Advocacy & Safety - Some good news! Cyclists and truck driver

I have some good news and a feel good story!

Just to give you some background on what happened first (as I understand it).

I was volunteering at a rest stop for an annual 162km cycling event. There where about 98 cyclists in attendence that day.

On the second last rest stop, many of the cyclists reported to me that a UAP/NAPA truck came within inches of them. It was unbelieveable! About 20-30 cyclists mentioned to me about this truck driver as they stopped at my rest stop location. I took all the details (no license plate) and mentioned to the ride organizer that I will follow up with this.

I logged onto the NAPA website, the next day, and left a post with in their comment box describing the incident.

A few weeks later I received a telephone call from a gentlemen at NAPA asking if I had more information to give him and that he is in the process of tracking down this driver. Unfortunately, all I had was what I already gave them but I did describe the incident further stating that as each cyclists stopped they complained of this guy...about 20-30 cyclists.

He thanked me, asked me to please find out more info if I could (tried, couldn't).

This is an email I received today (I removed all names) and the memo he posted to all their drivers.

Please see the attached driver safety memo distributed to all of our drivers last week. At NAPA we feel we have an obligation to provide a safe environment for the general public, our customers and our employees.
We identified the driver of the truck involved in the incident brought to our attention and the gentleman in question has a very clean driving record with us and is a valued employee. He assured us that his actions were by no means malicious and that he is very sorry if anyone was offended. His supervisor has discussed the matter with him and of the serious nature of the events. The driver was merely going by the cyclists when oncoming traffic forced him to move closer to the cyclists than he wanted. Again on behalf of NAPA I would like to appologize for this unfortunate set of circumstances. As a token of our appreciation for bringing this to our attention we would like to offer you 200 bottles of our NAPA branded water for your next upcoming event. Please contact me and let us know where we can send these.
best regards,
District Manager

And the letter to their drivers

October 27, 2003
All NAPA Drivers

As we enter into the fall of the year, it is important to consider the environment that we will be facing in the coming weeks. While safe driving should always be the first consideration, all NAPA drivers have a special responsibility to ensure that they prepare themselves and their vehicles for the conditions that will soon be upon us.

You have a special responsibility to maintain both our company image and the safety of the public by:

1) Being courteous to other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists
2) By making certain that your vehicle is properly maintained
3) You observe all of the rules of the road.

We are counting on all NAPA drivers to take special care, especially in the coming weeks, so that we provide our company with the best possible image, but more importantly that everyone has a safe and wonderful winter season.

Thank you for being a responsible driver for NAPA!

Sincerely,
Regional Vice President, Atlantic

One thing that does not add up to me though. If this driver said that oncoming traffic forced him to drive closer to the cyclists than he wanted, then why did 20-30 cyclists complain of this? Certainly, these cyclists where not in the same group, as they all where differant fitness levels and arrived at the rest stop over a span of 45 minutes....so it was not a single incident involving one group of cyclists, but several cyclits all along that road.

Suspicious, and I feel the driver is being less than honest, but I DID get a response and apology which I wil pass on the the cyclists of the ride.

Digger

Good job! I'm glad to see you guys followed through on things and held this guy accountable for his actions. Hopefully, when other cyclists are out and encounter this guy and other malicious truckers, the truckers will think twice before acting in this manner.

I think the trucker was lying. Of course, he wouldn't admit to that kind of behavior. He'd probably be disiplined, and I'm sure he was avoiding that. What a wuss. :rolleyes:

Congratulations on your victory!

Koffee

....The driver was merely going by the cyclists when oncoming traffic forced him to move closer to the cyclists than he wanted....

This really pisses me off. I have had drivers give me this non-excuse before.

When there is insufficient room to pass safely, the solution is not to run people off the road but to wait your freakin' turn! This driver wasn't forced to do anything. He behaved recklessly and irresponsibly. Anyone who believes that when there is insufficient room to pass safely, their only choice is to run people off the road should absolutely not be driving a motor vehicle on public roadways.

This really pisses me off. I have had drivers give me this non-excuse before.

When there is insufficient room to pass safely, the solution is not to run people off the road but to wait your freakin' turn!

Well, i don't think the trucker was trying to PASS, was he? I think what he means is he was edging over, probably into the lane of oncoming traffic, and when an oncoming car came. he edged back into his lane, which he is 100% entitled to do. If some cyclists view this as a 'brush back', thats their choice, but his behavior wasn't illegal or immoral in any way.

Why cyclists are bothered by this blows me away. You can see these situations coming up if you have a rear view mirror: one where you, a truck on your side, and another vehicle coming toward you are all going to be in the same place at the same time. All you have to do is speed up a bit, or slow down a bit, and then everyone has enough room. Just be a little proactive and courteous. It is easiest for you, the cyclist, to make the adjustment (you have the best perspective on the road).

I often wave trucks and vehicles by as they come up on me. They are astonished to see I am aware they are there; i don't think they realize how many cyclists have rear view mirrors.

roughstuff

Digger, from someone who is in the industry and deal with drivers you did the right thing by contacting the company and the response you got shows that they do care how safe their drivers operate. Most companies are, public relations is important to them as well as the liability aspect. Most intelligent companies are aware that though they maybe on cycles they are potential customers.

1) The driver of the truck had full responsibility for following all safe passing
laws and procedures, one of which (usually) states that he/she must allow a minimum of three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist, and that if such room is not available, the overtaking vehicle (the truck) must wait for a safe opportunity to pass.

2) The driver of the truck is probably a very experienced driver. For him to get caught in a situation in which he misjudged proper clearance when passing cyclists is possible, but not likely in this situation, since it was reported that he passed too closely several times.

