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Caught on cam: Bicycle crushed by tanker truck

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Caught on cam: Bicycle crushed by tanker truck

Old 07-07-18, 08:46 AM
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hotbike
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Caught on cam: Bicycle crushed by tanker truck

Tandem Trailers are Illegal in my state, but this happened in Vancouver, B.C. :
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/caught-on-cam-...uver-1.4001733

...."The video shows the truck going straight in the right hand lane as the cyclist rides beside him in a marked bike lane. The trucker signals, then turns right second later, cutting off the female cyclist who stopped short of running into the fuel trailer, but close enough that her front wheel was caught in its tires, pulling in the bike under and crushing it as it kept going without pause."...
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Old 07-07-18, 09:15 AM
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I'd peg fault at about 50-50.

Trucker should have seen bicycle and yielded, but not seeing someone is pretty much inevitable considering the size of these things, so I don't fault the driver, I doubt the move was intentional.

Cyclist had a clear view of everything unfolding during the entire incident, yet failed to react when the truck began signaling (I would have slowed and started getting behind it) and then keeps going once she sees the turn begin, stopping only just short of the passing wheels, not anticipating that they will come closer to her as the truck is turning. I could stage incidents like this all day long in city traffic, it would not be at all difficult.

Cyclist could have prevented all of this by exercising a little common sense, but trucker will probably have to pay for the bike, I would expect. I actually blame the cyclist more than the trucker, since she had a clear view of everything at all times, and could have easily prevented all of this by using some basic "look 5 seconds into the future and anticipate what might happen" skills. But it wasn't his ox that was gored this time, it was the cyclist.

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Old 07-07-18, 10:47 AM
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Passing a large vehicle, which already had its right turn signal on (as seen in the video). Possibly 100% the cyclists fault.
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Old 07-07-18, 11:13 AM
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A longer video clip would be nice. I couldn't tell if the turn signal was on or not. One of the major issues with a lot of vehicles is that once one passes the rearend of the vehicles, the turn signals are often invisible. In this case, there is a lot of truck side without signals visible.

The woman is very lucky that she got out of there when she did.

Nonetheless, one should exercise extreme caution when passing on the right, especially with trucks.

The truck did appear to run over the curb, so he exited from the normal driving lane (although I presume he was exiting into a local gas station driveway).

Originally Posted by hotbike
Tandem Trailers are Illegal in my state, but this happened in Vancouver, B.C.
Our local bakery runs triples, but they may have restricted routes and times. I don't think I've ever been passed by one on a bike.



I've heard that Australia has even longer trucks.
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Old 07-07-18, 12:14 PM
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Sorry guys but the cyclist was in the lane BEFORE the truck began the turn. Had the cyclist been behind the truck and pull along side after he signaled and begun the turn the cyclist would have been at fault.

The truck driver needs to check for traffic alongside his truck before he turns. As the women states, he turned into the path of the cyclist.
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Old 07-07-18, 12:28 PM
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Originally Posted by KraneXL
Sorry guys but the cyclist was in the lane BEFORE the truck began the turn. Had the cyclist been behind the truck and pull along side after he signaled and begun the turn the cyclist would have been at fault.

The truck driver needs to check for traffic alongside his truck before he turns. As the women states, he turned into the path of the cyclist.
Yes, well, maybe.

A longer video would show whether the truck first passed the cyclist, then later was overtaken by the cyclist.

It is hard to what was happening. I can't see if there are brake lights or turn signals, or whether the truck was signalling and slowing at the time the woman initiated passing on the right.

One can label fault however one wants. But, a cyclist must be aware that riding to the right of a truck is very dangerous, and the woman is lucky to be alive today.

Education for drivers with respect to vulnerable road users is important, but please ride your bike in a fashion that you'll be able to return home safely at night (with a bike that isn't a crumpled pile of bits).
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Old 07-07-18, 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted by CliffordK
Yes, well, maybe.

A longer video would show whether the truck first passed the cyclist, then later was overtaken by the cyclist.

It is hard to what was happening. I can't see if there are brake lights or turn signals, or whether the truck was signalling and slowing at the time the woman initiated passing on the right.
Not in this case. Listen at 1:09.

One can label fault however one wants. But, a cyclist must be aware that riding to the right of a truck is very dangerous, and the woman is lucky to be alive today.

Education for drivers with respect to vulnerable road users is important, but please ride your bike in a fashion that you'll be able to return home safely at night (with a bike that isn't a crumpled pile of bits).
A separate issue. My claim is to legality, not with common sense: If a truck turns into your path, get out of the way.
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Old 07-07-18, 01:36 PM
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I always think a step-through bike is safer in such cases, easier to get off.

It seems the turn signal began to blink only after the cyclist has already passed where she could see it.

It's bad enough to be passed by that monster, I would never speed up to catch up with it again.

