Aldwych and Catherine Street London

[jmaccyd]

Drove past a scene that always makes your heart sink at mid-day today. The Police around a cement lorry and a bicycle on the ground by the right offside wheel. No sign of the cyclist, so hopefully just 'injured' and taken off to hospital. Hope there OK

 

[Terminator]

I hope they are ok as well.

 

[tdr1nka]

A few years ago on the 'Vodaphone' roundabout, Purley Way in Croydon a driver was killed when he got his cement mixer, with a full load, onto two wheels and crashed it on it's side. No others hurt or injured.

In the aftermath the emergency services closed the roundabout to salvage the mixer, which took about 3hrs.
During an hour of this time Ms. tdr1nka & I who lived locally then, stopped to watch as the mixer was emptied and then set upright using enourmous inflateable bags.
As the roundabout was shut off cars were being diverted but a lot of cyclists and motorcyclists pulled up to watch and ask what had happened. Almost to a man they all made comments to the effect of bad luck to the driver but how leathal a cement mixer can be just from all the cr*p that they throw out when you're riding behind them, let alone your chances of surviving being hit by one.

Fingers crossed and thoughts go out to that cyclist.

 

[gazzaputt]

On a related note I was sat behind a cement lorry from the London Concrete Company at a set of lights. He was indicating to turn left and there was an audible warning being played to warn cyclists that the lorry was turning left.

Was very impressed.

 

[Tynan]

that's for the blind cyclists is it?

 

[gazzaputt]

Err is that a smartarse reply?

I personally think it is a great idea and warns the twats the go up the inside they are likely to be crushed.

 

[LOGAN 5]

I cycle this section most days coming from Waterloo Bridge and always take the right hand side just to avoid all the left hand turns into the junctions on that side of the road. Got cut up there so often I now avoid that lane altogether and get across the road further up after all the left turn numpties have gone.

Last night at Highbury & Islington roundabout - me in full battle fluorescent, 2 bright front lights and helmet light - had a skip lorry just pull into the roundabout which I'm already on. I ping the bell and direct my helmet light up to his face, he just looks at me and carries on! *****ing ignorant ***stard. So dangerous some of these lorry drivers despite my road positioning and visibility etc.

 

[Tynan]

Err is that a smartarse reply?

I personally think it is a great idea and warns the twats the go up the inside they are likely to be crushed.

mostly but if a truck like that looming over them and indicating don't do it they've probably got headphones on

although I was once saved from something nasty by the sign on the back of an HGV warning people following that it had that fancy rear steering, the time I took to read it allowed the truck the time to slide very tightly and spookily into a left hand turn that he sure hadn't indicated for

 

[Pete]

On a related note I was sat behind a cement lorry from the London Concrete Company at a set of lights. He was indicating to turn left and there was an audible warning being played to warn cyclists that the lorry was turning left.

Was very impressed.

I have seen (and heard) this too - although it's a rare feature: very good idea with one obvious flaw: does nothing if the driver doesn't indicate.

I have a lot of issues with drivers who don't indicate a turn. Problem is, driving instructors often put out the message "no need to signal if there's no-one to see it". Fair enough, but I think maybe time for a change. Force drivers to signal always, regardless of any onlookers, or face penalties. Then perhaps this could be enforced by cameras - after all we already have RLJ-catching cameras. Feasible?

 

[Tynan]

I was surprised to be taught that at my many CBTs for the scooter

I always indicate if only to form an automatic memory thing when turning, ditto blind spot check, learnt that from scootering

 

[gazzaputt]

mostly but if a truck like that looming over them and indicating don't do it they've probably got headphones on

Well if they have headphones on going up the inside of a cement lorry then they have a deathwish.

As for the smartarse comment well at least there is a company trying to be a bit proactive for cyclists.

 

[Tynan]

deathwish going up the inside anyway which was my initial point really

still a smartarse comment, nothing more