Mega lorry

[muddyjames]

Has anyone seen this on the news? It looks cool and I am not sure I fancy driving one, not until I have mastered a normal artic at least! But going from my own experience, if they advertise drivers with previous experience is needed they wont have anyone applying! lol

[topless matt]

Thats nothing new....... been going on in australia for decades.
Even seen one in oz hat was 12 trailers so not really sure what the fuss is about

[V8MoneyPit]

Stephen Joseph is talking out of his backside, isn't he? The weight limit, which the company rightly points out, is still 44 tonnes. So they won't be carrying 50 or 100 tonnes. They will simply be carrying more volume of light weight goods.

[carbore]

You would think that people in pressure groups would understand these things e.g weight limits.

Its an interesting technical issue re towing mind.

Anyway if people want less lorries on the road they shold stop buying so much stuff. Lorry drivers dont drive around for fun, they do is becuase they are delivering things, like, food, your kids christmas presents, etc etc.

And how may rail to good terminals are there e.g. to let trains do backbone haulage and smaller trucks do local drops.

Sorry but consumerism=lorries on road

if it helps, just think of Lorries as "Busses for boxes"

[muddyjames]

I think it is a great idea myself.

I am suprised they arent going to get done for the whole trailer towing a trailer law unless they have a showmans license for genral haulage if that exists? If it had been a rigid with a 5th wheel at the back towing a trailer then I could see that working. Imagine trying to reverse that mega lorry!

[THONG BOY]

Thats nothing new....... been going on in australia for decades.
Even seen one in oz hat was 12 trailers so not really sure what the fuss is about

yep its true  sean them to there nown as land trains i think

[les baty]

it makes sense to me, more wheels on the road means less road damage and from my experience longer trailers are easier to handle...

[Disco Matt]

What worries me is the sheer size of the thing. Roads around here struggle to cope with conventional artics (anyone who has tried to drive through Rhayader will know what I mean!), and they'll also be almost impossible to overtake safely.

No objection to them doing depot to depot runs mostly on dual carriageway/motorway, but they shouldn't be allowed on single carriageway roads for this reason.

I can't help but think that's a publicity stunt. It contravenes the maximum length regs so their lawyers can appeal all they like - it just isn't road legal! It has, however, got their company name on every news report and I bet it'd be a massive draw at truckfests. If you uncouple the rear trailer and haul that with a second tractor unit it'd be perfectly legal to take it to shows, then reassemble on site.

[TDi90]

What worries me is the sheer size of the thing. Roads around here struggle to cope with conventional artics (anyone who has tried to drive through Rhayader will know what I mean!),

i know what you mean, am in Llandrindod wells, fairly often...

[Mud_Medic]

This is exactly the same wheel/trailer plan used in South Africa. Speaking to people in the know out there (they are used to haul everything often with US Kenworths) it is best weight distribution for stability.

We will have to see what happens with the legal process... 

Ed

[william127]

would like to see one on the motorway. but what happens when the driver follows a sat nav down a single track road? :shock: : a few weeks ago a Polish bloke tried to drive an artic down the little road past my barn and it took my mate, me and another bloke 4o minutes to see him backwards up to the main road :roll:

[dxmedia]

That BBC link (don't have to open it) is arse.  Shocking the sun did a good review.

It's motorway depot to depot only

The weight can increase (there's been a long standing petition for this) since the axle weight will substancally decrease. The gov also paid for the trails, and will be trailing a number on the motorways as per the rest of europe.

As per, aunty making news up to get people to view the site....

[Oz]

I would also like to add that I am a recovery, driver although not the same thing as such but I drive a 4axel volvo which where use to tow artics eg. You have the volvo towing the artic tractor unit which inturn has the trailer on that. Which = more than 44tones and and really long askn has two pivot points. And that is legal. Sorry just fort I would add that in to the box

[Disco Matt]

Yep, but that's for recovery purposes only. I know there's a maximum length for artics in conventional use as that's why bonneted tractor units aren't hugely common - the bonnet eats into the overall length, cutting down the length of trailer and therefore the amount of cargo that can be carried.

[Oz]

Totally agree. i was mearly just stating that it happens in this county at the moment.. even though only for recovery purposes etc i would also agree that the stopping destance of dual tralier units is far less then a normal artic.  Also this would reduce overall amount of truck on the main roads, there for less fuel used more for us to play with... and dont forget "With out trucks you get nothing" after all we are only deleverying the goods that you all want. be it food or christmas pressents...    Ow and dont forget how many time's us truck drivers have "Forced the goverment to lower fuel prices..

[carbore]

I think the "recovery purposes only" thing is the loophole/questionable thing that they are talking about. The BBC article said that the police (DVLA) whoever said it was for revoery purposes only, but the company said it can be interpreted differently. Hence needing a "legal test"