Safe Speed Forums

I was just wondering if there had been a quiet change in the rules prohibiting lorries from using L3 on the motorway?

In 6 hours of motorway driving over the last two days I must have seen at least 8 lorries in the outside lane, and I figured that maybe the legislation had been adjusted without making the news?

Are you sure they were HGVs and not 7.5-tonners which are allowed to use the outside lane?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I am sure at least 50% were HGVs, the others I was some way back in the queue, so could have been otherwise.

I'm sure there's been no rules change.

I could be wrong, but I reckon I've seen more HGVs in L3 in the last year than I did in the previous ten.

It's probably just the gradual process of respect for the rules falling through the floor.

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Paul Smith
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not if they are registered from 2001. they are limited and are therefore not allowed to use L3.

conversly, i have been in L2 to look in my mirror and got the shock of my life when i saw and artic overtaking me as i was overtaking another one. left hooker, polish plates, cant say im surprised. check the plates next time. most of the outside lane HGVs will be from over the channel somewhere

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Richie

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I thought it was just me!

I've certainly seen this happening more and more on the M25 Essex section. It could well be foreign lorries from the channel crossings. I'll pay more attention to the plates in future.

Having said that, the chances of detection seem very slim as I rarely see a Police car, just "Traffic Officers".

the one that passed me didnt pass me. half way past he started coming back in so i slammed the anchors on and pulled in behind the tanker who was then forced onto the hard shoulder. mr polski was lucky he didnt pull into hamilton services. its not often i go against truckers but i would have pulled this one out of his cab

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Richie

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incidentally, when i notice one of these foreign chaps running without a limiter, i pass the details on to my mate by txt. he is a traffic cop on the M25

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Richie

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Are you certain you were on motorway rather than section of dual carriageway with three lanes? On dual carriageway with three lanes trucks can fill their boots in lane 3. If you are certain its motorway (and Im sure you know) were they Irish?

i have had a polish truck passing me in L3 on the M74 and cut back in when his trailer wheels were level with my cab. he then proceeded to cross through L2 and into L1 forcing a shell tanker onto the hard shoulder. fortunately for the polish driver he DIDNT pull in at hamilton services or he would have got a smack in the mouth

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Richie

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But unfortulately, until the police are able to endorse / trace foreign trucks and licences, it will keep on happening.

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

I currently taking my HGV licence and there have not been any changes, HGV's are not allowed in L3 of the motorway.

Hope this helps.

conversely, no limited vehicles are allowed in L3. that includes non hgv with limiters. trailers arent allowed in L3 either. that includes cars!

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Richie

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I got stuck in a queue around the M5 junction of the M6 a few months ago, March I think. The traffic was just about stationary and in my mirrors I could see an artic with a white fridge or box van on the back, just hooking along the hard shoulder . I was expecting him to not be let across the juction, but someone must have. Once across he carried on along the hard shoulder at a good lick, in a cloud of dust untill he was over the horizon.

UNLESS there is an obstruction in the road.
I know for a fact you have had to go into lane 3 when overtaking uber wide loads, same as me.

Always exceptions to the rule... But yeah.. there are some serious numpties about.

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The Box said "Windows XP or better" ... So I installed Ubuntu

It isnt really true we are not allowed in L3 of a motorway, we are not allowed in the outside lane if there is more than two lanes. So if its a 4 lane motorway we are allowed in lane 3.

Ok a bit pedantic there, but seen some post a pic of a disgracefull HGV in lane 3 of the M6 at Preston where its a 4 lane motorway.

I've never been in the outside lane of a motorway in a HGV unless there has been some kind of accident or roadworks. Even though i have been tempted. The other week coming up the M6 a TNT truck doing about 52mph and a Turners truck doing about 52.1mph trying to overtake, took him nearly 20miles to get past, was 3am and i was thinking i could just nip into lane 3 get past them within 30 seconds be on my way, but i never knowing my luck a trafpol car would appear when i was doing it.

that pisses me off too Kenny. i always drop back to allow a faster overtake. what is the point in forcing the other driver to stay there for miles on end? there isnt a huge gap between the vehicles so i dont particularly like having another wagon next to me. far safer to let them go

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Richie

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What pisses me off is..

When driving vehicle WU05 DYB, which for some obscure reason has a higher top end than most undoctored wagons (no I don't know why) I can drop onto the M5 south at J9 and see a wagon that is a speck in the distance in front but within 20 mins I am pulling out to overtake him/her but it then, mysteriously takes about ten minutes to complete that manouver ? Than I get flashed in and with two minutes he/she is a speck in the distance in my mirrors ?

WTF was that crap all about ?
My vehicle is on cruise control which means my feet are OFF the pedals and STAY THAT WAY until I need to slow down. To do any other defeats the point of CC so If I have caught them up on a straight level road this vehicle MUST be quicker.

Some strange peeps about.

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The Box said "Windows XP or better" ... So I installed Ubuntu

Notice that a lot of trucks are pretty slow these days it seems, espec night trunks on the M6.

Dunno if companies are turning them down because of fuel costs, i occasionally work for Irish companies.

Irish trucks north and south kinda notorious for having the trucks wound up, but even a lot of the irish hauliers are getting the limiters turned down.

Truck i drive occasionally in the past the limiter was set to about 63mph and flying past most trucks on the road as if they were standing still, now because of fuel costs its limited to legal 57mph, but its due new tyres in the next week or so its down to 55mph.

The boss recons mpg has gone from 6mpg to about 10mpg with getting the limiter turned down.

But even at 55mph coming up the M6 at night from Stoke to Carlisle i easily pass most UK registared trucks.