Lorry Blind-Spots.

[Gaz Vickers]

I have posted this in the beginners section as a warning to any Newbies who may not be aware of the severity and danger of blindspots!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wzL0Kyk4m-8

 

[mark st1]

Don't understand why the video doesn't focus on the kerbside mirror (attatched to the top of the passenger door) you would then see the cyclist at the front ?? Also for the whole lot of cyclists to be "invisible" so to speak those mirrors are either set up completely wrong or that's a bit of camera trickery going on there lol

 

[CopperCyclist]

Plus the fact you can see at least one cyclist in the mirror - only just I'll give you, but a small head movement would see more.

 

[tadpole]

If the cab was in line with the trailer you'd see more cyclists as well but it's parked at an angle. Not a fair example of blind sopts

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Sorry but that is such an unreal/fake situation, where did the lorry come from to be straggling the white lines? Or put it the other way where did the cyclists come from.

That is a what do we want to prove let's make it happen picture

Alan...

 

[Psyclist]

There's an uncensored video which I've seen where a cyclist (or moped) can't remember well, in China rides on a lorries blind spot, least to say it's a rather gruesome outcome . I can understand why they made the video (above) as not many people are aware of things like that.

 

[Scruffmonster]

OH COME ON PEOPLE.

Stop picking holes in that video. I've sat in a Cab on many occasions and as such, I've imagined how big the blind spots are for drivers, but that video is still an eye opener.

Lorries turn like that on the road a lot. Not many corners can accomodate a truck that big. It's a perfectly fair example of blind spots.

I sincerely hope that anyone that watches that video remembers it the next time they think about going up the inside of a lorry that's momentarily stopped.

 

[mark st1]

Sorry but that is such an unreal/fake situation, where did the lorry come from to be straggling the white lines? Or put it the other way where did the cyclists come from.

That is a what do we want to prove let's make it happen picture

Alan...

Agreed i spose its meant to recreate a lorry thats allready turning hence why its edged over the white line and on the swing if you like ?? It raises a valid point its just a poor exaggerated representation of it.

 

[Brandane]

It is useful to know that HGVs do indeed have blind spots, but as a recently ex artic driver (did it full time for over 6 years and part time either side of those 6 years) I could pick the following faults with that clip:

Both mirrors are incorrectly adjusted; they are angled far too much towards the driver with the result that too much of the mirror is showing nothing more than the side of the lorry. Especially the lower (blindspot) mirror, about 50% of the mirror is showing the lorry! They should be adjusted so that they are only just showing the side of the lorry.

The clip doesn't bother to show that the driver has another mirror in addition to those 2, it runs along the top of the passenger side window and shows the area immediately below and a few yards outwards from the passenger door, which would otherwise be invisible.

The tractor unit of the lorry is turned at an angle to the left, and thus exaggerating the effect. If it was straight, the bikes would be visible. If the driver was properly carrying out a left turn manouevre then that situation would not arise - unless a cyclist ran up the inside of the lorry while it was turning.

 

[Scruffmonster]

It is useful to know that HGVs do indeed have blind spots, but as a recently ex artic driver....

Surely with your experience you can appreciate it's better to show a worse case example to shock people into being a bit smarter, than it is to show a perfect world scenario where the cyclists coast up the inside as 'He'll probably see me, that video on the internet showed me he's got lots of mirrors'.

 

[mark st1]

It does raise a good point (said that allready) and also not picking holes in mateys video at all. There should be another mirror passenger side at the top of the windscreen that sticks out under the sun visor which is an ideal mirror for spotting idiot cyclists that coast up the inside then lean on the front of your lorry as they cant be bothered to unclip waiting for the green light.

 

[Brandane]

Surely with your experience you can appreciate it's better to show a worse case example to shock people into being a bit smarter, than it is to show a perfect world scenario where the cyclists coast up the inside as 'He'll probably see me, that video on the internet showed me he's got lots of mirrors'.

Well yes; I agree it is good to demonstrate the fact that HGVs and artics in particular have blind spots. They just haven't gone about it in a good way, and it is verging on the scaremongering. If the HGV driver is carrying out proper observations on properly set up mirrors, AND other road users are also doing what they are supposed to do, then the risks are minimal. The time when blind spots really are a danger is when reversing at angles. In that case, just keep well clear!

 

[mark st1]

The time when blind spots really are a danger is when reversing at angles. In that case, just keep well clear!

What you mean that if you walk/cycle behind a moving vehicle that can be anything upto 40+ tonne there is a chance they wont see you and you might get squashed/injured or even killed ??? Your talking rubbish sir

 

[Brandane]

It does raise a good point (said that allready) and also not picking holes in mateys video at all. There should be another mirror passenger side at the top of the windscreen that sticks out under the sun visor which is an ideal mirror for spotting idiot cyclists that coast up the inside then lean on the front of your lorry as they cant be bothered to unclip waiting for the green light.

The nearest I came to flattening a pedestrian was in stop/start traffic in Aberdeen one day. I pulled away and just as I did I caught sight of the top of someones head just below my windscreen. The pedestrian had thought it a good idea to walk in front of an artic, as close as possible to the front of it. She wasn't the tallest, and if she had been about 2 inches shorter I wouldn't have seen her . As it was, I was able to stop. This was in a lorry NOT fitted with the mirror sticking out ahead of the windscreen (they are/were not a legal requirement, and always get wrecked in the truck wash anyway).

 

[Brandane]

Hmmmmm. Mark ST1, HGV driver from Berkshire...... You don't work for Saints at Heathrow by any chance?