Minimum safe speed for Lorry to join a free flowing motorway
Discussion
caelite said:
Im generalizing but I think this for the most part is something that has most likely been caused by another car driver than the truck itself, surely I cant be the only one who has witnessed (normally old biddies or young girls) stopping on slips when they fail to merge correctly. Or slowing down to horrendous speeds until a 50m gap opens up if there happens to be a truck behind them it takes a laden truck a LONG time to get back up to 30, nevermind 56. So that pretty much leaves the driver with 2 options, pull out and slow down the active lane for a couple of minutes, or accelerate in the shoulder and merge 200m down the motorway.
The later would cause less disruption but the motorway cops are currently running a crackdown on trucks on shoulders and it would be extremely difficult to justify slowing lane 1 for a few minutes as an 'emergancy', also the safety issue if there is a breakdown on the shoulder that you are accelerating towards with 44ton gvw.
The lorry was leaving a motorway services and didn't accelerate as it left to join the carriageway.The later would cause less disruption but the motorway cops are currently running a crackdown on trucks on shoulders and it would be extremely difficult to justify slowing lane 1 for a few minutes as an 'emergancy', also the safety issue if there is a breakdown on the shoulder that you are accelerating towards with 44ton gvw.
snobetter said:
Joining the motorway (rule 259)
Rule 259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should
give priority to traffic already on the motorway
check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane
not cross solid white lines that separate lanes or use the hard shoulder
stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking.
Match your speed to fit safely into traffic, what the Police do if you don't I've no idea, charge you with something if you cause an accident?
Some vehicles and circumstances mean that is not reasonably possible so allowances have to be madeRule 259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should
give priority to traffic already on the motorway
check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane
not cross solid white lines that separate lanes or use the hard shoulder
stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking.
Match your speed to fit safely into traffic, what the Police do if you don't I've no idea, charge you with something if you cause an accident?
The HGV might have been running at max weight, was the slip road up hill??
Gotta laugh, 1 slow moving HGV has made the OP start a thread about it, imagine if every one done the same for every minor incident they came across on the roads, someone doing a job is looked at as causing a nuisance, try having a moan about people leaving motorways at the last moment from the middle lane etc etc, something dangerous
Gotta laugh, 1 slow moving HGV has made the OP start a thread about it, imagine if every one done the same for every minor incident they came across on the roads, someone doing a job is looked at as causing a nuisance, try having a moan about people leaving motorways at the last moment from the middle lane etc etc, something dangerous
a4cabrio said:
The HGV might have been running at max weight, was the slip road up hill??
Gotta laugh, 1 slow moving HGV has made the OP start a thread about it, imagine if every one done the same for every minor incident they came across on the roads, someone doing a job is looked at as causing a nuisance, try having a moan about people leaving motorways at the last moment from the middle lane etc etc, something dangerous
No it seemed to make no effort, I will upload the video later.Gotta laugh, 1 slow moving HGV has made the OP start a thread about it, imagine if every one done the same for every minor incident they came across on the roads, someone doing a job is looked at as causing a nuisance, try having a moan about people leaving motorways at the last moment from the middle lane etc etc, something dangerous
It came from the access road probably shouldn't of been using it but I still have a motorway pass. The north bound section of the m5 at Taunton Deane services is immediate left 180 degrees from the road and so they didn't have a massive run up. They did seem to make no effort and didn't wait to the end of the slip road to merge but that is not unusual, most drivers who have had no advanced training don't know how to join multi lane roads.There are no prizes for entering a motorway early the slip road are design for you to build speed and make smooth transition into the carriageway, people need to bare in mind they are going from a minor situation to a major and so need to give way to vehicles already on the carriageway..
Edited by surveyor_101 on Saturday 2nd July 11:11
DoubleD said:
Most drivers haven't had "advanced" training to join motorways because it isn't needed. Almost every driver that I've ever seen manages perfectly fine.
You obviously dont frequent the Guildford A3 or Ringwood A31 sliproad Junctions!I'd say 1 in 10 can't enter a sliproad safely causing massive issues for those then behind & on the main route
GreatGranny said:
I know they are carrying horses but Horseboxes seem to be the slowest vehicles on the road.
No real reason why it can't get up to a decent speed on a (presumably) straight ish slip road.
I understand caution when cornering but its hardly going to accelerate so harshly that they all fall out of the back :-)
Many older horseboxes don't have particularly powerful engines. A friend of mine used to have an old Bedford thing which had something like 60hp - going up any hills, let alone onto a motorway, was always entertaining. No real reason why it can't get up to a decent speed on a (presumably) straight ish slip road.
I understand caution when cornering but its hardly going to accelerate so harshly that they all fall out of the back :-)
DoubleD said:
Most drivers haven't had "advanced" training to join motorways because it isn't needed. Almost every driver that I've ever seen manages perfectly fine.
Most do ok but, many rush onto the carriageway when the lines break, it's not a race and you must give any to people already on the motorway.If you still building you speed, lorry or any other slower moving vehicle you should can utilise the full width of the slip road to make a smooth transition. This is especially relevant in this case as the lorry was most likely carrying a horse and a straight transition would be safest for the horse.
