I think lots of car speedos read faster than they are actually going which is possibly why they seem to go slowly through the average speed cams eg 45 in a 50. I’ve been overtaken by those citreons that have a digital display and their indicated speed shows they are doing 67mph or so even though they are passing me very slowly (eg 1 or 2mph faster). Also on my drive in to work there is a road sign that flashes up if you go over 40 mph. In my car it only goes off when my speedo shows 45. In my lorry it goes off when the speedo shows 40.
I don’t know why car speedos seem to be set like this. Maybe the manufacturers build in a safety margin so they cant be sued or maybe its an ego boost thing “hey look my car does 100mph easily” when its only doing 90
Car speedos are effectively required to over-read. That is to say, they must not under-read at all, but are allowed to over-read by as much as 10% PLUS 6.25mph - so at a true 45mph their speedo could quite possibly be showing 55mph. Also bear in mind that a typical car speedo reads from 0 to 150mph, so while it’s easy in the truck to read your speed as 48, 50 or 52mph, in the car the thickness of the needle might represent a range of several mph. And then there’s the final rather obvious point - a modern car will easily accelerate by 10mph or more (sending you into potential prosecution territory) if you so much as raise an arse-cheek to crack one off. Trucks tend to be a little more leisurely in their responses to throttle input…
toby1234abc:
Just chill out,cruise control on at 47mph,a big gap and relax.
I agree with the principal, but I think cruise control tends to be the root of the problem here. So many ‘drivers’ now just don’t seem to be able to get their head around driving on a motorway without cruise control engaged at all times. They have the cruise set to 80k and don’t want to be slowed down. Cruise control is there for open stretches of road, it’s not appropriate in busy stretches of motorway roadworks at rush hour where traffic is very dense. Leave it switched off and control that separation distance with your foot I say.
I used to frequent the M62 around Leeds when the roadworks were in full flow last year & before and the behaviour of many truck drivers was shocking. We’re the professionals, act like it FFS
Hogwash, cruise control is there for prolonged periods at a set speed, we actually LOSE MONEY based on the amount of time we spend in 12th gear and not on the cc.
toby1234abc:
Rant of the week.Why do some lorry drivers bully other road users in the average speed camera road works narrow lanes on motorways.
Every day i have seen trucks inches behind cars,trying to make the cars move over to lane one or make them speed up.
Has anyone else noticed this?
What is the rush to get through the works when you can see miles of traffic ahead and know you aint getting nowhere for a while?
This how the public perceive us in a bad way.
If the car suddenly stopped,such as mechanical failure or the driver hits the brakes,there is no time to react.
Some must be going over the speed limit in the road works.
Just chill out,cruise control on at 47mph,a big gap and relax.
Could you live with youself killing a family?Then do the prison time for dangerous driving ?
I would agree with you, but some of those car drivers, as soon as there is average speed cameras (like on the M5) slow down to 45mph, now that’s fine, if they want to do 45mph, but they should do it in lane 1. Every time I go down there I get stuck behind a Sunday driver in lane 2.
With all the road closures I can JUST make it to Iceland Swindon from our yard the other day (A46/m40 shut because of overturned wagon, so had to go M6,M42,M5,A417,A419) now if I can keep her at the speed limit all the way, I’d get to the gate with about 10 minutes to spare to get on a bay. If I lose time stuck behind miss daisy for God knows how many miles at 45 rather than 50 I’d have to take my 45 min before I get there, I’d then hit all the rush hour traffic on the way home, meaning I’d now be doing a 14 hour day rather than 12, which is not good on day rate!
In short the car driver is in the wrong as they are not keeping up with the flow of traffic, they should move over into lane one, but they can’t bring themselves to be overtaken by a SLOW lorry.
Now before I start I’m not having a go at you personally but this, to me, is one of the causes of the driving behaviour the OP is talking about. The limit set is the maximum in ideal conditions, not a target we should try to maintain, or exceed, as we are in a hurry. Getting frustrated about getting held up only leads to poor driving once you are through.
I know it’s a maximum and not a target, but if I want to drive at the maximum and Joe blogs in his car wants to drive at 40-45 he can, but why do it in lane 2■■? I don’t push people along, I don’t flash my lights or honk my horn, but it does grate my balls that these halfwits can’t go in the right lane so i can make progress.
Hiya …quick moan…how is it now the M1 has extra lanes the trucks drive in the second to slow lane.
i come up the M1 on monday there was trucks in the second to slow lane at jct9 ready for the narrow
lanes at jct10. why are you lads doing that.i was in my camper ok but i was getting boxed in because
the truckers(I ve been one since 68) don’t seem to want to use the slow lane. ive notice before when it
points to Luton airport trucks don’t wait until the lines marked get over the drivers have already been
in the wrong lane for 3 miles. i just don’t get it especially now your only doing 56.it wasn’t even rush hour
it was 11 am in the morning.
John
toby1234abc:
Be carefull.Traffic Commisioners often get chauffered around and note the firm and number plate and have the power to lose your licence on the basis of what they have witnessed.
Drivers have lost their licences while being on their phone while driving unaware that a TC has seen them.
That sounds a bit MMTM
I thought I remember there being something about a crackdown on middle lane hogs a while back.
toby1234abc:
Rant of the week.Why do some lorry drivers bully other road users in the average speed camera road works narrow lanes on motorways.
