Discussion
within consideration UK Road are very safe
785 Car occupant deaths in 2013
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Motorway death are only a single figure % off this. All Lanes of traffic going in one direction at similar speeds (generally)
Keep your distance / keep within 20mph of the vehicle your passing, look in your mirrors!!!!!!!!!!!!!
785 Car occupant deaths in 2013
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Motorway death are only a single figure % off this. All Lanes of traffic going in one direction at similar speeds (generally)
Keep your distance / keep within 20mph of the vehicle your passing, look in your mirrors!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWR said:
Do they frighten you? Why?
Do HGVs on Motorways cause you concerns? Why?
How many miles do you do without a Break? is it wise?
Winter is ahead of us, what precautions have you taken?
No. However I am aware that the combination of most drivers staring as far as the end of their bonnet and the volume of traffic usually on a motorway fairly high is a receipe for things to go wrong, quickly and horribly. Therefore I respect them for although they're statisically the safest roads, when they bite they bite big. Do HGVs on Motorways cause you concerns? Why?
How many miles do you do without a Break? is it wise?
Winter is ahead of us, what precautions have you taken?
Generally no. HGV drivers are usually switched on. The ones that cause concerns are the ones that you notice weaving about in lane or drifing across the hardshoulder as you approach them. These drivers are evidently either fatigued or distracted. A foreign registered HGV also gets a mental note as I approach it, in regards to blindspots etc.. I don't generally get problems with HGVs, then again I try to make space for them, I don't sit alongside them, I don't sit in their blindspots, I don't overtake if I'm immediately about to take an exit slip and so on. I understand that 44 tonnes doesn't accelerate, corner or stop as quick as my 1,700kg car, so I try to show courtesy to make their journey easier.
Miles unknown, I do it in terms of time. Usually after 2.5/3 hours I beginning to want to stretch my legs, take a bog break, look at something other than a motorway lane. 3 hours on country roads stuck behind summer caravan traffic is tedious and will require more breaks as opposed to 3 hours on an empty motorway cruising up or down the country late at night.
I have fitted a spare wheel carrier, spare wheel and full jack/wheel brace/wheel changing tools and whatnot, as opposed to the factory standard can of gunk and compressor. In fairness, this will stay in through the summer months also. In addition I'm carrying ice/snow removal tools, medical kit, hi-vi, mobile charging, tow strap, spare bulbs and a basic socket set and tool kit. Basic repairs can be carried out at the roadside, should I really need to. Also a fairly regular inspection of tyres, wheels, wheel arches and lights. Windows and exterior camera lenses kept clean. Basic stuff really, I usually keep it in the car all year round though.
Imagine, I have said this many times regards a person that has never driven a 44 tonner, they do a weeks training on an empty Artic, they could pass their test on Frid come Mon some out fit will employ the & trust them with a fully loaded Trailer, I done the ranks when I started many years back, from a 4 wheeler ^>>6>>8 then on to the artics, carrying anything from Slates to anything that's transportable, now they employ anyone with a licence, to me the driver that's just passed his / her test should be trained in a loaded HGV, how to strap the loads ( I had to rope & sheet) but that's the way the job has gone, its a rat race now.
The only time I get worried is when HGVs build up big speeds downhill and I can see the traffic building up in the dip further ahead - I regularly travel the A34 and in the really steep hilly bits around the M4 interchange I've been sat at 70 GPS (around 73 indicated on speedo) and had HGVs pass me at a reasonable lick so they must be doing 75+.
Im assuming that they are in Neutral and coasting downhill with a big load on to build up that kind of speed down what are relatively short but steep hills. Im guessing that the stopping distance for a loaded wagon at 75MPH is considerable.
Im assuming that they are in Neutral and coasting downhill with a big load on to build up that kind of speed down what are relatively short but steep hills. Im guessing that the stopping distance for a loaded wagon at 75MPH is considerable.
No.
Only the ones drifting on and off hard shoulder
Every couple of hours, rather than on mileage
Usual checks, plus warm clothes.
Lots of people grumble about elephant racing. I drove the A1 from London to near York last week; lots of trucks, lots of overtaking trucks. In spite of gradients on the northern part, no drawn out elephant races. Perhaps the A1 attracts particularly considerate truck drivers!
