Thread: Good (or bad) driving

between rockhampton and mackay about three years ago i had a truck catch up to me rather fast and i was doin 130-140 (almost flat knack 168) I let him over take me and then i followed him for atleast two hours reaching speeds over 140. this was at 3am the truck was the only other vehicle i had seen for ages.

I know i shouldnt have been goin that fast, but I was def suprised to see a truck doin the same speed.

In NSW the speed limit for a heavy vehicle is 80kph unless speed limited, in which case the speed limit is 100kph. If the speed limited vehicle is found to be travelling at 105kph or over, then it is not considered to be speed limited and the fine for exceeding the 80kph limit by 25kph or more applies. I think this fine in the Gestapo state as truckies call NSW, is now around $900 or more. Another example of bureaucratic stupidity is the way the NSW government applies the higher load limits applicable to federal interstae registered trucks. In NSW the higher limits are only applicable to through loads on the Newell Highway, and I mean ON the Newell, not one block off. Apparently the NSW government decided that federal interstate commerce is only on the Newell. All other highways in NSW carry cargo originating or terminating in NSW by their reasoning.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi John, not meaning to stick up for a truckie for pulling a stupid and by the sounds of it, a dangerous stunt but how far back from the vehicle in front of you were you travelling.

You posted you were happy with the speed but if you had no intentions of overtaking and you don’t leave enough space for others to do so.

You can probably get my point, plus, in NSW, if you travel too close to the vehicle in front of you and you are not intending to overtake, you can be booked for the offence of Convoying.

The law was introduced in the late 70s at the height of the truckies dispute, to stop trucks operating rolling blockades.

If I remember correctly, no matter what you are driving, truck or otherwise, if you are not intending to overtake the vehicle in front of you, you must leave a gap of at least 200m between yourself and the next vehicle in front of you.

The fact the truck managed to get around all three of you does seem to point to you all travelling a lot closer than 200m.

This does not in any way excuse his behaviour but you were also breaking the law.

I can't say how far back I was, but it would have been somewhere close to 200m, with the other car quite close to the van. Travelling at 100kph 200m is not very far, and I like to have plenty of room in front of me. I think the other car may have been thinking of passing the van, but could not see a safe place to do so. The truck was on the wrong side for what seemed like an awfully long time, and was travelling well over the speed limit (even allowing for my known speedo error). I seem to remember that the convoying offence only applies to vehicles over some specified length that exempts ordinary cars and light vehicles but catches trucks and caravans.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

If I remember correctly, no matter what you are driving, truck or otherwise, if you are not intending to overtake the vehicle in front of you, you must leave a gap of at least 200m between yourself and the next vehicle in front of you.

I wish that law was publicised more widely - then maybe it would be easier to pass the flocks of 'Sunday drivers' on the Bells Line of Road.

Incidentally, I should point out that the incident happened in Victoria not NSW. The speed limit at the time was 100, although we had only just gone through an 80 zone. If it had been in NSW, the Newell is 110 (but not trucks, which are 100, P platers which are 90, and learners which are 80 - NSW seems to think it is a good idea to run traffic on two lane roads with speed differences of 30kph!) except of course in towns, most of which drop it down to 50.

John