FabSwingers.com forum: driving on hard shoulder

By *exycleaner OP Woman
over a year ago

pontefract

this is going to be some thing introduced to ease congestion .ok but the years it takes to do it is a nightmare

there is a section of the M62 near me

that is being upgraded to allow this so for 2 years we ave to drive at 50 mph thru these roadworks which can at times do your head in yesterday morning i had a lorry driver come right up behind me then moved into middle lane intimidating me cos i was doing 50 why ???

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Done it down the M6 (and still ongoing on the next stretch 4 years after phase 1 started).....and its still as bad as the control of it is shite!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I heard on the news yesterday that the police are going to be doing on the spot fines to try and attempt stopping idiots like that.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"this is going to be some thing introduced to ease congestion .ok but the years it takes to do it is a nightmare

there is a section of the M62 near me

Because lorry drivers are not considerate drivers, they think they can intimidate other road users because they have bigger vehicles. They also think that they are the most important people on the road and everyone else's journey is insignificant compared to theirs.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"this is going to be some thing introduced to ease congestion .ok but the years it takes to do it is a nightmare

there is a section of the M62 near me

and by the same token, many car drivers do not appreciate nor allow for the dynamics of driving a HGV

i am not a HGV driver, but driving them is far far different than driving a car and requires a different method of driving

i am not excusing genuinely bad driving either - but truck drivers are no more to blame than car drivers

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Thats the same thing people are saying about fining middle lane drivers. "You shouldn't overtake me if I'm doing the speed limit". If everyone stuck to the speed limit rigidly then the roads may as well be ripped up and replaced with rails like a kids fairground ride.

Part of the reason that some police forces don't prosecute you until you're doing over 10%+2 of the speed limit is because everyone sitting at exactly the same speed is daft and wouldn't help traffic flow at all. You know how annoying it is when trucks with a 0.5mph speed difference take 10 miles to overtake each other? Well it'd be like that all the time everywhere.

So perhaps this truck came up a little close but he did overtake you as is his right. If he wants to risk a fine thats up to him. I wouldn't get nervous about it though or you'd never drive anywhere.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

They are more to blame. I always drive through these type of roadworks at a genuine 50 indicated on the sat-nav, not the inaccurate speedometer and what the original poster says happens always does.

Of course part of it is because they probably are not particularly intelligent because if they were, then they would not be driving a lorry.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Of course part of it is because they probably are not particularly intelligent because if they were, then they would not be driving a lorry."

Would it surprise you to learn that 1 of my drivers is a qualified airline pilot ?

Would it surprise you to learn that I have several drivers who are educated to masters degree standard ?

I also have several drivers who are ex-policemen and firemen

Not every truck driver is a big brutish buffoon who didn't do too well when the brain cells were handed out.

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By *pecifically1Woman
over a year ago

Hull

"this is going to be some thing introduced to ease congestion .ok but the years it takes to do it is a nightmare

there is a section of the M62 near me

and by the same token, many car drivers do not appreciate nor allow for the dynamics of driving a HGV

i am not a HGV driver, but driving them is far far different than driving a car and requires a different method of driving

i am not excusing genuinely bad driving either - but truck drivers are no more to blame than car drivers"

The difference is that driving a truck requires more skill not less. Yet lorry drivers continually use their phones, read A-Z's, maps eat McD's. Unfortunately you stand less chance of survival if a truck hits you than a car due to the sheer weight and size. I am not for one moment saying that car drivers don't do the same things but they aren't driving Arctics.

I have a lorry driver friend who actually said the reason he tailgates is so he doesn't have to slow down and change gear as that costs fuel....

What's more important fuel costs or endangering lives...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"They are more to blame. I always drive through these type of roadworks at a genuine 50 indicated on the sat-nav, not the inaccurate speedometer and what the original poster says happens always does.

Of course part of it is because they probably are not particularly intelligent because if they were, then they would not be driving a lorry."

Yeah, you'll win lots of friends for that last little gem!

