Left turn in the wet with a cyclist beside the cab
At 7:20 am a driver is in a 19 m articulated unit, truck and semi-trailer, grossing about 42,000 kg, heading east in a two-lane urban street and wanting to turn left into a narrower street. On the left is a painted cycle lane, and a cyclist in a high-vis jacket is alongside the truck's front left corner, moving at about the same speed as the truck's 15 km/h. On the right, a ute is close behind and edging forward. The left indicator has been on for about 100 m. The corner has a tight radius, a pedestrian refuge on the far side, and traffic lights 40 m past the turn. The road is greasy from overnight rain. The driver knows a truck this length needs room and is thinking about swinging wide to the right before turning.
1. Should the driver swing wide to the right before turning left? Explain the correct approach.
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No. Swinging right before a left turn means crossing into or over the lane on his right, which is exactly where the ute is, and it puts the truck into the path of traffic that has no reason to expect it. In a 19 m unit it also increases tail swing on the right, which is its own hazard.
The correct approach:
- Approach in the left lane, positioned as far left as the lane safely allows.
- Signal early - 100 m is reasonable - and brake early so the ute behind reads the speed change in time.
- Slow right down and take the turn slowly; the slower the turn, the better the trailer follows and the more time the cyclist has.
- Work the left mirror continuously through the approach, and check the blind spot beside the cab.
- If the lane really is too tight to turn without crossing the centre line, that is a cue to take it very slowly, or to route differently, not to swing out into live traffic.
2. The cyclist is alongside the front left corner. Why is that the critical hazard, and what should the driver do?
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On a long unit the trailer's rear wheels track inside the path of the front wheels, and on a tight left turn the trailer's tail also sweeps out. So the driver can see the cab clearing the cyclist in the mirror while the trailer's left rear wheels close the gap - this is the classic turning-truck cyclist crash, and it usually ends badly because the cyclist has nowhere to go.
What to do:
- Do not start the turn or accelerate while the cyclist is beside him. Wait until the cyclist is clearly ahead or has stopped and cleared.
- Check both left mirrors and the left blind spot before and during the turn; a cyclist beside the cab can be completely invisible from the seat.
- Take the turn slowly and steadily - slow speed gives the cyclist time and reduces tail swing.
- Watch the trailer wheels in the mirror as the turn develops; that is where the strike would come from.
- If the cyclist hesitates, hold back or wave them through. Never assume they will stop, and never use the size of the truck to claim the space.
3. How should the driver manage the ute behind, and what does it mean if the trailer's rear wheels mount the kerb after the turn?
Read the worked answer
The ute is a secondary hazard and should not be allowed to set the pace. A heavy vehicle turning at 15 km/h into a tight corner is doing the right thing; the driver should keep the turn slow, keep the indicator on, and not be hurried into turning early or fast. If the ute tries to come up the right-hand side as he turns, he holds his line rather than swerving - a swerve toward the cyclist or the refuge is far worse than a held lane.
If the trailer's rear wheels mount the kerb or clip the refuge:
- That is feedback that the turn was taken too fast or from the wrong starting position, not a reason to swing wider into traffic next time.
- The fix is slower, keep left, and check the trailer wheels in the mirror through the turn.
- He should stop and check for damage or injury if anything was struck - a knocked sign, a damaged kerb or a pedestrian on the refuge is a crash he owns.
Past the turn, he needs to be settled in a lane before the lights, keeping at least a four-second gap, and more on the greasy surface, with an eye on the refuge pedestrians.