3) Truck drivers who pass too closely to cyclists are very dangerous and should not be allowed any excuses for poor judgement.

Digger,
Your thoughtful actions and diplomatic approach may have saved some lives in the future, maybe even my own life. Kudos.

That's the way you do it.

Well, i don't think the trucker was trying to PASS, was he? ...Then why was he next to them? The NAPA response said, "The driver was merely going by the cyclists when oncoming traffic forced him to move closer to the cyclists than he wanted. " I read that to mean that he was passing them. I admit it's not 100% clear although I can't imagine what else was going on.

In most states, safe passing distance (3 ft min) is required by law. It is the responsibility of the driver of the passing vehicle (not the vehicle being passed) to maintain safe distance. If there is insufficient room, the driver simply needs to wait his turn.

Regardless of the law, the idea that he was forced to do anything doesn't wash with me. There are other options including waiting his turn.

Then why was he next to them? The NAPA response said, "The driver was merely going by the cyclists when oncoming traffic forced him to move closer to the cyclists than he wanted. " I read that to mean that he was passing them. I admit it's not 100% clear although I can't imagine what else was going on.

In most states, safe passing distance (3 ft min) is required by law. It is the responsibility of the driver of the passing vehicle (not the vehicle being passed) to maintain safe distance. If there is insufficient room, the driver simply needs to wait his turn.

Regardless of the law, the idea that he was forced to do anything doesn't wash with me. There are other options including waiting his turn.


Ahh ahh ahh...i see what'ya mean. He was passing the cyclists too close to begin with. My mistake. As Homer Simpson would say, D'uh!

roughstuff

The 1-meter passing clearance guideline is appropriate and apparently quite common.

Wheres that Magnum when ya need it?

At least the truck driver is on notice. Believe me there has been a comment put in his personel file. Any further incidentsand I really believe that NAPA will do something about it. (as in fire the driver).

At least the truck driver is on notice. Believe me there has been a comment put in his personel file. Any further incidentsand I really believe that NAPA will do something about it. (as in fire the driver).

Oh I know that to be true, the driver maybe using an excuse but the employer just can't call him a liar he has been put on notice and this is in his file. Companies do not want the insurance burden, lawsuits or bad press this could bring. I have been a driver, dispatcher and now my duties also include over seeing our company drivers I have never worked for a company that did not take this kind of situation seriously. That is why I have stated in other threads when a commercial driver does something wrong, get a vehicle number, do not call the "How am I driving" 800 number they just fill out reports and send them to the company. You want to do what digger did and write the company directly usually to the operations manager or VP of operations, these are the people who really under stand the consequences of the drivers actions. I am sure if he does it again it will mean at least a suspension, if not fired. Pull it a third time and you are gone.

Well, thank you everyone, I hope that the company and especially the driver will not try to retaliate later against some innocent cyclist (I don't get that feeling).

When I spoke to the gentleman on the phone I did say all the usuall stuff about rights and responsibilites, safe to pass, room needed, etc, etc, but, to be fair to the truck driver and motorists and to show that I am not completley righteous, I also did say that it IS possible that the cyclists MAY have not been completly innocent of any wrong doing.

I described to him that in alot of these events that I either participate on OR volunteer in, some of the cyclists ride 3-4 abreast and do not single up when a car approaches from the rear, forcing the car to wait or pass fully in the other lane. This really pisses off the motorist, let me tell you, and can cause serious grief for the cyclists up ahead if they continually have to do this.

So, in any of the events and on the share the road committees that I participate in, I always try to drive this point home to the participants (myself and others try, I should say). My reason for telling him this to to show that we are not all irresponsible and that we have our own fair share of.....misbehaviours and that people are people, whether they are in a car, truck or on a bike, they do things that are not neccessarily...bright. BUT I also did say that I do not know exactly WHAT happened as I was not there. BUT, if, and I say IF this did happen, the truck driver has the biggest responsibility because he is driving a huge vehicle. We cannot take out frustrations on other people because they MAY have done something stupid. I.e. its his fault he ran out into traffic, so I didn't have to stop.

I don't want to start an argument about this, but I just wanted to show him a sign of good faith and that cyclists are not the image as portrayed by motorists - reckless, young, poor, stupid, out-of-control, etc. But that we are intelligent capable beings able to share the road.


Digger

Well done.

Well done!

Good one, mate.

....When I spoke to the gentleman on the phone I did say all the usuall stuff about rights and responsibilites, safe to pass, room needed, etc, etc, but, to be fair to the truck driver and motorists and to show that I am not completley righteous, I also did say that it IS possible that the cyclists MAY have not been completly innocent of any wrong doing.

I described to him that in alot of these events that I either participate on OR volunteer in, some of the cyclists ride 3-4 abreast and do not single up when a car approaches from the rear, forcing the car to wait or pass fully in the other lane. This really pisses off the motorist, let me tell you, and can cause serious grief for the cyclists up ahead if they continually have to do this....
Digger
I think you handled this well and I understand your stated reasons for saying this but I have to point out that two wrongs don't make a right. Even if it was illegal to manufacture, own, buy, sell, or ride a bicycle and riding on the road was punishable by death, that would not make it ok for motorists to run cyclists off the road.

I think you handled this well and I understand your stated reasons for saying this but I have to point out that two wrongs don't make a right. Even if it was illegal to manufacture, own, buy, sell, or ride a bicycle and riding on the road was punishable by death, that would not make it ok for motorists to run cyclists off the road.


Exactly. I think I may have said that in my post, but maybe not clearly.

BUT, if, and I say IF this did happen, the truck driver has the biggest responsibility because he is driving a huge vehicle. We cannot take out frustrations on other people because they MAY have done something stupid

Digger