Only the ones drifting on and off hard shoulder
Every couple of hours, rather than on mileage
Usual checks, plus warm clothes.
Lots of people grumble about elephant racing. I drove the A1 from London to near York last week; lots of trucks, lots of overtaking trucks. In spite of gradients on the northern part, no drawn out elephant races. Perhaps the A1 attracts particularly considerate truck drivers!
Dodsy, what you have come out with is a load of bull, if that was the case the Driver would loose his / her licence, tacos the HGV Recorder which is checked monthly & if found the driver doing that sort of speed he / she would be suspended, if this practice was continues the DVLA will revoke the Driver's Licence, I've been on the road & think I know what I'm talking about, the HGV does not have instant stopping device, it has brakes like a car but on a bigger scale, I think you want to rethink your remarks as you are living in Co Co land.
I replied earlier in the thread, generally not scared and manage the conditions.
However one event did worry me earlier in the year. September, a major storm in the channel hit the SE and northern France. We had crossed through the channel tunnel, after some delays, and driving southwest on the exposed N16 Autoroute (now rush hour) following the coast. The rain swept conditions were as bad as I've seen them, visibility crap, road flooding, wipers only just coping.
The choice was.
a) Inside lane amongst the HGV's which were uncomfortably close for the conditions.
b) Overtaking HGV convoys, some of the manoeuver blind due to the spray.
In retrospect I'd have been better turning off and heading cross country.
However one event did worry me earlier in the year. September, a major storm in the channel hit the SE and northern France. We had crossed through the channel tunnel, after some delays, and driving southwest on the exposed N16 Autoroute (now rush hour) following the coast. The rain swept conditions were as bad as I've seen them, visibility crap, road flooding, wipers only just coping.
The choice was.
a) Inside lane amongst the HGV's which were uncomfortably close for the conditions.
b) Overtaking HGV convoys, some of the manoeuver blind due to the spray.
In retrospect I'd have been better turning off and heading cross country.
TWR said:
Dodsy, what you have come out with is a load of bull, if that was the case the Driver would loose his / her licence, tacos the HGV Recorder which is checked monthly & if found the driver doing that sort of speed he / she would be suspended, if this practice was continues the DVLA will revoke the Driver's Licence, I've been on the road & think I know what I'm talking about, the HGV does not have instant stopping device, it has brakes like a car but on a bigger scale, I think you want to rethink your remarks as you are living in Co Co land.
Im only saying what Ive seen, no reason to make it up, I was very surprised too as I'd assume they were being monitored and would be in trouble but two occasions recently UK plated trucks came past me when I was doing 70 downhill. Im curious now how this could work out for the driver, is it possible they were foreign drivers who wouldnt be hanging around for long enough to have to worry about the tachos. ?
ETA I have no axe to grind with HGV drivers never had any problems
sidicks said:
DoubleD said:
av185 said:
DoubleD said:
av185 said:
It doesn't.
'Fast lane' is technically incorrect.
Well it's a good job that I don't care then.'Fast lane' is technically incorrect.
Hope you are keeping well.
Foreign drivers or non Foreign driver they have to abide by their taco, I know the A34 Well & the Hill you may refer to is not far from Didcot & that hill is Northbound, even before the taco I would never ever do shut a stupid thing like knock it out of stick, you have no control no matter how good you may think that the brakes will hold, not even an exhaust brake would slow the HGV down, the loads that's now Unseen by the motorist could be anything from Steel (Oiled) that can go straight through the Front of the Trailer wiping the driver out, I'd seen a HGV Driver lose his life because some K.Head decide to slap on in front of him, Trailer can carry anything from food to poison, from Acid to reels of paper, no matter what is covered up no HGV Driver in his / her right mind would do that sort of speed, a driver as I have said can lose their licence for going 2 mins over their time if this is done on a regular basis& NO HAULAGE company will allow this to happen as they could have the Haulage Licence revoked, with respect, your speedo must be out but I can asure you the HGV Taco will not be out as they a Calibrated & by rights if a wheel on the Whole of the HGV Blows that can knock the calibration out so again it has to be Recalibrated, 40+years in the rat race has given me that knowledge.
datum77 said:
The reason that almost every accident you see involving a truck is because some brainless twallop in a car has caused the accident.
er if they did not tail gate they would not get involved, it matters not what the car does, it's the lorry which smashes up the aftermath and kills every one !av185 said:
sidicks said:
DoubleD said:
av185 said:
DoubleD said:
av185 said:
It doesn't.
