Boris Johnson, London Mayor, Nearly Killed By Truck While Riding Bike

Guardian:

Footage of Boris Johnson's near miss with a lorry while out cycling shows the London Mayor lucky to be alive.

Read the whole story: Guardian

Comments

[American In Chicago]

I do not wish to see folks put off by cycling after seeing this. I observe a boneheaded lorry operator who didn't have his rear door secured and was attempting a pass where it was too tight. I think most truck drivers would wait to pass and certainly they would have their doors shut. Don't suppose that the Mayor of London's experience here is the norm.

I have had a long bike commute though the most congested parts of Chicago for 10 years. I have never had a collision with another vehicle. The number of close calls I have had I can count on one hand. Certainly I have seen much rude and stupid behavior from drivers but consider the experience of bicycling to be much safer than the 15 years i spent driving.

That said, I like the idea of those bike superhighways. I hope they build them in London. Mayor Daley is bound to get jealous and insist we have them here.

[sheilaofmiami]

This is a clear explanation of what was happening. The Mayor was not at fault at all, the truck driver was. He should loose his job, since he is not doing it well.

[vegasobserver]

Strange accident, but has anyone considered that the Lord Mayor may have contributed to causing it?

While pedaling with his gang of mates around tight bends in the heart of London, Johnson appears to have caused the lorry driver to maneuver to the middle of the road to avoid the bikers, and too close to the parked cars.

[Sarah in Toronto]

Hogwash. The lorry driver should have SLOWED DOWN. That would have prevented the accident.

[American In Chicago]

Yep. Looking at the video, he had plenty of time to slow down. He even would have made it if his door hadn't swung open.

[thismachinekillsfascists]

Actually bicycles have all the rights of a motorcar. That lorry driver was completely at fault for being in a hurry and attempting to overtake cyclists in an unsafe manner. He's going to have a hard time fighting that one in court!

[Cynthia Savage]

Nope. Bicycles are vehicles. If it was inappropriate to pass a car in that circumstance, it was inappropriate to pass a bike. That being said, most bicyclists fall short in respecting traffic laws, too. No more than 2 abreast is the law for cyclists.
I have had more run-ins than I care to remember. But the truck who had a passenger that threw a full and open beer can right in the middle of my back while passing me at 60 mph is the most memorable.

[johnr49]

Garbage!
They're clearly riding in single file before the accident, and the lorry driver is driving too fast for the width of the road and the traffic density.

[SteveDenver]

London has more observation cameras than any city in the world. I hope that truck driver is in jail for being a reckless idiot.

[skyslimit]

Jesus H. Christ that place is under surveillance! And I thought the U.S. was a spy state..

[metoo]

Incredible, those flippin cameras are everywhere!

[ItsyBetsy]

I'm from Phoenix. TELL ME ABOUT IT!! And I don't think they use those camera for speeding enforcement only.

[poco767c]

Estimates say that there is anywhere between 2.5 and 4 Million CCTV cameras in Britain.

[MarionWatts]

Bliar's legacy and heartily endorsed by the Labour party. Labour in the UK like to think of themselves as further to the left of the Democrats. In point of fact, this lot are not. That is why the Brits don't have the scope of choice in their politicians that we do.

http://emiliawahoo76.blogspot.com
http://myspace.com/virginiadem

[SharpDressedMan]

London has one of the most extensive camera networks for monitoring the city and it works well for them. It's a very interesting setup and works well for them. Americans in many cities are photographed more often than we realize and in some inconspicuous places.

Given the choice between more cameras and more criminals, I take more cameras any day.

[deckard70]

It will at least make the criminals strive to be more photogenic.