Trucking sideways:
Did your driving instructor not teach you how to take roundabouts and junctions when you were on your lessons? If you need both lanes, use them.
That’s the thing - I don’t strictly NEED both lanes as I can use the ns but at the cost of braking from 40-50 to 5-10mph and then stll front wheel almost on the os line so cab still goes over a bit. It’s basically a matter of my convenience vs. theirs. I tell myself it’s better for the environment if I don’t have to stop/acc/stop/acc all the time.
ETS:
then stll front wheel almost on the os line so cab still goes over a bit.
If you can’t keep ‘the vehicle’ within the line then you have to straddle the line and you need to do it in a way which protects the idiots from themselves.
On my route into London at Deptford there are signs telling lorries to straddle both lanes and that’s for an s bend. Of course that doesn’t stop the muppets in their audi’s/mercs pulling along side you. But they are the same ones that will sit in the right hand lane at the next set of lights despite the signs saying the lanes merge straight after the lights.
Trucking sideways:
Did your driving instructor not teach you how to take roundabouts and junctions when you were on your lessons? If you need both lanes, use them. Dominate. If there’s space for a car you can be sure Deborah in her Audi A1 or Dave in his white van will try and squeeze past and enter the crush zone making everyone concerned have a bad day. It’s not worth the paperwork. Just make sure you assess in time and use whatever space you need to to protect the morons from themselves and ensure you have enough space to get around whatever obstacle you are trying to. Easy really.
This sums it up completely, and puts this pointless thread into a nutshell.
Why as pro truck drivers are we even discussing it? …Or have I gone on to the ‘Learning to drive a truck’ forum.
As I said, it’s just basic day 1/lesson 1 artic driving stuff, …move on nothing to see here, what’s all the fuss about.
What’s the next post gonna be from the o/p?..
‘‘Re. ethics of taking a wide swing when taking a left hand turn’’?
It could be in the current world of the phone camera and H&S combined with spotty kids in transport offices that the OP has genuine concerns.
My answer, car drivers think lorry drivers are the scum of the earth so ■■■■ em, if it makes it easier to get around a roundabout by straightlining it, that’s what I do.
The answer is whenever possible time your approaches to junctions for your benefit.
If that means slowing slightly on approach so someone in a car or van can get past before the narrowing then so be it, you still benefit.
Whenever possible straighten roundabouts out, everyone including the lorry itself and you the lorry driver benefit.
If ill timing means you have to take the junction keeping to your own lanes like good little clones then everyone loses but especially you the lorry driver.
There are some twerps out there at the wheel of lorries who try to force through on such junctions, often they will be towing an aggregate body of some sort, regularly they will be pulling a container, you have to make allowances for the type
Last but not least, there are still some very very good drivers out there in cars and vans and on motorcycles, if you get one that allows you by their road positioning and speed adjustments and possibly a flash to straighten a junction out, please please give them a wave of thanks as they come past, they are a dying breed (having the nous to see and plan ahead, many drivers are no longer capable of this if they ever were) and being taken for granted by the ill mannered among us doesn’t help keep them onside.
So rare are they i now find myself waving an ackowledgement if someone indicates correctly on roundabouts and junctions allowing me to maintain uninterrupted progress, sadly in too many cases it’s wheel attendants in lorries who let the side down here, invariably they are sporting the stitched in place hivis whilst driving so you had a heads up they were likely to be incompetent and as usual they didn’t disappoint.
Juddian:
The answer is whenever possible time your approaches to junctions for your benefit.
If that means slowing slightly on approach so someone in a car or van can get past before the narrowing then so be it, you still benefit.
Whenever possible straighten roundabouts out, everyone including the lorry itself and you the lorry driver benefit.
If ill timing means you have to take the junction keeping to your own lanes like good little clones then everyone loses but especially you the lorry driver.
