Cyclists on the road...

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sidneyeric said:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1910694995869836
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In my opinion the road is extremely poor in design, however the cyclists were in the wrong lane. Just because there is a space there, they shouldn't push into it and assume the lorry will give way. The left turn only signs apply to all road users, cars, vans, lorrys and cyclists alike. Why couldn't they just get it the correct lane, wait in the queue behind the other traffic and proceed safely? If that cyclist was a car, everyone would agree that the car was at fault. Whilst I have every sympathy with cyclists who are wrongly put at risk by impatient drivers, these cyclists didn't adhere to the road regulations and put themselves at risk.

There's a reason why cyclists shouldn't pass a large vehicle on the left, there is a blind spot down by the passenger side wheel.
 


monkeytassle said:
Any cyclist going up the inside of a large vehicle even in a designated cycle lane needs to give their head a shake. Bad road design or not.
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Whenever I did that, if the lights changed and the heavy vehicle started moving then I would always put my foot down and wait for it to re-overtake me before pulling out behind it and continuing on my way.
 
humbug said:
i've posted this on here before during one of these threads but it's worth a watch imo, especially if it stops cyclists putting themselves in danger.
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That's a scary video which highlights the problem perfectly. Any cyclist who passes or tries to pass a large vehicle on the left is literally putting their lives at risk.
 
Randy Bareback said:
That's a scary video which highlights the problem perfectly. Any cyclist who passes or tries to pass a large vehicle on the left is literally putting their lives at risk.
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very true. the cyclists squeezing by on the left are the same ones complaining about not being given enough room when they get overtook.
personally i think there's arseholes on all sides of these debates regardless of whether it's the cyclist or the car driver but unfortunately it's always the cyclist who'll end up hurt.
 
you would have thought the cyclists (if they had any sense) would have just hung back and let the HGV get a head at the lights. the driver was in the correct lane

'but this london you know that' not an excuse when your under the wheels
 
humbug said:
very true. the cyclists squeezing by on the left are the same ones complaining about not being given enough room when they get overtook.
personally i think there's arseholes on all sides of these debates regardless of whether it's the cyclist or the car driver but unfortunately it's always the cyclist who'll end up hurt.
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Yes you're correct, blame on both sides but as a cyclist myself there's no way I'd put myself in a position on the road whereby I could endanger my life, such as riding on the inside of an articulated lorry regardless of whether I have a right to be there or not. It's madness.

Likewise there's drivers who feel they have a priority over cyclists so squeeze past in busy traffic when again, they just need to slow down, be patient, overtake when it's safe to do so without being enraged because it's added 20 seconds to their journey. Personally I can't imagine how I'd feel if I killed a cyclist because I just couldn't wait a few seconds more to overtake.

I just think road users of all types just need to think about what they're doing and the potential consequences of their actions. Stay safe.

jamieboy said:
you would have thought the cyclists (if they had any sense) would have just hung back and let the HGV get a head at the lights. the driver was in the correct lane

'but this london you know that' not an excuse when your under the wheels
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Agreed, it's crazy to put yourself in that situation on the assumption the driver will see you and give way. I just don't understand it.
 
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DaveH said:
First time I watched that, I was thinking the cycle lane disappears half way through the junction, but you are right about the left turn only. However there were a lot of cyclists going straight on there and if paying attention, the bloke who got hit was well ahead and therefore visible to the HGV driver before he was hit. The stream of other cyclists should have been a clue to exercise more caution.
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I cycle all over the place and the cyclists are all f***ing idiots in that video, every f***ing last one of the stupid bastards. Sit in a HGV's blind spot in a left turn only lane then try to f***ing argue with it as you don't turn left and cycle along once again in his f***ing blind spot into a narrow section of road. It's like they've got a chip on their shoulder that the lorry driver must stop and wait four f***ing hours to make sure they are all past. The driver had no way of knowing how many cyclists were there and how long he should wait.
 
Smiler said:
I cycle all over the place and the cyclists are all f***ing idiots in that video, every f***ing last one of the stupid bastards. Sit in a HGV's blind spot in a left turn only lane then try to f***ing argue with it as you don't turn left and cycle along once again in his f***ing blind spot into a narrow section of road. It's like they've got a chip on their shoulder that the lorry driver must stop and wait four f***ing hours to make sure they are all past. The driver had no way of knowing how many cyclists were there and how long he should wait.
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'but this is london' they said, like it was law that they had right of way:rolleyes::lol:
 
jamieboy said:
'but this is london' they said, like it was law that they had right of way:rolleyes::lol:
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The mind boggles at how stupid people can be on both sides. When I cycle I make sure I'm safe, I would never go up the inside of a big HGV like that, their blind spots are massive. I'm wary of doing it with cars never mind vehicles that have drivers that can't see you and can crush you without even noticing
 
Smiler said:
The mind boggles at how stupid people can be on both sides. When I cycle I make sure I'm safe, I would never go up the inside of a big HGV like that, their blind spots are massive. I'm wary of doing it with cars never mind vehicles that have drivers that can't see you and can crush you without even noticing
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I suppose really the argument works both ways. A driver should think of a cyclist as being like a small car and give them the space you would for such a car. However the cyclist has to think like a small car too. Would you go straight on in a left turn at traffic lights in a busy city, then try to undercut a HGV on the inside if you were in a SMART car?

If traffic is stopped at a junction, I'm often torn about what do to. Edge to the front in a way that is potentially unsafe and leave all the traffic behind you needing to overtake again? Or, do you sit in your place in the queue, with the exhaust fumes of the car in front doing god knows what to your health, and also meaning that because you start of slower than cars, the lower number of cars behind are desperate to get past before the lights change?

Thankfully now I rarely have to cycle anywhere that busy. When I lived in York, they changed a lot of junctions to have a cycle filter lane on the left and a bike area ahead of the normal traffic stop line, so that bikes could get to the front safely and legally down the left, with space at the front to get away and not cause too much hold up. A lot of car drivers either disagreed with this or did not understand this, as you would regularly see cars in the cycle area.
 
AlpineExile said:
Whenever I did that, if the lights changed and the heavy vehicle started moving then I would always put my foot down and wait for it to re-overtake me before pulling out behind it and continuing on my way.
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Just never go up the inside of a heavy vehicle on the road. Never. It's up to you to look after yourself when faced with situations like that. Nee good claiming the lorry was at fault when you're wrapped round it's back axle.
 
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