Speed limiters are the antiChrist. Pre limiter days you rarely got bunching, tailgating, elephant racing etc. I’d sit at 60mph on d/c’s (yeah I know, bad boy eh?) and m/ways alike and I’d whip it up to 70 to make a quick and painless overtake. The thing was that back in them days speeding was kind of self regulating. Yeah you’d get the yeeha boys sat at 80 but we all knew that there was a massive police presence on the roads who were ready to clip the wings of persistent ■■■■ takers.
Would I like to see the abolition of speed limiters? Not on your nelly would I. The current breed would simply make ever more spectacular and devastating crashes. The simple truth is we prove time and time again that we can’t be trusted.
Most of my work is at night, so with the roads quiet ill often set the cruise on the limiter at 90K
However, when I’m driving in the day time, ill often set the cruise to somewhere between 50mph and 52mph. At least then when i do catch up to a car doing less than me I’ve got a few mph boost to get past them. It also takes all the stress off the journey not constantly catching up to other trucks, fighting for a gap to pull out into to overtake, never ending drag races etc. I quite enjoy cursing along at 50mph with some good music on and i just let everyone else rush about and get wound up over nothing.
Dr Damon:
I totally agree maoster about speed advantage but in reality a lot of these car drivers have just passed the basic car test. They do not know any better and surely it is our duty as professional drivers to protect them instead of being aggressive and intimidating them on the road. I know the likes of you and I do not drive like that but day in day out I, as I am sure you do see some horrendous aggression from some of our fellow drivers.
You and I (and many others by the sound of it) are singing from the same hymn sheet here. We take our responsibilities as lorry drivers very seriously. We all want to get to where we’re going safely and no one want to collide with any other vehicle, especially the bus full of kitten carrying nuns.
Where our opinions seem to diverge is the laying of responsibility for motorway users safety. Yes, as drivers of oversize vehicles we have a duty to drive in a professional manner. But surely drivers of cars have a duty keep themselves safe? They too have passed a test showing their knowledge of the road’s laws and their competence to drive, surely then, some of the responsibility for their own safety is theirs too?
As a last point, I realise that most drivers are let loose on a motorway without ever being taught how to, let’s be honest here, people these days are simply taught how to pass the test. Yes there are similarities between major dual carriageway and motorways, but there are differences too. Maybe it’s time for an extension on licenses that allow people to drive on motorways.
Captain Caveman 76:
But surely drivers of cars have a duty keep themselves safe? They too have passed a test showing their knowledge of the road’s laws and their competence to drive, surely then, some of the responsibility for their own safety is theirs too?
You’re right…
They did pass a test demonstrating their knowledge of the road but, none of it was on a motorway.
Which is why they park on the shoulder for a picnic, stop and pray facing Mecca, change wheels in the outside lane, reverse up/down slip roads and generally fanny around my front bumper matching my speed almost identically.
But, I’m a nice guy, I forgive them their ignorance and crack on.
the maoster:
Speed limiters are the antiChrist. Pre limiter days you rarely got bunching, tailgating, elephant racing etc. I’d sit at 60mph on d/c’s (yeah I know, bad boy eh?) and m/ways alike and I’d whip it up to 70 to make a quick and painless overtake. The thing was that back in them days speeding was kind of self regulating. Yeah you’d get the yeeha boys sat at 80 but we all knew that there was a massive police presence on the roads who were ready to clip the wings of persistent ■■■■ takers.
Would I like to see the abolition of speed limiters? Not on your nelly would I. The current breed would simply make ever more spectacular and devastating crashes. The simple truth is we prove time and time again that we can’t be trusted.
Dr Damon:
I totally agree maoster about speed advantage but in reality a lot of these car drivers have just passed the basic car test. They do not know any better and surely it is our duty as professional drivers to protect them instead of being aggressive and intimidating them on the road. I know the likes of you and I do not drive like that but day in day out I, as I am sure you do see some horrendous aggression from some of our fellow drivers.
You and I (and many others by the sound of it) are singing from the same hymn sheet here. We take our responsibilities as lorry drivers very seriously. We all want to get to where we’re going safely and no one want to collide with any other vehicle, especially the bus full of kitten carrying nuns.
Where our opinions seem to diverge is the laying of responsibility for motorway users safety. Yes, as drivers of oversize vehicles we have a duty to drive in a professional manner. But surely drivers of cars have a duty keep themselves safe? They too have passed a test showing their knowledge of the road’s laws and their competence to drive, surely then, some of the responsibility for their own safety is theirs too?
As a last point, I realise that most drivers are let loose on a motorway without ever being taught how to, let’s be honest here, people these days are simply taught how to pass the test. Yes there are similarities between major dual carriageway and motorways, but there are differences too. Maybe it’s time for an extension on licenses that allow people to drive on motorways.
I agree totally with your ist para however the problem with the part where you say we diverge is that these so called drivers do not realise what they are doing by sitting in the inside lane doing 55 or whatever. They probably think they are very safe traveling at a slower speed and also with the added bonus of saving fuel. I do not really know what they think,I can only guess but that’s the problem we have so whether we like it or not we should be protecting them whenever possible.
