Lorry drivers and seeing red

fixed

...The driver will always claim that 'you were in the wrong' so it's best to let those incidents go, and save your comments for those times when your riding is faultless.

Well, I deserve not to be threatened, no matter what the rights and wrongs of traffic rules. He didn't HAVE to steer at me, and that's what I wanted him to be held to account for. Like Pistanator said, its bizarre that a driver can think this is OK. One small wrong does not make one massively fucked up wrong OK.

Glad you're alright, Skully. Why can't we be friends indeed. I just don't understand these fools that think they have some sort of right to teach vulnerable road users a lesson. By all means roll down your window and call me a cunt but jeebus don't use your vehicle as a way of threatening me. Even if he was in total control of his lorry what's to say his scary lesson couldn't have made you panic, make a mistake and end up under his wheels? There are some really angry people about. I'd feel sorry for them if they weren't such cunts.

Exactly the same thing happened to me on Essex road last year. I was in the wrong, the driver (in this case driving a camper van) steered at me. I was pretty much outraged, but let it go and was happy to be alive. Scary stuff; glad you're okay.

I hope the lorry driver bites into a much anticipated shiney red apple only to then discover half a maggot wriggling in the bite mark.

After he swallows, naturally. :)

I just think driving turns some people into bullies: the bigger the vehicle the more they think; "That **** should get out of my way".

EXACTLY the mentality that overcomes folk.

IMO you did wrong and admitted it. Truck driver also did wrong. Let he who is whith out sin cast the first stone.

Right, big fat rock cominatchya...

I had some numpty step out in front of me last night on old bethnal green road, I gave him the "get back on that pavement now" stare, as I past him he shouts something at me. I was intreged to know what this intelectual had to say so I turned around and went back.

I asked him why he shouted in my ear, he says I gave him a dirty look, he starts shouting how he's done me a favour by not crossing the road.

After a few minutes, it was obvious that his poor poor person was so mentally impovrished that it was no use talking to him, for reasoning or evening asking the time.

I think the best responce is to jog on or have it out, some people just don't learn from discussion, so cutting* off one of their ears is the only option.

*Fist waving.

Hey Skully, first off pleased you're OK, secondly well done for trying to reason with him, I'm sure it will have certainly given him something to think about. I would have tried to kill him - no doubt, especially the way I feel today.

If it makes you feel any better, I saw Sharpy today (if it was him riding a blue condor?) do exactly the same thing at Whitechapel....we all do/did it.

Take it easy out there.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7067067.ece

Video of lorry pushing a car (sideways) at speed up the M1.

If a lorrydriver can't see a family car, what chances do we have? :(

That is scary as fuck.

Posted here in case it was posted elsewhere, that way it can be forgotten quickly.

YouTube- 18-Wheeler Dosen't See Renault (HD)

This truck must have been driven by Danny Macaskill.

Yep there is a massive blind spot, also with an articulated trailer there are many more blind spots.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7067067.ece

Video of lorry pushing a car (sideways) at speed up the M1.

If a lorrydriver can't see a family car, what chances do we have? :(

That is scary as fuck.

Posted here in case it was posted elsewhere, that way it can be forgotten quickly.

YouTube- 18-Wheeler Dosen't See Renault (HD)

What was the actual thread about this called? I note the gaurdian have reported on it.

Quick ride into town to pick up a present for a party later. Ridng down the street I signal and move out round an illegally parked car. There is a gap of about 30m between it and and another illegally parked car. So I stay just to the left of the white line. As I pass the car and I am subjected to a barrage of revving and tooting from some irate perma-tanned old dear (40's) as she tries to pass me. I stop and ask her WTF she is playing at. At this point the driver of a Lorry who was waiting at a nearby junction hops out of the cab and joins the fun.

He clearly explains that if he had seen me from a side road then he couldn't quite understand how she hadn't, whilst driving behind me. He continued by adding that cars are considerably larger than bikes and that she should be a tad more considerate to more vulnerable road users, her reply "fuck off". His response "fine I'll get in the truck and drive over you just so you know how it feels, your husband will probably thank me as your surgeon is clearly shit"

I said my goodbyes and continued on about my business.

I purchased a my little pony.

Posted this in wrong place before sorry,hope this is the right place, just want to put a point as a lorry driver who is a cyclist:-

Just to put a different side to it, i drive a 44 ton artic lorry and we are based on old kent road ,and yesterday 30-09-10 was indicating left for 10 seconds and you have to take corners very wide to stop going up the kerb and now and then you will get a crazy car driver who cant see indicators udertake you but 99% of cyclists will risk their lives and undertake a lorry at this moment and when your approx 2ft behind the cab your in a blind spot and the driver cant see you,so why not slow down for 5 secs and not risk your life. Also when i driving our 18 ton truck over tower bridge cyclist try to scoot up your inside so tight they cant even ride properly when the road is narrow and traffic almost at a stop, you should ALWAY OVERTAKE NOT UNDERTAKE !
Also im a cyclist myself and would never do any of the above because i dont want to die.

99% of cyclists?

Oh really...

No one here advocates riding like a pratt. I think. Experienced cyclists take great care when riding around LGVs, construction and refuse lorries, buses and other large vehicles.

If you have a bone to pick with a particular idiot, I guess the best thing to do is try to speak to them, though I know that probably not possible if you're ten foot off the ground in a massive wagon.

But thanks for your input.

The 99% is wrong but the riding described is far from unusual and very common during rush hour. It explains why many people in cars drive like twats too. People are twats we just all need to find an outlet for our twatisum.

Lorry Driver - thanks for the input. I also think 99% is a bit much but certainly the number of cyclist who undertake is too high. It is obvious to you, and to most of us, why they should not do it but sadly it is not at all obvious to many riders. I have spoken to cyclists I have seen doing this and they simply had no idea that it is risky. On the other hand they are often scared of overtaking. My commute takes me over Tower Bridge and I see it every day, cyclists stuck in the gutter when there is more than enough room for them to filter on the outside of the lane or where the traffic is moving so slowly they could easily stay in the traffic stream between vehicles where they would be visible.
The more different road users are able to talk to each other then the safer we all will be.

Lorry Driver - you make a fair point that a lot of cyclists ride in a way that puts them in danger on a daily basis. But it doesn't excuse someone going out of their way to drive at someone on a bike as happened to the OP.

Oh, and most people on here won't filter through tight gaps on the left, it's tricky on a fixed wheel bike :-)

Tower bridge definitely see a lot of people hugging the inside... it's not safe, there's a massive bump (heading north) between the red lines and the rest of the road. If there was anywhere you should cycle in the middle, that's gotta be up there in the top 10

I tend to blame TfL planning of bicycle lane - they tend to be quite narrow and close to the kerbs giving people the illusion that bicycle should be hugging the kerbs and stay in the inside all the time.

Just paint the whole frigging road red. Except on motorways where bikes arent allowed.