A female cyclist in her 30s has died this morning after a collision with a tipper lorry in London – the third London cyclist to die in a collision with such a vehicle this year.
A picture in the London Evening Standard shows that lorry involved appears to be a tipper truck, a type of vehicle that has proved particularly lethal to the capital's cyclists in recent years.
The Standard reports that the woman was riding a London Cycle Hire 'Boris Bike', making her the second cyclist to be killed while using one of the ubiquitous rental bikes.
The victim was later named as Claire Hitier-Abadie, 36.
The Metropolitan Police reports that officers were called at 07:59 to reports of a cyclist in collision with lorry on Victoria Street, SW1, near to Victoria Palace.
Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended and found an unresponsive woman in her 30s. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers from Westminster are currently investigating. Enquires continue.
Leon Daniels, TfL’s managing director of surface transport, said: "We are deeply saddened that a female cyclist using a Barclays Cycle Hire bike has lost their life after a collision with an HGV at the junction of Victoria Street and Bressenden Place this morning.
"We will assist in a full investigation by the police into the incident and our sympathies are with the family and friends."
In January this year 29-year old physiotherapist Stephanie Turner died in a collision with a tipper lorry in Seven Sisters, and earlier this month 34-year old Akis Kollaros, was killed in collision with a tipper lorry in Homerton High Street.
In April 2013 climate scientist, Dr Katharine Giles was killed in a collision with a tipper truck on Victoria Street at its junction with Palace Street.
The first cyclist to die while riding a Boris bike, Philippine De Gerin-Ricard, was also killed in a collision with a tipper truck in July 2013.
From September London's Safer Lorry Scheme will ban lorries from the city's street's that are not fitted with safety equipment such as sideguards designed to offer some measure of protection to cyclists and pedestrians – the scheme is particularly aimed at construction lorries cush as tipper trucks which are currently exempt from having to fit such equipment.
On Monday the Metropolitan Police launched the latest phase of its Operation Safeway road safety campaign in response to a threefold year-on-year rise in the number of road deaths on London's streets in the opening weeks of 2015.
55 thoughts on “Boris bike rider killed in collision with tipper lorry in London this morning”
Tipper truck again. Rest in
Tipper truck again. Rest in peace.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/cyclist-dies-after-being-hit-by-lorry-in-victoria-10055594.html
Victoria Street again, too.
Victoria Street again, too. Awful.
Less than 2 years since:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cyclist-death-woman-killed-in-victoria-lorry-crash-was-world-respected-climate-change-scientist-8566867.html
After so many incedents, why
After so many incedents, why aren’t these tipper truck drivers driving with more care?
RIP and condolonces to the victim’s friends and family.
don simon wrote:After so many
Why should they, what’s the incentive?
I’m sure they don’t head out with the intention of killing someone but lets face it, the quicker they are the more they are paid, combine that with the fact the repercussions for killing someone with a vehicle are minimal at best, then throw everything together in a congested environment and we have a recipe for a meat grinder.
At no point does it ever enter a drivers mind “hang on a second, if I kill someone I’ll never work/drive again. I may go to prison and my life will be changed forever” compare that with other industrial environments, safety is very much on the agenda (wasn’t always the case).
Didn’t 10 people die last weekend on the roads? if we lost 1 a month to lifts or blue cheese I’m pretty sure something would be done about it.
It saddens me that death on the roads seems to be the acceptable cost of progress.
Anyway. RIP and condolences to all that knew her.
mrchrispy wrote:don simon
Only way to get action these days is to link it to terrorism….Maybe accuse Tipper Drivers of being part of ISIL. (Apologies I am aware a death is involved, but the whole situation is becoming farcical)
don simon wrote:After so many
Even this morning i saw a tipper driver distract himself by lighting a fag whilst approaching elephant and castle roundabout. I couldn’t believe it, and now i come to work and read another story about tipper trucks killing cyclists. Which one of us is next?
Same here, turning from
Same here, turning from Fetter Lane onto Fleet St although it was already lit. On the (handsfree) phone as well. Not looking anywhere.
