r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	Zenon_Czosnek
Comment	I am a lorry driver, but I am also a cyclist. I don't cycle as much as I used to (for some time I even had no car and just cycled everywhere), but I still cycle to work from time to time. I have to say that most of my friends also complain about drivers, but I've noticed a pattern: those, who have most misfortune with "inconsiderate drivers" are those, who ride bikes as if they owed the road, with no regard to other users whatsoever. When I drive around cyclists, I always treat them as if they were a car - specifically, nearside wheels of the car. I overtake them giving them that much distance, can drive behind the cyclists at their pace until it's safe to overtake and so on. On the other hand, when I cycle, I also consider myself to be a car - in that way, that I try to ride in such a way, that other drivers see my intention - I signal them clearly, I give way when changing the lanes and so on. And, surprisingly, I probably despite being an avid urban cyclist for nearly a quarter of the century, I can probably count all really dangerous situations with cars on my fingers. I've noticed that most of your post is about cyclist' rights. Which is OK, but why nobody never mentions cyclist's duties as well? My pet hate, when I drive around cyclists, especially in the UK (I am originally from Poland, and it is not that common there) is when they ride on the left lane, and I am driving on the right lane. Then suddenly there are cars parked ahead, and they just change the lane in front of me without even as much as looking back. This is my pet hate - cycle has to give way when changing lanes as much as any other road users! I will gladly let them in front of me in some cases, but in others there is enough time for me to overtake them safely before they take the lane I am on. But that's not that bad, at least I can see them. The biggest problem is when they undertake lorries. I never do that. Never-ever. Even if the lorry does not seem to be changing left. Why? 1. Lorry is long. You might start undertaking it, and go like 10 metres ahead of the left bumper, and then lorry signals left. Even if you can see it's indicator located on the side of driver's car, there might be not enough time for you to drop back, and you get under the trailer wheels. 2. Lorries have huge blind spots. Those are enough to hide a big saloon, not to mention a cyclist. To give you some idea: Imagine you are a lorry driver. This is what you see from behind the wheel. Can you spot the car in your mirrors? And now, the same situation as seen from outside: Scary, isn't it? (Pics are from a blog post I made a few years ago, you might want to read it: [https://orynski.eu/this-article-may-save-your-life/](https://orynski.eu/this-article-may-save-your-life/) ) 3. No matter how much mirrors, sensors and door windows you put onto the lorry, the driver still have only one pair of eyes. If I am turning left in my car or bike, I basically turn left and watch where I am going. If I do it in my lorry, I need to watch where I am going, but I also need to: i) watch ahead to my right, to see how much space I can take to swing my cab, as I need to take wider turn ii) watch down the road I am turining into, to see if there is no oncoming car, in case I need to get onto his half of the road slightly iii) watch left and right to see if no pedestrians are crossing the road iv) watch my left mirror, to see, if I am not cutting the kerb with my rear axle v) watch my right mirror to see, if my rear overhang (which can swing a lot, especially when rear axle is risen) is not going to obstruct traffic on the lane to the right from me or hit a vehicle going side to side with me. I need to alternate my glances between those five points, then keep checking i, iv and v constantly. If then a cyclist will pedal from my left, and manages to get into my blind spot while I've been looking to the other mirror, he is basically as good as dead already. You should NEVER, EVER do that. (DISCLAIMER: I don't know what happened in that accident this morning, and I am not trying to suggest that this was the case, as I do not posses any knowledge about it. This is simply a general advice on cycling safety from the HGV driver's and cyclists point of view).
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/brq2a5/cyclist_dies_after_lorry_crash_in_glasgow/eog99o5/
Created	Wed 22nd May 2019 8:28pm
Status	()

I am a lorry driver, but I am also a cyclist. I don't cycle as much as I used to (for some time I even had no car and just cycled everywhere), but I still cycle to work from time to time.

I have to say that most of my friends also complain about drivers, but I've noticed a pattern: those, who have most misfortune with "inconsiderate drivers" are those, who ride bikes as if they owed the road, with no regard to other users whatsoever.

When I drive around cyclists, I always treat them as if they were a car - specifically, nearside wheels of the car. I overtake them giving them that much distance, can drive behind the cyclists at their pace until it's safe to overtake and so on.

On the other hand, when I cycle, I also consider myself to be a car - in that way, that I try to ride in such a way, that other drivers see my intention - I signal them clearly, I give way when changing the lanes and so on. And, surprisingly, I probably despite being an avid urban cyclist for nearly a quarter of the century, I can probably count all really dangerous situations with cars on my fingers.

I've noticed that most of your post is about cyclist' rights. Which is OK, but why nobody never mentions cyclist's duties as well?

My pet hate, when I drive around cyclists, especially in the UK (I am originally from Poland, and it is not that common there) is when they ride on the left lane, and I am driving on the right lane. Then suddenly there are cars parked ahead, and they just change the lane in front of me without even as much as looking back. This is my pet hate - cycle has to give way when changing lanes as much as any other road users! I will gladly let them in front of me in some cases, but in others there is enough time for me to overtake them safely before they take the lane I am on.

But that's not that bad, at least I can see them.

The biggest problem is when they undertake lorries. I never do that. Never-ever. Even if the lorry does not seem to be changing left. Why?

1. Lorry is long. You might start undertaking it, and go like 10 metres ahead of the left bumper, and then lorry signals left. Even if you can see it's indicator located on the side of driver's car, there might be not enough time for you to drop back, and you get under the trailer wheels.

2. Lorries have huge blind spots. Those are enough to hide a big saloon, not to mention a cyclist. To give you some idea:
Imagine you are a lorry driver. This is what you see from behind the wheel. Can you spot the car in your mirrors?

And now, the same situation as seen from outside:

Scary, isn't it?

(Pics are from a blog post I made a few years ago, you might want to read it: [https://orynski.eu/this-article-may-save-your-life/](https://orynski.eu/this-article-may-save-your-life/) )

3. No matter how much mirrors, sensors and door windows you put onto the lorry, the driver still have only one pair of eyes. If I am turning left in my car or bike, I basically turn left and watch where I am going. If I do it in my lorry, I need to watch where I am going, but I also need to:

i) watch ahead to my right, to see how much space I can take to swing my cab, as I need to take wider turn
ii) watch down the road I am turining into, to see if there is no oncoming car, in case I need to get onto his half of the road slightly

iii) watch left and right to see if no pedestrians are crossing the road
iv) watch my left mirror, to see, if I am not cutting the kerb with my rear axle
v) watch my right mirror to see, if my rear overhang (which can swing a lot, especially when rear axle is risen) is not going to obstruct traffic on the lane to the right from me or hit a vehicle going side to side with me.

I need to alternate my glances between those five points, then keep checking i, iv and v constantly. If then a cyclist will pedal from my left, and manages to get into my blind spot while I've been looking to the other mirror, he is basically as good as dead already. You should NEVER, EVER do that.

(DISCLAIMER: I don't know what happened in that accident this morning, and I am not trying to suggest that this was the case, as I do not posses any knowledge about it. This is simply a general advice on cycling safety from the HGV driver's and cyclists point of view).