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Why oh why do you overtake each other when you are both limited to 60mph?
Are you bored?
Are you bored?
In reply to Gibson:
Because they can ? if your job involved driving for hours on end wouldn't you do everything you legally could do to save even 5 minutes from your journey ?
Because they can ? if your job involved driving for hours on end wouldn't you do everything you legally could do to save even 5 minutes from your journey ?
In reply to GrahamD:
But they don't. In most cases a few miles down the road the lorry that was passed tries the same with the lorry that passed him.
But they don't. In most cases a few miles down the road the lorry that was passed tries the same with the lorry that passed him.
In reply to GridNorth:
I wanted to reply to keep the responses solely from people beginning with the letter G.
I wanted to reply to keep the responses solely from people beginning with the letter G.
In reply to Gibson:
They are limited to 56mph.
As for overtaking I would guess they would do that if they had more bhp and less of a load they are more likely to maintain that 56mph than a lorry fully laden with less bhp.
Obviously this is applicable more to where there are hills rather than Norfolk!
They are limited to 56mph.
As for overtaking I would guess they would do that if they had more bhp and less of a load they are more likely to maintain that 56mph than a lorry fully laden with less bhp.
Obviously this is applicable more to where there are hills rather than Norfolk!
In reply to GridNorth:
Most times they drive on the limiter and keep as much momentum as possible. It takes them a lot longer to rebuild momentum if they have to slow down at all (not like a car where speed change is pretty instantaneous). Annoying it may be at times but its an understandable behaviour - they aren't on the road for the sight seeing !
Most times they drive on the limiter and keep as much momentum as possible. It takes them a lot longer to rebuild momentum if they have to slow down at all (not like a car where speed change is pretty instantaneous). Annoying it may be at times but its an understandable behaviour - they aren't on the road for the sight seeing !
In reply to Gibson:
I thought it was to do with slipstreaming, where the rear vehicle gets a 'drag' and therefore saves fuel.
They overtake to take their turn at the front.
I thought it was to do with slipstreaming, where the rear vehicle gets a 'drag' and therefore saves fuel.
They overtake to take their turn at the front.
In reply to Gibson:
On parts of the A42/M42 there are times where trucks are forbidden in the outside lane but still you see it happening and there is always a massive queue of traffic sitting behind them. It's pretty selfish really.
On parts of the A42/M42 there are times where trucks are forbidden in the outside lane but still you see it happening and there is always a massive queue of traffic sitting behind them. It's pretty selfish really.
In reply to FactorXXX:
A bit like the peloton in a bike race, you can just hear the driver up front yelling to the one behind that it's their turn up front.
Somehow I don't think this is the case.
> They overtake to take their turn at the front.
A bit like the peloton in a bike race, you can just hear the driver up front yelling to the one behind that it's their turn up front.
Somehow I don't think this is the case.
In reply to GrahamD:
If they are all limited to 56mph then how will this save any time? Surely they would all drive at their limit?
Not now that I sit behind them every morning struggling to get past each other, uphill, causing tailbacks and generally pissing folk off...
If they are all limited to 56mph then how will this save any time? Surely they would all drive at their limit?
Not now that I sit behind them every morning struggling to get past each other, uphill, causing tailbacks and generally pissing folk off...
In reply to Gibson:
OUR Truck drivers deliver YOUR food,clothes and pretty much everything else, dont be so selfish, we all have places to go and work to do... The other reason they are limited to 56 MPH is for YOUR safety
OUR Truck drivers deliver YOUR food,clothes and pretty much everything else, dont be so selfish, we all have places to go and work to do... The other reason they are limited to 56 MPH is for YOUR safety
In reply to Redsetter:
THEIR* safety too, presumably?
(*If you can't beat them join them.)
> OUR Truck drivers deliver YOUR food,clothes and pretty much everything else, dont be so selfish, we all have places to go and work to do... The other reason they are limited to 56 MPH is for YOUR safety
THEIR* safety too, presumably?
(*If you can't beat them join them.)
In reply to Redsetter:
Its the hills. A fully laden lorry often cant maintain 56mph on a hill, so the one behind needs to overtake.
