Gritters

Quoted message said:

I ask because last time I encountered a gritting truck (however many
years ago that was) it was coming towards me, and the driver did
indeed stop moving, stop spreading, and indicate for me to proced

Quoted message said:

Gritting *can* be done courteously. I'm just wondering whether today's
gritter was breaking a rule that existed, or the previous year's
gritter was inventing a rule that didn't.

I'd consider that action to be the exception rather than the rule.

Some gritter stop the spreader when stationary at junctions, others don't. I
doubt that there are any hard and fast rules and if there are I doubt that
they are enforced.

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:384a98F5gdo3oU1
@individual.net:

Quoted message said:

"Richard Bates" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is there a code of conduct for the drivers of gritting trucks?

Yes. Drive slow & chuck grit.

Which begs the question if a grit chucker could chuck grit, how much grit
would a grit chucker chuck if a grit chucker could chuck grit?

--
Brian

Had one of our council gritters toot me and give me the chance to get
on the pavement. He was trundling but as soon as I got on the pavement
he picked up speed.

Personally not worried about being hit by grit. I'm more worried about
what that stuff does to my bike as it flys from the gritter.

TR

PS, what about the guys on recumbents? Is it worse being lower?

Adrian Boliston said:

Richard Bates said:

Tony Raven said:

Just be thankful you were not on a motorbike. Its far worse then.

How come? Shirley a m/c goes faster than a pushbike and therefore the
closing speed of grit-to-face is reduced? Mind you, I suppose the
overtaking process takes longer...

Don't these gritters usually trundle along quite slowly, so would only
actually overtake pretty slow cyclists?

The one I encountered on the way home last night was going V>40 km/h, coz
that's what I was doing and he was getting away...

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

In article said:

Adrian Boliston said:

Don't these gritters usually trundle along quite slowly, so would only
actually overtake pretty slow cyclists?

Last winter I got gritted in the face by one of these things as it
overtook me just outside Watford. It was downhill and I was going at
least 25 mph. I estimate the gritter was doing around 40. Some of the
grit clattered against my cycling glasses. If I hadn't been wearing them
it could have been very nasty. I presume they'd been assigned X miles of
road and the sooner they got it done the sooner they could get home for
their tea.

I think you'll find that's "and if they don't get it done before traffic
snarls up totally, having left it late enough that it wouldn't all get
rained off the road before temperatures reached freezing, the motorists
will spend the next few weeks moaning about how useless the council are".

Dave Larrington said:

Adrian Boliston wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Don't these gritters usually trundle along quite slowly, so would

only

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

actually overtake pretty slow cyclists?

The one I encountered on the way home last night was going V>40 km/h,

coz

Quoted message said:

that's what I was doing and he was getting away...

Normally I'd try and draft something that big moving at that kind of
speed, but I think I'd let a gritter get away too.

--
Dave...

Simonb said:

Al C-F said:

Simonb said:

Richard Bates wrote:
> Is there a code of conduct for the drivers of gritting trucks?
>
> Should they stop spreading when overtaking vulnerable people such as
> peds and cyclists?

I'm afraid it's just a case of
gritting your teeth and bearing it.

Ho ho.

I don't think it's funny.

Woosh.

Al C-F said:

Simonb said:

Al C-F said:

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 19:22:54 -0000, "Simonb"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

> Richard Bates wrote:
>> Is there a code of conduct for the drivers of gritting trucks?
>>
>> Should they stop spreading when overtaking vulnerable people such
>> as peds and cyclists?
>
> I'm afraid it's just a case of
> gritting your teeth and bearing it.
>

Ho ho.

I don't think it's funny.

Woosh.

;-)

"Richard Bates" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm talking bollocks, aren't I

Yebbut no need to brag about it :-)

Pete

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 18:48:51 +0000, Richard Bates
<[email hidden]> wrote:

We'll I'm one of the guys to blame. I am the Fleet Manager for the
East Riding of Yorkshire Council, part of my responsability is writing
the specification for gritters

No code of conduct as such but the driver has a responsability to
other road users

The vehicles are electronicaly controlled and the belt stops
instantaenously, belt stops turning no salt is spread

If grit is hitting you in the face the machine is not set up
correctly, get the number, report the vehicle. Ask for details of the
last time the machine was calibrated, and the maintenance records.
Quote the Freedom of Information Act, While you at it ask them if they
have carried out a risk assesment, think of a small child in a pram
hit in the eye and blinded

We take all reports of dangerous occurences seriously

All our gritters have Econ spreaders, since 2000 we have only
purchased low throw or pre wet gritters

Low throw is designed to throw the salt low, it should throw salt even
under parked cars

Pre wet, the vehicle has tanks of brine down each side, this is
sprayed on the salt as it comes off the belt. Theoretically the salt
sticks to the road surface and is not blown about, it also starts to
work quicker. Salt does not work unless it is wet, look at it on a dry
road surface doing nothing

Our latest vehicles have two stage speed limiters, high is 56mph, low
is 30mph for gritting

All modern gritters have road speed relation, a sensor picks up the
road speed from the tachograph, the faster the speed the faster the
belt turns, the faster the belt the more salt. At road juctions when
the vehicle is stationary the belt should stop, however the driver has
a blast facility, pushes a button in the cab and it overides the
stopped belt.

Our gritters have passed me and the salt has hit my wheels but that is
all, and yes I'm a keen cyclist doing at least 20 miles everyday

Take Care

Steve

Quoted message said:

Is there a code of conduct for the drivers of gritting trucks?

Should they stop spreading when overtaking vulnerable people such as
peds and cyclists? (Although a look at the mechanism from a distance
suggested that stopping the flow may not be possible).

I was wearing glasses but still my face got hit by grit. Not too nice
at all.

I got the vehicle number on all three occasions that it passed me (it
kept diverting on and off the main road).

Is it worth me writing to the council or are they likely to just fob
me off?

In article <[email hidden]>, Steve

Walford said:

We'll I'm one of the guys to blame. I am the Fleet Manager for the
East Riding of Yorkshire Council, part of my responsability is
writing the specification for gritters

snip

Thanks for this - makes a lot of sense.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

"Steve Walford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

We'll I'm one of the guys to blame. I am the Fleet Manager for the
East Riding of Yorkshire Council, part of my responsability is writing
the specification for gritters

Top reply Steve - nicely informative. Thanks.

cheers,
clive

Steve Walford wrote:

[very informative post]

Thanks. First class, and it's much appreciated.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

"Steve Walford" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

We'll I'm one of the guys to blame.

Thanks. Blame not attributed. Top post.

T

Richard Bates said:

Is there a code of conduct for the drivers of gritting trucks?

Should they stop spreading when overtaking vulnerable people such as
peds and cyclists? (Although a look at the mechanism from a distance
suggested that stopping the flow may not be possible).

I was wearing glasses but still my face got hit by grit. Not too nice
at all.

I got the vehicle number on all three occasions that it passed me (it
kept diverting on and off the main road).

Is it worth me writing to the council or are they likely to just fob
me off?

Report him to the police for a-salting you.

<Ducks, runs and dives for cover>

Tony W said:

Thanks. Blame not attributed. Top post.

It was a *top post* in more ways than one!