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M'way drivers must 'give and take'
Page 55
Page 56
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MOST drivers of cars or heavy vehicles who regularly
use the motorway network will probably find themselves irritated by another driver's driving at some time during every motorway journey.
An increasing factor in any driving in Britain seems to be lack of tolerance, understanding and "give and take".
On a motorway, where speeds are generally higher, the lack of ''give and take", either through ignorance of recommended Highway Code procedures or just a lack of consideration for other road users, is common and potentially extremely dangerous.
Drivers of heavy goods vehicles and coaches are often frustrated by the light vehicle that starts to overtake and then just sits beside him in the middle lane. To pass another slower vehicle, the hgv driver can either slow down and let the car scuttle past, signal his intention to overtake and hope that the car will either move over (on threelane motorways) or slow down to allow the heavy vehicle to pull out or at least accelerate past to let the heavy vehicle carry out its manoeuvre.
On many occasions the car stays there and the heavy vehicle driver, who knows that if he has to brake he will lose speed and have to change down a couple of gears, just signals and goes. The car driver, who does not understand the full implication of slowing down to the heavy driver, then feels he has been -carved upand protests to all about heavy vehicle drivers.
Another common and dangerous occurrence on the motorway is the driver who considers that the nearside lane is paved with prussic acid, Middle lane driving is a familiar habit that is dangerous and particularly frustrating to heavy vehicle drivers.
A heavy goods vehicle, being banned from the third lane on the motorway, can only signal to the middle lane driver to move over to the nearside lane to let him pass, by flashing his headlights, sounding his horn and often shouting at the vehicle in question. Often the goods vehicle gets closer and closer and closer.
Meanwhile goods vehicles, all travelling at about their legal maximum speed, catch up the one trying to overtake and the nose-to-tail convoy phenomenon takes place. If something happens suddenly, an accident is possible and often the chap in the car or light vehicle in front is never aware of what he has caused.
Coach drivers have problems on the motorway too. Most coaches cannot match private cars on acceleration, although they can on top speed and braking. Coaches can in theory follow the same driving patterns on the motorways as the drivers of private cars, as similar regulations apply.
A common problem facing coach drivers is, however, the lack of general "give and take" already mentioned. It is often difficult to overtake vehicles due to other vehicles travelling faster and not adjusting speed to allow other vehicles to pass vehicles in the nearside lane.
Also there seems to be a psychological resentment on the part of some motorists to being overtaken by coaches travelling at the maximum speed limit, and a particular resentment of coaches travelling at maximum speed in the third lane whilst overtaking.
It is common to pick up a tail of bumper-to-bumper cars behind a fast moving coach and often it seems that car drivers must overtake the larger vehicle, even if it means breaking the speed limit.
Another problem is that the
performance characteristics of diesel vehicles are not widely known to car drivers who often feel frustrated by heavy vehicle drivers who seem to be playing "a gamewith them.
Many motorways have slight gradients which cause a loss of speed to heavy vehicles but do not affect the performance of a light car. To the uninitiated, therefore, it seems that big vehicles keep overtaking him and then slowing down. This behaviour can seem to be sinister and bloody-minded, when
it is often caused by nothing more than physical geography.
It is also very tempting for goods vehicles and buses to drive very close to each other, as slight variations in performance often do not give enough power to actually pass but to cause bunching.
Goods vehicle drivers are particularly vulnerable in an accident involving front-rear collision but are still often guilty of driving far too close to the vehicle in front.
What can be done to solve these good weather driving problems which, in bad weather, become far more dangerous?
The Highway Code gives clear instructions on motorway lane discipline. The "keep to the left" rule, however, is fairly widely ignored. Overtaking procedures, too, are explained, so the problems must be caused by motorists blatantly ignoring the rules, by motorways carrying more traffic than they were designed to, by ignorance and, possibly, not enough policing.
Many drivers have not seen the latest Highway Code and it is possible that car-only drivers of many years standing may never have read a Highway Code with a section on motorway driving. Reading the latest Highway Code is a driver's duty but is not. mandatory. If a new Highway Code was sent to every licensed driver in Britain, maybe an improvement in discipline would result.
The Highway Code does not give any indication of the differences in performance characteristics between heavy dieselpowered vehicles and light cars. Maybe if a television advertising campaign was launched to educate all drivers on how to live with each other, more relaxing, economic and safer motorway journeys for all would result.
The sheer volume of motorway traffic does make it more difficult to keep traffic apart, so it is in everyone's interest to give just a little more consideration to each other. Car drivers should ease up to allow heavy vehicles to pass each other without getting dangerously close.
All drivers should allow speeding drivers to speed because trying to slow them down can be dangerous. Speeding control is the job of the police, not individual motorists. Heavy vehicle drivers should avoid bullying car drivers and keep their distance.
The lorry has not the best of public images as it is, and aggressive driving only makes matters worse. Coach drivers carry the image of their indust ries and should drive accord ingly.
Slower driving is not th answer, just more discipline more courtesy and more undei standing. Peaceful co-existenc on the motorway is necessar for all our sakes. At times, hoo ever, when traffic accidents d happen, some motorists thin nothing of trying to get past th delay by using the har shoulder. Why normally lav■ abiding motorists so blatantl disregard the law is difficult understand, but maybe this symptomatic of a lack of disc pline in more than just moto way driving.
• by Noel Millier