HGVs & Outside lanes.

[TWR]

Myself and many on here will have or still do Drive HGVs, I cannot understand why OH why the police do not allow the HGVs to help with the clearance of the Outside lanes, they have the Weight to do the job, they would not need the plows, Once the Outside is unused the middle follows leaving only the near side lane to be used, your replies.

[TWR]

Ploughs

[123everton]

No, we had a spate of crashes involving H.G.Vs driving in the outside lane in the late 80s early 90s (if memory serves) the last thing we need is them hurtling down the motorway in snow and ice.

[R1Geezer]

This would require independent thought, legally HGV's cannot go in the outside lane and I suppose plod thinks that is more important that clearing the road. I agree though send the trucks up all 3 lanes in front sorted!

[TWR]

Hi Everton, a lot of people underestimate HGV drivers, yes you do have the glory boys but there are one hell of a lot of experienced ones too, I am not sticking up for my own but more often than not its the ordinary motorist that causes the HGV to Jack Knife in the first place, A lot of people do not realise even though the Unit starts breaking & has ABS its the loaded trailer (44 tonnes ) that is pushing the unit causing the Jack Knife, that in-turn WELL you've seen the result, & 9 times out of ten this has been caused by a car / van.

[R1Geezer]

Yes TWR correct me if I'm wrong it's usually drivers darting over from the middle lane into your "safety zone" that cause problems, I mean you don't have to brake for them straight away but you do have to recreate the gap and if something happenns in that time that needs you to brake it's jack knife time. Yet another reason to stay in the middle lane rather than playing hopscotch up the road!

[TWR]

Hi R1Geezer, in my later days of driving Artics & seeing the Bsds that cut the HGVs & cars up because they are too close to their Junction or coming up to a service station etc, My self am contemplating fitting along side my car sensor on the inner windscreen pillar a Inboard camera it help your case in an accident with recorded proof time/ dated, I would recommend ALL HGV owners & operators to do the same. We have seen it time and time again lorry Jack Knifes & always blamed, the HGV driving up to a point it can be traced on the Taco, the majority of the public are unaware what can be traced on the taco they may be surprised that a sudden swerve can be detected ( This has been proven when a HGV in Sussex many years ago hit a car, the driver denied this the Taco/date/time/ as HGV drivers know it on the Taco, The Taco was blow up to the size of a dinner plate, Case proved) It would be in the Interest of HGVs Company's to install these cameras at a fraction of the cost of what it would cost in a case of a Motorist on a Motorway getting killed by his / her own stupidity.

[Teleph0ne]

I think they should ban hgvs from the middle lane as well, there is nothing worse than 2 muppets sat sise by side for 10 miles on a dual carriageway both doing exactly 56mph holding everyone up and not giving a toss! HGV drivers think that they rule the roads when all they do is get in the way and crow about how good they are. It aint exactly rocket science driving what is efectivly nothing more dificult than a large car. Before you start critisising me, yes I can drive an HGV and have been a transport manager so I have heard all your excuses!!

[TWR]

Did you say Transport Managers? are you one that passed his test in a week? your answer shows how much you know about transport telepOne, And did I also say that I was giving an excuse? I asked opinions, up to your answer there seems to be 3 that are valued, so I take it you are not in the job now? was the pressure too much for you?

[Panic Button]

I drive artics, and if I am ordered to drive up a snowbound lane I will refuse point blank.

What a ridiculous and dangerous suggestion.

You should be ashamed.

[Teleph0ne]

I was a transport manager in charge of in excess of 100 HGVs I worked my way up through the ranks having repaired, managed workshop's then transport coordinator before becoming transport manager. I used to be responsible for a large amount of abnormal loads as well as all the general haulage including skip lorries, tippers bulkers and low loaders so I think I am qualified to comment! I am not in the role now because I have taken a more senior role as a contracts manager for a diferent company. In my experience, drivers think that they are kings of the road and know more about any subject than anyone. In relation to allowing an hgv to thunder down an ice and snow covered motorway to so say clear the snow, I feel that would be very foolhardy and proves my point about the arogance and stupidity of drivers in gereral! If it were that simple, why would they need snow ploughs or gritters when all they need is for you to go on a 1 man snow clearence mission. What a hero you would be, at least until you wiped out a row of stopped trafic like the last know it all that tried it did!

[rov1200]

Excuse me for being thick but wouldn't the snow from the outside lane be pushed into the middle lane by the plough?

