This afternoon travelling south on the A12 I got stuck behind an artic trying to overtake another at the standard 55ish, you know the thing, one inches ahead of the other then the first one inches back.
Without getting into the pros and cons of HGV's and their drivers I had plenty of time to consider whether I could claim the record for being stuck behind them.
It took the overtaking HGV EIGHTEEN miles to complete the move.
Therefore, Backroomers, I throw down the challenge, have I the record, or can you beat that??
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So that's what they do when they aren't Murdering Hitch Hikers or, more likely, sitting in laybys having a W*** ? (the one's I know anyway )
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Dan
Just so you know, I have complained to Martin about your very offensive post.
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But Alan, I thought he meant "wash" What did you think?
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Dan
Why would they sit in lay-by's having a wash?
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Well at least the guy you know does it in the layby. I fondly remember a school trip many years ago - Our coach overtook, considerably slowly I might add, a lorry on the M6. Those directly at the front of the coach quickly spotted that Mr Lorry driver had a rude looking magazine spread out over the steering wheel and was erm, having a "wash". Of course a coach full of young teenage boys was not going to let this one lie - the news spread down the coach in about 3 seconds and those at the front moved towards the back making shall we say rude gestures at said lorry driver. The lorry driver stuck two fingers up at us and, suitably and justifiably embarrassed, drew the curtain over his side window.
Course that didn't stop all of us making more apt gestures out the back of the coach window once we'd passed him :) It was just a shame we hit an incline at that point and the bus didn't pull away very quickly.
Can you imagine him explaining that one to the officer who pulled him over for swerving?
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Sorry Alan,
I am a new visitor to this site, I was only referring to a Lorry driver I know - I did not want to cause offence to anyone - it was a joke.
The more serious side to this post is the danger caused by limiting devices on HGVs which I believe can lead to drivers falling asleep at the wheel because they have so little control over their lorry on the motorway, something I would like to see changed. The limiters do nothing for safety.
Dan
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Hi Dan
I am an ex long distance driver and still hold my LGV licence. Are you saying the lorry driver you know murders hitchhikers?
I was on the road when Peter Sutcliffe was up to his evil ways. For quite a time during that enquiry the police suspected a long distance lorry driver. All the lads I knew doing the job at the time did not want to go anywhere near Sheffield. It was not a nice time to be doing the job.
I had just come home from the pub last night when I read your post, I did find it offensive, but apology accepted.
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Dan - It seems like *you* can certainly claim a record, namely for the swiftness with which you, as a new visitor, appear to have earned a yellow card.
Surely the more serious side of this post is that, irrespective of the pros and cons of limiters, for something in excess of 20 minutes, the "overtaker" was not clever enough to give up the overtaking bid, and the "overtaken" (I use the terms in inverted commas loosely) was not clever enough to ease up enough to make it slightly easier for the "overtaker" to complete the move.
Echoes of the recent post concerning slow moving vehicles, and lack of consideration for other road users surely, assuming from details of the road and time of day concerned that Cockle was part of a queue of more than one?
Cockle, out of interest and having been held up for 20 minutes or so, did you to take any more specific action after the event, like contacting the "overtaker's" company with the details, or even asking the local constabulary to follow up with a few words in the driver's shell-like? It would be revealing to know what other Back Roomers feel since, in the circumstances, it is hardly likely that company disciplinary action or legal charges would have resulted, but the "overtaker"ight have learned a lesson.
Jack
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N1 - cape town to johannesburg. climbing lane. large HGV overtaking another one. 35 minutes to get past. Max speed up the hill, about 10km/h. total distance travelled - about 3 kilometres...
length of tailback - about six kilometres!
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Asterisks are banned as we are all intelligent enough, with the exception of our multiple persona Eastern Block Vehicle fan, to understand what you are on about.
Guy (previously yellow carded for minor obscenities!)
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On the A17 a couple of years ago I witnessed a Turner's artic overtaking with an aggressiveness and lack of regard for other road users that I found hard to believe. Other vehicles - on both sides of the road - were forced to swerve to avoid being mowed down.
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what about the french idea of making hgv's stay in the inside lane on up hill sections.
it works a treat over there.
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Mike,
Some roads in UK have HGV crawler lanes. The A55 at St Asaph has two lanes down and three lanes up the loooooooong hill at Rhuallt
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Cockle
Where did you find an 18 mile stretch of the A12 where the traffic was moving?
Chelmsford-Colchester, surely not, although the Witham roadworks have gone, thank goodness?
Is the 2 lane stretch Hatfield Peverel-Marks Tey as much as 18 miles?
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Cockle,
That's what hapens when speed limiters get fitted.
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Well it seems I have to yield the record to ian(capetown) on time but still looks like I'm in front on distance, perhaps we need two divisions.
Brian, it was from just south of Colchester, as it was about 14:45 the traffic was moving, I know it's difficult to believe but it's true!!
The roadworks have gone from Hatfield Peverel, thank God, and with the new section of the A130 open I have actually made Colchester to Southend in under the hour, I'm still recovering from the shock of that one!
I could have passed in the three lane section at Hatfield Peverel but I was in no hurry and the lads in the back were running a book on how long the overtake would last so we sat behind just to see, it was one of 'those' afternoons when nothing seemed to matter over much.
Accept the points about speed limiters and the mental capacity of the drivers involved, though I think it is unwise to generalise about HGV drivers, can you imagine what it would be like if some of the car drivers we see on the roads had to drive governed vehicles. On second thoughts I'd rather not, I like to sleep at night.
Union Jack, I must admit calling the company or the Bill didn't cross my mind at the time but like you I doubt anything would have come of it.
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