Will

Regardless of snow, there are shocking lorry drivers out there!!!!

We had this bloke that joined us once, we nicknamed him Forodo. Because when he came back at the end of the day and the lorry sdank of Forodo brake shoes


I remember going out with him once, what a disgrace!!!! Honest to God the sh1ttest driver ever!!! He always planted hos right foot hard on the brakes. The look on his face when he was coming up to a rear end of a car was priceless, always lucky and stopping an inch away from the bumper. What got me was that the tit kept doing it!

I was glad that my time came to drive, showed him how it was done properly by useing all the brakes and not just the foot brake.

He never knew that the lorry had an Exhaust brake

We were driving a fully loaded 8 wheel tipper by the way.

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

No Tony, i was taking the p1ss. As has been said, there are bad drivers in both cars and trucks.

Yeah, there is not a lot of variation in the braking of an HGV Les. Even with all the modern brake systems, a HGV driver would rather not use his brakes in those conditions, and would rather slow to a stop. But when car drivers see a gap the size of 2 trucks and drop in, it has just removed the HGV drivers safe zone, so then the HGV has to slow again to re-make the gap. Which then annoys the driver behind so he overtakes and does the same and so the cycle continues. Or he doesn't realise the truck has slowed until it's too late, and then panick brakes and causes an accident behind him.

As above ALi, virtually nothing a driver can do to the system to effect the stopping power of a HGV, they are all ECU controlled. And also as above the new automatics are ****

tony de wonderful

Anyone tried towing a caravan in the snow?

b road blaster

alot of tucks now fitted with anti jack systems but in the old days when i was doing alot of scandnavia and russia all we done was wind off the brakes on the tractor unit so the trailer would pull you back

stevie boy

heart attack, mechanical failure, reading a txt, writing a txt, fishing a toffee crisp out of the passenger footwell (had a mate roll his van doing this) applying make up, someone running out infront of you, someone cutting you up and leaving the scene? we don't know, we do know that people who know more than us have said it wasn't linked. just because its sub zero doesn't mean its icy if the road has been treated.


1st off i agree with you about unnecessary tailgating, i've been closer than i'd like to be on a b road up a hill out of a village after hanging back so much the car was out of sight.
i say again we don't know the facts yet. it might be his fault, but cctv footage might come out showing he was cut up / mechanical failure causing him to lose it and whilst out of control he collected the pick up, is he still an idiot?? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED YET. i stand by my original point, the links you posted have no relavance to tailgating which you where on about. if your argument is trucks tail gating then post up links that involve.........trucks tailgating!!!

what exp do you have about how quick trucks stop on snow / ice compared to cars? have you seen a scientific test? i'm not takin the p!ss. trucks stop far better than i thought they would do on snow (both fresh and compacted) but how they compare to cars i don't know and i've never seen any test that may or may not have ever been carried out. nothing on road tyres does any good on ice.

once again i'm not defending anyone unnecessary tailgating regardless of what vehicle they're driving, nor do i speak for truckers, all say all truckers are mint! an never do owt wrong

stevie

rabbos

Almost got off a sensible post there

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

Many many contributing factors mate. As i said earlier, left to their own devices a HGV driver will come to very little harm.

If the driver has plenty of reaction time/room then he/she could stop 44 ton without even touching the brake pedal. It is only when the HGV driver is not concentrating or another road user isn't understand, that these incidents occure.

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Most truck drivers are complete numpties. They drive at 50 -60 mph with less than a cars length between each truck, then overtake a vehicle that is going less than 1 mph slower in front and spend 2 miles trying to overtake and causing huge tailbacks.

HGVs should be forced to stay on the inside lane permanently( obvious reasons for them to move out, for blocked lane etc) and keep at least 3 truck lengths away from the vehicle in front.

Andy

stevie boy

most people who make sweeping statements are complete numpties

Biggs

iTrader: (14)

Thats a good idea there fella

At least that would stop any other vehicles being able to enter/exit the roads and thus letting us have the road to ourselves.

Although you do realise there would be no moving traffic due to the nose to tail traffic.

StickyMicky

I have a group of 40mph limited dual carrigeways right next to my home and while i was traveling at around 28/29mph the other night in the only snow cleared lane, some utter lunatic in an empty single decker bus over took me onto the snow covered lane, and came past at speeds greater than mine then having to dive back into my lane for the upcoming roundabout,

I saw him approaching in my mirrors and figured he would just back off, nope!

