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What kind of imbecile drives this fast? The thought must have crossed your mind at least once whenever you witness a Ferrari or Lamborghini blazing past. And I don’t blame you. I’ve even muttered the (rare) expletive when I encounter such behaviour. However, my column this month isn’t about supercar owners and their driving habits. Except for the proverbial bad penny, which turns up once in a blue moon, the sports car drivers I know all conduct themselves pretty well. On the other hand, the individuals behind the wheel of commercial vehicles– trucks, lorries, vans and trailers – have been getting on my nerves. Again, I’m not saying that every one of them behaves in the same manner, but the increasing number of times I’ve seen huge trucks zoom past me (and vans travelling in front of my car at high speeds) isn’t only highly irritating, but also worrying. Take a trip down the AYE (in the direction of the ECP) and you’ll see what I mean. There will be commercial vehicles in every lane, except the rightmost one, for much of the way. Come to think of it, I’ve also seen them in said lane –overtaking other vehicles at speeds way in excess of the regulatory limit. The loads that are ferried by these vehicles weigh tonnes – and I cannot imagine the extent of the carnage should they get into accidents. During one rainy October evening on the Keppel Viaduct (this stretch is a great place to catch these offenders); I got the scare of my life. A truck carrying a load of earth (bits and pieces were falling out of the back) sped past on my left and then swerved into my lane suddenly. This action caused it to oversteer, and its tail slid from left to right before the driver (who surely must have been praying, because I sure was) managed to get it under control. I tell you, I was so sure it was going to tip over that I was already looking around to see where to steer my car. At that juncture, I was even prepared to perform a handbrake turn if the need arose. Thankfully, I didn’t have to. The whole thing could easily have been avoided if Mr Stupid Truck Driver stuck to the speed limit, and was mindful of the sheer size and weight of his vehicle. I know the authorities are aware of the potential danger these vehicles pose to road users, but something more needs to be done to punish the law-breakers. For a start, I’m all for increased policing, especially along the roads that these drivers frequent. And before you get all jumpy at my suggestion (as this would also mean that every driver will come under heavier scrutiny), I have one final thing to add: Is there really any need to speed? Tony also recommends that all commercial vehicles to be fitted with speed limiters – just like the ones installed in Formula One race cars – that will prevent them from exceeding a preset limit while they’re on the road. This article was written by Tony Tan, freelance writer for Torque.