Sad news, happened this morning. It's ridiculous that it's legal for lorries to have huge blind spots. As a learner driver I'm being constantly told to look all around and check my mirrors. I'm not told "don't bother checking there as there is no point you can see f all". These haulage firms are too tight that they can't spend a bit of extra money to upgrade there mirrors. Makes me f*****g sick.
It's "their" mirrors and all new lorries have got six of them.
I've just seen a picture of the bike in the Evening Standard website, made me feel sick.
Just outside my LBS. 🙁
Leaping to blame either way isn't the solution, though. That the truck driver may not have seen the cyclist in their blind spot is just as likely as the cyclist putting themselves in danger by going right in to that blind spot. The number of people I see going up the inside of vehicles turning left is simply scary. We're lucky we don't see way more of this.
Saw the picture of the bike on Twitter, horrific. 🙁
Leaping to blame either way isn't the solution, though. That the truck driver may not have seen the cyclist in their blind spot is just as likely as the cyclist putting themselves in danger by going right in to that blind spot. The number of people I see going up the inside of vehicles turning left is simply scary. We're lucky we don't see way more of this.
+1.
Its always tragic when a cyclist gets killed but I can't help but feeling that the government and cycling bodies could spend more time and money educating cyclists on safe road use as its still practically nil at the moment.
With it becoming more and more popular it will take this as well as modifications to HGV's etc to stem the flow of road deaths.
I NEVER cycle on either side of an HGV. I always stay behind - its the safest place to be and makes it extremely difficult for it to hit me...
Cheers
Danny B
Shocking photo of the aftermath of a very sad incident.
Its always tragic when a cyclist gets killed but I can't help but feeling that the government and cycling bodies could spend more time and money educating cyclists on safe road use as its still practically nil at the moment.
I see things on the telly fairly regularly about cyclists not riding into truck blindspots, but it's no good if the cyclists ignore the advice given to them. It ought to be common sense to use lights at night, but so many don't.
CZ - really, is this a southern thing? I have never seen anything up t'north on the telly about such things.
Good news if such ads are being shown somewhere...
Cheers
Danny B
Maybe HGV drivers should have training like this?
[url= http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cycleawareness-training-for-bus-drivers-just-bring-it-on-8562983.html ]Bus driver cycle awareness[/url]
Sad, sad news.
As above it is anyone's guess as to where (if any) blame lies.
Personally I think that HGVs only be allowed to access central London [i]out of hours[/i] to reduce pinch point incidents.
So sad.
Sadly this thing will happen from time to time. Humans were involved, humans don't always do the sensible thing, sometimes we all do foolish, silly things or things that defy sense. Fortunatly, this will normally result only in a dropped cup of coffee, a lost set of keys or some other minor inconvenience.
Tragically that's not always the case, as proved this morning.
Another person gone too early. Be careful out there everyone
Oops, double post.
IMO vehicles shouldn't be allowed on roads with blind spots not covered my mirrors.
IMO vehicles shouldn't be allowed on roads with blind spots not covered my mirrors.
So that cuts out all vans, a lot of big 4x4s, lorries, buses...
Going to be very quiet on them there roads...
As said above, mirrors only do so much - you can have as many mirrors as you want but if a driver is looking in Mirror 6 while a cyclist goes through Mirror 1, it doesn't make any difference. This thread isn't really the place for this surely?
RIP
IMO vehicles shouldn't be allowed on roads with blind spots not covered [s]m[/s]by mirrors.
And bicycles. Or do you have mirrors on your bike?
Due to EU regulations, all professional drivers have to complete CPC training. HGV and Bus drivers. Course covers many subjects, not only cyclists.
You will see cowboys anyway, be them cyclists or drivers. I think just because buses have CCTV and Driver+ (blackbox version) systems they don't misbehave like Truckers do.
Don't let me start spouting nonsense about Oxford street and its inhabitants.
So that cuts out all vans, a lot of big 4x4s, lorries, buses...
Going to be very quiet on them there roads...
Sounds lovely to me.
Right on the last junction where I turn left into work. One of my guys was unfortunate enough to see the body before they covered it up, on his way to make a delivery, this morning...
Always make spelling mistakes when I'm angry. I was careful not to leap to conclusions about who was to blame in this accident. I was blaming the haulage companies. I lot of the driving I see from large vehicles in London seems to be "I'm bigger than you, better get out of my way". Don't need mirrors on my bike I don't have any blind spots. Newer lorries have added mirrors but it's not required by law. It should be.
Personally I stay away from them as much as I can. The don't indicate half of the time.
And bicycles. Or do you have mirrors on your bike?
I'm not exactly likely to kill anyone though if I swipe them, same goes for pedestrians..
Using the road used to be a privilege rather than a right to just do as you please and if you kill someone, well never mind, it was an accident. Probably their fault for thinking about jumping a red light at some point in their life....
A woman run over by a tipper truck turning left. I wonder what the odds of that were? 🙁
We generally don't recommend people walk in the road, because road vehicle are big heavy and fast, and people are small light and slow. Where pedestrians have to walk in the road, we tell them to do so FACING the direction of traffic so that they may spot oncoming danger.
We give them 30lb of tubing and expect this all to change?
Cyclist should be allowed to ride on pavements sensibly. Mobility scooters do.
Due to EU regulations, all professional drivers have to complete CPC training
As I drive professionally, and haven't (and work for a VERY PC organisation), I'd say that isn't 100% accurate.
