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Those dedicated to delivery work know the roads of this country like the back of their hands, yet are often complained about by other road users. However, this is not always fair. To redress the imbalance, let’s discuss the five most irritating habits that lorry drivers face on the roads. Here we go! Parking Problems I’m not talking about poor old Mr. Smith and his wonky parking by the Post Office – not everyone is a parking pro. What many lorry drivers doing delivery work complain about is double parking on narrow roads, both in cities and in the countryside. Not only can this hold up HGVs, but double parking can also prevent certain emergency service vehicles, like fire engines, from getting through. At the very least, there’s a chance that your deliveries will be late. Can’t Find the Indicator? It’s amazing how many motorists struggle to find their indicators on a roundabout. Roundabouts are supposed to help traffic flow and speed things up for everyone. Unfortunately, people who fail to indicate properly on a roundabout can cause serious problems. When HGV users think that they have the right of way but have to brake suddenly due to the poor (or absent) indicating of another vehicle, it could lead to a collision. On the other hand, lorry drivers who – sensibly – wait until they are completely certain that they can safely enter a roundabout can cause long holdups. Dangerous Decisions Car drivers who make last-minute decisions – such as pulling out suddenly in front of a large vehicle or nipping across a lane without warning – are a problem for HGV drivers. The issue is that most motorists don’t realise that handling a HGV is not the same as driving a car. An accident is always a potential outcome when a truck brakes abruptly, as its weight and heavy load will push the vehicle forwards. Oblivious Overtaking Again, any manoeuvres that cause a truck to brake rapidly are potentially dangerous. For example, when a car passes a truck but doesn’t leave enough room between the two vehicles when pulling back into the lane is an all too common phenomenon. Not only does it slow down traffic, as it takes a lorry much longer to get back up to speed than a car, but it could also cause an accident. Country Road Confusion Many motorists enjoy driving along a beautiful country lane and I am not here to take that joy away. However, the narrow, winding roads found in the country have their own dangers. Blind corners, uneven surfaces and narrow passing places are very common and mean that all drivers should take extra care. Passing HGVs is more difficult in these conditions and it is often impossible to see past large vehicles. Some drivers take risks, pulling out into oncoming traffic even if they can’t see properly. We all need a little patience when travelling along country lanes! Though everyone enjoys having a whine about other road users, these bugbears highlight some serious safety issues on the road. Thankfully, the delivery work community is well aware of the foibles of other road users and does its best to ensure everyone’s safety on the road. Author Plate Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching delivery work with available drivers. Over 5,000 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
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