Asda HGV - how slow is too slow?
Discussion
Just popped along the M8 motorway, westbound from Edinburgh. As I joined at Hermiston Gait I clocked a lorry a good few hundred yards ahead, and particularly that it was going slowly. Too slowly, thought I.
Out of curiousity, and since there was no other traffic around behind me,I decided to match their speed. 40 on the speedo, 37 on the GPS. Shirley this is a dangerously slow speed for a vehicle to be travelling at without some sort of escort or warning beacon. Most traffic would be approaching at around double that speed.
Is this a "thing" nowadays? I note it says on the rear of some trailers it's limited to 52 or possibly even 50 mph and even that is often a right b
ks for traffic flow.
Out of curiousity, and since there was no other traffic around behind me,I decided to match their speed. 40 on the speedo, 37 on the GPS. Shirley this is a dangerously slow speed for a vehicle to be travelling at without some sort of escort or warning beacon. Most traffic would be approaching at around double that speed.
Is this a "thing" nowadays? I note it says on the rear of some trailers it's limited to 52 or possibly even 50 mph and even that is often a right b
ks for traffic flow.Well, 2 lanes yeah. It's 2 lanes most of the way from Edinburgh to the outskirts of Glasgow other than a mile or so with a third crawler lane idea at J3.
Once you've got 2 cars approaching at 65 and 70 mph, it's a potential unnecessary risk if one of them isn't expecting/paying attention to a sub-40 mph lorry I suppose.
Once you've got 2 cars approaching at 65 and 70 mph, it's a potential unnecessary risk if one of them isn't expecting/paying attention to a sub-40 mph lorry I suppose.
SVTRick said:
So you are quite happy to match the speed of the HGV and whinge about it
Yes to both, I suppose.SVTRick said:
The driver is not breaking the law and you in your own admission are doing the same speed in for car.
I think it might be inconsiderate or dangerously slow in the presence of other traffic. SVTRick said:
You would be moaning like hell if the truck had passed you a 60+ MPH
If it was inconsiderate or dangerous I probably would have a moan to myself, yes. Or on PH if I spotted a pattern.SVTRick said:
Get a life you retard
I'm quite happy with mine, thanks. I even manage to avoid throwing out insults on the internet on Saturday nights...!Super Slo Mo said:
Hang on, was this on a flat section of road or uphill? I've driven many a truck that couldn't maintain its max speed on an uphill section of motorway.
I have not so fond memories of grinding up parts of the M62 at a lot less than 30mph.
It might just be the case that the truck was going as fast as it could on that piece of road. Might also be that there was a problem with the vehicle and he was nursing it along to the nearest safe place to stop.
Nah, dead flat. It was locked at 37mph too so I think they had the cruise control on. Unless there was a problem with the truck he could've gone to limiter as even the largest HGVs manage it by that part of the motorway.I have not so fond memories of grinding up parts of the M62 at a lot less than 30mph.
It might just be the case that the truck was going as fast as it could on that piece of road. Might also be that there was a problem with the vehicle and he was nursing it along to the nearest safe place to stop.
I hadn't considered the time slots for delivery. As I said, there wasn't much other traffic around so in itself it probably wasn't dangerously slow in this instance... but the thought of a fleet of HGVs effectively acting as rolling roadblocks at half the speed limit for cars worries me!
TooMany2cvs said:
simoid said:
As I said, there wasn't much other traffic around so in itself it probably wasn't dangerously slow in this instance... but the thought of a fleet of HGVs effectively acting as rolling roadblocks at half the speed limit for cars worries me!
If only there was a way for faster traffic to easily get past them.TooMany2cvs said:
<blink>
You're serious, aren't you?
BTW, you do know that mobile cranes are allowed on motorways, with a 31mph maximum speed...?
I'm serious, yes... a slow vehicle in traffic causes problems for traffic flow. A very slow vehicle, without warning, could be dangerous. Do you disagree?You're serious, aren't you?
BTW, you do know that mobile cranes are allowed on motorways, with a 31mph maximum speed...?
Generally when I see a crane it's got flashing amber all over it or an escort. I note that 50cc bikes and cyclists are banned from motorways, is that because presumably they can't get much over 30mph?
TooMany2cvs said:
Yes, I do.
70mph is 31.3m/s
56mph is 23.6m/s
40mph is 18m/s
If you really can't notice that you're closing on an 8m2 supermarket advert one third of a truck length more per second than you expect, then I don't think the truck's speed is the biggest problem.