And this myth that speedometers are innacurrate is utter bollocks. That won't get you off on a court that's for sure. Do car manufacturers fit braking systems that only brake at 90% of what they should? No, so why do you assume the speedo does. Cos a friend of a friend told you, or you heard it from a caller on the Jeremy Vine show yesterday perhaps? GPS are only accurate to a certain level too. Depending on their refresh rate.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 06/06/13 15:05:34]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

What's more important fuel costs or endangering lives..."

ask any operator and he will answer as you would expect

ask him off the record and yup, fuel costs are a major factor

as is failing or being late for deliveries - often involving hefty penalties or re-delivery costs

amongst other things

the reason lorry drivers do these things is because they are often put under pressure to do so by someone behind a desk 200/300 miles away

in an industry with exceptionally small margins, every minute and every penny counts

many operators carry out assessments / inductions / have training courses / have watertight health and safety policies etc that are signed off by the driver and the operator

these are not worth the paper they are written on in many cases and are more of a 'look, we do it right and by the book' if VOSA or the HSE ever pay them a visit.

it becomes an exercise in damage limitation not a commercial profit driven consideration

out in the cold light of day, the commercial considerations are often the major factor

again, not right, but provides some background to why HGV drivers may appear to be inconsiderate drivers

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By *pecifically1Woman
over a year ago

Hull

What's more important fuel costs or endangering lives...

ask any operator and he will answer as you would expect

ask him off the record and yup, fuel costs are a major factor

as is failing or being late for deliveries - often involving hefty penalties or re-delivery costs

amongst other things

the reason lorry drivers do these things is because they are often put under pressure to do so by someone behind a desk 200/300 miles away

in an industry with exceptionally small margins, every minute and every penny counts

many operators carry out assessments / inductions / have training courses / have watertight health and safety policies etc that are signed off by the driver and the operator

these are not worth the paper they are written on in many cases and are more of a 'look, we do it right and by the book' if VOSA or the HSE ever pay them a visit.

it becomes an exercise in damage limitation not a commercial profit driven consideration

out in the cold light of day, the commercial considerations are often the major factor

again, not right, but provides some background to why HGV drivers may appear to be inconsiderate drivers

and none of it matters if the driver is involved in an accident where someone is killed...Unfortunately due to sheer size, lorries can be killing machines...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

HGV drivers are governed by a very strict set of rules in terms of how long and how often they can work, when they must take legal breaks and for how long etc.

Failure to do this can result in hefty fines for both the driver and the operator.

They are also responsible for the roadworthyness of the vehicle and the driver can be fined if the vehicle gets pulled over for a spot check.

Operators will again ask / persuade drivers to take defective vehicles on the road again for commercial reasons.

I no longer work in the industry directly, but have had countless arguments with operators over what they want a driver to do to bend the rules to get to a delivery point on time.

An example is for every 4h30 mins of physical driving, a driver must take a rest of no shorter than 45 minutes.

This break is not allowed to be taken if the driver is engaged in other duties eg loading or unloading

Yet, time and again, drivers are asked to 'put it on break whilst you are being unloaded'

Why ?

Because if he has his break after he is leaves his delivery point, he will be late for his next

Just as an example

and this goes on every day of every week

Some drivers are better than others at saying 'no'

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

50 no my Speedo is actually only 46 and most Speedos underread.. sometimes people that have radically changed there rolling radius when changing wheels don't realise it affects the readings too..

I don't know why people say they feel nervous if a lorry over takes you. Yes they are bigger but spend more hours than Most of us on the roads..so I don't worry.

The thing is you may actually find that your 50mph isn't the same as the car behind you.. so they will over take.

If there are two lanes then why worry. Just concentrate on your driving.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

and none of it matters if the driver is involved in an accident where someone is killed...Unfortunately due to sheer size, lorries can be killing machines..."

I agree entirely, but it doesn't stop it happening

daily

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By * Jay69Man
over a year ago

Bridgwater - Somerset

and none of it matters if the driver is involved in an accident where someone is killed...Unfortunately due to sheer size, lorries can be killing machines...

I agree entirely, but it doesn't stop it happening

daily "

I have a lightweight car, to have the same kinetic energy as an average loaded arctic I would need to be doing about 350 miles per hour.

I do not cut lorries up, I've some idea of their braking limitations and what would be left of me if I were the meat in a lorry sandwich.

A few drivers are idiots, most are doing a difficult job under pressure.

