Sainsbury's unveils safer lorry as Boris Johnson launches consultation

I'm glad to see they haven't resorted to the old; 'If you can't see my mirrors I can't see you', strapline which is used as an excuse for poor observation by so many drivers and operators. If they don't look in their mirrors they're never going to see anyone.

Argos74, The message I've read on the back of the Sainsburys lorries was well-judged and didn't disclaim responsibility. I don't see why we should edit to make it offensive to cyclists to just confirm some bias of our own?

This and the cameras and the vehicle body modifications aren't a solution without driver awareness too, but I don't see those things as negatives.

You can have all the mirrors and all the cameras in the world on these vehicles.

Just for argument there are 3 cameras on each side and 3 mirrors. That is observing what is happening for 10 seconds in each.

Everyone seems to forget that at some point it is advisable for any road user to look and see where he is going, therefore you are now down to 8.5 seconds out of every minute with a driver looking into each device.

Boris and TfL seem to be making a big deal about Class V & VI mirrors as safety features.

These mirrors are close proximity mirrors and offer very little in the way of safety/protection to VRUs. Their principle roll is to aid the driver when he is manoeuvring the vehicle in a restricted space so that the he does not strike the front nearside corner against a fixed object. Their view is very limited and does not extend much more than 12" from the edge/corner of the vehicle. As a cyclist or pedestrian you are extremely unlikely to be visible in these mirrors; you would need to be almost touching the cab. Also due to the curvature and angle of these mirrors the image is quite distorted.

The clue is in the name. Close proximity is not the same as blind spot removal.

Also. Side under-run guards are a legal requirement on most types of vehicle over 3.5Te GVM already. It is enforcement that is the problem.

So if it's dangerous to "undertake", could a cyclist involved in an accident sue the council for putting the cycle lane on the inside? That's a clear invitation to do something that will endanger yourself...

Orange is obviously safer, so Tesco, Asda and Morrisons should be banned from the road.

Doesn't look particularly different to me either. Of course Elephant in the room or perhaps by the castle (?) is the drivers of such vehicles as I found out again yesterday: I got overtaken by a rescue truck towing a HGV tipper truck. He couldn't wait for a safe place and did so just prior to a island preventing drivers going over the centre line.

The gap got narrower and narrower as the towed vehicle cut in on me and I had to slam on the anchors and get right in the gutter where there was a gap that nearly had my tyres.

He sped off, I never got an index number - the towing vehicle's one was obscured of course. I thought I knew the livery but it turns out that company is out of business. I think whoever it was is using their old trucks.

Thank God I wasn't another sorry statistic.

Why aren't there transparent lower panels in the doors?
There used to be on many lorries, but not any more. Why not? My guess is that the drivers didn't like them because then we could see what they were up to...

Classic Boris job that: That looks like a standard lorry... it doesn't look inherently any safer than any other truck with a few extra bits bolted on and the need for the driver to check the cameras to make it any safer.

Where is 180 degrees of low glass level round the driver? Where are the low mounted mirrors to see cyclists?

I would still be VERY careful when cycling near them....

Boris will launch a consultation. Operators will tell him it is too expensive to replace all their lorries. The consultation will end. Nothing will happen.

"Sainsbury’s has unveiled a new lorry that will make deliveries to its outlets in London"

Has the company specifically stated that these lorries are for London? Are they comfortable with the implication that unsafe lorries are acceptable everywhere else?

If that sign on the back of the Sainsbury's lorry particularly annoys you, add your own comments in Paint. Ariel, pt. 7 seems to work.

Template here: http://imgur.com/NgMTOo1

Good effort, but I don't think technology alone will solve the problem. The most important thing is proper provision for cyclists in town planning. Wherever bikes and motor vehicles share the same roads, there'll be injuries and deaths.

So far so good. How about enforcing the use of some active safety features? After all, mirrors and monitors are only as good at protecting other road users as the guy watching them.

Perhaps it is a reminder that cyclists also have a responsibility for their own safety.

just have a look at the massive sign on the back of that Sainsbury lorry

http://lcc.org.uk/articles/campaign-success-as-mayor-brings-safer-lorrie...