HGV'S TO GET WIDER ANGLE MIRRORS

[BADGER.BRAD]

Had a little note in our daily work sheets this morning about mirrors and the retro fitting of wide angle mirrors to older HGV's, they are also to be wider angle than before to try and stop the massive blind spot to the left from being such a problem to moron cyclists, I found this on the net explaining it thought it may be of interest.

http://www.autobiz.ie/news.php?sc=76aa01f8a6080e29cd21a716548893a610101f71

 

[thomas]

I've seen that sort of arrangement on a reasonable amount of lorries that don't seem new. Can only be a good thing really!

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Hello Thomas,

From what I can gather the extra wide angle mirrors where not a legal requirement so as they got damaged quite often they were never replaced. The newer ones are also much wider angle than before. Speaking as a HGV driver there really was a big problem on the left of every HGV I have ever driven. Hopefully this will go someway to removing the blind spot if not completely removing it.All we need to do now is educate cyclist not to undertake on junctions !

 

[dellzeqq]

this is good news - the LCC has been campaigning on left side mirrors for a couple of years, because, as you probably know, the majority of cycling deaths in London are caused by lorries turning left.

 

[semislickstick]

Hello Thomas,

From what I can gather the extra wide angle mirrors where not a legal requirement so as they got damaged quite often they were never replaced. The newer ones are also much wider angle than before. Speaking as a HGV driver there really was a big problem on the left of every HGV I have ever driven. Hopefully this will go someway to removing the blind spot if not completely removing it.All we need to do now is educate cyclist not to undertake on junctions !

A tv safety ad around peak soap tv viewing times would probably save quite a few lives. If you've never been told or witnessed and take note how HGV's swing out,usually the opposite of the way they are indicating, your first time could quite easily be your last. A few more notices on the back of HGV's warning cycles not to go alongside would help too, I haven't seen warnings on the back for ages, used to be a big thing. I'm just glad I had motorcycle training.

 

[thomas]

Hello Thomas,

From what I can gather the extra wide angle mirrors where not a legal requirement so as they got damaged quite often they were never replaced. The newer ones are also much wider angle than before. Speaking as a HGV driver there really was a big problem on the left of every HGV I have ever driven. Hopefully this will go someway to removing the blind spot if not completely removing it.All we need to do now is educate cyclist not to undertake on junctions !

On the way up to uni today, the lorries with more than just one wing mirror definitely had less of a blind spot (as I had a nosey at the cab of a few lorries ). I think, as a driver, I want the smallest blind spot possible and to be able to get the best idea of what is around me.

Like semislickstick said, I think maybe an advert and more "don't pass on the left" style stickers on lorries would be good! Has anyone seen that new motorcycle safety advert? I thought that was pretty good and covered a lot of possible risks!

 

[col]

this is good news - the LCC has been campaigning on left side mirrors for a couple of years, because, as you probably know, the majority of cycling deaths in London are caused by lorries turning left.

Or even caused by cyclist undertaking left turning hgvs ?

 

[threefingerjoe]

Please pardon my ignorance...but what does "HGV" stand for? From context, I gather that it is a large lorry or tractor/trailer. Is this correct? But what does "HGV" actually stand for? Heavy (something or other) Vehicle?

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

HGV stands for heavy goods vehicle and for licence purposes refers to vehicles over 7.5 ton in weight. This terminology has since been super seeded and they are now called LGV (large good vehicle). The funny thing here is I don't think that buses/Pcv
( public service vehicle) seem to have the same laws applied as I see them with some very inadequate mirrors and from my experience the drivers seem very poor even compared to car drivers, they seem pull out on everyone then signal,speed and are the worst culprits for over taking then cutting in!

 

[thomas]

from my experience the drivers seem very poor even compared to car drivers, they seem pull out on everyone then signal,speed and are the worst culprits for over taking then cutting in!

It's because they're big so can barge around a bit. They probably don't care about the skill involved as much either.

 

[threefingerjoe]

Thank you. Over here, it seems that school bus drivers, as a group, are the worst drivers on the road.