Me vs HGV (Was I 8n the wrong)?

[TBennet]

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

Agreed but,will the lorry driver also learn to moderate his reaction? Because I can guarantee that it won't be long before it happens again to someone spending their days on the roads full time.There is no doubt who was at fault but it certainly won't be a one off for that lorry driver and he needs to consider that for his own sanity.

If the lorry driver asks for input on this situation here, or anywhere else on the internet, I'm certain he would be advised accordingly.

Until that time though, from the point of view of the OP, (and therefore us forumites), the lorry driver and his attitude is best thought of as an obstacle, a factor to be taken into account, rather than a target for blame. We don't know him. He isn't here. There will be thousands more like him and for all practical purposes he doesn't exist. The key to driver improvement, even when you are virtually blameless is the question "what could I have done differently that would have avoided this near miss?". Forget what they could have done differently. How can I be better?

[Rogue]

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

Agreed but,will the lorry driver also learn to moderate his reaction? Because I can guarantee that it won't be long before it happens again to someone spending their days on the roads full time.There is no doubt who was at fault but it certainly won't be a one off for that lorry driver and he needs to consider that for his own sanity.

You don't have to spend full time on the roads for it to happen frequently to you. There is a notorious slip road coming from a shopping estate on the way to my fathers which i go to once a week and i would guess 30 - 40% of the times i am on the main carriageway a car just carries on pulling out into my lane even when there are cars in lane 2 giving me no where to go other than to brake sharply to avoid an accident and leaving me at risk of a vehicle behind me not reacting in time. It seems to be becoming a more common thing for entitled drivers to assume that cars on the carriageway should give way to them rather than they moderate their speed to filter into a gap. As i said this is a pet peeve for me for just this reason. I like to think i am a considerate driver and if there is clear space for me to move to lane 2 to allow a merging driver to join the carriageway i will do so without a 2nd thought however it is the responsibility of the merging vehicle to join in a manner that does not cause any vehicles on the main carriageway to have to manouvre to avoid them in any way!

I can understand any driver professional or not to get annoyed and in this case possibly more so as the OP presumably slowed once he had forced his way out. Any vitriol should really be aimed at the OP.

[starbug2]

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

Agreed but,will the lorry driver also learn to moderate his reaction? Because I can guarantee that it won't be long before it happens again to someone spending their days on the roads full time.There is no doubt who was at fault but it certainly won't be a one off for that lorry driver and he needs to consider that for his own sanity.

we all need to be mindful of others but we also need to follow the correct rules AND NOT PUSH INTO THE MAIN ROAD.. as traffic on may not be ableb to get out the way due to other traffic being in the way .while losing your coll isnt a good idea you can undestand it when countless other drvers try to force ,bully into the road focing the traffic on the road to have to get out the way or risk being ramed from behind due to heavy bracking etc,, i have seen this too many time and have no found view of such fock who keep doing it . they are never at fault are they6 in there minds but they cause much ....... problems on the road . i have seen it to ,many times and had drivers do many things they shouldn't.. to many blame lorries out of hand when its not there fault its the foolish drivers who think themselves better than everyone else.

[VVC-Geeza]

Originally Posted by starbug2

we all need to be mindful of others but we also need to follow the correct rules AND NOT PUSH INTO THE MAIN ROAD.. as traffic on may not be ableb to get out the way due to other traffic being in the way .while losing your coll isnt a good idea you can undestand it when countless other drvers try to force ,bully into the road focing the traffic on the road to have to get out the way or risk being ramed from behind due to heavy bracking etc,, i have seen this too many time and have no found view of such fock who keep doing it . they are never at fault are they6 in there minds but they cause much ....... problems on the road . i have seen it to ,many times and had drivers do many things they shouldn't.. to many blame lorries out of hand when its not there fault its the foolish drivers who think themselves better than everyone else.

I've never disputed where the fault lay but just feel that as the professionals on the road lorry drivers need to make allowances for entitled idiots and set a better example.Oh and not every lorry driver has perfect driving etiquette either

[stocktake]

Just to muddy the waters a little on this, the highway code states
"You should give priority to traffic already on the motorway" note the word should and not must. As a previous regulatory inspector I can tell you this makes a massive difference.

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/join...-motorway.html

Other areas of the highway code such as speed limits do in fact say "You Must"

I must admit as soon as I join a slipway I am looking straight away as to where I can join as opposed to leaving it to the last min, even then options are always changing

[Gate Keeper]

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

I've never disputed where the fault lay but just feel that as the professionals on the road lorry drivers need to make allowances for entitled idiots and set a better example.Oh and not every lorry driver has perfect driving etiquette either

Have you ever driven in Kenya. It can be challenging and I have learned to always give way to coaches, mini-buses and Arctics, often they are bigger and sometimes have trouble stopping because they are on a tight schedule or they have no brakes or poor braking.

I might well curse under my breath when faced with an Arctic coming at me head on. Some drivers think nothing of forcing you off the road. I wouldn’t give them fingers in case they were tooled up and wanted revenge, it’s never worth it.



Above, our main highway from the coast to Uganda with thousands of trucks travelling along the road night and day. I have had 2 trucks come at me head on forcing me off the road and into the bush. Sometimes bad driving becomes expected and to survive, I have learned to drive in an assertive way, not aggressive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[The Rovering Member]

As a lorry driver it often happens that people join a fast moving road far too slowly & without any form of consideration to the situation they are entering & before you know it they stick their cruise control on 52mph & that's them set while you're forced to overtake them to continue your progress.
When l see someone pootling down the slip road at 40 l'm most reluctant to make a leeway for them.

[MSS]

Originally Posted by stocktake

Just to muddy the waters a little on this, the highway code states
"You should give priority to traffic already on the motorway" note the word should and not must. As a previous regulatory inspector I can tell you this makes a massive difference.

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/join...-motorway.html

Other areas of the highway code such as speed limits do in fact say "You Must"

I must admit as soon as I join a slipway I am looking straight away as to where I can join as opposed to leaving it to the last min, even then options are always changing

The difference between "Must" and "Should" makes a huge difference in regulatory affairs, but not in terms of good advice which is much of the highway code.

The highway cannot really say to a driver that he must not kill himself by driving into an articulated lorry, but it can advise a driver that he/she should not as the consequences are likely to be terminal.

Also, if we wish to be pedantic, nowhere does the highway code say that a driver joining a motorway "May" or "Could" assume priority over traffic on the main carriageway.

[MSS]

Originally Posted by Rogue

...........It seems to be becoming a more common thing for entitled drivers to assume that cars on the carriageway should give way to them rather than they moderate their speed to filter into a gap. As i said this is a pet peeve for me for just this reason............

Likewise, I consider it awfully rude and entitled of drivers to push themselves into the safe distance that I have left in front of my car and then put their brakes on because there isn't enough space in front of them. The result is that I then have to break as does the traffic behind me. A case of absolute entitlement and bad manners.

[VVC-Geeza]

It's also worth mentioning the pressure felt from other vehicles (including lorries) behind you on the slip road approaching at a rate of Knot's applying 'encouragement ' to join the carriageway or not.A decision that needs to be made often in a couple of hundred yards.yes I know you shouldn't be intimidated but it all adds to the tension of the situation.