Lorries banned from outside lane

[rov1200]

On roads such as the M11 dual carriageway from Stansted to Cambridge the outside lane is banned for HGVs for a trial period of 1 year. Is this an acceptance of the failure to ugrade our motorways? Is this not just common sense when lorries have a strict speed limit and the road has a number of inclines stretching for nearly 20 miles?

[kinell]

we have all been stuck behind lorries that pull out of the slipstream of the hgv in front and are surprised to be unable to go past

its annoying on dual carriageways and inexcusable on motorways

although agreed the outside lane on mways is for speeds up to 70mph i see no issue in stopping large vehicles that are not allowed to go at 70mph from using the third, fourth, fifth or sixth lane

[hc4361]

It is a great initiative and common sense. The number of times I've been stuck behind two wagons apparently racing each other, or playing snap for all I know, is far too many to count.

[boxtops]

This is to be introduced soon on the A20 on the long slow hill out of the docks in Dover, to stop the crawlers trying to overtake (but they can only go marginally faster than the one they are overtaking) and blocking up the road for all the rest of us, giving a huge tailback behind them. Ours is a trial as well, long may it continue.

[sddsddean]

Ah, spot the non HGV drivers who are so clever in their ignorance!
Kinell - shows how much you know about road law- HGV's are not allowed in the outside lane of a motorway of 3 lanes or more (neither is any vehicle towing a trailer, but I bet I spot a few caravans there over the next few weeks). Also what about all the 'middle lane hoggers' who won't use lane 1?
hc4361 - A great initiative for you. We are trying to make a living. Agreed, many drivers are 'a pain' taking ages to overtake, but this it what happens when the EU in their infinite wisdom put a 90kph limiter on trucks, but don't make them all the same. Result - lighter trucks can bomb up a hill, then the heavier trucks keep up at the top. Limiters are a pain in the a$$. They make no sense on a motorway (which is the safest sort of road), but would be great if they could limit EVERYONE to the lower limits (eg 30mph).
I used to drive on the continent where overtaking bans are much more common, especially on 2 lane motorways. The result was a convoy of trucks up to a couple of miles long, which just blocked the motorway at the end of the ban area as they all tried to overtake each other. Also, you ended up using more fuel to sit behind slow trucks on hills.
I don't know what the answer is, but this isn't it. Unfortunately, the general publc in the UK see trucks as 'annoying things that get in their way'. For every truck on the road, there are about 50 cars. You might also do well to remember one of the old campaign slogans...' If you bought it, a truck brought it.' I suppose sojmeone will suggest we should only drive at night soon! I wonder who will pay all the overtime to staff to accept deliveries at 2am!

[ELVIS68]

Some lorrys have speed limiters which will not allow them to go over 56 mph, so whilst it may look like they are racing each other I can assure you they are not.

Ideally the lorry being overtaken should slow down to allow the other to pass but the driver probably has his cruise control on and can`t be @rsed to slow down and spend the next few miles building up speed again

[chas2008]

There are sections on the A14 that operate that system ( at certain hours ), its a bit hit and miss and many lorry drivers ignore it, i assume some cant read english !!, but if you have been on it you will know why they are trying it. Whatever the drivers excuse is ie 56mph, theres nothing worse than sitting behind a vehicle trying to overtake for anything up to 1 mile + , the vehicle on the inside NEVER drops back and allows the overtaking vehicle in. Now bearing in mind the A14 feeds the M1 & M6 it can be a total nightmare at peak times causing mega tailbacks..

[DrFilth]

they are talking about putting average speed cameras on all the motorways so there will be a lot more congestion in the future.

[sddsddean]

Don't hold back TWR!! Though I know exactly where you are coming from. Some of my friends can't believe the hours I put in or how 'transport' works in this country.

[jno]

well, I have devoted my life to buying things that have been carried by lorry, purely in order to keep the drivers in employment, and all they do is moan about me and my little Austin 7 doing 45 mph in the middle lane. There's gratitude for you.

[ABerrant]

"...CAN get fined up to a £1000 for doing his/her job..."

That is true of everybody who chooses to break laws during the execution of their employment.

[robbo966]

HGV drivers take the p-ss and pull out nearly killing innocent motorists every day of the week. I travel up and down the motorways every day and I can tell you that most HGV drivers think they can do as they please just because they are bigger than everyone else. It's not about being impatient it's about wanting to travel at the correct speed limit.

[Panic Button]

Lets see what happens.

My bet is that loads of foreign trucks will ignore it, knowing full well that there is nothing the police can do about it.

It will probably be a ban on trucks over 7.5 ton in lane 2, but the smaller7.5 tonners have 56 mph speed limiters now aswell.

[TWR]

It is not the HGVs that miss their turnings on the Motorways! do you see the HGVs flying from the outside lane to the Junction they have clearly missed, Only because the Fuking sign are about 15ft wide, Yes I do & was an Ex HGV, but it sounds like you are one of them robbo! HGVs can prove their speed! can you? Aberrant! bible basher are you, do as I say not as I do? 45mph Jno! read the Highway code & motorway speeds.

[jno]

sorry, TWR, I obviously should have attached an LOL there. But if I miss a turnoff it's usually because some... well, let's say 'large vehicle'... has obscured it while trundling along, and I suspect other drivers may from time to time have the same problem. More signs suspended over the carriageway might behelpful.

[Panic Button]

Is that the 'large vehicle's' fault jno?

How dare a lorry trundle in front of your signpost! Most inconsiderate.

[jno]

nope, but it's not necessarily the car driver's fault either, Panic, if he simply doesn't see the turnoff sign. Regardless of whose fault it is, it's a problem. I've made a suggestion for an improvement.

[TWR]

Have you ever heard of advanced warnings Jno? if not you want to take up some lessons like some other pratts on here, It might save your life and also a Lorry driver that is pulling 44tonns, mind you half of you dick heads would not know what that means! would you?