Person down Oval 29/06/09

My partner was the driver of the Lorry which was in the accident on Monday where sadly a woman cyclist died. I have read all the posts about this and some have been quite upsetting as a lot of comments have been way off the mark. My partner had not been drinking all night, he was safely tucked up in bed at 9pm watching TV with a cup of tea. He is an experienced HGV driver of 20yrs and has never had an accident. The cyclist came up on his left side and has sais he simply did not see her,he did check his mirror but she was in his blind spot. I have researched this and a lot of accidents have happened this way. He was arrested, this would be normal practise after an accident of this nature, the police are now conducting an investigation. He is traumatised and our lives will never be the same again. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this terrible time.

Julie - Thank you for posting. poor coverage and assumptions make villians of those who are involved in an accident, this is a terrible thing to have on yours and your partners mind. Please take the comments on here as venting, many in-experienced cyclists feel fear when riding and this often comes out in frustration and anger. when someone dies on the road this fear and anger bubbles over.
But you are right - this is an all to common accident and if it is to go away lorry drivers and cyclists should work together to force better equiped lorries and better prepared cyclists.
Kind regards
Pip