Downhill passing lanes?

[Kickaha]

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

If rail wasn't so fucking slow and crap it would be

[Jantar]

I have also noticed a big improvement in the standard of truck driving over the past 20 - 30 years. I would now class truckies as generally the best drivers on the roads. There are still a few exceptions, but generally they are courteous, maintain steady speeds and give other traffic room when required.

Bus drivers are the worst drivers. Well certainly in South Island rural areas. Maybe its because they are too distracted giving comentaries to their passengers rather than watching for other traffic, or perhaps they're chosen for their poor driving ability.

[Road kill]

I have also noticed a big improvement in the standard of truck driving over the past 20 - 30 years. I would now class truckies as generally the best drivers on the roads. There are still a few exceptions, but generally they are courteous, maintain steady speeds and give other traffic room when required.

Bus drivers are the worst drivers. Well certainly in South Island rural areas. Maybe its because they are too distracted giving comentaries to their passengers rather than watching for other traffic, or perhaps they're chosen for their poor driving ability.

Odd you should say that,I know two bus drivers that left the company I work for after being put on stone kicking duties due to,,,certain things.

I saw one of them on a foggy morning not long ago with a load of school kids on board,but without his lights on.

I then saw him in town a couple of weeks later,,,apparently he could see just fine.

[madandy]

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.

You need to allow more room for the overtaking truck to slow back down to a speed the next bend can be taken at!
Some trucks' engine brakes/divetrain retarders allow a much higher speed to be maintained downhill while keeping full control but one good ask of the brakes when loaded and your emergency brake option is down the gurgler for another 400m(an exampe depending on load/speed/gradient) till the brakes cool off.

To the OP.
The overtaking truck possibly could have done more to make the pass stick more safely and the the driver being passed almost certainly could have helped the situation. I wonder how many seconds the passing driver gained by the time he reached Tauriko.
So often I am passed on SH2 only to pull up alongside or behinda car within minutes of them exhibiting zero patience for a damn near constant 95kh/h...

[caspernz]

Well, interesting to see the diverse opinions here... Soooo, as I've spent about 25 years driving trucks as well as riding bikes, my take on this may be at odds with a few of you. For a short slow vehicle bay on a downhill run, when I'm running loaded I'll give a truck following me a shout on the CB to establish whether the following unit wants to come by, and if so, I'll assist that by backing off a bit more. BUT, if the follower doesn't talk to me I'd be tempted to stay in the main lane so as to keep the whole situation safe, especially when the slow vehicle bay is very short. OR, simply slow down enough to allow the hurry hurry driver to go past...

The Kaimais coming down the Waikato side are a nuisance, the bays are just too short to allow "un-managed" truck/truck overtakes, and as others have mentioned it's also about speed around the corners.

Having just come back from five weeks in Europe, on the shuttle ride home I was once more reminded that lots of Kiwi drivers in general work on the "me-first-sod-you" approach, regardless of what vehicle...

[jasonu]

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 ?

I spent 3 years deiving a pilot/wide load car for a heavy hauler so not actually having driven a big truck, I have seen first hand how to get one from a to b and all the crap that goes on in between

[rebel]

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

you probably don't know the old sayings,
without trucks, NZ stops.,
the only thing not delivered by trucks are babies.

unless you want to return to the 19th century.
people want everything now.
When I was driving I would do (to name one of many routes) Dunedin-Chch-New Ply-Tauranga-Auckland, all within 2 days including rests, same company would also have a unit loaded/delivered door to door Akld-Chch within 20hrs swapping drivers at both islands.

[Road kill]

I spent 3 years deiving a pilot/wide load car for a heavy hauler so not actually having driven a big truck, I have seen first hand how to get one from a to b and all the crap that goes on in between

I did the same for 5 years in Australia,,,I think I had it easier than you did.

Most aussie drivers would actually pull right over or stop,,,certainly not the case here.

Last time I needed a pilot myself we were heading for New Plymouth with some steel mill headers that needed pressure testing,,,just outside Pio Pio a woman in a small car stopped,,the car behind her run straight up the back of her at around 80kms.

That held things up for a while

The Aussies would see flashing lights an the big sign and slow right down or pull over,,,Kiwi's see the same thing but do nothing until they see the load.

It just seems to be trhe Kiwi way to ignore everything until it becomes a problem then they bitch an moan about how it was all somebody elses fault,,never their's.

[FJRider]

I did the same for 5 years in Australia,,,I think I had it easier than you did.

It just seems to be the Kiwi way to ignore everything until it becomes a problem then they bitch an moan about how it was all somebody elses fault,,never their's.

