Bikers beware, the HGV's "Blind Spot"
- Thread starter Scania
- Start date
Associate
Great post, thanks.
Associate
quite interesting! cheers 
Associate
Very interesting... but how come there is a large blind spot to the right of the cab, surely the driver is sitting on the right side and can easily see to the right?
Just thought I'd give this old relic of a thread a bump after nearly taking out a biker this morning (05:45) just off the A13 near West Thurrock, he came up my inside on a roundabout near the shopping centre, how I missed him or the on coming Van I don't know, I'm just glad I somehow saw him, just in time.
Bikers - indeed anybody - beware a trucks blind spots and don't come up the inside of one, please.
Bikers - indeed anybody - beware a trucks blind spots and don't come up the inside of one, please.
Good bump Scania, I hadn't seen this thread the first time.
It's interesting even as a non-biker and should definitely form part of the standard driving test. Interestingly I did a driver awareness course back before the new year and for all the useful information they gave, navigating around arctics didn't come up.
If we take you as an 'averge' lorry driver (not that I'm suggesting there's anything average about you) would it be safe to assume that most lorries have a near miss/incident at least once every three years?
That's a pretty scary statistic for lorry drivers and bikers/car drives alike.
It's interesting even as a non-biker and should definitely form part of the standard driving test. Interestingly I did a driver awareness course back before the new year and for all the useful information they gave, navigating around arctics didn't come up.
If we take you as an 'averge' lorry driver (not that I'm suggesting there's anything average about you) would it be safe to assume that most lorries have a near miss/incident at least once every three years?
That's a pretty scary statistic for lorry drivers and bikers/car drives alike.
Soldato
I've always been careful around trucks, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand what line they'll take on a roundabout for example.
I once saw a lorry in the left hand lane and a car in the right on a roundabout. lorry going straight on and car going right, http://goo.gl/maps/b7cTo road markings were different then and this side has been widened.
Both vehicles didn't have to stop at this roundabout with the lorry being there first and entering. The car shot up the right hand side and as the lorry took a more direct route with the car trying to fit down it's offside, the car came a cropper. Not one of the witnesses sided with the car driver, despite him blaming everyone else in the universe except himself.
I give the huge things a wide berth in a car let alone on my bike.
I once saw a lorry in the left hand lane and a car in the right on a roundabout. lorry going straight on and car going right, http://goo.gl/maps/b7cTo road markings were different then and this side has been widened.
Both vehicles didn't have to stop at this roundabout with the lorry being there first and entering. The car shot up the right hand side and as the lorry took a more direct route with the car trying to fit down it's offside, the car came a cropper. Not one of the witnesses sided with the car driver, despite him blaming everyone else in the universe except himself.
I give the huge things a wide berth in a car let alone on my bike.
Associate
I rarely pass lorries. Only do so if there is dual carriageway, on a nice straight with clear visibility and only on certain junctions where there is bucket loads of space, otherwise I give them loads of room to do their thing.
I'd rather be stuck behind a truck at a good distance than squashed by one.
I'd rather be stuck behind a truck at a good distance than squashed by one.
I'm sure I'm average! Neither the best nor, I hope, the worst!
Alas, near misses are probably weekly occurrences(!) it's why we're trained to "drive defensively", were encouraged to take up as much road space as possible to prevent other vehicles trying to come past if we know we need the space they intend to take. Often this is taken as agressive by the other drivers, they don't seem to realise we're allowing for them and often preventing them getting flattened!!
Most road users take unbelievable risks around HGVs whilst seemingly being oblivious to the consequences of that risk going bad.
This style of driving I guess must work, bar a car aqua planing into me on the M1 a few years back I'm yet - touch wood - to have an incident / accident involving a 3rd party whilst driving my HGV.
Near misses are sadly part & parcel, if I had £10 for each one, I'd be rather richer than I am!!
Last edited:
Associate
There were a fair few questions on it when I did my bike theory last year, mostly around trucks turning; what their behaviour might be and why they may not see you (Especially when turning left). More than I remember there being on my car one.
Tend to give big things a wide berth whether on 2 wheels or 4, which is good because some HGV slipstreaming and overtaking antics can be downright lethal
. Someone mentioned Defenders as well, having owned one even the short wheelbase ones have massive blindspots!
Soldato
Easiest rule and safest. If you can't see them, they can't see you.
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2013
- Posts
- 12,468
Not really... we were taught (as in, actually shown) the blind spots on every common type of vehicle on our basic DAS course. Cars, trucks, lorries, vans, Lutons, Landies, bicycles and even other bikes.
Thing is, you never remember the good riders/drivers.
TBH, I don't know why anyone has a problem with trucks. I've certainly never seen bad behaviour from any of them and most professional drivers in general are great. London busses are about the only exception and I don't ride through London that often anyway.
Soldato
I often hang back with lorries unless it's a large roundabout. Use common sense really.
However, i'm starting to avoid European HGVs like the plague, maniacs most of the ones i've seen.
However, i'm starting to avoid European HGVs like the plague, maniacs most of the ones i've seen.
Associate
I know we don't always agree, but on this mate I'm totally with you. Good and fair information. I wish car drivers and bikers had HGV awareness/knowledge in just the same way as it gets often mooted the other way.