Remember an hgv only gets about 1mpg when accelerating, this is why they try to maintain their speed as much as possible, and also why you should do all you can as a car driver to not make them have to brake (i.e. dont pull onto a motorway or A road at a slower speed than traffic you are joining)
Its the hills. A fully laden lorry often cant maintain 56mph on a hill, so the one behind needs to overtake.
Remember an hgv only gets about 1mpg when accelerating, this is why they try to maintain their speed as much as possible, and also why you should do all you can as a car driver to not make them have to brake (i.e. dont pull onto a motorway or A road at a slower speed than traffic you are joining)
In reply to Gibson:
Isn't it funny how its always other road users causing the problem ? like being in a traffic jam is everyone elses fault whereas you are just as big a part of the cause of the jam as everyone else.
> Not now that I sit behind them every morning struggling to get past each other, uphill, causing tailbacks and generally pissing folk off...
Isn't it funny how its always other road users causing the problem ? like being in a traffic jam is everyone elses fault whereas you are just as big a part of the cause of the jam as everyone else.
In reply to balmybaldwin:
If it's going up a hill then I can understand it, but they are always passing each other on flat or downhill motorways probably due to there speedomiters being slightly out from each other, causing big que's. When this is the case and I have to wait behind a lorry as it passees another moving 0.01 mph slower than it , I like to imediatly pull in and slow down after passing. The flashing of lights reassure me I have pissed them off as much as they have every other road user.
If it's going up a hill then I can understand it, but they are always passing each other on flat or downhill motorways probably due to there speedomiters being slightly out from each other, causing big que's. When this is the case and I have to wait behind a lorry as it passees another moving 0.01 mph slower than it , I like to imediatly pull in and slow down after passing. The flashing of lights reassure me I have pissed them off as much as they have every other road user.
In reply to Ben Briggs:
I'm quite sure the driver would equally be more than happy to park on your head if he was allowed. You ought to go an do a day driving something big and slow, you might change your views a little.
Do you like cyclists?
> I like to imediatly pull in and slow down after passing. The flashing of lights reassure me I have pissed them off as much as they have every other road user.
I'm quite sure the driver would equally be more than happy to park on your head if he was allowed. You ought to go an do a day driving something big and slow, you might change your views a little.
Do you like cyclists?
In reply to woolsack:
No it's all HGV's, their bring them in for 7.5 tonners (big vans) as well.
> It's only the newer trucks that will have limiters on
No it's all HGV's, their bring them in for 7.5 tonners (big vans) as well.
In reply to Ben Briggs:
Its not sensible to deliberately piss off someone driving a 50t truck, plus by doing that youll only cause the lorry at the back to overtake a now slower lorry - genius
Its not sensible to deliberately piss off someone driving a 50t truck, plus by doing that youll only cause the lorry at the back to overtake a now slower lorry - genius
In reply to balmybaldwin:
Why not? Why would it be any less sensible than pissing anyone else off? There is sweet fa they can do about it. To be fair I don't always do it, only if they have been particulaty inconsiderate, for instance just pulling out and causing me to break hard then taking 5min to over take. I live near the Mont Blanc tunnel and there are a loads of them driving like tossers so I find it fun to do them same and get my own back
Why not? Why would it be any less sensible than pissing anyone else off? There is sweet fa they can do about it. To be fair I don't always do it, only if they have been particulaty inconsiderate, for instance just pulling out and causing me to break hard then taking 5min to over take. I live near the Mont Blanc tunnel and there are a loads of them driving like tossers so I find it fun to do them same and get my own back
Post edited at 21:14
In reply to Ben Briggs:
Because deliberstely pissing off any road user is moronic. If you dont understand that you shouldnt be on the road.
Because deliberstely pissing off any road user is moronic. If you dont understand that you shouldnt be on the road.
In reply to Ben Briggs:
Are you extracting the urine?
At the risk of sounding trite, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Don't be a dick.
Are you extracting the urine?
At the risk of sounding trite, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Don't be a dick.
In reply to Gibson:
Wouldn't you be, if you spent hours every day (and night) chugging along a motorway at 56mph?
Once the truck is rolling you just plant your foot firmly on the floor and let the speed-limiter act as a cruise-control. Hence if your limter is set 0.00005mph faster than the other guy, you'll be overtaking incredibly slowly. Better that than coming out of the coma.
> Are you bored?
Wouldn't you be, if you spent hours every day (and night) chugging along a motorway at 56mph?
