Is the entire field of view blocked for an HGV?

[beardy]

It's difficult to see into the cab because of the reflections, but if you look at 6-7 secs you can see the driver's silhouette. He could and should have looked into the side road to check if it was clear. As it was he got his line totally wrong and came round the corner too fast - if you are going to drive on the wrong side of the road at least do it slowly enough for any 'obstacles' to get out of the way! I presume motorcycles don't have horns.

They do have horns (but motorists seldom seem able to hear them, even when you replace the standard one with a couple of Fiamm air horns (and a horn relay)).

[GrumpyCyclist]

When I was learning to drive an HGV I remember being told that you should never, unless absolutely impossible to avoid it, take the space you need for a turn from the road you're turning into. You should always take it from the road you're turning out of, even if you have wait for a gap to swing round. I have to admit, I thought (when he bent down to look at the bike) he was going to say something ridiculous like "it's only a scratch, that'll buff out".

Can't help thinking he was more watching that he didn't get too close to the tree with the front of the truck. Muppet.

[aspiringcyclist]

I see some people blaming blind spots ( not on here). If that's the case then they are admitting the driver wilfully drove onto the 'wrong' side of the road without even being sure it was clear. Effectively driving blind.

[Mark1978]

When I was learning to drive an HGV I remember being told that you should never, unless absolutely impossible to avoid it, take the space you need for a turn from the road you're turning into. You should always take it from the road you're turning out of, even if you have wait for a gap to swing round. I have to admit, I thought (when he bent down to look at the bike) he was going to say something ridiculous like "it's only a scratch, that'll buff out".

Absolutely, a lorry driver better than anyone should know the limitations of their vehicle, and swing out to the right to make a left turn like that. Of course conversely I'm sure lorry drivers can tell you tales of people going down their left and side when they swing out to make a turn.

[ferdinand]

Driver seems to have come in too quickly, and not waited to force a gap in the traffic passing the bus parked between the 2 skip lorries and the second bus to allow him to swing out.

If I was driving it I think I might be worrying about the lady and pushchair on the inside, and the cycle lane that had just started before the road junction.

What a complicated mess of a junction. Bits of everything shoehorned in and it is half baked for everyone.

What is that little green cycle spot in front of the white van with the bike in white? Is it for right turners, or people continuing straight on when a bus is in the stop?

"Wait here for maximum chance of being flattened", perhaps?

Ferdinand

[Flinders]

If the driver couldn't see the road was clear, he should have stopped and got out and asked someone to help him.
It is unfortunately the modern defence is that 'I didn't see x'.

You should only complete a move if you can see that it is clear. That's quite different to not being able to see that there is someone there.

[Postboxer]

'Interesting' article on the incident here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33622318

It made me quite angry.

[661-Pete]

When I was learning to drive an HGV I remember being told that you should never, unless absolutely impossible to avoid it, take the space you need for a turn from the road you're turning into. You should always take it from the road you're turning out of, even if you have wait for a gap to swing round.

Much the same could be said for cyclists taking a corner at speed - say in a road race or TT. After all, how many crashes in the final Km or two of a TdF stage, happen because riders expect more space around a corner than there actually is? As often or not there's a spectator, marshal or other obstacle in the way, result: mayhem.

And (memory cells churning here!) I now remember something else. In my first attempt at the Driving Test (in car), I failed because I took a left turn more or less the same way as this lorry. I.e. I took space from the wrong side of the road I was turning into. Didn't hit anyone or anything, didn't incommode any other road user; nevertheless the examiner wasn't impressed and he failed me. I didn't repeat that mistake on my second attempt, which I passed...

[tatanab]

'Interesting' article on the incident here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33622318

It made me quite angry.

Me too.
Having demonstrated the potential for blind spots, which the driver is surely aware of, would you not EXPECT the driver to move around in his seat for a better view. In my car, there are corners where I am looking out of the driver's side window because it gives a better view.

[maxcherry]

WTH




Is he telling me that the driver was supposed to crush the bike!? Is that part of the driving course?

MUPPETS

[Postboxer]

I did warn you! It's the line saying there's no suggestion of negligence by the driver that got me, I'm suggesting it.

[maxcherry]

I did warn you! It's the line saying there's no suggestion of negligence by the driver that got me, I'm suggesting it.

So angry i dropped my Batternburg on the cat! I bet if it was someone pushing a pram or a MP the house of commons and the media would be working overtime to change the leaner driver course and ban these types of lorry's withing 24hrs

[thirdcrank]

This is from the BBC article linked above quoting Dr Russell Marshal of Loughborough University with reference to field of view:

With some very specific positioning the HGV can end up hitting the obscured vulnerable road user without ever being able to see them

This is one of my hobby-horses Russ: the lorry can't see anything, that's the driver's responsibility.

Let's remember, there are plenty of lorries with signs on the back along the lines: "If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you." Perhaps the next thing is signs on the front warning everybody "If you can't see my face, I can't see you."

[Ellieb]

Well. You could argue that it was the presence of the woman & pushchair which may have attracted his attentiojn when he turned... (as indeed they do in the BBC article.)

[ArMoRothair]

It's difficult to see into the cab because of the reflections, but if you look at 6-7 secs you can see the driver's silhouette. He could and should have looked into the side road to check if it was clear. As it was he got his line totally wrong and came round the corner too fast - if you are going to drive on the wrong side of the road at least do it slowly enough for any 'obstacles' to get out of the way! I presume motorcycles don't have horns.

They do have horns (but motorists seldom seem able to hear them, even when you replace the standard one with a couple of Fiamm air horns (and a horn relay)).

The rider didn't sound the horn in the video. I'm not sure I would have had the presence of mind to either, he couldn't have believed the truck would keep coming up until the deed happened.

As it happens, as a Ducati owner, I can tell you their horns are pathetically feeble; he would have been better shouting. Or, as I read on one bike forum: blipping the throttle if he had a pair of Termis on.