eagerbeaver:
Let’s be a little bit honest here people.
You are doing 50 mph in 3 tight lanes close together and you are approaching the services. YOU BLOODY WELL KNOW THAT SOMEONE WILL NO DOUBT DIVE OUT FROM THE EXIT SLIP, OR AT THE VERY LEAST A WAGON OR TWO ARE GOING TO WANT TO JOIN.
It’s garbage driving full stop. Friday afternoon obsession with getting home as fast and dangerous as possible
Unfortunately a large percentage of us simply cannot be trusted to drive a lorry carefully and whilst sober. We deserve every form of surveillance possible fitted to our wagons now sadly. Only our own to blame yet again
The continuing evolution of self destructive behaviour is truly well and thriving within the haulage sector.
+1
Luckily this accident just caused massive delays. What could have happened with 18000 litres of that chemical doesn’t bear thinking about.
We are all going to end up with cameras on drivers and compulsory drink and drug testing.
More money shelled out on BS that could go on driver’s wages.
bubsy06:
I never bother using lane 2 in that section, no advantage with all the car drivers, lane 1 and a massive gap, adds less than 5 mins to your journey.
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To be honest I never even use stretch of that road anymore, it’s a waste of time 24h a day.
Plenty of A road options. Lost count of the amount of time it’s been closed, lanes blocked, junctions closed ( including the phantom J19 night closure for two weeks when it was never closed but signed from Preston as closed ) even when you would start down it thinking its running ok and then one puncture on a vehicle and standstill for an hour.
Plenty on here saying they are not in a hurry so why not use the A50/34/49/41/51?
No offence to many on here but the sat nav generation seem unable to use a bit of nowse and look elsewhere, as was proved a while back when 18-17 S/B was closed overnight. I got down there just before 5am to find a big queue to get off but all following the diversion sign, utterly solid. Only me and one tanker took off towards Middlewich, down to the lights in town turn left and follow the road along the canal into Sanbach with no restrictions or bridges then hey ho, 2 minutes back down the A534 to j17, Christ knows how long the whole motorway took to crawl through down the A50 to Arclid lights but it just surprised me that only two trucks bothered.
The fact is everyone follows too close through the roadworks. This means that a/ no one can stop when something happens and b/ there are no gaps for joining traffic to slot into which means people dive into unsuitable gaps causing the vehicle they’ve just gone in front of to brake.
What’s the answer? Putting the whole thing at 30mph as people clearly can’t be trusted to drive appropriately at 50mph. At least at 30mph when we are all following too close you’ve more chance of stopping, and when you can’t the damage in the inevitable crash is less and takes less time to clear.
Yes 30mph over the whole 18 mile stretch of works will add to journey times but overall would it actually save time due to fewer big crashes and therefore fewer full motorway closures? Which seem almost weekly.
Interestingly everyone seems to slow down for the set up near J27, they are set to 40mph so you really would look like and stand out like a loon.
Although I stick to lane one and 40 because I’ve never seen such narrow lanes put down
Rowley10
The fact is you are nearly right - but wrong.
I never ever tailgate and always allow more than enough room to stop in the distance between me and what I can see. Or to the edge of the limit of my vision.
I run my own company, I make a reasonable profit and would say the correct phrase is - “far too many follow too close”
Noting Darkside’s comment:
If you drive 10 hours at 10 miles per hour you get: 100 miles.
Now, take that in reality - very few drive for 10 hours, very few could add 100 miles to their day. Very few would be able to add 20 miles to their day. Take into consideration ‘off national speed limit’ roads… very few can add anything to their day.
So, the reality is, very few could gain anything by tailgating or rushing.
What this points to is that there are a large number of very very very stupid people driving all kinds of vehicles.
The shame is that Rowley101, is almost right.
Rowley010:
The fact is everyone follows too close…
That means almost all of you are very very very stupid.
Slow down, leave larger gaps, driver more efficiently, use your brakes less, have fewer accidents, saves money, reduces stress… get there at the same time.
mdourish:
As soon as you leave a safe gap a car has to get into it
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Correct. So you brake? Causing others to brake behind. It’s just a wave effect then until somewhere further back it comes to a crawl.
