Driving without due care and attention HGV

Conor_3

Pssst wrote: »

The blatancy of it..you admit to fiddling your tacho? Clearly you are due a rest break after all that time..:rolleyes:

You'd think so wouldn't you? All they've got to do is invent an in-driving refuelling system and they can put paid to coffee breaks as well.

ozvaldinho

I'd be inclined to fight it, see what evidence they have. Possibly wouldn't go to court if the CPS knew you were going to fight it. The jerk in the car is lucky to be alive...maybe your partner can you his teleporter next time he finds himself in that situation!

mikey72

Pssst wrote: »

The OPs description of the incident doesn't seem all that clear to me though as a general view, I'd say both parties have a joint responsibility to share the road and ensure the safety of all within their immediate zone.

A car in the left lane with a large vehicle to his right,should be making sufficient forward obs to see the closing down of the RH lane and drop back,making the move sufficiently obvious so as to be observed by the HG. It would not be a good idea at that stage for the car to accelerate so as to undertake as he would be entering a hazardous zone into which the options for escape are limited.

If the car were to remain neck and neck with the HGV then what is to happen when the right lane starts to shut down? Is he to stop for that would be the only option other than collison.

Car drivers must appreciate the need for extra room for HGVs to manoeuvre and brake. EG dont pull in front of an HGV when its approaching or on a downhill slope! Equally some HG drivers need to adopt a more professional approach and not bully other road users simply because they are bigger.

Unfortunatelyfor some people,driving is a competition and common sense,good driving and safety take a back seat.

I think you are supposed to stop to avoid a collision. Probably not the best line to use if you fight this in court. Especially if your lane is the one that is supposed to filter into the other one.

Idiophreak

zoesmummy_2006 wrote: »

did the car driver lose control or something no one knows bar the car driver.

This makes me think he should take the course - he's clearly not 100% on what happened - and if he's not sure he's innocent, I wouldn't be going to court over it.

Surely when he heard the "bang" would give some indication as to when he first impacted the car? ie "bang" then car spin - he hit the car into the spin - spin then "bang" - he hit the spinning car.

Anyway, I've become all too used to lorries trying to sideswipe me - now I stay well back from them until there's space ahead of them, then take them as quickly as I can, get out of the blind spot asap...Means I get quite a few pull out while I'm waiting for space, but I guess it's better than being forced into the central reservation...

jfinnie

Take the course and be thankful it hasn't gone any further.

I'm a car driver and drive Norwich - Cambridge every day. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been in the fast lane (going much faster than trucks in the slow lane) and had them pulling out into "my" lane. Most judges have probably had similar experiences and I doubt (without good representation) you'll get much sympathy.

I've seen the posts here illustrating the blind spots - well I'm sorry guys but while that may be the case you need to take it up with your vehicle manufacturers or your bosses for not providing a safe working environment - I am certain that products exist which can alleviate the problems (blind spot mirrors, blind spot camera systems, etc)... It certainly isn't my problem. My car has huge blind spots if I rely solely on the factory fitted mirrors - so I must make conscious effort to overcome these, or not perform risky overtaking / pulling out maneuvers.

I almost died last month when a UK DHL truck (not even a particularly big one) pulled out into the fast lane because his lane ahead was congested - when I was already at his side. I had to very quickly move to the space between the metal central reservation, and was left very shaken and angry.

Quinny_2

jfinnie wrote: »

Take the course and be thankful it hasn't gone any further.

I'm a car driver and drive Norwich - Cambridge every day. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been in the fast lane (going much faster than trucks in the slow lane) and had them pulling out into "my" lane. Most judges have probably had similar experiences and I doubt (without good representation) you'll get much sympathy.

I've seen the posts here illustrating the blind spots - well I'm sorry guys but while that may be the case you need to take it up with your vehicle manufacturers or your bosses for not providing a safe working environment - I am certain that products exist which can alleviate the problems (blind spot mirrors, blind spot camera systems, etc)... It certainly isn't my problem. My car has huge blind spots if I rely solely on the factory fitted mirrors - so I must make conscious effort to overcome these, or not perform risky overtaking / pulling out maneuvers.

I almost died last month when a UK DHL truck (not even a particularly big one) pulled out into the fast lane because his lane ahead was congested - when I was already at his side. I had to very quickly move to the space between the metal central reservation, and was left very shaken and angry.

So you think that we,as individuals should say,"Excuse me Mr.Scania/Volvo/Iveco/Man etc,I think that you should make a special effort to alleviate the blind spots on my truck,and that all other drivers who drive your products,should also have a custom made truck,just to suit their individual needs"

And then next I'll go and see the people I drive for,(I'm a self employed agency driver.) and say to them,"I think that the £100k that you've just spent on that brand new Volvo FH,doesn't provide me with a safe working enviroment,and on the say so of jfinnie on the MSE site,you need to do something about it."

Are you having a Turkish??????

Does the manufacturer of your car,make a one off just for your needs? As with all manufacturers of all road going products,they make them as safe as possible,in line with the relevant regulations of the time.

I would take it that you have never ever set foot inside an artic before? Well,before you start making such stupid statements,I would suggest that you go visit a local HGV school,and ask to be taken around in one,and see for yourself exactly what it's like to drive one.

