One solution...

 

http://static.commercialmotor.com/big-lorry-blog/Uneconic.jpg

In his blind spot?

The people inside the yellow lines canot be seen by the driver!!!

 

 

 

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n50/kinninviekid/10731127_541411602661135_3035156222646479443_n_zpsg0bb8swr.jpg

 

And it's even worse for cyclists since the area under the left side mirrors joining both front zones is also blind to the driver.

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Interesting discussion as one who cycles and who has a daughter and ex wife who cycle and both scare me to death my opinion is that gender has an input in that men tend to be more spatially aware (I believe) but both men and women are entitled to road space . For me the problem is large vehicles in small spaces. If I were transport minister ( haha not much chance) I would be restricting large vehicles (over 7.5 tonnes) to hubs at the edge of towns/cities and then move goods in smaller vehicles to the retailers. Larger vehicles can be escorted with a speed restriction maybe 15 mph. What would be suitable for that ? lol. Why doesn't this happen? Vested interests by hauliers ? It would put the cost of distribution up. Is it worth it. In my book yes. Anyone more politically active than myself care to push this idea please go for it. Cycle safely . Bob

Edited July 24, 201510 yr by electrickery

I would be restricting large vehicles (over 7.5 tonnes) to hubs at the edge of towns/cities and then move goods in smaller vehicles to the retailers. Larger vehicles can be escorted with a speed restriction maybe 15 mph.

 

But again completely impractical Bob. As I've explained earlier in the thread, London has been continuously full of very large construction projects engaging huge numbers of large construction trucks, commonly four axle 30 tonners. They've been shifting huge volumes of spoil from all the large tunnelling projects like the Ring Water Main, the trans-London Crossrail and the Thames Tideway tunnel preparatory works, plus many construction sites..

 

These are projects taking years which could never be completed with light trucks, and if using far larger numbers of those, the accidents would probably be multiplied due the the increased incidence of left turns. Secondly 7.5 tonners can be driven on car licences, so the very large number of drivers needed for all the extra vehicles would probably be even more of a danger.

 

And the speed restriction measure on larger trucks would make no difference, simply because nearly all these left turn deaths occur at low speed on tight left turns, often when moving off from a standstill.

 

So non starters. The practical solutions are as I explained and the dominant gender issue should not be ducked. That is now the core of the problem.

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