Driving licence changes?

[Mick Annick]

And whilst I'm at it, why oh why am I still subsidising hauliers who carry one or sometimes two axles around with them? Bin this stupid loophole taxation class asap. One day I'll work out what the daily tonnage of steel and rubber carried around the UK is - I bet its a lot...

Not this old moan again, it was answered months ago last time you brought it up - the difference between a two axle and a three axle tractor is £62.00 a year, against a purchase price of the extra axle running into thousands, there is no loophole!

 

[premmington]

And yet I see people disproving that many times a day.

Especially noticeable In a van. People late for work desperate to get past the van by any means they can.

I know mate - I seen some really bad driving of late.

But the chance of dying doing it is well down.

 

[Richiew]

If you want dumbed down driving, try the States. Driven there twice now. Lowish speed limits and auto gearboxes everywhere. Lots of drivers in their own little bubble. Very little apparent awareness of others on the highways or whatever they are called. I know it's a cultural thing, but no-one flashes anybody over there. Probably worried they will get shot.

Just my impression over a few hundred miles.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I know mate - I seen some really bad driving of late.

But the chance of dying doing it is well down.

Ah that's ok then. Bumper cars on the roads but nobody dies.

 

[Justme]

You seem to crawl out of the woodwork only when you can shout about safety and doom

Really?

I bet that less than 10% of my 3.8k posts are re road safety stuff.
Not that I am going to count but you feel free.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Really?

I bet that less than 10% of my 3.8k posts are re road safety stuff.
Not that I am going to count but you feel free.

You shout and bawl safety about anything to do with towing or driving. I’ll hazard a guess that if it wasn’t your job you wouldn’t feel anywhere near as strongly about it.

 

[The Artilleryman]

If you can’t reverse it you can’t drive it …

Reversing my Ifor Williams BV85 trailer behind my 2.4M wide motorhome is a nightmare, cannot see trailer at all, only time you see the back end is when it's turned to far. Behind the Mondeo it's very easy

 

[m_c]

Reversing my Ifor Williams BV85 trailer behind my 2.4M wide motorhome is a nightmare, cannot see trailer at all, only time you see the back end is when it's turned to far. Behind the Mondeo it's very easy

I used to regularly watch guys in 12T lorries reverse a short 1t single axle trailer 50metres straight up a yard then around a corner without issue. By the time the trailer was visible in the mirrors, it would already have been on the verge of jackniving.
It's all about spatial awareness and having the confidence of knowing the trailer is where you think it is.

On the other hand, we used to have a foreman who thought he was the best reverser in the world.
Other two of us on the shift could reverse a trailer into and down the workshop with maybe one or two cuts. One night he got to 14 cuts, and was still only just inside the workshop doors.
He was also the same foreman who wrote off a brand new VW Golf hire car reversing a lorry out the workshop. He hit it that hard, he shoved the front wing that far back the drivers door wouldn't open.

 

[minimutly]

Not this old moan again, it was answered months ago last time you brought it up - the difference between a two axle and a three axle tractor is £62.00 a year, against a purchase price of the extra axle running into thousands, there is no loophole!

Ok, £62 isn't a loophole (forgive me must have missed that answer).
So why then?

 

[Agrismith]

Ok, £62 isn't a loophole (forgive me must have missed that answer).
So why then?

Are you saying why the tag ?? Or why are they up ??

 

[Justme]

You shout and bawl safety about anything to do with towing or driving. I’ll hazard a guess that if it wasn’t your job you wouldn’t feel anywhere near as strongly about it.

So its wrong to be passionate about your work?
I bet your an employee.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

So its wrong to be passionate about your work?
I bet your an employee.

I am, yes. And you’re passionate as far as it makes you money. Whenever there’s a thread along these lines I can guarantee you’ll pop up quoting the same tired gash about safety- I notice the impending trailer based apocalypse you predicted hasn’t happened yet

 

[minimutly]

Are you saying why the tag ?? Or why are they up ??

Why are they up? And don't tell me all the trucks carrying are empty. I suppose they're below the weight they need to be lowered? Ok, so why so many?
Thousands of tons a day, how much pollution does this cause?

 

[Agrismith]

Why are they up? And don't tell me all the trucks carrying are empty. I suppose they're below the weight they need to be lowered? Ok, so why so many?
Thousands of tons a day, how much pollution does this cause?

They are automatic on most modern lorries so will only drop when needed. On some arctics that could be as little as 4t shy of loaded.
And a lorry is only really going to be loaded 50% of the time so yes you will see them lifted 50% of the time.
Having a tag is actually going to be more environmentally friendly. It is more efficient to move as much as possible each time. So therefore we want lorries to be as big and heavily laden as possible so they are moving the highest volume of material in comparison to there own weight.
However running extra wheels on the ground when they arnt needed is extra drag and extra wear and tear which is more pollution. Therefore they lift up. The extra axle down when fully laden is also better for the road meaning the road is repaired less often and road repair causes a huge amount of pollution.
Essential the wasted pollution you suggest would be burning excess fuel to carry unnecessary weight around. This would directly effect the bottom line of the haulage firms. So between wanted fuel and the extra purchase price they are not going to run lift axles if it wasn't the most efficient way of working. Your talking about an industry that is ditching wing mirrors to save 1mpg and low loaders running ramps that fold flat to save 1mpg.
I'm sure the entire haulage industry are not such bad business men as to be running an extra axle around for fun.