Education would help as it would a lot of lorry drivers but we know that 'aint gonna happen.
The main fact here is an awful lot of drivers do not see the dangers (and I include lorry drivers in that) A lot are also under the impression they are experts and nothing will ever happen to them.
Unfortunately the biggest percentage of them are wrong.
Sad but true.
Hammy747:
I quite enjoy cursing along at 50mph with some good music on and i just let everyone else rush about and get wound up over nothing.
That’s why I like driving my car on cruise at 50. It’s as relaxing as you like.
When I’m on a motorway in the car, if I don’t need to arrive anywhere by a specific time, I may well sit in lane one at 55 to 60 mph, BUT I watch the mirrors, leave lots of space in front and if a truck wants to pass I may even ease off to help.
On the motorways I use the other choices are to suffer middle-lane hoggers tailgating while texting or gossiping with the passenger and clearly not concentrating, or join the Audi/BMW/Jaguar drivers less than 2 car lengths apart in lane 3 at 80+ mph.
Buckstones:
On balance, which would you recommend as safest?
In the scenario’s your imagination describes, surely your pious self righteousness should appeal to your better nature & insist that you stay at home & at the very least keep the ■■■■ off our motorways.
Hammy747:
I quite enjoy cursing along at 50mph with some good music on and i just let everyone else rush about and get wound up over nothing.
That’s why I like driving my car on cruise at 50. It’s as relaxing as you like.
When I’m on a motorway in the car, if I don’t need to arrive anywhere by a specific time, I may well sit in lane one at 55 to 60 mph, BUT I watch the mirrors, leave lots of space in front and if a truck wants to pass I may even ease off to help.
On the motorways I use the other choices are to suffer middle-lane hoggers tailgating while texting or gossiping with the passenger and clearly not concentrating, or join the Audi/BMW/Jaguar drivers less than 2 car lengths apart in lane 3 at 80+ mph.
On balance, which would you recommend as safest?
And you are quite right to do so fella. It’s just a pity more like you that do the same are not aware of the big bully boys that think they own the roads and think you have no right to be there.
Hammy747:
I quite enjoy cursing along at 50mph with some good music on and i just let everyone else rush about and get wound up over nothing.
That’s why I like driving my car on cruise at 50. It’s as relaxing as you like.
When I’m on a motorway in the car, if I don’t need to arrive anywhere by a specific time, I may well sit in lane one at 55 to 60 mph, BUT I watch the mirrors, leave lots of space in front and if a truck wants to pass I may even ease off to help.
On the motorways I use the other choices are to suffer middle-lane hoggers tailgating while texting or gossiping with the passenger and clearly not concentrating, or join the Audi/BMW/Jaguar drivers less than 2 car lengths apart in lane 3 at 80+ mph.
On balance, which would you recommend as safest?
And you are quite right to do so fella. It’s just a pity more like you that do the same are not aware of the big bully boys that think they own the roads and think you have no right to be there.
WTF would any lorry driver stick at 55 mph driving their car in lane 1?
In my experience,the UK is the only country in which I have driven where lorries and cars interact in this way.On the other side of the channel and all points east lorries never overtake cars.I tend to drive in the middle lane at a displayed 70mph happy to ease off to help a lorry out or to have a quick burst of speed to overtake a slower car.I try to avoid lane 3 so as not to have a BMW/Audi badge rammed up my exhaust pipe.We all know that an active traffic police force would improve our frustrations or tackle those of us who can’t cope with the frustration.
Gidders:
In my experience,the UK is the only country in which I have driven where lorries and cars interact in this way.On the other side of the channel and all points east lorries never overtake cars.I tend to drive in the middle lane at a displayed 70mph happy to ease off to help a lorry out or to have a quick burst of speed to overtake a slower car.I try to avoid lane 3 so as not to have a BMW/Audi badge rammed up my exhaust pipe.We all know that an active traffic police force would improve our frustrations or tackle those of us who can’t cope with the frustration.
Agree, most cars are at 120/130kph+. The dawdlers though just have to be the huge hordes of campervans on the AR’s in the summer, the real plodders ive found are always the Hymer variety with the obligatory bikes strapped to the rear…
Buckstones:
On balance, which would you recommend as safest?
In the scenario’s your imagination describes, surely your pious self righteousness should appeal to your better nature & insist that you stay at home & at the very least keep the [zb] off our motorways.
You missed my point that I take it easy only when not in a hurry: when necessary to make a schedule I make progress as fast as any: I pay my road tax and fuel duty so I reckon I have as much right to use the roads as you. (and used them before speed limiters too, never had a problem then)
AndrewG:
the real plodders ive found are always the Hymer variety with the obligatory bikes strapped to the rear…
The real plodders…
As I remember used to migrate from northern Europe to Morocco once a year. They’d be driving a selection of clapped out Renault 12s, 14s, 16s, vans, mini buses as well as decades old Mercedes.
I’d frequently come across them at four in the morning. They’d have no lights on, six people inside and approximately 2 tons of luggage on the roof.
im being very pc by not calling them by their collective nickname
The worst ones are the cars that go 40 through the roadworks when the limit is 50 then soon as the roadworks finish they go back to doing 80 when the limit is 70
