Do LGV speed limits need changing? To what? & Why?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

ROG:
In my opinion, to change the limts on certain roads would require very little. Government legislation and some new road signs with a picture of a lorry on them and the speed that they are allowed to do on a particular stretch of road with the same sign at the end of the higher limit with a red line through it denoting the end of the higher limit and retuning to the national limit for the size of vehicle.

I have quoted myself as it seems there are some who think that some single carriageways (not the majority) could safely have a higher limit but in general I am pleasantly suprised that most agree with the current limits. This is contrary to what I have generally heard in the past where it seemed that most I spoke to complained about the low limts. From my point of view it seems that attitudes are changing for the better with safety and not “rushing around cos the boss is putting pressure on me” is becoming more the norm than they were, say, 10 years ago.
I do not intend for this to sound patronising and it is not my intention to do so but I am not that good with putting my thoughts into words, so excuse me if this comes across as so - I am, after reading the answers to my post and other posts on this site, proud and honoured to be in the company of professional LGV drivers

After reading some of my previous posts and answers on this site many may have thought that I was putting myself above them and to be fair, after reading some of the replies I have given in the past, it seems so to me as well :exclamation: Apologies to you all :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush:
In the future I will have to remember that I am addressing “professionals” and not car drivers with a bigger licence which is what I think I have done in the past on many occasions. I will try and word my future posts & replies with this in mind but as I have said before, I am not too good at expressing what I really mean in words, so pull me up quick if I come across crap again.

22

ROG:
so pull me up quick if I come across crap again.

I think you know by now ROG we wouldn’t hesitate :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

I do agree though it is pleasently suprising to see more enlightened attitudes in the industry these days :smiley:

23

ROG:
A right load of patronising crap!

24

Whilst being forced to admit to bias here due to the way in which I am paid, I would advocate a raising of the limit on single carriageways to 50mph, an opinion I also held when hourly paid.

The reason is simple - much as in an ideal world people wouldn’t succumb to frustration when they are caught behind a slow moving HGV, in the real world they do, and some of the most dangerous and stupid overtaking can be observed on roads such as these.

I don’t buy the arguement that 40mph is sufficient on some roads so that should be as fast as you could theoretically and legally go. A speed limit is just that - a limit, not a target - therefore if a road can’t take 50 simply don’t do it. A split speed limit would merely confuse this issue.

The arguement about pressure from management is a non-issue too - the best way to “train” your office to your limits is to stick to them rigidly and say nowt. They soon get the message. They can’t fire you for driving safely and legally, and they won’t want you to be continually late and messing jobs up, so they’ll route you accordingly. If they don’t that’s their look out.

Wagon drivers are supposed to be professional, so the law can be set accordingly. Car drivers are amateurs, so we need laws to help save them from themselves, not encourage them to kill themselves and other innocent people off.

25

In terms of safety and the environment speed limits are arguably best left as they are.
In terms of how hard I work they are certainly best left as they are.
If drivers are really unhappy about the speed limits, why not offer the man who pays the wages a 20% reduction because the law says you can’t work as hard as he’d like?

26

These days live in an age where speed kills, its a mantra for road safety campaigners.

Yes doesent take a brain surgoen to work out crashing at a higher speed will result in more damage.

But its got to the point where its seems that its the be all and end all.

Bunch of cars on the motorway doing 80mph in crap conditions, all tailgating. Someone changing lane without looking and first car brakes hard which causes a pileup. Safety campaigners say well was people going too fast caused the accident, should reduce the speed limit, should put up some cameras. The tailgating, the person changing lanes without looking is basically ignored.

Put some cameras up, lower the speed limit even, still get these accidents because they dont stop tailgating, they dont stop people not paying attention.

Similar with other roads, someone looked at accidents for January 2007 fatal ones and nearly every one took place on a A-road with speed cameras on the road, and a lot of the accidents happend where the speed camera was. Fact is yes speed is an issue, but even when people arent speeding there is still accidents on certain roads due to really bad design.

