Jack-Knifed Lorries

[Maydup]

We've had snow on top of snow here in Norwich today and the city was gridlocked. The snow fell so fast that vehicles got stuck on our few hills, but the biggest cause of congestion were jack-knifed lorries on each of the major routes in and out of Norwich. One lorry blocked the major dual carriage trunk road in both directions as it skidded across all lanes with its double trailer.

I passed two jack-knifed lorries in the space of one mile, and am not long i from work.

So why do lorries jack-knife so readily? Is it appauling driving skills where they cannot anticipate their stopping distances or is it poor design?

[jno]

regardless of design, good drivers know how to work with whatever quirks their lorry has, and adjust stopping distance according to visibility and weather. Sunday drivers might not be able to, professional HGV drivers ought to.

Having said that, maybe some of the drivers were new to their lorries, it happens.

[boxtops]

Is it not simply that the cab slides in one direction on glassy surfaces, and the trailer goes the other way? TWR will know!

[RATTER15]

Its neither and a bit of both really, we do need these big lorries on our roads unfortunately and the articulated lorry is the best thing going.

[jno]

sure, Ratter, but why the accidents? Surely in bad conditions you slow down? I do, and my Peugeot hasn't jack-knifed yet!

[RATTER15]

lol jno, your peugeot doesn't bend in the middle.

A jack knife happens when the trailer isnt stopping in line with the tractor unit and will try passing it. I agree it is often down to bad driving but it is a very difficult thing to prevent a jack knife.

[vulcan]

When I was in the trade we used to fit anti jack-knife devices, are they no longer fitted?

[vulcan]

here's the link
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/lorry-anti-jacknife-device

[mrs_overall]

Who is this chap Jack who goes around knifing lorries?

[Maydup]

Is it difficult to prevent Ratter? I need to understand and find some sympathy I suppose, but it always seems to happen.

Stupid car drivers who skid in the snow or fail to make it up a hill are the laughing stock, but jack-knifed lorries blocking three lanes of traffic for 5 hours seem to be a mere consequence of the bad weather.

[vulcan]

never heard of jack the ripper mrs o?

[mrs_overall]

Vulcan, I have heard of a Jack who goes around stabbing dumper trucks on building sites - Jack the Tipper

[Maydup]

Great link Vulcan. We should be fitting if we're not.

I don't believe so many of todays' drivers are as skilled as they were then either. Do they go on the skid pads like that on their tests now?

[sherrardk]

Isn't a lot of the problem with car drivers? They stop suddenly, the lorry stops suddenly to avoid a collision and then they jack knife - a slightly skew-whiff car is not going to cause the same problem as a huge, jack-knifed lorry.

[Maydup]

But like us car drivers, shouldn't they know their stopping distances Sherr?

[sherrardk]

Maybe in normal weather, but i suppose snow affects the lorries too - I watch a lot of Eddie Stobbart. What would cause a car to slide a bit would have a very different effect on a big lorry.

[vulcan]

Very good mrs o, I suppose when he was young he was jack the nipper.

[stewey]

MrsO, that comment about Jack, the guy who knifes trucks, is one of the funniest one-liners I have read for a long time:):):)

[stewey]

I mean "lorries".

[Ann]

Yes you must be feeling better Mrs O - keep 'em coming, brilliant :)

[DaisyNonna]

More freight trains, fewer lorries.