Do escort vehicles have the power to force others off the road

[johnnyb47]

Hi,Where I live we get a lot of wide load trucks coming through.There mostly carrying static caravans and heavy machinery..It goes without saying you should always give them a wide berth and never attempt to overtake one and just be patient and wait.
Lately though I've noticed a new tactic by the escort vehicles that usually travel in front of them.On a few occasions now the vehicle's have been a good 500 metres (possibly more) ahead with it's lights blazing away, and whilst traveling the opposite direction these vehicles deliberately veer into oncoming traffic forcing them to swerve out of the way whilst the wide load is still a massive long way back down the long straight stretch of road.
I personally think this is an accident waiting to happen.A driver that can see an escort van with all lights blazing coming towards them is obviously being made aware of the hazard ahead.Being forced to take evasive action by the escort vehicle playing "chicken" is only going to end in a bad way.
Do these escort vehicles have the right to veer across the roads in front of on coming traffic doing 40/50mph.
The jury is out as I'm not sure to be honest

 

[Slick]

No.

What they are trying to do is let you know how much room the wide load requires, so you will slow down and pull into the side.

It might feel aggressive, but it shouldn't be.

 

[Drago]

No.

The antics you describe could be construed as dangerous driving. They have no lawful authority to drive in anything other than the law abiding, careful and competent manner expected of any other driver.

I can see why they do it, but the bottom line is they shouldn't be.

 

[johnnyb47]

Hi Drago,
What you say is to my understanding to be honest.
If there was a head on collision surely the escort vehicle would be to blame for coming into the oncoming path. There flashing lights should be all that's needed to warn of what's ahead.

 

[Jameshow]

Are they needed for wide loads over 10ft/3m as some statics don't whilst others do - I'm guessing the 12ft ones you pay an extra £500 a week for!😥

 

[Drago]

If there was a head on collision surely the escort vehicle would be to blame for coming into the oncoming path.

Yes, they would be to blame. That they are escorting a wide load might be mitigation, but would in no way be a defence.

 

[DaveReading]

What they are trying to do is let you know how much room the wide load requires, so you will slow down and pull into the side.

If a load is so wide that it can't safely pass traffic travelling in the opposite direction without forcing it to stop, then it has no business being on the road.

 

[Slick]

If a load is so wide that it can't safely pass traffic travelling in the opposite direction without forcing it to stop, then it has no business being on the road.

Eh, that's the dictionary definition of why it needs an escort. The cops do the wind turbines on some of the tightest roads round here.

 

[T4tomo]

Eh, that's the dictionary definition of why it needs an escort. The cops do the wind turbines on some of the tightest roads round here.

Indeed and whilst it's more usual to see them clogging up 2 lanes of a motorway, they have to go somewhere at either end of said Mway.

 

[Jameshow]

If a load is so wide that it can't safely pass traffic travelling in the opposite direction without forcing it to stop, then it has no business being on the road.

Hope your enjoying the electricity used to powered your phone, computer, house, car etc because every power station will have a large non divisible parts which need to to moved to site with an escort ...

 

[DaveReading]

Hope your enjoying the electricity used to powered your phone, computer, house, car etc because every power station will have a large non divisible parts which need to to moved to site with an escort ...

Where did I say wide loads should be banned?

 

[Dogtrousers]

I got caught up with a wind turbine blade convoy in France. Fortunately I was coming from the ferry, not going to, so I just took the time to marvel at the size of the thing - rather than get stressed out about missing my ferry.

 

[the snail]

Where did I say wide loads should be banned? Straw man.

er you said they shouldn't be on the road. I suppose the alternative is to close the road completely to other traffic.

 

[DaveReading]

er you said they shouldn't be on the road. I suppose the alternative is to close the road completely to other traffic.

They shouldn't be on any given road where their presence (or the actions of the escort vehicle) presents a collision risk to oncoming traffic. See post #1.

 

[presta]

Advance notification is required, along with permission from the police before transporting abnormal loads, so presumably they decide what you can't do and must do on a case by case basis.

https://www.gov.uk/esdal-and-abnormal-loads
https://www.chrisbennett.co.uk/transporting-abnormal-loads-by-road/

The regulations seem quite vague, but then, since abnormal loads are going to differ widely by definition, they probably need that flexibility.