C.L.O.D.S.

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 03 Jan 2005, 19:07

Every time you meet them on the motorway.
It's amazing, they are driving along in their own little world, oblivious to the problems they cause for other drivers.
I am talking about the Centre Lane Owner Driver Society.

Any normal person with common sense only gets in the centre lane briefly, when they see that traffic needs to join the motorway, they move over as a courtesy to make it easy for those now joining.
It is also used to overtake those going slower on the inside lane.
Having overtaken that driver most people normally get back into the inside lane.
So, what is it with these C.L.O.D. members who remain in the middle lane no matter what is happening around them ?
Fact is the C.L.O.D.S. type has been around for some time.
The problem is that when these slow moving obstacles are sitting there in their prefered lane, and the latest type of stupid tactic is used by the impatient driver, who tends to frequent the outer lane, or so called "fast lane".
"Fast lane" dominant impatient driver under takes others in the outer lane, and then encounters the C.L.O.D.
This can be an accident waiting to happen, as the two very different driving styles will now possibly meet with maybe fatal consequences.
Is the C.L.O.D only found here in the U.K. or do any other forum members from other countries encounter, this type of selfish driver ?

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 03 Jan 2005, 21:31

Our continental cousins tend to pass CLODS on both sides, this has the effect of civilising them somewhat, my own pet hate is the busy executive types who form a procession in the teutonic car lane whilst using their mobile phones continually, observations have revealed that the teutonic lane tends to travel slower than other lanes.
Stewart

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 03 Jan 2005, 21:51

CLODS exist in the US but it is legal to pass either side. The British ones were less frequent in my truck driving days and then they were REALLY a nuisance. Nowadays you even see truck driving CLODS.

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 04 Jan 2005, 00:06

The wife is famous around my way for this. I tell all my mates. Only a couple of months back we went to Edinburgh but got a realy cheap flight in the early morning. Staurday morning M42 6Am no body about and the wife goes straight in to the middle lane. I asked why to be told "well there's no harm done as there's no body about". Hmmm does not compute captain.

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 04 Jan 2005, 01:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by beezer

Nowadays you even see truck driving CLODS.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Oh [insert deity of choice] that really p155es me off, or betetr still the two trucks both governed to 56MPH trying to drag race down two lanes of the motorway and one trying to overtake the other because he is going 0.000001 MPH faster than the other one.
Even when towing my van I dont hang about when overtaking someone, let alone spend 10 miles trying to overtake some tipper driver and clogging two whole lanes of the M6 northbound up (you know WHO you are Mr Stobart driver....)
OK mild rant over with.[}:)]

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 04 Jan 2005, 01:28

Oh yer, like your in the near side lane at 70mph and you want to over take but some je*k off is hanging on your rear drivers side over taking at 0.5mph fatser than you. You then up having to brake as this p**t wont go by you. Aaaaaargh!!! get out of my way Citroen driver making his way through the day.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 04 Jan 2005, 03:00

It gets on my wick too!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately, however, we all have to do it- when I hit the M11 at about 5:45, 6ish, virtually the whole of Essex and Cambridgeshire is also hitting it- you basically have to pick your lane and stay in it whatever speed its going at. In practice, passing on both sides happens all the time as the traffic bunches, speeds up and slows down-its the people who try to do it by the highway code who are probably the most dangerous in this sort of traffic!!!!!
Regular motorway commutors know this and don't try to change lanes for overtaking, etc- its just too busy and bumper to bumper fast.
For anyone else who knows it, once past the Loughton turn off if your not in the middle or outside lane you are highly likely to be heading off on to the M25 when it goes down at J6 to 2 lanes, such is the density of the traffic at that time of day!!!!

Sl4yer · Post by **Sl4yer** » 04 Jan 2005, 04:41

The new trend is for the 'smart' people (usually in Audis, Volvos or any 4x4 vehicle - BMW drivers aren't the worst nowadays!) to cut back into the middle lane when the outside lane slows. They get about 100m further on, then cut back in where they were originally at when the outside lane catches up, usually whether there is a gap or not.
Its usually impossible to drive in the first or second lanes of our motorways nowadays, mainly due to the trucks as mentioned above. On the 2-lane M50 near work, I am sometimes unfortunate enough to follow a lorry overtaking another lorry at 56mph for three or four miles. What's most annoying is when they could wait ten seconds and pull into a large gap! [:(!]

