I’m now speaking now from a personal point of view. Not that of a MOD. I’ve had a looksie at the thread on the Honest John website, and I think it’d be nice to re-educate the car drivers of this world and live togeather in harmoney (allright, I’m ratted again ).
Personally I’d like to take someone out for the day and show them how an artic reacts in the cirucmstances. I know it’s against the grain, but it might do a bit for the other road users if they understood a bit more.
Please think before you post and don’t go off on one . Have a look here and answer as the professionals that I know you are.
Yep…I’d like to re-educate 4wheelers with a shot gun
Many states over here in the USA are now adopting a ride along program…where the State Highway Patrol rides along with a truck driver looking for dumb ■■■ car drivers…when they see something they don’t like then they get on the radio to a pursuit car and give him the license plate of the car and then they pull him over a few miles down the road. Most States over here are now starting to realize that the majority of accidents involving big trucks are often caused by car drivers.
Liberace, you have beaten me to a topic I was about to post.
I am a member of the IAM, and will be giving a talk to our local group on “truck awareness”. Regardless of what anyone may think of advanced drivers, we are at least responsive to advice, and I’m hoping that I can at least convert a few into thinking with us.
As I have limited experience in trucks (and most of that at night) and because I know you are all agreed that there are too many bad car drivers out there, I would like to ask for your suggestions for situations or advice I can give them. Other than stay at home I’ll try and collect as much as I can, and put it together in a way that will get them to appreciate what we’re trying to do, and that we’d rather not squash them into the barriers if we can avoid it.
For the record, I’m also prepared to take critisism from them and accept that there are some bad truck drivers out there, but that they are a small minority I hope
My son has just passed his driving test at the age of 17. Once he had taken 10 lessones, to give him some extra experience I went with him (helped keep the driving lesson costs down). It was quite appalling that he had received no advice whatsoever in regard to LGV vehicles.
So whilst out, I made him follow an artic through the city (roundabouts, the lot) and pointed out various things that the trailer does (like swing out when going round corners and braking distances etc). He saw stupid car drivers overtaking artics on small roundabouts, cutting up in front and all the usual garbage we have to put up with. It opened his eyes.
Whilst he is stil on 17, I feel better that at least he will treat LGV drivers with consideration, especially when in tight or busy situations.
SO yes… I’d be quite happy to show some of these super duper I don’t make mistake car drivers what an artic will do.
they should put a display show in the middle of eastenders. that would catch the majority of bad drivers in one go.
i did see something on tv a few months ago. i think it was top gear that did a demo of an artics blind spots and what would happen if a car was in the way. that kind of thing should be shown regularly on tv.
lets face it, how many car drivers would want to actually go out in a car to see a truck?
scanny77:
they should put a display show in the middle of eastenders. that would catch the majority of bad drivers in one go.
i did see something on tv a few months ago. i think it was top gear that did a demo of an artics blind spots and what would happen if a car was in the way. that kind of thing should be shown regularly on tv.
lets face it, how many car drivers would want to actually go out in a car to see a truck?
Scanny77, I saw the same thing I think but I am sure it was Driven or 5th Gear. Tiff Needell in a left ■■■■■■ Foden 6x2 and VBH in a Peugeot 405, it was demonstrating the off side blind spots in a left ■■■■■■ on UK roads and the problem of cars sitting in the blind spot on Motorways and DC’s and because Driver cannot see them no matter how diligent they get side swiped. Moral: educate car drivers not to sit alongside trucks, especially LHD trucks for long periods, drop back or accelerate away.
And yes I would be happy to re-educate car drivers.
it was a while ago so i dont remember the exact program but at least it was something. there is a poor standard among driving schools these days as it is so something has to be done. motorway driving courses and things like that should be mandatory after passing the test. otherwise it is little short of a licence to kill or seriously injure
Personally speaking I think the vast majority of Richard Head drivers can be found behind the wheel of a BMW (tho’ not all in the same car!) because on my weary travels throughout Europe it always seems to be BMW drivers who carve everyone up, drive as if they own the road and have no regard for speed limits.
I keep trying to get a close look at their heads to see if there’s a scar where they’ve had their brain removed!
And before any of the mods edit my Richard Head reference,can I just say that I went to school with a couple of twins by the name of Head.One was Alec,the other Richard.
Mind you,Richard was a nasty piece of work so nobody dared call him ■■■■
Most car drivers are totally unaware of their surroundings or the traffic around them. Why else do they sit for miles behind a slow truck on a dual carriageway, then all of a sudden accelerate up to 90 mph when we pull out to pass them?
I think every driver should at least have to drive on a motorway before getting a full licence, I realise L drivers cannot use a Motorway, so maybe a tiered test should be used, like a CBT If you dont pass the motorway part within 1 year you go back to having to take your driving test again
I also think everyone who applies for a provisional licence should be forced to take a CBT with videos shown about trucks and the different way they handle.
