LGV / HGV Blind Spots.

Soldato
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I tend to treat HGVs with respect because in an accident, i'm going to most likely come off far, far worse.

It's the same reason that bikers should take care - they don't have anywhere near as much protection as car or lorry drivers.
 
Caporegime
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On the road....
...calling out trolls was popular on OcUK/interweb even as long as 4 years ago?!?!
trucks can't see much behind them in their mirrors?!?!?
Which is the biggest surprise?

Err, I don't think bumping a safety related thread is "Calling out the trolls" - or am I missing something....

The whole point of the thread is to alert people to the massive areas truckers are blind to, yes, thanks......

Your post was quite a surprise to me to be honest! :confused:

Quite informative, ty for your time - even if it was several years ago! :p

When I get time, I'll try to get some photo's as opposed to diagrams to add to this... :)
 
Soldato
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Very interesting, even when I've driven Transit vans it's be very obvious some motorists don't seem to give this sort of thing any thought.

It's almost got my wondering how different peoples driving would be if in 1998 instead of removing the 7.5t entitlement from new licenses they instead adding driving small lorries/big vans to the driving test.
 
Caporegime
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Likewise with lorry drivers. Especially lorry drivers knowing the blind spots they have. Why do they cut across two lanes on a roundabout so cars can not get past. Sometimes nearly pushing cars off the road. Also why do some lorries drive slower than others? Some seem fine (50ish mph) although slow while others are infuriating slow (Less than 40mph) causing huge tailbacks? I work right next to a logistics depot so get it pretty much every day.

This not a whine but a genuine question as to why they do this and the great variance in speed between lorry drivers too?
 
Soldato
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Err, I don't think bumping a safety related thread is "Calling out the trolls" - or am I missing something....

Your post was quite a surprise to me to be honest! :confused:

You're missing something, read your own thread, post 8, dated 2008, poster calls out a 'troll' didn't know it was in such common use back then, it surprised me, as does peoples kinda shock that the 15M+ vehicle infront of them *might* have poor rear visibility, but then perhaps I had good parents and a driving instructor!

But I'm all for getting the message across to all. So kudos for bumping the thread :)
 

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Soldato
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Likewise with lorry drivers. Especially lorry drivers knowing the blind spots they have. Why do they cut across two lanes on a roundabout so cars can not get past. Sometimes nearly pushing cars off the road. Also why do some lorries drive slower than others? Some seem fine (50ish mph) although slow while others are infuriating slow (Less than 40mph) causing huge tailbacks? I work right next to a logistics depot so get it pretty much every day.

This not a whine but a genuine question as to why they do this and the great variance in speed between lorry drivers too?



a lot of different factors at play,

the power and torque of the tractor unit company policy (some companies set their limiters lower than others) and most obvious the load one might have 22 pallets of cornflakes on board the other might have 22 pallets of sheet steel. lorries can and do carry various loads and one might be only pulling a couple of ton or indeed empty the other might be right on the payload limit
 
Associate
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P2180167.jpg

The KERB MIRROR is ONLY on the opposite side to the driver and that is the side with the biggest blind spot so when approaching a lorry it is a useful piece of info
 
Associate
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a lot of different factors at play,

the power and torque of the tractor unit company policy (some companies set their limiters lower than others) and most obvious the load one might have 22 pallets of cornflakes on board the other might have 22 pallets of sheet steel. lorries can and do carry various loads and one might be only pulling a couple of ton or indeed empty the other might be right on the payload limit

What's heavier - 20 tonnes of tarmac or 20 tonnes of feathers? :rolleyes:
 
Associate
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stoke on trent
remember this doesnt just count for hgv but also busses too. and as they dont bend in the middle they need more room to corner with a lot of the rear turning out the opposite way to the turn.
 
Associate
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Sunderland
Likewise with lorry drivers. Especially lorry drivers knowing the blind spots they have. Why do they cut across two lanes on a roundabout so cars can not get past. Sometimes nearly pushing cars off the road.


You'll find we split the lanes to take in to account the trailer swing as on a lot of roundabouts the trailer will cut into a another lane so splitting the lanes on approach and taking two lanes so the truck can make it round safely and other vehicles wont(haha but they do try) attempt to pass.

Regarding the speed question that has also been answered it also depends on what road your on:
Motorway 60MPH (doubtful due to limiters)
Dual Carriageway 50MPH
Single Carriageway 40MPH (YES! Only 40)
 
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Associate
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I had a car hiding in the blindspot on the passenger side on the M42/M6 Toll intersections. Luckily I could see his shadow in the fading sun, as he wasn't in the kerb mirror or the wide angle mirror. If it wasn't for his shadow he may have had a 44T surprise.
 
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