2009-09-17 - Cyclist down, Poynders Road roundabout

I think signs going up the inside of big vans/ lorries as warnings to cyclists are a good thing. When i speak to new cyclists, i tell them never to go up the inside of lorries/buses etc first and I tell them a simple rule...."if it is big then keep away from it" as in keep clear of coaches/trucks/buses/flatbeds etc just cos they are so dangerous and they often have limited visibility.

That's right. I used to drive a Mercedes Sprinter (thankfully not long wheel base) with the AV equipment every now and then and you have to be really careful when changing lines and turning in heavy traffic (all those fucking crazy mopeds!). There's a blind spot - the most dangerous manouver for a cyclist is undertaking a van or a lorry while they're rolling in a slow traffic. They look in one mirror, the other, there's a space in front of the, so they attempt to change the line. They're slow, but the cyclist can go at full speed. If they even slowly move to the left to avoid a motorbike or another lorry, they'd block the space between them and the curb - if your bike is brakeless, there's a big chance you will slam in the side of the van/lorry.
Last year or two years ago they changed the regulations regarding side mirrors of the lorries, after those dustmen crashed an old lady (they couldn't see her approaching from the side).