That’s what happens when you allow everyone to pass a driving test and with no further training are allowed to drive on a type road you’ve never been on before nor had any training on. At best you might have answered a couple of questions on motorway driving in your theory test, but you may have got them wrong and still passed.
mdourish:
As soon as you leave a safe gap a car has to get into it
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Indeed, sometimes it does actually feel like you’d be better off just applying the park brake because as soon as you get your gap one (or more often three and a transit) have squeezed into it, all hitting their brakes as they do so which leaves you backing off even more, rinse and repeat until you either park it there and then or think [zb] it and close the gap and aggressively deny anyone else cutting in front of you.
The problem is it’s not just us “thick truckers” that need educating (and to then apply said lessons) it’s every other [zb]er on the road with you too! It ain’t going to happen though as everyone has become too self important, their need to be somewhere will always far outweigh your needs or requirements. It’s just unfortunate for us being the most visible and most accountable and combine with that the most difficult to stop in the event of it all going pear shaped.
Don’t get me wrong I try my damnedest to leave as safe a gap as I can and to let joining traffic merge smoothly if at all possible, I also try to drive with as much awareness and forward planning as I possibly can which is undoubtedly more than most of the average road users, but until EVERYONE on the road abides by the same rule book we are all just ■■■■■■■ in the wind.
All we can do is set an example, creating space is always the safest option, I have no problem with a vehicle using that space as that’s why I’ve created it, well that and less tea spillage if heavy braking is required.
Course there’s times when we are too close to the vehicle in front through their actions, such as pulling in from an overtake but I’ve usually eased off to help them pass anyway.
The less time you spend too close to the vehicle infront the better. Your odds of not being involved in an incident are improved. Unless sods law kicks in.
Driving 2-3mph below my limiter gives me options.
Also I just plod along anyway at 52-53 makes for a more relaxed work life.
Our primary role is to arrive safe not on time. Being on time is just a bonus.
mdourish:
As soon as you leave a safe gap a car has to get into it
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Indeed, sometimes it does actually feel like you’d be better off just applying the park brake because as soon as you get your gap one (or more often three and a transit) have squeezed into it, all hitting their brakes as they do so which leaves you backing off even more, rinse and repeat until you either park it there and then or think [zb] it and close the gap and aggressively deny anyone else cutting in front of you.
The problem is it’s not just us “thick truckers” that need educating (and to then apply said lessons) it’s every other [zb]er on the road with you too! It ain’t going to happen though as everyone has become too self important, their need to be somewhere will always far outweigh your needs or requirements. It’s just unfortunate for us being the most visible and most accountable and combine with that the most difficult to stop in the event of it all going pear shaped.
Don’t get me wrong I try my damnedest to leave as safe a gap as I can and to let joining traffic merge smoothly if at all possible, I also try to drive with as much awareness and forward planning as I possibly can which is undoubtedly more than most of the average road users, but until EVERYONE on the road abides by the same rule book we are all just ■■■■■■■ in the wind.
It’s like the other day on the m1 left enough gap then someone jumps right under me then start easing back then look besides me and some one filming me pointing at me saying too close. Then you have the dam flip flops pulling from under the bridges on the m25 with no indication and me nearly ploughing into the back of them.
mdourish:
As soon as you leave a safe gap a car has to get into it
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
Indeed, sometimes it does actually feel like you’d be better off just applying the park brake because as soon as you get your gap one (or more often three and a transit) have squeezed into it, all hitting their brakes as they do so which leaves you backing off even more, rinse and repeat until you either park it there and then or think [zb] it and close the gap and aggressively deny anyone else cutting in front of you.
The problem is it’s not just us “thick truckers” that need educating (and to then apply said lessons) it’s every other [zb]er on the road with you too! It ain’t going to happen though as everyone has become too self important, their need to be somewhere will always far outweigh your needs or requirements. It’s just unfortunate for us being the most visible and most accountable and combine with that the most difficult to stop in the event of it all going pear shaped.
Don’t get me wrong I try my damnedest to leave as safe a gap as I can and to let joining traffic merge smoothly if at all possible, I also try to drive with as much awareness and forward planning as I possibly can which is undoubtedly more than most of the average road users, but until EVERYONE on the road abides by the same rule book we are all just ■■■■■■■ in the wind.
