AIBU to expect lorry drivers to respect speed limits and distance?

[pinotnow]

At least three or four times over the last few months I have had the unpleasant experience of driving through 50 mph zones on the motorway where works are taking place and there is an average speed check in operation only to have massive lorries coming up way too close and me having to change lanes to get out of their way. On all occasions I have been driving to the speed limit the same speed as everyone else and have been in the left lane and forced to move over to the overtaking lane - not sure why the lorries can't do that.

This morning I gave ds a lift into town to catch a train at 5am. Going home on the 30mph ring road with speed cameras, which does have 2 lanes going each way, the same thing happened. I was in the left lane doing 30 (maybe more like 28 as I know the speedometer isn't 100%) and suddenly a massive lorry is behind me way too close. I changed into the righthand lane and it went off in front - must have been doing at least 35mph, which is his problem.

I get that on fast roads if the speed limit goes down suddenly they can take a while to adjust their speed (I think) but on 30mph road in a built up area surely this shouldn't be happening. I'm sick of having the choice to be rear-ended by a massive lorry, change lanes when it's not necessarily safe, or get a speeding fine and points (which I have never had).

I've been driving 20 years and I'm sure this is happening more and more now. AIBU to think if your job is driving you should be better at it?

Yes! I’m on the M62 regularly as well the M6. Inconsiderate lorry drivers.
Obviously not all. But enough to make driving really stressful.

I looked it up too. I couldn't find an answer to whether they caused more accidents though, but accidents involving them are far more likely to have fatal consequences. So they should be over-cautious I guess.

You're talking out of your arse. You think every single lorry driver is the same! My partner is an HGV driver and I've been out on the lorry with him many times. It's fucking hard driving one of those things, he is super respectful of car drivers and never gets right up close to them. Being in a massive vehicle like that has given me a respect for lorry drivers, it isn't an easy job. Yes there are probably some that are pricks, but don't tar them all with the same brush

Yes, you can see that on here on any thread that mentions HGV drivers
We’re called pricks, bellends, assholes etc just for trying to do our job to the timescales set by planners who wouldn’t know one end of a truck from the other
when we get to our destination often we can’t use the toilets and are routinely made to hand over the keys to our warm truck with a bed and put in a waiting room with zero facilities and made to wait until whoever is unloading us can be bothered to do it
we then head on our way often at night while the people who have ordered the products ( pretty much everything in your daily life ) are fast asleep
we suffer roadworks, impatient car drivers, car drivers who probably shouldn’t be on the roads and yes other HGV drivers as well as the weather
we deliver to villages, towns and cities where we’re not wanted by the councils
when we finish our day if we’re unlucky enough not to be home we get to stay in a lay-by with no facilities or a truck stop that will charge the earth to do it and sleep in the same “office” we have been in all day
despite what you might hear about fabulous wages unless you have one of the golden jobs our pay is mostly shit and god forbid you get a parking ticket or damage a wing mirror is you will be paying for it
so maybe give a wave to a trucker or don’t cut them up give us a bit more room than you would other road users, if you’re overtaking then get on with it and don’t hang around sitting beside us at 56 doesn’t help when we’re planning an overtake
remember we’re limited to 56mph
be nice to us we’re not all the dicks you think we are

Thanks for your perspective. As you can see from my PPS, I have no quarrel with HGV drivers.

I don't know anyone IRL who has expressed anything like the vitriol on this thread. There's so much hyperbole and exaggeration on here - "30cm from my bumper" FFS.

Those conditions sound awful.

it is the fault of the planners then that are setting unrealistic targets. Or potentially dangerous targets.

Question for you: I have seen a lay-by with lorries parked up for the night. Curtains drawn. And then I see a car parked there too. Who’s in the car??? Are they visiting the driver?

Sometimes if you’re close to home your wife might come and see you

Because you’re not allowed to leave the load I guess?

And sorry to say I presumed not a “wife”. But yeah the set up fascinated me everytime I saw it.

No it’s sensible to be cautious. It’s madness and overreacting to be afraid.