Any - HGV Tractor Unit

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Sun 18 Dec 2022 22:26
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - mcb100
Tutting to myself, I followed an HGV tractor unit (no trailer attached) along lane 3 of the M56 for a couple of miles one day last week. Speed 70mph.
It now seems that if it’s under 7.5 tonnes then it’s allowed in the outside lane and has no need of a speed limiter.
Can anyone offer the definitive position on this?
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Mon 19 Dec 2022 00:44
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - edlithgow
Tutting to myself, I followed an HGV tractor unit (no trailer attached) along lane 3 of the M56 for a couple of miles one day last week. Speed 70mph. It now seems that if it’s under 7.5 tonnes then it’s allowed in the outside lane and has no need of a speed limiter. Can anyone offer the definitive position on this?

Behind it, slipstreaming.

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 05:58
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - badbusdriver
Tutting to myself, I followed an HGV tractor unit (no trailer attached) along lane 3 of the M56 for a couple of miles one day last week. Speed 70mph. It now seems that if it’s under 7.5 tonnes then it’s allowed in the outside lane and has no need of a speed limiter. Can anyone offer the definitive position on this?

Behind it, slipstreaming.

:-)

I believe they are legally allowed to do 60mph (up to 7.5t can do 70mph assuming not articulated or towing a trailer) on a motorway, but I think modern trucks and tractor units are usually limited to 56mph (90kmh). Older ones should still be limited, probably 60 or 62mph, though my own experience of limiters in buses suggests that some may allow a bit more leeway than others. And of course the limiters in some others may not be working at all, and I have experienced that in a bus too!.

AFAIK, they are not allowed in lane 3, but if it was doing the 70mph limit (i.e, not holding you up if you are abiding by the law), I'm not sure why it would have been bothering you?.

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 06:45
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - edlithgow

Seems a bit of a waste of power/weight ratio, which I imagine would be quite impressive, though the gearing (not to mention the aerodynamics, cos I already sort-of-have) may not allow it to be fully exploited.

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 06:51
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - gordonbennet

Unless it was seriously old, ie a preserved vehicle then it should have been limited to 90kph.

Modern 3 axle tractor units weigh more than 7.5 tons anyway, for most hgv restrictions the weights noted on the restriction almost always refer to GVW, which in the case of the tractor unit runing solo would typically be 24 tons, obviously much higher combination max weight if a trailer attached....this is what catches many out on weight restricted bridges, if the bridge lorry restriction is 18 tons and an empty artic weighs 15 tons it still can't cross because the GVW of the whole vehicle is way above 18t.

Its not just solo tractors, i see full sized artics in the outside lane of 3 lane motorways every day, (including narrow lanes with a max width limit of 6'6" in roadworks), most regular for this is the 50mph Newport Sth Wales section of M4....the reason is the same as for so much that makes driving unpleasant these days, no traffic police, however in mitigation when the middle lane hoggers in this section trundle along at 36mph in their little hatchback (it always is) oblivious to the rolling road block they are causing then you can see why some resort to the third lane.

Interesting thing about the legal 60mph speed limit for lorries, yes its still the case but if your vehicle is limited to 55/56 the chances are the tacho will trigger overspeed warnings if you let it run for half a mile downhill at say 58mph, whether the DVSA will take action if you trigger enough overspeeds is debatable (dare say much depends on the attitude test should you be pulled, same as the old bill) but many operators take overspeeds seriously and if you get more than the odd few you can expect disciplinary procedures, especially if you allow it to creep above 60.

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 07:49
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - mcb100
‘ FAIK, they are not allowed in lane 3, but if it was doing the 70mph limit (i.e, not holding you up if you are abiding by the law), I'm not sure why it would have been bothering you?.’

No suggestion in my post that it was holding me up, merely mild irritation (at the time) that it shouldn’t have been there. Now I’m not sure.

Can something only be wrong/immoral/illegal/indignation causing if it directly affects you?

Edited by mcb100 on 19/12/2022 at 08:16

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 11:24
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - edlithgow
Can something only be wrong/immoral/illegal/indignation causing if it directly affects you?

Wrong question(s)

The right question(s) would be Should something be wrong/immoral/illegal/indignation causing if it doesn't adversely affect anybody?

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 08:50
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - RT

Depends on it's first registration date - from 2007, goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes must be fitted with a 56 mph limiter - but is the HGV tractor alone a goods vehicle, as it can't itself carry goods.

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 09:32
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - Sofa Spud

If the lanes of a 3-lane motorway are marked to divide traffic flows - for example if the inside lane peels off at the next junction, then lane 3 is really 'lane 2' of the continuing main motorway and thus HGVs are presumably allowed to use it.

A solo artic tractor unit is a goods vehicle as its main purpose is to pull a semi-trailer. The '5th wheel' coupling on the tractor unit carries a considerable portion of the weight of the trailer and its load.

Arguably, a ballasted tractor that hauls a separate trailer, as is the case with some fairground transport or with super heavy haulage, might not technically be a goods vehicle!

Edited by Sofa Spud on 19/12/2022 at 09:41

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Mon 19 Dec 2022 12:02
Any - HGV Tractor Unit - RT

If the lanes of a 3-lane motorway are marked to divide traffic flows - for example if the inside lane peels off at the next junction, then lane 3 is really 'lane 2' of the continuing main motorway and thus HGVs are presumably allowed to use it.

A solo artic tractor unit is a goods vehicle as its main purpose is to pull a semi-trailer. The '5th wheel' coupling on the tractor unit carries a considerable portion of the weight of the trailer and its load.

Arguably, a ballasted tractor that hauls a separate trailer, as is the case with some fairground transport or with super heavy haulage, might not technically be a goods vehicle!

Yes - trailers and vehicles subject to a 56 mph limiter are banned from the outside lane of motorways with 3 or more lanes - the count doesn't include lane drop or lane gain at a junction nor lanes temporarily closed. The ban doesn't apply to ordinary dual-carriageways, a few of which have 3 or 4 lanes.

Fairground vehicles have a lot of exemptions, including being allowed to tow more than one trailer.

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