Almost died! With pictures!

pangolin

Slightly dramatic topic title, but it is genuinely the closest I have come.

I was going down Lower Thames Street at about 5:20pm. Here is is for anyone who doesn't know it



That on road on the left had a large flatbed waiting in it. I say waiting. As I got closer he pulled out. I didn't really have time to stop, but had enough distance at this point to think - that's pretty crap, but I can go out into the second lane and go round him. So I start pulling out - road is empty apart from us on both sides.

Here we are at this point.



Only, he didn't go into the left lane. He crossed both lanes, went over the reservation, and started to turn right to go back the other way. As this became clear the brakes went on hard, I shouted something between OY and AAARGH literally as loud as I could, about twice. Rear wheel locked up, and I ended up perpendicular to the road, parallel to the lorry, upper arm touching the edge of the middle of the flatbed.

So now things look like this



The cab is starting to point to the right, and he keeps going, so the flatbed touching my arm starts pushing into me. Absolute terror at this point. This is how people die. Fling bike back the wrong way up this large 2 lane road and pedal a couple of metres back - to safety. Shout again - hop over kerb to the other side of the road and up to the cab.

Still at the top of my voice... "WHAT THE F*CK ARE YOU DOING".

"inaubible response from behind window"

I gesture to roll down window - he does

"Sorry mate I didn't see you overtaking me"

I am basically left speechless at this point. Almost killed by a smidsy. And "overtaking me"? Where to begin with that one.

Genuinely shocked and didn't know what to say. I think I said "That was absolutely terrifying - look where you're going". He half-heartedly apologised, and we went our ways. Not long down the road I wished I had stopped him properly, got details, phoned the police etc. Was shaking for a while. Scarier than when I went over a cab bonnet and scratched my face and arms up a couple of years ago.

Emailed the company to complain. Don't even know the licence plate though. This is the only time I wish I'd been wearing a helmet cam

-phew-

coopster_the_1st

Glad you made it out of this ok. Your pictures really bring out the impact of what could have happened.

I would report this to the police anyway. Via the safer roads link?

That central reservation is there for a reason and this sort of driving is what causes deaths. Having the company name should be enough for the police to find out who was driving (if they take it seriously!)

Kieran_Burns

There are 2 cameras over that Give Way sign....

davis

yikes. And obviously, no f*cking way should he have been driving like that...

thistle_

There's also some sort of one way sign near the give way sign.

Doesn't look like a 'left turn only' or 'ahead only' sign though.

il_principe

Kerist. Glad you're ok. Terrifying.

Worth pursuing I reckon. Should vehicles be turning right there anyway?

spen666

I cycle this route every morning & can only begin to imagine your terror.

A number of points come to mind:

1. The driver performed an illegal manouvere - there is a central reservation ie raised concrete area - he drove over that.

2. He drove without taking proper observations

3. He drove without due consideration for other road users.

This in my view is a seriously bad piece of driving. I would recommend you report it to the police. This incident should be on CCTV.

roger_merriman

Il Principe wrote:

Kerist. Glad you're ok. Terrifying.

Worth pursuing I reckon. Should vehicles be turning right there anyway?

no, the raised central kerb plus a no right tun, I assume the lorry came from the flats they are building next to tower of london?

woodnut

Stupid, lazy, dangerous driving. All to save him a few minutes.
Glad you are ok

Harry182

Absolutely infuriating how deliberately obtuse some drivers can be.

Glad you're at least physically okay. Sounds like a nice bit of manoeuvring on your part.

meanredspider

Glad you are OK!!!!

Please report it before the driver really does kill someone

veronese68

Shiite!!! That's terrifying, echo all of the above sentiments. Glad it was only a nearly and we're not reading it in the papers.

chilling

There may not be no right turn sign but I'm sure that's a one way arrow.

DrLex

Well done for quick action & avoidance; a couple of months later and seasonal progression might have made it even harder in the dark to discern what was happening. I don't recall that road ever being clear enough on a weekday to consider a right turn in a car, let alone a humongous waggon.
As per previous comments- inform the police. They may not do anything, but it should make you feel a wee bit better.

DonDaddyD

When you got to his cab you should have made ape noises...

Just saying...

kelsen

Bloody hell! That is scary! It looks like a stretch of road where you can put your foot down so braking would've been pretty drastic. The last thing you'd expect is a big fcuk-off lorry pulling out into the middle of the road!

Glad you're ok.

jimmypippa

spen666 wrote:

I cycle this route every morning & can only begin to imagine your terror.

A number of points come to mind:

1. The driver performed an illegal manouvere - there is a central reservation ie raised concrete area - he drove over that.

2. He drove without taking proper observations

3. He drove without due consideration for other road users.

This in my view is a seriously bad piece of driving. I would recommend you report it to the police. This incident should be on CCTV.

No wonder you were terrified Pangolin.

It is obviously no right turn.

jay197

I know that road and the whole road has CCTV cameras down it so the whole incident would have been filmed I am sure.

I would have rang the police and reported the accident as he clearly was making an illegal maneuver, and does not deserve to have an HGV licence tbh.

Main thing is you are ok, but if a Policemen witnessed what he did he would be charged with dangerous driving, and he would most definitely receive a ban or heavy fine.

Most HGV's are good drivers but, due to it's size London gets all sorts, bad cyclists, bad drivers. bad truckers, and ar$ehole coppers too :P

whitebait01

Christ, my heart was racing just reading that. Unbelievable! Definitely report it and try to get hold of cctv. If he's regularly delivering to that site he may end up trying the same thing going again. Glad you're ok. Lucky it was dry this evening eh?

cookdn

"Report it" +1. I've nearly been taken out by taxis u-turning into my path a couple of times, but an HGV :shock:

cookeeemonster

I use that road every day and I had to re-read your post twice to understand what he done...glad you're ok, what a freaking idiot, I'd never even think anyone would try that manoeuvre on that road.

Good luck with getting some justice!!

cookeeemonster

Ps for those that don't know, that's a real fast stretch of road as it's a bit downhill - quite easy to get up to the high 20's without killing yourself ..well unless some tw*t pulls out on you of course...

cjcp

Bloody hell. Glad you're not hurt. Definitely report it: that's insane driving.

cjcp

I'm very glad I don't ride that road every day anymore. A brake cable snapped going down that hill a couple of years ago, when it was slushy. "F*ck shit" was one thought, but I think your incident just about tops that.

veronese68

Reading this again it really is appalling. The driver is lucky he didn't murderise Pangolin to death. The girl that doored me committed a fairly minor act of stupidity but it had fairly large consequences.
This bloke deliberately carried out a manouevre he must have known was illegal and could so easily have killed someone. Makes my blood boil. Hope he gets eunuchised.

pangolin

Cheers for the sympathy everyone! I have calmed down now. I called the poh-lice and he said I need to go to a station so will do so tomorrow over lunch.

Yup it's just after a nice downhill so you can roll to 20mph, any effort at all is mid 20's easily. And as people have said it is definitely no right turn.

DDD- I considered that option as I was cycling away didn't occur to me at the time sadly.

Peds were looking around oddly for a good 100m afterwards, must have heard my cries of fear!

pangolin

Veronese68 wrote:

Reading this again it really is appalling. The driver is lucky he didn't murderise Pangolin to death.

Haha! This made me laugh True though it is :?

Origamist

@pangolin - if you're not happy with the response you get from the company take it up with the Traffic Commissioner as they have responsibility for the licensing of the operators of Heavy Goods Vehicles and of buses and coaches:

South Eastern and Metropolitan
Nicholas Denton
Ivy House
3 Ivy Terrace
Eastbourne BN21 4QT
Phone: 0300 123 9000

Glad you're OK.

jimmypippa

pangolin wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Reading this again it really is appalling. The driver is lucky he didn't murderise Pangolin to death.

Haha! This made me laugh True though it is :?

I liked the next idea:

Veronese68 wrote:

Hope he gets eunuchised.

Paul E

What a weapon, that's a very quick bit of smooth tarmac...

bigmat

Another vote for reporting it to the police. That is beyond sh1t driving he needs a good talking to from someone who will make him listen.