[Closed] 2 cyclists killed by LGV, in Cornwall

🙁

Saw that earlier, not good. HGV driver arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving. Looked like a straight stretch of road from the photos.

Shit

That's a nasty section of road on a bike, depending on the section either 2 or 3 lanes per carriageway, and people will be driving fast down it, especially at that time of day. It is pretty straight, but "Hamburger Hill" is coming up so people tend to try & get their speed up in anticipation of that, especially the HGV/LGV drivers.

Condolences to the families & loved ones of the cyclists

Just saw this - horrible.

by David_Longman

Tuesday, July 02 2013, 4:35PM

“I feel so sorry for the driver. I have nearly hit (and killed) several cyclists on this section of road and also on the dual carriageway sections towards Exeter. When there is a perfectly adequate 'old road' that cyclists could use much more safely, it is beyond me why they think it remotely safe to be on what is a quite fast section of major truck. These deaths are a result of the Highways Agency not banning cyclists from such roads. I extend my sincere sympathies to the families of the cyclists.”

Does that guy post on here?

It was only a matter of time before someone popped up on the comments saying something along those lines...

I feel so sorry for the driver. I have nearly hit (and killed) several cyclists on this section of road and also on the dual carriageway sections towards Exeter

It's really a very simple non-problem to deal with, all you have to do is not drive into them, in the same way you don't drive into the other cars, trucks, lamposts.

My sympathies to the families, never good to hear of a death on the roads, and it's always scarier when its close to your home.

by David_Longman

Tuesday, July 02 2013, 4:35PM

“I feel so sorry for the driver. I have nearly hit (and killed) several cyclists on this section of road and also on the dual carriageway sections towards Exeter.

Well perhaps you can explain how you still have a licence if you have such a problem seeing moving objects, yet seem to be able to not hit other motorists, lamposts, traffic lights and other road furniture,along with pedestrians, and those nice policemen and VOSA operatives who will hopefully escort you to the nearest specsavers for a free eye test.and hopefully retraining.

The Highways agency dont make the laws of the road, that is down to the dept for transport or the local authority.

Just as a reminder the middle pedal is a brake pedal.

Having had a near miss with a 40ft'er tonight (I know as he told me this- his explanation was 'how will I get out unless I force my way out. I told him if he had hit my car I'd have also hit him) who pulled out on me on a roundabout then cut into my lane I have a very dim view of lorry drivers at the moment.

I wonder what happened. I've lost count of the amount of times that I've seen a lorry drift over a lane into the hard shoulder.

I passed the two guys about a mile from the accident going the opposite direction on my way to work . Dry day good visibility and a straight road .
I really feel for their families i. I have felt sick all day .
Anyone thinking of doing the end to end - don't use this road go north or south

I passed the two guys about a mile from the accident going the opposite direction on my way to work . Dry day good visibility and a straight road .
I really feel for their families i. I have felt sick all day .
Anyone thinking of doing the end to end - don't use this road go north or south

Horrible thing to happen.

My 3 best mates were there 2 weeks ago,it was such a worry then, I couldn't imagine how it would feel if you know anyone cycling the Lejog now.

I'm So sad to read this

I grew up around there, no one in their right mind would ride a bike on that road. Its still sad news though.

I grew up around there, no one in their right mind would ride a bike on that road. Its still sad news though.

so they were 'asking' for it ? 😯

why are vulnerable road users deemed to be the guilty party for using a road?-- i suspect that without 'local' knowledge they were just following a prescribed route ......very sad and tragic for all concerned, there is a campaign to give all cyclists at least 4ft of clearance when overtaking-- this must become a part of driving culture.....

The road is like a motorway in all but name. If you have ever been there you would appreciate just how dangerous the road is.

The road is like a motorway in all but name. If you have (n)ever been there you would...

At least i assume thats what you mean otherwise your being judgemental of 2 people who sadly died doing something they were entitled to and should have been safe doing.

Real tragedy for all concerned.

