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Broken bike (CC licensed image by garryknight, www.flickr.com)Third cyclist killed on London Cycle Superhighway, tipper lorry involved
A cyclist has been killed this afternoon on Barclays Cycle Superhighway CS2 in east London, the third cyclist to die on the route in a little over two years. Once again, a tipper lorry is reported to be the vehicle involved.
The incident that claimed the life of the male bike rider (later identified as hospital porter Brian Holt) took place on Mile End Road in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, reports the BBC. It happened at 4.38pm, according to the Metropolitan Police.
That location lies between the western end of the route, where student Philippine de Gerin-Ricard lost her life in a collision with a lorry in July this year, and the eastern end of the route at Bow Roundabout, where Brian Dorling was killed by a tipper truck in October 2011.
The latest fatality on CS2 takes place a fortnight after a Coroner gave Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who chairs Transport for London, 56 days to respond to a Prevention of Future Deaths report issued following the inquests last month into those two previous deaths.
It comes just one day before the eastern extension of CS2 from Bow to Stratford is due to open.
The new route incorporates safety features including kerbed cycle lanes that have been welcomed by cycle campaigners but which are missing from the existing route – described by a police accident investigator at the inquest into Mr Dorling’s death as “just a piece of blue paint.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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On two occasions I've stopped cyclists on the Bristol to Bath Railway Path because their forks were the wrong way round, and corrected them for...
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£52 of sale price is so impressive, when you see some companies giving small %age of profits from sales to similar initiatives. Well done Galibier!
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If drivers routinely get away with this then how the hell do MPs like this expect it to work for bikes?...
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I'm all for my overall experience being enhanced.
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69 comments
trukcing cyclist - some of the behaviours, such as pulling in front of you in the middle of the lane, or "holding traffic up", are recommend practice. Its known as Vehicular Cycling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicular_cycling) and its generally accepted as the safest way to cycle given a lack of safe infrastructure.
The fact the cyclist "moved to the centre of the bus lane after looking directly at me and held up all traffic." is exactly what they should have done, they've ensured you've seen them.
If a lorry was behind me, i'd be making sure i'd made eye contact and was positioned in the middle of the lane too!
The fact that someone with a HGV license doesn't understand the reason for these behaviours is very worrying, especially when you assume its only done out of arrogance, or to deliberately hold traffic up.
The type of cyclists usually involved in accidents with HGV's are often new or timid cyclists, sticking to the left and following the (dangerous) cycle paths, as stated in the recent coroners report mentioned above, though this doesn't necessarily make them at fault.
@trucking cyclist. P pay for the road too, from General taxation. I have insurance. I have EVERY RIGHT to use the roads that I CHOOSE to cycle on. The majority of cycle lanes are not 'safe' they are in fact taking cyclists into your blind spots, up the inside of you and other trucks. If a cyclists takes the lane (as your boris biker did) then maybe it is because they don't feel it safe for you to pass them at that point. This is a safe move. You're wrong to say trucks are only dangerous if you are in the wrong position, they are also dangerous if driven too close to a cyclist in the right positon, or who the driver hasn't seen. Some cyclists take massive risks with their lives, they shouldn't but do. Some cdrivers take massive risks with MY life, they shouldn't but some do. Telling cyclists to use other roads is not the answer, the answer is to have more respect from both sides, more education for both sides and for there to be safe infrustructure.
First of all our thoughts have to be with the friends and families of those involved.
Before we trail the driver of the truck my media. Let us first consider the old adage that we are innocent until proven guilty.
The reports suggest that the collision happened when the lorry pulled off following the road, i.e. not turning, so it is a different circumstance to the bow round-a-bout concerns.
We do not know who was at fault here. There are differing scenarios which would proportion blame to either driver, cyclist, tfl. Who knows.
One thing I would point out is that why does it always seem to involve tippers :(.
And another incident on the cycle super highway. The whole point of which was to make cyclists feel more safe, yet another one has needlessly perished. If nothing else it would suggest that the CS is ill concieved and certainly I would be more concerned about using it.
