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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to be intimidated by an HGV driver on a busy motorway.

237 replies

EdwiniasRevenge · 30/09/2013 23:49

I was on the motorway today. Fairly busy but fluid and freely flowing traffic.

I was travelling at about 55-65mph in the slow lane. I wasn't in a hurry and found myself approaching a car +caravan in lane 2.

As I was doing an acceptable and safe motorway speed and I was in no hurry I decided that I wwasn't going to weavve out to lane 3 to overtake and I wasn't going to break the law by 'undertaking'. I was also approaching my junction. I sat behind the caravan in my lane (ie ensuring I wasn't in the caravan blind spot).

An HGV approached from behind, and continued to drive in my estimation, less than 2 car lengths behind me. It was so close that all I could see in my mirror was the radiator grill. I literally could not see his winscreen. I could not see the number plate.

I touched my brakes gently couple of times to indicate that he was uncomfortably close.

A couple of minutes late rhe was using his horn to tell me to move.

As it was a 4 lane motorway it would have been legal for the lorry to move out to lane 3 if he was tgat desperate. Meanwhile I felt intimidated and unsafe.

OP posts:
onlytheonce · 01/10/2013 10:36

To quote the highway code:

260
When you can see well ahead and the road conditions are good, you should

  • drive at a steady cruising speed which you and your vehicle can handle safely and is within the speed limit (see the Speed limits table)
  • keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front and increase the gap on wet or icy roads, or in fog (see Rules 126 and 235).

Anything there about driving as close to 70mph as you can? Thought not.

onlytheonce · 01/10/2013 10:38

And people are misunderstanding the OP. This was a 4 lane section of motorway, so the lorry can go into the third lane to overtake.

MidniteScribbler · 01/10/2013 10:38

But tapping the brakes doesn't slow you down, it is to hopefully get them to back off. It's not slamming on the brakes to make them crash into you.

It can have that effect. It's a stupid game to play. And even if the truck driver manages to slow down before he hits you, you don't know if there's another vehicle behind him that is drafting and travelling too close who may not see the silly game going on ahead.

And in this case, the OP could not drive faster or they would be doing an illegal manoeuvre.

She could have moved out behind the caravan and let the lorry choose to undertake them both.

angelos02 · 01/10/2013 10:39

The amount of people that don't know how to drive on the motorway is astounding. Keep in the lane nearest the left unless you are overtaking. Not complicated.

Original poster
EdwiniasRevenge · 01/10/2013 10:44

For the majority of the problematic distance I coukd not safely pull out behind tge caravan.

Tapping my brakes did not slow me down. It was just enough to illuminate my brake lights. My intention to ask the lorry to be more considerate, although I appreciate it may have been taken another way.

OP posts:
gobbynorthernbird · 01/10/2013 10:47

the lorry can go into the third lane to overtake
OP in a car hasn't got space to pull out and overtake, how is an HGV with minimal acceleration going to?

Merrylegs · 01/10/2013 10:48

If there were four lanes then you indicate to move out and the traffic behind moves to the third and fourth lanes. It's not a dual carrigeway where there is nowhere for the approaching traffic to move to.

That said, my Dragons den invention is a light up 'back off, you're too close' sign on the rear window.

Suzieismyname · 01/10/2013 10:49

Use your indicators to let other drives know what you intend to do. They are they to let other drivers help you.

OcadoSubstitutedMyHummus · 01/10/2013 10:50

If the caravan had been doing 40 in the middle lane would you have slowed down to match him?

onlytheonce · 01/10/2013 10:52

She could have moved out behind the caravan and let the lorry choose to undertake them both.

Now you're just getting dumb. She said she was wanting to pull off at a junction coming up. And why should she move out of the way. She was doing nothing wrong!

MidniteScribbler · 01/10/2013 10:54

And why should she move out of the way. She was doing nothing wrong!

Because you don't play silly buggers with someone bigger than you. If they're that desperate, then let them go.

footballagain · 01/10/2013 10:58

Onlytheonce - no one is 'getting dumb' but, unfortunately for you, you are just sounding like an insulting arse.

squeakytoy · 01/10/2013 11:01

"because that was never really an option because of traffic conditions alongside and behind me"

says it all really..

you and the caravan towing twat were effectively blocking the motorway.

FutTheShuckUp · 01/10/2013 11:05

The motorway is one of the few places where driving fast is safer than driving slowly. Sticking between 60mph-70mph will keep the traffic flowing, and allow people around you to overtake safely.

You shouldn’t brake on the motorway unless there is slowing traffic or an obstruction ahead. Braking unnecessarily on the motorway can be very dangerous because other drivers may not expect it and might not have time to react safely. Driving slowly is equally as risky, as it may force cars behind you to brake suddenly or to overtake, pulling into the path of other cars. In fact, you can actually be stopped by the police for driving too slowly on the motorway. The same goes, of course, for driving in excess of 70mph, which can be just as dangerous.

If there is slowing traffic or an obstruction ahead, it’s a good idea to use your hazard lights in order to warn motorists behind you. This will grab their attention and ensure that they react safely, and, in turn, will make sure they are able to warn drivers behind them in the same way.

MurderOfBanshees · 01/10/2013 11:06

"There was no queue! "

But if there was traffic backing up behind the caravan, as you said here

"Initially I could not move into lane 2 as there was traffic there "

Then there was a queue, it's just you were level with the start of it.

FutTheShuckUp · 01/10/2013 11:06

This is from the AA. Who actually do have motoring experience, shockingly

Original poster
EdwiniasRevenge · 01/10/2013 11:07

I did not brake.

I wasn't excessively slow. Yes there were points when I may have been below 60 but for the main I was around 60.

OP posts:
juneybean · 01/10/2013 11:08

YANBU OP

I would have undertook in anger (quite wrongly!) but the caravan and the HGV were the ones in the wrong in your situation.

FutTheShuckUp · 01/10/2013 11:09

I didn't say you did. This is for the benefit of the numpty who was saying its okay to amble along at a speed you feel comfortable at. It really isn't.

onlytheonce · 01/10/2013 11:10

footballagain

Whilst you're contributions to the thread are to accuse the OP of 'twattish behaviour', and call me an 'insulting arse'. Beams and motes come to mind.

Original poster
EdwiniasRevenge · 01/10/2013 11:11

There can be traffic without a queue.

Traffic was travelling faster than the caravan, approaching and moving out sk there was a constant flow of traffic approaching and moving round.

There was also traffic from my slip road trying to join behind the caravan (my lane merged to become lane 1. The traffic inthe left lane of the slip road had to merge with lane 2).

OP posts:
FutTheShuckUp · 01/10/2013 11:14

Onlytheonce. I suggest you go back to bed. Then attempt to wake on the right side.

onlytheonce · 01/10/2013 11:14

FTSU, where did I say you could drive as slow as you want? I said that in this situation, the OP was driving at an appropriate speed.

There is no lower speed limit (unless specifically signed on rare occasions), but driving too slowly can be deemed to be dangerous driving. People need to get out of their heads that 70 mph is a target, it's not.

FutTheShuckUp · 01/10/2013 11:20

Anything there about driving as close to 70mph as you can? Thought not.

Except there is, isn't there.

Original poster
EdwiniasRevenge · 01/10/2013 11:21

Yes you can be charged with dangerous drivinv for driving too slow (55-60 id not too slow and 60 is the upper limit for some vehicles).

Yes you can be charged with dangerous driving for undertaking.

Yes you can be charged with dangerous driving for middle lane hogging.

Yes you can be charged with dangerous driving for tailgating.

OP posts: