Does profit come before lives?

[pdq1]

HGV speed limit to be raised

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20268743

[Prudie]

The damage done by an HGV at 50mph is probably no different to 40mph. When do they stick to 40 anyway?

[Graham-W]

Who will make a profit from it?
The HGVs will use more fuel by going faster.
Frustrated car drivers stuck behind them and taking chances to get past will be reduced, making the roads safer.
Trafic will flow more freely, and that can only be a good thing.

[douglas9401]

"When do they stick to 40 anyway?"

When they sport the logo of Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Howdens etc etc.........while travelling on single carriageways.

Hope this helps.

[Baldric]

I drove down the Thanet Way earlier and all the HGVs, Mostly foreign, in the L/hand lane were doing 70 anyway, had to toe it to get past them!

[Prudie]

Really douglas? I will take note in future although that sounds a bit idealistic.

[douglas9401]

I trundle behind any given one of them (and others) twice a week between Livingston and Inverness on the A9 Prudie.
With 180 lay-bys from Perth northwards they pull in regularly to allow others to pass.

[flump1]

The HGV drivers will be able to use the roads to keep pace with traffic instead of holding it up.

[Prudie]

Maybe they're better behaved in Scotland.

[douglas9401]

The A9 doesn't start at Livingston btw. :)

[boxtops]

.... no doubt to catch the ferry before the weekend, baldric :-)

[Prudie]

I occasionally travel from Edinburgh to Stirling, I think I use the A9 then, would I?

[Baldric]

Sure it was boxy, used to be based in Port Ramsgate, Friday night was chaos.

[Hopkirk]

Actually Graham, the HGVs won't use extra fuel going faster - probably a bit less. The most economical speed to cruise at is about 50 - 52

[SpikeyBush]

Prudie & Douglas, the Asda lorries I get stuck behind between Moira and Antrim stick to 40mph on the dot. Problem is that sticking to the speed limit alone does not make you a safe driver. You need good observational skills and to recognise when the speed limit is wrong (ie too high). Regardless of what you're driving, surely it is better not to crash in the first place rather than to just crash more slowly more often because you're not looking where you're going or taking into account the conditions?

And in my opinion a lot of speed limits are too low as well, making people poo poo them.

[SeaJayPea]

Sorry, where in that article does it say that the HGV speed limit is to be raised?

All it says is that there is to be consultation on it. There is consultation going on all the time on any number of matters that never happen. And this will probably be another.

[pdq1]

Lack of ignorance on this subject. All HGVs and coaches are fitted with speed limiters and unless they've been interfered with will stop any speeding.

[New Judge]

Not where a lower speed limit applies to a specific class of vehicle it will not, pdq. Most large HGVs are governed (by a mechanical device) to 56mph. They may travel at 60mph only on motorways. On other dual carriageways their limit is 50mph and on single carriageway roads it is 40mph. On these latter two road types the mechanical governor will not prevent speeding.

[Graham-W]

^
^
"Lack of ignorance on this subject."

LOL

[TWR]

A HGV will use less fuel if the limit was raised, by doing this the driver is not changing gear as often, when the speed was 60 on Motorways you did not see the nose to tail like you see today & in turn putting the driver in a self inflicted dangerous position, for unknown few out there, its not the driver trying to wind you up by sticking to 40 on A>>B Roads, what that driver is doing is looking after his license! without this his job ceases to exist, thanks to the idiots in Brussels there will be continuous build ups of HGVs on the Motorway & coaches that were allowed to use the outside lane, now restricted to the indside & the overtalking lanes only " unless controlled otherwise".

[pdq1]

///driver is doing is looking after his license! without this his job ceases to exist///

I agree with that TWR. I once did over 100,000 miles a year and not once did I see a HGV or coach driver use the outside lane on the motorway.