Seen this morning:
A London Concrete cement truck, one of the really large four axle ones, was sat at a set of lights. Indicating left. He had pulled in so close to the kerb that the wheels were sat on the outside line of the double yellow lines. Big yellow sign on the back "Danger. Cyclists, don't ride up the left of this vehicle" or some such warning. On the left rear mudflap. "Danger. Do not pass on the left." A big yellow and black sign on the side of the vehicle "Caution: Keep Clear"* and a recorded voice announcing at quite high volume "Caution. Keep clear. This vehicle is turning left. Beep-boop-beep-boop. Caution. Keep clear. This vehicle is turning left." over and over again.
Johnny Cyclist rolls up, pauses for a second, and squeezes alongside the truck. Space was so limited that he had to cant the bike over to the left and scoot himself along with his foot on the pavement. He stopped almost exactly half way along the truck.
Knowing the cycle of the traffic lights I made a dash to get to the cab and warn the driver as I had a bad feeling that the cyclist would be right in his blind spot. I was stymied by a van on the RHS of the cement truck and as I was scrambling to get off the bike and approach the truck on foot the lights changed.
The truck didn't move.
I got infront of the truck and went to make the left turn, wide in the road, ahead of it. I looked along the side of the truck in time to see the driver's head poking out of the passenger window and hear the tail end of some abuse directed at the cyclist, who was by this time clambering up onto the pavement.
Cyclist off the road the truck pulled away and I cycled the last few meters to the office.
That was a bit scary.
[EDIT]* I couldn't see this sign at first, but when I looped round ahead of the truck and looked back I noticed it.