I would like to educate someone, but there is a problem with company vehicles carrying passengers.
The TV idea is a good one, They show these Road Safety films in Holland between Dutch Eastenders. They cut the film just before an advert and ask a question, then show the answer before the programme restarts
From a cyclist’s POV, it’s nearly always:
BMW
Audi
Mercedes (less common)
Boy Racer Chavmobile (Nova/Saxo/whatever with stupid body kits, loud exhausts, tinted windows, etc.)
who are the dangerous idiots on the road. If I see one of them behind me, there’s a pretty good chance that they’ll try some stupidly dangerous overtaking manouevre just so that they can stop in front of me at the next queue.
after reading some posts i am thinking where am i in heaven or hell as
these problems have two not one sides, not all truckdrivers are perfect and the same is for the following bicycle,moped,motorbike, car,bus, etc etc
users,
yes some of us truck drivers are just as bad as the rest so lets not be painting a picture which lies.
the answer is partnership training so that each and every one trys his or
hers best to drive safely on the roads with one and other, please
lets not start a way of driveing like in germany where who has the law on his side is right and stuff the rest of you, here in the UK you will find
that 95% of the drivers love driveing here in the UK because the BRITISH
are the most helpful and polite and roadfriendly,( THIS MEANS THE DRIVERS FROM OUTSIDE THE UK)
so please lets work to keep this good name and both sides must
work to improve the standards together,
I could never understand why learners are not allowed on the motorway, while under instruction from a qualified instructer. Mind some of the driving I’ve seen from instructers leaves a lot to be desired.
The amount of drivers I see that have trouble joining a motorway or dualcarriage way amazes me. If they see artic they panic and lose what little plot they may have had. I watched one drive along the hard shoulder alongside an artic, didn’t have the sense to slow down or accelerate.
knight:
I could never understand why learners are not allowed on the motorway, while under instruction from a qualified instructer. Mind some of the driving I’ve seen from instructers leaves a lot to be desired.
The amount of drivers I see that have trouble joining a motorway or dualcarriage way amazes me. If they see artic they panic and lose what little plot they may have had. I watched one drive along the hard shoulder alongside an artic, didn’t have the sense to slow down or accelerate.
totally agree , although i think there is an advanced option which takes in the motorways ( for more pound notes of course ) …
amazing the amount of times i have seen people run out of sliproad and either carry on down the hardshoulder or grind to halt once they have mounted the kerb and ended up on the grass at th end of the slip on the dual carriageways…
a lot of people seem to be incapable of judging speed timing and distance…
one of the most annoying traits i have ever come across is someone who drives to the end of the sliproad and then stops you shouldnt be stopping you should be doing the time distance speed thing …
i sometimes let people out if can move over , not all the time i judge the style the vehicle is being driven at and decide if the driver is someone who will back off and let me in or leave me in the outer lane like a lemon …
9 times out of 10 i dont move … and i dont care what they or anyone else thinks … been stuck out there like a lemon far too many times to be concerned what people think of me for not moving over
would i like to educate a car driver ■■
hard question for me to answer really , all my problems on the road vastly reduced when i took on perm nights …
probably a good idea though , i would think a hard hitting road safety media campaign would be a good one …like the road works one etc etc
i have to admit that i was totally unaware of the problems and challenges that truckers face every day until i drove one. i used to be a typical, ignorant car driver. once i had been in a truck and realised that they needed both sides of the road for some maneovres, i became a lot more understanding.
just for the record, i have racing graphics and neons on my car. i will be driving the white supra around southampton that will flash you out in your truck
it does annoy people but that just gives me even more satisfaction when i hold up a line of cars to let a truck out. at the end of the day, if i am in my car, i am not in that much of a hurry but the guy in the truck is on a time limit. as far as i am concerned, the rest of the car driving population have the time to wait too. sod them
Folks, you are preaching to the converted,have any of you responded to the WELL DRIVEN? poll on this site? Just to let any of you know in case you dont, WELL DRIVEN? takes calls from the people you describe when they complain about YOUR DRIVING! 60% of these calls are from people who try to overtake YOU on a roundabout and get caught when you straighten up and from those who try to pass on the inside when YOU are turning left, W/D printed a leaflet called ‘Give a Lorry a Break’ to give to these people but they didn’t bother to ask them why they didn’t know the Highway Code!
If you look back on this site you will find a poll regarding this scurrilous scheme that breaches lorry drivers civil liberties and infringes their human rights, please enter the poll.
The (Lorry) drivers empire strikes back.
Alex.
).
. Have a look here and answer as the professionals that I know you are 
.
I’ll try and collect as much as I can, and put it together in a way that will get them to appreciate what we’re trying to do, and that we’d rather not squash them into the barriers if we can avoid it.
