The bigger the vehicle

[User]

 

[Rhythm Thief]

They are, in many cases. As a car driver, I'm liable to a maximum £1 000 fine if I'm caught on a mobile phone and choose to contest it in court: as an HGV driver, that goes up to £2 500. Most offences are dealt with on the basis that "you professional drivers should know better". The 40 mph HGV limit is generally an exception to this - in fact, I know of drivers who've been pulled over and asked "why so slow, driver?" - but that's because it's an absurdly outdated limit which just causes frustration and misery in those following. And I speak as one of the few lorry drivers who always obeys it.
Your comment about 4x4 drivers, incidentally, is meaningless without statistics to back it up and points to your own prejudices more than anything else. Oh, and I knew the speed limit for vans.

 

[mr_cellophane]

I disagree on the A128 the huge lorries heading for Tilbury give me loads of room and the cars don't.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWDmSOSMW4g

 

[Rhythm Thief]

possibly on trunk roads, but I never cycle on trunk roads. I try to stick to the B and unclassified roads, and the lorries (particularly the loggers) that drive on their speed limiters are an utter menace.

I won't disagree with you there. 40 is often too fast on roads smaller than A roads. But I think most of us drive at a sensible speed on B roads, although as you've noticed, you do see occasional nutters hammering along on teh limiter regardless of road conditions.

And please don't put me down as anti HGV, I was an owner driver for quite a few years and often think of semi retiring and getting a part time job driving artics, guess things have changed quite a bit, 32 ton was max weight when I was last driving with very basic cabs,. guess its all fancy semi automatic gear boxes and air conditioned luxury accommodation now!

It's still quite a fun job - I still enjoy it after eleven years - but there are more automatic gearboxes around these days. Personally, give me an ERF E series with the Cummins engine and an Eaton twin split 'box and you can keep all your fancy modern trucks ...

 

[subaqua]

It's still quite a fun job - I still enjoy it after eleven years - but there are more automatic gearboxes around these days. Personally, give me an ERF E series with the Cummins engine and an Eaton twin split 'box and you can keep all your fancy modern trucks ...

I learnt in a scania 79 with a crashbox. you learnt to drive a HGV properly with one of them

 

[John the Monkey]

Obviously folk's experiences are different, but I've found the drivers of larger LGVs to be considerate & skilled - far better in general at reading the road ahead than many other road users. Smaller LGVs are more of a lottery (although the local drivers from Mornflake, who I see a lot, are excellent). Transits, and other vans - yep, agreed, in general.

 

[Coco]

Obviously folk's experiences are different, but I've found the drivers of larger LGVs to be considerate & skilled - far better in general at reading the road ahead than many other road users.   Smaller LGVs are more of a lottery (although the local drivers from Mornflake, who I see a lot, are excellent).  Transits, and other vans - yep, agreed, in general.

+1 HGV drivers seem to give me a lot more room than most cars. I seem to be invisible to most taxis these days though.

 

[snorri]

What Coco said

 

[mr_cellophane]

Disagree with who ?

Well you obviously !

 

[mr_cellophane]

I don't get your connection, what are you disagreeing with me?

The title of this thread, or don't you remember what you typed ?

The bigger the vehicle the less care that is shown

 

[jagman]

Personally, give me an ERF E series with the Cummins engine and an Eaton twin split 'box and you can keep all your fancy modern trucks ...

Totally agree, I was weened on this drive line....

The worst offenders I find when out on my bike are young drivers who think it's funny to get as close as they can then yell abuse out of their window before speeding off.
Then it's taxi's, white van man and buses, never had a problem with HGV,s.