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@NurseHolliday
While it is sad that a small mistake can cause him to lose his livelihood and his family will suffer, the consequences of his mistake are large, as you have personally suffered. With great power comes great responsibility and unfortunately this is one of few lorry drivers who has realised this. Most others will continue about their daily job ignorant of the great power they hold in their hands. It is not just delivering goods, or cement, or transporting vehicles, they are at the wheel of a killing machine. A cyclist, or a pedestrian, or even someone driving a small car has little chance of survival if the lorry drivers do make a mistake. These are all things that we've said over and over on this forum but the general public, and more importantly, the lorry drivers need to be aware of this.
A small mistake by a pilot can mean 500+ dead, pilots get the gravity of their day job drilled into their heads at the beginning, during training. Every time you fly there are the most rigorous of checks to be completed, everything has to be so precise or you get a major bollocking. A 747 has to have 5 nautical miles of empty space around it or it is forced to divert to a new heading (evasive action). The skies in every direction could be clear but the pilot will change course because of an airspace infringement 5 miles away.
Maximum takeoff weight for a 747 is ~440 tonnes.
Maximum weight for a semi-trailer lorry in the UK is 44 tonnes.
By comparison a lorry should have 0.5 nautical miles of empty space around it at all times.