High sided vehicles and the IDIOTS who get blown over

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There lies the problem David.

Some people don`t even know their own capabilities and weaknesses never mind their vehicles and just carry on regardless.
 
Wooie1958 said:
There lies the problem David.

Some people don`t even know their own capabilities and weaknesses never mind their vehicles and just carry on regardless.
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but you cant tie up an industry in miles of convoluted red tape and even more illconceived rules to try to prevent a tiny number of incidents.

anyone actually got any figures for how many vehicles are blown over in the uk?
 
I don't think they could ever give specific sizes simply because there are many factors - direction of wind, streamlining of the vehicle, speed of wind, speed of vehicle, effective sail area perpendicular to the wind, centre of gravity of the vehicle, centre of action of the wind forces etc - so it has to come down to the authorities flagging up a possible hazard and individual drivers making their own safety determination. Whatever happens on the road, it must always be down to the driver to decide. No different to heavy rain, fog, snow, icing, flooding. Not buyer beware, but driver beware.

any attempt to impose legislation on who should drive what in what conditions would result in a situation that would put insurers in a position
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No need for special legislation because it is already in place. Captain of the vessel is totally responsible no matter what happens.
 
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ricc said:
but you cant tie up an industry in miles of convoluted red tape and even more illconceived rules to try to prevent a tiny number of incidents.

anyone actually got any figures for how many vehicles are blown over in the uk?
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.

It all depends on how much you depend on the route. I used to used the Forth Bridge daily and the chaos caused by overturned vehicles was severe even though the diversion was only 50 miles. They are now prosecuting drivers who ignore the no high sided vehicle signs, and rightly so.
 
As everyone knows, the faster you go, the heavier you get. Throttle is on the right. :p
 
the answere is to stop the high siders then send the impatient ones over in pairs , the upwind one would lean on the downwind one and the combination would effectivly be double the width so wont topple over.
so simple wonder why nobody's done it before.
 
We have the same problem with high winds on the coast down here in Sussex. I drive double decker buses on the Brighton to Eastbourne route and many sections of the route are very exposed, roedean cliffs, salt Dean and Beachy Head to name a few. It's not a constant wind across the top of the cliffs more strong gusts with a lot of turbulence. One second it's blowing one side, then the other.

The bus company doesn't seem to have a severe weather procedure, other than the management keeping their fingers crossed as they will do anything to avoid lost mileage. They say I have the right to ask for a single decker in high winds. I also have the right to ask for a holiday in ibiza , but I won't get one either! Single decker are few in number at Brighton and Hove.

Technically Vosa say it is my ultimate responsibility and I should refuse to take the bus out if conditions are, in my opinion, too risky. Fine, I could do that, but I would end up on the managements £$%^ list and the next time there are redundancies I'm stuffed

It's not so much the risk of the bus being blown over, they are surprisingly stable. What does happen is the bus gets blown sideways. Slowing right down reduces the risk significantly and makes for a safer and more comfortable ride for my passengers. The cars behind me tend to get pi##ed off and overtake into the face of oncoming traffic. Don't know why, we pull over into bus stops every half mile or so to pick up and drop off. Pillocks!

Slowing down is definitely the answer, you get a bit more time to react. If the conditions are too bad I will pull over. Problem is, I have to justify my decision to managers who have never driven anything larger than a car. One doesn't have a driving licence at all ****!

Chris
 
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ricc said:
the answere is to stop the high siders then send the impatient ones over in pairs , the upwind one would lean on the downwind one and the combination would effectivly be double the width so wont topple over.
so simple wonder why nobody's done it before.
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They used to do that back in the 80`s over the Thelwall Viaduct on the M6 when it was still a single bridge.

I worked from the Barley Castle Trading Estate at Appleton so i had to cross the damned thing 4 times every bloody day :mad2:
 
ricc said:
the answere is to stop the high siders then send the impatient ones over in pairs , the upwind one would lean on the downwind one and the combination would effectivly be double the width so wont topple over.
so simple wonder why nobody's done it before.
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It was also standard practice on the old Severn Bridge, two high sided wagons would be paired up and venture over together. Never a problem.
 
I have forever imprinted in my memory a scene from an accident I passed by in Germany - big HGV vehicle lying on it's side, completely crushed car underneath it! I have no idea of the circumstances that led to the accident but I never, ever let myself get caught side by side with a truck when overtaking in high winds.
 
oh dear cant go to scotland if its a tad windy in a transit connect with the a team paintjob towing a flatbed trailer then .
 
Its easy for me. I only drive any distance for leisure so if it looks or sounds dangerous then its time for a cup of coffee and it stays that time until it improves. I do however feel really sorry for the poor sods that have to drive for a living and have huge pressures to carry on. Ambulance drivers who drive a vehicle which is as unstable in wind as my van come to mind.

Richard
 
ScamperVan said:
I have forever imprinted in my memory a scene from an accident I passed by in Germany - big HGV vehicle lying on it's side, completely crushed car underneath it! I have no idea of the circumstances that led to the accident but I never, ever let myself get caught side by side with a truck when overtaking in high winds.
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A friend of mine relocated to live in London.He was a keen cyclist and would bike it everyday to and from work.He was killed by a truck that toppled onto him.The Police and recovery people didn't realise he was there until they got it back onto its wheels and there he was.
 
2cv said:
Traffic Scotland have now issued their definition of "high sided vehicles", and it includes some which many may have considered not to be high sided.

https://trafficscotland.org/news/story.aspx?id=12540
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That clears things up then. Lol
By high-sided, we mean vehicles that are greater than average height (for example double decker buses, high-sided rigid or articulated HGVs, furniture vans, Luton vans, vehicles towing trailers or caravans, modified transit vans and similar vehicles)
Anybody care to work out an average height for a vehicle?
 
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