And while your on the subject of a DHL truck,I'll quote you an example that happened to me by a driver of a Citroen Picasso in Manchester last week.At a set of lights,I was in the right hand lane,behind a bus at a set of red lights,and when the lights changed,and the bus and I set off,out of nowhere UP THE INSIDE,came this Picasso,and then undertook me,to then cut in front of me,to get behind the bus.Now had that have been a situation where we were stopping for the lights instead,the car driver would have certainly been dead,as I hit him in the rear end,with 44 tonne,pushing me along.

I'm afraid your are just one of the many muppet car drivers this country has,who could never understand to their dying day,how difficult piloting a 44 tonne HGV is,and while I'm not saying that all hgv drivers are angels,I will only say,"Let him without sin,cast the first stone."

Conor_3

jfinnie wrote: »

I've seen the posts here illustrating the blind spots - well I'm sorry guys but while that may be the case you need to take it up with your vehicle manufacturers or your bosses for not providing a safe working environment - I am certain that products exist which can alleviate the problems (blind spot mirrors, blind spot camera systems, etc)...

Indeed and the EU introduced them. Then a year later they removed them when it was found they created EVEN WORSE blindspots. The more you add, the more the driver has to check, giving even less time to concentrate what's going on ahead. Thankyou for confirming you are such a crap driver that you're incapable of working this out.

It certainly isn't my problem.

Highway Code disagrees.

Rules:
164

Large vehicles. Overtaking these is more difficult. You should drop back. This will increase your ability to see ahead and should allow the driver of the large vehicle to see you in their mirrors.

221

Large vehicles. These may need extra road space to turn or to deal with a hazard that you are not able to see. If you are following a large vehicle, such as a bus or articulated lorry, be aware that the driver may not be able to see you in the mirrors. Be prepared to stop and wait if it needs room or time to turn.

My car has huge blind spots if I rely solely on the factory fitted mirrors - so I must make conscious effort to overcome these, or not perform risky overtaking / pulling out maneuvers.

But unlike a truck, it has glass you can see through pretty much 360 degrees. Not so on a lorry - you have 180 degrees at best.

I almost died last month when a UK DHL truck (not even a particularly big one) pulled out into the fast lane because his lane ahead was congested - when I was already at his side. I had to very quickly move to the space between the metal central reservation, and was left very shaken and angry.

So that was a 7.5 tonner which can be driven on a car licence then and not actually a HGV.

A few questions jfinnie, can you tell me why car drivers seem to think I can stop 44 tonnes of lorry in the same distance as a car, why they think I should have to let them out at the end of an entry sliproad and how I'm supposed to get 53ft of vehicle into a factory entrance when they've parked right up to it, despite the double yellow lines AND why car drivers think it's OK to park in marked loading bays in a town?

cyclonebri1

Conor wrote: »

Indeed and the EU introduced them. Then a year later they removed them when it was found they created EVEN WORSE blindspots. The more you add, the more the driver has to check, giving even less time to concentrate what's going on ahead. Thankyou for confirming you are such a crap driver that you're incapable of working this out.

Highway Code disagrees.

Rules:
164

Large vehicles. Overtaking these is more difficult. You should drop back. This will increase your ability to see ahead and should allow the driver of the large vehicle to see you in their mirrors.

221

Large vehicles. These may need extra road space to turn or to deal with a hazard that you are not able to see. If you are following a large vehicle, such as a bus or articulated lorry, be aware that the driver may not be able to see you in the mirrors. Be prepared to stop and wait if it needs room or time to turn.


But unlike a truck, it has glass you can see through pretty much 360 degrees. Not so on a lorry - you have 180 degrees at best.

So that was a 7.5 tonner which can be driven on a car licence then and not actually a HGV.

A few questions jfinnie, can you tell me why car drivers seem to think I can stop 44 tonnes of lorry in the same distance as a car, why they think I should have to let them out at the end of an entry sliproad and how I'm supposed to get 53ft of vehicle into a factory entrance when they've parked right up to it, despite the double yellow lines AND why car drivers think it's OK to park in marked loading bays in a town?

Don't confuse the issue Coner. Re parking etc,

Most of us car drivers know how difficult it must be to drive a HGV in todays cut and thrust driving conditions. You are right folks that swing in infront of an already fully braked HGV should not be on the road. Most of us has a self preservation mode. Some, alas, do not.

It becomes your responsibility to protect these people from both themselves and you.

!st comment aside, I am sure you have every right to be miffed.;)

mikey72

Conor wrote: »

A few questions jfinnie, can you tell me why car drivers seem to think I can stop 44 tonnes of lorry in the same distance as a car, why they think I should have to let them out at the end of an entry sliproad and how I'm supposed to get 53ft of vehicle into a factory entrance when they've parked right up to it, despite the double yellow lines AND why car drivers think it's OK to park in marked loading bays in a town?

I just go off the fact you drive 3 inches from my bumper on the motorway, so I hope you can stop as fast as me.:rotfl:

mbs1

mikey72 wrote: »

I just go off the fact you drive 3 inches from my bumper on the motorway, so I hope you can stop as fast as me.:rotfl:

Maybe you need to speed up then, Lorries do 56mph if your doing 55mph it would take ages to overtake you so therefore he sits behind waiting for you to pull off at a junction ( not that sort of pulling off) or decide to put your right foot down a bit as the car can do 70 on a m/way....

Back to the OP, id say take the course, maybe the car was in the blindspot, but if it cam to where the lanes go from 2 to 1 and the car was still there what would the lorry driver do, stop in the fast lane?