Bicycle safety tip: Avoiding trouble with big trucks
Submitted by Brent Hugh on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 11:51am
Today's safety tip: avoid filtering up to the side of big trucks and semis on your bicycle. Here's why:
- Be aware that trucks swing to the left to prepare for a right turn.
- Be aware that the preparation for a right turn may take the truck partly or completely in to the left lane.
- Don't enter the BLIND SPOT spot to the right side of the truck.
- Stay behind the truck and give it room.
When a large vehicle makes a turn at a street corner, the long distance between front and rear wheels means that the rear wheels will "off-track" and run closer to the curb than the front of the truck does.
Because of this, trucks will swing left in preparation for a right turn.
When the truck swings left you might be tempted to enter BLIND SPOT to the right side of the truck. Don't! This is very dangerous.
More info and our freely printable/reproducable summary of this issue here:
Join MoBikeFed's Advocacy Network
MoBikeFed is a statewide group of people like you, working together for better bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri. When you join our advocacy network you receive occasional important advocacy alerts and bicycle, pedestrian, and trails news from around Missouri.
Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network:
Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network:
Current topics...
Archives...
Want better bicycling and walking in Missouri?
We rely on the support of members like you. Please join, renew, or donate today.
- Home
- JOIN/DONATE
- News/Info
- Missouri Bicycling, Running, Trails
- Bicycle Skills and Safety
- Missouri Bike/Ped Law
- Clubs and Organizations
- Bike Shops
- Running Shops
- Bicycling, Running, Trails-related Businesses
- Ride, Run, Walk, Hike, Triathlon, and Events Calendars
- Bicycles on Amtrak
- Maps and Routes
- Trails and Trail Maps
- IBikeMO.org
- Planning a Missouri bicycle trip
- Gravel and Bikepacking Maps & Routes
- Bicycle & Touring Routes
- Advocacy
- Campaigns
- Our Legislative Platform
- Complete Streets
- Statewide Rock Island Trail
- Statewide Trail Vision - Quad State Trail
- Bicycle Friendly Missouri
- Walk Friendly Missouri
- Safe Routes to School
- MoDOT funding crisis
- High Priority Bike/Ped Project List
- Anti-harassment laws in cities & statewide
- Updating the basic bicycle law
- Our Vision for MoDOT
- Our Vision for MPOs/RPCs
- Our Vision for Cities & Counties
- Bicycle, pedestrian, trails plans across MO
- Protecting Vulnerable Road Users
- Vision Zero
- Missouri Trail Towns
- Store
- About