Discussion
Recently I have been working for Wincanton transport, trunking flowers for a national diy chain.
Wincanton transport are very thorough when it comes to their operation , and anything that may threaten their operation is delt with very severely. Where most of the people I drive for are happy to let me drive my own way, wincanton give implicict instructions as to what they want me to do.
Some people here may not be aware that the speed limit for a vehicle over 7.5 tonnes on a single carriageway is 40 mph. They check tachographs to see if we exceed this limit.
The first shift I did for them, I had to follow another driver who was going to show me the ropes. We stuck rigidly to the speed limits. Can you imagine the queues we had behind us after half an hour on a road with few overtaking opportunities?. Unsurprisingly, the people following us soon became very impatient to pass us. At the earliest overtaking spot, cars screamed past glad to be on their way. Unfortunately not all of the queue behind us got past in time. Now really frustrated, drivers started to take ridiculous risks to get past. Four different drivers had very near misses with oncoming traffic ( close enough for me to stand on the brakes to avoid joining into what looked like an imminent collision). Normally I drive just above the 40mph limit, and this has two effects. One, drivers behind me don't get so frustrated with me and take stupid risks. Two, I am concentrating on the road and hazards in front of me instead of watching my speedo. As soon as I get chance I let the queue go by pulling into a layby, or by pulling to the very nearside of a wide road, and slowing down to let people past. The majority of drivers usually thank me as they go past.
I would love to take any member of the speed kills brigade (preferably with video equipment) and show them this phenomenon. It would be interesting to see what they make of it. Equally, any members of the bib that wanted to see for themselves would be welcomed. Generally speaking, as long as HGV drivers don't take the p*ss on single carriageways, they don't get stopped by plod, although this is not always the case as an SP10 on my license will verify. I consider this a small price quite honestly (hmmmm let me see 3 points and a fine, or watch someone have a head on with his family in the car............not much of a choice really).
To anybody that does get stuck behind me on the A35, I WILL get out of your way as soon as possible, please be patient.
Incidentaly, if someone is serious about observing what happens at these speeds contact me. Not through the email address on here though, that is just a spam trap.
Philthy
Wincanton transport are very thorough when it comes to their operation , and anything that may threaten their operation is delt with very severely. Where most of the people I drive for are happy to let me drive my own way, wincanton give implicict instructions as to what they want me to do.
Some people here may not be aware that the speed limit for a vehicle over 7.5 tonnes on a single carriageway is 40 mph. They check tachographs to see if we exceed this limit.
The first shift I did for them, I had to follow another driver who was going to show me the ropes. We stuck rigidly to the speed limits. Can you imagine the queues we had behind us after half an hour on a road with few overtaking opportunities?. Unsurprisingly, the people following us soon became very impatient to pass us. At the earliest overtaking spot, cars screamed past glad to be on their way. Unfortunately not all of the queue behind us got past in time. Now really frustrated, drivers started to take ridiculous risks to get past. Four different drivers had very near misses with oncoming traffic ( close enough for me to stand on the brakes to avoid joining into what looked like an imminent collision). Normally I drive just above the 40mph limit, and this has two effects. One, drivers behind me don't get so frustrated with me and take stupid risks. Two, I am concentrating on the road and hazards in front of me instead of watching my speedo. As soon as I get chance I let the queue go by pulling into a layby, or by pulling to the very nearside of a wide road, and slowing down to let people past. The majority of drivers usually thank me as they go past.
I would love to take any member of the speed kills brigade (preferably with video equipment) and show them this phenomenon. It would be interesting to see what they make of it. Equally, any members of the bib that wanted to see for themselves would be welcomed. Generally speaking, as long as HGV drivers don't take the p*ss on single carriageways, they don't get stopped by plod, although this is not always the case as an SP10 on my license will verify. I consider this a small price quite honestly (hmmmm let me see 3 points and a fine, or watch someone have a head on with his family in the car............not much of a choice really).
To anybody that does get stuck behind me on the A35, I WILL get out of your way as soon as possible, please be patient.
Incidentaly, if someone is serious about observing what happens at these speeds contact me. Not through the email address on here though, that is just a spam trap.
Philthy
I'm very worried about this speed limit too. I have written to the Minister and had no reply. I have contacted: FTA, RHA, RoSPA, IAM and many others, and I know that it is "being looked into".
I get regular emails from truckers being prosecuted for driving at safe speeds on trunk roads but exceeding this daft limit. Scamera partnerships are prosecuting with no conception of the consequences.
I am considering appointing a Safe Speed coordinator to deal with the problems - I'm just not getting enough time to follow it up.
I want video evidence of stupid overtaking due to "HGV40".
Truckers should ALL be writing to their MPs - while some of them still have driving licences!
See: www.safespeed.org.uk/hgv40.html
Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk
I get regular emails from truckers being prosecuted for driving at safe speeds on trunk roads but exceeding this daft limit. Scamera partnerships are prosecuting with no conception of the consequences.
I am considering appointing a Safe Speed coordinator to deal with the problems - I'm just not getting enough time to follow it up.
I want video evidence of stupid overtaking due to "HGV40".
Truckers should ALL be writing to their MPs - while some of them still have driving licences!
