With all the deaths from left turning lorries in London...

[Twanger]

...it was unnerving this morning to see some clown on a Brompton overtake a left turning lorry on the left at the junction of Manchester street and George street and then nip in front to proceed straight ahead down Manchester street. The lorry was actually moving (albeit slowly) when the nipping took place.

Gets my idiot cyclist of the year award.

Nothing against clowns and Bromptons, of course. I'm a clown on a Brompton myself.....

 

[BSRU]

...it was unnerving this morning to see some clown on a Brompton overtake a left turning lorry on the left at the junction of Manchester street and George street and then nip in front to proceed straight ahead down Manchester street. The lorry was actually moving (albeit slowly) when the nipping took place.

Gets my idiot cyclist of the year award.

Nothing against clowns and Bromptons, of course. I'm a clown on a Brompton myself.....

If commuters are not frequenters of cycling forums or do not read/watch local news then it is possible that they do not know about all the deaths.

Personally, I had never heard about the deaths until visiting this forum but as I have common sense it is very obvious to me that undertaking a large vehicle with lots of blind spots at a junction is not a good idea.

 

[ianrauk]

If commuters are not frequenters of cycling forums or do not read/watch local news then it is possible that they do not know about all the deaths.

Personally, I had never heard about the deaths until visiting this forum but as I have common sense it is very obvious to me that undertaking a large vehicle with lots of blind spots at a junction is not a good idea.

You would think that the commuting cycling community in general would also think the same as you wouldn't you? But no, I see this on a far too regular basis. There is no justification for it. It's just plain daft. And the worst offenders? obvious experienced commuters who should know better.

This video from Mikey goes to prove my point that some of these people who attempt such manoeuvres have less brain cells then an amoeba.
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12fMTAQyXTI&feature=youtu.be[/media]

 

[Twanger]

If commuters are not frequenters of cycling forums or do not read/watch local news then it is possible that they do not know about all the deaths.

Personally, I had never heard about the deaths until visiting this forum but as I have common sense it is very obvious to me that undertaking a large vehicle with lots of blind spots at a junction is not a good idea.

Good point, which struck me just after I had made the post.

I regret the word "clown". It's very easy to find yourself in a tricky situation simply through a lack of foresight. I would never undertake a lorry, ever. But for people with little experience, you can see how it wouldn't occur to them it was dangerous until too late. Then you panic and do something stupid like cycling in front of a moving lorry.

Some lorries have warning signs on the back. That's good. Maybe they should be compulsory - incidently, the lorry driver had committed no error, saw the cyclist, stopped and honked......thankfully.

 

[guitarpete247]

I was once one of those idiots, though not on a Brompton.


I was living in Cardiff at Uni and commuting home in the late 70's. I was at a set of lights with 2 lanes of traffic. Left lane was turn left and straight ahead. Right lane was turn right only. I wanted to go left and was behind a lorry not indicating. Lights changed for left turn only (still red for straight ahead and right turn). Lorry didn't move so I waited a few moments then set off up his inside only for lorry to then move off and indicate left. I was level with his rear wheel with metal fence on my left. I jammed on the brakes and came to a stop bouncing off his rear wheel. I had a nylon jacket on as it had been a wet day not my usual denim jacket. The nylon slid off the tyre, denim would have stuck and dragged me down.

I will never do anything as stupid as this again. I know I'm lucky to still be here and now know that some drivers do not always indicate but that doesn't mean they are not going to turn left or right just that they are lazy. (Or as my mate Keith once said "You know Pete when you've got your own car you don't always indicate cos it wears your bulbs out". The tightest man in the world).

 

[Becs]

A girl crashed into the back of me this morning on Camden street because I didn't go up the inside of a lorry at some soon to be changing lights. After she picked herself off the passenger window of the car to her right she said "why the f*ck did you stop? There was bags of room!". In this case the lorry went straight on but I did give her a few stern words before we moved off. She genuinely thought that getting to the front at all costs was safer.

 

[Twanger]

(Or as my mate Keith once said "You know Pete when you've got your own car you don't always indicate cos it wears your bulbs out". The tightest man in the world).

Wears out the battery though, innit?

The highway code suggests that you should indicate in plenty of time. Surely this means that vehicles stationary at the lights should be signalling while waiting if they intend to turn right or left. It annoys the hell out of me when vehicles at teh lights only signal as they move off.

 

[Becs]

Wears out the battery though, innit?

The highway code suggests that you should indicate in plenty of time. Surely this means that vehicles stationary at the lights should be signalling while waiting if they intend to turn right or left. It annoys the hell out of me when vehicles at teh lights only signal as they move off.

It should, but anyone who relied on this would be a fool!

 

[MissTillyFlop]

The latest trend (in London, at least) is to never indicate under any circumstances. Which is FUN FUN FUN at roundabouts, as you can imagine.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

The latest trend (in London, at least) is to never indicate under any circumstances. Which is FUN FUN FUN at roundabouts, as you can imagine.

Ah, information is power. Got to keep 'em guessing!

 

[martint235]

Ah, information is power. Got to keep 'em guessing!

Absolutely! I'd still be asleep by the time I got to work if people went to the trouble of indicating to me what they were likely to do next!! It all adds to the fun of London commuting!!

 

[Gixxerman]

The latest trend (in London, at least) is to never indicate under any circumstances. Which is FUN FUN FUN at roundabouts, as you can imagine.

I can assure you, it is not just in London.
It has to be one of my pet peeves. The times I have been waiting at a RAB and dozens of cars have turned left without indicating, leaving me sat there for no reason. I once followed one of our senior managers into work in his BMW. Throughout the entire 3 mile journey through the city, he never used his indicators once.

 

[martint235]

Serious question then. So how can you make such people aware of the dangers?

Isn't there a degree of common sense involved in this? I knew that undertaking big trucks was not a good idea without being on a forum and without being aware of the deaths. You just have to watch one of the things turn to realise that being on the inside of its turning circle is not a healthy place to be.

 

[crazy580]

Serious question then. So how can you make such people aware of the dangers?

Stick massive signs on back of lorries saying do not undertake. I have seen a few signs on the back of lorries before, but they were tiny and easily missed.

 

[gaz]

Serious question then. So how can you make such people aware of the dangers?

With great difficulty!