HGV nearly killed me

[Arch]

I hope not, perhaps browser put it well saying that "it takes a lot of nerve".

I've been cycling longer than most and still feel intimidated in that situation. From the pictures it looks a difficult place to negotiate, but certainly safest taking the middle of the lane.

Hear hear. It's easy to say 'its easy to take primary', but it takes confidence and nerve, and even the most experienced cyclist doesn't necessarily have those, every time. I know there are days when I feel more confident than others, for very little discernible reason - maybe it's mood, hormones, weather...

And then there are the easily discernible reasons - a revving engine behind, hooting, or just a feeling that the driver behind you isn't paying attention, or doesn't care.

 

[Coco]

 ... also to take primary you'd have to be a fairly strong rider coming from the roundabout direction to maintain +15mph and a very strong from the other.

Why do you have to be doing +15mph? I've got a pinch point on my route that I take in primary and its uphill, so I'm probably doing a lot less than 15 (maybe even backwards )

 

[sparty69]

Don't get me started on HGV drivers!!. I was nearly dragging one out of his cab this morning. Where I live there is a hill which goes from Hollingworth up to Mottram and the M67. This road is the A57 and at the point in question the carriageway divides into two lanes for traffic travelling towards Manchester, one lane goes to the M67 and the other lane eventually forks off to the right towards Stalybridge, this turn being controlled by traffic lights. The two lanes of traffic travel alongside each other for about 500 yards before the right turn. I was cycling up this hill today, the left hand lane was its usual long line of traffic heading for the M67. It was my intention to turn right at the lights, so I got into the right hand lane and cycled up alongside the line of traffic in the left hand lane, leaving sufficient room for traffic in the right hand lane to pass me. As I cycled past a HGV in the left hand lane he started hurling abuse at me!!. I was baffled by this and did not know why he should be so abusive. So I returned said abuse (childish I know), told him to use his mirrors as a professional driver like him should. I'm still bemused by his actions as I did nothing to balk or interfere with his progress. It was quite amusing actually as we kept passing each other up the hill due to him being in the line of slow moving traffic. I wish I'd stopped and pulled him out of his cab now, he wouldn't have expected that and it might have made him think twice about abusing cyclists in the future. . Not that I would encourage violence, I'm a pacifist normally, but he really p@**>d me off

 

[Hicky]

Why do you have to be doing +15mph? I've got a pinch point on my route that I take in primary and its uphill, so I'm probably doing a lot less than 15 (maybe even backwards )

Travelling in the direction that the image shows, knowing the road vehicles would approach the bridge at excess of 30 easily.
I stated at least 15mph because for the length of road that is restricted in width, if you slowed traffic for that distance I know for a fact you'd be tempting fate for another type of confrontation.

I dont disagree with taking primary, I'm just stating that at that point I'd consider 15 to be a limit drivers around here will tolerate before you encounter the local village idiot.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Don't get me started on HGV drivers!!. I was nearly dragging one out of his cab this morning. Where I live there is a hill which goes from Hollingworth up to Mottram and the M67. This road is the A57 and at the point in question the carriageway divides into two lanes for traffic travelling towards Manchester, one lane goes to the M67 and the other lane eventually forks off to the right towards Stalybridge, this turn being controlled by traffic lights. The two lanes of traffic travel alongside each other for about 500 yards before the right turn. I was cycling up this hill today, the left hand lane was its usual long line of traffic heading for the M67. It was my intention to turn right at the lights, so I got into the right hand lane and cycled up alongside the line of traffic in the left hand lane, leaving sufficient room for traffic in the right hand lane to pass me. As I cycled past a HGV in the left hand lane he started hurling abuse at me!!. I was baffled by this and did not know why he should be so abusive. So I returned said abuse (childish I know), told him to use his mirrors as a professional driver like him should. I'm still bemused by his actions as I did nothing to balk or interfere with his progress. It was quite amusing actually as we kept passing each other up the hill due to him being in the line of slow moving traffic. I wish I'd stopped and pulled him out of his cab now, he wouldn't have expected that and it might have made him think twice about abusing cyclists in the future. . Not that I would encourage violence, I'm a pacifist normally, but he really p@**>d me off

