ADUK Archive

Someone tooted me today in the rush hour traffic. I can only assume the reason was I hadn't immediately darted forward to fill the space in front of me, or wasn't progressing rapidly to the rear bumper of the car in front.

I'll give you the situation. 2 mph max for the 1/2 mile at least. Clearly visible red traffic lights 100 yards ahead. Nowhere else the guy behind could turn off. He was going where I was going, for sure. I'm trying to regulate my speed to that of the output traffic so I never have to brake.

Was I wrong to try to minimise my accelerating and braking? Should you always fill spaces in front as rapidly as possible?

About five minutes later I was driving by the side of him. He looked quite annoyed he hadn't progressed that 10ft 2 seconds sooner.

I seem to get this a lot: people behind miffed at me slowing for stationary traffic ahead.

What say you?

I'd say ignore him. I'm all for crawling along in 1st rather then stop start. He would get bored eventually and either give up or overtake.

It's quite common. He hasn't stopped and thought about the bigger picture, and maybe he drives the same route every day, so his frustration levels have crept up and up.

It can be very relaxing concentrating on matching speed with the lights etc. Unfortunately not everybody knows how to use that to advantage.

I slowed up to the lights today, slowing in from 100 yrds, doing 40 dropping to stationary.
The bike in front of me tucked left to take lane one.

About 15 yards out, a car passed me and dived in in front of me to the red light. I needed a firm application of the brakes to avoid him.

He was slower off the lights than the bike. I had the joy of watching him DLAC for the next five miles as I pottered along behind him.

This is part of my advice to drivers who are planning to get their first LGV licence -

The less obvious is to practise forward planning – the THINKING bit.

A good way of doing this is to use your brakes a lot less than what you do at present – sounds daft but think about it – to use the brakes less then you will have to ease off earlier – to ease off earlier you will have to plan ahead more.

I don’t mean by changing down through the gearbox either as that will waste fuel.

A good example would be when approaching a queue of standing traffic, which is waiting for traffic lights to change or waiting to enter a roundabout.
The moment you see the queue, check mirrors and ease off in the gear you are in. let the vehicle slow down on it’s own, dipping the clutch as necessary to control any possible stalling. If the vehicle gets to the lowest gear speed (usually first gear) then engage that gear.
If, whilst easing off, you anticipate that the traffic is going to proceed, then engage the gear that will take you with them without rushing up to the rear of the queue.
You will be leaving a large area of tarmac in front of your vehicle when you ease off early. If another vehicle goes into the gap then re-adjust to accommodate it. If you curse at the vehicle that went into your forward space then decide if a few feet of tarmac is worth getting stressed over!!

I tend to let the speed drop off gradually on approach to stationary traffic, or traffic lights, with the intention to keep moving if possible. It does seem to annoy some drivers, although most don't seem to mind.

Nigel ADI
IAM trainee observer

I wish more LGV drivers were like you ROG.

I do notice the good ones (there are some!) and it is quite refreshing when I have to think 'there's a lorry behind me, and he isn't right up my arse'

fungus wrote:I tend to let the speed drop off gradually on approach to stationary traffic, or traffic lights, with the intention to keep moving if possible. It does seem to annoy some drivers, although most don't seem to mind.

Nigel ADI
IAM trainee observer

I find it usually irks them for a while and then, when they realise that what is happening and we do not stop, I can often see a smile in the rear view..........

Jasp wrote:I wish more LGV drivers were like you ROG.

I do notice the good ones (there are some!) and it is quite refreshing when I have to think 'there's a lorry behind me, and he isn't right up my arse'

I would go further than that and say most I meet are good LGV drivers - like most things, we tend to notice the dorks more.

That could be a bit like us saying most of the drivers we meet are good drivers, unless you hang out at Halfords as well as ADUK days....Birds of a feather flock together?

Jasp wrote:Someone tooted me today in the rush hour traffic. I can only assume the reason was I hadn't immediately darted forward to fill the space in front of me, or wasn't progressing rapidly to the rear bumper of the car in front.

What say you?

Are you sure that he was actually tooting at you?

Could he have been tooting at a friend he had just seen pass by? Or perhaps he though he knew you? Could he have hit the horn by mistake? Could it have actually been a completely different vehicle in the vicinity that tooted?

Don't get me wrong I suspect that you are probably correct in your initial assumption, but I would suggest that it is just an assumption and like all assumptions it may not be correct....

Jasp wrote:I wish more LGV drivers were like you ROG.

True -- nice when they let you nip in front of them at the lights...

Jasp wrote:I wish more LGV drivers were like you ROG.

I wish more road users - whoever they are - applied more of the thinking that ROG sets out above.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Jasp wrote:Someone tooted me today in the rush hour traffic.

I seem to get this a lot: people behind miffed at me slowing for stationary traffic ahead.

What say you?

I'd like to say I don't react to challenges but I often give them a cheery wave and a smile in response

Jasp wrote: I can only assume the reason was I hadn't immediately darted forward to fill the space in front of me, or wasn't progressing rapidly to the rear bumper of the car in front.

Last friday afternoon I was in a three-lane jam on the M4. Nice Ferrari almost alongside, and as the lanes were all speeding and slowing at different rates I saw it several times (also because he had a reason for chopping lanes, getting across to L1 early ready for the exit slip queue, unlike some of the f@ckw1ts who thought they'd gain something by chopping and diving . . . ).

Aaaanyway . . .

He was hanging well back from the vehicle in front - often about 100 metres - then flooring it!

I saw him do it 3 times. Sounded luvverly

Jasp wrote: I seem to get this a lot: people behind miffed at me slowing for stationary traffic ahead.

The Filly followed me in her car recently, and commented about how early I slowed - ratehr than brake - for bends etc. and said that although she knew 'why' most drivers wouldn't.