 

[minimutly]

They are automatic on most modern lorries so will only drop when needed. On some arctics that could be as little as 4t shy of loaded.
And a lorry is only really going to be loaded 50% of the time so yes you will see them lifted 50% of the time.
Having a tag is actually going to be more environmentally friendly. It is more efficient to move as much as possible each time. So therefore we want lorries to be as big and heavily laden as possible so they are moving the highest volume of material in comparison to there own weight.
However running extra wheels on the ground when they arnt needed is extra drag and extra wear and tear which is more pollution. Therefore they lift up. The extra axle down when fully laden is also better for the road meaning the road is repaired less often and road repair causes a huge amount of pollution.
Essential the wasted pollution you suggest would be burning excess fuel to carry unnecessary weight around. This would directly effect the bottom line of the haulage firms. So between wanted fuel and the extra purchase price they are not going to run lift axles if it wasn't the most efficient way of working. Your talking about an industry that is ditching wing mirrors to save 1mpg and low loaders running ramps that fold flat to save 1mpg.
I'm sure the entire haulage industry are not such bad business men as to be running an extra axle around for fun.

No I'm sure they're not. But I refute the 50% empty argument - firstly any transport manager that allowed that would be sacked within weeks, secondly by my count 90% of axles are up. So I'm not convinced, sorry. Something else is going on here then...

 

[8ob]

It’s a bit half and half, there are operators like supermarkets ect that don’t carry other freight. Most proper haulage companies phone in for a return load. The timber boys stay in their trucks until they find a return load, they won’t turn a wheel unless freighted or on their way to the next load.

Bob

 

[Agrismith]

No I'm sure they're not. But I refute the 50% empty argument - firstly any transport manager that allowed that would be sacked within weeks, secondly by my count 90% of axles are up. So I'm not convinced, sorry. Something else is going on here then...

The 50% was a guide as no lorry is going to be laden less than 50%Of the time so it was to make a point. That ofcourse you see axles lifted. And not every load will require the axles dropped. With lorry's it is also about axle loading so they may only require the axle dropped for particular load. I'm sure your estimation has more to do with the day time location and direction of travel. Rather than a conspiracy theory. Some haulage firms spec the smallest cab no ac and no fridge for the sake of cheapness. They arnt then going to spend thousands on an axle to carry round for the fun of it.

 

[dobbslc]

The focus on speed as an easy target for a lazy police force to boost revenue and their "figures" - means that all the truly dangerous and incompetent stay on the highway, causing mayhem with impunity.

Very true! There's some horrendously bad drivers around that get away with almost anything except speeding as the cameras can't catch ****e driving!

Ah that's ok then. Bumper cars on the roads but nobody dies.

Not so good if you on a bike or like my eldest boy in a Toyota Aygo made of baking trays and plastic!

I say get more traffic cops back on the roads especially motorways and any of the German car driving nobs seen weaving in and out of already fast moving motorway traffic gets a week inside and a lifetime ban.
Plus crush the car even if it's not owned by them. If it's their mother's boyfriend's uncles or the HP company's, still crush it. After a while word will get round and it might keep some of them off the roads.

 

[colnerov]

Hi, As I understood it tandem axle tractor units were made an option because it gave the operator greater flexibility of use with tandem or tri-axle trailers in regards to axle loads. If five axles are not needed they can lift one to reduce running costs. There's not just a cost and weight penalty on the unit but an extra complexity of the air system, they wouldn't do it unless there was an advantage in operating use. If they're running with a unit axle lifted they will most likely have a tri-axle trailer on.

Colin

 

[minimutly]

Hi, As I understood it tandem axle tractor units were made an option because it gave the operator greater flexibility of use with tandem or tri-axle trailers in regards to axle loads. If five axles are not needed they can lift one to reduce running costs. There's not just a cost and weight penalty on the unit but an extra complexity of the air system, they wouldn't do it unless there was an advantage in operating use. If they're running with a unit axle lifted they will most likely have a tri-axle trailer on.

Colin

I don't know enough about this to warrant going on about it forever. But all the reasoning under the sun doesn't change the fact that 90% of trucks on our roads are carrying one axle at any time - I'm not making this up - all you have to do is count them. I can see you'd want the biggest truck etc, but two tons odd being carried around for nothing still doesn't make sense - but then maybe if its needed for 10% of the time and that's when it pays for itself, perhaps it does...