[TWR]

The point of this post is to address the closer of the out side lanes, being a HGV with 30+yrs no bumps record!!!! & do realise there are cowboys out there, point being the outside lanes soon become closed due to snow & unused by traffic, common would tell you if the HGVs where to use the lanes it would keep the lanes clear, it is on the same principle of the M42 + others that have started to use the hard shoulder but the difference is obvious. You talk about Dangerous Panic!! how many times have you been down a snow covered lane? I will let you think about that, Hard shoulders take out more lives than any other lanes on any motorway, you should know that being an artic driver, we have all seen it. No-one is talking about heroes TelephOne, the A3 >>> M62>>>>> And may others show you the results of lane closures, It would be interested off one of the Motorway police that use this site read & veiw their comments, going back to your comment that HGVs drivers think they are the KINGS OF THE ROAD, you obviously put yourself in the same category seeing that you hold a Class (1) you know very well there are drivers & there are drivers I've no need to tell you that, the point I made I stick by, & by doing that in-turn keeps the traffic moving.

[Panic Button]

You are talking about hurling a heavy vehicle at speed over a snow covered motorway.
If you lose control, the results would be horrendous.

If I go onto a snow covered lane I go at a suitable speed (very slow).

The two are not comparable.

Driving an HGV is all about looking a long way ahead, assessing the possible hazards and planning your actions so that you do not risk ending up in a situation you cannot control.
I cannot believe that with your good record you seriously think you would do such an idiotic thing.

[rov1200]

Personally I don't think its right to have HGVs clearing the snow for all road users whether its in the outside lane or not. But it makes you wonder how many snow ploughs we have tucked away not used for most of the year. When they are they have to be fitted to special vehicles and there can't be too many of them mostly to the lorry gritters. Therefore the minor roads are mostly impassable because they are not being gritted.

The yanks have a bright idea and that is to fit them to the refuse lorries when required so doing 2 jobs at once and keeping the minor roads clear.

We now have a motorway patrol that is supposed to keep traffic moving. If the snow is not too deep why cant they fit smaller poughs to the front therefore making full use of resources?

[TWR]

Panic, I do not remember saying anything about speed, but to conclude, every one has their own way of driving, I regards myself as an experienced driver long before this so-called bull sht Professional crp came out. ( Professionals do not get treated like UK drivers get treated, you should know that) you drive to road conditions as all should but that was not the original posted post, the post was about keeping the lanes clear.

[TWR]

In reply to your post Rov, when the HGVs had the drivers strike everyone suffered, hospitals,shops, supermarkets, fuel, the M62 was snow bound here yesterday, all traffic was in the inside lane, middle + outside lane was closed, Snow, amongst the traffic was food deliveries, fuel, Ambulances, does this not make a point, I'm sure anyone that uses the Motorway net work in any part of the UK + other countries would see, that there are more HGVs on the road than Snow Ploughs! Think about it.

[Teleph0ne]

TWR I can just imagine your wagon, lots of lights, airhorns, arials and frilly curtains!! I expect you flash your lights at everyone that doesn't imediately get out of the middle lane once they are past you and I expect you spend hours telling everyone what a good driver you are and that none of the other drivers are as good as you because they have done a weeks course and you were born in the driving seat. I have met hundreds of drivers just like you. I expect you have got a big sticker on your wagon saying something about how good truckers are! They don't let HGV's clear the road for a reason, IT'S DANGEROUS!!! It takes a long time to stop 44tons of steel on ice!!

[TWR]

I take it from your immature reply that you did not qualify for Grandfather right for the HGVs? I regard myself as a driver, so It seems that you know all about the headlights, and the frilly curtains, did you ever sleep in a lorry with no night heater, a board across the bonnet for a bed, I think your answers everyone's conclusion of your experience, Did you have to pass a driving test / CPC exam, GE Whizz, my clean licence tells me what sort of driver I am, Now go & play with your Eddie Stobart model, it comes over as you are one of his cronies. or are you one of DAMAC flyer's ( If you can remember them with your so-called experienced)

[Teleph0ne]

My experience has taken me from a saturday job in a transport yard to transport manager with a fleet of over 100 HGV's, Your world of experience sees you still at the bottom of the pile driving! I bet your one of these "you can't read experience son" types. I passed my HGV 1 a long time ago and had to do my CPC to be transport manager. Unlike you, I have years of experience and the relevant qualifications. I am obviously far inferior to you because I have never slept on a board with no heater so you have got me on that one! I did go camping a couple of times though, does that count? I was never interested in being a full time driver, dragging the same crap to the same place 7 days a week, you need to be brain dead to cope with the boredom! I still take out abnormal loads from time to time and take the wrecker out or cover when drivers are off etc but I prefer to do what I do. If you want an opinion on something then ask a hgv driver, they have got an opinion on everything!

[Teleph0ne]

I would like to think that if you have been doing the same job for about "100years man & boy" you would be reasonablly good at it by now! doesn't mean that nobody else than you knows anything though. Im sure a company as big as stobart would have a few muppets working for them, you can't have that many wagons without picking up a few.