Third cyclist killed on London Cycle Superhighway, tipper lorry involved

Sustransoftie wrote:

I'm sticking my neck on the line, but I actually agree with some of the things that Mr. BIG CAPS has said

I've driven in lorries around London, and unfortunately, there are some absolute knobheads on bicycles. I've been cycling for over thirty plus years and the roads are now more congested than ever. Never mind London; it's the whole of GB.

Me too. People haven't taken too kindly to his message, though I think that he's written it with a degree of diplomacy which would be deemed wanting by foreign office standards.

There is a lot assumption in blaming the tipper truck driver here, and perhaps it is best to wait and hear the judicial outcome. Given that they were pulling off from a traffic light I wonder if he came up behind the truck and unwittingly dropped into a blind spot.

Unfortunately this does sound very much like the sort of thing the Met Police were trying to warn cyclists about which was posted on here recently, a bit like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzL0Kyk4m-8

I can totally see how drivers are stressed out by cyclists constantly dropping into their blind spots (which Cycling Trucker sounds like). I think he has come on here with good intentions (to highlight that many cyclists put themselves in danger). If he wanted to tell us what a bunch of c**ts cyclists were he'd simply write that. But he is giving vent to his frustration.

What many seem to lose sight of on here is that no commercial driver of a HGV wants to lose his license, or be responsible for a cyclists death. As Cycling Trucker has said, most of the drivers have been absolved of wrong doing (and I know someone will chime in with their views of the justice system - but they can't all be wrong).

And, as many times as we talk about poor driving, we know there are as many poor cycling incidents. The main thing is drive and cycle as safely as we can.

Of course what has happened is very sad and regrettable. As others have pointed out the current infrastructure on that route is poor and the issues surrounding the uses of ASLs and HGVs are well known on this website. I just wish people would be a bit less reactionary in their condemnation. Hopefully this sad event will lead to more action to improve the CS2. But in the meantime keep cycling safely!

trucking cyclist wrote:

Remember as a cyclist you are using the road with no license registration or insurance and those of you who cycle in the road when there are perfectly safe cycle lanes available to you that have cost us the paying road user millions of pounds are a menace to society.

I have insurance twice, (1) for work and (2) thrown in free with a membership to LCC.

Everybody in the UK who pays any tax is paying for the roads. Are you aware that trucks are subsidised by the taxpayer who are paying for the damage the heavy vehicles are doing to the roads.

"there are perfectly safe cycle lanes" Where? Are they in car door zones? do they have chevrons or better separating the bikes from the rest of the traffic? Over the last few days I can't help notice the debris from the storm seems to have been swept from everywhere except the cycle lanes.

Here is one example of a cycle lane which makes one fear for their life because ignorant motor vehicle drivers think it's ok to drive right next to it, and it's one of the cycle lanes that's still full of debris: http://goo.gl/maps/ACn2F I think cycling organisations need to start thinking about bringing legal against councils who create such dangerous cycle lanes, I would gladly contribute towards such a legal campaign.

It's just a matter of time before vehicles without good visibility of what is around them are banned, it's absurd that some HGV drivers can't see what is directly in front of their vehicle.

Sustransoftie wrote:

I'm sticking my neck on the line, but I actually agree with some of the things that Mr. BIG CAPS has said

I've driven in lorries around London, and unfortunately, there are some absolute knobheads on bicycles. I've been cycling for over thirty plus years and the roads are now more congested than ever. Never mind London; it's the whole of GB.

I nearly ran over a girl on a fixed gear bike with no brakes. as she pulled out of a side street. When I pulled up at the lights she was on the phone with headphones in. She was totally oblivious to the world around her, so who's at fault now?

We can all point the finger at Beemer drivers, trucks, mopeds, pedestrians, 4x4s etc. but the public transport is a feckin' bad joke in all cities.

Whichever government is in "power" always screws up the roads regarding safety. The politicians are clueless and scared to make a decision, in case they lose votes.

So, to everyone on here, what do you expect and what will you do to prevent cyclists being killed?

I don't think that you're sticking your nexk out. You're making sensible well reasons points and I'm not sure there are many who would disagree with you. Some cyclists are dangerous, and do not seem to realise how vulnerable they are, or if they do, obviously don't value their life a great deal.

kie7077 wrote:

trucking cyclist wrote:

Remember as a cyclist you are using the road with no license registration or insurance and those of you who cycle in the road when there are perfectly safe cycle lanes available to you that have cost us the paying road user millions of pounds are a menace to society.

I have insurance twice, (1) for work and (2) thrown in free with a membership to LCC.

Everybody in the UK who pays any tax is paying for the roads. Are you aware that trucks are subsidised by the taxpayer who are paying for the damage the heavy vehicles are doing to the roads.

"there are perfectly safe cycle lanes" Where? Are they in car door zones? do they have chevrons or better separating the bikes from the rest of the traffic? Over the last few days I can't help notice the debris from the storm seems to have been swept from everywhere except the cycle lanes.

Here is one example of a cycle lane which makes one fear for their life because ignorant motor vehicle drivers think it's ok to drive right next to it, and it's one of the cycle lanes that's still full of debris: http://goo.gl/maps/ACn2F I think cycling organisations need to start thinking about bringing legal against councils who create such dangerous cycle lanes, I would gladly contribute towards such a legal campaign.

It's just a matter of time before vehicles without good visibility of what is around them are banned, it's absurd that some HGV drivers can't see what is directly in front of their vehicle.

Not sure if having insurance twice is helpful. Wouldn't each insurance company try to palm off the costs to the other?

zanf wrote:

nod wrote:

When you're in an ASL it's because the traffic has stopped at the lights. I don't think anybody would sit in an ASL while the traffic is fast moving. Perhaps that's where you're going wrong!

Are you that dumb or think that being facetious is really clever?

Go and look at ASL's and you'll see that despite being across the width of the road, cyclists still tend to stay on the lefthand side and in the gutter.

Don't know what your problem is or why you come across as so angry, but surely a simple solution is to get out of the gutter and use the middle of the box? That way you're more visible and cars won't zoom passed you.

Maybe the box isn't the best in the world, but what you're describing sounds like user error to me.

Call it facetious if you want. I call it common sense.

nod wrote:

Not sure if having insurance twice is helpful. Wouldn't each insurance company try to palm off the costs to the other?

If anything happened during working hours, Work would sort things out via their insurance, out of work hours I'd use the personal insurance.