Yet again the answer is more speed cameras not lets re-design this bad section of road to stop the accidents.

Had 10 years of being hammered by speed cameras, fatal accidents seem to remain the same slight up and downs. Maybe its time started addressing the real problems on the road and the real idiots. But that would involve putting police on the road so thats a no no cause costs money, other issue is fix back roads, bad junctions but again thats a no no cause it costs money. I know what lets put up a camera it generates revenue.

Similar with HGV’s i dont think the 40mph limit on some single carriageways makes things safer. Similar i dont think the 56mph limiter makes things any safer compared to a limiter of 60mph.

Some higher quality single carriagway roads espec up here can be long distance routes. Sitting at 40mph ive noticed people are desperate to get by you, will take chances. Sitting at higher speeds they want to get by but not as desperate where they will take a risk. Of course this isnt taking into account the nutters who will try and overtake anything no matter what speed they are doing.

27

50 single
56 dual
60 motor

28

I find the 40 on some single-carriageway frustrating, mainly cos’ I drive a (normally fully-loaded) old tub that struggles up hills (even VERY small ones :blush: :blush: ) - even a short climb can leave me struggling at 20/25. Also I am paid by the load and frankly goin a bit quicker would be ideal for me.

The situation with limiters is mad and needs changing rapidly, especially with 7.5tonners and big vans joining the party. I can see three lane roads reduced to one lane for cars because we will all be crunched in together at 56mph. :frowning:

Surely, it would make more sense to let the 7.5’s and vans go at say 62?

29

I think Rog has been drinking :laughing:

I do not intend for this to sound patronising and it is not my intention to do so but I am not that good with putting my thoughts into words, so excuse me if this comes across as so - I am, after reading the answers to my post and other posts on this site, proud and honoured to be in the company of professional LGV drivers

After reading some of my previous posts and answers on this site many may have thought that I was putting myself above them and to be fair, after reading some of the replies I have given in the past, it seems so to me as well Apologies to you all
In the future I will have to remember that I am addressing “professionals” and not car drivers

YOURE MY BEST MATE YOU ARE! Hic

30

Lucy:
Wagon drivers are supposed to be professional,

But unfortunateley in the real world they drive at 56 mph about 6 foot of your arse end,they over take you after half an hour and pull in even closer than that, they pull round you at roundabouts and try to beat you to the exit, they pull alongside you AFTER the 300 YD marker for a motorway exit and other such stuff you could go on for hours about such antics. True, they may be a minority of HGV drivers buts its enough in number to be a regular occurence and one which i have to look out for. I can usually tell what their behaviour is going to be after watching then in my rear view mirrors for the last 20 minutes or so. Sometimes when you have watched a guy in the middle lane for about ten miles or so with no chance of pulling over you just know he is not going to let you out when you try to go from the nearside lane in the approach to the split for the A14/M1 (for example) to the middle lane. He’'ll just make you brake, and if he has a guy like him behind then he won’t let you out either. Some of them havn’t a clue and when you cop them and pull them up they say ‘whats your problem, you’re over reacting, just calm down’ I’d say make all HGV’s stick to lane one, no overtaking and reduce all speed limits. Thats my tuppence worth anyway.

31

Lucy:
Whilst being forced to admit to bias here due to the way in which I am paid, I would advocate a raising of the limit on single carriageways to 50mph, an opinion I also held when hourly paid.

The reason is simple - much as in an ideal world people wouldn’t succumb to frustration when they are caught behind a slow moving HGV, in the real world they do, and some of the most dangerous and stupid overtaking can be observed on roads such as these.

I don’t buy the arguement that 40mph is sufficient on some roads so that should be as fast as you could theoretically and legally go. A speed limit is just that - a limit, not a target - therefore if a road can’t take 50 simply don’t do it. A split speed limit would merely confuse this issue.

