DEAR SIR
Page 68
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SPEED LIMITS
• I wasn't surprised that TNT's managing director Alan Jones has called for a 70mph speed limit after 6pm on all motorways and B-roads (CM 30 November-6 December).
I have had artics overtake me at well over 70mph. Go out any evening on the M1 north or south and a certain wellknown express delivery company's vehicles will overtake you if you are doing 60mph. In my car one evening with a witness I was doing 70mph in the middle lane bvertaking; but when I pulled into the nearside lane a Dutch-registered lorry and Dray overtook me doing well over 80mph.
I believe that someone reported him, as when I passed Walsall he was on the hard shoulder with a police car. All I can say it must be a poor-paid job if you have to do 70 to 80mph to earn a living! Anyone can do that speed, but just try to stop quickly — it's these vehicles that cause the accidents. Also, I am sure the crawler lane Mr Jones wants is for all the other vehicles so he can get his drivers by! I think 60mph is ample. F A Wisson, West Thurrock, Essex.
DRIVER TRAINING
• I am a regular Commercial Motor reader who sells trucks to the public and private sector. I was interested to read in your issue of 14-20 December about the standards achieved these days by HGV drivers. Even the instructors are unhappy and, from my observations as a car driver these days, with good reason.
For example, on the evening of Tuesday 12 December, I left Port Talbot at 4.50pm to drive to Wiltshire by car.
Shortly after joining the M4 eastbound, I was informed by Swansea Sound on FM radio that the Severn Bridge was down to one lane eastbound, and the queue for the bridge was 10 miles long and growing.
I decided to head for the Head of the Valleys and the A40.
It was an appalling night for driving; heavy rain, wind and spray were making life miserable for all concerned. The final straw for all of us out that night was to find the contraflow on the A40 between Monmouth and Ross reduced the road to one lane.
At this point, some two miles before the start of the roadworks on an uphill grade, I came to a halt in the overtaking lane. This lane was noseto-tail cars; the left-hand one was nose-to-tail lorries. It only became clear 800 yards before the roadworks that the righthand lane was closed. Would these HGV "knights of the road" let the car drivers into this lane? NO!
If this is the sort of drivers we are training, count me out.
Roger Stratton, Devizes, Wilts.
DIESEL COSTS
• Could you please advise me why I, as a diesel consumer, am having to pay 1.86 per gallon for diesel? Diesel is now the dearest form of vehicle fuel. Petrol is cheaper, and lead-free is an unbelievable lop cheaper than four-star.
I was always led to believe by the oil companies that diesel was the most inexpensive form of fuel to refine; now we have a reversal of this unwritten law. I assume that I and others like myself are subsidising leadfree. Can you tell me why?
M Erentraut, General Manager, Truckparts, Lincoln.
Commercial Motor welcomes readers' letters, which can be phoned in on 01-661 3689 (24-hour service). Letters may be edited for length and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor.