Nice HGV driver - doesn't see car.

[Crankarm]

Depends. Certainly more of one than you need for Radio 2.

You listen as well? Most of the rabid callers seem to be DM reading truckers .

I only listen when there is a cycling issue or HGV issue on .

 

[dondare]

I knew you couldn't resist that stinky bait Lee.

A Smiley isn't quite the same thing as biting, tho'.

 

[Riding in Circles]

A Smiley isn't quite the same thing as biting, tho'.

He knows me too well.

 

[dondare]

He knows me too well.

Right. He'll be riding one of those lying down type bikes next.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Right. He'll be riding one of those lying down type bikes next.

If he can find someone to sell him one.

 

[dondare]

If he can find someone to sell him one.

He's got an IQ of 133, you know.

 

[Riding in Circles]

He's got an IQ of 133, you know.

That's why he rides a bent, intelligent choice.

 

[Debian]

Two years ago one of my drivers overtook a car on the M1 and after checking all his mirrors could not see the car anywhere and presumed the car had left the Motorway at the last slip road so moved over into the nearside lane. The car which was keeping pace with him in his blind spot was caught by his truck and was flipped round to the front of the truck.The truck driver caught sight of the car as it moved out of his blind spot and stopped.So it can happen.

That's what I would have thought happened in this case. A surprising number of car drivers seem perfectly content to join the motorway next to a truck and then sit there at the same pace as it for miles. This is one reason I don't bother moving over to let people on to the motorway any more: I don't mind whether people go in front of me or behind me, but I don't want them leaving me hung out to dry in the middle lane. Although putting the left hand indicator on usually gets them out of the way.

But all the above comments say to me is that the driver was aware that his vehicle has a blind spot(s), knows that there was a vehicle to the inside, could no longer see the vehicle and assumed therefore that it was no longer there and pulled over. This is nothing but careless or even dangerous driving. If you know you have a blind spot and you are driving a vehicle that can easily cause a fatal collision you don't make such assumptions, instead the onus is on the truck driver to make damn sure the vehicle isn't there - don't assume when that assumption could easily result in death!

 

[dondare]

But all the above comments say to me is that the driver was aware that his vehicle has a blind spot(s), knows that there was a vehicle to the inside, could no longer see the vehicle and assumed therefore that it was no longer there and pulled over. This is nothing but careless or even dangerous driving. If you know you have a blind spot and you are driving a vehicle that can easily cause a fatal collision you don't make such assumptions, instead the onus is on the truck driver to make damn sure the vehicle isn't there - don't assume when that assumption could easily result in death!

Lorry drivers have to make the assumption that there's nothing where they can't see, otherwise they'd never be able to move at all.

 

[Debian]

Lorry drivers have to make the assumption that there's nothing where they can't see, otherwise they'd never be able to move at all.

Does that make it right or safe? Shouldn't be on the road if that's the case.

 

[dondare]

Does that make it right or safe? Shouldn't be on the road if that's the case.

Well now, that's dabatable.....

 

[Debian]

Trucks are not the only vehicles with blind spots, in fact all motor vehicles have blind spots.

But not usually blind spots large enough to hide an entire car.

Neither is it any excuse to think "oh, that car that was up my inside I can no longer see, therefore it must have gone somewhere else, ergo it's OK for me to pull over".

 

[Crankarm]

Trucks are not the only vehicles with blind spots, in fact all motor vehicles have blind spots.

Yeah, it's known as the driver's seat .

 

[GrasB]

But not usually blind spots large enough to hide an entire car.

Neither is it any excuse to think "oh, that car that was up my inside I can no longer see, therefore it must have gone somewhere else, ergo it's OK for me to pull over".

Try again! There are a large number of cars that can lose a car the size of a Mk1 Ford KA in the nearside rear quarter & a Fiat Cinquencento in the offside when there is overlap with the rear quarter panel. Having done lots of motorway miles in these cars I quickly found out that when overtaking or being overtaken one must increase the speed difference else someone might not see you or think you left the motorway.

 

[dondare]

I think that I'll just watch from the sidelines, this time.