He should certainly have saved his abuse for the ones who deliberately take the outside lane and force back in just before the lights on that road, which seems to be one of the reasons why the left hand lane is so slow - every light change has 2 or 3 cars jostling to push in

 

[Simba]

Travelling in the direction that the image shows, knowing the road vehicles would approach the bridge at excess of 30 easily.
I stated at least 15mph because for the length of road that is restricted in width, if you slowed traffic for that distance I know for a fact you'd be tempting fate for another type of confrontation.

I dont disagree with taking primary, I'm just stating that at that point I'd consider 15 to be a limit drivers around here will tolerate before you encounter the local village idiot.

I was travelling in the direction of the image, I forgot to mention that just before this bridge is a roundabout, don't know if any of you seen it, but yea the traffic can get to 30 easy in that short distance.

 

[sparty69]

He should certainly have saved his abuse for the ones who deliberately take the outside lane and force back in just before the lights on that road, which seems to be one of the reasons why the left hand lane is so slow - every light change has 2 or 3 cars jostling to push in

Exactly. I suspect he thought that that's what I would do. The problem is that the cars in the left hand lane leave so little room on their nearside that it's impossible to cycle all the way up the left hand lane. I've tried this before and then cut across into the right hand lane near the top, but to be honest I think that this is a more dangerous manoeuvre.

 

[I like Skol]

Exactly. I suspect he thought that that's what I would do. The problem is that the cars in the left hand lane leave so little room on their nearside that it's impossible to cycle all the way up the left hand lane. I've tried this before and then cut across into the right hand lane near the top, but to be honest I think that this is a more dangerous manoeuvre.

Sparty, I don't think this is really relevant to the OP's situation but I will point you to THIS POST of mine about that section of road. I know it might not be the right thing to do and I know we shouldn't have to resort to solutions like that BUT, I want to live and if I were to end up under the wheels of a HGV I would be unlikely to get the chance to do things differently. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all scared or nervous of cycling in busy traffic but I am just taking steps to eliminate an obvious danger point.

 

[sparty69]

Sparty, I don't think this is really relevant to the OP's situation but I will point you to THIS POST of mine about that section of road. I know it might not be the right thing to do and I know we shouldn't have to resort to solutions like that BUT, I want to live and if I were to end up under the wheels of a HGV I would be unlikely to get the chance to do things differently. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all scared or nervous of cycling in busy traffic but I am just taking steps to eliminate an obvious danger point.

ILS, point taken, apologies to the original poster if I've hijacked this thread. You're link to the other post is more appropriate.

 

[Ticktockmy]

I would keep a watching brief on that road, to see if the same HGV uses the road at the same time, or the same companies vehicles, go along the road. Often you will see the same company vehicles heading back to base as like you they will be wanting to finish work on time.

If you are sure it the correct Company, tell them the time and place the incident happened.

The company transport Management will be able with no problems pinpoint the driver, well that if he or she is running the department correctly, which by law they have to now. A lot of company vehicles are now fitted with GPS trackers, and when you call up a Vehicles Number on the screen it shows its route on a map, and time and speed as well as other details at the point you click on. likewise if you just click on a point it will tell you which Vehicles have used that point recently.

 

[Coco]

, but yea the traffic can get to 30 easy in that short distance.

And they can slow down again just as quick. Sorry, but there are few roads with minimum speed limits and drivers just have to accept that. You have just shown that even if you do accommodate their needs there will always be someone who tries it on.

All he had to do was wait literally 2 seconds and the road opens up.

or 4 seconds if you're doing 8mph.  

I'm happy to be slow YMMV.