A very close shave the other day!

[Mickster]

On Tuesday morning, myself and a colleague were out on roadtest investigating engine noise under heavy load. Conveniently close by is the M62 motorway, which at one point has a very long uphill stretch, where we could keep the engine under a constant heavy load and switch between 6 microphones placed strategically, trying to pin down the source.

This is a heavily-used route, quite popular with HGV's transporting all sorts of goods north and south.

We came up behind a slow-moving HGV that appeared to be steel-bodied, something which would likely to be suitable for carrying construction aggregate. As we slowed to match speed, I, as passenger and wearing the headphones, noticed an increase in noise level and signalled my colleague to stay where we were.

We hadn't been behind this HGV for more that what seemed to be about 10 seconds, when my colleague reached for the hazard-light switch.

Instinctively, I looked in the door mirror and saw a rapidly-approaching 7.5 tonner.....

....which, luckily, passed both vehicles on the hard-shoulder (emergency lane) as if we were stood still!

It could have gone a few different ways:
We could have veered to the hard-shoulder and got creamed from behind, but possibly escaped.
We could have veered to the hard-shoulder and witnessed a terrible accident.
We could have been 'sandwiched' and that is the one which brings a bit of a shudder.

Just hope it gave him as much of a scare as it did us, and he pays more attention in future.

 

[HiTech]

First of all what's the acronym HGV stand for?
Secondly, here in the states if vehicles are traveling 45mph and under on a superhighway, four-way flashers are to be in operation to prevent such a scenario as yours. I take it the UK doesn't have a similar law in the motor vehicle code?

 

[Mickster]

HGV stands for Heavy Goods Vehicle.

Roughly some 20+ years ago, I got pulled over and verbally reprimanded for 'crawling' my own vehicle with the hazard lights (four-way flashers) on, due to only being able to select 1st gear. I was told that hazard-lights were only to be used for static vehicles. I'd thought that my situation could be deemed a 'hazard'.

As an aside though, when quickly approaching slow moving or standing traffic, motorists over here tend to hit the hazard lights to warn those behind.

 

[BrownOut]

In the US, we use the hazzard lights to alert other drivers if there is a cop checking for speeding. Of course, we can also get fined for doing so.

Glad you're OK!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

First of all what's the acronym HGV stand for?
Secondly, here in the states if vehicles are traveling 45mph and under on a superhighway, four-way flashers are to be in operation to prevent such a scenario as yours. I take it the UK doesn't have a similar law in the motor vehicle code?

As Mickster pointed out, using hazard lights while moving is an offence in the UK.

 

[bryan1]

HGV's around here must put out markers to close a lane as hazard lights aren't enough, driving up and down the southern expressway in my last job twice a day I did see often AGV's broken down and the markers placed out a per the rules say. If a trucker doesn't put out those markers the nazi cops will soon pounce and give the poor truckie a huge fine. Just imagine your doing 110K down a freeway and something blows on your vehicle, you move over to the slow lane, put the hazard lights on as you slow down to find a place to move off the road but a nazi cop is there to say YOU USED YOUR HAZARD LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING and your response is well I was advising the traffic I DO have a problem and to go around me so is that an offence.

NOTE: I am using the word 'nazi' in context as it does seem a policeman's job these days is to raise revenue for a 'nazi' government that has lost touch with the people and is hell bent on wrecking peoples lives with petty speeding fines. Also the term 'nazi' was used by a farmer friend who told me he HAD to pay $1,000 for every meter on the output of his dams. What he told me me was it isn't LAW yet but these 'bloody nazi cops' are trying to wreck my business.

 

[HiTech]

In the US, we use the hazzard lights to alert other drivers if there is a cop checking for speeding. Of course, we can also get fined for doing so.

Glad you're OK!

Not where I'm from nor any other state around me--- motorists flash their headlights to warn of a traffic officer lurking up ahead. And yes if caught doing that, a citation can be issued.

As for HGV, I wonder if that still applies to a 53' tractor-trailer hauling a full load of packaged cotton balls or fluffy toilet tissue?

 

[killivolt]

My time to tell a story. Just last week.

