTV cameras, and lets them out.
* ''Series/DoctorWho''. In "The Invasion", the Doctor and Jaime are snatched off the street by two men driving an expensive car. Instead of being taken to the BigBad, they're driven to an airport runway and up the access ramp of a Hercules transport aircraft, where the Doctor meets his old ally Lethbridge-Stewart and the newly-formed United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness This was back when]] UNIT was presented as an intelligence agency instead of a RedshirtArmy, hence the more 'James Bond' approach.

* In ''VideoGame/SpyHunter'', this is how you get your power-ups.

* ''VideoGame/DriverSanFrancisco'' featured one during a mission where you help two CIA agents in trouble with the police. The final part of the mission involved driving into a truck, AEGIS, at which point the ECM-suite would cover them up. Another mission also involved having to return several stolen vintage cars into trucks, although only one was actually moving.