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Ever since i started driving trucks i have exercised common sence and driven at a speed that i think is sensible when driving on single carriegways.
If its a wide stretch of s/c in good conditions such as parts of the a1,a9 or a17 i will push ahead at 48 to 50mph and keep the flow of traffic moving but on narrower sections of s/c such as on the a82,a83 or the a350 in dorset i would not even risk driving at 40mph on some sections! It all depends on the road itself and the conditions at the time.
I do find it annoying getting stuck behind trucks sitting at 40mph on wide sections of s/c when its safer to go a bit faster but i do not in any way blame drivers for keeping to the limit-lets face it his/her boss is not going to pay their speeding fine or the driver could already have 6to 9 points on their licence already and have a mortgage to pay and a family to support-loss of licence could mean no income!
As others have already stated i cannot understand why some drivers sit at 40mph on s/c then put the foot down when they reach dual carriegways and drive on the limiter.
smallsie:
FarnboroughBoy11:
I would rather be home 15 hours a month more than earn 1500 a quid year extra.would you be saying the same if you had 9 points? because flat to the mat can only last so long before your luck runs out IMO
i’m not saying i’m a saint and stick to the limit all the time but am not going to run flat out all the time just so i can get home 10mins early thats just crazy
Yes of course, i am the same. Im just saying, i have never been a driver that purposely drags a job out to earn more doe.
alte hase:
Johnny cabs:
I don’t think the “danger” is in doing 40 or 50 but more so the 20 mph difference between our limit and other vehicles. I’d say it would really be much safer to raise our limit to 50 and lower cars to 50mph on single carriageways too.I believe some of the US states have same speed limit for all, don’t think it would work on britains roads which are a class and caste crazed ‘society’ ,where car drivers drive in a style and manner that reflects and displays to all their ‘position’ in society, and being ‘behind’ a lorry is about as ‘low’ as you can go, they would and frequently do rather die, or kill, in the process of allievating the injustice of it all.
And I suppose all truck drivers are perfect? Sorry but I see just as much bad driving from trucks as I do cars.To many biased views on here.Most car drivers are not driving for a living where as we are and we are meant to be professionals.
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ROG:
Do those that get ‘bored’ sitting at 40 on SC or at 56 on m’way consider it is they that have a personal issue with their way of thinking ?
Sitting at 40mph is boring. Just like waiting in queues is boring. The less someone uses their brain the more it relaxes or starts to wonder. That is just natural human instinct, nothing at all to do with a personality disorder of any kind.
Is their anyone on here who drives at 40, is paid by the hour and is desperate to see the limit rise to 50? Probably very few i bet because its not in their financial interests. Just like its not in someones financial interests to sit plodding along if your paid by the mile etc. Pay structure has a large part to play in how a driver drives.
Another way to look at it, if the 40 limit on a A road is so perfect why are the powers that be thinking about upping it to 50 mph ? Doesn’t this suggest that actually the limit could be just too low after all?
ajt:
ROG:
Do those that get ‘bored’ sitting at 40 on SC or at 56 on m’way consider it is they that have a personal issue with their way of thinking ?Sitting at 40mph is boring. Just like waiting in queues is boring. The less someone uses their brain the more it relaxes or starts to wonder. That is just natural human instinct, nothing at all to do with a personality disorder of any kind.
Really !!
It is totally down to the way a person perceives things which is to say the way they think about things
In your case you perceive it as boring - in my case I never get bored doing a steady speed no matter what that speed is
Hello alte hase. Yes I agree there are probably no perfect drivers on our roads but there an awful lot that could improve if they changed their attitiude.
I have not been visiting this forum for very long but have found there are a certain few(truck drivers) that like to put the blame on everyone else.You can almost tell by their attitudes that they are probably not very professional drivers.
I have also been driving LGV’s since the 70’s and find that driving standards seem to be getting worse rather than better.
Too many selfish drivers with no regard for anyone but themselves.You will remember “Knights of the Road” but I am afraid nowadays they are not many that can be called that.The general opinion of truck drivers is pretty bad and it pi**es me off.
Interesting discussion. I am actually looking at this one from a slightly different perspective as I live at the wrong end of a long rural S2 (single carriageway road)
The road is very busy especially in summer as there are a number of tourist destinations around here (North York Moors, Whitby, Goathland etc). It is also blighted by agricultural vehicles.
