Gritter conundrum
Discussion
Here's a bit of a poser for you...
When driving past a gritter lorry what is the best way to pass to avoid stone chips, slowly or quickly? If driving past slowly the relative speed of the grit is less and so the kinetic energy is reduced (potentially leading to a lower risk of stone chip) but the front of the car is in the firing line for longer. If drving past quickly the relative 'collision speed' of the grit is higher but the car is in the firing line for a shorter period of time. What's the best way to pass, quickly or slowly?
When driving past a gritter lorry what is the best way to pass to avoid stone chips, slowly or quickly? If driving past slowly the relative speed of the grit is less and so the kinetic energy is reduced (potentially leading to a lower risk of stone chip) but the front of the car is in the firing line for longer. If drving past quickly the relative 'collision speed' of the grit is higher but the car is in the firing line for a shorter period of time. What's the best way to pass, quickly or slowly?
Ah the flash car mans nightmare
If you stay behind the gritter out of range then you are going slowly and this is bad for flash car man as someone might see him going slowly
But if he passes the gritter then he might get a stone chip which is evidently the end of flash car mans universe
Meanwhile mr banger really don't care and goes past the gritter without a worry
If you stay behind the gritter out of range then you are going slowly and this is bad for flash car man as someone might see him going slowly
But if he passes the gritter then he might get a stone chip which is evidently the end of flash car mans universe
Meanwhile mr banger really don't care and goes past the gritter without a worry
As the sods love to sit in the middle lane of the motorway to get the coverage, I ran into one of these last night. I decided that minimising my exposure was the best policy so approached until the grit was getting close, then booted it past.
I'd rather the grit hitting a little faster for 2 seconds, than a few mph slower and for 10 seconds.
(However, if there is a favourable junction and its late at night, I have been known to take the sliproad, and rejoin overtaking the gritter in the process)
I'd rather the grit hitting a little faster for 2 seconds, than a few mph slower and for 10 seconds.
(However, if there is a favourable junction and its late at night, I have been known to take the sliproad, and rejoin overtaking the gritter in the process)
Badgerboy said:
(However, if there is a favourable junction and its late at night, I have been known to take the sliproad, and rejoin overtaking the gritter in the process)
Good call, but usually requires some performance under the hood. The 240bhp 21 will do it easy enough but my 65bhp Extra van....well....wouldnt overtake it in the first place 
Edited by DaveL485 on Friday 2nd January 11:20
jmorgan said:
Cannot say that in all my years I have ever seen any damage from them. Before someone knuckles in to say they have, obviously I am speaking from my experience not yours.
Nor me. It makes a bloody painful noise and I certainly wince, but I've not had any damage yet, fortunately
Just before Christmas on M25 the Gritters are out.
I am heading Heathrow bound near Riskmansworth and there are 4 lanes including entry slip.
Gritter comming up slip road so I move to middle lane as road is well clear doing about 55mph in a 32 tonner. (the road surface is already covered with fresh grit anyway)
WTF Driver of gritter crosses all lanes and pulls right in front and he's doing 40-45mph What don't these guys use their mirriors and signals - not - w
kers.
So I hit the go pedal and pass on his inside and he gets the middle finger.
So you gotta Grit however you have duty to read the rules of the road.
(Yes many years back I have driven as a sub-contract driver on a Gritting Crew)
My advise is stay well clear as many of these drivers are over their drivers hours but run on exemption, so have already done a days work.
Not always the sharpest tools in the box
I am heading Heathrow bound near Riskmansworth and there are 4 lanes including entry slip.
Gritter comming up slip road so I move to middle lane as road is well clear doing about 55mph in a 32 tonner. (the road surface is already covered with fresh grit anyway)
WTF Driver of gritter crosses all lanes and pulls right in front and he's doing 40-45mph What don't these guys use their mirriors and signals - not - w
kers.So I hit the go pedal and pass on his inside and he gets the middle finger.
So you gotta Grit however you have duty to read the rules of the road.
(Yes many years back I have driven as a sub-contract driver on a Gritting Crew)
My advise is stay well clear as many of these drivers are over their drivers hours but run on exemption, so have already done a days work.
Not always the sharpest tools in the box
Howard- said:
jmorgan said:
Cannot say that in all my years I have ever seen any damage from them. Before someone knuckles in to say they have, obviously I am speaking from my experience not yours.
Nor me. It makes a bloody painful noise and I certainly wince, but I've not had any damage yet, fortunately
SiH said:
Here's a bit of a poser for you...
When driving past a gritter lorry what is the best way to pass to avoid stone chips, slowly or quickly? If driving past slowly the relative speed of the grit is less and so the kinetic energy is reduced (potentially leading to a lower risk of stone chip) but the front of the car is in the firing line for longer. If drving past quickly the relative 'collision speed' of the grit is higher but the car is in the firing line for a shorter period of time. What's the best way to pass, quickly or slowly?
Easy:-When driving past a gritter lorry what is the best way to pass to avoid stone chips, slowly or quickly? If driving past slowly the relative speed of the grit is less and so the kinetic energy is reduced (potentially leading to a lower risk of stone chip) but the front of the car is in the firing line for longer. If drving past quickly the relative 'collision speed' of the grit is higher but the car is in the firing line for a shorter period of time. What's the best way to pass, quickly or slowly?
Using Professor von Stratten's formulae, re kinetic force which states:-
S+By x 2c= 2c x By+S
Which basically means.. hang well back till the gritter turns off down a side street.
HTH.
Wacky Racer said:
SiH said:
Here's a bit of a poser for you...
When driving past a gritter lorry what is the best way to pass to avoid stone chips, slowly or quickly? If driving past slowly the relative speed of the grit is less and so the kinetic energy is reduced (potentially leading to a lower risk of stone chip) but the front of the car is in the firing line for longer. If drving past quickly the relative 'collision speed' of the grit is higher but the car is in the firing line for a shorter period of time. What's the best way to pass, quickly or slowly?
Easy:-When driving past a gritter lorry what is the best way to pass to avoid stone chips, slowly or quickly? If driving past slowly the relative speed of the grit is less and so the kinetic energy is reduced (potentially leading to a lower risk of stone chip) but the front of the car is in the firing line for longer. If drving past quickly the relative 'collision speed' of the grit is higher but the car is in the firing line for a shorter period of time. What's the best way to pass, quickly or slowly?
Using Professor von Stratten's formulae, re kinetic force which states:-
S+By x 2c= 2c x By+S
Which basically means.. hang well back till the gritter turns off down a side street.
HTH.
Fc + G = P - C x 100
which means (as said earlier in the thread ) if you hang back in your flash car people will see you driving said flash car at a slow speed, thus eliminating any 'cool' factor gained by driving said flash car with aviators on and spiky gelled hair
Edited by Mark-2 on Friday 2nd January 12:40
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