Laws - What would you change

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

If you could change the laws to do with driving what would you change?

I would change the speede limiter laws, allow trucks to do 60, have the limiter set a bit higher, 70 maybe, 65? (I remember the tyimes before speed limiters fondly)

Driving hours 12 hour min rest. Keep the weekly driving limits but allow 10 hour driving extendable to 12 hour driving, allow extended hours but not one after the other. Bring in a pay back system like airline pilots have, where if you extend your hours you must pay back double the hours, (I believe thast is how it works).

I would make weight limits on A roads illegal unless for weak bridges and so on. Ban no overtaking lanes for HGVs, bring in min speed limits instead

I would limit the number of nights each driver is allowed to spend in his cab, require single rooms with min standards like ensuite facilities.

2

Definitely minimum speed limits.

3

Macski:
If you could change the laws to do with driving what would you change?

I would change the speede limiter laws, allow trucks to do 60, have the limiter set a bit higher, 70 maybe, 65? (I remember the tyimes before speed limiters fondly)

Driving hours 12 hour min rest. Keep the weekly driving limits but allow 10 hour driving extendable to 12 hour driving, allow extended hours but not one after the other. Bring in a pay back system like airline pilots have, where if you extend your hours you must pay back double the hours, (I believe thast is how it works).

I would make weight limits on A roads illegal unless for weak bridges and so on. Ban no overtaking lanes for HGVs, bring in min speed limits instead

I would limit the number of nights each driver is allowed to spend in his cab, require single rooms with min standards like ensuite facilities.

So basically you are saying you want to go faster and work even more hours. :unamused: …aye right, got it. :neutral_face:

Are you an owner driver?..if so I get it, although I still think it’s a ridiculous idea…
The fact that you want 12 hours rest,. does not compensate for it.

The hours should be cut in line with modern times, ffs.
And the potential safety on the road issues of driving 44 tonnes for 12 ■■■■ hours.?

Scrap the present cluster ■■■■ of hours limits etc and make it a 12 and half hour spreadover every day,.as it once was…simple, even keep the 10 hours in there once or twice a week if you like.

If you want to stay in a hotel fair do’s, and I have in the past, but why should you be made to?
I have spent much if my life in a truck and can see nothing wrong with living in a modern well equipped cab with all the facilities tbh

Speaking as somebody who would have worked every hour in the day as an an owner driver,.and who has spent many years maxing out, weekending away, and all the rest of the sh…, and who has finally seen the light, my view now is there is more to life than spending most if it away in a ■■■■ truck…which is why I have voluntarily cut back on my days hours,.even though I still tramp.

4

Would Make hours a lot easier for some to remember if it went to 12 hours on shift then 12 hours off no receded rest extended days etc. Just 12 hrs on 12 hrs off. Then a full 48 hours off not 45. And why it’s 45 god knows just a random number if you ask me
Gives you more than enough time to get jobs done plus enough time to properly rest relax.

Change speed limits in Scotland so there inline with with England ie 50 mph on single carriage ways.
Yes I know some areas are trailing it

5

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6

as robroy has said…back to the 12 and a half hour spread over,which it was when i first started.
and it would be nice to raise the speed limit to 60 mph as well…though if you were doing 60 back in the '80’s you were usually holding up everyone else :laughing:

7

Also allow trucks in bus lanes and car sharing lanes.
Parts of Bristol allow you in car sharing lane.
And sure ages ago went someware that allowed hgvs in the bus lanes. Possibly Cambridge?
But yeah allow trucks into bus lanes etc

8

Could you tell us about your background and motivation behind?

It sounds retarded from a safety and working rights standpoint

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Limiting the number of nights sleeping in the cab…

9

edd1974:
Would Make hours a lot easier for some to remember if it went to 12 hours on shift then 12 hours off no receded rest extended days etc. Just 12 hrs on 12 hrs off. Then a full 48 hours off not 45. And why it’s 45 god knows just a random number if you ask me
Gives you more than enough time to get jobs done plus enough time to properly rest relax.

Change speed limits in Scotland so there inline with with England ie 50 mph on single carriage ways.
Yes I know some areas are trailing it

+1…

My vote goes with team 12 on 12 off. It’s just so much simpler.

Speed limit raised to 60 on the motorway, limiters set to 65.

Bring in a new law that makes smelly drivers shower every day.

10

What this recurring discussion highlights, yet again, is the fallacy of trying to get a “one size fits all” solution, to an industry with such wildly varying practices.

If you drive a large distance (without loading/unloading), over several days, a 9 hour limit is silly, you’ll end up driving/on duty for about 10 hours, having to park up for 14.

Likewise, if you are a local multidropper, you could work a 15 hour shift, with a 45 minute break… 3 times a week…

11

robroy:

Macski:
If you could change the laws to do with driving what would you change?

I would change the speede limiter laws, allow trucks to do 60, have the limiter set a bit higher, 70 maybe, 65? (I remember the tyimes before speed limiters fondly)

Driving hours 12 hour min rest. Keep the weekly driving limits but allow 10 hour driving extendable to 12 hour driving, allow extended hours but not one after the other. Bring in a pay back system like airline pilots have, where if you extend your hours you must pay back double the hours, (I believe thast is how it works).

I would make weight limits on A roads illegal unless for weak bridges and so on. Ban no overtaking lanes for HGVs, bring in min speed limits instead

I would limit the number of nights each driver is allowed to spend in his cab, require single rooms with min standards like ensuite facilities.

So basically you are saying you want to go faster and work even more hours. :unamused: …aye right, got it. :neutral_face:

Are you an owner driver?..if so I get it, although I still think it’s a ridiculous idea…
The fact that you want 12 hours rest,. does not compensate for it.

The hours should be cut in line with modern times, ffs.
And the potential safety on the road issues of driving 44 tonnes for 12 [zb] hours.?

Scrap the present cluster [zb] of hours limits etc and make it a 12 and half hour spreadover every day,.as it once was…simple, even keep the 10 hours in there once or twice a week if you like.

If you want to stay in a hotel fair do’s, and I have in the past, but why should you be made to?
I have spent much if my life in a truck and can see nothing wrong with living in a modern well equipped cab with all the facilities tbh

Speaking as somebody who would have worked every hour in the day as an an owner driver,.and who has spent many years maxing out, weekending away, and all the rest of the sh…, and who has finally seen the light, my view now is there is more to life than spending most if it away in a [zb] truck…which is why I have voluntarily cut back on my days hours,.even though I still tramp.

No not an OD, used to be.

Going faster, yes, driving a truck without a speed limiter was a lot more pleasurablle and easier. Used to have a 320BHP Iveco then a 350BHP DAF 95 and I would exchange a modern 500BHP truck for the DAF.

No I don’t want to work more, but I want more flexability. Having said that, used to be in a situation were I start work at 7am on a Monday and by Friday I was staring work at 7 in the evening. Couldn’t do it now.

OK if your fine spending weeks in your cab, I guess. Two three nights spent in a layby, next to a fridge, or in a location where trailers get exchanged all night and I am beat. Last time I spent a night in a cab I finished about midnight, at 4 aqm I got woken by the guy next to me reving the engine I guess to get his air up, to be replaced by a fridge. Next day I ran out of time at Keele, 30 min short of home.

12

A mix between EU and domestic regs is needed

Different daily rest rules for those sleeping at home and for those sleeping away

13

you are not making your life easier by easing the rules, you are giving the employer more slack to exploit you further

14

ROG:
A mix between EU and domestic regs is needed

Different daily rest rules for those sleeping at home and for those sleeping away

Until someone decides to sleep in the unit, instead of driving home in the rush hour with an early start next day. What rules apply then?
We need less mixing-up of different rules, not more.
More rules, and more exceptions to those rules, equals more innocent mistakes made, and more fiddles by those who cut corners and so work for less than the honest ones.

(edit; as above)

15

Drivers Hours, ridiculous over complicated bulls…

16

yourhavingalarf:
Speed limit raised to 60 on the motorway, limiters set to 65.

Speed limit never changed on motorway, in England and Wales at least. Still is 60

17

Franglais:

ROG:
A mix between EU and domestic regs is needed

Different daily rest rules for those sleeping at home and for those sleeping away

Until someone decides to sleep in the unit, instead of driving home in the rush hour with an early start next day. What rules apply then?

He’d be having an 11 anyway as he’s at yard so no change required. I imagine what Rog is saying and what I agree with is ban 9 hour rests back at base, by time you’ve commuted back and forth and done all things home life requires you’ll be lucky to get 6 hours sleep sometimes. Keep 9’s for trampers. When I mention this on CPC courses it always gets universal approval. As I always point out too with the stupid 24 hour timeframe thing the fact that a longer day equals a shorter rest is absolutely mind bogglingly stupid, I can’t begin to imagine how multiple people thought that was a good idea and got it into law. Do away with the b/s 24 hour nonsense and have limits on length of days. Longer day equals longer rest, simple logic which sadly defeats the legislators

18

switchlogic:

yourhavingalarf:
Speed limit raised to 60 on the motorway, limiters set to 65.

Speed limit never changed on motorway, in England and Wales at least. Still is 60

But that is irrelevent as trucks are speed limited.

19

switchlogic:

yourhavingalarf:
Speed limit raised to 60 on the motorway, limiters set to 65.

Speed limit never changed on motorway, in England and Wales at least. Still is 60

I can see how…

It reads. Limiters to 65 and maintain the present HGV motorway speed limit.

Better?

20

The rule worth to introduce is the ban on loading or offloading the cargo i.e. no pallet trucks, moving cages, all that. It is in place in some EU countries I believe

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