Abnormal load escort vehicles - power to direct traffic?

What’s the score with these plonkers? Had a run in yesterday with them. Came up behind a couple of artics carrying something big. Going up the hill and on straights, they were a couple of mph slower than me. So I decided to do an overtake on dual carriageway. Next thing I know I got this little van blocking me… So I pulled back in behind one of the trucks. He then starts gesturing at me for ages. I didn’t think anything of it. Eventually, he pulled in behind me flashing his lights. He clearly was not happy that I’d taken his bit of road.

Anyway, eventually I did get past them. Much to the annoyance of the artic drivers. Both of them old fat men. Gesturing and swearing at me - I just smiled and gave up the thumbs up. Which seemed to annoy them more. Don’t think they liked my rigid getting past their scanias with associated tat in cab. Worst thing is they tried blocking my overtake by going faster down the hills.

Couple of miles later we all hit some traffic. And ■■■■■■ bloke jumps out and had the audacity to tell me I didn’t have ‘permission’ to overtake. Obviously, I told him he was too old for the police and only they can direct traffic. Big fat artic drivers didn’t get out of the cab for all their hand gestures. But in fairness neither did I. But it was sunny and I wasn’t hanging about wasting the day for these no-hopers.

Anyway, what’s the score with them? What right do they have to stop people overtaking etc? And what right do they have to think they own the road? I’m not asking to antagonize anyone who does this sort of work. I’m asking so that I know the rules and regs. If I broke the law I won’t do it again. If they are just the same as any other lgv I’ll ignore their ‘directions’ and do as I please.

Gentlemen start your engines…

Abnormal loads are just that,usually wider than 1 lane and on a dual carriageway there isn’t a full lane to get past.
The ■■■■■■ van is there to keep traffic back if its not safe to overtake as he did,if they were only a few mph slower wouldn’t have thought it would have held you up much by the sound of it.
When ever I have come across wide loads usually hang back and give them the room looks a hard enough job without me trying to get past to prove a "look I’m faster than you "point.

Without looking into it further I’d say they have zero power to direct traffic in any shape or form. They are there as a warning to other road uses there is an abnormal load. Nothing more than a visual warning. A moving triangle warning sign effectively.

Only police and certain others who have been given powers such as HATO, DVSA, councils can give certain people powers for limited times to control traffic at events etc

But nah, a wide load ■■■■■■ has no power, which is why the police go with them sometimes then I guess they’ve got someone there with the power to actually stop traffic lawfully.

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, and show us the legislation that gives wide load escorts power to direct traffic IF that is the case…which I don’t think it is.

“1.6 The term self-escorting applies to either a haulier or
a private company engaged by a haulier escorting
an abnormal load or an abnormal vehicle. An ■■■■■■
person has no powers to stop or direct other road
users or pedestrians and is there to warn them of the
presence of an abnormal load.”
burnley.gov.uk/attachments/a … 200710.pdf

The ■■■■■■ vehicles should be close to the vehicles they are escorting. If you overtake you should get past both ■■■■■■ and load together, and not put yourself in their way. If you cant do that safely, then dont start the overtake.
Never mind laws, a little patience, consideration, and common sense would be a good idea.

Franglais:
“1.6 The term self-escorting applies to either a haulier or
a private company engaged by a haulier escorting
an abnormal load or an abnormal vehicle. An ■■■■■■
person has no powers to stop or direct other road
users or pedestrians and is there to warn them of the
presence of an abnormal load.”
burnley.gov.uk/attachments/a … 200710.pdf

The ■■■■■■ vehicles should be close to the vehicles they are escorting. If you overtake you should get past both ■■■■■■ and load together, and not put yourself in their way. If you cant do that safely, then dont start the overtake.
Never mind laws, a little patience, consideration, and common sense would be a good idea.

Bit hard to get past them when the little van with his flashing lights is blocking me. So I pulled back in. I suppose I was making a point by not letting him go back behind his artics after he blocked the road on me - and it probably was silly of me. I was just annoyed that he was making my life harder and childishly decided to do the same.

There was plenty of room for me to get past. Which is how I did it eventually. We are not even talking tight here. I could have understood if we were coming to a bend etc… But it was just a straight bit of road. In my honest opinion he was on a power trip and all three of them seemed to think it was up to them who was allowed to overtake and when.

Thanks for the link to legislation.