There are some twerps out there at the wheel of lorries who try to force through on such junctions, often they will be towing an aggregate body of some sort, regularly they will be pulling a container, you have to make allowances for the type
Last but not least, there are still some very very good drivers out there in cars and vans and on motorcycles, if you get one that allows you by their road positioning and speed adjustments and possibly a flash to straighten a junction out, please please give them a wave of thanks as they come past, they are a dying breed (having the nous to see and plan ahead, many drivers are no longer capable of this if they ever were) and being taken for granted by the ill mannered among us doesn’t help keep them onside.
So rare are they i now find myself waving an ackowledgement if someone indicates correctly on roundabouts and junctions allowing me to maintain uninterrupted progress, sadly in too many cases it’s wheel attendants in lorries who let the side down here, invariably they are sporting the stitched in place hivis whilst driving so you had a heads up they were likely to be incompetent and as usual they didn’t disappoint.
Well my friend, I fit into the category you mentioned above.
I , as a ex lorry driver, still use the skills of anticipation learned from navigating a 40 tonne truck through the narrowest and chaotic streets of Europe and the republic of Londonistan, looking forward in advance as to how much room the outfit I am sharing the road with, is going to need in order to complete the maneuver it is attempting.
I do it also for buses as it is a regulation in the UK highway code.
I realise this is coming over all JakeySnakey, but certainly the modern brigade dont seem to even recognize what you have just done for them,
You expect other drivers to cut you up to buggery and act accordingly, so when another road user doesn’t do this, it is in my experience, a grey haired old fellow that gives a cheery wave and a reality that not every other road user is a ■■■■■
Every other rat in the race doesn’t realize that even if they win, they are still a fricken rat.
Well my friend, I fit into the category you mentioned above.
I , as a ex lorry driver, still use the skills of anticipation learned from navigating a 40 tonne truck through the narrowest and chaotic streets of Europe and the republic of Londonistan, looking forward in advance as to how much room the outfit I am sharing the road with, is going to need in order to complete the maneuver it is attempting.
I do it also for buses as it is a regulation in the UK highway code.
I realise this is coming over all JakeySnakey, but certainly the modern brigade dont seem to even recognize what you have just done for them,
You expect other drivers to cut you up to buggery and act accordingly, so when another road user doesn’t do this, it is in my experience, a grey haired old fellow that gives a cheery wave and a reality that not every other road user is a [zb].
Every other rat in the race doesn’t realize that even if they win, they are still a fricken rat.
Greeting’s friend and fellow knight of the road (that might be pushing it maybe well in my case for sure), you can spot a professional road user as they approach, road positioning smoothness anticipation useful signalling etc, i offer you that cheery wave in salute.
And yes, when i am in a car and allow a lorry to, for instance, straighten a roundabout (benefitting both of us), only every now and again will there be a wave of thanks…maybe if they sent young lads out to run alongside the few remaining grizzled old sods to learn the ropes as they used to we might see a return to that taken for granted cooperation that used to be part of driving…yeah i know dream on
My answer, car drivers think lorry drivers are the scum of the earth so [zb] em, if it makes it easier to get around a roundabout by straightlining it, that’s what I do.
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+1
smart answer.
decide what road conditions are like,and take what space you need by whatever means dictates,and as r/r says…its a nothing to see here,move along topic.its just normal daily driving.
if your in cities,then you need to be more aggressive by claiming your sace and barging through.
if your toodling around the countryside or ireland and your in more rural areas,then you wont need to as theres no panic,nobody gives a toss,and their driving standards are abysmal to start with.
Defensive driving?..Once over you very rarely had to do that amongst other trucks, it was mainly reserved for car drivers, because you were once fairly confident that you were not going to be ■■■■ ed up or left hanging by your average fellow pro driver, …
As for today, since say last 10 to 12 yrs?..different story.
I’m always aware nowadays that I could possibly need to go in defensive mode when approached by a truck.
Ok, not in an ‘‘obsessive neurotic can’t relax’’ sense, but it’s always in the back of my mind…‘This approaching truck could be manned by one of those ‘Car driver with Class 1 licences’’ knobheas/ wastes of space.
If I’m being overtaken for instance, my first check is (sorry chaps got to say it )
Is he wearing his hi viz? .not saying you’re all like that, but most of the time I ain’t regretting being careful.