DoubleChevron · Post by **DoubleChevron** » 04 Jan 2005, 05:07

Yep,
we have 'CLODS' but it's not such an issue. Most of our highways are duel carriageway. If I get stuck behind some w@nker in the inside lane a nice dose of highbeam usually wakes them up

Nothing like the duel optic headlights in a CX turbo (nicely relayed with 100/80's in main beam and 100watts in the inner optic spotlights) to move braindead idiots.
Two trucks overtaking one another hapens ALL the time, one truck doing 55mph and the other doing 57mph. It completely blocks the lanes for considerable time. We also get the aggresive long haulers (big semi's driving from one end of the country to the other, massive miles a day). They will tailgate you mere mm's from your back bumper. This works rather poorly with me as I've been known to slow from 120km/h to walking pace when I'm raged like this (don't the truckies just LOVE that

seeya,
Shane L.
seeya,
Shane L.

Sl4yer · Post by **Sl4yer** » 04 Jan 2005, 05:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DoubleChevron

Two trucks overtaking one another hapens ALL the time, one truck doing 55mph and the other doing 57mph. It completely blocks the lanes for considerable time.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Must be quite a problem with some of the HUGE trucks you have over there! You have my sympathy! [:D]

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 04 Jan 2005, 13:05

On long stretches of 2 lane in Belgium trucks are banned from overtaking- they have to stay in the right hand ( i.e. inside ) lane, passing only being permitted on the downhill stretches.
I don't know how they enforce it but they obviously do because you don't see any truck drivers disobeying the signs, and it certainly keeps the traffic moving.
I don't know why this rule can't be bought in for the UK, particularly on the uphill motorway stretches.
There's a current extremely annoying trend in the UK now for bikers to ride on permanant main beam- they don't seem to realise that although dipped beam makes them easy to see, main beam just makes it harder to judge their position and speed, but paradoxically much easier to hit!!!!!!!!!!!

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 04 Jan 2005, 16:45

Well being able to pass legally on both sides like in the U.S. makes drivers more wary of other drivers actions, or it should. I have driven in the U.S. and when the freeway is six lanes across at least in each direction, then you are naturally even more concerned about your safety. With so many lanes, and so much traffic around you are even more aware of your surroundings.
The trucks can be the worst form of C.L.O.D. as they attempt to overtake each other. In this case overtake is a misnomer as they try to inch around each other with the lethargic properties of a snail.
They are speed limited for safety reasons to 56 mph, so before they attempt to overtake another truck more consideration should be exercised, before even attempting to pull out.
Having pulled out they are now not going to get by the other truck driver easily if at all, as it has taken so much time for them to accelerate, that they are unlikely to want to lose any kinetic energy at all.
Although the Highway Code www.highwaycode.gov.uk/15.shtml#144 states the rules to be used while overtaking in practice you find that drivers will not follow them.
There are additional points for drivers of large vehicles,
www.highwaycode.gov.uk/15.shtml#145 that they should remember before becomming a slow mobile road block to other traffic. In my experience I have even encountered incorrect use of the outer lane, by drivers of large vehicles desperate to get by the trucks in the other two lanes. The highway code states what is allowed in that lane with this rule www.highwaycode.gov.uk/23.shtml#239 but yet again drivers ignore this, and decide that they think they think they can ignore the rules.
Originally posted by S14yer
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I am sometimes unfortunate enough to follow a lorry overtaking another lorry at 56mph for three or four miles. What's most annoying is when they could wait ten seconds and pull into a large gap! <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I agree the truck drivers should consider the delays that they can create, three or four miles is really taking the p**s. Gaps in traffic on the inside lane can , and do appear so the truck drivers should pull over as soon as they can.
More consideration should have been used by the Highways Agency. To put in an extra lane where possible to assist the flow of traffic. By that I mean a lane that would be at particular points for short distances, where a slower moving vehicle can retreat to allow delayed traffic to pass. I know there are these crawler lanes in existance where there are inclines, which obviously slow trucks down, but if more of these lanes were about, and they don't have to be on an incline, then it would enable traffic to continue with less delays from trucks.
As I mentioned earlier the authorities decided trucks needed road speed limiters to improve safety, so they should have also considered extra passing points on the roads to improve traffic flow, because if traffic flows more smoothly it is less delayed, and can be safer, due to drivers not taking unnecessary risks.
Although, if they are D***H**D, then they will take unnecessary risks.
I too have sympathy with DoubleChevron regarding the roadtrains, it's a problem in the U.K. trying to get by our trucks, but when they are as long as yours, it must make it much more difficult.

