Tips for urban riding around large trucks.

[Dirt]

Works nicely for commuter buses in DC too. Never ever ever pull up the right side of a bus.

[DSalovesh]

The blind spot map is good to keep in mind, and the advice doesn’t hurt.

Back when I drove trucks quite a bit for work I noticed a trend, and it’s one that has certainly continued in the last 20 years: the better a truck cabin gets, the less the driver is reminded that there’s 10-20 tons stretching 30-40 feet behind it. We see what that leads to these days every time a truck swerves to the right to pass another vehicle turning left or when they’re speeding 10-20 over the limit through residential zones.

Back to this tip then, it’s really hard to account for keeping away from blind spots and danger zones of large trucks when they’re being driven as if they’re compact cars. In another group we were given an example of this last week when a cyclist reported a collision with a truck trailer where bike lanes merged into normal lanes. (We didn’t get full details on the collision so I don’t know much more, but the cyclist was cited for riding abreast, presumably of the truck and trailer – similar to the story that was presented during the Judiciary hearing last fall.)

[KLizotte]

Probably the best write-up I’ve ever come across about cycling around trucks (and buses). Everyone – please read it.

[baiskeli]

Thanks.

Good advice for the left side too, where there’s also a blind spot. Also good advice when driving a car anywhere near a truck, or even another car.

[Terpfan]

@Tim Kelley 16380 wrote:

I came across this link and thought it would be useful to share:

http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/11/30/what-cyclists-need-to-know-about-trucks/

Also a great reminder as the tour bus season seems to have kicked into gear. They make bad Metro bus drivers look like angels.

[RESTONTODC]

This is an excellence subject thread. I have seen many cyclists make this mistake in DC streets everyday by stopping or riding next to the truck in the bike lane. The trucks look slow but deadly. They don’t feel it when it hits a bike. I try to stay away from them much I can.

[pfunkallstar]

@RESTONTODC 16397 wrote:

This is an excellence subject thread. I have seen many cyclists make this mistake in DC streets everyday by stopping or riding next to the truck in the bike lane. The trucks look slow but deadly. They don’t feel it when it hits a bike. I try to stay away from them much I can.

I saw a CaBiker do that with a Metro bus this morning – pulled up by the right rear corner to squeeze around the turn in front of the bus. Ballsy and stupid.

[KLizotte]

At a minimum, CaBi should include this kind of detailed info (like the FL link referenced above) on its own website and include a paper copy with the key fob they send to annual subscribers.

Who knows if it would have prevented the disaster that happened a couple of weeks ago on U street when the CaBi rider got right hooked by the truck (I know the cyclist was supposedly running the red but he may have thought twice…).

[5555624]

If you’re a sidewalk rider and you’re on the corner, back away from the corner. A couple of times a week, I see a bus or truck making a turn and coming up right up to and sometimes onto the curb — sending the cyclist on the corner scrambling backwards. (As long as they don’t get hit it’s amusing, but they — both the cyclists and drivers — need to pay attention.)

[MCL1981]

@Dirt 16381 wrote:

Works nicely for commuter buses in DC too. Never ever ever pull up the right side of a bus.

You told me this when I first started commuting. And it stuck in my head. And every day when I see a bus or truck, I see your avatar saying “never ever pass a bus on the right!”. And there are many occasions where I stopped myself, usually when the bus is at a red light. I could pass it along the shoulder and get ahead. But I never do it. Other cyclicsts will pass me in the should and do it. And I always say, out loud, oh my god they’re going to die.”

[DCLiz]

Thank you for posting this. I personally did not realize the dangers of being in a bike lane standing to the right of a bus/truck until now. I took Confident City Cycling 1 & 2 two years ago — I don’t recall learning this information. If it hasn’t been already, how to cycle near large vehicles should be included in the curriculum.

[DSalovesh]

What about this?

http://www.cyclelicio.us/2012/truck-vs-bike-accident-reconstruction/

[RESTONTODC]

I saw this video on CNN’s Dr Gupta reports. Here’s an another deadly accident between cyclist and truck. I can’t believe NYPD gave more tickets to cyclists than truck drivers.

I’m also seeing many distracted dump truck drivers on their phone in DC.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t3#/video/health/2012/04/20/gupta-injured-bicyclists-call-for-action.cnn

[creadinger]

In my experience after several years of commuting, weekend rides and touring I have found that dump truck drivers tend to be the worst! They consistently pass well within the 3ft distance required by law and rarely if ever slow down. Semi-truck drivers aren’t so bad. Getting passed by semis usually sucks, but they at least seem to have respect for the size of their vehicles and know what they can do if they get too close to bikers.

The dump truck idiots (driving school flunkees) on the other hand – they just don’t give a crap. Part of the problem is in how they’re paid. Many of them are paid by how many loads they haul in a day so slowing down to safely pass a cyclist is not economically viable. Especially if they want to pick up a couple of cases of the High Life on the way home.

If I’m out riding and notice a lot of dump trucks traversing back and forth on the road I was planning to take, I’ll usually pull out my smart phone and try to find another way.

[justasaintz]

It’s interesting that you cited the NY article. I was wondering if its the same with DC police.

One observation that I constantly see and wonder is – Do police care whether the motor vehicle driver is wrong or not? Minor details add a lot to the situation.

The same thing came up when reading the article about big rigs. I absolutely agree that the safety of a cyclist lies with none other than the cyclist-self. However, we live in a “land of law” (atleast supposedly!), if the trucker did not give a signal atleast 50ft (or is it 100ft) before turning, that would count as an illegal turn (or do people even read manuals these days?), In which case the driver has to be cited – Is it still the case?

Why would cyclists cross a truck that is giving a signal turn?

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