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"Karma on idiot cyclist"

by madcarew
Tue, May 29, 2018 10:44
5

The Truck driver's comments are pretty illuminating...

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12060436

 

"Director and truck driver for Geffen Transport, Roy van Geffen,....

has a serious message for cyclists, saying that many of them are a massive risk to truck drivers and other road users.

"There's a dedicated cycle lane on that road but the pricks still want to ride on the road. With at least 1000 trucks up and down that road day and night, it's a dangerous situation for sure.

"They sit in front of your truck at the lights so you can't see them. Then the lights go green and you nearly hit them.

"On rural roads, they're even worse, usually riding two or three abreast and leaving no room for trucks to overtake meaning we have to slow a 44,000kg-55,000kg truck from 90km/h to 20km/h in time. When they're around a blind corner it's near impossible to stop in time.

"Red light running is a big one, they think the road rules don't apply to them. New Zealand roads aren't built for cyclists and trucks.

 

 

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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5 comments

Avatar
don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
0 likes

Quote:

"Red light running is a big one, they think the road rules don't apply to them. New Zealand roads aren't built for cyclists and trucks.

Irony is biggly in this knobber.

Avatar
madcarew | 6 years ago
0 likes

I particularly liked his idea that cyclists were putting truckies at risk....

Avatar
EK Spinner | 6 years ago
0 likes

Many of his comments make sense however I do have an issue with his use of the term "Blind Bend".

A bend is simply a bend, it only becomes a blind bend if you cannot stop in the distance you can see is clear, ie you have made it blind by approaching it too quickly. I am trying to word this carefully as it applies to whatever vehicle you are in conrol of.

Avatar
morgoth985 replied to EK Spinner | 6 years ago
1 like

EK Spinner wrote:

Many of his comments make sense however I do have an issue with his use of the term "Blind Bend".

A bend is simply a bend, it only becomes a blind bend if you cannot stop in the distance you can see is clear, ie you have made it blind by approaching it too quickly. I am trying to word this carefully as it applies to whatever vehicle you are in conrol of.

I think his other comments only "make sense" if you are accepting that it's not his fault he doesn't understand the challenges that cyclists face.   Which may or may not be fair.  The ignorance is certainly widespread (eg "why don't you use the cycle paths?", not understanding that the reason is "because they're completely rubbish").  I don't agree that they "make sense" in any objective way.

You've completely nailed the blind bend point though.  It's simply unsafe driving on his part, and he doesn't realise it.

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
2 likes

So much wrongness in just one bloke's message.

Quote:

There's a dedicated cycle lane on that road but the pricks still want to ride on the road. With at least 1000 trucks up and down that road day and night, it's a dangerous situation for sure.

If there's a dedicated cycle lane and cyclists aren't using it, I can think of two scenarios. Either the cyclists are all stupid or the cycle lane is not suitable for its stated purpose (e.g. covered in glass fragments).

Quote:

They sit in front of your truck at the lights so you can't see them. Then the lights go green and you nearly hit them.

Sounds like a bad design of the truck cab if they can't see something/someone that's right in front of them. Presumably they also run over lots of slow pedestrians who can't cross in time or is just that cyclists turn invisible?

Quote:

On rural roads, they're even worse, usually riding two or three abreast and leaving no room for trucks to overtake meaning we have to slow a 44,000kg-55,000kg truck from 90km/h to 20km/h in time. When they're around a blind corner it's near impossible to stop in time.

I thought that vehicle speed was supposed to be related to how far you can see the road ahead to be clear. I reckon they're going too fast for the blind corners and their ineffective brakes. I'm guessing they also plough into the back of parked vehicles on rural roads as well.

Quote:

Red light running is a big one, they think the road rules don't apply to them.

Must be terrifying for him in his fragile metal box.

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