Without looking at your post history… My bet is you are either a troll or just a complete muppet that shouldnt be allowed on a push bike nevermind in a hgv.

sammym:

Franglais:
“1.6 The term self-escorting applies to either a haulier or
a private company engaged by a haulier escorting
an abnormal load or an abnormal vehicle. An ■■■■■■
person has no powers to stop or direct other road
users or pedestrians and is there to warn them of the
presence of an abnormal load.”
burnley.gov.uk/attachments/a … 200710.pdf

The ■■■■■■ vehicles should be close to the vehicles they are escorting. If you overtake you should get past both ■■■■■■ and load together, and not put yourself in their way. If you cant do that safely, then dont start the overtake.
Never mind laws, a little patience, consideration, and common sense would be a good idea.

Bit hard to get past them when the little van with his flashing lights is blocking me. So I pulled back in. I suppose I was making a point by not letting him go back behind his artics after he blocked the road on me - and it probably was silly of me. I was just annoyed that he was making my life harder and childishly decided to do the same.

There was plenty of room for me to get past. Which is how I did it eventually. We are not even talking tight here. I could have understood if we were coming to a bend etc… But it was just a straight bit of road. In my honest opinion he was on a power trip and all three of them seemed to think it was up to them who was allowed to overtake and when.

Thanks for the link to legislation.

When youre behind a wide load youll not be able to see past on the overtaking side and also the “pavement” side. The driver of the wide load will of course. He may well need to move into the “overtaking” lane to avoid street furniture, such as road signs, or breakdowns on the hard shoulder etc. He will talk on radio (compulsory fitment) to ■■■■■■ so the ■■■■■■ can move out, block overtakers and let him know it`s clear to move across. The wide load wont be seeing much in his mirrors!
The ■■■■■■ may have no legal right to direct other traffic, but they are there to do a job, not just to be awkward, and co-operating with them gets everyone away quicker really.

Whilst not defending the OP’s actions (childish would be an understatement) I do get the impression sometimes that the ■■■■■■ vehicle drivers do THINK they have powers above their station.

It also seems that the less important the load, the more arrogant and self-important the ■■■■■■ drivers are. We get a lot of mobile home movers down here in west Wales and the way some of the ■■■■■■ drivers behave you’d think they were accompanying the Queen not a poxy tin box on wheels. Small man syndrome probably.

The AL drivers themselves are unfailingly courteous.

Didnt the ■■■■■■ vehices replace the police escorts?

They may not have the “legal” power but they are there because the law states they need to be there to protect both the load, but mainly other road users.

Blocking lanes so others cant overtake is just one way they do this.

Theres idiots in all walks of life but most of the ■■■■■■ lads iv come across of decent lads and lassess.

CraigM:
Without looking at your post history… My bet is you are either a troll or just a complete muppet that shouldnt be allowed on a push bike nevermind in a hgv.

^^^ This ^^^

You won your own bet CraigM - let us know what prize you’re gonna award yourself

We don’t use ■■■■■■ vehicles…we have a second man in the cab(when he hasn’t blobbed it),so I have to zig zag across lanes 1 and 2.

Course…my oversized chunk of concrete beats your mirror protectors every time.
You pays your money…

Sidevalve:
Whilst not defending the OP’s actions (childish would be an understatement) I do get the impression sometimes that the ■■■■■■ vehicle drivers do THINK they have powers above their station.

It also seems that the less important the load, the more arrogant and self-important the ■■■■■■ drivers are. We get a lot of mobile home movers down here in west Wales and the way some of the ■■■■■■ drivers behave you’d think they were accompanying the Queen not a poxy tin box on wheels. Small man syndrome probably.

The AL drivers themselves are unfailingly courteous.

Slightly different part of Wales but same load.

I’m not saying what I did was perfect. But honestly there was no reason to block me. It was a straight dual carriage way.

sammym:

Sidevalve:
Whilst not defending the OP’s actions (childish would be an understatement) I do get the impression sometimes that the ■■■■■■ vehicle drivers do THINK they have powers above their station.

It also seems that the less important the load, the more arrogant and self-important the ■■■■■■ drivers are. We get a lot of mobile home movers down here in west Wales and the way some of the ■■■■■■ drivers behave you’d think they were accompanying the Queen not a poxy tin box on wheels. Small man syndrome probably.

The AL drivers themselves are unfailingly courteous.

Slightly different part of Wales but same load.

