Monte Carlo, or bus?
It is not only HGVs thart should be allowed to go at the same speed as other traffic on motorways. I know that you do not speak for the bus and coach industry, but I have long thought that restricting coaches to 65 mph and excluding them from the outside lane is stupid. Coach travel is very safe, and rather more civilised than rail travel if you have bulky holiday luggage to carry with you.
Good public transport benefits motorists as well. Unfortunately the safety image of coach travel is distorted by the amount of publicity given to the occasional serious crash. I note that the one just reported from Germany was said to have been caused by a car joining the motorway traffic. This seems to be a situation which a lot of drivers are unable to handle. Many merging motorists proceed as it they have right of way, oblivious to traffic already on the motorway.
I let people filter in whenever possible, but you can't always do it, and I have often had to brake hard for merging traffic when my access to the centre lane has been blocked by overtaking vehicles. Perhaps it is me who is wrong? Incidentally, I possess a PCV licence, but only to use as a member of a preservation group.
Good public transport benefits motorists as well. Unfortunately the safety image of coach travel is distorted by the amount of publicity given to the occasional serious crash. I note that the one just reported from Germany was said to have been caused by a car joining the motorway traffic. This seems to be a situation which a lot of drivers are unable to handle. Many merging motorists proceed as it they have right of way, oblivious to traffic already on the motorway.
I let people filter in whenever possible, but you can't always do it, and I have often had to brake hard for merging traffic when my access to the centre lane has been blocked by overtaking vehicles. Perhaps it is me who is wrong? Incidentally, I possess a PCV licence, but only to use as a member of a preservation group.
Asked on 19 September 2010 by DY, Taunton
Answered by
Honest John
Yes, I agree with your very level-headed attitude. Drivers already on the motorway have a much better view of vehicles joining than vehicles joining do of traffic already on the motorway over their shoulder.
But that is no excuse for them not to look over their shoulder and filter on properly. And, as you say, if coach drivers had more lanes to use, this would be less of a problem, as well as speeding large numbers of passengers from A to B more effectively than cars can.
But that is no excuse for them not to look over their shoulder and filter on properly. And, as you say, if coach drivers had more lanes to use, this would be less of a problem, as well as speeding large numbers of passengers from A to B more effectively than cars can.
Tags:
hgvs
speed limits
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