Have to say the two people I knew who have been killed while riding were both killed by lorries on NSL dual carriageways. I just won't ride on them, not a risk I'd want to take.

very sadly us cyclists are almost treated like road kill, a sad but inevitable consequence of being on 'fast' roads-- this attitude is so wrong on all counts-- the law needs changing and turned the other way , where the onus is on the motorised party to prove negligemce --and penalties need to be made severe/and enforced-- oh and aholes like on top gear et all need to be brought to account for trivialising dangerous behaviour...

its 3 lane road, in each direction, with a national speed limit in operation, effectively its a motorway, would you ride on a motorway? Yes people should be able to ride safely any were but thats not the reality, instead we should concentrate on self preservation.

Stato, chill out, no one has blamed the cyclists, only pointed out it was a very dangerous placeto ride.

You're not allowed to ride on a motorway so no, you wouldn't ride on a motorway and, to be fair, a driver on a motorway wouldn't expect to see a cyclist there either. However, on a road with no TRO restricting use by cyclists then a driver should expect to see cyclists and drive accordingly. It's no good making up your own laws and saying cyclists shouldn't be there, and you shouldn't be driving as if it's a motorway when it is not.

Sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased.

Sad news. My deepest sympathies to their families and friends.

The existing laws are strong enough, unfortunately rarely applied.

Personally I don't ride on "fast" roads due to this but it still does not excuse the issue.

I don't think anyone is saying they shouldn't have been there (I hope), it's an A road, they were perfectly within their rights to be there. The only person to blame for this incident is the driver, it seems.

That said, knowing that bit of road, you could not pay me to ride on it, especially not at half 8 in the morning. It's 2-3 lanes wide (depending on where along it you are) and I simply don't trust drivers enough.

project - Member
Just as a reminder the middle pedal is a brake pedal.

Knowing where the brake pedal is doesn't help if you can't combine use of all the controls to maintain safe operation of the vehicle. It will make little difference to the out come if you hit a bike while the brake is being applied.

You're not allowed to ride on a motorway so no, you wouldn't ride on a motorway and, to be fair, a driver on a motorway wouldn't expect to see a cyclist there either.. However, on a road with no TRO restricting use by cyclists then a driver should expect to see cyclists and drive accordingly

ok but you would ride on a road that just as dangerous as motorway as long as there is not a sign telling you that you cant. I wouldn't ride on a motorway or any road resembling one not because its against the law, but rather because its a very dangerous thing to do.

3dvgirl, there is a difference between unpleasant and dangerous. plenty of country lanes that are dangerous but very pleasant and often dual carriageways while unpleasant aren't that dangerous. Most dual carriageways come with space and good sightlines. unlike most minor roads!!!

pop over to Facebook and have a look at the South West Truckers page.....

ok but you would ride on a road that just as dangerous as motorway as long as there is not a sign telling you that you cant.

The point is, if i dropped you in a different part of the country and you started riding down a road as there was no sign telling you not to, would you know it was dangerous?

pop over to Facebook and have a look at the South West Truckers page.....

Do you have a link as I can't seem to find it

pop over to Facebook and have a look at the South West Truckers page.....

Seems to be a closed group.

couple of idiots calling for a ban on cyclists using the road.
I had a go at trying to explain but the reply I got from one intelligent individual was "bo11 ocks "
I'm not bothering getting any further involved....

Despite my belief that it is not a road that kills or injures you, it is the people using it carelessly or dangerously that do, there can be cases where cyclists are restricted when there is a suitable and convenient alternative (for example, the Golden Valley bypass between Gloucester and Cheltenham where there is a TRO prohibiting cyclists). My main concern though is that drivers would then be encouraged that cyclists can be legally removed from any road where drivers are too irresponsible to drive with due care and attention. Drivers need to be aware that roads are not just for motor vehicles and this needs to be reflected in the courts when judgements are made.

Indeed, psling, the seriousness of road culture needs shoring up big style-- the whole thing is sold as a kind of fun game ffs-- and the 'penalties' for transgressing are bizarre-- killed on the road , occupational hazard 😥

Perhaps if it wasnt so far away from most people we could have organised a sponsored bike ride down it at cyclists speed, to raise awareness of the deaths of 2 fellow cyclists and raise some cash for the families.