Last edited by vol; 07-07-18 at 01:51 PM.
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Old 07-07-18, 02:05 PM
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Seems like even if she didn't see the signal, it's pretty easy to hear a big rig braking for a right turn when you're alongside it.

Truck drivers are a lot less careful these days, you gotta ride and drive pretty defensively around 'em just like regular cars.
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Old 07-07-18, 02:32 PM
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A very similar incident crushed a female cyclist to death, did it not?

This afterthought of gutter cycle lanes you have there are terrible. A cycle lane needs to be separate from the roads, as all they're doing is making cyclists complacent, giving them a false green light.

if you're gonna cycle on roads, you might as well just cycle on roads. Painting a stripe along the side is doing nothing for you, from what i can see.
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Old 07-07-18, 03:35 PM
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This 19-second demo should be shown to all cyclists:

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Old 07-07-18, 06:03 PM
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Doesn't really matter about who had legal right of way. Riding to the right of large vehicles should always be done with the anticipation that they may turn right. Get in front of them so they can see you, or stay behind, but never a good idea to ride along side thinking you have the right of way.
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Old 07-07-18, 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Hoopdriver
Doesn't really matter about who had legal right of way. Riding to the right of large vehicles should always be done with the anticipation that they may turn right. Get in front of them so they can see you, or stay behind, but never a good idea to ride along side thinking you have the right of way.
There is no way possible to anticipate every possible variable a motorist will take.

Therefore, the best mode to take is to follow the rule of law and then adjust according to safety.
Originally Posted by vol
This 19-second demo should be shown to all cyclists:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEv9-MVBrrA
A totally different scenario than the one demonstrated in the original video. In this animation the truck was already in position, and signaling at the time of the cyclist approach and attempt to pass.

In that instance, it was the cyclist (or any vehicle for that measure) responsible to wait -- until the truck had completed its WIDE turn.
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Old 07-08-18, 05:43 AM
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Originally Posted by MikeyMK
A very similar incident crushed a female cyclist to death, did it not?

This afterthought of gutter cycle lanes you have there are terrible. A cycle lane needs to be separate from the roads, as all they're doing is making cyclists complacent, giving them a false green light.

if you're gonna cycle on roads, you might as well just cycle on roads. Painting a stripe along the side is doing nothing for you, from what i can see.
The problem is overlapping grids. Bike paths (MUPS) are wonderful along rivers and freeways where there are no roads crossing them.

They are a major pain when a road crosses them every block, and not necessarily safer as they can make the cyclists harder to view, and perhaps give a false sense of safety to cyclists.
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Old 07-08-18, 05:51 AM
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Originally Posted by hoopdriver
doesn't really matter about who had legal right of way. Riding to the right of large vehicles should always be done with the anticipation that they may turn right. Get in front of them so they can see you, or stay behind, but never a good idea to ride along side thinking you have the right of way.
+1.
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Old 07-08-18, 12:55 PM
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I drive 60' transit buses in that same city and I can tell you the general public, whether pedestrian, cyclist or motorist have no idea what offtrack on a large vehicle is.

I also got 9 flashing lights indicating my intentions but noooooooooo, people just walk off the curb or dive right in from clear astern.

I have a visibility advantage over that tanker though as my bus only swivels in the middle allowing me a clear view of my rear axle at all times, while the double tanker rig swivels in two places creating a huge blind spot for the driver. Lousey vid resolution, can anyone tell if there's a convex lense on bottom of his right side mirror?

Lousey turn set up too. Could have easily made that turn w/o dragging rear wheels over curb.

One route (I will no longer drive) has the bus crossing and recrossing a painted-on-the-road bike lane to access curbside bus stops 12 times in 8 blocks.



And no they don't ride single file it's a swarming free-for-all especially when the light turns green. I just wait and let 'em go. Too dangerous.
Example........
One fine spring day I had just started to roll and heard thumping on side of bus looked down to see some dude wearing an overcoat, toque, scarf and dark glasses wobbling along, riding one handed bouncing against the bus while trying to text with his "free" hand. Jesus!

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Old 07-08-18, 01:38 PM
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Originally Posted by KraneXL
Sorry guys but the cyclist was in the lane BEFORE the truck began the turn. Had the cyclist been behind the truck and pull along side after he signaled and begun the turn the cyclist would have been at fault.

The truck driver needs to check for traffic alongside his truck before he turns. As the women states, he turned into the path of the cyclist.
Please remember that when a semi-trailer vehicle is in your presence that the driver does not have a full field of vision from his mirrors and you are in his blind spot in the area indicated. Stay BEHIND the vehicle and do not assume you have been seen in any case. I cannot understand why, if MOTORCYCLISTS are missed by drivers, do bicyclists figure than they are any less invisible?

