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Quote: Originally posted by bev+jon on 01/4/2008

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they are a disgrace .they come here wreck our roads wreck peoples lives and dont even pay to do it, we let them do it for free while slaughtering our own haulage industry.

 

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Yep our drivers have to buy some sort of raod tax over there to drive.  Cant drive Sundays either.

They come here and do as they like.

New regs coming into force (by the end of 2009 I believe) whereby ALL truck drivers driving on UK roads have to have undergone 35 hours training to acquire a CPC on their licence.  This is going to cost (probably the drivers)  good money to pass/pay for the training and is probably being introduced to solve the problems created by these eastern euorpean drivers causing havoc on all of Europe's roads.  The new regulations have already been introduced in Holland.  However, in the process, all UK HGV/PSV licence holders are being hit with these extra costs - may be the price we have to pay.

My experience of foreign lorry drivers recently was laughable.  A convoy of them (4 in total, all identical lorries from Poland) were on the slip road where the M42 splits into M42N and M42S.   They all took the M42N option, got about 20 yards along the "joining in" section, realised they had taken a wrong turn, and STOPPED - all 4 of them in the right hand lane of a 2 lane approach to a motorway!!!!!      Then the last in the line of 4 tried to turn around and smacked into a car going onto the M42S.  (I was stopped 2 cars away from all this).  We then drove onto the hard shoulder - giving all 4 lorries a very wide berth, and went home.  It was like something out of a carry on film.  Seriously though, if this is typical, which I am told it is, its very worrying.  I always give these foreign drivers plenty of space, don't overtake unless I have to, and am generally very wary.

Hopefully, when these new regulations about CPC come in to force, it should put a stop to all this.

Quote: Originally posted by Safeway56 on 02/4/2008

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Foreign trucks carry less than 1% of Britains goods on the road. We are a long way from being swamped by these trucks.  

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id say we are swamped, even up here in Yorkshire. they regularly come to my place of work for a start, unheard of until around 3 years ago.drive the M20 at anytime, play spot the UK registered truck !!!!   i think it was 17 different nationalities the lads counted coming back from Dover last summer.

you cant go on a motorway without seeing several foreign reg trucks unless you drive blindfold

It will only get worse as our hauliers are crippled by costs and cheap competition from e Europe

If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident involving a foreign articulated vehicle, you should be aware that the trailer may have different insurers than the tractor unit, so it is essential to note the number plate on the cab or better still take a photo of it.

think you have the answer here.carry a camera in the car.

Quote: Originally posted by michael on 03/4/2008

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If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident involving a foreign articulated vehicle, you should be aware that the trailer may have different insurers than the tractor unit, so it is essential to note the number plate on the cab or better still take a photo of it.

think you have the answer here.carry a camera in the car.

 

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I would say take a photo of the tractor number plate and the trailer number plate as they quite often have two different plates.

 Les