I'm going to be crushed by this lorry!

[BSRU]

Always shocking to see such a large vehicle being driven so badly.

 

[BlackPanther]

I suspect that he will claim that he didn't see you until the last moment and the Police will commend him for his quick thinking maneuver: or some other such nonsense ;-) Let us know what happens.

Oh he saw me without a doubt. He slowed, you can hear the gearbox down-change, then he went for it.

The question is did he;
A/ Completely misjudge the distance available to perform the overtake?
B/ Not see that there was another pedestrian island when he started to overtake?
C/ Expect the cyclist (me!) to brake to allow him back in?
D/ Completely misjudge the speed (18mph-ish) I was travelling?
E/ Decide that it was 'safe' to overtake on the wrong side of the island?
If the answer is E/ then maybe he thought that by doing this he was giving me plenty of room, but from my point of view, I expected him to cut back in front of me.

 

[jarlrmai]

I think it was A, B and E with a bit of C.

 

[HLaB]

That's what I thought this morning whilst riding to work. As soon as I saw him pulling out to overtake I knew he was going to have to cut me up to get back in,so I slowed to save him from.....well wiping me out I suppose!

But then he did something beyond belief. Just look at this lunatic. I genuinely thought that if I didn't slow down, I'd have been a lorry/kerb sandwich.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igGVtW7QWXo&noredirect=1


I'm currently looking into making my first ever official complaint about another driver. If anyone's had any experience in complaining directly to 'Co-op' I'd appreciate some advice.....or adv ice in general. Also thinking of going directly to the Old Bill. Or am I mistaken in just how out of order this piece of driving was? As an LGV driver myself, I'm well and truly flabber-ghasted by this maneuver.

I can't really see what the issue is, I've seen similar loads of times OK its not technically legal but I'd rather have a solid Island between a HGV and me. If all drivers from their elevated position could plan such a wide and safe (assuming they could see the straight road was clear) I wish all overtakes could be that good. Its certainly not worth risking somebody's job over a technicality. Jarlrmai experienced a proper bad overtake if you need to know what one is.

Strangely this happened to me today, I could and should have been in primary and will be for this bridge hill in the future (sorry drivers) but still

 

[Cycling Dan]

I can't really see what the issue is, I've seen similar loads of times OK its not technically legal but I'd rather have a solid Island between a HGV and me. If all drivers from their elevated position could plan such a wide and safe (assuming they could see the straight road was clear) I wish all overtakes could be that good. Its certainly not worth risking somebody's job over a technicality. Jarlrmai experienced a proper bad overtake if you need to know what one is.

I have to say I agree. Not seen it done before in person though.

 

[Moodyman]

At least you can't complain about the amount of space he gave you...!

Indeed. I get this quite a bit uphill on a rural carriagewAy. Trucks and other vehicles overtake via the opposite lane instead of holding back or squeezing in between cyclist and island. Not ideal but I don't see any real harm if other lane is empty.

 

[400bhp]

I can't really see what the issue is, I've seen similar loads of times OK its not technically legal but I'd rather have a solid Island between a HGV and me. If all drivers from their elevated position could plan such a wide and safe (assuming they could see the straight road was clear) I wish all overtakes could be that good. Its certainly not worth risking somebody's job over a technicality. Jarlrmai experienced a proper bad overtake if you need to know what one is.

Interesting. I could see how you could think that but there's a few reasons why it's not particularly smart.

There's a reason for those bollards being there. I can't tell why but it might simply be to allow peds to cross the road safer (wide road) and/or it could be to slow vehicles down and to stop overtakes due to some hazards (peds crossing included). Or other reasons?

It also appears to be a residential area with street lighting placed close together.

The crucial thing. It took around 10 seconds for the truck to overtake and to be back on the correct lane. A hell of a lot can happen in that time. What if something unexpected would have happened whilst they were on the wrong side of the island? The truck is essentially stuck, or at best has to plough down the bollard which has it's own issues for doing that.

Manouvers should be done swiftly and safetly. Because it's a truck these two things are exacerbated.

Wider context - if it is reasonable for that to occur, then it becomes reasonable for others to do it. It then becomes a very dangerous road - not least for peds trying to cross at the bollards.

