Cyclists.

Apart from sceptical about the accuracy of newspapers reporting, it's a bit early for an official assessment of blame.

I was really making a more general observation. I wouldn't cut off a truck or any vehicle if it's dangerous, even if was in the right technically

Good luck MrLandie. Stay safe. :)

I've had three stupid drivers to deal with today. No stupid cyclists as yet. I might add that I have to use a cycle way to get in and out of my street. There are just a few cyclists who give me the irrits. They probably represent the same percentage as idiot drivers.

Cheers, Billy.

Thanks BillyT. ...I reckon it's good to remember that it's easier for a vehicle to give way to a cyclist than the other way round.

Trucks have a sign on the back which is actually a legal direction: DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE. It's there for a bloody good reason.

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Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

Is it not possible that the cyclist did not notice that the truck was turning or thought he could beat him to the punch? I've seen them do it so many times. Luckily and happily for me, I haven't seen anyone squashed.
I sometimes wonder if the function of the brain is hampered by extreme exertion, and the presence of Adrenaline. Any thoughts on this from our medical people?

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You make an interesting point here. As a frequent and keen cyclist (okay, probably just turned off half the audience:D) I know that after a period of hard exertion, like at the top of a tough climb, my attention can be a little "off" - maybe even to the same extent as a car driver on the phone! I can be a little fixated on the road just in front of me and somewhat ignorant of my surroundings. Having said that, I have only ever noticed this on a cycle path or shared path, not a road I'm sharing with other vehicles over 4 times my size, hundreds or thousands times over my weight and hundreds of millions of times under my vulnerability.

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Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

Trucks have a sign on the back which is actually a legal direction: DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE. It's there for a bloody good reason.

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Absolutely! First rule of Defensive cycling! But it doesn't mean a truck can over take a cyclist then immediately turn left in front of them either.

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Originally Posted by MrLandy

Absolutely! First rule of Defensive cycling! But it doesn't mean a truck can over take a cyclist then immediately turn left in front of them either.

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Absolutely.:)

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Originally Posted by MrLandy

The brain fade of vehicle drivers who want to shave a few seconds off a trip and who rush in front of cyclists to do so, is the biggest problem. Most drivers seem to think they have the power so they wield it, the also they underestimate both the speed of cyclists and the space they need.

Yes some cyclists take stupid risks in traffic too, so obviously it's case by case. But no matter how you look at it, cyclists are far more vulnerable on the roads. Defensive riding is virtually every cyclists first consideration IMO.

Anyone driving a large truck or 4wd has a responsibility to recognise how vulnerable cyclists are and to modify their driving around them accordingly.

I'm actually about to go for a ride now, so wish me luck amongst all the bogun 4WD drivers who seem to think they should be the only species of human on the planet.

Cheers

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That is a two-way street, both legally and for survival purposes.

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Originally Posted by loneranger

So the truck turned in front of the cyclist yet its the cyclists fault.

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Yep. Back to the road rules:

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PASSING (OVERTAKING) VEHICLES ON THE LEFT

Whether you are riding in a marked bicycle lane or sharing a lane with a vehicle, a bicycle rider must not pass or overtake on the left of any vehicle that is giving a left change of direction signal and is turning left. A bicycle rider may pass or overtake a vehicle on the left when the vehicle is giving a left change of direction signal and is stationary or moving forward to turn left. Once the vehicle begins turning left the rider must not ride past or overtake the vehicle on the left.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Yep. Back to the road rules:

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But if the truck overtook the cyclist then turned in front of them they were the ones that failed to give way. My wife was hit by a car who tried this maneuver and the driver was found to be in the wrong.

I would also suggest the cyclist probably wasn't intending to end up in under the truck. You know the old survival instinct tends to kick in when faced with a situation in which you may die.