Get facts straight before blaming truck drivers
By Somerset Standard | Thursday, December 27, 2012, 11:00
I am responding to the report in December 20's paper about residents moaning about traffic even though they live by a road near Sainsbury's in Frome.
Please can they explain how a 44-ton truck can speed at 60mph while they have a speed limiter device for 56mph and the limit on a single carriageway is 40mph?
It would be impossible to accelerate to 60mph in such a very short distance between the two roundabouts. How did the residents measure the speed of thundering trucks without a radar or speed gun, and if the road is that dangerous why does the photograph on page 4 show children and a dog standing by passing traffic?
A truck is fitted with a tracker where the employer can see the truck speed and an analogue or digital tachograph that records speed, so why would a trucker risk his/her job by speeding on that road?
The report says there is danger of death due to the width of trucks passing. They are not wider than the road by law unless carrying a wide load.
Get your facts correct before you make out a truck's speed.
TIM WILLIAMS
Cheap Street
Frome
Comments
To Mr Williams.
The reason why we are 'moaning' about living by a road near Sainsbury's is due to the turning into Marston Lane. Whilst talking to the reporter we did not specifically mention '44 ton trucks', it was not a report criticising the 'truck driver'.
But as you have clearly not understood the reasons for our article, here are some useless facts, a bit like your letter to the paper, you say it would be impossible to accelerate to 60mph in a 'truck' and the fact that a 'truck' is only allowed to do 40mph on a single carriageway.
For your information, a limiter only prevents top speed, not to stop you speeding in a lower speed area. From the slope from the top roundabout it would be easy to overspeed whilst approaching the pub.
Not ALL 'trucks' vehicles are fitted with trackers and limiters.
Oh and the children and the dog are in the picture as we have to turn into the lane on a daily basis with vehicles (no mention of '44 ton trucks' here) racing up behind us, some in excess of 60mph as a car can do that you know?? And often not seeing us whilst we are sat in the middle of the road waiting to turn. Maybe you could offer an alternative solution as you clearly know so much??
Maybe you would like to take a walk from Sainsbury's to the pub, say at about 5pm. Or maybe you could stop and turn right into Marston Lane with children in your car and see how dangerous it can be.
By darzo at 13:24 on 27/12/12
Report