Dr Damon:
Sorry fella but some do not cope.
agree
They get angry intimidate and harass drivers that they think should go faster.
agree
They are right to travel at 50 to 55. Just because it does not suit you does not make it wrong.
disagree
There is no minimum speed limit for some very good reasons.
disagree
Not all drivers feel comfortable traveling at the maximum speed limit.
Failing to make progress is a test failure. If you can’t drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions, you shouldn’t be on the road
Fair enough I respect your opinion but why do you think nothing is done to stop these drivers sitting at these speeds.
One reason is because it is not deemed unsafe.
What does make it unsafe is other drivers not adapting their driving to accommodate the slower ones…
Have you ever considered what effect introducing say a minimum speed limit would cause?
I can assure you it would bring other major problems that may even more dangerous.
Yes you are quite correct about failing to make progress during a test but if you mention that then maybe all truck drivers should drive like they were taught and the roads would be far safer place.
If there were no other vehicles on the road, I’d agree with you. But the motorways are shared spaces. In an ideal world, everyone would travel at the same speed whilst keeping a safe separation space. Unfortunately, someone driving a safe and legal 70mph in lane one coming up against someone doing 50 in front of them is going to have to change lanes. On a crowded motorway that can be difficult. Someone in lane two is going to have to slow down to let them in, causing a ripple effect behind them. It has been shown in studies (Google them yourself, I can’t be bothered) that the cause of these random jams that we all get stuck in from time to time are caused by people braking.
If you don’t believe me, find your nearest roadworks with a 50mph limit (there are plenty to choose from) and see how well slow moving traffic and fast moving traffic mix. The legality of what people do in the 50mph zone is NOT the point here. It’s purely a demonstration of fast and slow vehicles mixing.
My point exactly, in an artic you need to plan every overtake (unless you’re a Turners driver in which case just hold up the A1 for 10 minutes at 54 you beano ■■■■■ be it another truck, wide load, car or van. What’s behind, how fast are they coming up, what’s across, what’s happening up in front.
There is no reason for a car to be going that slow, and if you have say 10 trucks within a mile of each other all going faster than this car, they will all want out. Some will get out fine with a break in the traffic others won’t notice it until late on (for whatever reason, distracted or quite rightly thinking the car should be going faster) and will push out. Regardless it will mean more slow vehicles out in faster flowing lane 2, causing everything else to be pushed into 1 lane, slows the entire thing down all because some utter moron wants to sit themselves at 50mph.
The same can be said for elephant racing, if you are being overtaken just ease off.
Adonis.:
There is no reason for a car to be going that slow, and if you have say 10 trucks within a mile of each other all going faster than this car, they will all want out. Some will get out fine with a break in the traffic others won’t notice it until late on (for whatever reason, distracted or quite rightly thinking the car should be going faster) and will push out. Regardless it will mean more slow vehicles out in faster flowing lane 2, causing everything else to be pushed into 1 lane, slows the entire thing down all because some utter moron wants to sit themselves at 50mph.
I’d say that what you’ve described is more of an indictment of lorry drivers than the car driver.
Adonis.:
There is no reason for a car to be going that slow, and if you have say 10 trucks within a mile of each other all going faster than this car, they will all want out. Some will get out fine with a break in the traffic others won’t notice it until late on (for whatever reason, distracted or quite rightly thinking the car should be going faster) and will push out. Regardless it will mean more slow vehicles out in faster flowing lane 2, causing everything else to be pushed into 1 lane, slows the entire thing down all because some utter moron wants to sit themselves at 50mph.
I’d say that what you’ve described is more of an indictment of lorry drivers than the car driver.
Not saying pushing out or not noticing it is right, I’m saying that’s what happens because it seems most halfwits behind the wheel of a truck are exactly that, halfwits.
The car driver causing a ton of uneccesary overtaking by slow vehicles is causing them to do that, it would be another “event” that wouldn’t happen if they were to do the speed limit.
There is no reason for any car to be overtaken by a truck under normal circumstances, in doing so they are creating uneccesary problems.
