Is truck "elephant racing" against the law?

[jmorgan]

[redacted]

[Otispunkmeyer]

Tyre Tread said:

Whole problem inclding MLM's easily solved.

Travelling in inside lane free
Travelling in lane 2 free for 1 mile then 1p per mile therafter
Travelling in lane 3 or 4 free for half a mile then 10p per mile therafter

The mileage limit resets each time you move back into lane 1

Better still LGV's and LGV's as above with cars free in lane 2 but chargeable in lane 3

Downside is the tracking and its the thin end of the wedge for road pricing.

That's the most bobbins idea I've ever read.

[4keymonsta]

Is this argument still going on? Dont you all find it more annoying being stuck behind a lorry on a nice nsl counrty lane doing 40mph for mile after mile than having to sit on a motorway cruising at 60?

[F i F]

well I've done a round trip of about 300+ miles today, including the whole length of the M42/A42 and a fair few other twin track duals.

I got held up be elephant racing on two occasions, and out of interest checked the distance I had to cover from the point had to slow from 70 to the point I got back to 70.

First occasion 3 heavies were overtaking a slow Tesco lorry, distance covered at 56 instead of 70 = 1.6 miles.

The second occasion a flat bed artic running empty and a van towing a car trailer overtook a fuel tanker, distance covered = 1 mile.

So these incidents, if you can call them incidents, delayed me what? 25 seconds or so? In 300 fricking miles, so on the basis of today it's a case of what problem.

Plus on both occasions I was first car to be held up, so I reckon they timed their overtakes pretty well.

However as we can see from this thread it really does bug some people. In the first race some knob in a black Zafira ended up 10 feet from my arse, and he seemed apocalyptically enraged by the delay. God knows why as some time later passed him as he headed for some services, no doubt for a play on the fruit machines and a leisurely self pleasure over the top shelf magazines.

Calm down people.

[Flawless Victory]

[redacted]

[10 Pence Short]

A truck driver committing an RTA offence during their work would very possibly find their profession an aggravating feature in sentencing.

[GC8]

Yes, higher standards are expected.

[Funkateer]

F i F said:

...
However as we can see from this thread it really does bug some people. In the first race some knob in a black Zafira ended up 10 feet from my arse, and he seemed apocalyptically enraged by the delay. God knows why as some time later passed him as he headed for some services, no doubt for a play on the fruit machines and a leisurely self pleasure over the top shelf magazines.

Calm down people.

The clumping of traffic is the danger. The M42 is a classic for this. Normally better to set of 5 mins earlier and sit in the empty inner lane at 56, and watch the MPG climb. Once off the 2 lane stretch it starts to get better.

Or avoid the M42 altogether, I normally 'have' to use it to get to the West Country (from Notts), and the A46/M69/A46 alternative is a much more pleasant drive.

[heebeegeetee]

F i F said:

well I've done a round trip of about 300+ miles today, including the whole length of the M42/A42 and a fair few other twin track duals.

I got held up be elephant racing on two occasions, and out of interest checked the distance I had to cover from the point had to slow from 70 to the point I got back to 70.

First occasion 3 heavies were overtaking a slow Tesco lorry, distance covered at 56 instead of 70 = 1.6 miles.

The second occasion a flat bed artic running empty and a van towing a car trailer overtook a fuel tanker, distance covered = 1 mile.

So these incidents, if you can call them incidents, delayed me what? 25 seconds or so? In 300 fricking miles, so on the basis of today it's a case of what problem.

I totally agree. What problem?

Again, I'll repeat something I've said repeatedly on this subject - my no.1 main impression/interaction/experience with trucks when I'm driving my car, is that I just seem to pass them by. Whatever delays I might encounter, when added up over a year amount to nothing.

Not only that, but when I've elected to drive at 70 mph for whatever reason, I normally find I can have a quite relaxing drive. I remember one time when I drove from Scotland to Sutton Coldfield in my old MGBGT, I decided to not exceed 70 and I only ventured out into the outside lane when I could be sure I wouldn't hold anyone up.

It was a very easy drive and I still got home in a time not far behind what the sat-nav said.

I think the elephant racing subject is massively exaggerated. I honestly do think that the people who complain too much have poor roadcraft and judgement, and aren't seeing what is really going on, ie the roads are full. Nobody need have any problems with trucks, I really do have almost none at all, and I will keep saying, I just seem to pass them by.

[F i F]

heebeegeetee said:

I totally agree. What problem?

Again, I'll repeat something I've said repeatedly on this subject - my no.1 main impression/interaction/experience with trucks when I'm driving my car, is that I just seem to pass them by. Whatever delays I might encounter, when added up over a year amount to nothing.

Not only that, but when I've elected to drive at 70 mph for whatever reason, I normally find I can have a quite relaxing drive. I remember one time when I drove from Scotland to Sutton Coldfield in my old MGBGT, I decided to not exceed 70 and I only ventured out into the outside lane when I could be sure I wouldn't hold anyone up.

It was a very easy drive and I still got home in a time not far behind what the sat-nav said.