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 04 Jan 2005, 17:44

You have to take everyone's point of view in this situation. Truck drivers often have a deadline which is finely calculated. With their hours restricted and the demand for goods to be delivered no later than yesterday they are not wanting to lose momentum. When one truck comes up behind another they are in the wake of that vehicle and their own truck gathers momentum. So they try and overtake only to get caught in the other vehicle's drag. It is a most frustrating situation for everybody concerned including car drivers. But then if you order something and it does not get delivered the 'next day' you are p***ed off.
What about the car drivers sitting in the middle lane and hang behind - often in a truck's blind spot- like a fly following a horse's backside? I used to indicate and give them five seconds to either accelerate past or pull back then I would pull out regardless. Believe me it was the only way.
Don't forget that any truck under 7.5 tons gross is allowed in the outside lane. This often leads to much sounding of horns from car drivers.
Unfortunately the standard of truck driving is going the same way as car driving and many rules are broken but don't forget these drivers are professionals.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 04 Jan 2005, 19:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">don't forget these drivers are professionals.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Which means they should pull back and drive in a calm and relaxed manner, not drive in the angry or aggressive way which they do!!!!
I'm sorry, the most appalling driving on our roads is done by so called 'proffesional' drivers- cabbies, truckers, white van muppets, etc- they have no consideration at all, and most of the time seem to be in a world of their own and completely unaware of whats going on around them- thats why virtually every fatal motorway accident involves a HGV!!
I see them every day pulling out to overtake without giving a damn about whats going on behind or alongside them, yacking on their phones, eating their lunch, or reading the roadmap or paper.
How can anyone possibly consider a driver to be 'professional' when he's doing 56mph less than a cars length behind the truck in front..................
The half asleep prat that drove his van into my missus protested that he was a 'professional' driver........Who pays the highest insurance?
Professional drivers!!!!!!!- theres a reason for that............

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 04 Jan 2005, 19:50

Look at the statistics. More car drivers involved in accidents than trucks or taxis. Considering the amount of time spent on the roads by these drivers that says a lot. You should hear what these guys are saying about the car drivers! Following nose to tail in a slipstream is a truck thing. Not for car drivers to try at home! Fewer accidents doing that than Reginald Molehusband (whatever became of him?) pulling out of a space in the council car park.
"........Who pays the highest insurance?
Professional drivers!!!!!!!- theres a reason for that............"
Yes because they do a high mileage. Teenagers who have newly passed would have to pay more - if they can even get it - because they have no experience. There is a difference.
There is a vast difference between a 'white van' driver and a class 1 HGV driver. I can quite believe a van driver could run into your wife's car. Some numptie driving on a car license.
A couple of statistics: http://www.cybertrucker.co.uk/speed.htm states that 'The safest vehicles on our roads are lorries, (51 accidents per hundred million vehicle kilometres, compared to 94 for cars), ...' (1997) and in Germany : [Statistics are collected (in 1999, there were 383 at-work RTAs) and is estimated at 8.4% of the total number of incidents (but don't know scope/definition). Statistics are also held by type of vehicle: 60% of all commercial sector incidents involve a car; 18% lorries; 4% cyclists and motorcyclists. Under the Work Safety law and Accident Prevention regulations, the employer is obliged to ensure the safety and health of his employees. However it is difficult to ascertain the type of workers involved and there is no compulsory safety training for those driving work vehicles. ]http://www.rospa.org.uk/morr/research/i ... ermany.htm
When I was a truck driver it was the cars I was most wary of. When I was a cyclist it was the cars I was most wary of. I have been driving cars since 1971 and it is still the cars I am most wary of.