So all cyclists who get killed by HGVs are undertakers?

[downfader]

Not this morning. Didnt happen to me and luckily no harm done.

So, 0730 this morning, I'm riding up onto Shirley Road in Southampton, young girl in front of me on a bike, and a little further up ahead close to the lights after the Osbourne Pub theres a die-in-the-wool roady. Although technically not a real HGV, a large tipper lorry of some kind overtook myself and the girl and approached behind the lad on the road bike. The Roadie was around 15 feet from the lights, but the driver just HAD to get past him regardless of the red light.

Thankfully the roadie had a little savvy as he held off, realising the lorry was now at a funny 20 degree angle to the junction. (Shame the minibus behind me didnt hold off either, cutting me off for a few feet of space too, but thats a separate story). Lights go green and lorry turns left. Roadie had waited at a distance behind, well done that Roadie.

Now I would love someone like the CTC to look into how many cases of death or injury by large vehicles occur each year, and what percentage were the cyclist's fault. Most of the big rigs and stuff around here gets driven quite well, but then you see stuff like this morning and it makes you think.

[james01]

Thankfully the roadie had a little savvy as he held off, realising the lorry was now at a funny 20 degree angle to the junction.

You can't beat experience plus constant awareness in these situations. If you keep your eyes & ears open your instincts usually let you know that someone's about to do something incredibly stupid. And personally I wouldn't feel happy riding without a rear view mirror, it can help you to see a "situation" developing.

[downfader]

Thankfully the roadie had a little savvy as he held off, realising the lorry was now at a funny 20 degree angle to the junction.

You can't beat experience plus constant awareness in these situations. If you keep your eyes & ears open your instincts usually let you know that someone's about to do something incredibly stupid. And personally I wouldn't feel happy riding without a rear view mirror, it can help you to see a "situation" developing.

Oh I think he heard the vehicle long before. I know I did, and when it was close you feel it rumble over the tarmac. Thankfully I've found them quite unlikely to sneak up to you.

[[XAP]Bob]

Thankfully the roadie had a little savvy as he held off, realising the lorry was now at a funny 20 degree angle to the junction.

You can't beat experience plus constant awareness in these situations. If you keep your eyes & ears open your instincts usually let you know that someone's about to do something incredibly stupid. And personally I wouldn't feel happy riding without a rear view mirror, it can help you to see a "situation" developing.

Oh I think he heard the vehicle long before. I know I did, and when it was close you feel it rumble over the tarmac. Thankfully I've found them quite unlikely to sneak up to you.

Maybe - but I like the reassurance of having a visual on what is going on as well.

[downfader]

Maybe - but I like the reassurance of having a visual on what is going on as well.

I'm not denying visual clues aint a good thing.I do a lot of shoulder checks around these roads for exactly that purpose. My bike wont take a mirror and I think at the speeds I can get up wo coupled with the road surfaces that it would probably break off.

[Alan D]

Downfader, did you get the registration number and did you/the roadie report the incident to the Police?

[Alan D]

If the B***** is'nt stopped, he will go and do it again.

[downfader]

Downfader, did you get the registration number and did you/the roadie report the incident to the Police?

No I was a little too far away when I realised what was happening added to the fact I didnt instinctively look for it , plus the vehicle was covered in muck (seems common when you see a vehicle driven badly like that and I do sometimes take it as pointer to be cautious)

I would hope this is a one-off and that he'll think about junctions and cyclists a little better. I know you cant always be certain that'll happen though

[eileithyia]

To answer the question, NO.

Similalry on saturday I was on a dual carriageway approaching a roundabout.
A car had overtaken and was now in front of me in the inside lane, slowing to negotiate the roundabout.
A lorry overtook me with probably about 2-3 lorry lengths between myself and the giveway.
As it came past I was muttering "Don't come in, Please don't come in, please don't come in.
During this time the car continued their journey, and the inside lane became "free".
So the lorry cut into the inside lane, stopped at such an angle to cut off all escape routes and I was left to brake sharply.
At least I was half expecting it with my general experience of the roads, but an inexperienced cyclist could easily have found themself with no space!
As it was I stopped with my shoulder centimetres from the crash bar across the back and no doubt it would have been my fault had I piled into the back of him!

[CJV]

Re: So all cyclists who get killed by HGVs are undertakers?

Not necessarily. I think some of them might be grave diggers.

[Tom Richardson]

To answer the question, NO.

So the lorry cut into the inside lane, stopped at such an angle to cut off all escape routes and I was left to brake sharply.
As it was I stopped with my shoulder centimetres from the crash bar across the back and no doubt it would have been my fault had I piled into the back of him!

exactly. Hands up anyone who hasn't had that experience.

an overtaking lorry driver once explained it to me with the impeccable logic of a professional driver: 'I could either run head on into oncoming traffic or run over you, so what did you expect me to do?'.

[kwackers]

exactly. Hands up anyone who hasn't had that experience.

an overtaking lorry driver once explained it to me with the impeccable logic of a professional driver: 'I could either run head on into oncoming traffic or run over you, so what did you expect me to do?'.

Ah - the old should brake/accelerate dilemma of our 4 wheel friends...

Well, if only it were a dilemma then at least it would have meant they'd actually considered braking - I'm firmly of the opinion very few do.

I had one yesterday morning, try to overtake me coming off a traffic island, the exit off the island is a single lane (albeit wide) with a bollard crossing, I come off in primary into the throat (which narrows for the bollards) only to have an 8 wheel wagon come off the second lane of the island and cut straight across at a fair rate of knots - had I moved over or been going slightly faster there was no way he could have stopped.

It was a Grundy's 'skip hire / landfill' wagon though - I'm sure anyone who cycles around Widnes/Runcorn will be aware of them. Easily the most appalling standard of driving I've ever seen attributable to a single employer.

[Guy951]

an overtaking lorry driver once explained it to me with the impeccable logic of a professional driver: 'I could either run head on into oncoming traffic or run over you, so what did you expect me to do?'.

The obvious, if somewhat long-winded answer to that is:

Wait behind until you can see there is enough room to overtake safely. If you can't get your head around that little concept hand your licence in - you're obviously not fit to drive!

[fimm]

Funnily enough, I had a minor run-in with a lorry this morning too - I was wide in a 2-lane urban (30 limit) road to pass a parked car, the minute I started moving in he came hammering past me and I had to break (though not hard, just take most of my speed off) to let him in.

[downfader]

Funnily enough, I had a minor run-in with a lorry this morning too - I was wide in a 2-lane urban (30 limit) road to pass a parked car, the minute I started moving in he came hammering past me and I had to break (though not hard, just take most of my speed off) to let him in.

I call those "scrubbers", not because of the famous flick but because you have to scrub off speed although still managed a little momentum after.