Better design of HGVs is key to improving safety for cyclists

[Dogtrousers]

http://roadsafetyweek.org.uk/blog/e...-hgvs-is-key-to-improving-safety-for-cyclists

I don't have much background knowedge of this so I don't have any opinion but it seems an interesting article.

In short

London’s first walking and cycling commissioner Will Norman ... new Direct Vision Standard ... rates HGVs from zero star (lowest) to five star (highest), based on how much a driver can see directly through their windows ... from October 2019 ... ban zero star HGVs unless they prove they have a safe system fitted. Over time we’ll increase the rating threshold,... By 2024 require a minimum of three star

 

[Drago]

Not hiring brain donors on minimum wage to drive mobile tower blocks is key to improving safety for cyclists.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Not hiring brain donors on minimum wage to drive mobile tower blocks is key to improving safety for cyclists.

Along with teaching cyclists that if they intentionally put themselves in a blindspot don't be surprised if the drivers doesn't see you

 

[mjr]

"Key to improving safety" is probably over-egging it. "Key to reducing London cycling fatalities" may be true, as HGVs seem disproportionately often involved in those.

Not hiring brain donors on minimum wage to drive mobile tower blocks is key to improving safety for cyclists.

Does it matter how clever they are unless they refuse to drive a vehicle that doesn't let them cope safely with London streets?

 

[mjr]

Along with teaching cyclists that if they intentionally put themselves in a blindspot don't be surprised if the drivers doesn't see you

You're never gonna teach all cyclists where all other vehicles have blind spots, and I've often been put in that position in London by motorists pulling up on my right at the lights (over the centre line, sometimes) - maybe they feel secure in knowing that their propaganda has been so successful that if they squash me, even some cyclists will be leaping to their defence and accusing me of having ridden up their left side?

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Does it matter how clever they are unless they refuse to drive a vehicle that doesn't let them cope safely with London streets?

I've managed to drive through most cities in the UK including Larrndun without hitting/killing/maiming anything, not saying the design couldn't be better but there's not great deal wrong with what there is.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

You're never gonna teach all cyclists where all other vehicles have blind spots, and I've often been put in that position in London by motorists pulling up on my right at the lights (over the centre line, sometimes) -

But that is not a design issue, it's a driver issue

 

[mjr]

That "unless they prove they have a safe system fitted" bit seems to be a bit of a hole in the idea: If you can only see via mirrors, and not directly, we won't let you drive in London ... unless you have a "safe system" fitted. Such as ... er ... mirrors?

It reads like mirrors don't count as one, but you're right that the devil will be in the detail of what "safe system" means.

 

[Drago]

Does it matter how clever they are unless they refuse to drive a vehicle that doesn't let them cope safely with London streets?

If us, the consumer, didn't buy so much worthless tat, the latest mobile phone every 3 weeks, the latest must-have piece of crap, then there wouldn't be some many lorries on the streets. Cyclists are as guilty of fuelling the need for these vehicles as any other sector of society.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

An n=1 sample. Pretty conclusive. That's all right then. As you were.

You clearly have no concept of the issue & like to put your own spin on it, please read what I put, then think about it for a while, currently your reply deserves a 2/10

 

[mjr]

But that is not a design issue, it's a driver issue

Mix of the two. Once the driver issue has put me in that dangerous place, I'm unable to communicate with them and they can easily forget me because of the design issue. Of course, I'm hoping that someone's researched this and found that drivers are much less likely to run over people that they can see directly, rather than many being psychopaths.

 

[PeteXXX]

CROSSRAIL has a policy worth reading.

 

[Smudge]

I've been a HGV class 1 driver for most of my working life..... cyclists consistently rode on the inside of my trailer when i'm stationary at traffic lights or anywhere where i have to stop in traffic. They've even rode along my nearside when i'm indicating left.
I've had them riding up my inside where there is so little room between my truck and the curb, these cyclists have one foot on the curb to get by.
The problem with a lot of cyclists, is that they have this absolute aversion to having to stop, they want to keep moving at all costs. These costs are often their life.

 

[mjr]

If us, the consumer, didn't buy so much worthless tat, the latest mobile phone every 3 weeks, the latest must-have piece of crap, then there wouldn't be some many lorries on the streets. Cyclists are as guilty of fuelling the need for these vehicles as any other sector of society.

Ah, so it's not the fault of people hiring stupid drivers, now it's the victims' collective responsibility that they're getting run over because they collectively buy too much? Anyone else you'd like to blame?

 

[Drago]

Fair play to crossrail for working to make cxlists aware of truckies blind spots. Even better still if they'd invested the effort into eliminating such blind spots on the trucks tending their project.

In N.I. I was much happier when there were no snipers, rather than simply being made aware that a sniper was about.