Or at the other end of the crap driver spectrum…
Is it some overblinged monument to bad taste being driven by a nutter.
Either way I’m expecting a near hand overtake with a trailer shaving my windscreen.
(You rarely ever got that once over, we had a flashing in system that worked, then the knobs thought they were above it, and the simple system that worked, was ■■■■ ed up by em, so many times nowadays with some of them it’s guess work or blatant ‘I’m coming in, deal with it’’ attitude. )
It’s got to the stage in all scenarios, not just being overtaken, but r/abouts, junctions, and everything else…I just assume incompetent and/or nut job, and if he turns out to be a proper pro driver it’s a bonus.
So far at a guess it’s 70% driver.
30% …not as long as he has that proverbial hole.
I’m sick of getting bullied onto curbs because some impatient [zb] decides to overtake at a tight roundabout
Not being funny but can I ask what you would have done if that happened when you were on your test? Sometimes in might be easier to hold back a bit
assess the situation on approach etc?
I agree split the lanes on approach if necessary is the correct thing to do but what gets me is when you get a lorry taking up both lanes unecessarily.
Some can’t seem to work out what space they actually need. They are in the minority but they do it at times.
Winseer:
I failed an assessment in 2018 for NOT straddling the right-hand two lanes of three approaching a roundabout… (when taking the 3 O’clock exit)
You obviously did not think it was necessary so I would hope the assessor gave you a good explanation of why it was■■?
Winseer:
I failed an assessment in 2018 for NOT straddling the right-hand two lanes of three approaching a roundabout… (when taking the 3 O’clock exit)
You obviously did not think it was necessary so I would hope the assessor gave you a good explanation of why it was■■?
I moved into the right of three approach lanes after being told “Take the 3’Oclock exit”. I moved onto the roundabout in the right of three lanes, and started to ease over for the 3’Oclock exit at the 12’Oclock point, crossing lanes 2 and 1 in the process, of course.
FAIL.
The reason I was given for straddling approach lanes 2 & 3 and then going around the roundabout itself in lane 2 until the 12’Oclock exit, and then easing across from there was.
There’s been a change in the highway code. You are clearly unaware of that change, or you would have done it properly without being asked to begin with.
The change was facilitated by the proliferation of THREE laned roundabouts taking over from all those old ones that merely just used to be two wider lanes, apparently…
I did the assessment again 2 weeks later - and this time passed it, no bother.
Here’s the roundabout in question, entering from bottom left (right hand of three lanes) and taking the A229 dual carriageway joining slip Southbound (to the right of the picture).
You can clearly see now a MAIDstone label in the centre of three lanes at the 9’oclock position on this roundabout now.
I recall back when I flunked it, both lanes 2 & 3 were labelled "Maid"stone back in 2018.
Interesting, but from what you say I feel the assessor was very harsh and I am sure you did too. Why not just ask you to make sure you learn the new rules for future unless of course there was nearly an accident because of your actions.
jakethesnake:
Interesting, but from what you say I feel the assessor was very harsh and I am sure you did too. Why not just ask you to make sure you learn the new rules for future unless of course there was nearly an accident because of your actions.
To be fair, I did get a second shot at it 2 weeks later, which I then corrected my mistake on, and passed in due course.
In my mind though, these “unpaid assessments” seem to be required rather too often at employing yards these days, bearing in mind that one’s driving licence and experience to date “no blameworthy RTAs” should stand up on it’s own merit, requiring rather less assessments of the more experienced drivers, one would have thought.
jakethesnake:
Interesting, but from what you say I feel the assessor was very harsh and I am sure you did too. Why not just ask you to make sure you learn the new rules for future unless of course there was nearly an accident because of your actions.
To be fair, I did get a second shot at it 2 weeks later, which I then corrected my mistake on, and passed in due course.
In my mind though, these “unpaid assessments” seem to be required rather too often at employing yards these days, bearing in mind that one’s driving licence and experience to date “no blameworthy RTAs” should stand up on it’s own merit, requiring rather less assessments of the more experienced drivers, one would have thought.