Couldn't not believe it to be honest, plain white bus, with no markings, its not a move i would have made myself to be honest, 20 mins earlier outside of work, i was stuck at around 5mph on black ice

stevie boy

the reason so many accidents happen with left hooker trucks is because when a car is traveling along side and to the front of the cab on the passenger side they're pretty much invisable. its not so bad on a planned overtake due to plenty of looking and watch cars go into and out of the bind spot, the problems start when when something happens quick, a car is matching the speed of the truck whilst sat in the blind spot, or a car comes into lane 2 from lane 3 at the same time as the truck goes from 1 to 2, it gets worse when its dark and or raining. newer trucks have a extra mirror for this blind spot.

stevie

DYK

Well i been talking to my mate again tonight over a couple drinks and he gets just as much p1ssed off when he watches another trucker driving inches from a vehicle in front,but also he said that truck limiters are being set at lower and lower speeds and limiters are causing alot of problems when it comes to an overtake,and everything is almost against you.From transport planners who can't really plan,to traffic,weather,limited driving time and working hours.More car drivers now seem to plod around on the inside lane,the moment you pull into the middle lane and overtake they will speed up trapping you in the middle lane,or they will just pull in front of you again.If you leave a good gap some car driver will pull in front and slow right down a mile before the exit jnc.He said that the whole driving hours and working time should be totally looked at again,because it just don't really work in reality driving on our small congested UK roads.Drivers are under pressure to do a set amount of jobs and each day is varied from what you get..He said he would happily sit on the inside lane allday.He also said that he has noticed over the last yrs an increase in bad truck drivers,but said that it's partly down too the driver being pushed and pushed to get the job done quickly,one place he worked at the transport planner didn't even have a car licence,never drove and yet was in charge of transport,makes you think doesn't it....

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

Conditions are looking better yet today I saw a car on its roof as it thought it could drive faster than the road looked People are flying past me on the the motorway at the moment as I stick to 50mph but I know I will get home

edited to say this isn't in my car but a long wheel base renault master

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

Very true. If all HGV where limited the same then overtaking each other would be totally futile. I have driven many wagons, and they all vary. I had a brand new DAF in 2008 which did 59mph and the last Iveco i drove did 52mph If they are going to limit them then it should be unified speed and not differ from dealer to dealer.

Planners can plan all they like, i got done what i got done and that was it. 8.5 hrs driving or 14.5 hour shift and i stopped, turned the cab phone off, day done. Don't be pressured.

Again, just car drivers not paying attention to the other road users and not understanding HGV's. My Mrs can drive all day and not have any hassle with HGV's as she has done weeks with me and has seen it from both sides. She understands how to behave aroundthem.


EU working time regulations. NOT UK regulations. They do need sorting, but would cause soooo much hassle with UK lads driving abroad and visa versa.


As above, don't allow them to pressure you. Can't be done it can't be done.



Me to, if it was plausable to do so. I think there should be a minimum speed limit on the motorway for all but HGV. If you or your vehicle are unable to maintain 60mph then you or your vehicle should not be there. Also a lane restriction system could work well to. Say HGV only in lane one unless entering or leaving the motorway. So the only mix is in lane two. Also the slip roads in the UK are poorly designed.


Also to do with the shear volume of HGVs on the road being driven by relitivly inexperienced new drivers. I started shunting on the docks, didn't even need a class 1 license then. Now adays you can pass your test on a Friday and be down the road on Monday, thats got to be a scary feeling at 21.

It's bad enough when they don't have a class 1. But no license at all would be unbearable.

rogos

yeah not always tony dont forget it always works both ways mate, personally i think that in heavy snow everyone should use their 21watters because a 5watt tailight is just not enough tbh.

Leslie

I suppose it is down in part to the low frequency of such conditions occurring and maybe even lack of effective training.


Les

Leslie

You did well to save it then. Must be a worry in those conditions.

Les

andy97

iTrader: (1)

In parts of Europe trucks are not allowed to move out of the inside lane. Also they tend not to tailgate as much. When entering a highway, I always thought the vehicle entering had to give way to oncoming traffic!

Andy

GC8

The ignorance / stupidity evident in this thread beggars belief. I suspect that many peoples opinions would change after spending one morning sat alongside and HGV driver: let alone if they had to do the job themselves.

One further point: all of the barely literate remarks, berating lorry drivers as stupid, make me smile.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Really? Any evidence of this?

Of course I can show you.... er... Germany wher etheir two lane autbahn has no speed limit and trucks are banned from overtaking.

It moves faster and they crash less.

Strange that!

What I don't get about trucks in this weather (and I do accept there will be the odd numpty car driver that plays a part in some accidents) is how this lass http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoA7pfjvuoQ can drive on ice and only put chains on "if it gets bad" but not crash all the time. Mind they are very disciplined in distances and speed. Perhaps that is what is lacking here - for all motorists.

5t.

5t.

