A55 lorries can be intimidating – especially up close
Most of the time we should be deeply grateful for the A55, a (mainly) free-flowing, well-maintained and safe expressway across North Wales’ coastal strip. OK, habitual delays on Friday nights/Sunday afternoons, bank holidays and around school holidays can be maddening.
We have only to think back to the pre-modern A55[1] days when traffic snaked through towns and juggernauts squeezed under the archway in Conwy[2] to realise that things really have improved. Today over 56,000 vehicles per day use the A55 and last year the busiest day was August 12.
But one bugbear of mine is the intimidating lorries when they loom large in my rear view mirror as I valiantly stick to 50mph (or lower) in the 50mph stretch through Colwyn Bay[3]. Have you seen them?
Granted, these ungainly behemoths help fill our supermarket shelves with everything from pasta to Parmesan. But some HGV drivers seem to think the 50mph limit doesn’t apply to them as they approach from behind, blocking out the light and compelling you to move over as if you’ve done something wrong.
In the interests of balance, I put this point to a lorry driver friend. He was dismissive of the idea lorry drivers scorn the law, pointing out they’re limited to 56mph anyway.
Taking the high moral ground, he said anyone can speed up behind you: a motorcyclist or a motorist and not only the driver of a four-axle, 38-tonne wagon, a five-axle, 41-tonne EU truck or a six-axle, 44-tonne lorry. He said they only SEEM to be intimidating not because of their speed but because of their height.
Warming to his theme, he pointed the finger at “silver-haired retirees” who dust off their driveway-berthed caravans every summer but fail to check their tyres. They can then have a blow out which can block an inside lane on the A55, causing long tailbacks and untold frustration.
But I like to think there is some truth in my impression that some – not all – lorry drivers are a little heavy on the accelerator. The A55 can be so prone to delays and accidents that it’s up to all of us to drive safely.
Next time I notice the chrome of a shiny bumper-sized bumper in my real view mirror, I’ll check my speedometer to see if they’re sticking to 50mph. Whether they are or not, I’ll probably get out of their way too.
References
- ^ A55 (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Conwy (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Colwyn Bay (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Update on A55 bridge repairs that would cause ‘significant impact’ on dual carriageway (www.dailypost.co.uk)