75ZT Community

I drove home this evening along the M54 in heavy snow. Of course, the surface hadn't been treated.

In lane 1, averaging 20 mph, with big gaps between vehicles, were the cars.

Nose to tail, in the overtaking lane, at approx 50mph, were the 38 tonne and 44 tonne trucks and the ubiquitous WVM.

All it would have taken was a single application of the brakes on one of those behemoths and the result would have been carnage.

Have articulated trucks suddenly developed a system whereby they are immune to the weather?

Could it be something to do with them driving 'artics' ? and they think artic refers to the weather and not to articulated, maybe?

When I drove to work this morning you could feel that there was a little bit of ice under the wheels. Still some wanted to drive nose to tail. The annoying part is you leave a gap but the idiots are on the rear bumper.

Anyway, on a dual carriageway with a lights controlled crosroads there are the blue lights and some cars that require breakdown trucks.

So what message did it send to my fellow travellers going my way? Absolutely NAFF all - still nose to tail and let's put our foot down.

And yes Paul there were the HGVs and a coach with passengers amongst the vehicles.

Still, the temperature was only -10.5C.

Hmm...

I mentioned this on another forum and already we are being treated to the usual moans.

'Everybody is picking on the truckers'

'The boss is on the phone'

'I have a schedule'

and so on ad nauseam.

Oddly enough, I always thought that the responsibility for driving safely rested with the guy whose foot is on the throttle pedal?

One irresponsible trucker idiot I can understand, but multiple idiots nose to tail?

That would explain the figures released by the Police/Government,
The last accident figures state that 58% of all accidents are "caused" by HGVs, the highest ever and nearly double the amount from previous release.

It's -15c here at the moment so turned the heating up and gone to bed.

raistlin wrote:Hmm...

I mentioned this on another forum and already we are being treated to the usual moans.

'Everybody is picking on the truckers'

'The boss is on the phone'

'I have a schedule'

and so on ad nauseam.

Oddly enough, I always thought that the responsibility for driving safely rested with the guy whose foot is on the throttle pedal?

One irresponsible trucker idiot I can understand, but multiple idiots nose to tail?

Yes you're right the responsibility lies with the driver but take the example of drivers delivering to a major supermarket which shall remain nameless - they have specific timeslots they have to meet, if they miss them the delivery is rejected and the cost is passed to the haulier, with a sub 1% margin the haulier will lean on the driver, the driver will lean on the limits and.......

So who's to blame

As a commercial driver rules get bent as customer simply don't or won't understand the limitations/restrictions

Not an excuse, as there is none for such stupidity but a different point of view

Yes, I understand your view, of course I do

This country seems to be driven by unrealistic and arbitrary targets

I also know that you see my point as well

It was a scary experience to see all that mass of metal travelling at twice my speed within a yard or so.

Totally agree - crass stupidity, and highly dangerous

Ragman has a very valid point - and it has been highlighted in the media. HGV drivers are under great pressure to meet deadlines or else.

Now it could be said 'if a company is going to be like that work elsewhere'. But if all someone knows what to do for a living is drive HGVs and haulage companies have these strict deadlines what does the driver do?

Admittedly some have the attitude that my wagon is bigger than your car so get out of the way.

There again, I have seen people dawdling in the middle lane of matorways preventing HGVs getting by.

Having criticised HGV drivers a vast number of car drivers need to learn that their cars do not stop immediately and in snow and ice they need even more distance to stop.

Paul