And due to the nature of the landscape its a hilly and twisty road with few overtaking opportunities.
When I’m out and about in my car the number of times I end up in a queue behind some selfish ■■■■ in a wagon doing 39 mph is way too high. In my opinion we should be legally obliged to pull into a layby if theres more than say half a dozen cars QUEUED behind us. I do this as a matter of course when in my artic. Too many don’t and reinforce the car driver’s opinion of us as poor.
ajt if you get bored at anytime when you are driving you should give it up.If they increased the limit to 50 how long would it be before you were bored of that?
Yes on some roads 40 is probably a little slow but even now how often do you see a truck doing 50+ on a road that is not suitable for that speed.Maybe if drivers were a bit more responsible it might be different.
Lonewolf Yorks:
Interesting discussion. I am actually looking at this one from a slightly different perspective as I live at the wrong end of a long rural S2 (single carriageway road)The road is very busy especially in summer as there are a number of tourist destinations around here (North York Moors, Whitby, Goathland etc). It is also blighted by agricultural vehicles.
And due to the nature of the landscape its a hilly and twisty road with few overtaking opportunities.
When I’m out and about in my car the number of times I end up in a queue behind some selfish [zb] in a wagon doing 39 mph is way too high. In my opinion we should be legally obliged to pull into a layby if theres more than say half a dozen cars QUEUED behind us. I do this as a matter of course when in my artic. Too many don’t and reinforce the car driver’s opinion of us as poor.
100% behind you regard to the pulling in when a queue forms although it should be more common sense than be made law.
I said the same further up but the reply back on these discussions is always, ‘‘WHY SHOULD I, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO OVERTAKE THATS UP TO THEM’’ or ‘’‘I WOULD NEVER GET ANY WORK DONE IF I KEPT HAVING TO PULL OVER’’ etc etc…
I remember in the summer just gone being in a queue as far as the eye could see infront and back doing between 5 and 15mph over a distance off approx 7 miles due to a combine harvester. He never pulled over once!! There was a police car right behind me and when the duel section came i thought, he’s going to pull him for this traffic chaos. Did the Cop pull him? Did he ■■■■■ but i bet if someone dared to over take the harvester and happen to exceed the limit they would have been on the wrong end of a fine!!
Lonewolf Yorks:
When I’m out and about in my car the number of times I end up in a queue behind some selfish [zb] in a wagon doing 39 mph is way too high. In my opinion we should be legally obliged to pull into a layby if theres more than say half a dozen cars QUEUED behind us. I do this as a matter of course when in my artic. Too many don’t and reinforce the car driver’s opinion of us as poor.
of course you do
albion1971:
ajt if you get bored at anytime when you are driving you should give it up.If they increased the limit to 50 how long would it be before you were bored of that?
Yes on some roads 40 is probably a little slow but even now how often do you see a truck doing 50+ on a road that is not suitable for that speed.Maybe if drivers were a bit more responsible it might be different.
Its on these '‘some roads 40 is probably a little slow’’ i’m making reference to regards to the ‘‘boring’’ part.
Of course some roads 40mph is more than adequate. Some A roads you could quite comfortably sit at motorway speeds SAFELY.
Unfortunately we don’t have variable speed limits so have one set speed catering for all different types of road(s) under the classification of ‘‘A road’’.
Lonewolf Yorks:
Interesting discussion. I am actually looking at this one from a slightly different perspective as I live at the wrong end of a long rural S2 (single carriageway road)The road is very busy especially in summer as there are a number of tourist destinations around here (North York Moors, Whitby, Goathland etc). It is also blighted by agricultural vehicles.
And due to the nature of the landscape its a hilly and twisty road with few overtaking opportunities.
When I’m out and about in my car the number of times I end up in a queue behind some selfish [zb] in a wagon doing 39 mph is way too high. In my opinion we should be legally obliged to pull into a layby if theres more than say half a dozen cars QUEUED behind us. I do this as a matter of course when in my artic. Too many don’t and reinforce the car driver’s opinion of us as poor.