At last some common sense,,,,i will answer the question re why is it often tippers,,,it is not alway
AT THE MOMENT IN CENTRAL LONDON THERE IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST EVER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT GOING ON ...A GOV,T CONTRACT THAT REQUIRES TIPPER TRUCKS TO BE AVAILABLE 24 HRS A DAY,,,,NORMALLY MOST TIPPERS ARE PARKED UP AND FINISHED BY 4.30 PM AND NOT INVOLVED IN THE EVENING RUSH.
TIPPERS AT THE MOMENT FAR EXCEED ANY OTHER TYPE OF TRUCK WORKING IN CENTRAL LONDON,,MOST OTHERS GET DELIVERIES DONE EARLY MORNING,,OR ARE ON SMALLER VEHICLES FROM OUTER LONDON HUBS JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF RESTRICTIONS ON PARKING AND LOADING...THESE INCIDENTS INVOLVE MORE TIPPERS THAN OTHER VEHICLES SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE OF THEM ON THE ROAD THAN ANY OTHER HGV.NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE DANGEROUS AND MOST ARE NOW FITTED WITH VERY EXPENSIVE CAMERAS AND SENSORS...THEY ARE ONLY A DANGER TO THOSE ON CYCLES WHO PUT THEMSELVES IN A POSITION OF DANGER...NO AMOUNT OF MIRRORS,CAMERAS,SENSORS,,,OR LICENSING CAN CATER FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO PUT THEIRSELF WITH IN INCHES OF A LARGE HEAVY VEHICLE,,,OR ANY VEHICLE FOR THAT MATTER......CYCLISTS NEED TO GET REAL.
Right,,it,s time some home truths were told here,,,I am 52 years old and hold a full license to drive every type of vehicle on the road from a motorcycle to an artic and including buses,,and i am a cyclist..
I drove a fully safety equipped tipper around central london a few for a couple of weeks a few months ago and i have to say ta lot of cyclists have no respect for their own lives...i had one man about the age of the chap killed on the mile end road,,come into my blindspot,i was alerted by sensors,lean on my cab,despite there being a green box in front and DESPITE THE VEHICLE SHOUTING AT HIM REPEATEDLY THAT THIS VEHICLE IS TURNING LEFT..WHEN I GOT OUT AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING HE TOOK OFF THROUGH THE RED LIGHT WITHOUT LOOKING.
Another man of the of a similar age on a BORIS BIKE decided that i should not be in the very wide bus lane at whitechapel despite me being there legally and moved to the centre of the bus lane after looking directly at me and held up all traffic.
these two are only a few of the stories i can tell of lunatic cyclists in Central London who seem to think they have rights over all other traffic and no respect for their own safety.
I am sure it is often this type of cyclist that is involved in these terrible tragedies and i personally know truck drivers who have been cleared of any fault in a cyclist death,who lives have been destroyed by having to live with the trauma of these events despite being cleared of all responsibility.
those of you that post these ban lorries and slag off lorry drivers in your posts are probably just these sort of people.
Remember as a cyclist you are using the road with no license registration or insurance and those of you who cycle in the road when there are perfectly safe cycle lanes available to you that have cost us the paying road user millions of pounds are a menace to society.
HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR OTHER ROAD USERS,,THE COUNCILS THAT HAVE SUPPLIED SAFE CYCLING ENVIROMENTS,,,AND MOST OFF ALL YOUR OWN LIVES.
WHY ANYONE FEELS THE NEED TO CYCLE ALONG THE HIGHWAY FROM THE LIMEHOUSE LINK TO TOWER HILL I HAVE NO IDEA,,,THERE IS A PERFECTLY SAFE FREE FROM LORRIES CYCLE LANE THE FULL LENGTH OF CABLE STREET...YOU DO IT BECAUSE YOU CAN,,,SOME OF YOU NEED TO GET REAL QUICKLY OR THIS WILL KEEP HAPPENING.IT IS NOT ALWAYS THE DRIVERS AT FAULT....USE THE FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO YOU AND STAY AWAY FROM TRUCKS....THEY ARE ONLY DANGEROUS IF YOU PUT YOURSELF IN A DANGEROUS POSITION.
Fuck off you pathetic trolling cunt.
To Truckingcyclist.
I very, very, much doubt that we will get any truth from you.
So you are of a decent age and can be trained to drive technically demanding vehicles but cant work a keyboard properly? I'm having further doubts here sunbeam.
