Please visit the Club's website https://www.dloc.org.uk/ to join. Visit https://www.dloc.org.uk/adhoc to DONATE towards the cost of the forum.
Please don't post someone's email address to avoid it being harvested by spambots and it's against GDPR regulations.
Always look at "ACTIVE TOPICS" to see all posts in date & time order as they are sometimes moved; or look at "Your Posts".
Please add Reg. nrs. when posting a photo or anything about a car as this will help searches. Don't add punctuation next to nr. as this negates search.
CHANGED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS since registering?, click your username and check your address in User Control Panel, Profile, Account Settings.
If you want help to register, use "contact us" at page bottom for help.

Lorry convoy trial soon

Technical issues not related to a DLOC car marque, eg tyres, ethanol, other car makes, etc. and legal, political and insurance
User avatar
John-B
Site Admin
Posts: 1755
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 9:10 pm
Location: Salisbury, UK
Contact:

Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by John-B »

A trial of lorry convoys is due to start soon. Lorries will be wireless controlled by the driver in the first lorry.

Here's a scenario - a typical busy three-lane motorway, inner lane 60 mph, middle lane with a convoy of ten lorries at 60 mph and outer lane 70 mph+

A car in the outer lane sees a junction approaching and indicates that it wants to move across to the inner lane, but the drivers in the convoy are busy reading newspapers. The car tries to barge across several times with no effect so it slows down as it realises that trying to overtake the convoy is impossible as the outer lane is busy and it can't go any faster.

Soon it realises that the junction is approaching fast so it slows to a crawl to allow the convoy to pass inside, but it is late getting across behind the convoy. The car may even stop in the outer lane if the junction is very close, causing chaos in the outer lane.

Am I being unreasonable? Much the same happens now when a vehicle wants to move from the outer lane to the inner lane, but a middle lane vehicle usually allows it to move across.

Edit: I've just heard that the trial will be with three lorries, but no doubt my concerns will be much the same, especially if more than three in a convoy are eventually allowed. The AA has expressed concerns, but the news didn't say what they are.

John Hitchins
Site Admin
Posts: 244
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:52 am
Location: Wellington Somerset

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by John Hitchins »

I am for all modern technology but I too share concerns, what happens if a tyre blows out on middle lorry or they hit ice. Modern trains and trams crash and are on one single track with all technology. I know this is for motorways only but on roads approaching there are traffic lights, what if first lorry goes through on amber, the other 2 would go through red traffic lights.

A.N.Other
Wide Man
Wide Man
Posts: 551
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:45 pm
Location: Leeds

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by A.N.Other »

I think you are missing the point. Which in my opinion is to slow all traffic down to fifty or fifty five in the not too distant future. Smart motorways are the start. I hate to think the amount of time that has already been lost on the M1 on my travels from Leeds to Leicester since the smart motorway has been opened. This morning was a prime example. 60 mph limit on a road that was only half full!
More volume of traffic and limited finance to improve matters means cunning plans have to be implemented.
Colin,
I may be slow but I’m rough as well !

Stan Thomas
Wise Man
Wise Man
Posts: 795
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 2:14 pm
Location: Penkridge. Staffs.

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by Stan Thomas »

I had a curious case in court somewhile ago when a lady motorist ran into the back of the car in front - but it was argued that as she was passing the premises of a radio controlled taxi cab company, the signals may have caused her ECU to mal-function.

Her defence plea was not accepted - but with the advent of radio controlled lorries - solicitors take note and reach for those Lamborghini and exotic travel brochures!!

Sydsmith
Extremely Wise Man
Extremely Wise Man
Posts: 1369
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:15 pm
Location: Aberystwyth Wales

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by Sydsmith »

I too have reservations about all this but perhaps the important word in Johns heading is "trial".

All the reports I have read suggest three lorry convoys, I must have missed the reports that claim the convoys will be 10 trucks long, that would be horrific.

In my humble opinion, anyone who is daft enough to plough on in the outer lanes right up to a junction they intend to take, needs to re-take their driving test. There are plenty of those sort of drivers around without the convoys.

User avatar
John-B
Site Admin
Posts: 1755
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 9:10 pm
Location: Salisbury, UK
Contact:

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by John-B »

Sydsmith wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2017 10:49 am In my humble opinion, anyone who is daft enough to plough on in the outer lanes right up to a junction they intend to take, needs to re-take their driving test. There are plenty of those sort of drivers around without the convoys.
My point is that it's quite common now for all lanes to be busy and going at the same speed, so even if you see the junction a long way ahead, it can still be difficult to cross the middle lane in a timely fashion if no one lets you in, and convoy lorries won't know unless the software looks sideways to see an indicator.

Ten lorries in a convoy was my assumption, but I then read that the trial is only for three lorries. It might be ten after the trial.

User avatar
theoldman
Extremely Wise Man
Extremely Wise Man
Posts: 1110
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:39 pm
Location: Bacton on Sea, Norfolk UK

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by theoldman »

Amazing. Someone can allegedly drive 3 lorries at once, two without any drivers at all, but someone else gets caught popping a mint in their mouth as "not being in proper control of the vehicle"...........................

Have you checked the dates on those lorry reports wasn't April 1st was it............/
Normal for Norfolk

Stan Thomas
Wise Man
Wise Man
Posts: 795
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 2:14 pm
Location: Penkridge. Staffs.

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by Stan Thomas »

We already have a system of driverless convoys of goods carrying vehicles with one driver up front and dozens of them behind - they are called railways.

Norfolk Lad
Wise Man
Wise Man
Posts: 713
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 8:23 pm

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by Norfolk Lad »

Yes Stan and even they seem to have all sorts of problems and finish up off the rails, money would be better spent sorting out that service first.
Why we have so many lorries on our roads goes back to them closing so many lines money talks and who's bright idea was this one, we are told it is the brains of the outfit that can see the future.

User avatar
theoldman
Extremely Wise Man
Extremely Wise Man
Posts: 1110
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:39 pm
Location: Bacton on Sea, Norfolk UK

Re: Lorry convoy trial soon

Post by theoldman »

One local British Sugar plant was rail connected (Cantley) but started using road haulage when rail prices were getting too high. This was in the days when the Ministry set all BR freight rates - they COULD have been competitive, but they were not allowed to be so. This was probably because a certain Minister also had a road building company and wanted to see more lorries on his lovely new motorways..............................

Everyone screams at the cost of building new railways - look at HS2 - and ask what returns it will give on the investment, but I cannot ever remember anyone screaming at the building of a new motorway or by pass and asking what return THAT would make..........................
Normal for Norfolk

Post Reply