Not as bad I think but, you just never know. So, I'm in the middle lane, a lady who is distraught most likely do to the recent problems in Japan (I'm only assuming) maybe she's got a someone who she was worried about. My sympathy's.

Anyway's, I was in the blind spot, she came over suddenly; I could see the emending collision. Most likely would have sent me into oncoming traffic. All this at 40 miles per hr "I'm sorry" don't know what speed that is in your country.

So, I decided to dodge her moving to the inside lane, my car swerved once; then fish tailed back and forth almost rolling my vehicle, I kept the car under control but, it was a very close, near mis.

Most people would have lost it, possibly. Although, I have been driving under a lot of different circumstances since the age of 13. Dirt, wet, snow, you name it. Plus, some big rig.

I started driving more as a service Tech. I spent most of my time on the road about 20yrs all day driving. I have seen more than my fair share of things while on the road. I don't mis it.

Driving on the road is like a fight, you just never know when your going to get hit; if you can avoid it is the best option but, it comes with risk.

 

[audioguru]

In Canada we flash our high beams at oncoming traffic if we see a cop with a radar or laser speed detector.
We use our hazzard lights whenever we are a hazzard to other motorists if we are moving or not.

Cops with speed detectors are not Nazi. They help prevent the idiots who don't know how to drive fast from crashing into innocent people.

It was winter recently. The idiots slam on their brakes and slide into innocent people. I saw an idiot sliding down my street sideways and luckily he didn't hit anything. Of course he is Ch*****. They also drive too slow and drive at night with no lights.

 

[bryan1]

There was a report on speed camera's on tv the other night, in victoria they said the speed camera's were working but the death rate went up 12%. In some states they are going to abolish the 3K an hour grace limit to nothing, so if your car tyres are worn and you speed 1 K over the limit kiss goodbye to $500 or more. The report went on out of 15 blackspots in this state only 2 had speed cameras as the other 13 don't have heavy traffic they don't see putting a speed camera on them will be profitable. The report also stated that the UK in some places had got rid of speed camera's and the fatality rate had dropped. A Victorian cop got done by a speed camera in a cop car and she swore under oath she was doing 8K's an hour UNDER the speed limit. The magistrate said to the prosecution you better win this case or the ramifications will mean the courts will be blocked for years....... It does seem over here even if you get done by a faulty camera you are still guilty and there isn't any justice available to prove you are in the right.

The main source of $$$$$ is where they change the speed limit from 60K an hour to 50K an hour BUT don't put any signs up to let people know. Also a favorite place for them is just before an increase in the speed is shown. I do agree where there are blackspots and on the freeways speed camera's have their place but blanketing suburbia with them just to make $$$$$ out of people isn't democratic and the fact people have no right of appeal goes against everything that stands for in the western world.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

There was a report on speed camera's on tv the other night, in victoria they said the speed camera's were working but the death rate went up 12%. In some states they are going to abolish the 3K an hour grace limit to nothing, so if your car tyres are worn and you speed 1 K over the limit kiss goodbye to $500 or more. The report went on out of 15 blackspots in this state only 2 had speed cameras as the other 13 don't have heavy traffic they don't see putting a speed camera on them will be profitable. The report also stated that the UK in some places had got rid of speed camera's and the fatality rate had dropped.

In the UK it was 'claimed' that speed cameras weren't there to make money, but to save lifes, and they were only fitted at 'accident blackspots' - none of the ones round here seem to be in accident 'blackspots', and a classic case was down south were they fitted a speed camera where a man commited suicide jumping off a bridge, and there had never been any road traffic accidents.

In the UK trucks are fitted with goverment tested and sealed tachographs, these record speed, distance, time spent driving etc. and are regularly tested for accuracy by the government. A truck driver was pulled up for speeding years ago on handheld radar gun evidence, despite the fact his tachograph proved he wasn't. He appealed against the conviction and the case went to court, the prosecution produced an expert witness (an employee of the company who makes the guns) who gave evidence that the guns were 100% accurate and reliable, the truck driver produced the tachograph data, backed by the government department concerned who had double checked it was accurate. They even showed the usual video evidence of radar guns showing stationary objects speeding, but the judge found for the prosecution and the truck driver lost.