Wheel Nut:
The minimum speed limit in different lanes in Germany works fine, 80km, 90 and 120 separates the traffic
Ironically 80-90 kmh running traffic also wrecks the flow of traffic on German motorways just as it does here.At those type of speeds motorways become a pointless liability to be avoided and not an asset.Which is why the US long ago lifted its blanket 55 mph limit.
Adonis.:
The car driver causing a ton of uneccesary overtaking by slow vehicles is causing them to do that, it would be another “event” that wouldn’t happen if they were to do the speed limit.
There is no reason for any car to be overtaken by a truck under normal circumstances, in doing so they are creating uneccesary problems.
Dr Damon:
CC76 I am not quite sure what your point is here.
You mention about the problem of trying to overtake on a busy motorway.
The problem being getting out into the next lane presumably because nobody will let you out.
Generally that is because they are all nose to tail and to selfish to let others out.In that situation as the road is busy probably better to ease off and stay where you are.It is quite possible car drivers don’t want to let trucks out because they are fed up getting caught up in an elephant race.
Then you mention about roadworks restricted to 50.
Again as a truck driver surely it is safer and less stressful to stay in lane one keep a good distance from the vehicle in front and try to restore some faith to others that we can drive professionally.
My point is, fast moving traffic and slow moving traffic don’t mix well in an environment designed for fast flowing traffic. I don’t just see it every day, I live it.
On the A9 north of Perth even on the 40mph bits for trucks the accepted speed was 56mph and the traffic flowed smoothly untill you came across a trolly dolly doing 42 but now that the limit has been upped to 50 they still trundle along at 45 causing tailbacks and dangerous overtakes. In my car I do not mind sitting behind a truck doing 56 but not at 45 !!
Dr Damon:
CC76 I am not quite sure what your point is here.
You mention about the problem of trying to overtake on a busy motorway.
The problem being getting out into the next lane presumably because nobody will let you out.
Generally that is because they are all nose to tail and to selfish to let others out.In that situation as the road is busy probably better to ease off and stay where you are.It is quite possible car drivers don’t want to let trucks out because they are fed up getting caught up in an elephant race.
Then you mention about roadworks restricted to 50.
Again as a truck driver surely it is safer and less stressful to stay in lane one keep a good distance from the vehicle in front and try to restore some faith to others that we can drive professionally.
My point is, fast moving traffic and slow moving traffic don’t mix well in an environment designed for fast flowing traffic. I don’t just see it every day, I live it.
Your not making a lot of sense.
You mentioned restricted 50 mph limit.
There should be no great speed differential.
Main problem to me seems to be driver impatience and lack of foresight.
I see that everyday.
Captain Caveman 76:
My point is, fast moving traffic and slow moving traffic don’t mix well in an environment designed for fast flowing traffic. I don’t just see it every day, I live it.
Your not making a lot of sense.
You mentioned restricted 50 mph limit.
There should be no great speed differential.
Main problem to me seems to be driver impatience and lack of foresight.
I see that everyday.
No the point being made is ‘excessively’ slow speeds on roads which are designed to be used at higher speeds.Thereby needlessly creating a situation of traffic behind having to slow down and needlessly having to occupy overtaking lanes in addition to dangerous bunching caused by excessively low if not non existent speed differentials.Thereby defeating the object of using such roads.Bearing in mind that the speeds in question can often be slower than that of the NSL applicable to single lane single carriageway roads. IE what’s the point of motorways when the typical running speeds of both trucks and cars on them is ground down to around 55 mph possibly less.
Wheel Nut:
The minimum speed limit in different lanes in Germany works fine, 80km, 90 and 120 separates the traffic
Ironically 80-90 kmh running traffic also wrecks the flow of traffic on German motorways just as it does here.At those type of speeds motorways become a pointless liability to be avoided and not an asset.Which is why the US long ago lifted its blanket 55 mph limit.
Lorries limited to 56mph and coaches limited to 62mph in the same lane■■? Who thought that one up?
