Cool combos
Page 28
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It'sgood to see someone at least investigating and talking about the feasibility of twin trailer combinations in Britain (CM17-30 December 1998).
As you say, the logic is hard to fault. Personally, I can't see why the average motorist would have any greater difficulty passing a twin trailer outfit on a motorway than he would passing two attics running one behind the other. As we all know, since the advent of speed limiters trucks running close to the units in front are a pretty common sight.
During the past 20 years or so I have spent a reasonable amount of time talking to the drivers of B-Train combinations in areas as diverse as Canada, the USA and Zimbabwe. They have all told me that at weights of around 63 tonnes gross, and lengths of 24m, a BTrain set handles better than a single trailer.
Of course the tractor semitrailer plus dolly semi-trailer allows more versatility than a B-Train, but it doesn't handle nearly as well. Despite this, the twin-trailer "roadtrain" you mention which operates between Rotterdam and Europort has an unblemished safety record as far as I am aware.
Oh, and did you hear that lovely story about the antitruck community somewhere in Australia that set up a roadblock to prevent the passage of B-Trains (when they were first introduced)...only to find out that B-Train combinations had been passing through their town for months on trial and no-one had noticed!
Makes you wonder who exactly is opposed to the idea of greater efficiency.
Finally, with reference to fuel prices, I regret to say that pussy-footing around the subject by writing letters to your local MP or even organising protest rallies just won't work.
History has demonstrated that it has seldom been effective to negotiate from a position of weakness.
If you want to wake up the dozy sods who are apparently intent on ruining our industry, then a general transport strike is the only real solution.
Happy New Year... Martin D Phippard, Warminster, Wilts.