John Deere Driver A41 yesterday 15/3

[TheTallGuy]

Okay so you have this busy A road traffic flowing in both directions at 50 mph so no chance of a vehicle overtaking if coming up to a slow moving vehicle. Theres a break in the traffic of 1500 mtrs the oncoming car is traveling at 25 mtrs per sec in 10 seconds you have pulled off the lay bye onto the road the car is now 1250 mtrs behind another 10 second you have travelled 25 mtrs the car 250 mtrs so now only 1025 mtrs away. another 10 seconds you have travelled 50 mtrs the car 250 mtrs so now only 825 mtr away another 10 seconds your now at full speed you travel 125 mtrs the car 250 mtrs now only 700 mtrs away another 10 seconds you travel 125 mtrs the car 250 mtrs now only 575 mtrs away final 10 seconds of the first minute you travel 125 mtrs the car 250 mtrs now only 450 mtrs away.

How realistic do you actually think this is. From zero start to flat out 25 mph with typical 10 tonne load in 30 seconds.

Totally unrealistic - if a vehicle can't safely slow from 60mph to 20mph in less than 500 metres then either the vehicle or driver shouldn't be on the road! An emergency stop from 60-0mph is 73m according to highway code para.126 (dry conditions, vehicle in good repair) - so achieving 60-50mph in 500m should be quite a comfortable brake!

 

[renewablejohn]

Totally unrealistic - if a vehicle can't safely slow from 60mph to 20mph in less than 500 metres then either the vehicle or driver shouldn't be on the road! An emergency stop from 60-0mph is 73m according to highway code para.126 (dry conditions, vehicle in good repair) - so achieving 60-50mph in 500m should be quite a comfortable brake!

But where not talking of whether its possible we all know it is its the perception by the motorist of a farmer pulling out in front of him which he then has to follow. The less time you give them to adjust there speed the more angry they will get.

 

[TheTallGuy]

But where not talking of whether its possible we all know it is its the perception by the motorist of a farmer pulling out in front of him which he then has to follow. The less time you give them to adjust there speed the more angry they will get.

I've just done a test - dropping from 60-20mph in around 500m was a perfectly natural deceleration in my opinion - so extending out to 1500m is absurd.

 

[renewablejohn]

I've just done a test - dropping from 60-20mph in around 500m was a perfectly natural deceleration in my opinion - so extending out to 1500m is absurd.

How many seconds did it take you to do the 500 mtrs and do you really think in the time it took you to cover the 500 mtrs a tractor pulling a trailer could join the carriageway and get upto a speed of 25 mph. I think some on here need a reality check.

 

[renewablejohn]

You'd be surprised but some of us yokels drive on busy roads as well
I can't see how you ever do if you wait for that one mile gap before pulling out.

Were you the driver in the OP?
Is that why you have become so weirdly defensive?
You made a silly statement and now you just keep digging your self in deeper trying to defend it.

I actually have a lot of respect for other motorists hence the reason why I wait for a safe gap in the traffic. On minor roads I will pull in frequently to let motorists past but on a major trunk road where you have no chance of safely pulling into a lay bye and rejoining the flowing traffic then I believe the right action is to carry on and get off the trunk road as quickly as possible. I do actually put a lot of thought into my route planning and deliberately include sections of dual carriage-way even though the route is longer. For your info no I was not the OP although I do know the road well and can understand why someone would carry on personally I would have turned off and used the country lanes but then it does require local knowledge to do that.

 

[TheTallGuy]

How many seconds did it take you to do the 500 mtrs and do you really think in the time it took you to cover the 500 mtrs a tractor pulling a trailer could join the carriageway and get upto a speed of 25 mph. I think some on here need a reality check.

It doesn't matter if the tractor is up to speed - as long as the approaching vehicle can decelerate enough in a reasonable manner. Every one have I have asked today agrees that they would prefer being slowed by a tractor pulling back out after letting vehicles past than being in a queue behind one for 15 miles.

 

[Brisel]

But where not talking of whether its possible we all know it is its the perception by the motorist of a farmer pulling out in front of him which he then has to follow. The less time you give them to adjust there speed the more angry they will get.

I'll bet they are less angry than following a slow moving vehicle for ages without it pulling in.

When in a hole, stop digging!

 

[jimmer]

STOP PRESS......

Highways Agency have just announced a scheme that will see traffic light style filters on the first lane of all motorways and major A roads around junctions to allow cars joining the carriageway to do so in a safe manner , this will alleviate the need for vehicles to brake sharply on the carriageway due to vehicles joining at slower speeds

Recommendations from industry experts and data from online discussion forums , are that these filter lights should allow a minimum of 1 kilometer on straight roads , increasing to 1 mile on more hazardous sections of the road network

 

[renewablejohn]

STOP PRESS......

