How fast do you drive your trailer/lorry on the motorway?

[seabiscuit]

Having travelled in a few 'top' eventers lorries,they all do minimum 75mph on the motorway ! Scary! ( Oh and they talk on the mobile in one hand and hold the hand of the lover with the other hand)

 

[kerilli]

Oh and they talk on the mobile in one hand and hold the hand of the lover with the other hand

i don't even want to think about what they might be steering with then...!

 

[KatB]

Sorry PMSL Kerilli!! But yes very true....

 

[tractorgirl]

My speedo doesn't work either

But I am told by the long-suffering OH who has followed me that my max speed downhill is 45 mph....speedo needle wibbles between 30 and 80mph. But that kind of character is what you get with a 1978 box - all part of it's charm!

 

[RobinHood]

The speedo doesn't work so we don't really know how fast we're going (never had a horsebox where the speedo works

) but it's an old bedford so foot is always flat on the floor

I would guess 40 up long hills and then 65 down the other side when the lorry gets a big carried away

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

my new 52 reg 3.5ton lorry i drive about 60mph - it is a rocket though and i also have to watch the speedo i was doing 70mph the other day without realising it !! xx

 

[Heidi1]

You get 40 going up hill, you lucky thing, my TK doesn't like hills and I only have lightweight TB's in it......

 

[Kermie]

You can see details of the speed limits for all vehicles at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070304 - it appears to be 60 for a horsebox (up to 7.5t) on a dual carriageway, but 70 mph on a motorway

 

[ecrozier]

Another with a bedford here! Loaded I can get about 45-50mph on a dual carriage way depending on the slope, drops way below if going up any kind of a hill!!
THaink it does depend a lot on the lorry, I hired an s reg cargo when our was in the garage, and happy on motorway at 55 - 60 in that. Also depends on the horse, our 2 regular travellers are more than happy at greater speed, the one who goes out less often I take it even more carefully than usual with as she is less steady on her feet!

 

[OWLIE185]

I had a head on collison with a car while transporting a horse in a horsebox. The car was doing about 30 m.p.h. and I was doing about 20 m.p.h. That is an approximate impact speed of 50 m.p.h.

Luckily the horses where o.k. but the diagonal partitions where bent by the force of the horses being pushed against it as the vehicles collided and suddenly stopped.

I think anyone driving a trailer at more than 50.m.p.h. and a lorry at 60 m.p.h. on a motorway is being irresponsible as horses are not fixed loads and if a tyre bursts or one has to slam on the brakes then the horses are going to move, unbalance the vehicle and you are all going to to be in real trouble.

Remember you have a precious live cargo on board so be sensible.

 

[Marnie]

I tend to do around 55 max with trailer and a LWB Pajero, with a lighter vehicle I wouldn't go that fast - I hate it when a lorry goes past and pulls you over, and a number of roads around us have wheel ruts in them from the constant stream of lorries, it is ok if you manage to sit between them, but they can really throw you around if you can't...

My old Mercedes 608 used to do about 55 top speed comfortably.

Horses always arrive quiet and not sweated, so this seems to be ok. I always like to keep my distance from the vehicle in front, I hate having to slam the brakes on - it really annoys me when cars pull into 'my space'!

 

[martyna]

55 max i too have had a front tyre blow out v v scary

 

[happihorse]

I don't ever go faster than 50mph with my horse in the trailer, and that is only on motorways, dual carriage ways or very straight flat roads!

I think it is okay to go a little faster in a lorry as it is more rigid and won't snake like a trailer.

 

[Ottinmeg]

i always thought the limit if you were carrying livestock was a round the 50/55 mark to. havnt a clue where i heard/was told that though. if my lorry reaches 56 a red light comes on. i stick to speed limits or less regardless of what type road i am on though as its the numpties with the 'ah horsebox,must pull out in front of it' mentality that you have to keep an eye on!

 

[amandaco2]

i voted up to 50
i think its not the speed of the lorry thats the probem more the idiots cutting in front at 90mph!at least when you are going slower you can stop quicker if you need to.
someone transported my neds once from yorkshire and they over took me in my car and i was going at 70!i was raging(horses seemed fine munching hay on arrival)

 

[conniegirl]

my 1983 lorry does about 65 down hill with a wind behind it! normaly sit at about 55 mph on a motorway.

showjump about the speed limiters, if you know which fuse it is then you just pull that fuse out, means your speedometer doesnt work though a friend of mine does this to her lorry

 

[Saf]

Usually sit at about 50. Don't fancy going any faster my cargo is too precious(sp)

 

[lilym]

i tend to keep to about 50mph, when towing on a motorway.

 

[EstherYoung]

Somewhere between 40-45. Poor old non-turbo landie won't go any faster. It only does about 50-55 when it's not towing, bless her.

 

[honeymum]

QR

I don't tow but my mum does, her maximum speed on motorways will be 50-55 mph. However on Sunday as I was driving up the M4 I was overtaken by one of those van horseboxes in the 3rd lane with horses on board and he was doing more than 85mph, which was what I was doing to overtake. (I did slow down when I realised cos I don't normally speed but it wasn't my car so not used to the take off speed!)

Anyway back to the point what the hell was he doing going so fast with horses on board because he flew past me as if I wasn't moving at all and was lane hopping like you'd never believe!

 

[Santa_Claus]

[ QUOTE ]
However on Sunday as I was driving up the M4 I was overtaken by one of those van horseboxes in the 3rd lane with horses on board and he was doing more than 85mph, which was what I was doing to overtake. (I did slow down when I realised cos I don't normally speed but it wasn't my car so not used to the take off speed!)

Anyway back to the point what the hell was he doing going so fast with horses on board because he flew past me as if I wasn't moving at all and was lane hopping like you'd never believe!

[/ QUOTE ]

Wasn't a hire lorry was it? could have been the same person? I have emailed the company who owns the vehicle who will speak to the driver on their return (i caught part of number plate), they apologised and agreed very dangerous but unfortunately there will always be someone who thinks they need to drive that fast and are safe doing it not realising not only are they risking themselves and their horses but also surrounding drivers AND invalidating their insurance in the process!

 

[MagicMelon]

We do 50mph on usual roads, on motorways we'd probably do 55/60mph - never over 60 though. Our trailers very easy to pull though, wouldnt do it with a dodgy old one!

 

[not_with_it]

My maximum speed is 60mph. I would never go any faster.

I too thought the speed limit for towing horses was 50 mph

I have had people towing trailers over take me in my little box when I have been doing 60 mph, IMO that is too fast

 

[Twigben]

Following a hideous accident when the person i had hired to take me to a sponsored ride rolled the towing vehicle (thank god not the trailer) on the way home i cannot go in any vehicle towing over 50mph. The stupid woman that rolled us felt the trailer snake and decided in her wisdom to speed up to near on 70mph and low and behold the 4x4 broke away from the snaking trailer and over we went 2.5 times landing on the roof - i have now done damange to my back and the two horses while superficially hurt ( so so lucky) still needed a lot of time off work to recover mentally and physically.

Please, please for all you that go faster, please think - trailers do roll and i cant tell you how scary it is if it happens.

 

[honeymum]

Wasn't a hire lorry was it? could have been the same person? I have emailed the company who owns the vehicle who will speak to the driver on their return (i caught part of number plate), they apologised and agreed very dangerous but unfortunately there will always be someone who thinks they need to drive that fast and are safe doing it not realising not only are they risking themselves and their horses but also surrounding drivers AND invalidating their insurance in the process!



Not sure, it was a burgundy one, I think I was too shocked to actually read whetehr it was sign written or not.