This is true: there are other problems at play - these problems are exacerbated by a very slow vehicle. Some people are inattentive on the roads, don't have sufficiently powerful vehicles to safely accelerate into a gap in lane 2 traffic, may not be good at judging speed of traffic in front or approaching from behind, etc. I look forward to living in a world where everyone is an "above average" driver though.70mph is 31.3m/s
56mph is 23.6m/s
40mph is 18m/s
If you really can't notice that you're closing on an 8m2 supermarket advert one third of a truck length more per second than you expect, then I don't think the truck's speed is the biggest problem.
This was the general thinking behind my post last night - unnecessary added risk on a road designed to be fast and free flowing. Obviously 49cc bikes and mopeds, cyclists and agricultural vehicles are banned from motorways. Why do you think this is? Might it be because they are too slow? I don't think I'm the only one who thinks a 37mph cruising speed is too slow without hazards or beacons.
TooMany2cvs said:
simoid said:
I look forward to living in a world where everyone is an "above average" driver though.
<scratches head> I don't think you quite understand what an average is, do you...?simoid said:
Obviously 49cc bikes and mopeds, cyclists and agricultural vehicles are banned from motorways. Why do you think this is?
Because they're legally only capable of <30mph. That's the cut-off for motorway acceptability - hence 31mph cranes being fine.I don't think you understood the nuance of my "above average driver" comment. It was to remind you that not everyone is perfect and we have millions and millions of "below average drivers". For whom slow moving vehicles pose a problem.
What do you mean by "acceptable" - is this minimum speed enshrined in law? Its interesting that you do believe there is an unacceptably slow speed on which to travel on a motorway - if you can't notice a vehicle doing 30mph... etc
Vee said:
It's a bloody great thing painted green and white.
How the hell can you not see it and gauge the relative differences in your speed ?
As stupid as the MOT might be in some cases, our motorways are designed with a lot of thought, including no sharp bends where you might dangerously catch up with a slower moving vehicle . . . . unless you're the OP.
How the hell can you not see it and gauge the relative differences in your speed ?
As stupid as the MOT might be in some cases, our motorways are designed with a lot of thought, including no sharp bends where you might dangerously catch up with a slower moving vehicle . . . . unless you're the OP.
Try reading the OP.
TooMany2cvs said:
gazza285 said:
No mobile crane I have ever used has a design speed of 31mph, even the 1200tonne cranes we use will do 45mph. Can you name one?
<shrug> If I'm wrong, then I'm happy to accept that I'm wrongRiley Blue said:
Don't some roads have stretches where overtaking by HGVs is banned during certain hours, the A42 or M42 I think. I've definitely seen it on two-lane autobahn stretches in Germany near the Dutch border, it seems a sensible idea.
Yes - some of the northern parts of A1(M) does too - long hill stretches HGVs are lane 1 only. I was on the road a few weeks ago and in my limited sample of around 10 HGVs this rule was ignored by all but the slowest one (IE the one who had nobody to overtake!)
SVTRick said:
All you idiots moaning and whinging about the slower speed of some HGV's
I own two a 32 tonner and 10 tonner both are used and operated as heavy plant, plus hire in larger articulated 44 ton tankers
To take the operators point of view a road may have 50 limit however other features, location and condition of road are factors which a competent driver should take into account.
Perhaps take the extended training and gain that license to drive heavy goods or PSV vehicles, then see it from a professional driver / operators point of view.
Maybe as the maximum legal speed in this country is 70mph all your cars and other such means of transport should all be limited to 68 MPH as clearly many of your are incapable of reading the road ahead and seeing large slower moving vehicles.
A five year medical requirement and an additional course like the CPC for all you
drivers as well.
You should probably stop calling people retards and idiots. It's not particularly helpful.I own two a 32 tonner and 10 tonner both are used and operated as heavy plant, plus hire in larger articulated 44 ton tankers
To take the operators point of view a road may have 50 limit however other features, location and condition of road are factors which a competent driver should take into account.
Perhaps take the extended training and gain that license to drive heavy goods or PSV vehicles, then see it from a professional driver / operators point of view.
Maybe as the maximum legal speed in this country is 70mph all your cars and other such means of transport should all be limited to 68 MPH as clearly many of your are incapable of reading the road ahead and seeing large slower moving vehicles.
A five year medical requirement and an additional course like the CPC for all you
drivers as well.
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