Just thought for the day really. I was going M5, M42, M6 s/b and was running with only a few light pallets.
Now admittedly I have no idea what the lorry in front of me had on, but it was enough to have all axles on the road.
But the bend on M42 to M6 he seemed to never come off the limiter. And although he swayed a little on the last bit of the corner, he survived the bend.
Now it’s not a moaning post. Just wondering how much effort you would need to lose control on a bend like that.
I had dropped down to 30 (suggested speed on sign) and even then I was gripping the wheel fairly tight.
Obviously roundabouts and junctions should not be flown around but what about those sweeping bends. What is the ideal pace?
Tarrman:
Just a case of getting used to it and knowing the limits.
Knowing the limits is OK but where is the need to drive to them? Driving on the limit leaves no room for the unexpected.
This is sensible question from a responsible driver with C, C+E and D categories on his licence. It hardly deserves a reply of this nature from someone who has not yet started his LGV training.
Come back with advice when you are qualified to give it.
Alan gets where I am coming from. My train of thought was, should I be able to take a sweeping bend like the one mentioned in the opening post, on a dry day, on the limiter. Where is the point that the trailer will tip over and the cab is sure to follow?
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not something I lose sleep over. I just wonder if I’m being over cautious. It’s not the kind of thing you can test out and go… Oh that’s where the tipping point is, and still go into work tomorrow with head held high.
Tarrman:
Just a case of getting used to it and knowing the limits.
Knowing the limits is OK but where is the need to drive to them? Driving on the limit leaves no room for the unexpected.
This is sensible question from a responsible driver with C, C+E and D categories on his licence. It hardly deserves a reply of this nature from someone who has not yet started his LGV training.
Come back with advice when you are qualified to give it.
Ouch I didn’t intend to offend anyone.
Surely if you know the limits of the vehicle then you drive within them? I don’t recall saying drive ON the limit. Jeez.
It all depends on the load, a 25 tonne piece of steel plate on the deck would sail round there, so would a tanker if you kept it smooth. Maybe a double decker with the heavy stuff at the top would have your arse nipping.
As mentioned the M11 North is a bit of a pig, but the worse ever bend on a motorway is when you come off the M8/M9 onto the M9 towards the Forth Road Bridge
Most of the drivers taking a bend like that will know the actual bend like the back of their hand. If you don’t “know” the bend take it easy you might only get to make the mistake once. As for the, I know the bend “fly” boy’s they do until it bites their arse. On another note whats the rush you can pick it up in the straight it’s not a race for all the time you would save. Some people by nature are just “little” risk takers (my theory is a low IQ), looks impressive but so does the crash when it comes.
dar1976:
… Just wondering how much effort you would need to lose control on a bend like that.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer to this question.
It will depend on whether you’re carrying the same stuff loaded in the same way every time you take that bend.
The variable that shouldn’t be forgotten is the center of gravity of the vehicle, which will dictate that the same bend/corner can be safely negotiated at various speeds.
You could fly around that bend 99.9% of the time, but on another occasion, you could come a real cropper at half your normal speed.
M25 clock going onto M4 west is quite naughty. I took it a bit quick myself once in a wagon and drag stacked to the roof and it amazes me to this day how it did not go over.
Put an imaginary glass of water on your dash… if you spill it then either you accelerate too fast , brake too hard or corner too hard…
Sometimes, like with containers, you have no idea how it is loaded so treat every load like it was hanging meat, top heavy, and you won’t go far wrong
Think its up to you ive seen people fly round bends and ive thought stuff that only takes one second drive like you should so what if it takes an extra ten minutes at least you get the job done well after all if it went over you’lllook the spoon not the guy in front.
skids:
M25 clock going onto M4 west is quite naughty. I took it a bit quick myself once in a wagon and drag stacked to the roof and it amazes me to this day how it did not go over.
Yes that one starts off ok and then there’s a bit more of a sharp bend its like they started to run out of room so added a sharper bit in to compensate.
I didn’t intend to offend anyone.
