Downhill passing lanes?

[awa355]

Going down the TGA side of the Kaimais today following two trucks. A ladened truck pulls into the slow lane, the following truck stays out to pass it. The 1st truck is trying to pull out at the end of the slow lane before the overtaking truck is past. Two trucks side by side, one straddling the double yellow lines, and two lanes of traffic coming up towards them.

Made me think, If two trucks are 20 metre long each, one is doing 25kph in the slow lane, the other is doing 60kph passing, how much distance is needed for the overtaking truck to get his trailer 20 mtres ahead of the slower truck. A techno wizz could work this out. I cant.

Definitly more ground than this 'slow' lane had.

Personally, I think if the front vehicle is doing a reasonable speed, a lot of the slow lanes are not long enough for more than one car to get past, before the 1st vehicle has to pull back out into the traffic. ( I'm thinking of the Waikato side of the Kaimais here) The slow lanes are on the outside of the corners, ( rt hand), so the main lane vehicle has a tighter radius to go through at a higher speed.

Has anyone else witnessed any close calls with these downhill 'slow traffic' lanes?

I know it comes down to the drivers judgement, but I suspect many drivers misjudge their timing/speed on downhill runs.

[Subike]

I M O
trucks are "slow' vehicles,
The lane is for slow vehicles, thus both trucks should have been using the slow lane.
The driver of the truck overtaking the first was in the wrong from the start of his attempt,
A good truck driver would have been patient and stayed behind the other,
Like inexperienced riders who want to go fast they take risks, (bike related input) inexperienced truck drivers also want to go fast and take risks.Going down hill, IMO for a truck to attempt to pass another truck in a slow vehicle lane is as bad as overtaking on a blind corner for a motorcyclist .

[Road kill]

I know the exact place your talking about and that lane should be closed off as it's not long enough for other trucks to get past you unless you really haul up,which is not aways possible if you just happen to be pushing 30-40 tonnes.

Most car drivers also take so long to wake up to the fact they could pass,they also don't get past before the truck on the inside runs out of lane.

After the first couple of scares I stopped using the slow lane and if another truck pulls into it,I just stay behind him "in the outside lane" an don't bother trying to pass.

People on motorcycles that think trucks are slow so should pull in to a lane that will run out in around 100meters,,,,can kiss my arse because I'm not going to play the silly fucking game that can get somebody "me" killed while dick head on bike fucks off like nothing happened

Just shut the stupid fucking lane and the problem goes away.

[Oblivion]

I M O
trucks are "slow' vehicles,
The lane is for slow vehicles, thus both trucks should have been using the slow lane.
The driver of the truck overtaking the first was in the wrong from the start of his attempt,
A good truck driver would have been patient and stayed behind the other,
Like inexperienced riders who want to go fast they take risks, (bike related input) inexperienced truck drivers also want to go fast and take risks.Going down hill, IMO for a truck to attempt to pass another truck in a slow vehicle lane is as bad as overtaking on a blind corner for a motorcyclist .

I had an occasion where a Tanker was being overtaken by a stock truck. Normally you'd assume that they'd both be in the left lane. Nope. The stock truck tried to overtake. On a hill for crying out loud. Realised that couldn't complete the pass, he slowed down and pulled back into the left lane. Right before the passing lane finishes. The smell of a stock truck for 20 minutes is not a nice smell

[Jantar]

I know the exact place your talking about and that lane should be closed off as it's not long enough for other trucks to get past you unless you really haul up,which is not aways possible if you just happen to be pushing 30-40 tonnes.

Most car drivers also take so long to wake up to the fact they could pass,they also don't get past before the truck on the inside runs out of lane.

After the first couple of scares I stopped using the slow lane and if another truck pulls into it,I just stay behind him "in the outside lane" an don't bother trying to pass.

People on motorcycles that think trucks are slow so should pull in to a lane that will run out in around 100meters,,,,can kiss my arse because I'm not going to play the silly fucking game that can get somebody "me" killed while dick head on bike fucks off like nothing happened

Just shut the stupid fucking lane and the problem goes away.

I also know the spot. I hope you weren't the truck driver who didn't pull into the left lane and allow me to pass (3 1/2 years ago). With no other traffic around, I took to the left lane, passed the truck with plenty of room to spare before the end on the passing lane and carried on my way.

[Road kill]

I also know the spot. I hope you weren't the truck driver who didn't pull into the left lane and allow me to pass (3 1/2 years ago). With no other traffic around, I took to the left lane, passed the truck with plenty of room to spare before the end on the passing lane and carried on my way.

Never had that happen,,,yet.

The thing is, if you could count on people being on the ball an getting past you before the lane runs out it wouldn't be an issue.

The trouble is, you can't rely on people to do anything at all,then when one does get it right everybody else behind them also wants to go,,,but the lane is simply not long enough.

To those that say the truck should just pull over,I offer them the chance to come along for the ride one day,see what it's like to be running out of room in a vehicle that "will" kill you while the clowns trickle past at 90-100kms as you watch the on coming "nothing".

Me,I've spend years doing this is well as five years running my own pilot "wide load" escort business and I've seen the results to many times not to stay pro active all the time and consider all the possibilitys all the time.

People on the roads tend to think about only their own point of view and seldom give a shit about other road users,,I have to consider every body and I have to give a shit all the time.

So sometimes I take what I consider to be the safe option,,if that holds somebody up for an extra 5-10 minites,,,so be it.

I'm not going to apoligise to people that don't get it and wouldn't give me the time of day if it ment any effort on their part.

