HGVs in the outside lane - Is this allowed?

Pyscho_Si · 12 Jul 2018 at 17:52

Just curious if the tractor unit is allowed to do this when not pulling a trailer?

This was on the M6 NB within the roadworks with the 50MPH limit near Stoke

180702_205500_091_HI_34314 by Northern_Si, on Flickr

BUDFORCE · 12 Jul 2018 at 18:07

You should leave more braking distance

shauncr91 · 12 Jul 2018 at 18:20

Not unless the motorway has a lane closure which causes it to go down to 2 lanes, or he's overtaking an abnormal vehicle/wide load on the motorway and can use the lane safely.

Also increase your braking distance.

VincentHanna · 12 Jul 2018 at 18:41

They are right...2 chevron rule means 3 actual chevrons

Pyscho_Si · 12 Jul 2018 at 18:43

BUDFORCE said:
You should leave more braking distance

I was already pulling out when he pulled out without notice. The actual video shows me backing off.

[TW]Fox · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:17

Is there no end to the excitement the dashcam squad like to capture?

shauncr91 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:20

[TW]Fox said:
Is there no end to the excitement the dashcam squad like to capture?

A lot just need to get a life. "oooh can't wait to whip out the SD card and upload THAT moment". Losers.

geekman · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:23

He's not supposed to, but was probably frustrated with the endless stream of morons alternating between 43-51-47-42-46MPH every 2 seconds, along with braking every time they see the average speed cameras. I'd explode if I had to deal with that all day.

BUDFORCE · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:35

You can drive as fast as you like just leave appropriate breaking distance.

* The above advice is not official, please don't break the law.

Dav4 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:37

Seeing more and more bad driving from hgv drivers lately on my daily motorway commute. On a daily basis I see them in the middle and even the outside lanes trying to get past others which takes them forever meaning everyone in the outside lane slows to 50 while they wait for them to get past. Also seen plenty of aggressive tailgating from them.
I thought they were meant to be limited to 50 :confused:

there is no way that’s the case I regularly see them doing what must be around 70.

shauncr91 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:42

Dav4 said:
Seeing more and more bad driving from hgv drivers lately on my daily motorway commute. On a daily basis I see them in the middle and even the outside lanes trying to get past others which takes them forever meaning everyone in the outside lane slows to 50 while they wait for them to get past. Also seen plenty of aggressive tailgating from them.
I thought they were meant to be limited to 50 there is no way that’s the case I regularly see them doing what must be around 70.

You don't know what you're talking about.

Dav4 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:43

shauncr91 said:
You don't know what you're talking about.

Why is that then :confused:

I know what I see on a daily basis

paradigm · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:47

Dav4 said:
Why is that then I know what I see on a daily basis

Well firstly they are limited to 56MPH, secondly, how else do you expect them to overtake something else limited to a similar speed, it’s never going to be a swift pass is it?

Nasher · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:48

Plenty of room in the left lane

Dav4 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:51

paradigm said:
Well firstly they are limited to 56MPH, secondly, how else do you expect them to overtake something else limited to a similar speed, it’s never going to be a swift pass is it?

And there’s no way that speed limit can be changed? I’ve been tailgating doing 50ish countless times and overtaken by them and it sure seems too quick for 56mph. Same with loads of company and parcel delivery transit vans that sometimes have stickers on the back saying limited to 60 or 70mph when all I ever see is them in the outside lane keeping up with everyone who are easily doing 80+

Ryan-3 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:51

The vast majority of HGV drivers I see are fine. Some on the other hand must want to do 60 on a constant basis, getting as close as possible to the car ahead of them until they can go round. Standards of the car drivers are a lot lower, usually with gaps to the car ahead like in the OP, no ability to read ahead and the reactions of a dead sloth.

shauncr91 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:51

Dav4 said:
Why is that then I know what I see on a daily basis

For a start, EU law dictates that HGV speed limiters are set at 56mph/90kph, in England the NSL for trucks is as follows:
Single carriageway: 50mph
Dual-Carriageway: 60mph
Motorway: 60mph

UK law is that a HGV can travel at up to 60mph legally, hence why we'll often let the trucks use weight and gravity to overrun on downhills as it means we can overtake quickly and make up ground. While I'll happily admit there are plenty of bent firms out there running with overrides for the speed limiters, these are few and far between and definitely not so stupid as to cruise along at 70mph in the outside lane.

Also you don't see trucks in the outside lane on a daily basis, I drive up and down motorways as a HGV driver and haven't seen anyone ILLEGALY in the outside lane in over a year.

Dav4 said:
And there’s no way that speed limit can be changed? I’ve been tailgating doing 50ish countless times and overtaken by them and it sure seems too quick for 56mph. Same with loads of company and parcel delivery transit vans that sometimes have stickers on the back saying limited to 60 or 70mph when all I ever see is them in the outside lane keeping up with everyone who are easily doing 80+

It's not just a switch you know, the speed limiters are wired in with the tachograph systems and are complicated to override, if it was that easy we'd all be doing it. And trust me your local DPD/FedEx isn't running dodgy limiters.

Dav4 · 12 Jul 2018 at 19:59

shauncr91 said:
For a start, EU law dictates that HGV speed limiters are set at 56mph/90kph, in England the NSL for trucks is as follows:
Single carriageway: 50mph
Dual-Carriageway: 60mph
Motorway: 60mph

Also you don't see trucks in the outside lane on a daily basis, I drive up and down motorways as a HGV driver and haven't seen anyone ILLEGALY in the outside lane in over a year.

If they can do 60 on motorways then that explains it. I thought they were limited to 50.

I wish I had a dash cam for proof because I’ve seen it twice in the last few weeks on the m53. Although there does tend to be a fair few foreign plated hgv’s on that motorway

[TW]Fox · 12 Jul 2018 at 20:05

Dav4 said:
If they can do 60 on motorways then that explains it. I thought they were limited to 50.

Presumably you feel reading the highway code is optional?

I wish I had a dash cam

A common theme amongst those who think the HC is optional

Dav4 · 12 Jul 2018 at 20:10

[TW]Fox said:
Presumably you feel reading the highway code is optional?

A common theme amongst those who think the HC is optional

Who reads the Highway Code once they have passed there test? Sorry I had forgotten how fast a hgv can travel I didn’t feel it was important to remember seems as I am never going to drive one.