Please use mirrors

kalamitty55
kalamitty55 Forum Participant Posts: 82
edited May 4 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

today i followed for twenty miles a motorhome being driven at 40 mph along the A470, and due to holiday traffic nobody could overtake, there was a long line of traffic stuck behind, and there was plenty of chances of pulling into a layby to let the traffic get past and then rejoin to bumble along,  its a offence to hold faster traffic up and states you should pull over and let them past, i allowed plenty of time to get to my hospital appointment but due to this driver i was within 5 mins of having it cancelled.  not everyone is on holiday enjoying the views so please remember the highway code. and yes i have driven motorhomes for 40 years.

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 3 #2

    An offence? I don’t think so. Have you a link we can all learn from?

    Of course, it’s possible the vehicle had a mechanical problem restricting it to 'limp mode'.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 3 #3

    Highway Code Rule 169


    Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,425 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 3 #5

    As I underland it the not all the rules in the Highway Code are law, only those rules which use the word must or must not.

    Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words ‘MUST/MUST NOT’.

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/introduction

    So in my view (and my legal expert) it's not an offense.

    Also there are rules relating to overtaking, such as safe and legal to do so and as the OP states and due to holiday traffic nobody could overtake which seems to imply there as a constant stream of traffic coming the other way anyway?

    While driving too slowly may be classed as careless driving again the OP states 40 mph in holiday traffic so I would think that doesn't come near.

    Should the MH have pulled in? Maybe, but perhaps 40pmh was the safe speed for the conditions, or perhaps they too were in a hurry just like the OP, and not all MHs are on holiday are they? Perhaps 40mph kept a safe minimum distance from any vehicle in front and no point therefore in pulling in?

    But not an offense I would say.

      

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 3 #6

    If he was travelling at 20mph, I would say the Rule applied as it does to large and slow moving agricultural machinery but 40mph is hardly in that category. Rule 169 is not a 'must/must not' rule as far as I can see so is not law.

    David makes a valid point above.

  • Kasspa
    Kasspa Forum Participant Posts: 359
    edited May 3 #7

    And if the motorhome concerned was over 3050 Kg unladen it would legally be restricted to 50 mph on a single carriageway..... iirc

    The joys of BH traffic eh!

  • MoHoSinger
    MoHoSinger Forum Participant Posts: 59
    edited May 4 #8

    It might be classed as driving without reasonable consideration for other road users but I doubt it. As has already been said - 20 mph and that would be sustainable but not 40 mph.

    Personally I would sacrifice fuel consumption in such a situation and keep up with other traffic especially in rush hour traffic on a BH weekend but better still I would not be on the road!

    Chris 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,299 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 4 #9

    There can also be the problem of pulling out again in busy traffic. I remember whilst towing pulling over as we were holding up traffic by traveling 45 / 50 on a 60 (for solo cars) road, and then not being to pull out again safely. Nobody wants to let a caravan out in front. 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383 ✭
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    edited May 4 #10

    And taking into account the condition of todays pothole roads and motorhome suspension even 40m.p.h. might be pushing it.

    peedee

     

  • LLM
    LLM Forum Participant Posts: 1,555 ✭✭
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    edited May 4 #11

    I could be classed as  'inconsiderate driving'. This is defined as driving a vehicle on a road or in a public place without reasonable consideration for other people.  That is an offence but I think that what has been been described by the OP is very unlikely to be prosecuted.  Frankly I suspect that as road user we all see far worse on a daily basis.  

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Forum Participant Posts: 3,880
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    edited May 4 #12

     What I feel is important in making a judgement on this situation is the traffic conditions in front of the motor caravan as this could vary from a 40mph convoy to miles of open road.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 4 #13

    I'm with DK on this one. We live not far from the A55, the major route in and out of North Wales. We did want to go out to B&Q yesterday morning but didn't dare as we knew that even in the morning the likelihood of meeting heavy or even stationary traffic was 50/50.

    If I had a hospital appointment I would have given it an extra 20-30 minutes and hoped for the best.

    Mind you, these days I have to leave earlier for any appointment  with 20 mph limit predominating in our area.yellwink

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