Half a dozen? You’d be pulling into every layby are you insane! Its got nothing to do with selfish this or ignorant that. The driver is going about his business within the law and within the scope of what his operator wants. If you’re pulling over every couple of miles then getting 44ton back up to speed can you imagine your fuel figures. Id say most drivers who do 40 do it because they are monitored by tracking and have kpi targets to meet. The only way your going to solve this problem isn’t some sort of’’ drivers code’’ or ‘‘good cricket old chap’’ its by petitioning the government to change the speed to 50mph. The likes of your RHA and FTA even big websites like this do sweet ■■■■ all in this regard. This isn’t a driver issue this is a company and government issue, a driver should not be blamed for sticking to the law. Too many people are too impatient, world is going at a million miles an hour every car you see is speeding everywhere, throttle and brake is all they know, people need to chill out.
ajt:
albion1971:
ajt if you get bored at anytime when you are driving you should give it up.If they increased the limit to 50 how long would it be before you were bored of that?
Yes on some roads 40 is probably a little slow but even now how often do you see a truck doing 50+ on a road that is not suitable for that speed.Maybe if drivers were a bit more responsible it might be different.Its on these '‘some roads 40 is probably a little slow’’ i’m making reference to regards to the ‘‘boring’’ part.
Of course some roads 40mph is more than adequate. Some A roads you could quite comfortably sit at motorway speeds SAFELY.
Unfortunately we don’t have variable speed limits so have one set speed catering for all different types of road(s) under the classification of ‘‘A road’’.
Thanks for your reply but you did not answer my question.If you were allowed to do 50 how soon would you be bored of that?
And would you stick to it just like you stick to 40■■?!!!
Again I say if you get bored when driving there is something far wrong.
albion1971:
ajt:
albion1971:
ajt if you get bored at anytime when you are driving you should give it up.If they increased the limit to 50 how long would it be before you were bored of that?
Yes on some roads 40 is probably a little slow but even now how often do you see a truck doing 50+ on a road that is not suitable for that speed.Maybe if drivers were a bit more responsible it might be different.Its on these '‘some roads 40 is probably a little slow’’ i’m making reference to regards to the ‘‘boring’’ part.
Of course some roads 40mph is more than adequate. Some A roads you could quite comfortably sit at motorway speeds SAFELY.
Unfortunately we don’t have variable speed limits so have one set speed catering for all different types of road(s) under the classification of ‘‘A road’’.
Thanks for your reply but you did not answer my question.If you were allowed to do 50 how soon would you be bored of that?
And would you stick to it just like you stick to 40■■?!!!
Again I say if you get bored when driving there is something far wrong.
IMO on a high proportion of A roads, not all, 40 mph is painfully slow thus mundane and boring. Its the law yes but imo i find it boring due to the lowly speed. Just my opinion. If this makes me some kind of head case then book me into a shrink along with the vast majority of other drivers, some on this thread infact, who think the same.
50 mph at least your moving. 40 just causes the same amount of problems it tries to solve in the name of safety mainly that of driver frustration with speed conflict between vehicle classifications ie, trucks 40, vans 50, cars 60.
As i said further up, if 40 mph is not a problem then why are the powers that be in discussions about raising it to 50 ?
ajt:
IMO on a high proportion of A roads, not all, 40 mph is painfully slow thus mundane and boring. Its the law yes but imo i find it boring due to the lowly speed.
I am now wondering if its actually boredom or frustration at being on a stretch of road which you know is actually safe to be travelling faster and that knowledge is making you feel like you do ?
Do you feel bored if on a stretch or road where going over 40 is unsafe ?
Been following this thread since it was first posted and there’s obviously a huge difference in opinions. Personaly i stick to 40 mph limit as thats what i feel comfortable with, but it is supposed to a democratic society so i deciced to add these links and everyone can have their say.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38003
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41604
ROG:
ajt:
IMO on a high proportion of A roads, not all, 40 mph is painfully slow thus mundane and boring. Its the law yes but imo i find it boring due to the lowly speed.I am now wondering if its actually boredom or frustration at being on a stretch of road which you know is actually safe to be travelling faster and that knowledge is making you feel like you do ?
Do you feel bored if on a stretch or road where going over 40 is unsafe ?
tell ya what. my new truck does 54mph and i find that boring and tiring, my old truck did 58mph and i was more awake and alert.
ajt I hate to disappoint you but they have been talking about raising it for about 30 years so I would not build my hopes up too much.