Trucks, especially the huge multi-trailer semi’s that drive long distances between our major cities. You have to ask yourself why they are there at all. After all, there are rail links, some of the electric, that could do the job tomorrow. Any late night drive on the inter-capital city highways shows just how many trucks there are on the road.
On a recent trip, we found that we were in a line of 6 trucks on a narrow 2 lane section of highway. When the road opened into 4 lanes, you guessed it, the trucks tried overtaking each other. The line of cars behind was left where they were when the road narrowed again.
Stories of car and trucks colliding can be found sprinkled through news archives all over the world, and the cars never come off best.
On a story on A Current Affair here in Australia a few years ago, the reporter was doing a story on speeding truckers and how dangerous they were. It by chance they happened to have a camera car being followed by a speeding truck in an inner city tunnel. Watch what happens when a car and the truck try to change in to the middle lane.
They don’t belong on highways, but they certainly don’t belong in the inner cities. Long distance should be rail only to large depots outside city limits then smaller non-articulated trucks doing the rest.
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It’s true that truckies have to put up with cars, but the point is that lines of 10 trucks needn’t be there at all, and if a car and truck come together, the cars will come off worst. It’s also the most inefficient way of doing so. Trains would get the trucks off the road and use far less CO2 even if running diesel/electric locos. No, there is just no excuse for it.
Can I play the devils advocate? I think car drivers need to be educated about trucks. Most car drivers are unaware of a trucks blind spots and inability to stop/ turn fast. Sleepy truck drivers aside.. I think most car/truck accidents are caused by cars who dart in and out in front of trucks willy nilly.
Heres a bit of trucker lore if anyone is interested: When a truck passes you at night and needs to get back in your lane in front of you. Flash them briefly with your headlights high/low as soon as the truck is a safe distance to merge. The trucker will appreciate it and will return the flash as a thank you. Of couse Im in the states so I have no idea if this type of protocal is also in use over in Au.
Truckies are supposed to be professional drivers but considering how dangerously they drive they must be lucky not to be in more accidents. I always let the truck overtake although that is scary in itself, seeing the front grill grow in your rearview until you can’t see anything else before they change lanes to overtake. The urge to speed up when a truck is bearing down from behind is almost overwhelming but zooming at 160 with a truck up my arse is not the look I’m after. Clearly the driving test for truckies should include driver courtesy and a bit of common sense.
The need to the trucking companies for ever faster travel times is why there is government legislation. The video shows how a car is no match for a truck. That truck should never have been in the tunnel. Long distance trucks should not be allowed within city limits period, in any city anywhere on the planet. The same show recently had a truckie’s revenge where a driver recorded silly things done by cars. How cars cut in front not leaving them room, or cars coming up on the inside lane while the truck was turning. No one is disputing that. Cars will always come off worst in a car-truck crash, so put freight onto electric trains and remove the trucks. Simple! No drivers like trucks, why do we put up with it?