The second rule of cycle club is - Don't go up the lefthandside of skip lorries.
This morning I watched two people, a bloke and a girl, both sqeeze their bikes up the lefthand side of this bumper sized skip lorry - whilst it was moving - and whilst it was indicating left....sigh.
I'll freely admit to going up the leftside of the occasional big vehicle, but only when I know it really is safe to do so (99% of the time it's less hassle to simply hold back or filter down the right). This thing moving at 10mph AND indicating is definately not in that category. Besides, most of the time getting ahead of this thing at the lights only means it will it will overtake you again further on unless you know for sure that you will be making enough progress to get away from it. Overtaking lorries are never nice, even when done competently, so why create an extra overtake?.
Thankfully the driver saw them and slowed right down, but I'd rather rely on my own wit than on someone else's who might be too busy listening to Radio 1 next time.
This one even comes with a cryptic warning label. Presumably this is there to aid the bloke whose job it is to extract you from the chassis.
The warning sign is for anybody that may be working on the truck's engine. To access it, the cab tilts forward, and typically there's a sturdy brace to prop it up, without which the cab can fall back and crush whomever was leaning over to access the engine.
ReplyDeleteWilliam,
ReplyDeleteI think that comment was meant as a joke.
Golden rule Jim!!
ReplyDeleteI see too many times crazy cyclists (either cocky or inexperienced) squeeze to the left inner side of massive lorries (little ones are still bad), and I stop breathing for a second coz I can just see the worse case scenario unfolding. I'd rather use some extra seconds of my time and stay behind, but in line of the lorry external mirror... and wave! Yes wave, I have noticed that it actually does catch the drivers' attention... not fail proof I know but better than risking my own life by trying to squeeze pass!