Glad you passed 2 weeks later. I am not the biggest fan of assesssments although I had to do them as part of my job in various circumstances. It’s a tricky business especially if the assessor is a driver and works for the company and knows the drivers he is assessing. It it usually fairly ineffective if done that way especially if the assessor is not qualified.
It is far better for companies to get a fully qualified independent assessor and that way there is no favouritism.
Although from what you have said it sounds like your assessor knew his stuff.
The other problem that arises is (especially with experienced drivers) they will change their driving style on an assessment to keep the assessor happy then revert back to their bad habits the next day. All drivers should be regularly but it needs to be done properly and half an hour or hour rarely tells the whole story. In my opinion no driver should object to an assessment as long as they are getting paid at the time. Doing the job I did I had regular assessments and exams in which a higher standard was expected and for me I looked forward to it to prove I could do my job correctly.
jakethesnake:
Interesting, but from what you say I feel the assessor was very harsh and I am sure you did too. Why not just ask you to make sure you learn the new rules for future unless of course there was nearly an accident because of your actions.
To be fair, I did get a second shot at it 2 weeks later, which I then corrected my mistake on, and passed in due course.
In my mind though, these “unpaid assessments” seem to be required rather too often at employing yards these days, bearing in mind that one’s driving licence and experience to date “no blameworthy RTAs” should stand up on it’s own merit, requiring rather less assessments of the more experienced drivers, one would have thought.
Glad you passed 2 weeks later. I am not the biggest fan of assesssments although I had to do them as part of my job in various circumstances. It’s a tricky business especially if the assessor is a driver and works for the company and knows the drivers he is assessing. It it usually fairly ineffective if done that way especially if the assessor is not qualified.
It is far better for companies to get a fully qualified independent assessor and that way there is no favouritism.
Although from what you have said it sounds like your assessor knew his stuff.
The other problem that arises is (especially with experienced drivers) they will change their driving style on an assessment to keep the assessor happy then revert back to their bad habits the next day. All drivers should be regularly but it needs to be done properly and half an hour or hour rarely tells the whole story. In my opinion no driver should object to an assessment as long as they are getting paid at the time. Doing the job I did I had regular assessments and exams in which a higher standard was expected and for me I looked forward to it to prove I could do my job correctly.
Yes, you got that right. I’d known the assessor as a fellow driver from over a decade earlier, and he’d even informed me that he was a “former poacher turned gamekeeper” these days.
It is to his credit then, I guess, that he treated me the same as everyone else, despite knowing me for that long beforehand.
I cannot ever complain about a “Strict, but fair” stance in those with power over me.
jakethesnake:
Glad you passed 2 weeks later. I am not the biggest fan of assesssments although I had to do them as part of my job in various circumstances.
Doing the job I did I had regular assessments and exams in which a higher standard was expected and for me I looked forward to it to prove I could do my job correctly.
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i would just love someone after reading that blowing your own trumpet pish to ask…" that sounds really interesting,what job was that then,and who was it for ) …■■ then let them give you as much time as you need to google another answer or just flounce,deflect and ignore again.
theres no point in asking that question myself,as that would imply that i somehow give a toss.
jakethesnake:
Glad you passed 2 weeks later. I am not the biggest fan of assesssments although I had to do them as part of my job in various circumstances.
Doing the job I did I had regular assessments and exams in which a higher standard was expected and for me I looked forward to it to prove I could do my job correctly.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
i would just love someone after reading that blowing your own trumpet pish to ask…" that sounds really interesting,what job was that then,and who was it for ) …■■ then let them give you as much time as you need to google another answer or just flounce,deflect and ignore again.
theres no point in asking that question myself,as that would imply that i somehow give a toss.
You are incredible, this time instead of accusing me of being 10 other people you claim to be able to read my mind and what I am thinking. Well sorry to disappoint because once again you are wrong.
I took an interest in a thread and made a comment about another posters assessment and it was discussed amicably. END OF.
…Or have I gone on to the ‘Learning to drive a truck’ forum.
well in my case for sure), you can spot a professional road user as they approach, road positioning smoothness anticipation useful signalling etc, i offer you that cheery wave in salute.
)
