How the..........................??

[Yoshi]

I'm sorry, but surely the driver would have noticed this????

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8579523.stm

[dxmedia]

I'm sorry, but surely the driver would have noticed this????

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8579523.stm

Yes he would. It's been all over the trucker forums and the only possible reason for him not stopping was road rage.  It's not that uncommon for it to happen, generally stopping is quite high on the list of things to do though.

[Saffy]

I would like him dead.

[LiftedDisco]

In response to the original question... It's very easy...

A mate of mine had something very similar happen to him only he was driving a Renault Magnum at the time.

It's all down to simple maths - there is a blind spot beneath the windscreen big enough to lose sight of a small car (Mini, Clio etc) as the driver is a few feet back from the dash board and elevated - your natural angle of sight means that anything within about 10' of the front of the truck is invisible.

This is why a lot of newer trucks (and those operated by the larger companies) have a blind spot mirror above the windscreen, looking down at this area.

Also... if you look at the photo, the point of impact (to spin her round that way) must have been nearside front of truck to rear offside of car.  As the truck is still in Lane 2, it would appear that the car must have hit the truck, ie pulled in front of him rather than as reported.  Had the truck moved left (in order to collect the car in this fashion), the collision would have taken place in Lane 1.

It says that it took "nearly a minute" for the driver to notice her - I have a class 1 and had anyone been flashing me, the first reaction would be to check mirrors... peering down over the steering wheel would not be first actions.  (NB, the bonnet of the car is in front of the driver, making it even harder to spot the car...) - her applying the handbrake and hazards would have little effect on a moving tanker.

Unfortunate (but mighty glad she got out OK), but these things happen...

[dxmedia]

Adding a tonne instantly to the load.

The noise of impact

The sudden jolt of impact

The noise of the wheels rubbing against the ground

There was enough friction that sparks were coming off the car where the tyres must have given way and the wheel were rubbing against the tarmac

Did the article not say that she was on the horn and flashing lights to get his attention (OK lights the drive wouldn't be able to see), but a horn as well as all the other noise.

There is NO way that that drive was oblivious to the extra load which had just been picked up, even it it was in his blind spot.

[Disco Matt]

I cannot believe that you wouldn't notice the extra drag, especially if you drive for a living. You'd know how much right foot you normally have to use to maintain speed.

A while ago I had a partially flat tyre due to poor sealing between bead and rim, I definitely noticed the extra drag as well as the scary handling before I pulled over. That was a semi-flat tyre, not trying to push another car sideways!

[Saffy]

but these things happen...

if that was true then there is something seriously broken somewhere in the system to allow this to happen for that duration unnoticed, be in the vehicles safety features or HGV driver training.

[LiftedDisco]

If she's pulled across in front of the truck, the combination of sideways movement in the car and forwards movement of both parties would mean that any 'impact' is likely to be slight in a 38 tonne vehicle doing a steady 56mph

Sure, if there is a bang or jolt, your immediate instinct is to check mirrors - it's a slight design fault of the human body (often overlooked by cyclists etc...) that you cannot physically check both mirrors at the same time - left, right & check both again with thoughts of 'have I got a flat' or even has a brake shoe ridden over, locking the wheel (has happened to me once...) before realising what's going on...

Like I said originally, not nice, but cars are replaceable and I am fully aware that it could have been much worse...

However, please don't set out to vilify the driver for things that happen (by accident)!

[muddyjames]

I cannot believe that you wouldn't notice the extra drag, especially if you drive for a living. You'd know how much right foot you normally have to use to maintain speed.

I very much susepct that he had cruise control on so you wouldnt notice any extra power being needed, also along a motorway, if you didnt have cruise control, your foot is planted on the floor anyway as the limiter max's out at 56mph, so again, no extra right foot can be given.

Just think though, your looking ahead all the time and so why should there suddenly be something stuck to the front of the lorry, surely you would have seen something ahead to collide with and certainly wouldnt expect to find it had pivoted around the front of your lorry.

[gtomo2]

If she was coming up his blind side (driving up the near side) he would not have see her. if She had then gone to move lanes without checking her mirror first she could of caught the front n/s of the truck and been flipped infront of it. like said before the driver would not really feel anything mybe even think its just a pothole.

 i have hit the rear of a car at a roundabout i didnt even know it was there when i went to stop as he came up the n/s of me then pulled in to my lane. pushed him around the roundabout heard a horn blast and checked my mirrors not front window looking down.

[JumboBeef]

The noise of the wheels rubbing against the ground

There was enough friction that sparks were coming off the car where the tyres must have given way and the wheel were rubbing against the tarmac

Did the article not say that she was on the horn and flashing lights to get his attention (OK lights the drive wouldn't be able to see), but a horn as well as all the other noise.

There is NO way that that drive was oblivious to the extra load which had just been picked up, even it it was in his blind spot.

Trust me, most drivers haven't got a clue what is in front/behind them.  They drive with tunnel vision, with music turned up loud.  Clueless.  I can very well believe this story.