General: Revision of Motorway Speed Limits and Rules

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Daim

Okay, higher speeds seem "scary" for some of you (by reading some of the posts here I got that impression) but have any of you driven on German Autobahns for a while exceeding speeds of 130 km/h (80 mph)?

The problem isn't your stopping distance, it is the other drivers. If the other driver won't expect someone to be driving 160 km/h (100 mph) and simply pulls out infront of you THEN you have the issue. BUT here in Germany people use their mirrors. They get the appropriate driving education needed...

Ever been overtaken by a car going 400(!) km/h (400 km/h = 248 mph!!!)? No? What do you do? You keep your eyes on your driver's side mirror and as soon as you think you are able to overtake, you look into it a few times! Not only once! And then you are on the safe side...

An increase in speed will require MAJOR education of the masses!

Hi Daim

I have driven on the German Autobahns at high speed and I was overtaken as though I was stationary!!!!!!!!!

regards

[tt82]

HGV's restricted to lane 1?

Imagine this scenario. You as a considerate driver wishing to leave the motorway join lane 1 inbetween 2 HGV's in plenty of time, as you travel along and near the junction an incosiderate driver, having left attempting to join lane 1 till the last momment pulls in front of the lorry infornt you and brakes hard. That HGV then brakes hard itself to avoid a collision. You brake hard to avoid the collision. The HGV behind you reacts slowly and doesnt brake hard enough.

Do your family want flowers or donations to a charitable cause in your memory?

[chelle_belle]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Hi Chelle Belle and Craig!

Do see your point.

Would it be too much to expect though to expect the faster lorry to simply follow at the reduced speed for a little while until the slower lorry is back to 56mph?

TBH I have not come across that many lorries doing 45mph on the mway as the majority of HGV nowadays can maintain 56mph ish up and down hills loaded or unloaded due to their powerful engines. Yes ok they may have to drop a cog or 2 (or 3)..!!

My scenario from the previous page thus applies in this instance!

Hi Volvorocks,

If the unloaded lorry stayed behind the loaded one then all the lorrys behind would be at 45mph,
A truck i used to drive which was extremely powerful would struggle when loaded up hill.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by tt82

HGV's restricted to lane 1?

Imagine this scenario. You as a considerate driver wishing to leave the motorway join lane 1 inbetween 2 HGV's in plenty of time, as you travel along and near the junction an incosiderate driver, having left attempting to join lane 1 till the last momment pulls in front of the lorry infornt you and brakes hard. That HGV then brakes hard itself to avoid a collision. You brake hard to avoid the collision. The HGV behind you reacts slowly and doesnt brake hard enough.

Do your family want flowers or donations to a charitable cause in your memory?

This could happen even if HGV's remain being allowed in lane 2.

In the scenario you describe using the current rules in so far as the HGV IS allowed in lane 2 he would simply pull into lane 2 and crush you as you were attempting to get into the gap filled by the inconsiderate motorway joiner!!!

regards

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by chelle_belle

Hi Volvorocks,

If the unloaded lorry stayed behind the loaded one then all the lorrys behind would be at 45mph,
A truck i used to drive which was extremely powerful would struggle when loaded up hill.

Hi Michelle and Craig

Yes I do accept your point. It is a good one.

Regards

[galloot633]

I was beginning to think it was only me that had to play "avoid the mad truck driver" on motorways ! what I cant understand is these drivers must be the most highly qualified/ experienced on the road, but so many of them drive like inconsiderate maniacs , I travel between cheshire and surrey a couple of times a month, so I dont really qualify as a high milage user, but every trip I witness several near misses and last trip a bmw side swiped a she drove past in lane 2 , its that bad now if I see a queue of trucks in front I move into lane 3 , bad practise I know but Im witnessing more and more drivers doing the same
dave

[Danger]

Originally Posted by galloot633

I was beginning to think it was only me that had to play "avoid the mad truck driver" on motorways ! what I cant understand is these drivers must be the most highly qualified/ experienced on the road, but so many of them drive like inconsiderate maniacs... its that bad now if I see a queue of trucks in front I move into lane 3 , bad practise I know but Im witnessing more and more drivers doing the same
dave

same here. Part of motorway driving is anticipating the actions of a dozen other drivers, that can only get harder at higher speed.

[owyn]

No bad practice there! Especially if the lorry is left hand drive, there's a big blind spot under the right door.
If there is room I'd say a lane 3 overtake is the way to go.

[bigbadee]

being a hgv driver only having lane 1 would kill me as there is a need to overtake if we were only allowed in lane one then it would end up taking us longer to deliver our goods which would mean more man hours pushing prices up even more .but i would like to see the motor limit uped a bit 80ish for cars maybe vans i personly would leave hgv were it is but can someone tell me why coaches which have people on board not just goods are alowed to travel at 70 and use all 3 lanes

[Bill_56]

Originally Posted by bigbadee

but can someone tell me why coaches which have people on board not just goods are alowed to travel at 70 and use all 3 lanes

I agree a lower speed limit for coaches would seem to make sense, but I thought they (full-sized coaches) had been banned from the third lane for quite some time now?

Highway code rule 265

265
The right-hand lane of a motorway with three or more lanes MUST NOT be used (except in prescribed circumstances) if you are driving
any vehicle drawing a trailer
a goods vehicle with a maximum laden weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter
a goods vehicle with a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes
a passenger vehicle with a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver
a passenger vehicle with a maximum laden weight not exceeding 7.5 tonnes which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter