Learn to live with HGVs
Page 29
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The television programme Pile up, shown on BBC1 on the anniversary of the 11442 accident which involved 160 vehicles, was a horrific
example of lack of care by many drivers in fog conditions. I felt the remarks by a senior accident investigator of the West Midlands Police were extremely negative; his view that HGVs should only travel at night was ludicrous and his bias against HGVs was obvious, One of the saddest things is that the media, along with many other organisations, regard the HGV as the "whipping boy" for every problem plaguing our roads. Few realise that without the HGV we would probably all be dead in a month without their supplying our every daily need.
The majority of motorists regard HGVs as dirty, dangerous and obstructive in their journeys from A to Lk very few realise the limitations imposed on HGV drivers relative to acceleration, manoeuvrability, rear visibility and braking distance of a fully laden artic.
Most motorists seem to think they are equal to a car in performance: evidence of this is seen in cars joining a motorway and baulking them when they pull out to overtake.
A simple way to start to educate the motorist might be to put a leaflet in the annual licence reminder on how motorists can be compatible with HGVs rather than the antagonistic attitude that prevails at the moment. Bill Montague, The Brewery Transport Advisory Committee