I doubt this happened.
What a pile of complete tosh.
Really? So he was able to reach all the way up to the cab of a tipper truck? Must have been a big tall fella hey? Well done to you though for being able to see exactly what he was doing the whole time he was in a position where you claim you would be completely unable to see him, you know, in your blind spot.
Kudos too for being able to monitor if said cyclist had checked if the route was clear in the whole time it took you to climb out of a tipper truck, down the steps, round the front of the vehicle to where the cyclist was.
Come to think of it, what were you doing jumping out of your truck? I mean if the sensors were going off for long enough for you to get worked up and then make the decision to get out of the vehicle, then you would have had to come out of gear, check the brakes were on, turn the engine off, remove the keys, check the traffic for any other vehicles, traffic or pedestrians coming past, climb down the steps on to the road, round the vehicle and across to the cyclist. And the lights were still on red at this point? Alternatively, you've just jumped out of the cab, leaving several tonnes of highly hazardous machinery with its engine running. If either situation turned out to be true then it doesn't look good for you really does it?
I don't know the bus lane in question so I can't say if you are correct in saying you could legally be there, strikes me as odd that a tipper truck can drive in a bus lane at any time remotely near a peak time though, but regardless, this cyclist has ridden, made eye contact and presumably still felt that you would try to over take in a manner that would put him in danger so rode in the safest position in the road? He rode in a manner that actually made him safer? The crazy lunatic! This anecdote, again if it were true, would only serve to point out that you aren't very good at understanding roads or other road users.
Actually, these stories have shown that it is you that thinks you have absolute right on the roads and that cyclists put themselves in safer positions.
To paraphrase the old lager advert, "Troll, troll, troll, troll, troll, troll, troll, troll"
It's at this point you've lost it, you might as well have two pencils up your nose and be shouting "wibble".
See, this is the problem with large motorized vehicles: they have massive blindspots. Really, as we're speaking some home truths here, said vehicles should only be driven in a hyper-cautious manner. If not, then we end up with accidents.
So you knew there was a cyclist there. He knew you knew, you knew he knew, it was a red-light... what's the problem? Apart from you screaming at him like a nutter?
Which can be rephrased as "Another man of 52 years of age on a TIPPER LORRY decided that a cyclist should not be in the center of a magic bus lane which is wide enough for a TIPPER LORRY to pass a bicycle with a car's width. Despite the cyclist being there legally."
See, there's another problem... some of the people driving the trucks KEEP PUTTING OTHER ROAD USERS IN A DANGEROUS POSITION.
You mean like this Truck driver?: http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01614/PETER_SUTCLIFFE_1614684...
I have insurance twice, (1) for work and (2) thrown in free with a membership to LCC.
Everybody in the UK who pays any tax is paying for the roads. Are you aware that trucks are subsidised by the taxpayer who are paying for the damage the heavy vehicles are doing to the roads.
"there are perfectly safe cycle lanes" Where? Are they in car door zones? do they have chevrons or better separating the bikes from the rest of the traffic? Over the last few days I can't help notice the debris from the storm seems to have been swept from everywhere except the cycle lanes.
Here is one example of a cycle lane which makes one fear for their life because ignorant motor vehicle drivers think it's ok to drive right next to it, and it's one of the cycle lanes that's still full of debris: http://goo.gl/maps/ACn2F I think cycling organisations need to start thinking about bringing legal against councils who create such dangerous cycle lanes, I would gladly contribute towards such a legal campaign.
It's just a matter of time before vehicles without good visibility of what is around them are banned, it's absurd that some HGV drivers can't see what is directly in front of their vehicle.
Not sure if having insurance twice is helpful. Wouldn't each insurance company try to palm off the costs to the other?
If anything happened during working hours, Work would sort things out via their insurance, out of work hours I'd use the personal insurance.
No disrespect to the dead and not to absolve the driver of any blame (he has killed someone after all), but with every hgv-roundabout-left-turn fatality I'm increasingly thinking "idiot cyclist".
Seriously, who cycles alongside a hgv these days and isn't warily giving it a wide berth or just backing off and letting the thing go ahead completely?