Highways Agency have just announced a scheme that will see traffic light style filters on the first lane of all motorways and major A roads around junctions to allow cars joining the carriageway to do so in a safe manner , this will alleviate the need for vehicles to brake sharply on the carriageway due to vehicles joining at slower speeds

Recommendations from industry experts and data from online discussion forums , are that these filter lights should allow a minimum of 1 kilometer on straight roads , increasing to 1 mile on more hazardous sections of the road network

What a sarcastic comment unfortunately it backfires as a lot of motorways already have traffic light controlled filter lanes as part of the "smart motorway" philosophy the first installation being on the M6 in Birmingham over a decade ago.

 

[Tarw Coch]

But where not talking of whether its possible we all know it is its the perception by the motorist of a farmer pulling out in front of him which he then has to follow. The less time you give them to adjust there speed the more angry they will get.

In fairness this is a valid point, whilst getting stuck behind a tractor is one thing, actually seeing it pull out in front of you is quite frustrating but all but inevitable on a busy road.

 

[TheTallGuy]

What a sarcastic comment unfortunately it backfires as a lot of motorways already have traffic light controlled filter lanes as part of the "smart motorway" philosophy the first installation being on the M6 in Birmingham over a decade ago.

Wrong, "Smart Motorways" (formerly "Managed Motorways" started with the M42 & the purpose of the traffic lights controlling the slip roads is to manage the rate at which traffic enters onto the motorway and improve journey times. Note that there is no traffic light on actual "lane 1" as the hard shoulders have been effectively converted to junction lanes. Furthermore - the sarcastic comment was primarily the second paragraph that lampooned the distances required.

 

[Mkfm]

Bloody hell, you lot still falling out about bloody junctions, grow up lads

 

[gone up the hill]

STOP PRESS......

Highways Agency have just announced a scheme that will see traffic light style filters on the first lane of all motorways and major A roads around junctions to allow cars joining the carriageway to do so in a safe manner , this will alleviate the need for vehicles to brake sharply on the carriageway due to vehicles joining at slower speeds

Recommendations from industry experts and data from online discussion forums , are that these filter lights should allow a minimum of 1 kilometer on straight roads , increasing to 1 mile on more hazardous sections of the road network

So basically they will put lights at the start of the slip roads onto motorways ( they surely aren't going to put them on the motor way itself and stop the traffic at every junction )

Complete madness and a waste of tax payers money but they are now doing this in Devon.

Sounds to me that renewablejohn really shouldn't be driving on the roads!

 

[Renaultman]

All of you posting that he was right not to pull over - see how you feel when tractors are either restricted in what times they are allowed on the road or subject to lorry style stringent MOT's. I know it's a pain pulling over but we have no more right on the road than the mass of people behind us being held up.

Sometimes you don't even have to pull over. Hogging the kerb or a flash on the left indicator (I know half the road users wouldn't know what that means nowadays but some still do) Is often enough to clear the back log of traffic. Half of the problem is that cars don't seem to be able to overtake any more. But that still doesn't excuse the slow moving vehicle from causing a traffic jam.

 

[Mkfm]

Sometimes you don't even have to pull over. Hogging the kerb or a flash on the left indicator (I know half the road users wouldn't know what that means nowadays but some still do) Is often enough to clear the back log of traffic. Half of the problem is that cars don't seem to be able to overtake any more. But that still doesn't excuse the slow moving vehicle from causing a traffic jam.

At last some sense spoken!

 

[BAC]

The main problem with queues is people who are scared to overtake when there is perfect chance!

I sat in a queue this morning blocking off a major roundabout in town because some old biddy was too affraid to pass round a refuse wagon doing the collection.....

If they can't pass a stationary vehicle then how can they overtake a large vehicle!?

 

[Lofty1984]

I'm guilty of not always pulling over I refuse to do it if some idiot hasn't the sense to overtake in a perfectly safe place while I'm as far left as I can get bouncing off every fecking man hole and storm drain then I'm sorry but fudge them they can stay behind me! Other than that I do pull in especially if a lorry is behind but 9 times out of 10 you never even get a thank you

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Just be VERY careful if you wave people past. Legally they could drag you in to the fuss if they mess up passing you and crash into another vehicle.

Round here the yummy mummies in Chelsea tractors are the worst, I could fit an artic through some gaps they refuse. You'd think their cars were ocean liners not flashy 4x4's.

 

[Badshot]

Just be VERY careful if you wave people past. Legally they could drag you in to the fuss if they mess up passing you and crash into another vehicle.

Round here the yummy mummies in Chelsea tractors are the worst, I could fit an artic through some gaps they refuse. You'd think their cars were ocean liners not flashy 4x4's.

Exactly this, by telling someone it's safe you could find you get blamed for an accident. Some people aren't capable of checking for themselves the road is clear and safe and will blindly go if you indicate for them to go, even if someone pulls out of a driveway you hadn't anticipated.

 

[Will 1594]

Just be VERY careful if you wave people past. Legally they could drag you in to the fuss if they mess up passing you and crash into another vehicle.

Round here the yummy mummies in Chelsea tractors are the worst, I could fit an artic through some gaps they refuse. You'd think their cars were ocean liners not flashy 4x4's.

Easy one that. Their husbands lie ing about their man hood So confused about how big 8 inches actually is