Evening all, just a quick question to the more experienced members.
I recently started a job driving rigids on nights. Most nights I use the M62 east bound, just me, a handle full of other trucks and the odd car. Some of the trucks I drive are a bit past their prime and struggle with even the slightest incline. Needless to say I often find myself struggling to keep moving above 45mph on the M62’s mammoth climbs. Most of the vehicles I drive are restricted to 54/56mph, so when coming down the other side of the hills I am able to go faster than some other trucks and usually overtake. However, moments after passing and moving back into lane 1 another hill looms into view and I’m shifting down the gears again trying to keep moving while the truck I just passed thunders past and moves into lane 1 infront of me, then we’re over the summit and I’m flying downhill and the whole process starts again. This can go on for quite some time, like some strange motorway dance. I was wondering if this would annoy the other driver or not? Should I just sit behind them at 52mph knowing that if I pass them I’ll be crawling again very soon or should I just go for it?
Unfortunately that is part and parcel of driving an old vehicle (we have all been there at one time or another). I would say keep at a speed that is convenient for you and don’t be too concerned with anyone else (as long as you are not causing another vehicle to make any dangerous manoeuvres then I cannot see a problem).
You have as much right to be on the road as anyone else and you do need to be able to make reasonable progress without worrying too much. I have spent many an hour driving the M62 myself at night. Climbing out of Brighouse can be a killer if you are in an old motor or if you are full freighted. Coming the other way up windy hill is just as bad.
Just do your own thing. Read the road and deal with things as they happen. At least doing the night run means that it is quiet.
Cheers Malc. I was locked into an epic battle earlier this morning with a tanker, a couple of rigids and a Sainsbury’s artic. It was like a game of chess, each driver jostling for position. We were all restricted to different speeds and some had the power to maintain that speed on the climbs. I certainly didn’t, but I did seem to be able to go quicker than them on the descents, so I won in the end. I still felt like a prat though after flying past them at 58mph before struggling to keep it above 40mph, with my engine seconds from bursting into flames, on the climbs.
One of the best things, I always thought, about working nights was that it’s quiet.
Not much point, then, in spending the whole journey in a mobile traffic jam.
Personally, I tried to avoid the inevitable bunches of night trunkers, each apparently
locked at their vehicle’s maximum speed (probably cruise control was driving) and
seemingly unable to accept a position anywhere other than at the front of the truck
in front of them.
Naturally you have as much right to be on the M62 as any other driver but you would never find me
“locked into an epic battle”
I prefer my own space so I would and several times a day or night do, slow down and let you go.
It has to be said that I would find your truck’s inability to stay in front irritating, but no more than that.
Sorry to hi-jack your thread buddy, this may seem like a stupid question. I see the limit for a HGV on a motorway is 60, bearing in mind most are limited to 56, if you’re going down a hill, obviously this overrides the limiter - does this mean you can travel at 60 going down a hill as long as you don’t exceed 60?
Hey SmashedCrabFace,
I like your description of a game of chess. a great way of putting it, but very appropriate. It can seem like that sometimes. As long as you come out “check mate” then that will be ok;-)
Sam Millar:
Sorry to hi-jack your thread buddy, this may seem like a stupid question. I see the limit for a HGV on a motorway is 60, bearing in mind most are limited to 56, if you’re going down a hill, obviously this overrides the limiter - does this mean you can travel at 60 going down a hill as long as you don’t exceed 60?
Yes. I think most vehicles automatically apply the exhaust brake or retarder when the speed exceeds what the vehicle is limited to. On really steep hills it isn’t enough to stop you from accelerating though and it is possible to travel at 60mph or even faster. The wagons I drive would probably start breaking up like a satellite re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere at 65mph so I try to avoid going that fast.