A truck driver has to make special accommodations to navigate many turns, and I still recall the driver who got caught in the traffic signals two blocks away from the designated truck route in and out of the truck stop and to/from Heinz/Ore-Ida...yes, he got a big ticket.

So YES, a woman is extremely lucky to be alive. And YES, I hold her at least 50% at fault for failure to properly yield.
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Old 07-08-18, 04:18 PM
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None the less, bicyclist seen or not, the truck driver should have his license revoked and be confined to rickshaws for the rest of his working days. Pedaling happily away, he will not pose a danger to anyone anymore, ever.
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Old 07-08-18, 04:55 PM
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We always have to ask ourselves if we really need to be in a danger zone.
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Old 07-08-18, 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Colnago Mixte
I'd peg fault at about 50-50.

Trucker should have seen bicycle and yielded, but not seeing someone is pretty much inevitable considering the size of these things, so I don't fault the driver, I doubt the move was intentional.

Cyclist had a clear view of everything unfolding during the entire incident, yet failed to react when the truck began signaling (I would have slowed and started getting behind it) and then keeps going once she sees the turn begin, stopping only just short of the passing wheels, not anticipating that they will come closer to her as the truck is turning. I could stage incidents like this all day long in city traffic, it would not be at all difficult.

Cyclist could have prevented all of this by exercising a little common sense, but trucker will probably have to pay for the bike, I would expect. I actually blame the cyclist more than the trucker, since she had a clear view of everything at all times, and could have easily prevented all of this by using some basic "look 5 seconds into the future and anticipate what might happen" skills. But it wasn't his ox that was gored this time, it was the cyclist.
Regardless of legal right-of-way, this was a really dumb move on the cyclist's part. Is assertion of theoretical right-of-way worth a death penalty?

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Old 07-08-18, 06:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Don in Austin
Regardless of legal right-of-way, this was a really dumb move on the cyclist's part. Is assertion of theoretical right-of-way worth a death penalty?

Don in Austin
Shall we make up our own rules as we go along? The only reason cyclist can ride on the roads is because of right-of-way laws.
Originally Posted by Rollfast
Please remember that when a semi-trailer vehicle is in your presence that the driver does not have a full field of vision from his mirrors and you are in his blind spot in the area indicated. Stay BEHIND the vehicle and do not assume you have been seen in any case. I cannot understand why, if MOTORCYCLISTS are missed by drivers, do bicyclists figure than they are any less invisible?

A truck driver has to make special accommodations to navigate many turns, and I still recall the driver who got caught in the traffic signals two blocks away from the designated truck route in and out of the truck stop and to/from Heinz/Ore-Ida...yes, he got a big ticket.

So YES, a woman is extremely lucky to be alive. And YES, I hold her at least 50% at fault for failure to properly yield.
Fortunately for the cyclist, the courts rule on the laws not on popular opinion.
Originally Posted by Paul Barnard
We always have to ask ourselves if we really need to be in a danger zone.
You could stay home and crawl under your bed. Really?
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Old 07-08-18, 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by hotbike
Tandem Trailers are Illegal in my state, but this happened in Vancouver, B.C. :
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/caught-on-cam-...uver-1.4001733

...."The video shows the truck going straight in the right hand lane as the cyclist rides beside him in a marked bike lane. The trucker signals, then turns right second later, cutting off the female cyclist who stopped short of running into the fuel trailer, but close enough that her front wheel was caught in its tires, pulling in the bike under and crushing it as it kept going without pause."...
The truck driver did another. What is called in the UK, SMIDSY(Sorry Mate I Didn't See You).

This is another example of why I 'take the lane', and stay out of the bike lane. Because so many people have no concern for the life of a cyclist.

Last edited by Chris0516; 07-08-18 at 06:15 PM.
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Old 07-08-18, 06:37 PM
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That video has an edit at some point in incident. I'd like to see missing footage.
The only flashing turn signals are on the rear of second tank trailer. None along the side or at rear of first trailer. The MVA needs to be amended on this if legal.

Last edited by tungsten; 07-08-18 at 06:40 PM.
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Old 07-08-18, 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by KraneXL
Shall we make up our own rules as we go along? The only reason cyclist can ride on the roads is because of right-of-way laws.Fortunately for the cyclist, the courts rule on the laws not on popular opinion. You could stay home and crawl under your bed. Really?
This is A&S, nothing is real, and nothing to get hung about.
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Old 07-08-18, 07:33 PM
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Originally Posted by KraneXL
Shall we make up our own rules as we go along? The only reason cyclist can ride on the roads is because of right-of-way laws.Fortunately for the cyclist, the courts rule on the laws not on popular opinion. You could stay home and crawl under your bed. Really?
Right of way laws are fine. There is something to be said for being aware of the what are very real risks and choosing to avoid them. This is not having a death wish, not making up rules.

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