Once the truck is rolling you just plant your foot firmly on the floor and let the speed-limiter act as a cruise-control. Hence if your limter is set 0.00005mph faster than the other guy, you'll be overtaking incredibly slowly. Better that than coming out of the coma.
In reply to Ben Briggs:
Good grief, for one moment I thought you were a motorcyclist having a rant about cars
Good grief, for one moment I thought you were a motorcyclist having a rant about cars
In reply to Gibson:
This old chestnut?
Okay the OH is busy and my gym membership expired so I'll bite.
Having been an agency driver on and off for quite a few years and on 3 continents, both full time and to subsidise my PhD stipend, I am reasonably experienced.
First although lgvs over 7.5t should be limited to 90kmph (56mph) by EU edict there is some variation between manufacturers and models and also companies; some dhl sites have trucks limited to 52mph and army trucks are slowest of all C 45mph. It is inevitable that trucks are going to catch up with a slow mover.
In a potential ten hours of driving that few miles an hour could be the difference between getting home or not, apart from the desire to get home to loved ones a lot of drivers don't get paid for "rolling in" after an unexpected night out.
Also as mentioned above losing speed is a major pain in the are esp on a hill if at all possible it would s better to keep ploughing through as you don't know how the slow veh in front will deal with the incline, and bear in mind that what a car driver and a trucker call hills might be quite different!
Of course there is no chance of an HGV accelerating to the speed of cars in the second lane so it may inconvenience other drivers but on it really doesn't take that long and on a 3 lane motorway you should be able so see it happening and move over. Just enjoy the view for two or three minutes you are only losing 14mph for say 2 min that is less than half a mile difference.
Finally I presume you are gods gift to driving and f*cking tulips blossom in every verge you pass?
This old chestnut?
Okay the OH is busy and my gym membership expired so I'll bite.
Having been an agency driver on and off for quite a few years and on 3 continents, both full time and to subsidise my PhD stipend, I am reasonably experienced.
First although lgvs over 7.5t should be limited to 90kmph (56mph) by EU edict there is some variation between manufacturers and models and also companies; some dhl sites have trucks limited to 52mph and army trucks are slowest of all C 45mph. It is inevitable that trucks are going to catch up with a slow mover.
In a potential ten hours of driving that few miles an hour could be the difference between getting home or not, apart from the desire to get home to loved ones a lot of drivers don't get paid for "rolling in" after an unexpected night out.
Also as mentioned above losing speed is a major pain in the are esp on a hill if at all possible it would s better to keep ploughing through as you don't know how the slow veh in front will deal with the incline, and bear in mind that what a car driver and a trucker call hills might be quite different!
Of course there is no chance of an HGV accelerating to the speed of cars in the second lane so it may inconvenience other drivers but on it really doesn't take that long and on a 3 lane motorway you should be able so see it happening and move over. Just enjoy the view for two or three minutes you are only losing 14mph for say 2 min that is less than half a mile difference.
Finally I presume you are gods gift to driving and f*cking tulips blossom in every verge you pass?
In reply to Gibson:
Ah there's nothing more amusing than angry drivers. Top tip- leave 10 minutes early and chill
Ah there's nothing more amusing than angry drivers. Top tip- leave 10 minutes early and chill
In reply to Gibson:
I have absolutely no problem with trucks overtaking, whatever the speed. What gets my goat is folks sitting in the middle/outside lane when not overtaking. Thus causing an unnecessary obstruction whereas a truck driver over taking is merely expressing his right to overtake, albeit slowly
I have absolutely no problem with trucks overtaking, whatever the speed. What gets my goat is folks sitting in the middle/outside lane when not overtaking. Thus causing an unnecessary obstruction whereas a truck driver over taking is merely expressing his right to overtake, albeit slowly
In reply to andic:
Why do people feel the need to generate pages and pages of unqualified pointless speculation?
Thank you Andic for actually being an HGV driver and answering the question!
Why do people feel the need to generate pages and pages of unqualified pointless speculation?
Thank you Andic for actually being an HGV driver and answering the question!
In reply to MagnusL:
I think the OP was referring to the situation when the trucks appear to be doing the same speed, were the difference is negligible. So no, andic did not answer his question.
I suspect the answer is because there is a minority of lorry drivers that don't drive too well, and as ever they are the ones that get noticed.
