SLOW DOWN, SAVE FUEL
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Fuel crisis? What fuel crisis?
It is an established fact that travelling at higher speeds uses more fuel.
This is therefore a factor over which operators have direct control,so they can cut their costs. Why is it, then, that HGVs continue to break the national speed limits? Actions which are presumably condoned by the police and DOT enforcement officers.
This week I carried out a simple experiment Driving a 3.5-tonne van from London to Somerset along the A303, I carefully observed the 50mph speed limit on single-carriageway sections. So what happened?
I was intimidated and finally overtaken by an unladen Volvo six-wheeler pulling a four-wheel drawbar trailer, on the
dangerous threelane, uphill section at Chicklade!
If I was restricted to 50mph, he was certainly restricted to 40mph and, had I not slowed down to let him in, a serious accident would have ensued. And to what avail? He pulled in 20 miles later at a filling station!
Supermarket vehicles too generally took the view that they were "above the law". On the A37 from Bristol to Yeovil two days later, again I observed the 50mph speed limit for my class of vehicles, I was overtaken by quarry lorries and "buzzed" by an impatient MAN unit and trailer. Again, I understand that these vehicles should all have been travelling at 40mph.
I have put my proposals to a local international fridge operator. His comments were that such action would adversely affect journey times and other traffic would soon be held up.
Are schedules based on operating illegally?
So what is my point? Travelling within the speed limits is a legal requirement. A useful by-product of this is improved fuel economy.
The motoring public may not like it, but it's the law! And if all HGVs "worked to rule", the public would soon look up and take note.
I believe that if the industry wishes to make a meaningful statement, and remain credible, it should ensure that all drivers observe the 40/50/56mph restrictions.
Bulmers, in Hereford, is the only operator that I am aware of which goes so far as to make this a company policy. Anthony Bucks, by elnail.