Close call with a HGV

Was out in the Supra last weekend, coming down the slip road onto the M4 from the old Severn Bridge. I have 2 HGV's in front on me and we're all indicating to join the motorway.

This section of the motorway is actually 2 lanes so as I join it I decide to continue out into the outside lane to overtake both HGV's as they attempt to gain speed.

I get about half way down the side of the first HGV when he decides he wants to overtake the other HGV so heads over to my lane. The result of this is I slam my brakes full on (doing about 60mph), ending up having to put half the car on the gavel part just before the central reservation just so I can avoid him, vegitation and stones being thrown everywhere and the car at one point having about half a foot on each side spare!!!

Brown Pant time was an understatement but luckily all was OK and other than having to pull over to pick plants out of my rad and a bit of a polish on my bumper, you'd never know it happened.

So my question to you, was I doing anything wrong here? I thought HGV's aren't allowed in the outside lane or is this not applicable as this part of the motorway was 2 lanes?

was the trucks from the same company if so they tend to race also if the truck in front was fully loaded and the second not he would try to pass . Also rival firms tend to race.

get his reg ? i would report him to his employers

Bloody hell, glad you are okay mate. It could have been a lot worse if you didn't have quick enough reactions! Chances are he did not see you pull into the outside lane & the last he saw of you was behind him. On a motorway they can not go into the 3 lane but on dual carriageways or 2 lanes they can to overtake slower/loaded HGV's.

was the trucks from the same company if so they tend to race also if the truck in front was fully loaded and the second not he would try to pass . Also rival firms tend to race.

The one in front was a Car Transporter. His HGV was just White and unbranded!! It's just one of those things I haven't thought about before obviously everyone will overtake a lot of trucks whilst driving. Trouble is it's making real nervous now when going past them, sure it'll pass in time!!!

Bloody hell, glad you are okay mate. It could have been a lot worse if you didn't have quick enough reactions! Chances are he did not see you pull into the outside lane & the last he saw of you was behind him. On a motorway they can not go into the 3 lane but on dual carriageways or 2 lanes they can to overtake slower/loaded HGV's.

Cheers Mate, it was one of those moments when you thinking do I nail it and try and get past or Brake. Based on the outcome I made the right decision...

Just remember that its easy for a car not to be seen buy the truck. I always tend to hang back a car length to the side before passing as this way they should see you. Are you attending the chippenham meet tomorrow

Just remember that its easy for a car not to be seen buy the truck. I always tend to hang back a car length to the side before passing as this way they should see you. Are you attending the chippenham meet tomorrow

Yeh mate, I know what you mean and under normal conditions I would do this. The scenario was only different as we were all joining the motorway. Strangley though he never did pass the Transporter he just pull back over almost striaight away.

Yep should be at Chippenham tommorrow.

Just imagin

I had a similar thing a couple of weeks ago.

I was behind a HGV on a dual carriageway, and pulled out to overtake him. I got about a third of the way down his trailer when he started to pull out.

Similar story where I had to take to the central reservation, but managed to get past him, but we were 3 abreast down the road.

Turned out the reason he pulled out was because a council van was pulled up on the edge of the dual carriagway for picking up rubbish off the verge. I couldn't see the van because it was blocked by the HGV.

The truck driving goon should have slowed down, but because he didn't want to lose momentum he just pulled out without checking his mirrors. Very clever.

Yeh mate, I know what you mean and under normal conditions I would do this. The scenario was only different as we were all joining the motorway.

Glad you got out of it OK. I wonder whether, since you were all joining the motorway, that's a time when it might be worth a little bit more caution than normal since perhaps it's quite a likely point for one HGV to want to overtake the other as they come onto a faster, multi-lane road. I'm just thinking of things like making sure you're definitely back far enough that he can see you in his mirrors, perhaps moving out and closing gently before coming past to be sure he's had time to see you positioning to overtake.

Wasn't a foreign (i.e. left-hand drive) lorry was it - with a bit more of a blind spot for you to disappear into?

Strangley though he never did pass the Transporter he just pull back over almost striaight away.

Maybe he was having a brown pants moment too and decided he'd calm down a bit before trying to overtake again!

It was a UK truck. When I eventually did go by he didn't even look over, reckon he never knew it even happened!!!!

I agree lessons learned from the experience. I don't think anyone is to blame, just a set of unfortunante circumstances, still sh!t me right up though...

Had to tuck the car straight up in the garage when I got home, didn't want the my wife to know what had happened, and worry her!! She did ask why I was so keen to get my polishing cloth out:d.

Yes, HGV's can use the outer lane of two lane dual carriageways and motorways, what they can't use is the third lane of a three lane motorway (he says still fairly fresh from his HGV test )