You know there's two types of people on the roads that really piss me off,,that's fuckwits in trucks and fuckwits on bikes,,,both are far to close to home for me not to get pissed at them.

Sales reps in XR8's,,,well there's no hope for those cunts anyway so I don't get pissed at them,,,strange huh.

[wtf?]

Made me think, If two trucks are 20 metre long each, one is doing 25kph in the slow lane, the other is doing 60kph passing, how much distance is needed for the overtaking truck to get his trailer 20 mtres ahead of the slower truck. A techno wizz could work this out. I cant.

I was interested in the answer, so here's mine…

Assuming
1. the overtaking truckie anticipates the move and loses no time accelerating

The faster truck starts 10m behind, moves 30m up so both cabs are level, moves another 20m for the length of his own truck and a further 20m so as not to cut off the slower truck when they both move to the same lane, then…

The faster truck has to move en extra 70m on the slower truck at a speed differential of 35km/h. That takes 7.2 seconds to do. At 65km/h the faster truck will travel 120m in that time. Allow 3 secs to pull out and another 3 to pull back in again and a realistic distance used is 220m

The same 2 trucks going 75 and 90, the answer blows out to 570m.

[awa355]

I M O
trucks are "slow' vehicles,
The lane is for slow vehicles, thus both trucks should have been using the slow lane.
.

Trucks are not "slow" vehicles. Subike. It's not unusual for the tighter corners towards the top of the Kaimais to be the only reason trucks will drop under 70-80k's. In the 'good old days' a logging truck would be 15kph going up one side, and in low gear at 10k's going down the otherside.

Anyway, no ones answered the question from the OP, How much distance does an overtaking truck need to pass? One at 25k's, and one at 60k's.

[jasonu]

Going down the TGA side of the Kaimais today following two trucks. A ladened truck pulls into the slow lane, the following truck stays out to pass it. The 1st truck is trying to pull out at the end of the slow lane before the overtaking truck is past. Two trucks side by side, one straddling the double yellow lines, and two lanes of traffic coming up towards them.

Made me think, If two trucks are 20 metre long each, one is doing 25kph in the slow lane, the other is doing 60kph passing, how much distance is needed for the overtaking truck to get his trailer 20 mtres ahead of the slower truck. A techno wizz could work this out. I cant.

Definitly more ground than this 'slow' lane had.

Personally, I think if the front vehicle is doing a reasonable speed, a lot of the slow lanes are not long enough for more than one car to get past, before the 1st vehicle has to pull back out into the traffic. ( I'm thinking of the Waikato side of the Kaimais here) The slow lanes are on the outside of the corners, ( rt hand), so the main lane vehicle has a tighter radius to go through at a higher speed.

Has anyone else witnessed any close calls with these downhill 'slow traffic' lanes?

I know it comes down to the drivers judgement, but I suspect many drivers misjudge their timing/speed on downhill runs.

If the slower truckkie was not a cunt he would have slowed enough to let the faster one pass safely. Sounds like these two were not useing the CB either

[rebel]

I M O
trucks are "slow' vehicles,
The lane is for slow vehicles, thus both trucks should have been using the slow lane.
The driver of the truck overtaking the first was in the wrong from the start of his attempt,
A good truck driver would have been patient and stayed behind the other,
Like inexperienced riders who want to go fast they take risks, (bike related input) inexperienced truck drivers also want to go fast and take risks.Going down hill, IMO for a truck to attempt to pass another truck in a slow vehicle lane is as bad as overtaking on a blind corner for a motorcyclist .

Wrong on all accounts,
A truck has the right to use a passing lane just as much as anyone else.
Whos to say the truck wasn't an empty tanker or tipper, low COG that will corner quicker than half the brain dead fuckwits on NZ roads mostly seen in econo cars, people movers or small SUVs.
Do yourself a favour and go for a ride in one.

[Road kill]

Just out of interest,,How many of you guys that have commented about what Truck drivers "should do" have actually spent any time driving heavy transport vehicles.

And more to the point, how do "you" feel about non riders passing comment about what modern motorcycle riders "should do" ?

Or are those questions just a bit to close for comfort ?

[BMWST?]

Get big trucks of the roads and use the railway we all have paid for numerous times,problem solved

[sootie]

If anyone thinks all trucks are slow, I suggest they try a drive in to Melbourne around 5am on a weekday & mixing it with the trucks racing in to pick up their daily load for country delivery.

These guys know every inch of the road, their trucks are lightly loaded, and the vehicles are very modern.
I was over the speed limit in the slow lane, and these guys were racing past me even on corners to pick up their loads! I was given the royal command by she who must be obeyed to let them go!

[meteor]

Going through the gorge from Opotiki to Gisborne a couple of years back got stuck behind 2 truck and trailer units. Saw passing lane, thought great, but the second truck took the passing lane and I thought oh no but hell, that thing flew. Barreled past the 1st truck, accelerating uphill and beyond. Thing cornered like it was on rails. I was driving my xr8 and I was stretching it's legs to keep up... good effort!

[sootie]

The idea of trucks using passing lanes seems to be a bit complicated really.
Most of the truck drivers I come across are pretty competent professional drivers with good attitudes (but there are some exceptions). I think it is probably best to let these drivers decide what they are going to do for themselves as they currently do. (they are in the best position to understand their truck, the road, and what load they have aboard.) I believe the attitude & standard of driving of truck drivers has improved over the last 20 odd years so we seem to be getting this right.

It would be nice to have more freight being moved by rail though I have to say.