Excess noise from an HGV
Discussion
Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in SP & L.
We live in Kennington, a village on the outskirts of Oxford. There is a weight limit in the village. Several time per day, an eight wheeler truck lumbers through - one way, full of earth or whatever, then on return empty. It is visiting a new building site a few hundreds yards from us. On the way past us when it is full, it hardly makes any noise as firstly being loaded the tail gate and sides are obviously under tension and secondly the driver is hardly going to traverse the dreaded speed humps at a high rate of knots thus putting undue strain on the suspension etc. On the way back, however, empty, the tailgate and sides rattle so loudly that this borders on unacceptable noise and it really is deafening when the lorry crashed over the speed humps, and I may add that upon witneesing these trips, the lorry is clearly travelling at well up to, if not over, the 30mph limit. Even when I am indoors, with our double-glazed windows closed, it actually makes my eardrums hurt and although a normally tolerant person I am getting quite f
ked off with this, even though the noise is occurring in short bursts. Now to the tricky bit. If there is a weight limit in an area, does a driver have a duty to pass through any residential area on the way to or from the destination via the route with the least number of dwellngs? Because if so, this one is taking the piss, as he is coming through most of the village's main through road to reach the building site rather than coming a different way which would mean only passing a relatively small number of houses.
Google map of Kennington. The lorry comes right through the village from the Upper road end of Kennington Road, then turns right on to Simpsons Way in which is the building site. My point is that the driver could instead travel along the A4183 Hinksey Hill, then the A4183 Oxford Road, turn left into Bagley Wood Road, on into St Swithuns Road, turn right onto The Avenue, then immediately right into Simpsons Way. This alternative route would take him past a very small number of houses in comparison with the route he now uses. Obviously, if the law allows a driver to take the shortest route if he has access through a restricted area, then there is no case to answer, but if the route needs to be the minimum disturbance to residential properties, then the current route is clearly unacceptable.
Advice please on what action (if any worth taking) I can take.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Radley,+Abingdon&a...
We live in Kennington, a village on the outskirts of Oxford. There is a weight limit in the village. Several time per day, an eight wheeler truck lumbers through - one way, full of earth or whatever, then on return empty. It is visiting a new building site a few hundreds yards from us. On the way past us when it is full, it hardly makes any noise as firstly being loaded the tail gate and sides are obviously under tension and secondly the driver is hardly going to traverse the dreaded speed humps at a high rate of knots thus putting undue strain on the suspension etc. On the way back, however, empty, the tailgate and sides rattle so loudly that this borders on unacceptable noise and it really is deafening when the lorry crashed over the speed humps, and I may add that upon witneesing these trips, the lorry is clearly travelling at well up to, if not over, the 30mph limit. Even when I am indoors, with our double-glazed windows closed, it actually makes my eardrums hurt and although a normally tolerant person I am getting quite f
ked off with this, even though the noise is occurring in short bursts. Now to the tricky bit. If there is a weight limit in an area, does a driver have a duty to pass through any residential area on the way to or from the destination via the route with the least number of dwellngs? Because if so, this one is taking the piss, as he is coming through most of the village's main through road to reach the building site rather than coming a different way which would mean only passing a relatively small number of houses.Google map of Kennington. The lorry comes right through the village from the Upper road end of Kennington Road, then turns right on to Simpsons Way in which is the building site. My point is that the driver could instead travel along the A4183 Hinksey Hill, then the A4183 Oxford Road, turn left into Bagley Wood Road, on into St Swithuns Road, turn right onto The Avenue, then immediately right into Simpsons Way. This alternative route would take him past a very small number of houses in comparison with the route he now uses. Obviously, if the law allows a driver to take the shortest route if he has access through a restricted area, then there is no case to answer, but if the route needs to be the minimum disturbance to residential properties, then the current route is clearly unacceptable.
Advice please on what action (if any worth taking) I can take.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Radley,+Abingdon&a...
Edited by Petemate on Saturday 8th October 14:43
RWD cossie wil said:
My god! A lorry dares to drive UP TO the speed limit past your house, & rattles over a speed bump?
Phone the Daily mail, write to your MP & ring 999, this is clearly a breach of your "Hooman writes!"
Alternatively, you could always get a life?!!!
Greatest respect mate, I knew there would be at least one reply like that - I invite anyone to come and experience this for themselves. It is a nightmare. As said, I am normally a tolerant person; in my daily job I work four days on under a flight-path at LHR and while I am paid to experience the racket, I certainly don't want the bloody racket from this bloody lorry during my four days off thanks. My son who lives with us is himself an HGV driver and even he agrees this is unfair.Phone the Daily mail, write to your MP & ring 999, this is clearly a breach of your "Hooman writes!"
Alternatively, you could always get a life?!!!
There is no pressure on truck drivers to take a certain route unless weight or size limits are in place.
A good driver will use the largest road to get as near as possible to the delivery site as it reduces the risk of having to stop and cause an obstruction.
If your road is the easiest and largest route, the driver will use this.
Why don't you wander down to the building site and have a quiet word with the foreman? Surely it's in his interest to keep the locals happy? Be polite and reasonable and he'll probably pass the message on to the driver. Be unreasonable, get on your high horse and lecture him and he'll probably laugh you off site.
A good driver will use the largest road to get as near as possible to the delivery site as it reduces the risk of having to stop and cause an obstruction.
If your road is the easiest and largest route, the driver will use this.
Why don't you wander down to the building site and have a quiet word with the foreman? Surely it's in his interest to keep the locals happy? Be polite and reasonable and he'll probably pass the message on to the driver. Be unreasonable, get on your high horse and lecture him and he'll probably laugh you off site.
Life Saab Itch said:
There is no pressure on truck drivers to take a certain route unless weight or size limits are in place.
A good driver will use the largest road to get as near as possible to the delivery site as it reduces the risk of having to stop and cause an obstruction.
If your road is the easiest and largest route, the driver will use this.
Why don't you wander down to the building site and have a quiet word with the foreman? Surely it's in his interest to keep the locals happy? Be polite and reasonable and he'll probably pass the message on to the driver. Be unreasonable, get on your high horse and lecture him and he'll probably laugh you off site.
This is prettywell the resigned view me & my lad were taking while discussing it yesterday. I have to admit that the last part of St Swithuns Road is a bit awkward but the buses managed past other cars there when they had to reroute some time ago. Probably nothing we can do in the long run but feel better after having a rant. Perhaps worth having a word with the site foreman to see if the lorry can take it a bit easier over the humps. It is really deafening. Will also have a word with our PCSO - he is a really great chap. A good driver will use the largest road to get as near as possible to the delivery site as it reduces the risk of having to stop and cause an obstruction.
If your road is the easiest and largest route, the driver will use this.
Why don't you wander down to the building site and have a quiet word with the foreman? Surely it's in his interest to keep the locals happy? Be polite and reasonable and he'll probably pass the message on to the driver. Be unreasonable, get on your high horse and lecture him and he'll probably laugh you off site.
You know what, this is a pretty off the wall suggestion, but if it's really affecting you this badly you could always try flagging him down when he's passing through, explaining the situation to him and ask if he can go 10mph slower in the section nearest your house - you could always try and buy his cooperation with a 12 pack or something. You never know, it may just work.
monkey gland said:
You know what, this is a pretty off the wall suggestion, but if it's really affecting you this badly you could always try flagging him down when he's passing through, explaining the situation to him and ask if he can go 10mph slower in the section nearest your house - you could always try and buy his cooperation with a 12 pack or something. You never know, it may just work.
As an HGV driver myself, and one that used to drive an eightwheeler hooklift, I can appreciate the noise they make when empty. However from a drivers point of view the above advice would certainly be something that would make me take heed, rather than going to the foreman etc. Try and stop him, be friendly and I can 99.99% guarantee that he will slow down and try to keep the noise to a minimum. If there was a 6 pack of fosters involved you would never hear me again
The weight limit isnt relevant if the driver has access. I doubt that the site agent will be interested, even if he makes the right noises: a sh*t shifter will be subcontracting, probably to a firm that is subcontracted to the developer and its not as if he is actually doing anything wrong.
The realproblem is the silly speed bumps, but you could try calling the carrier (presuming that their number is on the door) and asking if theyll ask the driver to slow down over the bumps. If the number isnt there then Id suggest gritting your teeth as it wont last for long.
The realproblem is the silly speed bumps, but you could try calling the carrier (presuming that their number is on the door) and asking if theyll ask the driver to slow down over the bumps. If the number isnt there then Id suggest gritting your teeth as it wont last for long.
With the working hour restrictions and obvious time and fuel price issues, they will always take the shortest and easiest route. If the shortest and easiest route happens to be past your house then they'll use it. Anyone who uses the A14 will know its going to be closed overnight for a few days this month (or whatever they're doing, i dont use it that often) and the diversion is 37 miles long, now this is a main freight route as im sure you all know and hauliers dont have the time or fuel to waste with a 37 mile diversion and they know the area well and will just hurtle through the tiny sleepy villages at 3am but thats life im afraid.
What you should do is get hold of the tt who thought a speed bump was a good idea 
What you should do is get hold of the t
t who thought a speed bump was a good idea Edited by martin84 on Saturday 8th October 16:02
RWD cossie wil said:
Sorry, but the OP is being massively over sensitive here, it won't be at unsociable hours, and will last for seconds at a time!
I disagree that I am being over sensitive. It is a bloody menace and even if it does only last seconds at a time I don't want to be subjected to it. I can't imagine what it must be like for anyone, for instance, over the age of 80 - I am 75 and well-pissed off with it. martin84 said:
im sure you all know and hauliers dont have the time or fuel to waste with a 37 mile diversion and they know the area well and will just hurtle through the tiny sleepy villages at 3am but thats life im afraid.
Fair point Martin, but the diversion needed here would only be 1.5-2 miles (I may even try this out on my next days off)martin84 said:
What you should do is get hold of the tt who thought a speed bump was a good idea
A very good point. Our original humps years ago were right across the road, but after many complaints by ambulance drivers and bus passengers they cut some of the humps away to allow certain vehicles passage without bouncing. Quite why the buses miss them, but eight wheelers don't, is beyond me. Also doesn't help that the humps are badly designed, the angles being very sharp. But of course they are there to stay. t who thought a speed bump was a good idea 
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