Lorries overtaking cause traffic jams

Posted by James Marriott on February 1, 2007 under Out and About, Traffic | Read the First Comment

Am I really the only person who has noticed this? Lorries overtaking one another cause unnecessary traffic jams. Next time you’re travelling along a fast road during rush hour and you come across a lorry overtaking another (usually just as the road starts to climb), watch how quickly traffic builds up behind it. Why do they do this?

The speed limit for an HGV’s on UK motorways is 60mph and dual carriageways is 50mph. I won’t moan at the fact that nearly ALL articulated lorries travel along our dual-carriageways at 60mph because as a motorist myself, I don’t always stick to 70mph, but it is a major reason why they overtake one-another. If their vehicle is capable of 60mph and they come across a vehicle doing 55mph (smaller lorries are often limited to 55mph) they will overtake it. Fair enough but for fucks sake, don’t do it on a slope and don’t do it during busy times. Wankers.

In France, lorries are not permitted on the motorways during certain times and they’re roads are virtually jam free. (Another point worth noting but won’t be discussed here is that their speed limit for cars is 80mph!!)