andju:
Hi my name is julie, It has been suggested to me by a few british hgv drivers to join the forum to ask for a bit of support. Recently I was involved in a side-swipe accident with a polish lorry…shock horror…ermm not really please read my story.
1st October 2012 at 5.45pm
I was stationary at traffic lights on the Junction 10 roundabout which joins the M20 london bound and coast bound, this roundabout has another 3 exits. I was sitting in a lane which can be used for either the M20 coast bound or the A20. The traffic lights were red,the traffic was heavy in my lane and the other 2 lanes to my right,to the left hand side of me the traffic was moving slowly but more freely than all other lanes.The lights changed to green I released my handbrake put my car in 1st gear and started to release the clutch to move forward. With no warning, suddenly I felt a heavy impact to my left I realised I had been hit by a lorry, with the force of the impact I was jolted across my car and hit my head on the window and the side of my body hit the door hard,I then felt my car being pushed at an angle towards the right, across the roundabout lanes,i tried to accelerate but my wheels were only spinning as I was caught up and pinned to the lorry.
The other motorists were sounding their horns trying to get the lorry drivers attention, but I was still being pushed, it was only when the lorry braked suddenly my car was released and I managed to get away.I was terrified,felt helpless and dread to think what could have happened,I honestly thought my car would be crushed with me inside.It was only afterwards I realised I could have been taken down the M20 still on the lorry which I really dont want to think about.I also could have had my 7 year old son in the car,5 minutes earlier he had been begging to go with his dad instead of me as he loves going with him as a treat we told him just to get in with me but he started crying so to save hassle we said ’ oh go on then’, thank goodness we did!
Well the HGV driver realised what he had done and followed me off the roundabout to a layby, I got out of the car and I couldnt stop shaking,he got out the cab and was very apologetic and looked like he felt bad,he was polish and said ‘Im sorry I didnt see you your car is too little’. Ok my car is small compared to a massive hgv but its not that small …a skoda fabia. I looked at my car the whole passenger side bent, scratched, covered in blue paint from the lorry and pushed in from the front of the passenger door all the way to the boot.
I asked him where he was trying to go,he said Dover M20,the only way from his lane is the A20 you cannot go from that lane to Dover on the M20 it means cutting the lanes,which is what he had done, only problem was I was there in my car that was too little to see.The police came said its a regular occurence that they just dont see you,they took our details and he went on his way,oh yes he had a small scratch to the front side of his cab about 8 inches long.Like I say he was a nice person I didnt hold any malice towards him he really just didnt see me.
During the following weeks I had many conversations with different people,and what became clearer,was, that this is NOT an isolated incident, everyone I spoke to had either had a near miss,a collision or knew someone who had, and they always seemed to be with foreign lorries.
I was told by someone they thought something was available at the port to help with blindspot vision when driving an HGV.
I began researching, I approached 2 traffic officers and asked them about this,that is when they gave me a pack and told me these are given out free at ports to LHD lorries …The Fresnel lens.
I researched the lens, read 112 page final report by the Vosa research and development team…I could not believe with the information this report contained that these lenses are not compulsary for LHD vehicles entering the uk. I would like to quote something from the report.
In 2006-2007 over a period of just over 6 months 40,000 fresnel lenses were handed out as a study…section 5.2.1
QUOTE
In the period following the distribution there were approximatley 11 LHD sideswipe incidents per week as opposed to 26 a week before lenses were issued-a reduction of 59%.
The reduction could possibly have been even greater if more HGVs had lenses or if the drivers had been COMPELLED to fit them.
I have started a petition on the governments website , for all foreign lorries and coaches entering the uk to have to fit a fresnel lens before driving on uk roads. I dont particularly feel they should be free,but they are at the moment and I cant start a petition to make them pay for them lol!!! But please please help me on this, it could be your wife ,mum, sister daughter this could happen to, i know there are a lot of other issues but this is one I may be able to do something about…i hope.
Anyway thanks for taking the time to read this and I wish you all well,also, i really hope you dont think im one of those do gooders,ive never done a petition and probably never will again, and if you have any views on the lens that would be great for me, i also know that many foreign hgv drivers and british drivers who drive for foreign firms take as much time as possible to set up their mirrors so they can see as much as possible and cover blind spots
Julie x
This is the link …I need 100,000 signatures to have the chance of having this debated in parliament epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41241
I’ve moved your post to the main forum where I think it will receive more views and responses. dd. 
Good idea, an even better one would be to just stop them coming in all together.
but if they don’t concentrate 100%, it results in sideswipes as in your unfortunate case! Glad you’re ok!