Scoob_84 wrote:don simon
Report him to his employer for smoking in his workplace if you’ve got the reg number
I’m not normally a banning
I’m not normally a banning kind of person, but another tipper truck?
they should consider having the police pay special attention to them by which I mean start to target them for vehicle and driver inspection. They may catch some rogues and some dodgy vehicles, and I’m sure if they looked, some very dodgy driving. But the main purpose would be to put them on notice to really mind their Ps&Qs.
Very sad news.
Very sad news.
So very saddened by this
So very saddened by this news. I’m very much of the opinion that, firstly, these trucks are too ‘easy’ to drive. The driver sits up high in comfort with power steering and easy gear controls and I can’t help thinking it gives the driver a skewed sense of how powerful, large and heavy the vehicle is they are driving in. The speeds that I see these kinds of vehicles driven at, especially when they are empty, are frightening. Secondly I just can’t understand why we aren’t exploring banning these larger vehicles from the city streets at rush hour. Why can’t they come in over night to do their loading and unloading?
davidrose24 wrote:Quote:Why
Because they’re servicing building sites.
daccordimark
So service building sites at night. I can’t believe whatever they are delivering or taking away is that time sensitive and if it is manage the process better!
davidrose24
So service building sites at night. I can’t believe whatever they are delivering or taking away is that time sensitive and if it is manage the process better!— davidrose24
HGVs over 18 tonnes are banned from London 9pm to 7am during the week and after 1pm on Saturdays. http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/londonlorrycontrol/about.htm
So they are coming into London at the same time as morning rush hour traffic.
During the Olympics this was relaxed with no problems, so it should be looked at again allowing night time deliveries and servicing building sites not in residential areas (City and West End in particular).
nobody’s saying it so I
:H nobody’s saying it so I will…. It’s all women! Perhaps there is a need for some research into why this is before it happens again 😕
Municipal Waste wrote:
Lots of men are killer by tipper truck drivers. Akis Kollaros was killed just 2 weeks ago. And don’t blame the victim, please.
deblemund wrote:Municipal
In 2009, 10 of the 13 cycling fatalities in London were women which prompted this article in The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/21/women-cyclists-most-accidents
Personally I think it’s difficult to explain. There would need to be a fatal accident enquiry into every death, weighing up a multitude of factors.
At the end of the day, every cyclist is at risk, regardless of their gender.
In 2009, 10 of the 13 cycling
In 2009, 10 of the 13 cycling fatalities in London were women which prompted this article in The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/21/women-cyclists-most-accidents
Firstly, RIP to the lady concerned, and condolences to her family. I don’t know what the above stat means. Could it be that in an attempt to disassociate themselves from the (over assertive?) MAMIL culture as perceived by some, there are some riders who are not assertive enough, or simply believe that bad things happen only to others?
I know that so called victim blaming is a contentious subject, and I make no comment in that regard on this particular case, about which I know nothing other than what I have read here. However the fact remains that TFL now collect data from such incidents as to whether the rider was wearing headphones. I ride in London regularly, and rode down Victoria Street yesterday morning. IMHO, riding with headphones is dumb. Would you ride in a BLINDFOLD?? No. Just because it’s not illegal doesn’t make it a good idea. I stress again that this para is not a comment on this case. But it makes sense to me to make use of all one’s senses to maximise safety. It feels like I’ve strayed onto the wrong thread, but I’d rather not see any more headlines that start, “Another cyclist killed,” RIP. Ride safely all of you.
middleagedmoaner wrote:In
Its circumstance though. I ride with headphones all the time, it actually makes me more vigilant. However that said not sure I would ride with them in Central London
Gourmet Shot wrote:
Its
I’m the same – my commute is 75% quiet & leafy and boring so I wear headphones (where I still retain the vast majority of my hearing anyway, they’re not noise blocking) and 25% city centre – where I keep them off.
I do believe I’m just as vigilant in both scenarios.
I don’t believe that many drivers are equally as vigilant, however.
Sincere condolences to the family of the lady. There but for the grace of god go any of us.
middleagedmoaner wrote: IMHO,
RIDING with a BLINDFOLD on is CLEARLY illegal.
Headphones are irrelevant.
Headphones are irrelevant. Quite apart from the fact that you can hear a lorry with or without them on, they have nothing to do with the danger from trucks turning across cyclists – the most common cause of fatalities.