It's not as if it hasn't been well publicised over the years, and only requires a modicum of commonsense.
It's the same with any other form of transport, ultimately you've got to look out for your own safety and that of others...
... pedestrians crossing blindly at a snail's pace while staring at your bloody iPhone take note.
This is such a dumb comment Im really not sure where to start with it.
The infrastructure in the UK forces vulnerable road users in with HGV's and conflict invariably happens. You have ASL's that put cyclists ahead of fast moving traffic and are EXACTLY the same shape and size as HGV's blind areas.
There is a huge lack of road craft training for ALL road users, especially with the licensing of motorised vehicles (only have to prove competency once in all the time you're driving?).
If you cannot grasp these concepts before making ignorant, victim blaming comments, then please refrain from doing so again.
Ha! I seem to grasp the concepts of vulnerability far better than you it would appear. When you're in an ASL it's because the traffic has stopped at the lights. I don't think anybody would sit in an ASL while the traffic is fast moving. Perhaps that's where you're going wrong!
As for me, I've got a driving licence, no car and the bike is my primary transport. Plenty of us have licences, and more should apply the skills learnt in the car while we're on the bike. Skills like always looking around you. I'm always looking around me for potential killers - HGVs, buses, cars, other cyclists, my little ponies etc, and if necessary I'll take adjust my position to be more visible or get clear.
It's not victim blaming, it's not the 'them against us' you think it is. It's about been aware, using some common sense, taking responsibility for your safety and living to see another day.
Are you that dumb or think that being facetious is really clever?
Go and look at ASL's and you'll see that despite being across the width of the road, cyclists still tend to stay on the lefthand side and in the gutter.
Despite the design being that it gives cyclists a 'head start', it places them in front of faster moving traffic that as soon as the lights change, hurtle towards them. (motorbikes are especially guilty of this). They are a shit (non) solution to terrible junction design and there is a very good reason they are not used on mainland Europe.
Go and read your original comment because its obvious you have a massive discrepancy between what goes on in your head and reality.
Is your head just constantly replaying Mad Max? And I know what I said, and I stand by it.
Don't know what your problem is or why you come across as so angry, but surely a simple solution is to get out of the gutter and use the middle of the box? That way you're more visible and cars won't zoom passed you.
Maybe the box isn't the best in the world, but what you're describing sounds like user error to me.
Call it facetious if you want. I call it common sense.
Quote on the evening standard is shocking...
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cyclist-hit-by-lorry-dies-and-hour...
"Motiur Khan, 22, said: “The lorry was behind the cyclist and sort of went into the back of him and then I don’t really know if he lost control or something, but he hit the cyclist who went under the lorry which just ran over and crushed him."
Road accidents involving work vehicles fall under things that can be investigated by HSE if they chose to. Any other fatality related to the works that truck was going to would mean a full HSE enquiry, with all the processes and documentation being checked out, regardless of whether it involved a sub-contractor or whatever.
It has been mentioned that truck drivers may have be under time pressure, being paid per load. That'd seem to flag up a RA failure by the main contractor or client right off.
Bringing the people at the top of the chain directly into the investigation would also seem to be the easiest way to move towards better practices right the way down - just make it too much direct hassle to the people paying the bills to have anybody involved who is cutting corners.
Driver stopped for minor traffic violation - HSE letter to the client/main contractor warning that future problems will trigger closer HSE attention.....
I just do not see how any sentient human being can sleep at night directing cyclists on to "super highways" that are regularly used by HGV' s. It is criminally negligent and at least the coroner in the most recent case is putting TFL on the spot.
Upper Thames as mentioned above is in my opinion one of the most dangerous roads in London with all the industrial traffic along it and the Southwark bridge intersection (on the superhighway) is just horrible. I have contacted TFL about this accident waiting to happen but you just get the usual BS back.
My condolences to the family, we do not know the circumstances but we do know the outcome and it is tragic.
PS Apparently CS2 extension to Stratford makes a very passable canal after even a mild shower.. perhaps they should have thought about drains when building a route with 6" kerbs on each side and then blocking it off with a raised pedestrian crossing point?
If design of route cannot get that basic detail right what of the more critical designing out of inherently dangerous conflicting movements?
