Is truck "elephant racing" against the law?
Discussion
Can't see what the fuss is anyway. Count one bit of elephant racing against the numerous other foible that car drivers exhibit. More like the "everyone is a copper behind the wheel, BURN HIM"
I think in the grand scheme of things it is not the end of the world people make out. Easier to chill out and get on with your life and leave others to their own.
Edit. No one ever does over 70 on the Mway do they?
I think in the grand scheme of things it is not the end of the world people make out. Easier to chill out and get on with your life and leave others to their own.
Edit. No one ever does over 70 on the Mway do they?
Panda76 said:
liner33 said:
There is a recent restriction on the A34 at Gore hill which is between Newbury and Oxford banning vehicles 7.5t and over from overtaking , unfortunately it is widely ignored by 99% of the hgv's. So now they are calling for a blanket 50mph limit
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2012/old-news-articl...
This article again highlights how misinformed people are.The speed limit is 50mph anyway.Knee jerk article lacking research.http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2012/old-news-articl...
I've never really seen the point of that anyway...
10 Pence Short said:
I don't agree with you, on the basis that you fail to take into account the fact that the relationship between the delays caused by trucks on faster vehicles versus the opposite, is not an equal one.
I have already pointed out that a truck overtaking everything possible to garner a 1mph advantage over a whole day's driving, will save only 8 minutes over the whole day, whereas the car driver being held up by those truck drivers as they overtake, will lose 8 minutes by being so held up for only 10% of his journey.
The point being, that a smaller number of trucks causing cars to slow down, causes an inordinate delay into the road system. When you consider this behaviour, to require the extra 1mph, delivers only an 8 minute saving in 400 miles of driving, shows how pointless it really is.
Within reasonableness, trucks don't need to overtake other trucks to run to time, assuming they're all generally sat on the same limiters and are generally capable of doing so and, there is little benefit, if any, to the opposite position.
Your argument seems to revolve solely around "I was once a trucker, I'm in my 50s, and I'm right". No evidence, other than you're getting on a bit.
Wrong again. My argument is based solely on that I have never been late anywhere due to trucks.I have already pointed out that a truck overtaking everything possible to garner a 1mph advantage over a whole day's driving, will save only 8 minutes over the whole day, whereas the car driver being held up by those truck drivers as they overtake, will lose 8 minutes by being so held up for only 10% of his journey.
The point being, that a smaller number of trucks causing cars to slow down, causes an inordinate delay into the road system. When you consider this behaviour, to require the extra 1mph, delivers only an 8 minute saving in 400 miles of driving, shows how pointless it really is.
Within reasonableness, trucks don't need to overtake other trucks to run to time, assuming they're all generally sat on the same limiters and are generally capable of doing so and, there is little benefit, if any, to the opposite position.
Your argument seems to revolve solely around "I was once a trucker, I'm in my 50s, and I'm right". No evidence, other than you're getting on a bit.
Nothing is causing any delay of any sort of measure other than 20 million cars plus.
I simply cannot comprehend how you can claim to know so much about trucking having never, ever done it. You haven't got one iota of experience of that which you profess so much knowledge. How can you possibly know what value 8 minutes has to a trucker?
Why do I have to have experience as a trucker, to know they cause congestion? I've never been a kiddy fiddler, but I'm pretty sure they damage children.
Stop trying to use nonsense to support yourself.
If you, as a trucker, have never been late because of other trucks, that is fairly understandable. You probably sat for countless mile after mile taking advantage of that extra .25mph to save yourself 30 seconds piss time at the next services.
On the other hand, for three quarters of a million miles in the past few years, I've seen first hand how on dual carriageways in particular, trucks choose to block arterial routes by needlessly attempting to pass a truck going at a speed so similar it is materially unimportant.
Unlike you, I am not biased for or against any one group of road users. I see blithering idiots in cars sitting for endless miles in lane 2 for no reason, with the same disdain I do a truck driver holding up the A1 for 4 miles before conceding he's not really going any faster than the truck he's trying to pass, and giving up.
One group being in the wrong, does not make the other right.
Stop trying to use nonsense to support yourself.
If you, as a trucker, have never been late because of other trucks, that is fairly understandable. You probably sat for countless mile after mile taking advantage of that extra .25mph to save yourself 30 seconds piss time at the next services.
On the other hand, for three quarters of a million miles in the past few years, I've seen first hand how on dual carriageways in particular, trucks choose to block arterial routes by needlessly attempting to pass a truck going at a speed so similar it is materially unimportant.