I NEVER cycle on either side of an HGV. I always stay behind - its the safest place to be and makes it extremely difficult for it to hit me...
I agree and do the same.The problems arise when you are at lights or in a line of traffic and then someone pulls up alongside you or comes from behind you and then turns left....
Don't need mirrors on my bike I don't have any blind spots.
The don't indicate half of the time.
Really, honestly? So you can see all around you, a full 360 degrees? A bike can also cause serious accidents, albeit it is far less likely.
They don't indicate...from what I've seen, nor do many cyclists. I look at this with the eyes of a car driver & a cyclist. I can see both arguments & I see the errors both make.
Sometimes the cyclist gets into a bad position on the road, of their own doing, other times it could be a vehicle has caused a situation resulting in the same result on the road. As a cyclist, I am watchful & wary of vehicles creating this issue for me & look to take evasive action if necessary. As a driver, I'm watchful that I don't create a problem for a cyclist by the positioning of the car.
If more did the same, on both sides, the roads would be safer, but we're asking the impossible unfortunately.
My girlfriend went under a lorry a few years ago. Lorry overtook her and turned left she was going straight. Her bike was crushed, she saw the underside of the lorry. She now gets as far as she can to the front of the road.
Someone pointed out to me a while back that workplace health and safety regulations mean that most of the trucks and lorries on our roads would not be permitted to operate at a place of work in the same conditions (i.e. surrounded by squishy people with no way to see them). They'd need all sorts of cameras, sensors and alarms, otherwise the operating company could be found negligent.
Shame no one seems to have an overall duty of care on the public roads.
People are squishy and fragile, vehicles are heavy and powerfull and have no emotions.
Stay away from big things that can crush and kill you.
Stay away from big things that can crush and kill you.
So basically you are saying just don't ride on the road then?
Until the country invests in high-quality segregated infrastructure then I can't see that happening any time soon. Even in the Cycling Utopias of the Netherlands people still have to ride on the road sometimes.
Given that lorries are 5% of London traffic but are involved in half of cycle fatalities there then perhaps a better solution is to ban lorries during rush hours?
RIP Unknown Cycle Woman - Too Young.
My thoughts with your friends and family.
Given that lorries are 5% of London traffic but are involved in half of cycle fatalities there then perhaps a better solution is to ban lorries during rush hours?
Force them to have decent mirrors to cover their blink spots and prosecute drivers who kill cyclists / pedestrians rather than let them off with a 'oh well it was just a squishy cyclist, never mind, try not to do it again and be on your way'.
Yep, that too footflaps.
A few years back, someone posted a link on here to a diagram of where the blind spots are on a truck; maybe if trucks had that diagram on the back, rather than just "If you can't see my mirrors I can't see you", people would realize how restricted the driver's visibility is and think twice before moving into blind spots...
Please note that I'm not trying to blame the victim, just suggesting a way to reduce casualties.
and think twice before moving into blind spots...
What if the lorry pulls up along side you and then turns across (and over) you......
A few years back, someone posted a link on here to a diagram of where the blind spots are on a truck; maybe if trucks had that diagram on the back
Or maybe we should just realise that it should be unacceptable to have heavy vehicles with massive blind spots driving at peak times through busy streets full of pedestrians and cyclists?
Along with extra mirrors can't the there be sensors/cameras fitted to the sides of trucks to make the driver aware of someone next to them. Surely they must exist. Or is it down to money, if so the government must introduce tougher standards. More needs to be done to make cyclists aware of the dangers as well.
I think there is still generally a bad attitude towards cyclists in this country still. Some of my local turd bus drivers are horrifically bad and constantly pull in when there next to you. But worst of all they don't seem to care!
I was thinking that footflaps, but not sure it's a good idea to start speculating. After all it is possible somebody who knows the unfortunate lady might read this - so far it's mostly been very reasonable comment I think.
can't the there be sensors/cameras fitted to the sides of trucks to make the driver aware of someone next to them.
Easy enough to design and fit a proximity sensor - like a car reversing sensor - but the trouble is that it would go off all the time (e.g truck next to railings, lamppost, junction box etc etc) so the driver would soon start ignoring it.
Cameras are a better plan but there are only so many screens and mirrors that one person can check every time they pull away from the lights.
I was thinking that footflaps, but not sure it's a good idea to start speculating.
I wasn't suggesting this happened, just that you can't generalise (as some have on here) and always blame the cyclist for being in the wrong.
Footflaps
Can I suggest that you go sit in the cab of a HGV and see what the driver has to contend with.
Its not just pedestrians/cyclist, but motorcyclists/car and van drivers all seem to have suicidal tendencies and will quite happily walk/ride/drive alongside HGV's at junctions.
More mirrors/sensors will only divert their attention even more.
And you'll find that HGV drivers are about the most skilled on the road, they have to be. The guy that delivers to us has to reverse for 1/2 mile as we haven't space for him to turn around. Imagine reversing an artic for 1/2 mile down a tree-lined narrow lane.
Well that's OK then, I suppose a few dead cyclists is a fine price to pay for not inconveniencing the poor HGV drivers....
And you'll find that HGV drivers are about the most skilled on the road
I think we've established on other driving threads that high levels of skill doesn't necessarily make a good driver.
The police spoke to him and didn't arrest him. Suggests he didn't do much wrong to me.
So many times I've seen people ride on the left hand side of stationary lorries. Makes my blood run cold. I think twice about stopping next to a truck in my car, let alone on my bike.