If you don’t want to wear them don’t but don’t distract from the real dangers (plus inconsistency with radios in cars, deaf cyclists, etc etc etc etc)
deblemund wrote:Municipal
I agree with you completely about not victim blaming, but I don’t know that this is called for.
There are two questions:
1) is 10 out of 13 enough to say that it’s an unlikely ratio due to chance?
2) if the answer to #1 is yes, then is there some common factor
Some people have speculated that female cyclists are more likely to be less “macho” than male cyclists and to not take the recommended Bikeability primary position in lanes, so more likely to be inside these vehicles.
deblemund wrote:Municipal
I am not sure it’s the same as victim blaming. I think the point if I understand it right is an interesting one. Is there something about the way that a lot of women ride in traffic different perhaps to the way that men might.
I used to assess advanced drivers. I was a professional driver for years. What I know is that men an women in gerneral approach driving differently. Male drivers are generally more assertive on the road. Not always a good thing. It’s downside if taken too far can be an aggressive approach. Women tend to be less assertive.
In cycling terms and as a vulnerable road user assertive is better. Occupy that space, make it clear you are taking the lane et etc.
I don’t care how many motorists think is should be in the cycle lane, it’s going up the inside of stationary traffic and I am just not going to do that. I’ll overtake on the outside or hold my space in the lane.
Maybe if you are less assertive you do end up being in spaces where someone wants the cyclist to be and has maked for them to be but where it just isn’t safe to be. I have no evidence of this but maybe a higher level of physicality (speed acceleration) enables cyclists to be more assertive as well.
I don’t think it’s a silly question and it’s not victim blaming. It’s an attempt to understand.
Municipal Waste wrote:
Idiot.
Municipal Waste wrote:
Dork! and to the person that ‘liked’ it …
andybwhite wrote:Municipal
Why dork? We all share the same goal for these terrible deaths to be minimised. I wish there were none. We should leave no stone unturned in considering how to do this. So that’s the goal, but what are the facts.
1- women make up a minority of cyclists in London. I think I once saw it being about 15%.
2- the % of cyclists killed in London is disportionately women.
There is not an even distribution in deaths between men and women. In fact it is dramatically skewed.
As a father of a cycling daughter, husband of a cycling wife, friend of many cycling women I would love for us to understand why there is this difference. So we can do all we can to stop it.
This is not victim blaming.
This is not sexist.
This is rationale.
Any thoughts in why it is? Do drivers take less care with women? (There is evidence to the contrary); are there differences in how men and women cycling and position themselves on the road? Does the fact women are on average shorter make then harder to see? Who knows …: but if we can have a rationale discussion on the same we can then help address the causes of this disparity
Why are tipper trucks
Why are tipper trucks disproportionately more likely to kill cyclists? Is it something about the design of the vehicle or, as I suspect, something to do with the typical type of person you’d find driving one?
davenportmb wrote:Why are
A bit of both. As previously mentioned the lorry’s are highly manoeuvrable and can be driven much like a van, by your typical type of person who drive vans.
Quote:Why should they, what’s
Can’t speak for these drivers, but mine would be not having to live with the consequences and it’s served me quite well so far. I can’t imagine what it must be like living with the fact that I had taken another’s life in full knowledge that it was avoidable. Vary few collisions are accidents.
Looking out of my window now
Looking out of my window now at the tent next to the tipper truck in question along a road I commute on every day is massively sobering. Take care out there guys cos no-one else is going to.
So sad.
The continued killing
So sad.
The continued killing of cyclists by tipper tricks is becoming a sick joke and is making traffic enforcement and our legal system into an absolute mockery.
Every politician, mayor and associated crony can stick their shiny flagship projects – until driver behaviour and killer vehicles are addressed we cannot take them seriously. The fact that none of them are outspoken about this shows exactly the value they place on the lives of cyclists.
Wasn’t it also a tipper lorry
Wasn’t it also a tipper lorry that killed that poor little girl and 3 others in bath? Something to be said about the driving standards of those behind the wheel.
This is obviously terrible
This is obviously terrible news I have never seen a city (and I have been living in few places across Europe) with such a huge volume of lorries and tipper truck traffic.
