News_Stig Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 Transit class vehicles to be limited to 56mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayerbloke Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 Whatthef#ck?!?!? ...No other words are coming to mind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgera Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 So what exactly is the point of that -Safety? - Environment? Idoitcy? How about spending the time and effort ensuring that the vans on the road are up to current MOT standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 Oh great. That is bound to mean more artics in the middle lane doing mile long overtakes.... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesB Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 Or maybe admit that privatising the rail network was a mistake, buying it back, investing some money in it and making rail freight a more attractive option. [/naive dreaming off] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vern1 Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 All our vans from 56 plate onwards are LTD to 67MPH Vauxhall vivaros, but on gps can be 62/63 mph motorway jaunts are now a nightmare with the lorrys etc, this will be phased to all vans soon, these are below 3.5 GVW too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m4ttm4son Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 They'll just end up driving EVERYWHERE at 56mph to make up the time they lose on the M-Way on the backroads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snail Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Nice start, but they need to raise this to all vans, people carriers, and SUVs. Then ban the feckers from anything other than the slow lane of motorways/dual carriage ways, and let me drive in peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssFour Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 What they need to do is restrict lorries from overtaking. its these s that cause bunching, especially when they are gonig up hill trying, and frequently failing, to overtake one another. Its called elephant racing in sweden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Excuse me while I bang my head on the wall. [PC=on]But speed is the root of all danger on the roads. If only they could be made to drive more slowly then there will be no accidents, and the skies will be bluer, and the sun will shine more. [PC=off] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizzy Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 [ QUOTE ] What they need to do is restrict lorries from overtaking. its these s that cause bunching, especially when they are gonig up hill trying, and frequently failing, to overtake one another. Its called elephant racing in sweden. [/ QUOTE ] Absolutely - I can't remember the last time a white van held me up - in fact they're usually the one's trying to get past me. An HGV overtaking ban is long, long overdue on dual carriageways and m/ways in this country - and it would improve the flow & crucially the safety of our trunk roads and motorways instantly. Look at the effect it has on most European m/ways where HGV's cannot overtake between 07:00 and 19:00 (and of course are often banned completely at weekends). There is no bunching, no "phantom traffic jams" and no sudden braking in the outside lane as three lanes of cars try to squeeze into one lane as two trucks do their "duel" for the next three miles. Sadly our government seem to be either totally spineless or seriously afraid of the Road Transport lobby as there can surely be no really valid reason for not implementing this policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayerbloke Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Do we have proportionally more lorries on the road here than they do in, say, Germany? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techieboy Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Do we have proportionally more lorries on the road here than they do in, say, Germany? [/ QUOTE ] I don't know. It certainly feels that way. You can seemingly go for miles on French and German roads (motorways and A roads) without encountering trucks. Maybe they do use more rail freight and more river transport, or maybe they only travel during the night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Maybe just me but I do seem to see a disproportionate number of motorway incidents involving these types of vans. Many are capable of 90mph and regularly exercise this speed. The thing is, can they stop or swerve if they need to, especially with a load in the back? That said, I think it's too harsh limiting them to that speed and as mentioned here already, could have other safety implications. Whilst it's probably safe in the correct conditions for cars to do 90mph, I don't think it's appropriate for vans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cupramax Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 If they were going to do something constructive why the hell didn't they just restrict them to 70mph?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 [ QUOTE ] So what exactly is the point of that... [/ QUOTE ] Increase congestion and 'encourage' private motorists off the roads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssFour Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Do we have proportionally more lorries on the road here than they do in, say, Germany? [/ QUOTE ] Probably. But that is because the rail network was privatised, another great idea...not, and overnight frieght was forced on to the roads. Banning lorries from overtaking will improve the situation over night. [ QUOTE ] Increase congestion and 'encourage' private motorists off the roads? [/ QUOTE ] And if that does not work then they will simply charge you per mile to acheive their goal.