Adonis.:
There is no reason for any car to be overtaken by a truck under normal circumstances, in doing so they are creating uneccesary problems.
You’d better write to Tesco, Maritime, etc, and tell them the same thing regarding their whole fleets.
Chill out mate. Knock your car back to 50mph, I think you need it.
Why should I write to Tesco? What have they got to do with people like you driving dangerously slow and causing problems in motorways?
A.
Catching up a Tesco/Maritime et all the major difference is you know with absolute surety how they’ll react as you pass them. Dawdling Derek in his repmobile on the other hand is a whole different ball game and is capable of anything once you commit to the overtake, so really shouldn’t put himself in that position to start with.
Every motorway has a viable A route running parallel if you just fancy a slow and steady bimble about.
Adonis.:
There is no reason for any car to be overtaken by a truck under normal circumstances, in doing so they are creating uneccesary problems.
You’d better write to Tesco, Maritime, etc, and tell them the same thing regarding their whole fleets.
Chill out mate. Knock your car back to 50mph, I think you need it.
Why should I write to Tesco? What have they got to do with people like you driving dangerously slow and causing problems in motorways?
A.
Catching up a Tesco/Maritime et all the major difference is you know with absolute surety how they’ll react as you pass them. Dawdling Derek in his repmobile on the other hand is a whole different ball game and is capable of anything once you commit to the overtake, so really shouldn’t put himself in that position to start with.
Every motorway has a viable A route running parallel if you just fancy a slow and steady bimble about.
Absolutely spot on, Tesco isn’t going to suddenly decide to match my speed and sit in my blindspot, or accelerate until I pull back in then slow down or wait until I’ve completed the overtake them decide he wants to do 80 again and zoom off, having had me do a completely pointless overtake.
It might be a viable option for some to sit at 50 behind cretins like this but boats wait for no man.
Adonis.:
There is no reason for any car to be overtaken by a truck under normal circumstances, in doing so they are creating uneccesary problems.
You’d better write to Tesco, Maritime, etc, and tell them the same thing regarding their whole fleets.
Chill out mate. Knock your car back to 50mph, I think you need it.
Why should I write to Tesco? What have they got to do with people like you driving dangerously slow and causing problems in motorways?
A.
They do 50mph too, so you’ve got to overtake them. I do 50mph in my car, and you’ve got to overtake me. Tell me why you deem me to be dangerous, but not them? What can’t you handle about it?
Tbf mate, I know you say you aren’t in a hurry, but why would you want to amble along on a M.way at 50 anyway?..when 99% of other cars are doing 80+.with all the potential crap that it could cause.
Why not just set off a bit later and maintain a reasonable speed which is less differential to every other vehicle around you, or are you just trying to display some kind of a point on the m.way in a one man crusade style…
Just asking btw…
robroy:
Tbf mate, I know you say you aren’t in a hurry, but why would you want to amble along on a M.way at 50, when 99% of other cars are doing 80+.with all the potential crap that it could cause.
Why not just set off a bit later and maintain a reasonable speed which is less differential to every other vehicle around you, or are you just trying to display some kind of a point on the m.way in a one man crusade style…
Just asking btw…
It’s just the pace I go through life at mate, always have… and I still overtake others at that speed
Adonis.:
There is no reason for any car to be overtaken by a truck under normal circumstances, in doing so they are creating uneccesary problems.
You’d better write to Tesco, Maritime, etc, and tell them the same thing regarding their whole fleets.
Chill out mate. Knock your car back to 50mph, I think you need it.
Why should I write to Tesco? What have they got to do with people like you driving dangerously slow and causing problems in motorways?
A.
They do 50mph too, so you’ve got to overtake them. I do 50mph in my car, and you’ve got to overtake me. Tell me why you deem me to be dangerous, but not them? What can’t you handle about it?
If you can’t understand how being unexpectedly slow on a busy motorway is dangerous then you really shouldn’t have a licence.
IE what’s the point of motorways when the typical running speeds of both trucks and cars on them is ground down to around 55 mph possibly less. 