Lorries and Visibility Blackspots

[Chrisgr31]

There was an excellent display outside Charing Cross station today.

The police had borrowed a cement mixer from Cemex and where demonstrating how difficult it was for the driver to see cylists and indeed pedestrians on their left hand side and immediately in front of them.

FOr those with the time there was the option to ge in the drivers seat and get the drivers view, for the rest of us they ahd marked out the area around the lorry which where in the drivers blackspot.

When you saw a police officer standing beside the left hand door of the lorry holding a bike, it was plainly obvious that there was no way the driver could see them as they were beneath the window and the mirror.

[scubadude]

Chrisgr31 said:

it was plainly obvious that there was no way the driver could see them as they were beneath the window and the mirror.

Exactly... which makes you wonder why people run up the inside, clearly no common sense.

I say this as a keen cyclist- but some people are there own worst enemies.

[Kell]

I still think this video can't be posted often enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eug2kFK2ByI

[MadDad]

Can't legislate for stupidity or lack of common sense..........stupid is as stupid does......

[Kell]

It's ignorance rather than stupidity.

Unless they know about the blind spots.

In which case it's stupidity.

[AyBee]

Nice to see some cyclist education. Too many cyclists are all too quick to blame the cycling infrastructure or big bad lorries rather than take a look at what they can do differently.

[neenaw]

AyBee said:

Nice to see some cyclist education. Too many cyclists are all too quick to blame the cycling infrastructure or big bad lorries rather than take a look at what they can do differently.

Too right.

It's not really rocket science, is it? Don't ride up the inside of trucks and busses, especially at junctions. The slogan on the back of some trucks that's simple but really obvious is the one that says "if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you" The same goes for the driver, if you can't see him, he can't see you!

Sadly too many cyclists seem to be too stupid to take notice of these things.

[Kell]

neenaw said:

AyBee said:

Nice to see some cyclist education. Too many cyclists are all too quick to blame the cycling infrastructure or big bad lorries rather than take a look at what they can do differently.

Too right.

It's not really rocket science, is it? Don't ride up the inside of trucks and busses, especially at junctions. The slogan on the back of some trucks that's simple but really obvious is the one that says "if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you" The same goes for the driver, if you can't see him, he can't see you!

Sadly too many cyclists seem to be too stupid to take notice of these things.

I always thought that it was meant for car drivers and I'm not sure that applies to cyclists, does it? In that video above, every single one of the cyclists that you can't see from inside the cab, could quite clearly see the nearside mirror. Therefore, they'd all assume that they're safe.

A while back someone at work tried to float the idea of a laser projection of an HGV's blindspot. i.e. the truck itself would use a laser to project the unsafe area to be in onto the road. People could then stay out the way.

Think it didn't gain much traction due to laws on lasers and cars and blinding people etc. But even if these were just demotrucks driving around they'd be good educational pieces.

Edited by Kell on Thursday 5th December 13:58

Edited by Kell on Thursday 5th December 14:00

[McFsC]

I cycle a lot ( 200+ miles a week ). Never, under no circumstances ride up the inside of vehicles and only overtake when the traffic is slow moving rather than stopped at lights, I just hold my position then and wait as traffic.

Cyclists need educating on visability, blind spots and general road use. Drivers need to slow down, concentrate on driving ( not changing the CD, doing their make up, or talking on a phone ) and set off 5 minutes earlier to allow for a tractor, traffic or even ( god no the world might stop ) a few cyclists.

We share the world and the roads, let's play nice.