First can you explain your maths - 2 dead on CS2 at Bow Roundabout, 1 dead on CS2 at Aldgate/Commercial Street, plus now a further death between those locations on Mile End Road? That makes four?
There but for some sixth sense? White rigid 18T with box and tail lift made my alarm system trip first by the way he passed me on Stamford Street - I then passed on way to Southwark Bridge and turned to head up in to the City - somehow I just knew he would be going my way and I made sure I clocked the driver at Upper Thames Street lights - me central position with other cyclists going on up Queen Street. Truck driver in n/s lane not signalling and sure enough he sets off to turn RIGHT probably about 17.45 (as it will be on CCTV). Having made the driver well aware of my presence I was thankful that this was sufficient to make him suitably cautious about pulling away and my presence (and that of a few other cyclists forced him to drive with appropriate to that presence (but still never signalled the right turn!) Vehicle nominally white with green lettering for a produce supplier based in Ockenden (watch out for that guy he needs a bit of 'care around cyclists' training.
The other of today's 'bads' what news of the cyclist trapped by coach turning Southampton Row-Theobalds Road? Had that attempted by 7.5T (C1) driver a couple of months back - again no signal (initially) - as a cyclist you are invited to use bus lane which then becomes left filter for Theobalds Road. You need to sit well to the right in the lane and make left turning motor vehicle drivers pass behind to make the turn - not this guy - we set off and I wonder why he seems to be taking a course so close, slow and parallel to me - look in to the cab and I realise he wants to turn left and was expecting me to stop so that he could cut me up, but I of course kept moving straight ahead. Could have been nasty. Trying to figure what I'd have done aside from deflection turn and grabbing door handle/mirror bracket or punching in n/s window to get something more substantial to hang on to. Just like CS2 a fundamental flaw in the road layout and traffic management at this junction.
Oh and @Neil753 next year sees the deadline for the first wave of 35 hour CPC for C+E licence holders. Going around even the big name training providers NONE seems to have a module to address the relationship between users of large trucks and of cycles. Some are even signing off (and being accepted as meeting the standards) by doing same modules each year. Where's the sense in that? Very pleased though that (ONLY in Scotland) Police Scotland and Traffic Commissioner have a Memorandum of Understanding and every vocational licence holder stopped for use of a mobile device is automatically being reported to TAO - expect to hear of short licence suspensions in addition to penalty points if the Commissioner needs to get tough with the crack-down.
The other Bow Roundabout fatality of course was Svitlana Tereschenko, three weeks after Brian Dorling, but it wasn't on CS2 itself. The site is at the western end of the new extension that opens today.
One life lost is one too many! Now there have been three cyclists killed in the same area. Something must be done to ensure this sad situation does not happen again.
My Sincere Sympathy to the family and friends of the Deceased Cyclist. My Condolances.
Another issue that needs addressing is the paying of Tipper Trucks 'by the load' which can only encourage drivers to go quickly and get in more loads.
The construction industry in London should self regulate and ban this practice. Or Boris should sort them out.
Not saying it is an issue in this tragedy, but Tipper trucks are far too often involved and need stronger regulation, safety and training.
CS2 is worse than “just a piece of blue paint.” it brings motor-vehicles too close to cyclists, in places it's part of a car lane e.g. http://goo.gl/maps/RaRvr
It's about time that very strict enforcement of tax, mot, license and insurance were brought against construction vehicles. Any company hiring a tipper truck that lacks correct tax, mot, license or insurance should have the book thrown at them. It seems that these companies are not being held responsible when they should be.
I don't think banning large vehicles is feasible and I don't stick to cycling during rush hour anyway. But I do think that these vehicles need mandatory retro-fits of better mirror setups.
And very sad for the friends and family of the victim, words fail me :-(.
Sad day indeed. Super highway! What's so super.
How many more deaths will it take for the authorites to act.
BIG action needed before another cyclist dies.
STAY AWAY FROM HGV's WHERE YOU CAN.
- Ban large vehicles during rush hour
- Don't let them on the roads at all if they have blind spots that can be cured with a few extra mirrors
- Remove blue paint from these horrible roads - it just gives cyclists a false sense of security
Oh boy. How many times do we need to copy and paste similar sentiments?
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