I’m not saying what I did was perfect. But honestly there was no reason to block me. It was a straight dual carriage way.

Ill refer you back to my previous post. You following a wide load, in an overtaking position, cant see what is coming up on the wide loads RHS. They may have needed to move out into your lane. Because you didnt see a hazard from your position doesnt mean the wide load driver didnt see one. Maybe they were playing silly buggers, but youve said nothing to show that. I`d assume the “big fat old plonkers” are less likely to have something to prove, than some others around here.

sammym:
But honestly there was no reason to block me. It was a straight dual carriage way.

This was covered earlier; the lead driver had the best view of the road ahead and more importantly the ideal view of anything ahead that he may have needed to move out for. He could very well have contacted the ■■■■■■ vehicle to inform him that he would possibly need to move to the right. You had no such view or insight into his intentions.

Of course as this never happened anyway we’re merely going around in pointless circles.

Edit to add; before pressing submit I see that Franglais has beaten me to it.

Bearing in mind the convoy would have been on the radio talking about you and based on the story you’ve made up I reckon the conversation would have gone something like this between lead vehicle and ■■■■■■…

[For this narrative the lead truck driver will be called Bob and the ■■■■■■ vehicle Roger, 2nd truck driver will also be called Roger but don’t know if he will play a part yet].

Roger: “Hey Bob got a knob jockey here who wants to pass, we got room to help this ■■■ out”.

Bob: “Bit tricky so not quite yet, wait for the next long straight, block her for now”.

Roger: “Roger that”

Roger: “You talking to me Roger”

Roger: " No I was talking to Bob"

Roger: “Ok thanks Roger”

Bob: “OK Roger’s we got room now but make it difficult for her”.

Roger: “Will do, get ready Roger”.

Roger: “Roger that Roger and Bob”

Roger: “Ok she is on the way lads, coffee beans at the ready”.

Roger: “Hey Bob look at the state of this”.

Bob: “OMG he looks about 12”

Roger: “Roger that”

Roger: “What”

Roger: “Not you I was Rogering Bob”

Roger: “Your always doing that you big ■■■■”

Roger: “Your just jealous coz your wife screams my name during coitus”

Bob: “Will you pair pack it in”.

Bob:“Bollox I’ve missed the exit now”

Dipper_Dave:
Bearing in mind the convoy would have been on the radio talking about you and based on the story you’ve made up I reckon the conversation would have gone something like this between lead vehicle and ■■■■■■…

[For this narrative the lead truck driver will be called Bob and the ■■■■■■ vehicle Roger, 2nd truck driver will also be called Roger but don’t know if he will play a part yet].

Roger: “Hey Bob got a knob jockey here who wants to pass, we got room to help this ■■■ out”.

Bob: “Bit tricky so not quite yet, wait for the next long straight, block her for now”.

Roger: “Roger that”

Roger: “You talking to me Roger”

Roger: " No I was talking to Bob"

Roger: “Ok thanks Roger”

Bob: “OK Roger’s we got room now but make it difficult for her”.

Roger: “Will do, get ready Roger”.

Roger: “Roger that Roger and Bob”

Roger: “Ok she is on the way lads, coffee beans at the ready”.

Roger: “Hey Bob look at the state of this”.

Bob: “OMG he looks about 12”

Roger: “Roger that”

Roger: “What”

Roger: “Not you I was Rogering Bob”

Roger: “Your always doing that you big ■■■■”

Roger: “Your just jealous coz your wife screams my name during coitus”

Bob: “Will you pair pack it in”.

Bob:“Bollox I’ve missed the exit now”

Thanks, DD, that`s what sunny Sunday morning posts should be !

I had a similar incident to the op, couple weeks back, wide’ish load A1 south, I’m on my way to yard(in car), come up behind the ■■■■■■ (Christmas tree transit), not a problem, we then come up to a Tesco plobber, wide’ish load over takes plobber, I then thinks he’ll move over to let us by, O no the spotty you’ff,road commander has the POWER to block, so he does this with a zeal, the dual carriageway is wide enough, not much furniture, so I whips up the inside, Mr wide load not happy, you’ff in da van goes off the scale,
Did they want to stop and discuss this issue, No I did offer to stop,… Total power crazed numptys.

Maybe the ■■■■■■ van knew it was you and had seen your posts about damaging other peoples property so wanted you know where near the loads, other lorries were probably allowed to over take no issue.