Maniacal HGV driver

[Alex D]

Was nearly involved (sort of) in a head on crash on the way home from college this afternoon.

I was slowing down to turn left off a main road and onto the road to the village where I live. A van was waiting to turn right at the junction. He sees me slowing and indicating so pulls out. wagon driver behind me decides to overtake instead of slowing down behind me and nearly goes ploughing into the van. ABS on the truck going like the clappers. How he didn't see the van pulling out I cannot fathom.

The standard of driving these days is shocking. Especially from a 'professional' driver.

[AndyN01]

Sorry to hear about this and glad to know that you & the van driver are OK.

Sadly, IMHO, the standards of most things is falling at a dramatic rate and driving is somewhere near the top.

It's no excuse but I wonder what pressures the driver is under to meet targets/delivery times etc. etc.

A phrase I've heard and used is:

"If you want someone to make mistakes, put them under a tight time deadline"

Alternatively the driver could just be thinking "I'm big and you're little so you WILL give way and if there's a collision I'm high up in something very heavy so I'm unlikely to get badly hurt."

[Alex D]

Yes drivers are certainly put under a lot of pressure to meet deadlines. My dad is a lorry driver and has told me about the crazy amount of work he sometimes has to do. Doesn't help that some of places reject the goods if you arrive after your delivery slot.

As this happened on a Friday afternoon not far away from the haulage company's yard my guess is that the driver just wanted to get home for the weekend or was running out of time on his tacho. Still no excuse though.

[Rev Jules]

That van should never have made that turn until you have actually done so. if I am at a junction and a car indicates too turn left, then I will make sure he has done so.

Rev

[Phil th Barrow]

Yes... in this over consuming world and when people must av th newest fad yesterday corners will be sadly cutt. Can th consumer pay that little extra so safety is applied for all??

Saw this on th back of a lorry th other day. "If you don't like trucks, stop buying stuff".

Th high way code says.

167
DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example

approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road.

Im glad everyone is ok.

[Snetty]

Originally Posted by Phil th Barrow

Yes... in this over consuming world and when people must av th newest fad yesterday corners will be sadly cutt. Can th consumer pay that little extra so safety is applied for all??

The driver in question made a split second decision and got it wrong thankfully everyone around him came to no harm. Whether he considered the risks or regretted that decision are debatable.
The question of pressure to meet a deadline should not be an issue, as it is far better to be late than never arrive at all. The point of consumers paying a little more is fanciful because unfortunately extra money wouldn't make a poor driver have any more consideration for those around them.
Driving a truck is a thankless task.

[GJ53 DGO]

Originally Posted by AndyN01

Sorry to hear about this and glad to know that you & the van driver are OK.

Sadly, IMHO, the standards of most things is falling at a dramatic rate and driving is somewhere near the top.

It's no excuse but I wonder what pressures the driver is under to meet targets/delivery times etc. etc.

A phrase I've heard and used is:

"If you want someone to make mistakes, put them under a tight time deadline"

Alternatively the driver could just be thinking "I'm big and you're little so you WILL give way and if there's a collision I'm high up in something very heavy so I'm unlikely to get badly hurt."

Or alternatively could be thinking 'as I am on the main road it is my right of way therefor the van pulling out from the side road ought to stay where he is' While there will always be the proverbial 'bad egg' in any industry, I feel that the roads would be a lot safer if upon passing a car test every driver was made to take a lesson in a loaded truck to see the issues we HGV drivers have and hopefully in the majority of cases it would open car drivers eyes to the issues we face daily on the roads.

[AndyN01]

Originally Posted by GJ53 DGO

...... I feel that the roads would be a lot safer if upon passing a car test every driver was made to take a lesson in a loaded truck to see the issues we HGV drivers have and hopefully in the majority of cases it would open car drivers eyes to the issues we face daily on the roads.

Can I add go onto 2 wheels, both bicycle and motorbike........

[Avulon]

Originally Posted by GJ53 DGO

Or alternatively could be thinking 'as I am on the main road it is my right of way therefor the van pulling out from the side road ought to stay where he is' While there will always be the proverbial 'bad egg' in any industry, I feel that the roads would be a lot safer if upon passing a car test every driver was made to take a lesson in a loaded truck to see the issues we HGV drivers have and hopefully in the majority of cases it would open car drivers eyes to the issues we face daily on the roads.

#




Well if that's what he's thinking then he's not entirely correct. He's overtaking immediately before a junction. There's a vehicle waiting to emerge from the junction and the vehicle in front of him is indicating to turn left and slowing down. What does he think will happen? If he's supposed to be a 'professional' or at least experienced driver there is no way he'd contemplate the risk of overtaking in such a dangerous spot. I'm not sure if that's what you meant when you mention 'bad egg' .
Most car drivers would benefit from both large vehicle driving and motorcycle experience.

Originally Posted by AndyN01

Can I add go onto 2 wheels, both bicycle and motorbike........

Absolutely.

[GJ53 DGO]

Originally Posted by Avulon

Well if that's what he's thinking then he's not entirely correct. He's overtaking immediately before a junction. There's a vehicle waiting to emerge from the junction and the vehicle in front of him is indicating to turn left and slowing down. What does he think will happen? If he's supposed to be a 'professional' or at least experienced driver there is no way he'd contemplate the risk of overtaking in such a dangerous spot. I'm not sure if that's what you meant when you mention 'bad egg' .
Most car drivers would benefit from both large vehicle driving and motorcycle experience.

I think the HGV drivers mistake was assuming the van driver was competent, it would have been perfectly safe to move around a slowing vehicle if everyone obeyed the rules of the road...ie not pull out in front of another vehicle from a minor road. We also don't know how much warning the OP gave, all to often people use indicators as something to tell other road users they know they are turning NOW and not putting them on early enough to give people chance to ease off, increase gaps and travel smoothly which to any HGV is important for both the vehicle and the fuel consumption! 2 miles to the litre when cruising for mine....when having to accelerate 44tonnes I daren't contemplate.