I've driven a few wide/heavy/long loads over the years ... and never had to back up the truck on the road, made a few knobs with caravans/trailers back up though. The Mack approaching at 40 knots make them move pretty quickly ... I moved a house once. (that was fun)

[huff3r]

I did the same for 5 years in Australia,,,I think I had it easier than you did.

Most aussie drivers would actually pull right over or stop,,,certainly not the case here.

Last time I needed a pilot myself we were heading for New Plymouth with some steel mill headers that needed pressure testing,,,just outside Pio Pio a woman in a small car stopped,,the car behind her run straight up the back of her at around 80kms.

That held things up for a while

The Aussies would see flashing lights an the big sign and slow right down or pull over,,,Kiwi's see the same thing but do nothing until they see the load.

It just seems to be trhe Kiwi way to ignore everything until it becomes a problem then they bitch an moan about how it was all somebody elses fault,,never their's.

Doesn't help that "Oversize vehicles" can be anything from slightly over, and therefore not a hint of danger, to a gigantic fricken Catamaran I came across one night. It kinda makes people look twice to see whether it is really worth all the fuss or not.

[FJRider]

Doesn't help that "Oversize vehicles" can be anything from slightly over, and therefore not a hint of danger, to a gigantic fricken Catamaran I came across one night. It kinda makes people look twice to see whether it is really worth all the fuss or not.

Which is just like ignoring roadworks signs ... not often much worth worrying about ... eh .. !!

[awa355]

Well, interesting to see the diverse opinions here... Soooo, as I've spent about 25 years driving trucks as well as riding bikes, my take on this may be at odds with a few of you. For a short slow vehicle bay on a downhill run, when I'm running loaded I'll give a truck following me a shout on the CB to establish whether the following unit wants to come by, and if so, I'll assist that by backing off a bit more. BUT, if the follower doesn't talk to me I'd be tempted to stay in the main lane so as to keep the whole situation safe, especially when the slow vehicle bay is very short. OR, simply slow down enough to allow the hurry hurry driver to go past...

The Kaimais coming down the Waikato side are a nuisance, the bays are just too short to allow "un-managed" truck/truck overtakes, and as others have mentioned it's also about speed around the corners.

Having just come back from five weeks in Europe, on the shuttle ride home I was once more reminded that lots of Kiwi drivers in general work on the "me-first-sod-you" approach, regardless of what vehicle...

The Waikato side is a prime example of downhill 'slow' lanes being to short. A number of trucks ( logging ) are returning empty so aren't holding anybody up by using the fast lane, in fact, they would be one of the quickest vehicles descending the hill. These short lanes are just a place waiting for an accident to happen.

As I said originaly, the downhill overtaking lane is on the outside of the right hand corners , hence faster speeds around a tighter radius for an overtaking vehicle.

Even sitting behind a fully laden truck, it doesn't take long to come off the hill. . Certainly takes less time than a church service.

[huff3r]

Which is just like ignoring roadworks signs ... not often much worth worrying about ... eh .. !!

Difference being, it's not clear what is actually legally required when you come across a pilot vehicle. Do you have to pull over and stop? Or simply excercise caution? Or is it just a warning not to gawk too much when you see the fatty on the road?

[Road kill]

Difference being, it's not clear what is actually legally required when you come across a pilot vehicle. Do you have to pull over and stop? Or simply excercise caution? Or is it just a warning not to gawk too much when you see the fatty on the road?

Common sense or self preservation should be enough on it's own.

But your previous statement does prove my point,people in other countries pull over or stop,,kiwi's seldom do and the one time I've seen somebody stop here,another driver completely fucked things up for her.

The actual requirement is that you slow down,pull to the left and exersize caution,,which Kiwi's just don't do and it's not because they don't understand the law,it just seems a habit with us to wait until we've actually seen the danger with our own eyes before responding..

I mean the sign say's "WIDE LOAD",,so how much more do we really need to just slow down and pull over a little.

BTW,none of that is a crack at you or your comment,it's just a general observation about Kiwi drivers that really shocked me after returning home from several years driving overseas and seeing how much better "they" were than we are.

[FJRider]

Difference being, it's not clear what is actually legally required when you come across a pilot vehicle. Do you have to pull over and stop? Or simply excercise caution? Or is it just a warning not to gawk too much when you see the fatty on the road?

As a general rule ... if the driver of the pilot vehicle tells/signals you to move to the side of the road and/or stop ... it might be a good idea to do so.
But be ready for at least an over-width vehicle. How far over-width may vary .... as may the total weight of the truck and load. But I doubt if the truckie wants a new hood ornament ...

If the pilot vehicle is hoofing along at 90 km/hr ... probably not a lot to worry about. If he's parked in the middle of your lane with his arms waving ... pull over and stop.

This makes interesting reading ...

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/fa...-vehicles.html