HGV nearly killed me

[Simba]

Yesterday I was going home from work, there is a small bridge over the canal Here there is barely enough room for 1 car, let alone an HGV. I see him in my mirrors and look back to give him eye contact. Traffic coming in the opposite direction. Next thing I see is his cab right besides me literally nano meters from my handle bars. I swerve, scream and then the curb is looming large and off I go. He did not stop and I didn't manage to get his plate. Heavy grazing and bruising to my left leg, but it could have been so much worse.

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

 

[BSRU]

Sounds like a seriously dangerous HGV driver, as you said it could have been worse.

One of the advantages of camera's is it catches incidents like this giving you more opportunity to have reasonable evidence to report it to the Police and/or their employer. Although such dangerous incidents are extremely rare but very scary.

 

[ianrauk]

Simba, sorry to hear about this. Did you not take a strong primary to stop him overtaking?

 

[Jezston]

You might not have got his plate, but did you happen to get any other info such as a company name on the lorry?

That is absolutely shocking, though - for all the driver knew you were dead and he still just drove on like he didn't give a sh*t.

 

[upsidedown]

Bad one. I have a narrow canal bridge on my route, I have to take a good primary very early to deter overtakes. It does help having very bright front lights as cars coming the other way assume I'm on a motorbike and normally wait on the other side of the bridge.

 

[Davidc]

Ianrauk is in principle right - and a bright back light with the strong primary helps - BUT - it takes a lot of nerve and experience to actually do so, and to ignore the hooting that usually follows.

The responsibility for the dangerous incident is the HGV driver's and it's a pity Simba didn't see the company name on the lorry.

 

[Simba]

I was in a very strong secondary as cars can still get passed in safety, I assumed (Wrongly of course) that the HGV would wait till we cross the bridge. I did not get any details as I was too busy trying to save my life and then pick myself off the road before anything else came and finished me off.

Also he overtook with 2 solid white lines in that section of the road, once you cross that bridge the road is very wide.

 

[ianrauk]

I was in a very strong secondary as cars can still get passed in safety, I assumed (Wrongly of course) that the HGV would wait till we cross the bridge. I did not get any details as I was too busy trying to save my life and then pick myself off the road before anything else came and finished me off.

Looking at the bridge Simba I would take primary every time.
No way wide enough for 2 cars passing and a cyclist let alone an HGV, especially the case going southbound due to the wall & no pavement.

 

[Simba]

I will be doing in future, if I take that route again. Its the shortest route of 4 I take and only use it when I want to get back quickly 15 miles this route as opposed to 18,19 and 20 respectively.

 

[Browser]

As said further up by DavidC , Primary would stop this BUT it takes a very steady nerve t0o do it and ignore the potential abuse/vehicle horns afterwards. I have a theory that some HGV drivers forget how wide their vehicles are, particularly nowadays when HGVs are more powerful.better handling and far easier to manouvre than those of say 25-30 years ago. Also, they're probably under more pressure to get from place to place within a set time frame.
All of this, however, is no excuse whatever for endangering the life of a fellow road user,be they motorist or cyclist.

 

[ianrauk]

^^ Yep with Lee on this. Easy just to look over your shoulder, move over and take primary before you get to the bridge, it's not a science just common sense. If you are using the bridge everyday then it should become automatic to do.

 

[661-Pete]

Getting into primary can be very difficult if you're on the preceding, wider stretch and being overtaken by a nose-to-tail stream of traffic. Sometimes one just can't manage it. But once you are in primary, stay there, give a 'fake' right-turn signal if you must, that'll be understood. Hooting can be nasty but is less likely to kill than a close overtake.

Sounds like a very unpleasant and frightening experience, Simba, hope you're OK. Some drivers simply make the equation 'cyclist' = 'zero width'. I can't understand why.

 

[Hicky]

I ride that over that bridge every day I commute so know it Very well, I can tell you the road paint is VERY worn compared to the googlemap image, 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.
It isnt a plesant pinch point on my route and have had a few close overtakes but nothing like what you described however I've had trucks pull out from stakehill and from the M627 numerous times when on bike or car....that whole roundabout is shocking for lane disapline.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Sorry to hear about this Simba (from a fellow Rochdale commuter), hope you're OK.

 

[Davidc]

[QUOTE 1296435"]
You make it sound like only the most advanced cyclists can take primary when that's simply not true imo.
[/quote]

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.