I’m sure everyone has seen the messages on the VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGNS (VMS) on m/ways and A roads displaying messages like THINK BIKE THINK BIKER or TAKE CARE WHILE TOWING.
Now i’m sure all you drivers will agree with me that piloting a hgv around our highways and byways at the required 56 can be a testing fete somedays.So there i was heading down the M5 looking at all the various messages on the VMS and i thought to myself,nothing is ever flashed up regarding us professional drivers.
We can be having a great day, but then because we have indicated and pulled out into a gap with plenty of room between us and the approaching vehicles you find yourself being flashed at and being given the usual hand gesture, it’s not because we have misjudged the gap it’s just because the approaching vehicle is breaking the speed limit and probably doesn’t know that hgv’s are speed limited.
So i phoned the highways agency and made my feelings (frustrations) known, i asked if there was any chance they could display a message warning other road users that hgv’s are limited to 56mph so therefore we need a little more time and space to manoeuvre.They told me that my request will be registered with the department for transport who sanction all the VMS messages,so i await their reply.
Lets see what happens.!!!
Its about time car drivers were educated about the lower speeds we are required to do. I find it amazing that some car drivers think there really quite something behind the wheel yet have no idea about simple things such as type speed.
Fair play, I see your idea of educating , and any education to those unaware has to be a bonus and better than none.
but ,
bit like stating the obvious isnt it ?
One would have to be a very irregular motorway user to not have seen the vast amount of stickers that say “This vehicle is limited to 56” / “52”/“54” - whatever 50`ish" or have not travelled past the many hundreds nay thousands of trucks that travel the highways and byways and not realise they actually travel slower than a car/van/motorcycle.
The legal speed limit for motorways for LGV + coaches is still 60mph actually.
(unless someone knows different ).
Older trucks registered before a certain date can still attain 60 and so can foreign non uk registered vehicles and still be legal. (and our gaelic brethran running on coach diffs through our corridor ).
Though the fact that speed limiter control is reduced lower than 60 and some Company choices to lower even more to a snail pace 52/50 (which i personally find not necessary and a hinderance to traffic flow for all those rated at 56 totally absurd ).
Keep us posted on your reply as and when it arrives.
In the meantime , well keep eyes on the VMSs in the name of safety .
I agree but I still think it might backfire as then you will get the hole nation thinking they no about trucks which they don’t. They can’t drive, they don’t know what a truck can and can’t do, they don’t know the laws and rules separate for trucks, they have no idea about weights sizes and dimensions. Sometimes it’s best just to let them think we are arse holes rather than give them the extra ammo of thinking they know about us and our work.
trux:
Fair play, I see your idea of educating , and any education to those unaware has to be a bonus and better than none.
but ,
bit like stating the obvious isnt it ?
One would have to be a very irregular motorway user to not have seen the vast amount of stickers that say “This vehicle is limited to 56” / “52”/“54” - whatever 50`ish" or have not travelled past the many hundreds nay thousands of trucks that travel the highways and byways and not realise they actually travel slower than a car/van/motorcycle.
The legal speed limit for motorways for LGV + coaches is still 60mph actually. (unless someone knows different ).
Older trucks registered before a certain date can still attain 60 and so can foreign non uk registered vehicles and still be legal. (and our gaelic brethran running on coach diffs through our corridor ).
Though the fact that speed limiter control is reduced lower than 60 and some Company choices to lower even more to a snail pace 52/50 (which i personally find not necessary and a hinderance to traffic flow for all those rated at 56 totally absurd ).
Keep us posted on your reply as and when it arrives.
In the meantime , well keep eyes on the VMSs in the name of safety .
I know different, the legal limit for a coach is still 70
I take your point chap,it’s like the old saying goes A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS. If we can educate a percentage of the road using population to be a bit more forgiving, then our driving lives will become a little easier.
FarnboroughBoy11:
I agree but I still think it might backfire as then you will get the hole nation thinking they no about trucks which they don’t. They can’t drive, they don’t know what a truck can and can’t do, they don’t know the laws and rules separate for trucks, they have no idea about weights sizes and dimensions. Sometimes it’s best just to let them think we are arse holes rather than give them the extra ammo of thinking they know about us and our work.
Last year my daughter was driving on the A34 with three mates (all blokes) from Uni. After she had flashed a couple of trucks out, a conversation started about ‘effin’ trucks (you can imagine). None of the three would believe her when she told them that trucks were limited to 56mph, until she fell in behind one to demonstrate.
When I went on a speed awareness course, most of the others weren’t aware of their own limits (60 on SC’s) never mind those that apply to LGV’s.
Funnily enough santa when i was chatting to the nice man from the highways agency,he also didn’t know that hgv’s were limited !!!
Santa:
Last year my daughter was driving on the A34 with three mates (all blokes) from Uni. After she had flashed a couple of trucks out, a conversation started about ‘effin’ trucks (you can imagine). None of the three would believe her when she told them that trucks were limited to 56mph, until she fell in behind one to demonstrate.
When I went on a speed awareness course, most of the others weren’t aware of their own limits (60 on SC’s) never mind those that apply to LGV’s.
when speed limiters arrived , a local o/d had a sign on the back of his truck YOU CAR DRIVERS WANTED US SPEED LIMITED … LIVE WITH IT . i reckon that had it covered
rigsby:
when speed limiters arrived , a local o/d had a sign on the back of his truck YOU CAR DRIVERS WANTED US SPEED LIMITED … LIVE WITH IT . i reckon that had it covered
most of the variable signs i see are informing the general public of something up ahead like roadworks that are no longer there, an accident that has already been cleared up or an incident that is on the other carriageway which i have already passed
The sign that has me a little confused is the one that states, DON’T LITTER BIN IT. I think they have missed out a comma as the way it reads is suggesting you to lob your rubbish out the window.
).
Nice one dude 