Two dual carrigeways near me has recently had the speed limit reduced from 70mph to 40mph and the police actually enforced it for a few days and issued a few fines and points, some motorists werent happy, but still a woman managed to kill a cyclist on one of them.

Dual carrigeways are usually good sight lines, central reservations, and a lane to overtake in.

From the pictures on the BBC South West news earlier it didn't look like a stretch of road I'd ride if there was an alternative. The Police spokesman also said that they hadn't identified the victims yet but it appeared that they where heading up North.
3mins 27 in.
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b036c5mz/Spotlight_02_07_2013/ ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b036c5mz/Spotlight_02_07_2013/[/url]

It's just been on the telly again and it was an HGV, not that it makes any difference. 🙁

My condolences go out to the family of those killed (not sure I like the way the BBC refer to it as "have died" like it just happened spontaneously and I thought the pictures of the mangled bikes on the carriageway a little ghoulish) but I also feel sorry for the truck driver. It's inexcusable (I won't call it an accident) but for a few moments of inattention, it could happen to any of us. I can only imagine what he must be going through right now.

Has anyone here done LEJOG? Is there an acknowledged safe route or would they have simply looked at the map and said - "that looks ok - nice straight bit of road"? I can't imagine you'd be able to identify the bad bits of any particular journey without a bit of local knowledge.

I can't imagine how the relations of these 2 guys must be feeling - I hope they've been informed by now. Not knowing would be terrible.

FFS

but for a few moments of inattention

So as a minimum that would be driving without due care and attention let alone manslaughter. He was in a wagon, assume unladen so 5 tons. If you are in a car do you not pay attention. So a car at a ton can easily kill a pedestraian/cyclist.

What was the guy the other day killed a cyclist due to not looking for 9 seconds used the "momentary laps"

UNACCEPTABLE WHEN YOU CAN AND SOME DO KILL PEOPLE.

Can't concentrate dont drive.

The picture in the BBC report:
[img] [/img]

is [url= http://goo.gl/maps/m9bHl ]here[/url]

and looking down the road towards where the incident happened http://goo.gl/maps/1TSUq - the lorry is stopped just before the parking place 1/4 mile away, with a nice straight flat 2 lane road with good visibility all the way to there (from the cab of an HGV it's not even like the cyclists would be hidden by cars in front - he'd have seen then well in advance if paying attention). I'd rather ride on quieter lanes, but I certainly do ride on roads similar to that. No reason I can see why it shouldn't be safe for cyclists if drivers are paying proper attention.

I also feel sorry for the truck driver.

I don't. Not in the least little bit.

Would you ride on a dual carriageway? Theres on here in Manchester from Man U down to the centre. I've not once ridden it (40 limit)-always ridden down the back.

Just because we can doesnt mean we should.

Why say this? Drivers on a dual carriageway slip into higher speeds. In a NSL it wouldn't be uncommon to be passed at 70. Factor in quick and sudden lane changes at x metres per second.. (this part is OT to the truck situation but worth hilighting no?)

Poor guys 🙁 that is another bit of sad news. Unfortunately there are too many idiots on the road. I was almost mtaken out last night by a bus cutting in front of me. I have never had an incident that close. Anyway enough of me, the driver is clearly at fault and should have the full force of the law thrown at him. If you can't see cyclists on the road you are not fit to drive.

I have driven over that stretch many times and wouldt ride a bike on it or any other dual carridgeway tbh unless for a very short distance and only if it was quiet.
On that piece of road going south I once saw Ian Botham walking the hard shoulder with several others on one of his charity walks they did have a vehical with flashing lights behind them I did wonder how safe it was.

a very sad day for all for sure

I rode the A30 from Bodmin North to Somerset in the mid 90s as it was the quickest way home .I think the trouble with LEJOG is the number of direct roads is fairly limited so peole stay on the main road as its quicker and some LEJOGGERS have limited time if its a holiday