See: www.safespeed.org.uk/hgv40.html
Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk
Surely a quite realistic consequence of this law is that we will have many more non-EU truckers? Truckers will either be banned or will quit due to this law, leaving the door open to those who aren't so easy to persecute!
As far as I can tell, non-EU truckers are far more dangerous than our home grown knights of the road like Philthy!
As far as I can tell, non-EU truckers are far more dangerous than our home grown knights of the road like Philthy!
puggit said:
As far as I can tell, non-EU truckers are far more dangerous than our home grown knights of the road like Philthy!
My chest is swelling with pride.....thanks puggit !
As I said, if anybody wanted to ride shotgun and video what happens, I'm sure I could get permission. Wouldn't it be ironic if there was an incident caused by my rigidly adhering to the speed limit, caught on camera ??????
Philthy
Personally I don't think the 40 limit is too low, its like any other limit, I only use ot when there are police or cameras around. Or when I'm on a time waste 
One of the biggest problems is the speed differential, and this is the main crux of the problem across the entire road network. For some reason, Brussels decided that trucks have to travel slower than everyone else.
Philthy, I would say it is your company, rather than you at fault, I have never had a tachograph checked by anyone, I have been seen by my manager 'flying' and he did warn me about my speed, but then I was on the limiter on a A-road
Quite scarey when the 2-way crackles into life and 
'STUART, SLOW THE **** DOWN' comes out!! 
Anyhow, I digress.
Drivers attitudes are a problem as well, and I mean CAR drivers. They don't know LGV speed limits, they think that a 60 is a 60, a 50 a 50, and so on. So when they come upon an LGV going at its speed limit, they get irritated, begin to get impatient, instead of just relaxing and maintaining composure, they begin to take risks. A bloke in an Astra estate tried to overtake me yesterday on a blind left hander, I was in an FM12 and could see over the hedge, he couldn't and there was a car coming, in a split second descision, I decided to stop him, and shoved my loaded 32 tonner over the white line, whilst flashing the brake lights. He obviously couldn't get past and pulled back in, only to have a car go by him seconds later. Still gave me the finger when he got past me though.
If i hadn't stopped him, what would have been the outcome? A head on? Would the other car swerved into and eaten my bumper? Would astra-man have swerved into my wheels? The Hedge Perhaps? How many people would have died from his impatience? The other car contained a family.
The entire driving population needs to be educated, not on how to spot speed cameras, but on safe overtaking, road positioning, observation, appropriate speed etc etc etc.
The speed limit system needs revising as well. How many cars on britians roads fall into the current Highway code distances? In fact, how many LGV's fall into the Highway codes CAR distances? I wouldn't like to guess, but with Air Brakes, ABS and the Exhaust Brake, my 32 tonne tipper will stop when I need it to. the speed limits for the different categorys need to brought closet together, and I don't mean the car speed limit be reduced!!
I fear I am wasting the tips of my fingers writing this, so I shall shut up and go for a hair cut
One of the biggest problems is the speed differential, and this is the main crux of the problem across the entire road network. For some reason, Brussels decided that trucks have to travel slower than everyone else.
Philthy, I would say it is your company, rather than you at fault, I have never had a tachograph checked by anyone, I have been seen by my manager 'flying' and he did warn me about my speed, but then I was on the limiter on a A-road
Quite scarey when the 2-way crackles into life and 'STUART, SLOW THE **** DOWN' comes out!! Anyhow, I digress.
Drivers attitudes are a problem as well, and I mean CAR drivers. They don't know LGV speed limits, they think that a 60 is a 60, a 50 a 50, and so on. So when they come upon an LGV going at its speed limit, they get irritated, begin to get impatient, instead of just relaxing and maintaining composure, they begin to take risks. A bloke in an Astra estate tried to overtake me yesterday on a blind left hander, I was in an FM12 and could see over the hedge, he couldn't and there was a car coming, in a split second descision, I decided to stop him, and shoved my loaded 32 tonner over the white line, whilst flashing the brake lights. He obviously couldn't get past and pulled back in, only to have a car go by him seconds later. Still gave me the finger when he got past me though.
If i hadn't stopped him, what would have been the outcome? A head on? Would the other car swerved into and eaten my bumper? Would astra-man have swerved into my wheels? The Hedge Perhaps? How many people would have died from his impatience? The other car contained a family. The entire driving population needs to be educated, not on how to spot speed cameras, but on safe overtaking, road positioning, observation, appropriate speed etc etc etc.
The speed limit system needs revising as well. How many cars on britians roads fall into the current Highway code distances? In fact, how many LGV's fall into the Highway codes CAR distances? I wouldn't like to guess, but with Air Brakes, ABS and the Exhaust Brake, my 32 tonne tipper will stop when I need it to. the speed limits for the different categorys need to brought closet together, and I don't mean the car speed limit be reduced!!
I fear I am wasting the tips of my fingers writing this, so I shall shut up and go for a hair cut
Are foreign trucks limited in the same way UK trucks are ? I've been overtaken on the motorway by several foreign trucks recently and I was doing 70.
They also seem to go pretty fast through the tax cameras on the M25 roadworks around the M4, I guess they can't be banned if they're not from the UK ??
They also seem to go pretty fast through the tax cameras on the M25 roadworks around the M4, I guess they can't be banned if they're not from the UK ??
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