I think the elephant racing subject is massively exaggerated. I honestly do think that the people who complain too much have poor roadcraft and judgement, and aren't seeing what is really going on, ie the roads are full. Nobody need have any problems with trucks, I really do have almost none at all, and I will keep saying, I just seem to pass them by.

Completely agree heebee, especially about the people who are moaning having poor judgement, plus I'd be not that surprised to find most of them are the 85 plus mob. me me me me me!

[Flawless Victory]

This is what happens when a truck misses its booking time...the load is rejected and the haulier doesn't get paid.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-1662...

So if a truckdriver is constantly slowing down to let other trucks pass, it's increasing costs by using more fuel and putting jobs at risk. No company can operate like that.

Of course, the commuter-types don't care about this at all.

[NoNeed]

Flawless Victory said:

This is what happens when a truck misses its booking time...the load is rejected and the haulier doesn't get paid.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-1662...

So if a truckdriver is constantly slowing down to let other trucks pass, it's increasing costs by using more fuel and putting jobs at risk. No company can operate like that.

Of course, the commuter-types don't care about this at all.

What happens when a motorist is caught speeding, the copper says you should have left earlier.

Bad managment is not an excuse

[jmorgan]

Do you mean the trucker should have left earlier or the driver should have left earlier?

[heebeegeetee]

NoNeed said:

What happens when a motorist is caught speeding, the copper says you should have left earlier.

Bad managment is not an excuse

The driver should have left before he was loaded.

Or left before his lorry had arrived at his depot and he could take it over.

[10 Pence Short]

Or his employer should have provided a workable timetable.

[NoNeed]

heebeegeetee said:

What higher level of training? tango/tangle.

Well when my wife (who allready has a car licence) went to do her HGV she spent a whole week learning how to drive it next to an instructor who gave her tips and advice. She failed and did it again, and failed again.

So taking this experience, they have at least one week of intensive training that is spent inside a suitable vehical and possible more.

The highway code is harder too as it has HGV based questions and more of them.

Do you not consider that a higher level?

Oh and that was in a rigid truck, an articulated one would have meant further training.

[heebeegeetee]

10 Pence Short said:

Or his employer should have provided a workable timetable.

Which involves no delays or problems during the working day.

(I'm loving how everyone is an expert on logistics now )

[10 Pence Short]

Someone with years of experience in road driving or logistics would know to plan expecting some level of delay.

[Panda76]

NoNeed said:

Flawless Victory said:

This is what happens when a truck misses its booking time...the load is rejected and the haulier doesn't get paid.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-1662...

So if a truckdriver is constantly slowing down to let other trucks pass, it's increasing costs by using more fuel and putting jobs at risk. No company can operate like that.

Of course, the commuter-types don't care about this at all.

What happens when a motorist is caught speeding, the copper says you should have left earlier.

Bad managment is not an excuse

Bad planning,poor traffic,weather.
All can be factored in.That load must have been late by quite some time to be rejected.
Although they can reject it's not common for them to do so for something like a couple of hours late.
Of course phoning ahead helps and keeping people up to date and maybe arrange a later booking time if possible.
I've known loads be rejected because they are short dated (Supermarket ordered expiry date stock mar 2013 and receive stock feb 2013 so reject it)
The speed difference between say 53mph-56 mph will not lose you a significant amount of time to be the cause of a rejected load.It's not really a viable excuse for not aiding an overtaker,neither is the excuse of fuel economy being compromised for knocking the cruise down a couple of clicks and then back up.It wouldn't even blip the figures.

It's been mentioned before in this thread and others,there is a lot of steering wheel attendants out there these days/nights cutting the jobs up sitting on the limiter everywhere they go.Sitting under this pretend pressure all day/night.

I just don't get why some drivers if given a destination to deliver to and it's late because of xxxxxxx and the idiot behind the counter says "see what you can do"feel pressured to do so.
So off they run and speed everywhere they are going and driving a bit mad with it as if they will get better thought off for it.Nope if you crash the company will not say they pressured you to get there,you will likely get charged for some driving offence or death by dangerous driving.Worse still kill yourself doing it.

The better way to handle it is to ask the idiot behind the counter to phone planning and rebook it for xxxx time or it will be a failed delivery.
Driving under pressure/stress and at max speeds to try and reach some destination is not clever,you might revel in the achievement if you manage to get it in a only a few minutes late.Might be a different story if you kill someone or yourself when you lose control of the vehicle.

If anyone is working for a company that is laying all this pressure on and the phonecalls ending in "you better get there in time" etc.They are not worth working for and will drive you into an early grave.
Bad planning can not be passed over onto the driver.Leave it for the planner/idiot in the office to sort out.


Anyway I'll quit waffling lol.Carry on.

[NoNeed]

heebeegeetee said:

NoNeed said:

What happens when a motorist is caught speeding, the copper says you should have left earlier.

Bad managment is not an excuse

The driver should have left before he was loaded.

Or left before his lorry had arrived at his depot and he could take it over.

You really that stupid? are you?

I said bad managment. A good manager would ensure it was loaded and left in good time.

Your attitude on here shows that what people are saying abour lorry drivers is correct.