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 I am sure they'll get around it somehow............. Oh dear, the limiter broke. Silly me, did not realise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonb Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Aye, there will be those numbers in the back of autotrader - like the 'mileage correction' people - who will 'reconfigure your limiter' for about 50 quid. I think this is both a good and bad idea. It will stop the idiots in the Sprinters who hang on to your rear bumper without much in the way of stopping power, but will obviously frustrate those who drive vans. For it to work too, the need to then ban the vans from Lane 3, as a 56 mph van will overtake a 56mph wagon that is already overtaking a 56mph wagon - thus creating a roadblock that will only clear should one have a greater load than the other. Banning them from lane 3 would eliminate this and would thus create a car lane (lane 3), van lane (lane 2) and wagon lane (lane 1). Do feel for the van drivers as i know there are a few on here who just want to get on with their jobs and who probably drive a lot safer than the average car driver/white van man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theduisbergkid Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Well I for one am happy. The worst drivers in Britain (IMHO) are car drivers who rent a tail-life 7.5 ton truck, and still drive like they're in a car with no concept of braking distances, size of vehicle etc. These tw@ts are closly followed by merc sprinter vans, driven by 17 year old builders apprentices, complete with chav cap, driving up your arse whilst eating a burger and texting their mates. Oh, and while they're at it, why not force all HGVs (incl people carriers and chelsea tractors) to use the inside lane on dual carriageways like the M11 and A14. Tw@tbags. Then ... increase motorway limit in outside lane only to say 90, and swap some cameras for patrol coppers. Then ... spend some of our bloody taxes on some decent public transport too.. Job done. Duisberg for transport minister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrO Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Maybe just me but I do seem to see a disproportionate number of motorway incidents involving these types of vans. Many are capable of 90mph and regularly exercise this speed. The thing is, can they stop or swerve if they need to, especially with a load in the back? That said, I think it's too harsh limiting them to that speed and as mentioned here already, could have other safety implications. [/ QUOTE ] I've driven a fair few Transit type vans in the last couple of years and with the notable exception of the aincient LDV Sherpa (or whatever its now called) I've come away surprised as to just how nice and car-like they are. I think a 56mph speed limit for these is plain crazy, not least because heavier commercial vehicles such as LGVs have a 60mph limit. A skilled driver can drive one of these things safely at around 70/80mph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 I'll be wizzing by in my extol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Well I for one am happy. The worst drivers in Britain (IMHO) are car drivers who rent a tail-life 7.5 ton truck, and still drive like they're in a car with no concept of braking distances, size of vehicle etc. These tw@ts are closly followed by merc sprinter vans, driven by 17 year old builders apprentices, complete with chav cap, driving up your arse whilst eating a burger and texting their mates. [/ QUOTE ] You're probably right. But this measure is yet another extension of the "speed is the only problem" approach to road safety. It is part of the steady march of limits, enforcement, limiters, monitoring etc. Interestingly, neither of the problems you mention are related to speed per se. Do you think this will stop with vans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
330dcoupe Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 It's about time they slowed these fecking vans down - the New Merc Sprinter will get a 3.0L V6 TDI engine - with 170bhp - my old mans is stupidly quick for it's size and no i don't agree with it being that quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theduisbergkid Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Well I for one am happy. The worst drivers in Britain (IMHO) are car drivers who rent a tail-life 7.5 ton truck, and still drive like they're in a car with no concept of braking distances, size of vehicle etc. These tw@ts are closly followed by merc sprinter vans, driven by 17 year old builders apprentices, complete with chav cap, driving up your arse whilst eating a burger and texting their mates. [/ QUOTE ] You're probably right. But this measure is yet another extension of the "speed is the only problem" approach to road safety. It is part of the steady march of limits, enforcement, limiters, monitoring etc. Interestingly, neither of the problems you mention are related to speed per se. Do you think this will stop with vans? [/ QUOTE ] I agree that speed per se is not the issue, but its the most easily controlled aspect of motoring for the authorities (not that I agree with it btw), give me a cop with some common sense over a gatso anyday.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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