Followed an HGV on M8 yesterday morning and noticed that it was overtaking all the other HGVs. I got alongside it and reckon it was doing between 70-75mph.
Part of me wanted to phone the police and notify them - if it did not have a limiter on it was it illegal? The wagon, although RHD and GB plates did not have any company markings on it. My mind went silly, convinced myself it could be full of illegals, or drugs or whatever.
Then I thought, I wouldn't go phoning the police for anyone else speeding on the motorway unless it was very dangerous.
Not knowing anything about limiters, are these something that can be easily bypassed albeit a tacho would catch you out? Or would it take a fair bit of effort to bypass this, in which case if you have done this does it mean that you were probably breaking many more, more serious laws?
I have to say it was a breath of fresh air seeing one lorry overtaking another and pulling away into the distance rather than the usual 1 mile long overtaking manoeuvre!
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Normally a truck going that fast will have Irish plates on it ;o)
But being serious, the limiter may have been broken, they do some times break down and the driver was taking full advantage of the situation!!!! It is not illegal to use it with a broken limiter as long as the fault has been reported and the vehicle has been booked in to have the repair done (they are working vehicles and need to earn money).
Limiters on modern trucks are not that easy to bypass as they are usually wired in with other critical systems, on older trucks like a DAF you used to be able to remove fuse 21 and that would knock out the limiter but nothing else, this was of course illegal. It's not someting you see a lot off nowadays, not worth the risk getting caught by VOSA/Police/employer, he must have been on a promise with his other half ;o)
I have to say it was a breath of fresh air seeing one lorry overtaking another and pulling away into the distance rather than the usual 1 mile long overtaking manoeuvre!
Boring, we hear that comment all the time, and I have heard it on here on more then one thread.
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I was once following a supermarket artic lorry on the inside lane of the M40, i was following him for about a mile at a steady 70 mph, but he didnt seem to get any closer. Could his limiter have been faulty or is it the error margain of my speedometer?
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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I was tailgated last week by a 7.5 tonner doing 75MPH. Could hardly believe it. Accelerated to 85 and he stuck with me, and only left him behind at 90.
Very impressed, but wouldn't want to be in his seat (or mine at the time) had we needed to do an emergency stop.
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7.5t's were not limited until recently, in fact many still dont have to have a limiter fitted for another couple of years, and they are like g karts when unloaded, many will do in excess of 90 given a favorable wind!!!!!!!
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I was tailgated last week by a 7.5 tonner doing 75MPH. Could hardly believe it. Accelerated to 85 and he stuck with me, and only left him behind at 90. Very impressed, but wouldn't want to be in his seat (or mine at the time) had we needed to do an emergency stop.
Perhaps he was using your slipstream to achieve this (or he had his braces caught in your door).
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Was probably an error in both your speedo's, His was reading slow and your fast, I would imagine both the reading were just a couple of mph out but the combined effect was more noticable.
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Running back from Stansted airport on the M11, I was overtaken by quite an old DAF pulling an empty flatbed trailer. Amazed at his speed, I accelerated and tucked in behind. GPS confirmed he was doing 84 MPH.
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Before I'm told; yes, I'm sure being old enough, it had no limiter.
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>I'm sure being old enough, it had no limiter.
If this lorry was doing 80 mph & was right on your backside, surely you would be cacking yourself if you were to be in an emergency stop situation?
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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I drove on the M1 last weekend to go 'down south' and was held up by a lorry in lane 3, it was doing about 75. I didn't think they were allowed to be in that lane...?
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Were not allowed in lane 3, my bet is it had eastern european plates on!!!!!
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Those 7.5-ers go like the proberbial. When empty. When full, they go like a differnet proverb.
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Late night on M25 approching the bridge some months ago.
Could see a full length artic in middle lane gaining on me.
It caught me up, and easiy overtook before dissappearing into the distance.
I was in lane 1 doing a steady 85mph, thought my speedo was knackered at first, until i caught up with other traffic.
That was scary.
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People do seem surprised at just how fast a truck will really go if the speed governer isnt working (for whatever reason).
Remember, bhp/ton gives good acceleration, but plain old bhp will give you mph. and lots of it, too!
WTM
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Also you can suprise a lot of people when in just the artic unit - without a big trailer full of stuff behind them they can be away sharpish from a set of lights.
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Well yes considering they can range from 300bhp to 420bhp!!!!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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420bhp? and the rest!
I know the scania they run at my dads place is 530bhp
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Just checked on the scania website - they now have a 580bhp 16 litre V8 engine.
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many moons ago, I used to judge a satisfactory power rating as anything over 10 hp/ton. I guess things have moved on a bit....
WTM
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So a Volvo the other day with a 610 bhp badge on the side!
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