Originally Posted by
kingston
Very sad. According to the article, it was a right hook, which is the most common and most deadly type of accident for a cyclist, especially when trucks are involved. The article doesn't say whether the truck cut her off or she tried to pass on the right. Either way, it's a good reminder that as cyclists we have to avoid getting caught on the inside of a truck turning right.
This type of truck right hook is very common, especially in urban areas where traffic may be moving slower.
There's no denying the issue of blind spot, but IMO responsibility for the collision depends on the circumstances. If the driver passed the cyclist it's his job to remember that she's in the blind spot, and track until she appears either in front, or off the back. OTOH - it's possible for a cyclist to slide into the blind spot unseen, in which case the driver has no way of seeing her, and no reason to suspect it.
I make it a practice not to ride between the axles of any truck with a blind spot, especially near intersections. The old rule that if you can't see the driver in his mirror, he can't see you applies.
BTW - it's fine to five cyclists the right of way, but that doesn't change the physics, and lulls the into believing they're safer than they are. Maybe, when cities put in bike lanes with right of way signs, there should also be signs warning about blind spots.