'Fast lane' is technically incorrect.
Well it's a good job that I don't care then.'Fast lane' is technically incorrect.
Hope you are keeping well.
DoubleD said:
av185 said:
DoubleD said:
av185 said:
It doesn't.
'Fast lane' is technically incorrect.
Well it's a good job that I don't care then.'Fast lane' is technically incorrect.
Having even a passing interest in, knowledge of or respect for cars, driving, mechanical sympathy, the rules and customs of the road or anything else even vaguely related makes you a 'car bore'. In the eyes of everyone else, if you know the difference between a service and an MOT or make any attempt to keep left unless overtaking, you are as bad as, if not worse than, Jeremy Clarkson.
Section 8 said:
While i assume this is a generalisation and not a dig at all HGV drivers but have you ever driven something limited to 56? I drive 2000 miles plus most weeks and what is my main reason to have to pass in a middle lane or outside of a dual carriageway? Cars. Not lorries. Cars. Some fool sat at 48 so i have to pass and then they get s
t scared and speed up causing me to have to wait till they move so i can get back into lane one therefore creating a massive obstruction in lane two. We take awareness courses and CPC which is a damn sight more than an average car driver does. We are also regulated by law to be aware of our driving times unlike some car driver half asleep after 7 straight hours at the wheel.
nice but it's normally a lorry doing 55 mph up a hill and the lorry doing 56 tries it on, then fails and has to pull back behind, hence the BAN on the bloody things now on some hills, thoughtless driving imo.t scared and speed up causing me to have to wait till they move so i can get back into lane one therefore creating a massive obstruction in lane two. We take awareness courses and CPC which is a damn sight more than an average car driver does. We are also regulated by law to be aware of our driving times unlike some car driver half asleep after 7 straight hours at the wheel. I am not saying car drivers are in the right, that would also be daft, 80% cannot drive and about 6 million don't even have a UK licence, but that's for another thread ;-)
Porsche911R said:
Don't get me started on selfish hgv drivers,
At least people are now taking action
The clampdown on slo-mo overtaking manoeuvres by lorries limited to 56mph – dubbed elephant racing by frustrated motorists – will come as a relief to drivers squeezed into a crowded outside lane or, worse, forced to follow the sluggish passes on dual-carriageways.
every crash I pass on a motor way seems to involve a lorry.
They tail gate
They elephant race for 2 miles !
But then call themselves professional drivers !
A rather typical post from an unenlightened car-only driver. I share your concerns about poor driving practice in HGVs, but the problem pales into insignificance compared to the ceaseless fAt least people are now taking action
The clampdown on slo-mo overtaking manoeuvres by lorries limited to 56mph – dubbed elephant racing by frustrated motorists – will come as a relief to drivers squeezed into a crowded outside lane or, worse, forced to follow the sluggish passes on dual-carriageways.
every crash I pass on a motor way seems to involve a lorry.
They tail gate
They elephant race for 2 miles !
But then call themselves professional drivers !
kwittery witnessed by HGV drivers everyday.TWR said:
Do they frighten you? Why?
Do HGVs on Motorways cause you concerns? Why?
How many miles do you do without a Break? is it wise?
Winter is ahead of us, what precautions have you taken?
-No, I am normally a lane 3 driver and have been driving on motorways in multiple countries for over 15 years.Do HGVs on Motorways cause you concerns? Why?
How many miles do you do without a Break? is it wise?
Winter is ahead of us, what precautions have you taken?
-No, don't drive along side them at the same speed and you will be fine, get past them quickly so they do not have to worry about you.
-No idea, I stop when I have to wee, get tired, get hungry, need fuel or need a redbull
-Check my fluids and tyre pressure a bit more often, make sure windscreen washer fluid is topped up, double check my headlamp washers before every longer trip.
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