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By *exycleaner OP Woman
over a year ago

pontefract

i am well aware of lorries and their

restrictions time schedules etc as my ex drives 4 stobbies and i,ve always defended truckers but this guy tailgated me on purpose cos he waved at me as he went past

probably made his day xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Just wanted to say we think this is abit of an unfair comment thats all

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"i am well aware of lorries and their

restrictions time schedules etc as my ex drives 4 stobbies and i,ve always defended truckers but this guy tailgated me on purpose cos he waved at me as he went past

probably made his day xx"

Maybe we'll see a thread on here later tonight from 'sexyM62trukka' saying he thought he spotted a woman off the forums on the M62 this morning, in the 50mph bit, and is a bit disgruntled she rebuffed his advances after he carefully positioned his Cab so he could wave to her as he went past....

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By *exycleaner OP Woman
over a year ago

pontefract

lol lol lol

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By *icketysplitsWoman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

Driving back from the Potteries on Tuesday just about every gantry sign said to use the hard shoulder. No road works on these stretches. Does that make is lane 1 then? I don't want to be done for middle lane hogging by remaining in the old lane 1.

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By *ickloverMan
over a year ago

Devizes

I've read all the posts and thought it was time to add my own views. On may 6th 2008 I was involved in a major collision whilst driving my 14 meter touring coach weight approx 14.5 tonnes, I was only doing 30 mph as was the speed limit and witnesses confirmed, in front of me was a land rover discovery with 2 adults and 5 children. Due to the fact that we were coming to the end of a marked cycle lane in the road I was following correct procedure in checking my nearside mirror to ensure that the cycle lane was clear in a car you can do this in less than 0.5 of a second. In a 8 foot wide 46 ft long coach to focus on a mirror 7.5 ft from your eyes to a point over 50 ft from front to back takes a lot longer, approx 3.25 seconds. ( proven by VOSA in court ). During this time , the driver of the land rover had not only turned round in his seat to talk to one of the kids but also had slammed his breaks on, now compare stopping distances over time over distance travelled at 30 mph, as you can guess I hit the landrover so hard it crumpled it into a heap , 3 people (2 adults and 1 child ) got out without a scratch, 2 children had minor class injuries. 1 had severel broken bones and 1 had to be airlifted to a brain trauma unit, I was questioned by police and on orders of the CPS was charged with dangerous driving, I took NO legal advice and went to court backed only by my own testimony and VOSA advice, CPS had put in a claim that I was to be banned from driving and poss 6 month prison, with the help of VOSA I proved in court that the accident was the fault of the landrover driver, all charges against me were subsequently dropped. All because I WAS following the highway code to the letter. All professional drivers should know that if they do everything by the book then they are vilified when it comes to prosecution . Only bad drivers get points, good ones get none. In the end it turned out that police investigations proved the brain injured child was not wearing a seat belt, A warning to car drivers. Trucks and coaches are a darned sight bigger than you, respect them,

Brian. Coach driver for 8 years

Master craftsman , c& g advanced

BA in calculus.

Not every truck driver is brainless .

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By *kywatcherMan
over a year ago

Southwick

Love the use of the word 'arctic'.

The word for such a large truck is the shortened version of the word 'articulated' and is thus shortened to artic.....nothing to do with the area north of latitude 66º 33' north.

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By *ickloverMan
over a year ago

Devizes

"Love the use of the word 'arctic'.

The word for such a large truck is the shortened version of the word 'articulated' and is thus shortened to artic.....nothing to do with the area north of latitude 66º 33' north."

What if it's an Iceland lorry ?

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By *kywatcherMan
over a year ago

Southwick

"Love the use of the word 'arctic'.

The word for such a large truck is the shortened version of the word 'articulated' and is thus shortened to artic.....nothing to do with the area north of latitude 66º 33' north.

What if it's an Iceland lorry ?

It's called junk food.

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By *icketysplitsWoman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"Love the use of the word 'arctic'.

The word for such a large truck is the shortened version of the word 'articulated' and is thus shortened to artic.....nothing to do with the area north of latitude 66º 33' north."

But it is about them "bear"ing down on other cars.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When riding down to the channel tunnel recently we were directed onto the hard shoulder due to road works... it was highly dangerous for a motorcycle very poor road surface and lots of debris. So we went faster and stayed in the inside lane (which was temporarily the outside lane)

Not at all happy with the use of hard shoulder as an extra lane it also has the effect of shortening the slip roads quite dramatically. Which is OK if we switch to the Italian system where the inside lane becomes the OFF lane about a mile before the slip road and the ON lane about half a mile after, but if it's only some roads some times that's going to be hard to learn!

BUT it will be OK soon as we will run out of petrol and electric cars won't be allowed on motorways more than 5 miles long

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