For most cyclists, HGVs are the thing most feared on urban roads. Despite only comprising 5% of traffic, they are involved in about 50% of cyclist deaths each year, and many more serious injuries.
The Metropolitan police’s Cycle Task Force are currently running safety events called Exchanging Places to raise awareness of cycle safety. These events allow people to sit in the driver’s seat of a HGV, truck or bus to get a better understanding of what the driver can and can’t see, especially in regards to cyclists on the nearside and directly in front of the vehicle.
Sergeant Simon Castle, in charge of the Cycle Team, said for The Guardian: “The old message is ‘share the road’ but it is difficult to do that if you can’t see the other point of view.”
The Cycle Safety Action Plan sets out a range of actions to improve cycle safety. One initiative is to work with the freight industry to identify the most appropriate cycle safety devices for a variety of heavy goods vehicles.
The Transport for London has completed a technology trial with products designed specifically to alert HGV drivers to the presence of cyclists in close proximity of their vehicles.
Charlie Lloyd, of the London Cycling Campaign, said:
“By far the most hazardous place for a cyclist is way out on the left of a large lorry, 1.5-3 metres away, outside the area seen in the mirrors or picked up by sensors. That is the area that a turning lorry swings into at speed when turning left. To the cyclist the lorry comes out of nowhere, to the driver the cyclist is invisible.”
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