I think that collectively this behaviour causes more hold ups, making every ones journey times longer.
> Thank you Andic for actually being an HGV driver and answering the question!
I think the OP was referring to the situation when the trucks appear to be doing the same speed, were the difference is negligible. So no, andic did not answer his question.
I suspect the answer is because there is a minority of lorry drivers that don't drive too well, and as ever they are the ones that get noticed.
I think that collectively this behaviour causes more hold ups, making every ones journey times longer.
Post edited at 18:01
And why oh why do they insist on flashing me, to say its ok for me to pull in after i've just overtaken them. I have got mirrors and windows in my van, i can judge for myself when to pull in.
In reply to Gibson:
I share your irritation. Almost every time I am on a motorway in the UK, I have an incident with a HGV pulling out without warning dangerously close in front of me so that I have to brake hard to avoid an accident. I suspect this may be a major cause of crashes in the UK (but I don't know).
However, I think the law that places a 14 mph lower limit on trucks compared to cars is partly to blame. In the US, in most states, the speed limits are the same for cars and for 18-wheeler trucks except at night. On most of the Interstates the 18-wheelers are doing more-or-less exactly 70 mph, and their drivers are among the best on the road. Another factor that helps is that the 18-wheelers are massively powered and can drive at these speeds even when heavily laden. One very bad feature of the US 18-wheelers is that they have no crash bars along their sides between the trailer and the road. This results in the decapitation of several hundred car drivers per year.
In the UK, and much of Europe, it is the other way round - the truck drivers seem to be among the worst drivers (excepting, of course the dreaded white vans - and countries like Italy where practically all drive with xtreme impatience and lack of consideration for others).
I share your irritation. Almost every time I am on a motorway in the UK, I have an incident with a HGV pulling out without warning dangerously close in front of me so that I have to brake hard to avoid an accident. I suspect this may be a major cause of crashes in the UK (but I don't know).
However, I think the law that places a 14 mph lower limit on trucks compared to cars is partly to blame. In the US, in most states, the speed limits are the same for cars and for 18-wheeler trucks except at night. On most of the Interstates the 18-wheelers are doing more-or-less exactly 70 mph, and their drivers are among the best on the road. Another factor that helps is that the 18-wheelers are massively powered and can drive at these speeds even when heavily laden. One very bad feature of the US 18-wheelers is that they have no crash bars along their sides between the trailer and the road. This results in the decapitation of several hundred car drivers per year.
In the UK, and much of Europe, it is the other way round - the truck drivers seem to be among the worst drivers (excepting, of course the dreaded white vans - and countries like Italy where practically all drive with xtreme impatience and lack of consideration for others).
In reply to John Stainforth:
I don't really agree with this. I drive quite a lot really and I don't think I ever get a fright from HGV drivers behaving unpredictably - they check their mirrors, estimate speeds, and act rationally.
Can't say the same for plenty of car drivers.
I don't really agree with this. I drive quite a lot really and I don't think I ever get a fright from HGV drivers behaving unpredictably - they check their mirrors, estimate speeds, and act rationally.
Can't say the same for plenty of car drivers.
In reply to woolsack:
No it's an additional one all HGV's now have to have them fitted. They should be set at 56mph (90kph) but they don't seem to be that accurate hence to slight differences.
Why are truck drivers inconsiderate? Same reasons as other road users are.
> Is this on the tacho or an additional limiter?
No it's an additional one all HGV's now have to have them fitted. They should be set at 56mph (90kph) but they don't seem to be that accurate hence to slight differences.
Why are truck drivers inconsiderate? Same reasons as other road users are.
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:
^^ Yes, very much the true picture in the UK
> I don't really agree with this. I drive quite a lot really and I don't think I ever get a fright from HGV drivers behaving unpredictably - they check their mirrors, estimate speeds, and act rationally.
> Can't say the same for plenty of car drivers.
^^ Yes, very much the true picture in the UK
In reply to John Stainforth:
Sounds like you're a shit driver.
> I share your irritation. Almost every time I am on a motorway in the UK, I have an incident with a HGV pulling out without warning dangerously close in front of me so that I have to brake hard to avoid an accident.
Sounds like you're a shit driver.