A few years back our local community police officer 'disappeared', when we saw him in the pub one night we asked him where he had gone, to be told he had been moved to police headquarters and placed on fixed speed camera processsing - at which he was sending out fines every week in the hundreds of thousands of pounds!! (and there were a number of other officers doing the same).

As suggested above, speed cameras tend to INCREASE accidents, you're not looking at the road, you're spending too much time looking at the speedometer instead.

 

[Mickster]

As suggested above, speed cameras tend to INCREASE accidents, you're not looking at the road, you're spending too much time looking at the speedometer instead.

Speeding idiots aside, they are a distraction to all other motorists for that particular resaon - even if you are keeping to the limit, the first thing you instictively do when seeing one is take your eyes off the road.

 

[audioguru]

I got caught by a speed camera. I asked for the photo and took it to court. I said to the judge, "Your honour, one of these cars is mine. But which car is speeding?" Case dismissed!

There is a red light camera near my home. Many cars get caught. I see it because the flash is very bright.

What is a "blackspot"?

 

[Reloadron]

The main source of $$$$$ is where they change the speed limit from 60K an hour to 50K an hour BUT don't put any signs up to let people know. Also a favorite place for them is just before an increase in the speed is shown. I do agree where there are blackspots and on the freeways speed camera's have their place but blanketing suburbia with them just to make $$$$$ out of people isn't democratic and the fact people have no right of appeal goes against everything that stands for in the western world.

Since we have evolved to speed cameras I have to agree they are little more than a money maker for the towns and municipalities around me. One local town around me actually got the damn things on the ballot and voted them out.

On another note and this was funny is when the City of Cleveland Ohio adopted them. They even had a forecast of projected revenue as they stressed "Safety Reasons". They had 12 or 13 city counsel members just looking forward to all that money. This was wonderful until the huge fight over where the initial 13 cameras would be placed. They were to be stationary. The high accident rate areas and areas where people tended to break the traffic laws were the inner city poor neighborhoods. Read into that the Ghetto and public housing areas. Suddenly those same council members who strongly supported the damn things had issues with them being in their wards / districts. It was OK for the poor to break the traffic laws, hell they couldn't afford the $100 USD fines anyway. The plan had to screw the wealthy tax paying citizens whose work required them to commute to the city. Look, common sense dictates if you are going to screw someone, screw someone with money. That is still a mess.

Ron

 

[killivolt]

The plan had to screw the wealthy tax paying citizens whose work required them to commute to the city. Look, common sense dictates if you are going to screw someone, screw someone with money. That is still a mess. Ron

Funny, this reminds me of something that occurred in a town in our County. A lawyer from out of town got off the freeway and came to town, we have what is known here as the I-15 corridor. It's kind of like the roads up in settle area as it's the main Trunk going North and South in the State.

Anyway he had to come through, why he stopped is anybody's reason. So, he runs a red light on the Main Street through the little town. Back then there were Big Trucks still hauling miscellaneous products as this same street was the road traveled by everyone before the Freeway was installed.

He came back to court to fight the ticket, he won. (He contended that the Traffic Light was to high, which on one hand allowed the Big Truck to pass beneath. However, from his BMW he could not see it as it was out of his normal line of site.)

He also filed a lawsuit against the little town and was awarded $500,000,00 for damages incurred to his character as well as loss of income in order to prove his innocence.

Moral of the story, it's ok to break the law if you have the right lawyer. Also, you should be aware of legal extortion if you happen to have the right amount of money in your coffer's.

Now the little town has lowered the lights all the way through town to Standard Height; Big Trucks are no longer permitted through town. They are all diverted to the I-15 corridor.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

What is a "blackspot"?

Black Spot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Third entry.

 

[Diver300]

On the M42, they have variable speed limits. They are supposed to respond to traffic conditions.

A couple of years ago, the hard shoulder was coned off, and I think that the system saw the cones as stationary traffic. So there were 3 clear lanes , not much traffic, and a 20 mph limit. There is a speed camera on each gantry that holds the speed limit signs, so about every 500 yards.

I nearly got hit by about 3 lorries who were still doing 56 mph. Hazard lights are banned when moving in the UK.

The speed limit didn't seem to be making things safer.