Just spoke to the company’s insurance about an incident early hours of sat and they say it sounds like my fault .
I was at the junction of a 3 lane roundabout straddling the 2 inside lanes and had 2 cars come up my inside forcing me to put my nearside indicator on even though I was not turning left but to warn them that the trailer would be coming that way . The lights changed I checked my nearside mirror and the first car moved and I assumed that being London the second would so started moving checking my offside mirror for those cutting across my front and then back to the nearside and stopped immediately as the second of the two cars was touching my sidebars , I travelled all of 6feet .
His car has a scuff mark from the lower sidebar and a scratch from the upper .
I am fuming that due to an idiot who couldn’t understand why I didn’t stay in my lane (tight left turn onto roundabout) an accident happened , if he had moved as the car in front of him had nothing would have happened.
If I had stayed stationary waiting for the cars to clear from nearside I would never have moved as the cars behind the lorry would have come the inside as well .
Sorry for the rant but what are you supposed to do with these idiots that don’t understand how a trailer swings on corners .
I feel your pain but your mistake was, in your own words that you assumed a driver would do something, never ever assume anything.
Casper68:
I feel your pain but your mistake was, in your own words that you assumed a driver would do something, never ever assume anything.
I know your right but trying to keep moving in London traffic what are you supposed to do sit wait for every idiot to realise that they should be paying attention to the road and not their phone .
The roads just littered with brain dead morons like that had so many near misses myself .I was always taught give larger vehicles plenty room what part of that do they not get just boils ya ■■■■
Maybe might it have been a good idea to have the indicator going all the time?
Gillberry:
Casper68:
I feel your pain but your mistake was, in your own words that you assumed a driver would do something, never ever assume anything.I know your right but trying to keep moving in London traffic what are you supposed to do sit wait for every idiot to realise that they should be paying attention to the road and not their phone .
I hear ya. You really need eyes in the back of your head in this job.
From what you said I don’t think you put your trailer far enough into lane 1, my opinion is you should have have dominated the road a bit more, as for fault - 50/50 . Although my opinion again, if in doubt, Stop!
not quite sure why you straddled two lanes if you did not intend to turn left? Also it appears you left too much room on you n/s if two cars could get in. Or am i missing something?
Priest:
not quite sure why you straddled two lanes if you did not intend to turn left? Also it appears you left too much room on you n/s if two cars could get in. Or am i missing something?
Straddled the 2 lanes as a sharp left onto the roundabout is required and yes I didn’t take enough of the nearside lane as a car in front on the very inside lane stopped as soon as the light turned amber instead of carrying on as he was committed which took that extra bit of space which would have took the trailer over more . Having said that London traffic will squeeze up the inside of you with a ■■■ paper between them and you if they can .
Good point made re indicating left from the word go even when not turning left as here just to warn those who are unaware of the trailer movement .
Sorry your fault, you cannot assume other vehicle has moved away, its up to you to make sure the road is clear in order for you to proceed.
Never expect car drivers to understand or realise how much room a truck needs to make any sort of turn.
Treat them all like absolute idiots.
gezt:
Sorry your fault, you cannot assume other vehicle has moved away, its up to you to make sure the road is clear in order for you to proceed.
Never expect car drivers to understand or realise how much room a truck needs to make any sort of turn.
Treat them all like absolute idiots.
Thanks for the support 
already know I carry the blame but it is just so annoying that the innocent party has no idea of how arctics manoeuvre or the fact that when traffic lights go green you are supposed to move with the traffic not remain stationary doing god knows what .
Gillberry:
gezt:
Sorry your fault, you cannot assume other vehicle has moved away, its up to you to make sure the road is clear in order for you to proceed.
Never expect car drivers to understand or realise how much room a truck needs to make any sort of turn.
Treat them all like absolute idiots.Thanks for the support
Wasn’t having a go, its happened to me but I fought in court, judge said I should have checked more but good traffic cop said car drivers need more instruction.no claim made on me or insurance. Happy days.
gezt:
Wasn’t having a go, its happened to me but I fought in court, judge said I should have checked more but good traffic cop said car drivers need more instruction.no claim made on me or insurance. Happy days.
To be honest realise that should have waited to make sure he moved as well as the one in front of him . As I said it’s just so annoying that not paying attention to what’s happening around him and he is the innocent party in all this .
You definitely gave them too much room up the inside, if they can do it - they will. Your next mistake was moving whilst they were there. I’ve had a few years of London driving, night/day bans, parking, loading, weight/width/height bans - some of them accompanied by fines! I think I’ve the done the whole lot. Nothing fazes me now, I’m probably the most laid back lorry driver in London 
- but I always drive 'progressively ’ 
You’ll see me taking up two lanes at lights/roundabouts - I don’t give ‘em an inch. Been bibbed up with the arms outstretched expression ’ how much room d’you want’? hundreds of times. My roll of the eyes answer is always the same 
You ain’t done nothing bad mate, no one has got hurt - apart from your pride maybe! You will have learnt from it, no good beating yourself up over it - two weeks down the line it will have been forgotten. The bit that ■■■■■■ me off is the paperwork involved in a ding!
Somebody post the location so I can see for myself, before I cast judgment and sentence.
gezt:
Sorry your fault, you cannot assume other vehicle has moved away, its up to you to make sure the road is clear in order for you to proceed.
Never expect car drivers to understand or realise how much room a truck needs to make any sort of turn.
Treat them all like absolute idiots.
+1
Dave55:
You definitely gave them too much room up the inside, if they can do it - they will. Your next mistake was moving whilst they were there. I’ve had a few years of London driving, night/day bans, parking, loading, weight/width/height bans - some of them accompanied by fines! I think I’ve the done the whole lot. Nothing fazes me now, I’m probably the most laid back lorry driver in London
You ain’t done nothing bad mate, no one has got hurt - apart from your pride maybe! You will have learnt from it, no good beating yourself up over it - two weeks down the line it will have been forgotten. The bit that ■■■■■■ me off is the paperwork involved in a ding!
^^^^^^ This
Dave55:
You definitely gave them too much room up the inside, if they can do it - they will
Question is: how much is too much. One day in Leicester i was turning left on roundabout. On approach i’ve moved over about 3 feet to the right. Had to wait about 30 seconds for a gap. Finally moved forward, and slammed on brakes after final check of mirrors. Some idiot still managed to squeeze between with half of his car (silver, sport type) on grass verge.
thundercatMAN:
Dave55:
You definitely gave them too much room up the inside, if they can do it - they willQuestion is: how much is too much. One day in Leicester i was turning left on roundabout. On approach i’ve moved over about 3 feet to the right. Had to wait about 30 seconds for a gap. Finally moved forward, and slammed on brakes after final check of mirrors. Some idiot still managed to squeeze between with half of his car (silver, sport type) on grass verge.
You was on the ball - hats off fella!
Where’s a copper when you want one?
I I’ve always thought there’s long been an ‘achles heal’ in the Highway Code’ where trucks are concerned. I’m not quoting word-for-word, but from memory it went something like… Make allowances for younger drivers due to less experience on their road skills.
Make allowances for elderly drivers because their reaction times may be slower.
Where does any driving instructor or the Highway Code make it clear about a truck that has to make a broad swing into a junction or entrance to property or premises despite having an appropriate indicator on?
Seem’s the rat-race society’s in thermal runaway mode 
