With the crippling fuel costs i decided to run at lower speeds 50-52mph according to TomTOM . Early indications are that i’m up buy 0.5 mpg which is a minor victory. But on an also plus side it wasn’t as stressfull. I thought it would of driven me potty but after a while i never gave it a thought. If i came up behind someone slower obviously i put my foot down till i’d past them.
you are not an old boy like some of us, it shows. we did things a bit different. you should do what you want to do. crack on.
chris:
Kenny1975:
ROG:
whooshwhoosh:
sooner i get wherever,the longer i can rest,the sooner i get back,the longer i get at home. but,each to their ownIs it also a case of - the quicker I do it, the less I get paid
not really, unless your doing like glasgow to manchester and then your only really save 15-20mins tops which could be the difference between getting there in your 4hrs 30mins and not.
if i want to drag out a shift there is easier ways to do it. at my place we don’t hang about and we are experts at dragging shifts out
i get paid by the hour and sit on the limiter espec up in scotland on 2 lane motorways because maybe you will get 10pence extra wages going that 4mph slower between glasgow and edinburgh on the M8 but you will also force all the other heavies trying to get place into lane 2 to over take you and slow everyone else down if lane 2 is filled with cars and the other trucks can’t get out. Believe me thats loads of fun if you’ve driven through the night up from Bridgwater to Livingston and just wanted into a RDC to get tipped and then get some shut eye.
This i did not expect
as soon as i posted the subject of 52mph some people think it’s about hanging the job out, well i don’t understand that!
And if some of you are putting yourselves at risk just to get the load off for your boss each day/night then i suppose we can’t moan if the ‘management’ are always pushing drivers to do things they don’t want to do, if we are doing it anyway.
yeah i am a dangerous nutter who sits at 4mph under the motorway speed limit, risking lives.
some of our runs are 4hrs 10mins (4hrs on old analague tachograph) to Manchester, if we went slower would be pushing it to get into Manchester in the 4hrs 30mins.
your right my employer is a right **** i should slow down and go to 10 hours twice a week to do the run and rest of the week do overnights to do a daily night trunk to Manchester from Glasgow.
if you seriously think an employer asking you to do a trunk from Glasgow to Manchester in 9 hours is unreasonable lets face it UK haulage industry is screwed.
It seems to me that whilst people are getting excited about saving 20 minutes here or there, they are forgetting a little matter of traffic and congestion.
No matter what your limiter is set at, it can be absolutely useless on the M25 at the best of times. That also tends to apply to any road in the Greater London area.
God knows why anybody would want to cane their wagon up the A2, only to sit in the enormous, almost permanent, queue of traffic waiting to get through the Blackwall Tunnel? Or indeed, the inevitable one-boat service on the Woolwich Ferry.
Just as an aside … are tippers fitted with limiters? They always seem to be going past me at 65 - 70 mph. Or is it because they tend to be driven mostly by ‘diddycoys’ and ‘johnny foreigner’ who think limiters are an optional extra?
Ragnarok:
God knows why anybody would want to cane their wagon up the A2, only to sit in the enormous, almost permanent, queue of traffic waiting to get through the Blackwall Tunnel? Or indeed, the inevitable one-boat service on the Woolwich Ferry.Just as an aside … are tippers fitted with limiters? They always seem to be going past me at 65 - 70 mph. Or is it because they tend to be driven mostly by ‘diddycoys’ and ‘johnny foreigner’ who think limiters are an optional extra?
So you use the Blackwall Tunnel?? You wouldn’t be driving a little 'un by any chance, would you??
Also I think there are a fair few tipper drivers that may be upset by your ridiculous generalization!!!
very dangerous and an unqualified amatuer action of you to ■■■■ about like this. you are supposed to be a profesional driver. not a jobs worth. get on with your job and stop playing games on our roads. i slowed to let a ■■■■■■ in on the m6. i didn’t overtake when i caught him up as there was a hill a few miles up the road, i was at full weight. he was on the limiter at 49mph. if i was given that truck it would have been put back into the yard. then the mechanic would have got a slap.
he was on the limiter at 49mph.
Some companies have their limiters set about this speed (co-op for one) and there is nothing that the driver can do about it - a professional will safely cope if they come across such a truck without getting stressed about it. 
ROG:
he was on the limiter at 49mph.
Some companies have their limiters set about this speed (co-op for one) and there is nothing that the driver can do about it - a professional will safely cope if they come across such a truck without getting stressed about it.
it’s not about getting stressed. its about safety of others. if you have a bald tyre you get it changed. if your limiter is set at a dangerous low speed you get it changed. the driver can get it changed. just take it into a tacho centre and pay £25.00. then put on expenses. if the boss says no. then tell him to stick his job and get another one.
it’s not about getting stressed. its about safety of others.
Does that mean that from a coach drivers point of view (limited to 100K) that ALL LGV drivers are unsafe (limited to 90K)
ROG:
it’s not about getting stressed. its about safety of others.
Does that mean that from a coach drivers point of view (limited to 100K) that ALL LGV drivers are unsafe (limited to 90K)
no not at all. as the coach driver will expect all trucks to be slower than he is. whereas a truck driver will expect each of the other trucks to of a similar speed to him but not at 49mph. i don’t think i could stay awake at 49mph. could you?
I thought it would of driven me potty but after a while i never gave it a thought.
EUREKA
limeyphil:
ROG:
it’s not about getting stressed. its about safety of others.
Does that mean that from a coach drivers point of view (limited to 100K) that ALL LGV drivers are unsafe (limited to 90K)
no not at all. as the coach driver will expect all trucks to be slower than he is. whereas a truck driver will expect each of the other trucks to of a similar speed to him but not at 49mph. i don’t think i could stay awake at 49mph. could you?
Ah, I see where you are coming from but IMO it is no different from the various speeds that cars do on a motorway and what is expected from various makes/models - might EXPECT a sports car do be quicker than a mini but often that is not the case and it is up to the driver to anticipate that what is EXPECTED to happen might not ALWAYS happen and to form driving plans to accomodate each senario.
As for the top speed, I would adjust to whatever it IS - makes no difference to me
ROG:
it’s not about getting stressed. its about safety of others.
Does that mean that from a coach drivers point of view (limited to 100K) that ALL LGV drivers are unsafe (limited to 90K)
52mph fair enough if your truck is limited to it, infact slower if you wish if your on a quiet motorway.
But more and more i use the M8 between glasgow and edinburgh, driving along fine no problems then everyone is slowing right down to 40-45mph as all teh HGV start to try to move into lane 2. Its only a two lane motorway so cars are unwilling at times to let you out. Slow for a mile or so then you pass some HGV and its doing 45mph, then your past and everything moves again.
Ok doing that kinda speed maybe not dangerous but it is pretty ignornant on a two lane motorway and the more the road the more i see it. Seems to be more than a few trucks doing 45-50mph.
TheBear:
Ragnarok:
God knows why anybody would want to cane their wagon up the A2, only to sit in the enormous, almost permanent, queue of traffic waiting to get through the Blackwall Tunnel? Or indeed, the inevitable one-boat service on the Woolwich Ferry.Just as an aside … are tippers fitted with limiters? They always seem to be going past me at 65 - 70 mph. Or is it because they tend to be driven mostly by ‘diddycoys’ and ‘johnny foreigner’ who think limiters are an optional extra?
So you use the Blackwall Tunnel?? You wouldn’t be driving a little 'un by any chance, would you??
Also I think there are a fair few tipper drivers that may be upset by your ridiculous generalization!!!
The Blackwall Tunnel has a height restriction of 13’ 4" going north bound. I drive class 2 and it depends upon the height of the body as to what I can take through it in that direction. Until a month or so ago I was driving a rigid that was 13’ 6" and that meant a little cruise on the Woolwich Ferry, which was a complete pain. Is there a problem with driving rigids?
Of course my comment about tippers is a generalisation - I was just pointing out what I have observed. I have no doubt that there are plenty of tipper drivers who stick to the speed limits with the religious zeal of wahabi muslim, don’t ■■■■ after a transit tipper with cage body and are as British as a bacon sandwich.
I hope this isn’t one of those forums with little established clique’s, or where Class 1’s are sneering at Class 2’s because they feel superior in some egotistical way? That would be a real shame as truck drivers are truck drivers, we all face the same problems and challenges.
I shall try to refrain from expressing opinions that may upset somebody or another, but I so hate self censorship and political correctness. I shall go and make a cuppa now 
i usually drive about a 100-105k/mh as my truck is IRISH haha love it no chance of dozing off at the wheel as the greater speed keeps u alert !
Not paid by the hour, so its foot to the floor for me ------- Job and knock 
mark h:
i usually drive about a 100-105k/mh as my truck is IRISH haha love it no chance of dozing off at the wheel as the greater speed keeps u alert !
I would agree that driving at that speed would be safer if it was legal, because you would’nt be stuck behind anyone, but if it was legal everyone else would be doing it!! back to square one 
What about the powers that be introduce tax bands for limiters set at a certain speed?
£x 85k
£x 90k
£x 95k
£x100k
That might break up a bit of congestion what do you think?
mark h:
i usually drive about a 100-105k/mh as my truck is IRISH haha love it no chance of dozing off at the wheel as the greater speed keeps u alert !
Does anyone else think that the faster the vehicle goes, the MORE alert you have to be
I only ask because I have the same level of concentration at every speed.
Does anyone else think that the faster the vehicle goes, the MORE alert you have to be
I only ask because I have the same level of concentration at every speed.
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i’m always more alert when i’m speeding. i would pack in the job if i had to drive with a 52mph limiter.
i drive any wagon on the limiter if it is safe to do so.
i’m paid by the hour on agency but unless its going to be a 15 hour day then there is no point dragging it.
if the job is going to take roughly 8 hours then there is no point dragging it out over 10-12 hours, how can you justify that?
if you get paid by the hour and drag it out to 9 hours is it really worth it? they take your 45 mins off you for your break so even if you do work 9 you will only get 8 1/4 so what is the point of arriving home an hour later the sake of 15 mins pay?
plus i find if you drag it out companies dont ask for you again and the work sometimes dries up a bit, but if you get the job done you get more regular work!