A view from the saddle- training for HGV drivers

Just seen this;

http://www.knightsofold.ltd.uk/KnightsofOldProfessionalCyclingTeam

Not sure if sponsoring a cycling team is the best thing to do, but am encouraged that a haulage firm is at least doing something to tackle road safety.

This is troll science, right? You haven't factored the number of trucks required into your mpg figures:

hang on....

While they say that a train can carry 37 HGVs (good!)
Trucks = 7 miles per gallon, trains = 0.7 miles per gallon.
1 truck = 30 tonnes
10 trucks = 300 tonnes

37 trucks =
1110 tonnes at 0.7 miles per gallon (train)
vs
1110 tonnes at (7x37) 259 miles per gallon (truck)

Importantly, no cyclists are killed by left turning trains.

FTFY

Explanation of the value of training drivers:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE5IoYso3TI&feature=relmfu"]David
Dansky interview - YouTube[/ame]

Cyclists have been getting the view from HGVs for a while now. TfL are keen to get drivers on bikes to see things from the cyclists perspective:

TfL's submission to JAUPT, the accrediting body for driver CPC training has now been approved. This means that courses which get these drivers on bikes and look at how they can share the road with cyclists and minimise the risk to cyclists and other road users, will count towards their compulsory professional development training (CPC).

Cycle Training UK, and 2 other cycle training companies together with specialist driver training companies are rolling out this training in some London Boroughs this Autumn.

It has taken a while for JAUPT to approve this excellent Road Danger Reduction measure which completes the Changing Places loop. Getting the drivers on bikes should really help towards minimising the lorry danger (and perhaps even encourage some drivers to take up cycling)

New to this forum and this caught my eye...........I'm in a position to influence the strategic direction of driver CPC training in a large multi-national. Power to this thread.......this has really struck a chord with me and the "changing places" from TFL makes a whole lot of sense to me. It's now on my agenda......a shared understanding of each others issues works for me.

PS I'm a life long roadie and the day job may just qualify as "the other side of the argument !!

Get in touch...

Cycle training for Bexley binmen

That's good to see.
Bexley council has some good people, one of the outer London boroughs that's encouraging cycling and looking at ways of improving things. It is also a very car centric borough according to the cycling officer

Bus Drivers get on bikes with Stagecoach London
http://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/home/stagecoach-drivers-to-receive-cycling-training/101678.article

Very encouraging to see all this action taking place.

Have you seen the recent FOI request from TFL about busses and cyles incidents?

Have the LCC ever looked in to this?

I am a road using Cyclist and a HGV driver of articulated lorries and i can see both sides of the coin.
The problem lies at the feet of both HGV drivers AND Cyclists.
I see every day on a regular basis IMPATIENT Cyclists trying to squeeze down the 5CM gap between a Kerb and a truck what F**k is that person trying to achieve?
I also see IMPATIENT lorry drivers NOT checking mirrors and almost killing cyclists on a regular basis.
As i have highlighted its all down to both parties having some patience at the end of the day.
HGV drivers ARE expected to be "better" drivers in respect of the training they have recieved.
But WHO trains Cyclists? I know that 70% of cyclists hold a driving licence but then 30% DONT! This 30% are the ones risking there life riding bikes on londons already congested roads with no training whatsoever...
If we are to reduce and hopefully eradicate deaths to cyclists on our roads then we need to have some sort of formal training/licence for those that dont already drive.
It need'nt cost anything as TFL should pay!

Difference between riding a bike and a motorised vehicle is that its hard to harm others on a bike and easy in a motor so people in cars & lorries have more responsibilty to look out for others, hence the licence and driver training

At the end of the day nothing will change until there is more specific training for motorists AND Cyclists and seperating the two with cycle friendly roads/lanes

We need more fucking HGV drivers getting trained for this.

Especially those fucking tippers.

Agreed with you tipper/skip lorries drivers on bonus work usually, also,a massive influx of drivers now from eastern europe where they dont share roads with cyclists.
Driving standards differ...

Good work by Gordon's in promoting safe driving and cycling
http://www.cycletraining.co.uk/library/website/lib0000000328.pdf

That looks suspiciously like the same Gordons as this.

Must try harder.

Not good^
Well let's work to ensure that this won't happen again