Bloody artic drivers!

Dr. Z · 21-02-2008, 01:02

Just got a call from my mate (Matt, I have spoken about him and our projects before, www.matt-j.co.uk) to say that as he was overtaking an artic in a 50mph stretch of motorway, as he got level with the cab it just smashed into the side of him.

He span through 180 degrees and went "under" the front of the artic and then flipped over, rolled and then slid along on his drivers door, smashing into the armco on the hard shoulder and slid to a halt on its side.

He has just been put under an anaesthetic and is having at least some stitches but he was at least talking enough to speak to me on the phone about it.

My guess is that it was probably a left-hand drive artic from the continent which simply cannot see what is going on alongside them in lane 2.

I try and get past artics as quickly as possible but it seems like the speed limit on the heavily-enforced stretch of motorway he was on prevented him from doing so.

Grr! I am glad he is OK. If he had been killed I would have been pretty devastated.

Blackstar · 21-02-2008, 01:51

Like i said earlier i hope he is ok, keep me updated.

lostkat · 21-02-2008, 06:52

Christ. Glad he's OK. Poor bloke!!!

My brother's van got sandwiched between the central reservation of a duel carriageway and an artic a few years back as he was overtaking it. Amazingly there was no damage to him, just his van.

I know lorry drivers have to take their chances when they can so they don't lose much speed, but some of them just lurch out in front of you and you have to question whether they've actually checked their mirrors properly.

Desmo · 21-02-2008, 08:32

Maybe there was a reason the artic had to swerve out? Something in the left hand lane/hardshoulder that your mate couldn't see? Anyway, glad to hear he's come out of it all not too badly.

Zirax · 21-02-2008, 22:05

Hope he's doing ok. Those left hooker lorry's are damn lethal.

Every time I pass a lorry I either drop a gear or go past very quickly. If they even hesitate right as I go past, hand on the horn. Thats saved my bacon a few times on the m11. I also will never sit alongside a lorry, either behind or a long way infront.

LeperousDust · 22-02-2008, 14:50

Yeah, i just tend to keep out of lorry blindspots... FWIW most lorry drivers are of good calibre, but the bad ones (and accidents) tend to make up for that

21-02-2008, 01:02	#1
Dr. Z I'm going for a scuttle... Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,021	Bloody artic drivers! Just got a call from my mate (Matt, I have spoken about him and our projects before, www.matt-j.co.uk) to say that as he was overtaking an artic in a 50mph stretch of motorway, as he got level with the cab it just smashed into the side of him. He span through 180 degrees and went "under" the front of the artic and then flipped over, rolled and then slid along on his drivers door, smashing into the armco on the hard shoulder and slid to a halt on its side. He has just been put under an anaesthetic and is having at least some stitches but he was at least talking enough to speak to me on the phone about it. My guess is that it was probably a left-hand drive artic from the continent which simply cannot see what is going on alongside them in lane 2. I try and get past artics as quickly as possible but it seems like the speed limit on the heavily-enforced stretch of motorway he was on prevented him from doing so. Grr! I am glad he is OK. If he had been killed I would have been pretty devastated. __________________

21-02-2008, 01:51	#2
Blackstar Ambassador of Awesome Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Edinburger Posts: 3,676	Like i said earlier i hope he is ok, keep me updated. __________________ Jim Garrahy's Fudge Kitchen

21-02-2008, 06:52	#3
lostkat Good Cat Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,550	Christ. Glad he's OK. Poor bloke!!! My brother's van got sandwiched between the central reservation of a duel carriageway and an artic a few years back as he was overtaking it. Amazingly there was no damage to him, just his van. I know lorry drivers have to take their chances when they can so they don't lose much speed, but some of them just lurch out in front of you and you have to question whether they've actually checked their mirrors properly. __________________ Oooooh Cecil, what have you done?

21-02-2008, 08:32	#4
Desmo The Last Airbender Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Pigmopad Posts: 11,915	Maybe there was a reason the artic had to swerve out? Something in the left hand lane/hardshoulder that your mate couldn't see? Anyway, glad to hear he's come out of it all not too badly. __________________

22-02-2008, 14:50	#6
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Yeah, i just tend to keep out of lorry blindspots... FWIW most lorry drivers are of good calibre, but the bad ones (and accidents) tend to make up for that __________________

21-02-2008, 22:05	#5
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Hope he's doing ok. Those left hooker lorry's are damn lethal. Every time I pass a lorry I either drop a gear or go past very quickly. If they even hesitate right as I go past, hand on the horn. Thats saved my bacon a few times on the m11. I also will never sit alongside a lorry, either behind or a long way infront.