The Cotham Hill incident has brought home to all the cyclists how important it is to avoid trying to "sneak past" lorries. You cannot predict which way they will go -you can only guess, and guessing wrong can kill you.
Here are pleased to see one of our cyclists-under-observation not trying to get past this lorry in Saint Andrews. There is no easy way to predict which way round the blind corner the lorry is going to go as it reversed round the blind corner on Derby Road, and again, reverses blind from Derby Road onto Sommerville Road, just near the park and the zebra crossing.
Now, theoretically reversing from a side road onto a main road is a highway code no-no, rule 201, "Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can." That's for cars, as well as lorries. But the Keyline Building Materials lorry had no choice: with only one driver there was no way a spotter could walk out a clear the way, so it had to do next best thing: put on its flashing lights.
Remember: with your hazard lights on, it's OK to reverse large vehicles round blind corners.
update: video is now visible
I have a lot of respect for lorry drivers but this move was a little daft. Didnt sound like he had a reversing beeper either...!?
ReplyDeleteGiven they could have carried on Derby St and then got out without reversing round two blind corners yes, it is somewhat short sighted. the one thing they would not have been able to do is turn into Sefton Park Road, as that road is too overparked to fit a lorry. Perhaps they were being directed by SatNav that didn't know that. But then GPS is an SPOF...
ReplyDeleteRemember if a lorry turns on its hazard lights it is most likely going to reverse so try not to get close to it.
ReplyDelete