In reply to MagnusL:
Oi. It's been a while, but my answer was based on first hand experience of driving a 45t artic. :-P
Oi. It's been a while, but my answer was based on first hand experience of driving a 45t artic. :-P
In reply to Papillon:
Bang on. Given the proportion of proportion of people who drive cars badly it's hardly surprising if a few truck drivers are nobs as well.
> I suspect the answer is because there is a minority of lorry drivers that don't drive too well, and as ever they are the ones that get noticed.
Bang on. Given the proportion of proportion of people who drive cars badly it's hardly surprising if a few truck drivers are nobs as well.
In reply to Gibson:
And because 99% of car drivers are breaking the speed limit on the motorway, 56 mph feels glacial for them.
And because 99% of car drivers are breaking the speed limit on the motorway, 56 mph feels glacial for them.
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:
I brought this up, precisely because what I have been seeing recently is more and more drivers (often of HGV trucks) pulling out without warning. Either they are not using their mirrors or they don't care.
One thing I am noticing (because I drive in many countries every year) is that the driving standard in the UK - traditionally one of the best in the world - is deteriorating, whereas in other places where it is way worse (such as Houston TX) it seems to be improving. In all cases, this seems to reflect the level of policing, which in the UK has dropped dramatically, presumably as a result of budget cuts.
I brought this up, precisely because what I have been seeing recently is more and more drivers (often of HGV trucks) pulling out without warning. Either they are not using their mirrors or they don't care.
One thing I am noticing (because I drive in many countries every year) is that the driving standard in the UK - traditionally one of the best in the world - is deteriorating, whereas in other places where it is way worse (such as Houston TX) it seems to be improving. In all cases, this seems to reflect the level of policing, which in the UK has dropped dramatically, presumably as a result of budget cuts.
In reply to John Stainforth:
Pulling out without warning is obviously wrong, but its always easy to anticipate. The problem, if any, usually arises when car drivers try to shut them out by speeding up to get through the gap.
Things work a lot better if the need to pull out is anticipated and acknowledged with a flash of the lights to allow them to pull out safely.
Pulling out without warning is obviously wrong, but its always easy to anticipate. The problem, if any, usually arises when car drivers try to shut them out by speeding up to get through the gap.
Things work a lot better if the need to pull out is anticipated and acknowledged with a flash of the lights to allow them to pull out safely.
In reply to GrahamD:
I am talking about occasions those that are so ridiculous you can't anticipate them. They are so close to you that there is not much difference from those (luckily less frequent) occasions when drivers pull out into your lane when alongside: which is only avoidable by an instinctive swerve triggered by one's peripheral vision.
I am talking about occasions those that are so ridiculous you can't anticipate them. They are so close to you that there is not much difference from those (luckily less frequent) occasions when drivers pull out into your lane when alongside: which is only avoidable by an instinctive swerve triggered by one's peripheral vision.
In reply to John Stainforth:
Well our experiences differ John, at times I seem to have spent a good proportion of my life either driving to ski resorts or on the M6 (sublime to the ridiculous and all that)and I just don't encounter that problem. Anticipation seems to me key - if an HGV is catching with someone in front then he is going to want to pull out and so it's courteous/sensible to either move to the outside line, accelerate or fall back - car drivers have a lot more options than HGV drivers do.
Now for white van men (though I used to be one myself) or for Vauxhall drivers who overtake on the inside.... 7th circle of hell is reserved for them....
Well our experiences differ John, at times I seem to have spent a good proportion of my life either driving to ski resorts or on the M6 (sublime to the ridiculous and all that)and I just don't encounter that problem. Anticipation seems to me key - if an HGV is catching with someone in front then he is going to want to pull out and so it's courteous/sensible to either move to the outside line, accelerate or fall back - car drivers have a lot more options than HGV drivers do.
Now for white van men (though I used to be one myself) or for Vauxhall drivers who overtake on the inside.... 7th circle of hell is reserved for them....
In reply to Gibson:
It isn't just HGV drivers. I have noticed that car drivers do the same. They overtake you, pull back in, then slow down to a speed that is less that what you are doing. You then overtake them (to maintain constant speed) and repeat until you get bored and floor it.
It isn't just HGV drivers. I have noticed that car drivers do the same. They overtake you, pull back in, then slow down to a speed that is less that what you are doing. You then overtake them (to maintain constant speed) and repeat until you get bored and floor it.
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