The arguement about pressure from management is a non-issue too - the best way to “train” your office to your limits is to stick to them rigidly and say nowt. They soon get the message. They can’t fire you for driving safely and legally, and they won’t want you to be continually late and messing jobs up, so they’ll route you accordingly. If they don’t that’s their look out.

Wagon drivers are supposed to be professional, so the law can be set accordingly. Car drivers are amateurs, so we need laws to help save them from themselves, not encourage them to kill themselves and other innocent people off.

Lucy, I agree with you. Most drivers now seem to view the speed limits as a target, not a limit. I used to regularly run up the A9 and on the single carriageways it was indeed safer to travel about 50mph rather than 40 which would lead to many attempting overtakes out of frustration. Modern trucks do have better brakes and are capable of running at higher speeds if the driver is alert. It is probably better for fuel economy as well.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of drivers (of all types of vehicles) that will continually ignore or abuse speed limits and think that they are good enough to travel at 15-20% over the limit no matter what the circumstances. They also have an attitude that they must get to their destination as quickly as possible, even if it is only one car length quicker. It is this minority that create the bad reputations and cause accidents, not because of speed, but inappropriate speed and a belief that it will never happen to them.

Truck drivers should be professional and should comply with the law and set a good example. Yes, we are more stringently policed. Yes we are an easy (big) target. Yes, we should realise the consequences of getting it wrong can be more serious. We have to make sure we do not fall into the category of drivers who regularly, habitually, ignore the law. Otherwise we will never get the respect we deserve.

32

Renny:
Modern trucks do have better brakes and are capable of running at higher speeds if the driver is alert

Modern trucks may be safer but not all drivers are. :unamused:

33

Mike-C:
I’d say make all HGV’s stick to lane one, no overtaking

That will happen before too long for great stretches of the network I suspect.

34

Rather than increase the speed limits, I personally think it would be better if the road signs indicated hgv speed as well. IMO the majority of car drivers do not realise that the speed limit for trucks is 40 on a single, hence the stupid overtaking manuvers and the abuse.

A simple sign with a picture of a car and the limit and a picture of a truck and the appropriate limit.

35

just a bit
70k single
80 2 lane dual
90 3 lane dual and mway

36

hitch:
just a bit
70k single
80 2 lane dual
90 3 lane dual and mway

nearly missed the little k for KPH and thought it was MPH :open_mouth:
I am curious, why 90 KPH for 3 lane dual and 80KPH for 2 lane?

37

hitch:
just a bit
70k single
80 2 lane dual
90 3 lane dual and mway

Sounds good to me! …Oh wait…I just saw the K…thats no good then!

38

Semtex:
Rather than increase the speed limits, I personally think it would be better if the road signs indicated hgv speed as well. IMO the majority of car drivers do not realise that the speed limit for trucks is 40 on a single, hence the stupid overtaking manuvers and the abuse.

A simple sign with a picture of a car and the limit and a picture of a truck and the appropriate limit.

it doesnt make a blind bit of difference to the average car-driver,hence your a hairy-arsed,yorkie bar-eating hybrid-ape in a great dirty truck whos holding the world back at 40mph,so they feel that they have to over-take you at any cost,usually on a bend or hill with the whole familly in tow,occasionally with tragic consequences :unamused: :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: :imp: :imp: :imp:

39

Coffeeholic:

Mike-C:
I’d say make all HGV’s stick to lane one, no overtaking

That will happen before too long for great stretches of the network I suspect.

Well can we have a seperate lane on the motorways for the shopping trolleys :laughing:

40

paul@midway:

Coffeeholic:

Mike-C:
I’d say make all HGV’s stick to lane one, no overtaking

That will happen before too long for great stretches of the network I suspect.

Well can we have a seperate lane on the motorways for the shopping trolleys :laughing:

Maybe the 1 lane for LGVs would work BUT only if they had their own lane so when the motorway gets jammed up the trucks could breeze down past the rest of the traffic. Giving priority to those on restricted driving hours makes sense but this is all pie in the sky in our car driving culture.

I love to daydream :unamused: :laughing: