Sad news again but more interesting about the new legislation coming in
(Edited as I couldn’t spell ‘cyclist’ correctly!)
It must be easier to force hauliers to spend yet more money to be compliant with another new law, than it would be to educate cyclists on the dangers THEY put themselves in when carrying out these manoeuvres. And even after hauliers have spent all that money becoming compliant, cyclists will still jump red lights, squeeze past HGV’s turning left and becoming yet another fatality and statistic. Then what (or who) will Boris use as an excuse?
From the point of view of a cycling driver,if you know the area well jumping the lights by a few seconds means that you have a slight head start on motorised vehicles and have both feet on the pedals by the time you are being overtaken.
Some of the comments to that article are unbelievable “dondare” has alot to say about HGV’s 
selby newcomer:
Some of the comments to that article are unbelievable “dondare” has alot to say about HGV’s
Agreed - this is part of his comment on the Sheppey Bridge collisions:
“(The fact that there were no fatalities is attributed largely to the fact that only 2 of them were lorries.)”
I had the unfortunate experience of a collision with a cyclist this year outside Big Ben in my 44 tonne truck. The woman wearing no helmet or hi viz decided to cycle between me and the footpath. Her handlebars caught the side of my truck and she fell onto the pavement resulting in a broken pelvis. Due to the weight ratio of truck to cycle and us both travelling in the same direction I was oblivious to this collision. If I’d have known I would have carried that woman in my arms to the local A&E, but I’m now facing driving without due care and attention and failing to stop at the scene of an accident so there goes my 20 years of a clean class 1, and as much as I feel guilty and sick to the stomach that I’ve hurt another human being I can’t help but think that my 7 year old would have had more sense not to try such a manoeuvre. Everyday I see someone on a bike weave in and out of traffic and although I am triple checking every mirrors every time I drive I am just waiting for the next collision. I’m a mountain biker with a 3 grand bike so I am not an anti-cycle truck driver, but I can’t help thinking that some cyclist need to remember that they can see us better than we can see them and should give us a wide berth.
I’m a cyclist and a driver, I find because I do both it helps me judge what the other will do next. A couple of weeks ago there were two incidents in the same day where I was driving and my sixth sense kicked in, on both occasions the cyclist left the pavement and went into the road without checking for vehicles. Luckily for us both I had already slowed down so I missed them otherwise I would have made contact on both occasions…
A couple of days ago whilst sat at some lights a cyclist decided to cycle across right to left after they’d turned to green. The first car saw him but just carried on, I waited and he passed with a look on his face which said he did’nt understand why the traffic was moving!
Cyclists should’nt be allowed to go on the road without having passed some sort of basic training, this of course would be practically impossible to enforce. Riding on the pavement is an offence in itself
Daz, what bike have you got? I’ve got a Stumpjumer Comp and a Trek Remedy 7
A Ghost AMR 7700
It seems that the cyclists have the ‘ear’ of boris and TFL.
It’s time for the transport industry to become more vocal.
rambo19:
It seems that the cyclists have the ‘ear’ of boris and TFL.It’s time for the transport industry to become more vocal.
That post sums it up, Job done.
Or truck drivers get the balls to refuse any deliveries into the cesspit that is Londons road system until they get a grip of cyclists.
steamydaz:
I feel guilty and sick to the stomach that I’ve hurt another human
Don’t. Because you haven’t.
So they fine the lorry company for not having safety stuff fitted, yet there’s no further education to cyclists about the dangers of HGVs in London. It really boils my ■■■■
Dakota:
Riding on the pavement is an offence in itself
Although that is correct many police forces like ours in Leicester allow them to cycle on the pavement if they are not causing a problem - this is a common snese approach especially where there are hundreds of yards of clear pavements alongside busy roads
I think compulsory cycle training is the way to go and those that complete it get a credit sized pass card for life with their name on it which could then be displayed in a little holder on the cycle - just a little suggestion
ROG:
Dakota:
Riding on the pavement is an offence in itselfAlthough that is correct many police forces like ours in Leicester allow them to cycle on the pavement if they are not causing a problem - this is a common snese approach especially where there are hundreds of yards of clear pavements alongside busy roads
I think compulsory cycle training is the way to go and those that complete it get a credit sized pass card for life with their name on it which could then be displayed in a little holder on the cycle - just a little suggestion
Most regular cyclists are ok. I approached one Friday on a country lane. It was really narrow and lots of oncoming traffic so I’d have been stuck behind him for ages. He heard me coming and jumped straight on the pavement. You just know that if it had been a lycra warrior he’d have held us all up just because he could.
I really do have a lot of sympathy for the cyclists who act positively to protect themselves, and still find themselves being cut up and ignored by motorised road users.
Unfortunately, there are so very many cyclists who simply do not appreciate, or totally ignore, the laws of physics, and compound that problem with a complete disregard for the most basic safety measures to make their lives safer.
Apart from riding sensibly, which includes not riding up the nearside of heavy goods vehicles, why do many seem to think their very existence means they are blindingly obvious, when the reality is that grey clothing against grey road surfaces, on a grey day, is the best camouflage they could wear!
In the article linked in the OP, there is a telling quote:
Debbie Dorling, whose cyclist husband Brian was killed by an HGV at Bow roundabout in 2011, said: “This is a small but positive step in the right direction. If there had been sidebars on the lorry that hit Brian he would have bounced off instead of being dragged under it. Fitting sidebars is not enough, we need sensors fitted so a driver knows when he makes a left turn if someone is on the inside.”
Whilst I sympathise with her loss, there is no acknowledgement that a cyclist on the nearside, apart from being in mortal danger as has been seen and publicised on many, many occasions, IS a sensor!
If you ride your bicycle up the side of a truck that is stationary in traffic, YOU must let the truck driver know you are there, or there is a chance he has not seen you!
Until cyclists appreciate just how vulnerable they are, and take steps to mitigate the danger, you can fit all the sidebars and sensors you like to a truck, but when it comes to the crunch; truck will always squash bike (and biker)… and despite the media trying to always lay the blame at the the driver’s door, it is a joint responsibility!
I’d like to see a little more coverage of how the authorities are attempting to deal with cyclists ignorance and bad habits.
That article really annoyed me !
Big bad lorry driver always at fault.
I drive regularly in the centre of London at night in 44 tonne Artic, it is time I got a dash cam.
Then I will send the videos of dangerous riding and ignorance by cyclists to Mr Johnson.
In fact I should invite him to spend a evening out with me, as long as I can tape his mouth shut.