Thread by @thelorryist

Have we all been here? I bet we have. Infuriating isn't it?

So what is going on here? Why does it happen? And why won't you get the hell out of my way so I can get home. Or at least why don't you get on with it!

Let's unpick this a bit, maybe I can shed some light...

Firstly, we are all speed limited, by law. All lorries over a certain weight are speed restricted, no exceptions (or very few).

At 56mph (90kmh) the engine cuts the fuelling and no more power is available, so that is where you stay.

56mph for endless miles. That's your lot.

But this will vary hugely due to a number of environmental factors and manufacturing tolerances.

Without going into dull detail, as tyres wear their circumference decreases and so for a given engine revolution, they will make more rotations. Simple, right?

So who cares? Well, nobody really. But all trucks will have a slightly different version of 56mph and so eventually you are going to bump into your mate in front.

So we overtake. Places to be!

I don't drive a lorry because I enjoy looking at your rear end. Shiny as it may be

Now the problem.

You are marginally faster than the vehicle in front. So this is going to take a LONG ASS TIME.

You have a rolling road block in all but name and everything backs up behind and then people are FEWMIN 🤬🤬🤬

Not good.

So what can we do?

Well the undertakee could lift off or turn the cruise control off for a few seconds. Gravity and friction do their work and the vehicle begins to slow, giving the overtaker a significant speed advantage.

In a matter of seconds the overtaker is past. No fuss.

So why doesn't this happen?

Well now I am unsure. But it has a lot to do with ego, pride, and a general feeling of "not my problem", and I am sorry to say it but... men.

This is where we really fall down as an industry and as professionals. We could work together but we don't

And so, you will see the rise of overtaking bans for heavy vehicles. Particularly on long inclines or particularly susceptible stretches of road, and that is frustrating for all.

You cannot end up with a long line of queuing trucks. It makes the problem worse.

We need flow

But, thank you for your patience. Please be assured that some of us do try and do the right thing and use judgement when deciding whether to overtake or not.

There are good and bad drivers everywhere, including behind the wheel of the heavies.

But please help us overtake 🙏

Not debating this one for obvious reasons. Waste of time

I was careful to avoid talking about driving standards in the original thread for this reason

Everyone thinks they are correct

I will just present you with the reality and the truth, and with those you can do as you wish