On a different note this year during the charismas holydays we took my 3 years old soon to visit a firehouse. Among other vehicles they had a truck which they use to move very heavy machineries. I have asked whether I could try to seat into the cabin and I asked the fireman to walk around pretending to be a Cyclist/Biker. I was literally shocked when I realised the magnitude of the blind spot. First at all it is not a spot but a sizable “zone” that can be measured in square mt.
1) On the left hand side you would need to be at least 3 mt away from the side of the cabin to be seen (head only) assuming that the driver is looking that way.
2) On the right hand side that would be 1 mt but again the driver must watch that way or he wouldn’t notice you.
3) further down back the carriage of the truck, looking into the left and right rear mirrors….you have no chances!!!
3) in front of the cabin the blind zone is about 2mt although you are a bit more easily noticeable.
The bottom line is that if you are too close to a big truck you have very little chances to be “noticed” and the driver must make a conscious effort to look out fro cyclist/Bikers.
If you had the opportunity I’d strongly recommend to try to get behind the driving wheel of a truck to give you the real feeling of how dangerous they are.
This is obviously terrible
This is obviously terrible news I have never seen a city (and I have been living in few places across Europe) with such a huge volume of lorries and tipper truck traffic.
On a different note this year during the charismas holydays we took my 3 years old soon to visit a firehouse. Among other vehicles they had a truck which they use to move very heavy machineries. I have asked whether I could try to seat into the cabin and I asked the fireman to walk around pretending to be a Cyclist/Biker. I was literally shocked when I realised the magnitude of the blind spot. First at all it is not a spot but a sizable “zone” that can be measured in square mt.
1) On the left hand side you would need to be at least 3 mt away from the side of the cabin to be seen (head only) assuming that the driver is looking that way.
2) On the right hand side that would be 1 mt but again the driver must watch that way or he wouldn’t notice you.
3) further down back the carriage of the truck, looking into the left and right rear mirrors….you have no chances!!!
3) in front of the cabin the blind zone is about 2mt although you are a bit more easily noticeable.
The bottom line is that if you are too close to a big truck you have very little chances to be “noticed” and the driver must make a conscious effort to look out fro cyclist/Bikers.
If you had the opportunity I’d strongly recommend to try to get behind the driving wheel of a truck to give you the real feeling of how dangerous they are.
Blind spots on HGVs of any
Blind spots on HGVs of any description are horrendous, and as for artics with the cab turned…..
Even with all these extra mirrors that are required nowadays.
Those stickers that say, ‘If you can’t see my mirrors….’ should really say, ‘If you can’t see ME in my mirrors….’
when I done my HGV training I was taught when passing vulnerable road users to keep an eye on my mirrors to make sure they got through my blindspots safely. But there was nothing on vulnerable users passing me as it’s not an automatic assumption.
Why do people continue to
Why do people continue to ride up the inside of trucks such as this? Or any vehicle for that matter?
You can’t be oblivious as to how dangerous it is and you can’t be oblivious to the reports outlining that cyclists do die under the wheels of vehicles whilst performing this move yet cyclists continue to die when vehicles turn left and they’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Iamnot Wiggins wrote:Why do
From what I’ve seen reported in many of these incidents it’s a case of the driver overtaking the cyclist and turning in on them, nothing to do with cyclists going up the inside of lorries!
Perhaps because that’s where
Perhaps because that’s where current cycle “infrastructure” (ASL and feeder lane) directs you. Perhaps because bikes travel faster than motor vehicles in London, so if you didn’t go up the inside you’d not get anywhere. Perhaps to get to the ASL that’s meantbto give a head start with them lights changing before you get there. Perhaps because the truck overtook the cyclist and turned.
Safe space for cycling is needed, plus safer trucks. Not victim blaming.
The driver of a lorry for the
The driver of a lorry for the same firm that owned this lorry, was involved in a fatal collision with Brian Holt (male), whose (criminal) trial was postponed today:
ribena wrote:The driver of a
I’ve posted a few times following incidents involving tipper trucks that there are certain firms running fleets of trucks with particular issues with regard to safety. I’d be curious if there is a deeper investigation of the hiring policy of this firm or of the general condition of its trucks.
Quote:… and one of them
On the other hand, buses and lorries and cars have no problem with coming alongside you in a queue leaving just that much room, and overtaking with not much more.
Anyway, bl**dy tipper trucks! Menace to society.
