:( Truckers who don't check for loose rubble

[GTR RGT]

Originally Posted by neilstafford

who'd been driving for 36 hours, with, approx, 6 hour break

That dont make sense, They must have a tacho which forces them to stop for a break and switch it onto 'breaktime' otherwise they would loose their job.

[Turbonutter]

Some people use more than one disc, so I'm lead to believe.

[micra]

Well if the fuel was cheaper there would be a few still based in the UK! Hardly a level playing field when we have to pay to use other EU roads, but only charge ourselves for our roads.

[neilstafford]

Originally Posted by GTR RGT

That dont make sense, They must have a tacho which forces them to stop for a break and switch it onto 'breaktime' otherwise they would loose their job.

the old tacho system, of a paper type disc, that records your details, could be abused, and often was, and still is.
as for loosing their job, alot of the time, its down too unscrupulous bosses pushing thr drivers, too and beyond the limit.

alll new trucks, (i think from 56 plate on) are now fitted with digi tachos.
this is a credit card type system, that you insert, and all info recorded digitally, as far as i know, very hard too cheat, but like anything, give it time, i'm sure someone will find a fiddle.

[GTR RGT]

Ive just bought a new lorry/truck with the new tacho from the old paper disc. There is a way around it but I only need to drive a couple hours a week

[micra]

I often drive at night and there seems to be more truckers falling asleep now than I can remember.

I caught one up weaving between 2 lanes with his head nodded forwards (as far as I could tell, so could be wrong), I used my horn and flashed him a few times and he suddenly seemed to wake up and regain control. I saw a similar event a few months back with a truck on a colission course with a vehicle on the hard shoulder, half on lane 1, half on the hard shoulder for about a mile. The rumble strip had not woken him, and judging from the swerve and the other truck blasting away as well as me doing the same as I went past (well I wasn't going to be on the wrong side of the impact so I put my foot down), I think he must have been sleeping.

I think between 2-3am is the worst, but less traffic!

Previous to that I think the last thing I saw was a few years ago when a petrol tanker joined the M40 I think, from the M25 with the cab on one lane and the tank on the other, on the feed onto the motorway. I really did think I was going to drive into a fire ball that night, and credit to the driver for controling it, even if it was a bit dumb to loose it in the first place. It was wet and I assume there must have been oil on the road or something.

Do truckers drift on the public roads on purpose?!!

It is all true, and seeing 2 near misses in the last few months makes me wonder if the taco really does work. I sleep if I am too tired to drive!

[neilstafford]

Originally Posted by GTR RGT

Ive just bought a new lorry/truck with the new tacho from the old paper disc. There is a way around it but I only need to drive a couple hours a week

so is it a brand new truck, fitted with the tacho that only takes the digi card, instead of the traditional disc shaped tachos???


micra...fatigue does seem too be a big problem in my industry, although we have the tacho's, some of the hours we can legally work, are abit much at times.
i can legally do a 15 hour day, provided i don't exceed 10 hours driving, the other five hours can consist of break periods, other work, (loading/unloading) and p.o.a, (period of availability, waiting at premises too offload).
after my 15 hours, i can park up for the night in my wagon, have a 9 hour rest period, (in which time, i need too shower, shave, eat, relax) and be back on the road again, too start another days work.
and all of that is classed as legal

i agree with what you say, if i'm tired, i'll pull over and grab 40 winks, no matter how urgent my boss reckons the load needs too be somewhere.

re drifting:- it is possible, not advisable if your pulling a 45ft trailer, but it can be done.

on a PRIVATE AIRFIELD once, i discovered in my YOOTH that some lorries would still spin the wheels in 12th gear .

i believe there may also be some lorry drifting on youtube.

[GTR RGT]

Sorry, mis understanding. When I say new I mean a new lorry for me. Its not brand new. Im still using the old one as I havent taken delievery of the new one, far as I know it has the new type tacho.

Bought it from a place in kent, bloke has loads for sale in autotrader.

[purpleskyline]

all hgvs, 7.5tonne from april o7 have digi tachos, and they are easeyer to fiddle than the disc type. germany has now brought back log books to go with the tacho,
as for falling asleep, drivers of these vehicles are stuck at 54 mph, on cruise control, they jus nod off with bordam, in holland a study of all hgv accidents found 99% were drivers with the cruise control on, they are now trying to have them banned.
i drive for a irish firm, my lorry is set to 60 like most irish lorrys, dont see them falling asleep, to busy concentrating,
speed limit for hgvs on a motorway is 60 mph,50 dual carrigeway, 40 singal carrigeway, sorry cars,

[micra]

95mph down the big hill to the coast in Kent if you are French!

I got over taken by a lorry down there once, had no idea they could go that fast even down a big hill!

No problem with trucks at all, but can't help feeling that they should only be going a few hundred miles, anything further should be by rail or shipped. Still need lorries to get stuff to the final destination.

I would confess that driving faster, and concentrating more, is perhaps safer than sitting in a line at 56mph. I couldn't do it!

hgvs 40 mph on single carrigeway, what really! never? Do you mean A roads or single track lanes?

[neilstafford]

blimey!!!!!
i didn't know the digi's could be fiddled.
well, guessed it would only be a matter of time

[neilstafford]

Originally Posted by micra

95mph down the big hill to the coast in Kent if you are French!

I got over taken by a lorry down there once, had no idea they could go that fast even down a big hill!

No problem with trucks at all, but can't help feeling that they should only be going a few hundred miles, anything further should be by rail or shipped. Still need lorries to get stuff to the final destination.

I would confess that driving faster, and concentrating more, is perhaps safer than sitting in a line at 56mph. I couldn't do it!

hgvs 40 mph on single carrigeway, what really! never? Do you mean A roads or single track lanes?

40 mph on single carriageway a roads

the reason most freight is still moved by road, is simply down too ease and cost.

95mph

i once let my truck run, down the big hill on the m20, just after brands hatch, heading dover bound, was interested too see what the momentum would carry it too, and how it would feel.

it got too 80mph, my arsehole went, and i won't be trying that experiment again.

imagine the consequence, of a laden truck, getting a blow out, at 80, or above mph

[Turbonutter]

Originally Posted by neilstafford

it got too 80mph, my arsehole went, and i won't be trying that experiment again.:

Classic.

[neilstafford]

Originally Posted by Turbonutter

Classic.

and ever since, 56mph, has always seemed adequate

[micra]

Originally Posted by neilstafford

40 mph on single carriageway a roads

the reason most freight is still moved by road, is simply down too ease and cost.

95mph

i once let my truck run, down the big hill on the m20, just after brands hatch, heading dover bound, was interested too see what the momentum would carry it too, and how it would feel.

it got too 80mph, my arsehole went, and i won't be trying that experiment again.

imagine the consequence, of a laden truck, getting a blow out, at 80, or above mph

That's the hill!

It scared the poo out of me, I thought it must be a fire engine or bomb disposal truck, I was going a little over 70mph myself.

I suppose you could coast most of the way to Ashford with that momentum, and I backed off, a long way, fearing the worst!

Good job it was late, the M26 joins in at the bottom of the hill!!!