 

[irw]

Indeed. I get this quite a bit uphill on a rural carriagewAy. Trucks and other vehicles overtake via the opposite lane instead of holding back or squeezing in between cyclist and island. Not ideal but I don't see any real harm if other lane is empty.

Just to be clear, my post was very firmly tongue-in-cheek! The other lane may well be empty, but what if a pedestrian with earphones in appears out of the darkness, looks to his right, see's no traffic and steps out in front of the truck coming the wrong way?

 

[HLaB]

Interesting. I could see how you could think that but there's a few reasons why it's not particularly smart.

There's a reason for those bollards being there. I can't tell why but it might simply be to allow peds to cross the road safer (wide road) and/or it could be to slow vehicles down and to stop overtakes due to some hazards (peds crossing included). Or other reasons?

It also appears to be a residential area with street lighting placed close together.

The crucial thing. It took around 10 seconds for the truck to overtake and to be back on the correct lane. A hell of a lot can happen in that time. What if something unexpected would have happened whilst they were on the wrong side of the island? The truck is essentially stuck, or at best has to plough down the bollard which has it's own issues for doing that.

Manouvers should be done swiftly and safetly. Because it's a truck these two things are exacerbated.

Wider context - if it is reasonable for that to occur, then it becomes reasonable for others to do it. It then becomes a very dangerous road - not least for peds trying to cross at the bollards.

I know it was technically illegal and the possibilities of peds and what could perhaps happen but the island doesn't appear to have drop kerbs it doesnt look that friendly a ped road either. If the driver had good visibility and could plan properly, I don't see what the OP is getting worked up about; its certainly nothing to risk somebody's job over.

 

[BrianEvesham]

I know it was technically illegal and the possibilities of peds and what could perhaps happen but the island doesn't appear to have drop kerbs it doesnt look that friendly a ped road either. If the driver had good visibility and could plan properly, I don't see what the OP is getting worked up about; its certainly nothing to risk somebody's job over.

If the driver had good visibility and could plan properly he would not have attempted the manoeuvre !
I will have to disagree with you as this driver needs disciplinary action.

 

[Moodyman]

Just to be clear, my post was very firmly tongue-in-cheek! The other lane may well be empty, but what if a pedestrian with earphones in appears out of the darkness, looks to his right, see's no traffic and steps out in front of the truck coming the wrong way?

Well,I did notice the smiley.

Re the pedestrian, yes I feel your hypothetical concern but there've been none during the numerous overtakes I've seen so I guess the drivers performed a mental risk assessment before the manoeuvre.

Ps how does such an overtake differ from roads without islands those where drivers cross into the opposite lane

 

[HLaB]

If the driver had good visibility and could plan properly he would not have attempted the manoeuvre !
I will have to disagree with you as this driver needs disciplinary action.

Feel free to disagree but if the driver had good visibility and could safely plan the time needed to carry it out, I think they'd be more likely to carry it out

 

[BrianEvesham]

Feel free to disagree but if the driver had good visibility and could safely plan the time needed to carry it out, I think they'd be more likely to carry it out

Sorry but you don't drive a 40 tonne lorry like this. Fact.

 

[John90]

Sorry but you don't drive a 40 tonne lorry like this. Fact.

No doubt, but as illegal as the manoeuvre obviously was, I guess the driver did it because with regards to the OP it was the safest possible way to overtake on a road like that. So I would cut him some slack.

 

[Hip Priest]

I can't really see what the issue is, I've seen similar loads of times OK its not technically legal but I'd rather have a solid Island between a HGV and me. If all drivers from their elevated position could plan such a wide and safe (assuming they could see the straight road was clear) I wish all overtakes could be that good. Its certainly not worth risking somebody's job over a technicality. Jarlrmai experienced a proper bad overtake if you need to know what one is.

I can see where you're coming from, but I've experienced a pass like this before. I was entering a very narrow pinch-point in Ponteland - no room for a bike alongside a car at all - and heard a car come up behind at unabated speed.

I nearly threw myself into the verge to avoid the impending collision, only for him to blast past on the opposite side of the road like our friend in the lorry. It is extremely disconcerting, not to mention illegal and unpredictable.