Slightly off-topic,
Slightly off-topic, apologies. In that incident in Bath the driver was 22 years old and had only recently passed his HGV test. The minimum age for HGV learners is 18.
Is it just me that thinks that the minimum age should be raised to at least 21 and probably at least 3 years of driving experience before HGV licences are issued. As a poster noted above, try sitting in an HGV to see how visibility is reduced. Road sense takes many miles and many different driving experiences to master, so why allow newly qualified drivers to train so early and drive such big and dangerous vehicles so young?
fatsmoker wrote:Slightly
Most of the press seems to report him as 19, but yes, off topic.
fatsmoker wrote:Slightly
Most of the press seems to report him as 19, but yes, off topic. Although I agree with your sentiment in regards to experience.
Every other mechanical object
Every other mechanical object that requires a licence to operate, also requires a refresher course, why not cars etc? Singularly one of the most dangerous machines ever invented due to the fact that IQ and common sense have no bearing on bumpkin bum Fcuks getting a licence to operate one.
As for the law makers, well their to busy fiddling with expenses (insert something else) and slapping each other with wet fish. ‘Plebs’ us, are an inconvenience to them. Cyclists (commuters) no money, cars etc tax tax tax.
Condolences to the cyclists family:-(
Cyclist wrote:Every other
Well I agree with the sentiment. But it’s not practical. There’s already a queue waiting for driving tests. There’s round about 1.5 million driving tests in all categories each year. Don’t worry a lot are re-tests obviously. In addition there are 34 million driving licence holders. Even if you re-tested once every 10 years then the total would rise to 5 million tests and that’s if there were no re-tests of the people 3.4 million people being reviewed each year.
Mass re-test is also pretty wasteful, There are people that hardly ever drive or only need to drive very few miles and when they do it’s not in major built up areas and they’re not a problem, never had a problem. On the other hand there are some absolute hooligans out there who could pass any driving test you threw at them with flying colours any day of the week and twice on a Sunday. So they’ll pass the retest like butter wouldn’t melt and half an hour later will be hooligans again.
My point is that it wouldn’t be that effective. But what would be effective would be a much lower threshold. 12 points may lose you a licence but how about 6 triggers a re-test at your own expense. You haven’t been banned but you have been asked to show you are fit to drive again. At age 70 do not allow people to self certificate. They’ll need a doctor to sign them as fit to drive each year. Lots more of that sort of thing
What we need is much more visible and rigorous enforcement. Put the money there instead and allow traffic officers to be partially financed by fines. We want them active.
Very sad but not unexpected.
Very sad but not unexpected.
You can look up your local
You can look up your local stats here for 1999-2010:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15975720
Oxford has a lot of people cycling and has 4 fatalities in 20 years. 3 female & 1 male – 1 lorry, 2 buses, 1 other vehicle.
London’s figures look horrendous!!!!
Perhaps the HSE should investigate as these recent deaths could be considered construction related too.
Tragic 🙁
Quote:Some people have
that is the theory I have heard too, and it is an interesting line of speculation.
From a purely personal anecdotal evidence, just from reading a cross section of reports from these tragic events, it does seem that its the riders trying to ride ‘safely’ that make up the majority of the victims, and not those jumping red lights and swerving through traffic…..
My condolences to the victims
My condolences to the victims family and friends. May she rest in peace.
(And please, show a little respect!)
Sympathy to the family
It’s
Sympathy to the family
It’s time there are moderators on this site to get rid of the bigoted and hate comments posted by small minded idiots in threads like this one
RIP.
The slaughter continues.
RIP.
The slaughter continues.
Tipper truck drivers are
Tipper truck drivers are often incentivised in a way that encourages them to take risks and the vehicles are not suitable for use in an urban environment.
RIP to this lady and condolences to her family.
she has a name:
Claire
she has a name:
Claire Hitier-Abadie, 36, died instantly following yesterday’s tragic crash
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2961905/Cyclist-killed-tipper-truck-central-London-mother-two-wife-energy-firm-executive.html#ixzz3SN3FgHhC
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2961905/Cyclist-killed-tipper-truck-central-London-mother-two-wife-energy-firm-executive.html
She also was a mother to two young children. Think about that before you make any more posts.