UPDATED: Dangers of bicycling close to large, speeding trucks

12 ตุลาคม 2558

Warning on dangers of bicycling close to large, speeding trucks. Taking the lane might be standard practice in western countries, but is still new to Thailand.

UPDATE: 'TAKING THE LANE' SAFE OR NOT?

When people riding bicycles "take the lane" they ride their bike in the middle of a lane on a road or highway and effectively "take over the lane" and tell cars and trucks in the lane "if you want to go faster than us, use another lane."

By 'taking the lane' cyclists avoid being sideswiped if a car or truck passes them too closely when they are riding on the edge of the road.

To "take the lane" is standard practice among experienced cyclists in western countries and in the UK the practice is government approved.

Most drivers in the UK, for instance, seem to aware of why cyclists "take the lane" but some are not aware and react in a hostile fashion, as an article in the Guardian points out:

"Most London cyclists will have experienced ill-informed motorists who think we [the bicyclists] are being arrogant or selfish when all we're doing is taking a safe, government-approved road position. It can be extremely intimidating and dangerous to have an angry motorist behind you trying to overtake.The fact that even some police officers don't understand the concept shows how vital it is that a cyclist's right to take the lane is enshrined in the Highway Code." (see here and also here)

However, Thailand is not the UK. The law is not clear and "taking the lane" could be very dangerous (the author personally knows of a foreigner paralysed by a 16 wheeler along a stretch of road from Chiang Saen to Chiang Rai, although it was on a motorcycle at night).

There have been several high-profile biking deaths in Thailand involving foreigners over the last couple of years, so it is not at all clear that drivers will respect this practice.

Further, the response by police and insurance companies would likewise be unpredictable (see real case here).

ROAD SAFETY & BICYCLING

Bicyclists in truck lane: Warning

A motorist posted a video of bicyclists riding along a highway in Thailand on his Facebook page, and warned them of the danger of cycling too close to large, speeding trucks.

The cyclists were cycling in the leftmost lane or "truck lane" of a highway.

Furthermore, they were cycling in the right-hand part of the lane, rather than the left-hand part close to the side of the road which would make it easier for trucks to pass them.

The post received mixed comments from netizens.

One netizen wrote that cyclists should restrict themselves to areas where there are bicycle lanes.

Another commented that cycling near vehicles reduces wind resistance, one possible benefit.

Another observed that the cyclists may be forced to suddenly change direction to avoid obstacles in front of them.

Video credit: Facebook user Wissnu Naraya

TRANSCRIPT OF COMMENTARY ON VIDEO:

I am not against bicyclists.

I am just concerned for their lives and their families.

But they should not cycle on main roads used by 10-wheelers and other vehicles that are travelling fast.

When accidents happen and result in death, motorists get all the blame.

Society does not give them a second chance.

It always faults them, and smaller vehicles are never wrong.

However, this is not always the case.

I am not against cyclists. I am just worried about their families if they no longer have their main pillar.

1:00

I have a small income. If I crash into them, I don't have the money to pay for their funerals.

I don't want funerals. I don't want accidents to happen.

I just want them to cycle in safer areas.

Thank you for listening. I insist that I am not against anyone.

Bye bye.