Exceptional driving

Jacomus-rides-Gen

This morning, travelling East along Embankment I was surfing behind a huge skip lorry, and being followed by a Tesco articulated lorry. Both drivers were very good, but the Tesco driver impressed me the most.

He left a lovely gap between me and his truck, which he adjusted depending on our speed, but never came close enough to make me feel threatened. Once he beeped and it was like a foghorn going off, and in fact my ears are ringing slightly from the blast. I threw a look back instinctively expecting to see 45tons of death screaming down on me, but insted saw a WVM scoot back out of the gap between me and the Tesco truck.

Queuing in solid traffic I felt no need to filter, I wasn't in a hurry and was safer between these two huge trucks than I think I have ever been on my commute. Tesco truck came close in the queue, but only to the point where the driver could still see me at all times, so he was still about 1.5m off my rear wheel.

We both turned off at Blackfriars, but I made the lights and he didn't, which is such a shame because I would have loved to thank him for demonstrating what a real proffessional driver is.

BentMikey

Nice!!!

arranandy

Maybe the Tesco driver was a cyclist as well. I find most artic drivers quite considerate its the ones driving the 7.5tonners you have to watch.

redddraggon

I had a bad experience with one of the articulated lorries this morning.

I pulled up to some lights, after the lights was a 3 lane setup and I was already in the correct lane at the lights. An articulated lorry pulls up on my right (in the other lane) at the lights. As the lights go green, I set off, the lorry tries to pass from the right lane to the left in front of me going barely faster than me, forcing me to change lanes with him or brake and let him pull past. I wasn't signalling at all as I was already in the correct lane.

And to make matters worse two other vehicles (a van and a 4x4) did the right lane -> centre lane -> left lane in front of me (with me being in the centre lane). I thought I was lucky to make it to work alive this morning. Normally I see only a couple of cars in that area in the morning, so I was confident of which lanes I needed to be in from past experience.

mazcp

Jacomus...if the truck had a 'How's my driving?' sticker on the back (and you had a chance to see it), why not take the time to give them a call? I did just this when I was suitably impressed by very courteous driving by a Robert Wiseman Dairies HGV driver (delivering to Tesco as it happens), giving details of the time/location.

It probably brightened up his day. Who knows, he might even get a bonus.

lateralus

Jacomus-rides-Gen wrote:

This morning, travelling East along Embankment I was surfing behind a huge skip lorry, and being followed by a Tesco articulated lorry. Both drivers were very good, but the Tesco driver impressed me the most.

Nice to hear a positive Embankment story for a change

Wouldn't mind an artic as my own personal bodyguard.

Jacomus-rides-Gen

maz - If I had seen a sticker I would have called it when I got into the office, but I was in front of him the whole time. I intended to give him a big wave and thumbs up as I pulled off, but suddenly traffic was very heavy and I needed to be in full control If I see him again, I'll be sure to say thanks.

misterben

You could always try to phone/send an email to the generic Tesco customer care line - give the details of where/when and they can probably pin down the driver, and positive comments are rare enough on customer lines that they tend to make an extra effort.

Regulator

I had the (very) surprising delight of having a Murphy road workers 7.5 tonner behind me this morning - no revving of engine, no attempt to squeeze past, plenty of room left between us and, when he did finally overtake me, again plenty of room.

I could have fainted. Given the usual driving standards of the 'we're going to dig up the road' brigade (amongst whom Murphy drivers stand out as being particularly bad), this was such a refreshing change.

He overtook a cyclist ahead of me as well, leaving plenty of room and even using his indicators ( a novelty for most vehicles in London).

Jacomus-rides-Gen

Good idea Mr Ben, e-mail has duly been sent

mazcp

Jacomus-rides-Gen wrote:

Good idea Mr Ben, e-mail has duly been sent

Nice one....and good idea, MrB.

A - W

Sounds like a couple of decent drivers and their proffesional driving manner is always appreciated.

Just a slight deviation from the subject but we all mention how nice it is to be treated like that on a bike, but how many extend the same courtesy?

Has anyone read the cyclecraft? Or dare I even mention Roadcraft and then taken any kind of formal test, RoSPA/IAM?

Maybe worth a new poll?

Bonno

Had a coach overtake me on a blind bend down a country lane the other day, noted the name of the company and sent them a nice e-mail no reply yet !!

Buggi

i'm glad you sent the email... coz one day he might be behind me and remember it. company will prob track him down and pass on the message, coz they rarely get emails praising their drivers.