I was nearly flattened by one today. Was stopped at traffic lights, the road was down to one lane due to roadworks and this big purple lorry came flying up the other way and swerved into his side of the road missing me by inches. I really thought he was going to take the front of my car with him, even Davie thought we were a goner.

My mate is a lorry driver and he goes mental when he hears stories like that, he says it gives drivers a bad name.

SB, yes you are right and of course you get idiots of all nationalities and in all sorts of vehicles.

Having said that I can't recall seeing the 'How am I driving' message (with a phone number to call) on the back of any foreign lorries, they must have UK agents somewhere so they could do it if they had a mind to.

Absolutely spot on. Its not based on nationality or gender or anything other that whether someone is paying attention or not.

When there was snow and ice last year I thought the general standard of driving was much better around me mostly as people seemed to be paying a lot more attention to what they were doing.

In the last couple of years there have been two major incidents locally; the first one was when a local farmer was killed by a foreign lorry driver who was on the wrong side of the road, and the second one was the husband of a friend of mine who was seriously injured by a foreign lorry driver on the wrong side of the road.

These incidents countrywide happen far far too often, and perhaps a solution might be for British drivers to hook up their cabs to the inbound trailers once they arrive at Dover or wherever? I know that is very simplistic, but unless the standard of driving, and knowledge of our roads and road signs, improves dramatically then these accidents and incidents involving foreign lorry drivers are going to continue.

I agree. Loads should be dropped off and British lorry drivers here should take them to their final destinations. Easier said than done though.

In Spain also, there are so many drivers not familiar with spanish traffic laws etc and couldn't care less. Many years ago I was driving in Spain back to my Uncle's house after an evening/dinner out. We were cut up by a British lorry driver who deliberately did everything in his power to push us off the road.

We made a note of his registration, reported it to the Police in Spain and over here also. That case eventually went to Court. You should have seen the look on the lorry driver's face when we turned up in Court, suited and booted, to see him get heavily fined, lose his licence (and therefore his job) and get a good tongue lashing from a Magistrate. Very satisfying!

The best thing to do when you get behind the wheel is to assume that every other driver regardless of sex, nationality, or vehicle is an idiot.

u try riding on a scooter or a motorbike. its terrifying, cars and trucks they are all out to kill u im sure of it. sunday coming back from a classic car show. on a road witch was a 50, and a car doing 35. so hubby waited till it was safe to over take. and so he goes to do the move. and this idiot now pulls over and speeds up just as we are almost near him.then a lorry is on the other side of the road. we just about made it. why did this idiot in the car do that??
we have had lorries pull out on us. standard of driving has dropped badly

I can see several posters have no concept of logistics............

As someone who works in this area perhaps you could explain both the logic and economics of:

A (insert relevant nationality) driver, taking a truck to (insert relevant location) and then dropping the trailer for onbound delivery?

Eg where would this take place, have you got a huge yard where this would occur with all the relevant security which would meet the demands of both outbound and inbound supplier/receiver? (all of this would need to paid for and add to overheads)

Then of course said driver must make an EMPTY leg back to source.

Meanwhile the British driver will have driven an empty leg to said location (ie without a trailer or container).

This will have the effect of pushing up prices of goods due to a) paying for fuel with no goods and of course no client would pay for this and b) increased number of drivers required ie wages etc.

The profit margins on transport are wafer thin and challenged all the time with fuel increases etc.

When I see the moronic car drivers who risk their lives and those of others by cutting in front of lorries, undertaking at roundabouts etc and forcing LGV drivers to take evasive action then I am afraid I see that no "side" has all the answers.

Ive had people in cars actually chuck things out their windows to try hit me whilst on my motorbike. How to kill someone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x97gkNt3hc

LORRY DRIVER LORRY DRIVER