Hello smash crabface pmsl yep been there most nights delivering tarmac in an old volvo is no fun snail pace up hill but trying to hold it back down hill and I often think oh god I bet these other drivers think im playing some sick game with them … one night I was on the m62 at death valley and thought im gonna let her go and try and gain some speed going up the other side all that happend was my tacho started bleeping with an over speed sign but i did get to 65mph down the hill then uhhh back down to 47 going up the other side
but yep i gotta say that was a great question you asked in this post i have woundered myself no one likes being behind a tarmac truck they stink so next time any of you are passed at great speed down hill by an old Barton truck with either PN03/04/ or 05 it could be me and I am sorry in advance for the uphill bit
Hi SCF I’ve been across the 62 most of this week and same again all next week will look out for you what you driving and yes it is a pain up them hills fully loaded I got down to about 38mph on way back with another load wasn’t happy just glad it was nights and not much on road
Sam Millar:
Sorry to hi-jack your thread buddy, this may seem like a stupid question. I see the limit for a HGV on a motorway is 60, bearing in mind most are limited to 56, if you’re going down a hill, obviously this overrides the limiter - does this mean you can travel at 60 going down a hill as long as you don’t exceed 60?
Hi Sam yes you can reach 60 and over down hill just have to watch your speed and keep braking it down to 56 or your digi tacho starts to flash like a sodding disco light I cannot understand why though when limit is 60 mph the truck is set at 56 mph
Sam Millar:
Sorry to hi-jack your thread buddy, this may seem like a stupid question. I see the limit for a HGV on a motorway is 60, bearing in mind most are limited to 56, if you’re going down a hill, obviously this overrides the limiter - does this mean you can travel at 60 going down a hill as long as you don’t exceed 60?
Hi Sam yes you can reach 60 and over down hill just have to watch your speed and keep braking it down to 56 or your digi tacho starts to flash like a sodding disco light I cannot understand why though when limit is 60 mph the truck is set at 56 mph
I think its because Europe has a limit of 90 kph, so ours are set at 56 mph as a compromise.
60 mph is just under 100 kph.
Yambol , i like the way you describe the trucks you drive as being old 03-05 reg ,is positavely young ,compared to our firms tippers !
i regularly drive a M reg daf , 16 years old ,now if that ever got to climb the hils on the M 62 it would be 30mph up the hils and a scary 60 mph going down
Whilst I dont want to follow the same vehicle regimentally all day long, or even for days on end on a long journey I will decide who has the power and speed and let them go. Many drivers do not seem to be able to judge or are not looking far enough ahead, (car driver syndrome)
One of the worst culprits are the 7.5 tonner driver with a 150hp engine, they get in a slipstream and start to overtake, as soon as the cab gets level with an artic they run out of steam. On the next downhill they are doing 70mph
Wheel Nut:
Whilst I dont want to follow the same vehicle regimentally all day long, or even for days on end on a long journey I will decide who has the power and speed and let them go. Many drivers do not seem to be able to judge or are not looking far enough ahead, (car driver syndrome)
One of the worst culprits are the 7.5 tonner driver with a 150hp engine, they get in a slipstream and start to overtake, as soon as the cab gets level with an artic they run out of steam. On the next downhill they are doing 70mph
I had a 7 1/2 ton wagon overtake me on the a63 goin in to hull on Friday. He come round me then pulled infront I could see the car infront was going slower that us both so pulled out to go round. Then 71/2 ton driver sat on his bumper so I flashed him out in good time so I didn’t have to break or slow down but he just sat there so when I get about 5 foot from his rear he indicates and decides to try pull out but by this time I was at the side Ov him and had to break and the Irish scania that was way too close for my liking nearly run in to the back Ov me.
When I finally got round the 71/2t wagon he had the phone in 1 hand and a ■■■ in the other trying to light it steering with his elbows.
then uhhh back down to 47 going up the other side 
no one likes being behind a tarmac truck they stink 
so next time any of you are passed at great speed down hill by an old Barton truck with either PN03/04/ or 05 it could be me and I am sorry in advance for the uphill bit 
