HGV warning

[imax]

Just a quick heads up for those that may not be aware.

From today (6 April 2015) HGV's can now do 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways. Be aware that a gap you may previously have pulled out in could be closing much faster than before.

[ChristoT]

Just a quick heads up for those that may not be aware.

From today (6 April 2015) HGV's can now do 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways. Be aware that a gap you may previously have pulled out in could be closing much faster than before.

Wait, what? I thought that was what they were ALREADY limited to? What were the old values?

[imax]

It was previously 40 and 50mph. The change in law is supposed to prevent drivers making dangerous overtakes out of frustration and also to reflect the advances in braking technology. 

[ChristoT]

It was previously 40 and 50mph. The change in law is supposed to prevent drivers making dangerous overtakes out of frustration and also to reflect the advances in braking technology.

Can't remember last seeing a lorry doing 50 on dual carriageways! 

Good heads up though!

[locksmith]

Trucks have been limited to 50mph???????? Is that for real?

[richfzs]

That's what the new limits are - but given that all trucks for years now have had to have speed limiters fitted (under eu law, set to 56mph), the only place you'll find them doing 60 is on a down hill drag where they know they can let it run on...

[unfazed]

It was previously 40 and 50mph. The change in law is supposed to prevent drivers making dangerous overtakes out of frustration and also to reflect the advances in braking technology.

Why don't they raise the limits for Bikes and cars by 10mph if this is the reasoning, strange logic

[chaz]

Vans have stayed the same 50mph on single carriageways 60mph on duel and 70mph on motorways, car based vans are the same as cars.

[sinto]

Just a quick heads up for those that may not be aware.

From today (6 April 2015) HGV's can now do 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways. Be aware that a gap you may previously have pulled out in could be closing much faster than before.

Where did you get this info imax?

I drive trucks for a living and it's never been discussed by anyone of authority,  only thing we know for sure is that hgv vehicles can now do 50mph on the A9 stretch from Stirling to Inverness as they have introduced average speed cameras, all be it, they were only meant to be doing 50mph on dual carriageways anyhow
And also on that point, I only do 40mph while in my truck on single carriageway carriageways and 50 on dual but there are plenty that pass me, not all of them safe, come to think of it, they are all breaking the law if they do pass me as I'm at correct speed. :-P

[chaz]

different in Scotland?                                         

  https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

[richfzs]

Where did you get this info imax?

sinto607276 it's here


https://movingon.blog.gov.uk/reminder-hgv-speed-limit-changes-in-england-and-wales/

[sinto]

Looked into this.......https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

Law is different for us in Scotland, we still have to do 40 on single carriageways and 50 mph on dual carriageways, but in England and Wales the law has changed to 50mph and 60 mph respectfully.

So I bow my hat to you imax :-)

[taylor]

does that still mean I can still undertake in my van at 100. lol when they sit there eating yorkie bars,

[sinto]

does that still mean I can still undertake in my van at 100. lol when they sit there eating yorkie bars,

Yes, but ONLY if they're eating Yorkie's!
I say that as I don't eat those lot

[taylor]

okay mate will keep me eyes peeled,

[limax2]

The new limits apply to HGV's in England and Wales. I was heavily involved in this when speed limiters were first made compulsory and were then initially set at 60 m.p.h. to be later reduced to 56 m.p.h. (90 kph). So now they can legally do 60 m.p.h. but at 56 m.p.h. the engine power is cut off unless the speed limiting device has been fiddled with. Result 56 on the level and taking ages to pass a similar truck, but yippee a legal 60 going down hill.

[sinto]

Trucks have been limited to 50mph???????? Is that for real?

Trucks are restricted!

[sinto]

Trucks have been limited to 50mph???????? Is that for real?

Trucks are restricted!

But it's not a uniform restriction, depends on company etc, our company for example restrict them to 54, Tesco owned, (not Stobbarts) I think are about 52 but the law says 60!


Unless your a tipper driver then apparently they are immune to the law! And even worse if you're truck has Irish plates on it!
Sorry,  was that a dig???

[limax2]

It is a EU ruling for speed limiters and is 90 Kph, which is near enough 56 mph. Operators can choose a lower limit for their truck if they wish but 60 mph setting for the limiter would be breaking the law.

[sinto]

It is a EU ruling for speed limiters and is 90 Kph, which is near enough 56 mph. Operators can choose a lower limit for their truck if they wish but 60 mph setting for the limiter would be breaking the law.

So how come highway code and UK government say max speed for trucks is 60 on motorways and not 56?
It's not an EU ruling, it's a EU directive, meaning that's what they'd like the individual countries to aim for. It's much the same within my line of work, EU says one thing but UK law says another, I deliver dangerous goods and as long as we don't go outside of UK, we don't need to worry about the EU directives. It is a pain trying to remember all the foccin different rules though!

[ChristoT]

So how come highway code and UK government say max speed for trucks is 60 on motorways and not 56?
It's not an EU ruling, it's a EU directive, meaning that's what they'd like the individual countries to aim for. It's much the same within my line of work, EU says one thing but UK law says another, I deliver dangerous goods and as long as we don't go outside of UK, we don't need to worry about the EU directives. It is a pain trying to remember all the foccin different rules though!

Because the EU are dicks, and we'd be better rid of them (the political union, at least. The EC made sense, the EU was foist upon us).

[sinto]

Because the EU are dicks, and we'd be better rid of them (the political union, at least. The EC made sense, the EU was foist upon us).

"here here" (in a sort of political sound) lol

Limax, I presume you drive a truck from your statements,  from what I gathered from asking some police friends, yes, someone has them;-) anyway....they say, "if you are going faster than the speed limiter you are actually freewheeling and therefor not in control of the vehicle and could be charged with such if you are involved in an incident and deemed to have caused it by not being in control of your vehicle"

[Dead Eye]

It was previously 40 and 50mph. The change in law is supposed to prevent drivers making dangerous overtakes out of frustration and also to reflect the advances in braking technology.

Why don't they raise the limits for Bikes and cars by 10mph if this is the reasoning, strange logic

The idea is to decrease the speed difference of the vehicles, not increase it

[sinto]

The idea is to decrease the speed difference of the vehicles, not increase it

+1

But it takes everyone to drive/ride at the actual speed limits for that to happen, and that won't happen I don't think :-P

[fazersharp]

Isnt the whole idea to make it easier for trucks to overtake each other quickly rather than blocking 2 lanes of a motorway for 3 miles while they slowly inch by