Every day i have seen trucks inches behind cars,trying to make the cars move over to lane one or make them speed up.
Has anyone else noticed this?
What is the rush to get through the works when you can see miles of traffic ahead and know you aint getting nowhere for a while?
This how the public perceive us in a bad way.
If the car suddenly stopped,such as mechanical failure or the driver hits the brakes,there is no time to react.
Some must be going over the speed limit in the road works.
Just chill out,cruise control on at 47mph,a big gap and relax.
Could you live with youself killing a family?Then do the prison time for dangerous driving ?
I would have thought you have much much more experience than me but even I know that ‘‘leave a big gap’’ and it is quickly filled, half of car drivers should have their licences taken away.
It seems that I’ve spent the last few nights getting on other driver’s ■■■■ when driving up the A11 towards Norwich sticking to 40 as I do, whilst I’ve got various other wagons like Soham, TNT, MRCT, and containers as well on the A14 Newmarket bypass stretch - ALL huffing and puffing for me to get out of the way, 'cos I’m only doing 40 in a 40 zone… Fourwentways to Newmarket is coned down to one lane these past few nights as well…
Last night, someone beat me to it - There was a military convoy in front of ME… So at least it wasn’t all my fault last night.
FFS though - I wish we could get away from this “job and knock” culture - especially on Friday nights!
I’m paid by the hour, so I’m in no hurry… Everyone else though?
Anyone middle lane hogging or going round roundabouts without indicting should be dragged outta their vehicles and kicked to death at the side of the road in my opinion
Graft:
Anyone middle lane hogging or going round roundabouts without indicting should be dragged outta their vehicles and kicked to death at the side of the road in my opinion
Graft:
Anyone middle lane hogging or going round roundabouts without indicting should be dragged outta their vehicles and kicked to death at the side of the road in my opinion
+1
Yeah no stress here. You have no control over how others drive so why let it bother you so much you would consider, even jokingly as I’m sure you’ll say you were, doing that. And what is indicting anyway?
Graft:
Anyone middle lane hogging or going round roundabouts without indicting should be dragged outta their vehicles and kicked to death at the side of the road in my opinion
+1
+2 - It was just such a driver who had me off my motorbike a few weeks ago, resulting in me now nursing five broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder
Graft:
Anyone middle lane hogging or going round roundabouts without indicting should be dragged outta their vehicles and kicked to death at the side of the road in my opinion
+1
Yeah no stress here. You have no control over how others drive so why let it bother you so much you would consider, even jokingly as I’m sure you’ll say you were, doing that. And what is indicting anyway?
Oops…indicating
I don’t let it stress me out unless I’m having a really bad day but why are people such selfish idiots?
Graft:
Anyone middle lane hogging or going round roundabouts without indicting should be dragged outta their vehicles and kicked to death at the side of the road in my opinion
+1
+2 - It was just such a driver who had me off my motorbike a few weeks ago, resulting in me now nursing five broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder
What happened? you were knocked off on a roundabout? sound’s nasty
Graft:
Anyone middle lane hogging or going round roundabouts without indicting should be dragged outta their vehicles and kicked to death at the side of the road in my opinion
+1
+2 - It was just such a driver who had me off my motorbike a few weeks ago, resulting in me now nursing five broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder
What happened? you were knocked off on a roundabout? sound’s nasty
Yes - A5/A426 “Gibbet Island” between Rugby and Lutterworth. Car in nearside lane decides to go right on the roundabout (no mirror usage or signal, naturally) and takes me with him. I should have spotted what he was doing, but sadly my ■■■■■■■■■■ let me down that morning. Anyways, I hit the road somewhat heavily on my shoulder and face (thank for full-face crash helmets!) and came out of it with five broken ribs (three of them in two places), a partially collapsed lung and a dislocated/displaced shoulder (sublux AC joint, according to the medical boys) as well as numerous other cuts and bruises. Three nights in the Walsgrave hospital, Coventry and just over three weeks off work so far. Hoping to go back in next week on some sort of “light duties”. Got a bottle of morphine in the fridge though
Although the bike didn’t look too bad at first sight (it was in fact still rideable - although not by me) the estimate for repairs is £3,500. My own insurance covers the repairs etc in the first instance, and I’m hoping to be able to pursue a claim for all my injuries, loss of pay etc (but not holding my breath on this one - no witnesses). A right ■■■■■■ all round.
G6Bob:
I would say… as part of the car test, there should be a module where the newly qualified driver or learner spends a day in the passenger seat of a truck.
Agree 100% and I’ve mentioned this idea many times before.
I tend to be quite relaxed and accepting when on the road, but I do find it annoying when another truck sits at 45, 47, in a 50 limit when they have a clear road ahead and conditions and vision are good.
I am at work to get the job done for my employer, not drag the job out as long as I can like many do.
toby1234abc:
Be carefull.Traffic Commisioners often get chauffered around and note the firm and number plate and have the power to lose your licence on the basis of what they have witnessed.
Drivers have lost their licences while being on their phone while driving unaware that a TC has seen them.
Classic “mmtm” rubbish. Where do they get chauffeured around? Where exactly? You say “often” so how often? I can’t wait for your answer.
