Nearly knocked off

Cycling home from work yesterday, I had to move into the outside lane to turn right at a roundabout.
Glancing behind, I noticed a squaddie learning to drive an HGV with a flat bed lorry. I drew
alongside it with the intention of pulling it behind when it had passed.

As soon as I saw the back of the flat bed I tucked in behind it. In the corner of my eye I saw
something odd, a connecting bar. Looking back I saw *another* flat bed attached to the first as a
trailer which was coming up behind me and had I not suddenly swerved out of the way, would have
knocked me off!
--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

Simon Mason wrote:

> As soon as I saw the back of the flat bed I tucked in behind it. In the corner of my eye I saw
> something odd, a connecting bar. Looking back I saw *another* flat bed attached to the first as a
> trailer which was coming up behind me and had I not suddenly swerved out of the way, would have
> knocked me off!

When I used to drive removal vans I was coming back very late at night once and flashed in a passing
truck - luckily the driver had his wits about him and waited until his drawbar was also past.....

I no longer drive while half asleep.

--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103 http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#104

 

On Wed, 5 Feb 2003 08:51:03 -0000, "Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:

> As soon as I saw the back of the flat bed I tucked in behind it. In the corner of my eye I saw
> something odd, a connecting bar. Looking back I saw *another* flat bed attached to the first as a
> trailer which was coming up behind me and had I not suddenly swerved out of the way, would have
> knocked me off!

Bloody hell, that's a real brown trouser job that one.

I'm having my own traffic troubles at the moment. Started (another!) new job this week and most of
my commute (15m round trip) is on really busy dual carriageway. I'm getting bugger all room or
consideration from the traffic, which is often very big and very fast.

It's *deeply* unpleasant but the firm insist I use the goods yard entrance with everyone else so
I've no option other than use the A50 in rush hour. If I could use the front of the plant I'd have a
couple of suburban roads and then a long cycle path right to the works "posh" entrance - would be
lovely. Bah.

Bob
--
Mail address is spam trapped To reply by email remove the beverage

 

Gary Knighton wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, You know? Just zis Guy wrote:
>> Llanfair PG
>>
>
> Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

I think there's a subthread on dyslexia somewhere. This might be a bit unfriendly in that context.

A

 

On Wed, 5 Feb 2003 15:53:27 -0000, "Clive George" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> It's *deeply* unpleasant but the firm insist I use the goods yard entrance with everyone else so
>> I've no option other than use the A50 in rush hour. If I could use the front of the plant I'd
>> have a couple of suburban roads and then a long cycle path right to the works "posh" entrance -
>> would be lovely. Bah.
>
>Get them under HASAW.
>
>How many cyclists are there at your place?

Well, therein lies the rub. There are loads of cyclists at the plant (Toyota factory) and they're
very well catered for: covered bike parking with cameras and security bods, showers, drying
facilities, lockers etc. Problem is I don't have access to any of that stuff, I'm not with Toyota,
I'm agency staff working for a contractor to Toyota and currently rank alongside the scum in the
drainage pipes. If I start making Health and Safety waves they'll send me down the road faster than
I can get me bicycle clips on, and right now I need the work.

Have to grin and bear it until I can sort out something better (or I get squished flat on the A50
of course).

Bob
--
Mail address is spam trapped To reply by email remove the beverage

 

"Call me Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> Have to grin and bear it until I can sort out something better (or I get squished flat on the A50
> of course).

Which entrance do people use when they walk to work? Can't you just cycle on the pavement if it's
that dangerous?

 

On Wed, 5 Feb 2003 16:35:59 -0000, "Adrian Boliston" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"Call me Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>> Have to grin and bear it until I can sort out something better (or I get squished flat on the A50
>> of course).
>
>Which entrance do people use when they walk to work? Can't you just cycle on the pavement if it's
>that dangerous?

Well, people don't really walk to the plant, it's located too far out of town for that to be
practical, it's car or bike. There's a cycle path which runs from the city down the side of the A38
and leads you right to the front entrance, they built it at the same time as the plant I assume. I
can't use this though because it runs against the traffic and stops dead when it hits the factory. I
need to continue to the next junction, take a right (onto A50) to travel down the far side of the
plant and enter at the arse end with all the HGV traffic. There is no pedestrian path along here,
nothing, just a big fence and a big dual carriageway.

Travel inside the plant grounds (it's bloody huge) is severely restricted, and I'm not allowed to
walk, cycle or drive across it. I have to go around and enter at the point closest to my building.

If I use the cycle path along the A38 it abandons me in the middle of nowhere and to get where I
need to go I'd have to shoulder the bike and leg it across the rush hour A38, vault the central
barriers and continue cycling up to the roundabout to join the A50 which is an even worse scenario.

It's a bleedin' nightmare )

Bob
--
Mail address is spam trapped To reply by email remove the beverage

 

In article <[email protected]>, one of infinite monkeys at the keyboard of "Simon
Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:

> As soon as I saw the back of the flat bed I tucked in behind it. In the corner of my eye I saw
> something odd, a connecting bar. Looking back I saw *another* flat bed attached to the first as a
> trailer which was coming up behind me and had I not suddenly swerved out of the way, would have
> knocked me off!

Eeek!

Reminds me of a problem I've occasionally had, when crossing a rural main road locally (on foot). At
rush hour it gets busy, so you have to judge a gap and go. I've been just stepping into that gap
behind some 4WD when I see the (unlit) trailer.

Hmmmm ... time for a letter to my MP about legislation for trailer lights?

--
Wear your paunch with pride!

 

Call me Bob <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> Travel inside the plant grounds (it's bloody huge) is severely restricted, and I'm not allowed to
> walk, cycle or drive across it.

Are you actually prevented from doing this? Fortunately I've never been employed in such an
unreasonably hostile manner, but when I have had jobsworths telling me what I can and cannot do,
I've usually just ignored them and carried on regardless. I haven't been given permission to use the
bike park on site here (what with tandems being 'illegal' in Japan), but I still do. Of course it
depends on how much you need the job and whether you really think someone will sack you over such a
trivial matter.

James

 

On 5 Feb 2003 17:39:08 -0800, [email protected] (James Annan) wrote:

>> Travel inside the plant grounds (it's bloody huge) is severely restricted, and I'm not allowed to
>> walk, cycle or drive across it.
>
>Are you actually prevented from doing this?

Yep.

>I've usually just ignored them and carried on regardless. I haven't been given permission to use
>the bike park on site here (what with tandems being 'illegal' in Japan), but I still do. Of course
>it depends on how much you need the job and whether you really think someone will sack you over
>such a trivial matter.

Like you I'd be quite happy to ignore the rules and apply my own set, but the entire plant is ringed
by a bloody great fence and each entry point is manned by aspiring Nazis. My pass is good only for
the despatch yard so I can't even get *in* to ignore the rules. My only other option would be a
Steve McQueen Cooler King type manoeuvre....

(cue Great Escape music)

Bob
--
Mail address is spam trapped To reply by email remove the beverage

 

Call me Bob wrote:

> Like you I'd be quite happy to ignore the rules and apply my own set, but the entire plant is
> ringed by a bloody great fence and each entry point is manned by aspiring Nazis. My pass is good
> only for the despatch yard so I can't even get *in* to ignore the rules. My only other option
> would be a Steve McQueen Cooler King type manoeuvre....

Lovely mental picture of Bob entering Toyota plant inna Evel Knievel stylee


--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103 http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#104