Lorry Blind-Spots.

[lulubel]

Both mirrors are incorrectly adjusted; they are angled far too much towards the driver with the result that too much of the mirror is showing nothing more than the side of the lorry. Especially the lower (blindspot) mirror, about 50% of the mirror is showing the lorry! They should be adjusted so that they are only just showing the side of the lorry.

And in real life situations, all lorries have their mirrors adjusted perfectly. Apparently.

The tractor unit of the lorry is turned at an angle to the left, and thus exaggerating the effect. If it was straight, the bikes would be visible.

Yes, they would. But if lorries were only meant to go in a straight line, they wouldn't have wheels that steer.

If the HGV driver is carrying out proper observations ...

And you're going to stake your life on other road users carrying out proper observations?

 

[mark st1]

The nearest I came to flattening a pedestrian was in stop/start traffic in Aberdeen one day. I pulled away and just as I did I caught sight of the top of someones head just below my windscreen. The pedestrian had thought it a good idea to walk in front of an artic, as close as possible to the front of it. She wasn't the tallest, and if she had been about 2 inches shorter I wouldn't have seen her . As it was, I was able to stop. This was in a lorry NOT fitted with the mirror sticking out ahead of the windscreen (they are/were not a legal requirement, and always get wrecked in the truck wash anyway).

Crazy isnt it what some people do just to save waiting 10 seconds . I have to say that said mirror is alot more useful than i thought it would be when i first got the lorry i was like urgghhh thats is an annoying place however it has saved a few of the said idiots you speak of above. To me that's my only real blind spot on my lorry. And pah lorry wash you spoilt man our lorry wash is a steam cleaner bucket and a looooooong brush lol

 

[mark st1]

Hmmmmm. Mark ST1, HGV driver from Berkshire...... You don't work for Saints at Heathrow by any chance?

lol nope you wouldnt have heard of my company. I know who you mean though they also have a nice fancy lorry wash lol

 

[Brandane]

And in real life situations, all lorries have their mirrors adjusted perfectly. Apparently.

Maybe not perfect, but the illustrated set up is so far from perfect that it is obviously done for effect.

Yes, they would. But if lorries were only meant to go in a straight line, they wouldn't have wheels that steer.

If an artic is turning left, the driver SHOULD approach with the lorry in a straight line, indicating left, with the lorry positioned out towards the centre line (or as far over to the right as is necessary to get round the corner without putting the nearside trailer wheels up on the kerb). Only after carrying out proper observations, including mirror checks, should he start to turn to the left. He will obviously only do that if it is clear to do so. If someone then chooses to come up his nearside after that point, then on their own head be it; they might not be seen, depending on the angle of the turn.

And you're going to stake your life on other road users carrying out proper observations?

No way! When I am out on my bike I will keep well clear of any HGV when it is manouevring - and given the choice, even when it is not.

 

[HovR]

Both mirrors are incorrectly adjusted; they are angled far too much towards the driver with the result that too much of the mirror is showing nothing more than the side of the lorry. Especially the lower (blindspot) mirror, about 50% of the mirror is showing the lorry! They should be adjusted so that they are only just showing the side of the lorry.

[...]

The tractor unit of the lorry is turned at an angle to the left, and thus exaggerating the effect. If it was straight, the bikes would be visible. If the driver was properly carrying out a left turn manouevre then that situation would not arise - unless a cyclist ran up the inside of the lorry while it was turning.

Genuine question from a non-HGV driver here.. Wouldn't the mirrors in the clip be showing lots of trailer because the lorry is turning, whilst the mirrors would be correctly adjusted for when the tractor-trailer is straight?

 

[mark st1]

Genuine question from a non-HGV driver here.. Wouldn't the mirrors in the clip be showing lots of trailer because the lorry is turning, whilst the mirrors would be correctly adjusted for when the tractor-trailer is straight?

Correct you also would have seen the cyclists trundling up the inside of the lorry whilst stationary and wait for them all to leave before moving to the angle you see the lorry at in that video clip.

 

[Brandane]

I know who you mean though they also have a nice fancy lorry wash lol

I worked out of the Glasgow airport depot. Good number; 4 days on/4 days off trunking up to Aberdeen and back most days. Took redundancy last year.

 

[Brandane]

Genuine question from a non-HGV driver here.. Wouldn't the mirrors in the clip be showing lots of trailer because the lorry is turning, whilst the mirrors would be correctly adjusted for when the tractor-trailer is straight?

I see what you mean. When I referred to the mirrors showing too much of the lorry, I meant the tractor cab unit. Obviously, the more you turn, the more the mirrors point in to the trailer until you reach a point where you can see nothing else (that is when reversing becomes "interesting").
To clarify: Mirrors should be adjusted so that they only just show the side of the TRACTOR UNIT. The view of the trailer will vary dependent on the turning angle to the left or right.

 

[mark st1]

Took redundancy last year.

if your out of the driving game for good you have made a wise choice my friend ! Fast becoming an industry littered with filling out of paperwork cpc's emission restrictions blah blah blah. Hope to have a change of career myslef in the New Year tbh.

 

[HovR]

you also would have seen the cyclists trundling up the inside of the lorry whilst stationary and wait for them all to leave before moving to the angle you see the lorry at in that video clip.

Agreed, especially when you take in to account the passenger side mirror above the window.

Although I can see why they video'd it that way - "10 cyclists are hidden in this lorries blind spot" is a much more effective message than "6 cyclists are hidden in this lorries blind spot, although the driver deduced they were there from seeing the other 4 in one of his mirrors"!

 

[HovR]

I see what you mean. When I referred to the mirrors showing too much of the lorry, I meant the tractor cab unit.

Gotcha, makes sense now.

 

[Brandane]

if your out of the driving game for good you have made a wise choice my friend ! Fast becoming an industry littered with filling out of paperwork cpc's emission restrictions blah blah blah. Hope to have a change of career myslef in the New Year tbh.

I was semi-retired before I even went into the driving game. Now at a stage where I have no intention of working full time again. Did agency work for a while but it was the pits. Now driving taxis. Local work, so no petrol to pay for just to get to work. No intention of doing my CPC either, as that is just another Government sponsored money making excercise. So with no CPC, my HGV licence will be worthless in a year or so. Very little decent HGV work around here anyway, so all in all I think the time has come to hang up my keys and become a burden on the state (the same state who want me to work for peanuts and spend money on CPC, digicard, medicals, commuting, etc. etc..).

 

[MontyVeda]

I have posted this in the beginners section as a warning to any Newbies who may not be aware of the severity and danger of blindspots!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wzL0Kyk4m-8

the buggers have nicked that from my avatar!!!!

Why people have to pick holes in a PIF i have no idea... don't they want the general public to be educated about dangers of the road or summit?

 

[mark st1]

the buggers have nicked that from my avatar!!!!

Why people have to pick holes in a PIF i have no idea... don't they want the general public to be educated about dangers of the road or summit?

Agree 100 % although poor inaccurate information is almost as bad as no information IMO

 

[Brandane]

Why people have to pick holes in a PIF i have no idea... don't they want the general public to be educated about dangers of the road or summit?

May I refer the Honourable Gentleman to posts 9, 12 and others. It is not that we don't want the public educated as to the dangers of the road. On the contrary, more education would be welcome! It is just that this particular piece of education is poorly done and not representative of a real situation.