GC8

"...the odd numpty..." - you must be kidding? Even in normal weather and traffic there is an endless supply of imbeciles. Much of their stupidity (or more correctly their stupid behaviour) can be attributed to their ignorance, but thats little defence, and little comfort if theyve just been involved in an accident with a 20+ tonne vehicle (that they brought about themselves).

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

Very early on in my career i got an on the spot fine for overtaking in belgium. I didn't have enough cash on me so he took me to a service station and got the cashier to do a cash advance on my credit card.

The vehicle entering the motorway should adapt it's speed to match and not cause anyone to change speed or direction. ie drive with due care and attention for other road users. There are 'normally' no Give Way or Stop signs at the bottom of a slip road.

Totally agree GC8. People that have been with me are usually in total disbelief at the stupidity and ignorance a HGV/LGV driver has to constantly deal with.

rogos

+1 to gc8. heres an example for you all: Last year in the snow i had to take a fully freighted 44tonne truck for mot, on the way to the test centre driving down a dual carriegway in l1 at a safe and appropriate speed (in heavy snow) when i noticed a large square shadow in my lane ahead and as i got closer to my f*cking horror it was a foreign trucker stopped dead in my lane with no effing lights on at all. I proceeded to squeeze my cheeks together tightly because i then had the task of manouvering into l2 to avoid colision and also avoid jacknifing aswell and seen as no one else had yet used l2 it was pretty bloody frightening i can assure you of that. the minute the wheels of my truck (bearing in mind i am loaded to test weighting) started to cross into l2 and onto the fresh deep and untouched snow the truck instantly started to sway by this point i am doing 20mph and getting worried about traffic approaching from behind (where would they go with a truck stopped in l1 and me taking avaisive in l2). anyway with some very very gentle steering control i managed to overtake/avoid the foreign **** safely. got to mot the truck passed and all was well but on the way back to depot was a different issue alltogether. i got back down the dual carriegway no probs and then as i am driving into my town down a normal 2 way 'A' road doing 20mph approaching a junction on the left guess what some f*cking bird in a crappy saxo pulls straight across my lane looking left so she can turn right, she didnt even look my way or stop at the stop line first she just pulled straight out into my path in the snow!!!! i stood on the brakes and all i could hear was my load smashing about in the back trying to break through the trailer, the veh abs and esp was going banana's and i was really struggling to keep it straight i sounded the horn and all she did when she realised what she had done was going to lead to she just froze and sat there staring at a very scared me trying desperately to avoid colision, but luckily the motorists coming the other way see what was happening and gave her enough room to get out of the way (there aint no way i would have missed her otherwise) which she did just in time and i mean just in time. god only knows what would have happened if there was ice under the snow because when a truck slips on ice the weight in the back makes the speed increase, anyway i got back to depot in one peice changed my very soiled undies and overalls made a cup of tea then i went and told my boss to put me through some advanced driver training and winter driving courses which he did and i tell ya what when you are taught to drive properly it is a real eye opener to just how bad the majority of drivers are on uk roads. i think in order to minimise incidents on our roads the goverment need to enforce upon all drivers to take advanced driver training and defensive driving and not just truckers.

rogos

unfortunately there are some drivers out there that still beleive they are invincible and unfortunately they only learn the hard way and the sad thing to that is they normally take innocent others with them, id like to know how he got his psv considering how he overtook you

rogos

it does'nt matter where i go be it along the m4 to wales or up the m1 to leicester they all seem to be the same. my answer to the m20 is half and half as i know foreign hgv's are a problem as their driving can get really dodgy but so can our hgv's sometimes, but i am yet to see a uk hgv driver hammer past me with both feet up on the wheel and a cuppa in one hand and a paper in the other i have seen a lot of non uk vehs doing this.

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

I think the reality is, no-one actually thinks they are a bad driver. The national driving test is a joke, it covers the bare basics of car control and nothing more, those who pass it think they have attained some level of driving competence.

There will be people on snow covered roads today, who passed their test six months ago, they have no idea how a car behaves when traction levels are reduced, because it wasn't taught in their driving test.

I recall clearly my dad taking me to a huge car park in the snow, to teach me to drive properly and safely in snow and ice way before I passed my driving test. I used to irritate me at the time, but he would tell me "you need to cover about 20,000 miles before you have any real driving experience" he was spot on though. Too many kids in cars making dangerous errors due to inexperience.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

And little comfort to anyone killed by a HGV driving god who is drving too fast or too close or doesn't anticipate like they should.

The point is, (as the story about the foreign driver with no lights on) shows they can be just as daft as a car driver when really they have a much bigger duty of care. And I write that as a car driver who only just managed to save a head on with a coach that was cutting a blind bend. He tried the "i've been driving for 30 years" rubbish as well.

5t.