Driving through the Ardennes in Belgium yesterday I noticed on the motorways-dual carriageways signs indicating that HGVs not allowed to overtake or leave lane 1 during the hours of 06.00-10.00 and then 15.00-19.00.
Seems a good idea to me freeing up the lanes for us car drivers and commuters.
It works over there.
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Controversial subject.
Expect an influx of truckers soon who will explain how they can't sit behind a truck that's doing 55.9mph when they want to do 56.1mph.
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Sounds reasonable, although I think a minimum speed limit would be required in good conditions of course. It would cause all sorts of problems if one old lorry could only manage 40mph.
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In a way, the mechanism for ensuring this is already in place, there is a regulation which sets a minimum engine power per tonne of gross vehicle weight. IIRC it is something inadequate like 6BHP per tonne. 10 would be more realistic for today's conditions IMO.
Number_Cruncher
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Wasn't there an experiment of this sort for caravans in this country? If there was, was it successful?
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Thread title is a misnomer. From the information given it would appear that HGVs are prevented from using the other lanes, not that ONLY HGVs may use lane 1. Any other slow moving vehicle (caravan?!) is presumably allowed to use it too?
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I notcied the same in Germany. They are not for the whole length of the road necessarily, but seemed to mainly be on inclines.
Good idea.
So is the French law about no trucks travelling on Sunday unless carrying perishables.
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HGVs tend to run as fast as they can. What happens in these lanes is that a car or a car towing a caravan doing 45 mph holds lorries up. I saw this happen in Italy. Starting to be more of a regular occurence as I feel cars are slowing down to save fuel due to high prices.
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It works well in other countries, no reason why it would not work here - oh, wait a minute, yes there is, The numpties we have here that sit in lane one doing 49mph, the ones doing 55.9 are no problem I can cope with them. And nearly forgot about mr rep in his vecdeo cutting in at the last minute to make the junction because he was on the phone for the last 30 miles!!!! If those issues could be sorted out then it would be a great idea (just look at what lane keeps moving in a traffic jam, It is normally lane one)
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Why are trucks limited to 56 in the UK?
Surely this is the cause of bunching
Over here in the US, the trucks keep up with the cars at 70-75 and there is no problem at all.
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Why are trucks limited to 56 in the UK? Surely this is the cause of bunching Over here in the US, the trucks keep up with the cars at 70-75 and there is no problem at all.
The limit for trucks is 60 on the motorway, 50 on dual carriageways and 40 on normal NSL roads. Fortunately most truckers seem to keep their foot down and do 56 regardless. There's nothing more frustrating than being stuck at 40 on a good single-carriageway road.
56, however, is supposedly the most economical speed. I think that's why they're limited to that, mostly.
If all lorries did 56mph there'd be no problem. They could trundle along one behind the other in the nearside lane. The issue is, as Truckosaurus says, when trucks meet some hapless soul in a Sherpa van with a trailer doing 40.
A rule like this would be great to stop trucks running side by side for miles as one tries to overtake the other. But it'd be unworkable unless motorways had a minimum speed of, say, 55.
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Trucks are limited to 56 by a European law - 56mph is 90 km/h.
So, trucks all over Europe bunch up - great law!
However, it could be resolved by the truck being overtaken letting off the accelerator for a second or so - but their work is too vital to allow them to do that!
Number_Cruncher
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>>Expect an influx of truckers soon who will explain how they >>can't sit behind a truck that's doing 55.9mph when they want >>to do 56.1mph.
Which is presumably different from car and van drivers tailgating and barging past because they can't sit behind someone doing 29.9mph in a 30 limit, when they want to be doing 30.1mph, and 1 car in front when you reach the queuing traffic 1/2 mile up the road?
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>>Expect an influx of truckers soon who will explain how they >>can't sit behind a truck that's doing 55.9mph when they want >>to do 56.1mph. Which is presumably different from car and van drivers tailgating and barging past because they can't sit behind someone doing 29.9mph in a 30 limit, when they want to be doing 30.1mph, and 1 car in front when you reach the queuing traffic 1/2 mile up the road?
No, it's not really any different at all. But this is a thread about lorries. Again. Actually, I suppose there is a difference. Truckers will often try and explain why they have to go a fraction of a mile an hour faster than the vehicle in front (time is money, the truck has a natural happy-speed and so on). Car drivers will simply refuse to acknowledge that they do it.
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Why are trucks limited to 56 in the UK? Surely this is the cause of bunching Over here in the US, the trucks keep up with the cars at 70-75 and there is no problem at all.
There is a problem when it comes to stopping - stopping quickly that is!
Nothing is more intimidating than a huge truck tailgating you at 70+ mph and if you move to the other lane the same thing happens.
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>>(just look at what lane keeps moving in a traffic jam, It is normally lane one)
Of course it is. All the truckies are blocking lane 2 to prevent anyboyd passing them. That causes a jam, but because its behind them it doesn't count.
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Of course it is. All the truckies are blocking lane 2 to prevent anyboyd passing them. That causes a jam, but because its behind them it doesn't count.
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Not in slow moving traffic, you will find the majority of trucks in lane one, that way we can keep the lane moving - all be it slowly, but at least it is moving. Lanes 2 and 3 are always stop starting because people are not watching what is going on. Try it next time you are in a traffic jam, you never know it just may work!!
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>>Lanes 2 and 3 are always stop starting because people are not watching what is going on.
Well I certainly wouldn't argue with that. The chaos caused by idiots chopping lanes, acccelerating up to the car in front and then braking to a standstil etc. etc. is truly ridiculous.
I just wish they would bring back loads and loads of traffic police so that when idiots do something idiotic there was a reasonable chance of a copper being there to see it, and with the will to do something about it.
My heartiest congratulations to the foreign trucker I saw this morning - 50 odd mph on the A41, on the mobile phone, not handsfree) with a road atlas spreadout on the steering wheel. Scary.
And before you say anything, yes I do know there are many car driving idiots who do so with a phone clamped to their ear.
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I agree there there are idiots,Monday night M1 I saw 2 examples of middle lane hoggers whom seem completely oblivious to anyone behind them and they were not "old" drivers either.
They simply would not move into lane 1 despite a van flashing his headlamps,I also had to overtake in lane 1 to pass such an idiot.
Bring back the motorway patrols,in driving from Dover to Derby not one patrol vehicle seen.
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