Super Long Lorries

[Rhythm Thief]

I think you could use twin trailer lorries for the job I do fairly easily. My route is basically up the M5 from Gloucester to Cannock twice each night. All but 40 miles of the 300 mile trip is on motorway, and most of the non motorway stuff is dual carriageway. There's maybe four miles of single carriageway road. I agree that manoevring these things around a city centre is never going to work, but using them on long single drop runs could save an awful lot of diesel. And not incidentally, give me a much shorter night at work.

 

[MartinC]

I think you could use twin trailer lorries for the job I do fairly easily. My route is basically up the M5 from Gloucester to Cannock twice each night. All but 40 miles of the 300 mile trip is on motorway, and most of the non motorway stuff is dual carriageway. There's maybe four miles of single carriageway road. I agree that manoevring these things around a city centre is never going to work, but using them on long single drop runs could save an awful lot of diesel. And not incidentally, give me a much shorter night at work.

......or no job at all.

 

[waggoner]

......or no job at all.

Thats worrying too,,as the lorries get bigger so they don't need so many. It's happened with the double deck trailers, 2 of them equals 3 normal trailers,,,,so one less driver needed!!!!

 

[dellzeqq]

do these longer lorries exert more 'suckage' as they pass you on a straight road?

 

[slowmotion]

do these longer lorries exert more 'suckage' as they pass you on a straight road?

I think that the suction would increase because ( according to Bernoulli's Principle) it is caused by the volume of displaced air, amongst other things.

I could be wrong...it's been a while since physics A-level.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I think that the suction would increase because ( according to Bernoulli's Principle) it is caused by the volume of displaced air, amongst other things.

I could be wrong...it's been a while since physics A-level.

If the frontal area is the same, would they not displace a similar volume of air to a truck with a single trailer? (I never took physics A level!)

 

[slowmotion]

If the frontal area is the same, would they not displace a similar volume of air to a truck with a single trailer? (I never took physics A level!)

A bit late for me to consider the finer points of physics, RT, but here is my ( iffy) take on it.

Take your truck and look at it from the front. Now take a very large sheet of plywood ( 18mm thick) and a jigsaw and cut it in the same profile as the front of your truck. Now drive that plywood cut-out down the road at 60 miles an hour when it is mounted on a Mini... (the Mini is supposed to have no effect on this dodgy experiment). Do this next to a cyclist. My guess is that he will wobble a bit.

Repeat this with a box lashed to the back of the cut-out that is 60 metres long. My guess is that the cyclist will wobble a bit more. Bernoulli, he don't lie.

 

[Lurker]

Good question. From dim recollection of 'A' level physics, I can't think of any obvious reason why suckage/metre length of vehicle should be less in a longer vehicle. (It would be interesting to know). But clearly any 'suckage' is going to continue for longer - which presumably means increased risk for any cyclist, or other vehicle, that's being overtaken.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Thought that artics & bendy buses are too dangerous for cyclists (54 & 59 ft)?
How about 83ft: http://news.bbc.co.u...ire/8388420.stm

Note that no one mentions danger to road users. Obviously the cyclist behind the 'better transport' commentator is invisible when money making killer lorries are at stake ...

If you go onto wikipedia and type in 'road train', the first line of the article mentions they are used in 'remote areas', that anyone can think such a vehicle is suitable for the roads we have (any of them) in Britain is beyond me.

Our roads simply aren't big enough.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

If you go onto wikipedia and type in 'road train', the first line of the article mentions they are used in 'remote areas', that anyone can think such a vehicle is suitable for the roads we have (any of them) in Britain is beyond me.

Our roads simply aren't big enough.

I think they'd be fine on motorways. You couldn't use them around towns, obviously, but on most "big" roads I think they'd be ok. As a driver of some pretty big vehicles, I suppose it's possible that I'm a bit blase about them, but I really believe that if you had a road train on a UK motorway with an experienced and conscientious driver behind the wheel, there wouldn't be any real problems. In fact, one enormous lorry might be safer and more efficient than two merely big ones.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I think they'd be fine on motorways. You couldn't use them around towns, obviously, but on most "big" roads I think they'd be ok. As a driver of some pretty big vehicles, I suppose it's possible that I'm a bit blase about them, but I really believe that if you had a road train on a UK motorway with an experienced and conscientious driver behind the wheel, there wouldn't be any real problems. In fact, one enormous lorry might be safer and more efficient than two merely big ones.

It'd probably be more efficient yes - I dont disagree with any of the 'economic' reasons otherwise they wouldnt be used elsewhere so successfully.

I still dont think even on motorways they'd be safe, its not just the chap driving it but the behaviour of everyone around it. Theres other things which bother me like what is the effect of high wind on them, do the back trailers start snaking about or is the whole thing at risk of tipping?

And what of our famous 'rubber necking' which creates the phantom road block on motorways, I dont think the traffic moves freely enough for these to be used.

No I think if we want to create trains, we should keep them on the tracks.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

It'd probably be more efficient yes - I dont disagree with any of the 'economic' reasons otherwise they wouldnt be used elsewhere so successfully.

I still dont think even on motorways they'd be safe, its not just the chap driving it but the behaviour of everyone around it. Theres other things which bother me like what is the effect of high wind on them, do the back trailers start snaking about or is the whole thing at risk of tipping?

And what of our famous 'rubber necking' which creates the phantom road block on motorways, I dont think the traffic moves freely enough for these to be used.

No I think if we want to create trains, we should keep them on the tracks.

Well, there I do agree with you. I'd love to see the return of the local pick up goods train, and the days when every town and most villages had easy access to a station which had freight facilities. Sadly, it'll never happen in the era of the Tesco RDC.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Well, there I do agree with you. I'd love to see the return of the local pick up goods train, and the days when every town and most villages had easy access to a station which had freight facilities. Sadly, it'll never happen in the era of the Tesco RDC.

Whats an RDC?

Its is sad isnt it that everything is now 'by road', but thats another story....

 

[david1701]

Whats an RDC?

Its is sad isnt it that everything is now 'by road', but thats another story....

dam straight, my nearest railway station is Exeter at 50 miles :s such a pain if I want to go on a ride in another part of the country

 

[sheddy]

RDC - I'd take a punt at Regional Distribution Centre or Remote Distribution Centre