Then if we talking about leaving a multi lane carriageway. A lot of people don't utilise the signage in particular the 1/2 mile sign for your exit, I will be planning my appointment with lane 1 once this sign is reached and then by the 3 yard sign /// I will be lane one settled and them start indicating my intention to leave, if there is anyone to benefit from that. I don't get to the exit and the indicate left and swing the wheel hard left as many people do risking an accident as there is no planning or thought to their exit.
Edited by surveyor_101 on Saturday 2nd July 21:26
Edited by surveyor_101 on Saturday 2nd July 21:28
Having transited the motorways all over the UK and a fair bit of Europe, my conclusion is that most commuters have no clue on how to join a motorway safely and even less of an idea on how to leave one .
I have had to back off many times because the car in front isn't gathering speed on the slip road .
I have had to back off many times because the car in front isn't gathering speed on the slip road .
sim72 said:
GreatGranny said:
I know they are carrying horses but Horseboxes seem to be the slowest vehicles on the road.
No real reason why it can't get up to a decent speed on a (presumably) straight ish slip road.
I understand caution when cornering but its hardly going to accelerate so harshly that they all fall out of the back :-)
Many older horseboxes don't have particularly powerful engines. A friend of mine used to have an old Bedford thing which had something like 60hp - going up any hills, let alone onto a motorway, was always entertaining. No real reason why it can't get up to a decent speed on a (presumably) straight ish slip road.
I understand caution when cornering but its hardly going to accelerate so harshly that they all fall out of the back :-)
We used to have a 7 tonner in the 80's with no turbo. On a long enough stretch, enough time counted in days, with a following wind, and a downhill slope with the moon in the right place for an extra gravitational tug, we could get up to 60 and there was no limiter fitted.
Forget lorries not having enough power to get onto motorways at a safe speed.
Anyone who's ever owned or drove a Peugeot / Saxo / AX with either 1.4 or 1.5 diesel engine with passengers in the car will be able to relate as well.
0-60mph was something like 17 seconds when new and with no passengers.
Anyone who's ever owned or drove a Peugeot / Saxo / AX with either 1.4 or 1.5 diesel engine with passengers in the car will be able to relate as well.
0-60mph was something like 17 seconds when new and with no passengers.
cptsideways said:
DoubleD said:
Most drivers haven't had "advanced" training to join motorways because it isn't needed. Almost every driver that I've ever seen manages perfectly fine.
You obviously dont frequent the Guildford A3 or Ringwood A31 sliproad Junctions!I'd say 1 in 10 can't enter a sliproad safely causing massive issues for those then behind & on the main route
I join lane 1 and almost have to slam my brakes on as an idiot in a Prius has decided to leave it till the end of the slip road to join; from an almost standstill, I don't know why he was struggling to get on as lane 1 was pretty much clear.
rewc said:
In France there are give way signs at the end of all entry slip roads so traffic could be joining from very low speeds.
What difference would the sign make though? We don't have those signs in the UK but people on the slip road need to give way to traffic on the road that they're joining regardless of what speed any one is doing.Retroman said:
Forget lorries not having enough power to get onto motorways at a safe speed.
Anyone who's ever owned or drove a Peugeot / Saxo / AX with either 1.4 or 1.5 diesel engine with passengers in the car will be able to relate as well.
0-60mph was something like 17 seconds when new and with no passengers.
Slow classic, short A1 petrol station exit slips and you have a slightly bum tightening (or loosening) experience Anyone who's ever owned or drove a Peugeot / Saxo / AX with either 1.4 or 1.5 diesel engine with passengers in the car will be able to relate as well.
0-60mph was something like 17 seconds when new and with no passengers.
I have driven the two 'oss boxes we have at work and they are actually quite lively, mainly because they weigh bugger all.
However, most are knackered and usually driven some ruddy faced, fat arsed horsey type who thinks the whole f
king world revolves around and is actually centered on their 750kg pile of dog food. The younger drivers will have almost certainly needed to pass their Class 2, so will have been told to get a wiggle on, but you need to remember that the 'oss in he back of the knackered old lorry is the most important object in the known universe and woe betide anyone that thinks otherwise. Frankly I'm quite surprised the driver didn't insist the whole road in both directions ground to a halt to cries of "I've got a horse" while the selfish, inept cow joined the carriageway.
However, most are knackered and usually driven some ruddy faced, fat arsed horsey type who thinks the whole f
king world revolves around and is actually centered on their 750kg pile of dog food. The younger drivers will have almost certainly needed to pass their Class 2, so will have been told to get a wiggle on, but you need to remember that the 'oss in he back of the knackered old lorry is the most important object in the known universe and woe betide anyone that thinks otherwise. Frankly I'm quite surprised the driver didn't insist the whole road in both directions ground to a halt to cries of "I've got a horse" while the selfish, inept cow joined the carriageway. Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff