Rowley010:
It’s like it’s bank holiday madness or something. This one, then yesterday I believe there was a big one with 2 artics and some cars which shut at least 2 lanes of the m6 between 15 and 16 for hours, and I’m sure I heard a snippet of another one where an air ambulance landed on the motorway for another accident.
Coming up m6 this morning and there was a minibus in lane one with a puncture, stopped with hazard lights on. Although what they had done was grabbed some of those blue cones from the road works to create there only little lane closure like highways do. The only thing was due to the height and positioning of the cones it was actually covering up the the hazard lights so with that and still being darkish I didn’t see what was actually happening until very late and got out into lane 2.
Me and some friends hired a minibus a few weeks ago to go to the race. On the way back we had a blowout on the out side lane of the M25 was a real wheel one and he stoped in the out side lane.
After 10 of us screaming at him he managed to get across to the hard shoulder as luckily it was about 11 at night on a saturday.
The driver didn’t have a clue how to change a wheel so I ended up getting every one out and behind the barrier and changing a wheel with traffic whistling past my arse luckily I hadn’t had that much to drink.
Quite scary that people like this are on the road let alone ferrying people about
But why do lorry drivers always seem to get arrested before any sort of investigation or enquirey has taken place, if you fail a breath test then ok, your arrested, but it seems like because your a lorry driver you must be guilty until you can prove your innocent.
It’s to do with PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984).
From the moment a police officer starts any line of questioning that could lead to a criminal conviction, the potential accused has certain rights. In order to ensure these rights are provided in an unambiguous way, in serious cases such as this - potential offenders are arrested, rights read, clock ticking.
It’s the right thing to do for all concerned.
If there is any truth in the drink driving accusation - it’s beyond disgusting. Any driver - professional or otherwise who drinks any amount of alcohol when they are likely to drive deserves all the weight of the law thrown right at them. I personally would say professional drivers even more so… we see much more of the results than most.
For me, those who drink the night before getting behind the wheel should also take note too.
I would come down like a ton of bricks on these issues - no mercy.
All those who have lost loved one’s and those injured have my sympathy.
Not surprised
Those to company’s drive like idiots I mean why sit on the limiter all nite
Obviously I don’t know anything and ant accusing anyone but I’m about at that time heading south and those 2 along with other parcel firms drive like there is no tomorrow!!
With sad instances like this ,can you see the day when you are breathalysed before you start a shift ■■?..If it turns out he is over the limit does it have any effect on his bosses for letting him drive when he was over the limit …Ie duty of care…Companies like la farge have the breathalyser in the vehicle and it wont start till you pass
Yes Norb, i suspect like the recent Bath tipper tragedy, and the 80’s fatal trailer lock up at Maidstone due to Merc that applied trailer brakes automatically when exhausting , this tragedy is going to see changes brought in.
If alcohol is a factor in this one, like others have said there may well be new legislation coming.
Sadly, no sooner had I watched the Volvo launch on YouTube some years ago demonstrating the breathalyser immobilizer device. Drivers were discussing ways it could be beaten and came up with viable answers.
■■■■■■■■ drinkers and confirmed alcoholics will find ways around devices, legislation and moral standards to carry on the habit.
I stopped drinking when I got done with University. I was very much a social drinker, only when with friends did I actually drink to excess. When I passed my HGV I made the choice of stopping drinking altogether, not that it was a hard decision as I was a lightweight anyway. Any time I would meet mate’s at the pub I’d have to drive so I always had Come.
I went to my mate’s wedding last month and that was the first time I got drunk in over 3 years.
In my opinion, if you’re a truck driver and you’re found to have alcohol with you then you should be punished.
Radar19:
I stopped drinking when I got done with University. I was very much a social drinker, only when with friends did I actually drink to excess. When I passed my HGV I made the choice of stopping drinking altogether, not that it was a hard decision as I was a lightweight anyway. Any time I would meet mate’s at the pub I’d have to drive so I always had Come.
I went to my mate’s wedding last month and that was the first time I got drunk in over 3 years.
In my opinion, if you’re a truck driver and you’re found to have alcohol with you then you should be punished.
norb:
With sad instances like this ,can you see the day when you are breathalysed before you start a shift ■■?..If it turns out he is over the limit does it have any effect on his bosses for letting him drive when he was over the limit …Ie duty of care…Companies like la farge have the breathalyser in the vehicle and it wont start till you pass
I know Volvo offer some sort of breathalyser system that prevents the engine starting until an under the limit reading is provided
My god that looks awful
If it’s one of the truck drivers that’s over the limit then it is another blight on our industry in the view of the general public,
I like a drink in fact I love a good drink but i have expoof what alcohol can do to drivers and only a a fool drives drunk,
SHYTOT:
I thought all modern ish trucks had auto braking devices fitted, the last demo merc we had had
I havent a clue what happened here, Im not commenting on this particular and very tragic incident.
But on auto braking devices: they are not foolproof, if a truck is traveling in a straight line for instance, maybe about to overtake a slow moving truck, or going past a side road, and another vehicle pulls out into their path then if it`s too close, no amount of braking can avoid a collision. Again, no comment on this incident.
, this tragedy is going to see changes brought in.
