Lgv/hgv Drivers....loss Of Mutual Respect?

[steve2006]

Is it just me or are there other members here who feel that HGV drivers have lost complete respect for other motorists?

The reason I ask is that I drive a long wheelbase Ford transit van for business purposes after a gap from van driving for several years.

The last time I drove a large van probably in the mid 90s lorry drivers tended to treat van drivers with the same respect we gave them, we are both driving for business purposes after all.

It was commonplace to "flash" a HGV into lane 2 if they indicated to overtake and it was safe to do so,give you the alternate indicator flash seen as a thank you and they in turn would reciprocate by "flashing" you back into lane one.

Not anymore the proceedure for HGVs now appears to indicate and immediately pull into your lane causing you to brake with any protest met with a two finger gesture on passing, if you do flash them out they now fail to flick the indicators or even wave as you eventually pass nevermind flash you back over when you finally pass them.

Sitting in lane 2 of a dual carriageway for 3-4 miles overtaking another HGV is so common now that one section of the M42 now has a daytime ban on lane hogging HGVs.

So is it just me or has the respect totally gone, I'd be particularly interested to hear it from the horse's mouth i.e. HGV drivers.

[marko369]

I wasn't driving in the mid 90s so I don't remember them having ANY road courtesy or respect #shaking my head

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[janey]

As a rule we find them great when we've got the trailer on, they'll flash us in & vice versa, you do get the odd one who is an arrogant ar$e but then that goes across the board no matter what they are driving

[Spacewagon52]

I still flash HGV's if I am travelling sedateley in my car. They usually acknowledge with a wink of the indicators but as Janey says there are always the rude ones who don't care.

[Bluesman]

I think you will find that there is a general lack of respect that runs right through our society today, mores the pity. Mike.

[Spacewagon52]

I agree Mike, but there is also much more aggression, bad language and impatience generally.

[normski2]

I always flash large vehicles when they are clear, having overtaken me, so they know they are clear to pull back in. It's a common courtesy and I'd say its thanked via the indicator flash 9 times out of 10. The same on the continent too.

For sure, the roads are much busier than they were and congestion is much increased.

Some days I feel the roads are better....some days they seem bonkers with rage.

[dave1]

As above, it is something I have always done no matter what I am driving. Years ago it was acknowledged by a quick double flick of lights on/ lights off before the currently accepted method was introduced. Strangely though I find the worst drivers tend to actually be van drivers. They frequently don't bother pulling in anyway but the ones that do rarely give no acknowledgement.............probably because they are not looking to see when they can safely pull in.

[Lexmanic]

Actually I find most HGV drivers are OK. Its the van drivers (no offence intended) that I find a problem. When I'm driving our Renault Trafic Master based Motorhome (which is most weeks) the Truckers do on many an occasion flash me in and I do likewise except that at night I flick my headlights on and off as this saves them having to keep watching their NS mirror. (I did drive HGV's including artics and buses in my formative years )

Our MH is quite able to travel at the speed of cars and other traffic, usually 60-70mph yet I have vans come flying past sometimes just before their off junction. Recently one almost took the front of mine off. Crazy sod but when traffic became stationary I drew alongside pointed out he was an idiot and that I had him driving like a dangerious loony recorded on camera.

The reason HGV's don't seem to want to slow and pull back in behind the vehicle they'd been trying wthout success to pass is that once they reduce revs/power its a bugger to get it up again

Also it should be realized that wjhen behind another HGV the rear one enjoys the advantage of slip-streaming causing them to think they're quicker than the guy in front which they are until they pull out to overtake then the slip-streaming is lost hence their often very slow progress overtaking