It’s like the other day on the m1 left enough gap then someone jumps right under me then start easing back then look besides me and some one filming me pointing at me saying too close. Then you have the dam flip flops pulling from under the bridges on the m25 with no indication and me nearly ploughing into the back of them.
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I recall the HGV Instructor from my days learning. He said: “Just remember, everyone’s a thick [zb] and they’ll always do the wrong thing - so expect it.”
Dipper_Dave:
Driving 2-3mph below my limiter gives me options.
Also I just plod along anyway at 52-53 makes for a more relaxed work life.
Our primary role is to arrive safe not on time. Being on time is just a bonus.
So pleased to have read this, as this is how I drive and often wondered when trucks come thundering past me, do they think I am a prat for driving like this.
Dipper_Dave:
Driving 2-3mph below my limiter gives me options.
Also I just plod along anyway at 52-53 makes for a more relaxed work life.
Our primary role is to arrive safe not on time. Being on time is just a bonus.
So pleased to have read this, as this is how I drive and often wondered when trucks come thundering past me, do they think I am a prat for driving like this.
Dipper_Dave:
Driving 2-3mph below my limiter gives me options.
Also I just plod along anyway at 52-53 makes for a more relaxed work life.
Our primary role is to arrive safe not on time. Being on time is just a bonus.
So pleased to have read this, as this is how I drive and often wondered when trucks come thundering past me, do they think I am a prat for driving like this.
I had the opportunity to deliver what I would describe as a four wheel drive rigid for 200 miles at 45mph…it was used for the electric companies putting up pylons in the field…Had big chunky tyres if I recall.
The funny thing was I could never overtake anything and it was actually a less stressful journey.
I decided to see the other night how long it took for someone to overtake me. I worked out the mileage as he approached my back end and when he pulled in front of me…3.5 miles it took him…I mean what was the point because 5 miles after we were both together at the roundabout.
boltonboy:
I had the opportunity to deliver what I would describe as a four wheel drive rigid for 200 miles at 45mph…it was used for the electric companies putting up pylons in the field…Had big chunky tyres if I recall.
The funny thing was I could never overtake anything and it was actually a less stressful journey.
This is what I found, by driving at a slower pace, I found it much more relaxing.
Dipper_Dave:
Driving 2-3mph below my limiter gives me options.
Also I just plod along anyway at 52-53 makes for a more relaxed work life.
Our primary role is to arrive safe not on time. Being on time is just a bonus.
So pleased to have read this, as this is how I drive and often wondered when trucks come thundering past me, do they think I am a prat for driving like this.
I had the opportunity to deliver what I would describe as a four wheel drive rigid for 200 miles at 45mph…it was used for the electric companies putting up pylons in the field…Had big chunky tyres if I recall.
The funny thing was I could never overtake anything and it was actually a less stressful journey.
I decided to see the other night how long it took for someone to overtake me. I worked out the mileage as he approached my back end and when he pulled in front of me…3.5 miles it took him…I mean what was the point because 5 miles after we were both together at the roundabout.
And you couldn’t knock the cruise off a couple of klicks when he was halfway up your side, holding him out for 3 and a half miles was a much better option.
Dipper_Dave:
Driving 2-3mph below my limiter gives me options.
Also I just plod along anyway at 52-53 makes for a more relaxed work life.
Our primary role is to arrive safe not on time. Being on time is just a bonus.
So pleased to have read this, as this is how I drive and often wondered when trucks come thundering past me, do they think I am a prat for driving like this.
I had the opportunity to deliver what I would describe as a four wheel drive rigid for 200 miles at 45mph…it was used for the electric companies putting up pylons in the field…Had big chunky tyres if I recall.
The funny thing was I could never overtake anything and it was actually a less stressful journey.
I decided to see the other night how long it took for someone to overtake me. I worked out the mileage as he approached my back end and when he pulled in front of me…3.5 miles it took him…I mean what was the point because 5 miles after we were both together at the roundabout.
And you couldn’t knock the cruise off a couple of klicks when he was halfway up your side, holding him out for 3 and a half miles was a much better option.
Clown.
A.
The guy said together…NOT ALONGSIDE…
What was it you said - clown?