T&D m1 75mph runaway truck '98?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Reading T&D this month i read in the 25 years bit in 1998 a runaway truck travelled down the m1 at 75mph :exclamation: :exclamation: :exclamation: I was still at secondary school then so dont remember this story at all but i do vaguely remember hearing something about :question: :confused: something similar i think to what the mag says, it was only reading that story that i remebered something about it from 9 years ago :question: :question:

Could some one on here elaborate on this a bit as to how it started/stopped, i know somebody is bound to know.

Sorry if this has been covered before but the seach does not got back to 1998 :exclamation: :exclamation: :exclamation:

cheers

:grimacing: :grimacing: :grimacing:

2

Here ya go

3

bubsy06:
Here ya go
BBC News | UK | Runaway lorry driver cleared

cheers :smiley: :smiley:

4
  1. Ensure cruise control not engaged
  2. flick throttle pedal to ensure its not the pedal itself stuck. (yes, i’ve had it happen)
  3. knock it out of gear (even if the engine does over rev & explode), but, also…
  4. switch off ignition (be ready for very heavy steering)
  5. use foot brake, if this fails…
  6. use secondary brake… which ofcourse all your LGV trainers have taught you.

It seems this guy had been tampering with the limiter, then, when the problem occured, no doubt stood on the brakes against the fully powered up engine, hence suffering brake fade.

5

Hope he got done for fiddling the limiter

6

Driveroneuk:

  1. Ensure cruise control not engaged
  2. flick throttle pedal to ensure its not the pedal itself stuck. (yes, i’ve had it happen)
  3. knock it out of gear (even if the engine does over rev & explode), but, also…
  4. switch off ignition (be ready for very heavy steering)
  5. use foot brake, if this fails…
  6. use secondary brake… which ofcourse all your LGV trainers have taught you.

i wouldn’t want to be in front of you in your runaway truck now you’ve knocked it out of gear and turned the ignition off!!!

keep it in gear, turn the ignition off one click only,(not enough for the steering lock to engage) that way as long as you are rolling the compressor is still charging the brakes and the steering pump is still powering the steering.

7

I remember from the moment the story appeared, when the driver was being hailed as a hero, thinking “This bloke is an idiot and he has done this on purpose and he is going to get nicked”.

“Dip clutch and engage neutral” might mave occurred to most.

8

ashbyspannerman:

Driveroneuk:

  1. Ensure cruise control not engaged
  2. flick throttle pedal to ensure its not the pedal itself stuck. (yes, i’ve had it happen)
  3. knock it out of gear (even if the engine does over rev & explode), but, also…
  4. switch off ignition (be ready for very heavy steering)
  5. use foot brake, if this fails…
  6. use secondary brake… which ofcourse all your LGV trainers have taught you.

i wouldn’t want to be in front of you in your runaway truck now you’ve knocked it out of gear and turned the ignition off!!!

keep it in gear, turn the ignition off one click only,(not enough for the steering lock to engage) that way as long as you are rolling the compressor is still charging the brakes and the steering pump is still powering the steering.

surely you could just knock it out of gear and coast to a halt and use h/shoulder or grass verge, or use retarder and work your way down the gears sure wouldnt do engine much good :question: :question:

turning the ignition of though IMPO would be last resort as you loose everything :exclamation: :exclamation: :exclamation:

9

Harry Monk:
“Dip clutch and engage neutral” might mave occurred to most.

I remember thinking the same Harry and so what if the revs were kept high - controlled braking to slow quicker and switch off as soon as stopped - job sorted safely.

10

Newbie agency driver if I remember correctly, told the news people he would be happy to work for the company again. Not sure if the company concerned would be too happy though.

11

Just to put anyone at ease, I have had sudden engine failure at 56mph and obviously lost power steering immediately but the steering doesn’t go stiff at that speed and doesn’t become unsteerable until you get down below about 5mph.

12

I remember this story when it happened and argued with my mates about why I thought the guy was putting it on. Turns out all was not as it seemed.

For those of you who have forgotten about the more worrying aspects of this case should read paragraphs 7 & 8 of this article.

independent.co.uk/news/runaw … 00221.html

Around a year after the court case, according to a national newspaper (I think it was the News Of The World) he was working as a refuse driver and had changed his name.

13

iirc about the same time there was a fella who claimed the same thing in a bmw on the A1 who had police following him and the hellicopter from newcastle claiming he could control the speed on the car. eventually he hit crashed into blyth roundabout and they found no fault with the car. :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

14

jessicas dad:
claiming he could control the speed on the car.

:laughing: :laughing: think you mean couldnt control the speed :question: :question: :confused: :confused: :confused:

15

I work with two people who worked for the company one was in the office think it was polkacrest waste and they said the guy was a serial atention seeker and he had pulled a few stokes not truck related before and had been in local papers etc.
I mean if all else fails you could run it along the crash barrier.

16

kr79:
I work with two people who worked for the company one was in the office think it was polkacrest waste and they said the guy was a serial atention seeker and he had pulled a few stokes not truck related before and had been in local papers etc.
I mean if all else fails you could run it along the crash barrier.

Which he did.

As for being a “serial atention seeker”, click on the link to the Independent newspaper article on my earlier post.

This guy should never have been let behind the wheel of a truck.

17

Harry Monk:
I remember from the moment the story appeared, when the driver was being hailed as a hero, thinking "This bloke is an idiot and he has done this on purpose and he is going to get nicked

Oh you old cynic Harry…I thought exactly the same :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

18

YER i remember this numpty he was driving a 4 series scania and a tipper trl i think, and it was around todington area on the M1 wasnt it, he got a few months prison at the end of the day didnt he■■?,

19

a certain davel knows a bit about going fast in a lorry!!! he may enlighten us soon… :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

20

I remember that,& I too thought it was complete codwolop!

Simply knocking into neutral, followed by using your brakes & hey presto you stop no damage, then switch off ignition.

As diesel engines are fitted with rev limiters you wouldnt even “blow up then engine”