Unlike you, I am not biased for or against any one group of road users. I see blithering idiots in cars sitting for endless miles in lane 2 for no reason, with the same disdain I do a truck driver holding up the A1 for 4 miles before conceding he's not really going any faster than the truck he's trying to pass, and giving up.
One group being in the wrong, does not make the other right.
10 Pence Short said:
If there was a 6mph difference in speed, we wouldn't be having this conversation!
You are assuming a 56 is one set and 50 is another but the reality is that there can be a cross section on the roads in any given mileLets do a make believe senario on a 2 lane motorway -
Front of queue = truck with 50 limiter then one with 51 limiter, one with 52 limiter, 53 limiter, 54 limiter, 55 limiter and lastly a 56 limiter
Now then ... who, in your opinion, can overtake who .... or must they all stay where they are with the one with the 56 doing 50 ??
Edited by R0G on Friday 24th February 14:19
Just take the existing trials further, and roll out HGV no-overtaking zones at bottlenecks throughout the country. Then enforce them.
My experience of the zones on the A14 and others, was that HGVs blatantly ignored the restrictions.
I don't think there should be a blanket ban, just a proportionate one that recognises the needs of the majority over those of a small minority.
My experience of the zones on the A14 and others, was that HGVs blatantly ignored the restrictions.
I don't think there should be a blanket ban, just a proportionate one that recognises the needs of the majority over those of a small minority.
10 Pence Short said:
Why do I have to have experience as a trucker, to know they cause congestion? I've never been a kiddy fiddler, but I'm pretty sure they damage children.
Stop trying to use nonsense to support yourself.
If you, as a trucker, have never been late because of other trucks, that is fairly understandable. You probably sat for countless mile after mile taking advantage of that extra .25mph to save yourself 30 seconds piss time at the next services.
On the other hand, for three quarters of a million miles in the past few years, I've seen first hand how on dual carriageways in particular, trucks choose to block arterial routes by needlessly attempting to pass a truck going at a speed so similar it is materially unimportant.
Unlike you, I am not biased for or against any one group of road users. I see blithering idiots in cars sitting for endless miles in lane 2 for no reason, with the same disdain I do a truck driver holding up the A1 for 4 miles before conceding he's not really going any faster than the truck he's trying to pass, and giving up.
One group being in the wrong, does not make the other right.
The lorry driver is governed strictly by the clock in a way that practically no car driver is. The minute that the tacho says stop may be the minute that the trucker cannot go home, the truck cannot continue it's journey with the next driver, the goods cannot be unloaded, the delivery truck cannot load them for delivery, and thousands of pounds can be lost and or wasted.Stop trying to use nonsense to support yourself.
If you, as a trucker, have never been late because of other trucks, that is fairly understandable. You probably sat for countless mile after mile taking advantage of that extra .25mph to save yourself 30 seconds piss time at the next services.
On the other hand, for three quarters of a million miles in the past few years, I've seen first hand how on dual carriageways in particular, trucks choose to block arterial routes by needlessly attempting to pass a truck going at a speed so similar it is materially unimportant.
Unlike you, I am not biased for or against any one group of road users. I see blithering idiots in cars sitting for endless miles in lane 2 for no reason, with the same disdain I do a truck driver holding up the A1 for 4 miles before conceding he's not really going any faster than the truck he's trying to pass, and giving up.
One group being in the wrong, does not make the other right.
Yet you make no mention of any of this whatsoever and think it is not important.
What is it that you are doing on the roads that are so important?
Getting business so people like you had something to deliver. 
As for the hours issue, exactly- there are so many external issues that govern truck drivers' time limits, that the extra 1 or 2 miles an hour makes no difference at all. A depot running late for your delivery slot, the cafe where you take your 45 minute rest period running slow, pretty much any hold up on the roads, will eat into any advantage you get from such an incremental increase in speed.
As for the hours issue, exactly- there are so many external issues that govern truck drivers' time limits, that the extra 1 or 2 miles an hour makes no difference at all. A depot running late for your delivery slot, the cafe where you take your 45 minute rest period running slow, pretty much any hold up on the roads, will eat into any advantage you get from such an incremental increase in speed.
Panda76 said:
liner33 said:
There is a recent restriction on the A34 at Gore hill which is between Newbury and Oxford banning vehicles 7.5t and over from overtaking , unfortunately it is widely ignored by 99% of the hgv's. So now they are calling for a blanket 50mph limit
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2012/old-news-articl...
This article again highlights how misinformed people are.The speed limit is 50mph anyway.Knee jerk article lacking research.http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2012/old-news-articl...
, the limit on that stretch of the a34 is 70mph Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff