Lorry shunts car on motorway

Osem · 02-12-2015, 15:38

Quote:

This is the moment a car driver was "repeatedly and deliberately" rammed by a lorry on a busy motorway.Matthew Stockdale captured the moment on a dashboard camera.

He said the driver repeatedly attempted to cut him up and shunted him twice as he drove along the M1 on the night of 11 November.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-34933347

Looking at the rear view video it appears the car driver was in Lane 2 for no real reason as the forward footage shows lane 1 empty in front of him as the lorry cuts in. Without excusing the idiot lorry driver who, perhaps this explains some of the 'road rage' he was the victim of. Reflections on the front and rear of the lorry also appear to show the car's hazard lights are on.

tweedle · 02-12-2015, 15:55

It appears to me more and more these days some car drivers and cyclists are setting up cameras in their vehicles or on their person then going out to intentionally annoy.

I've just watched a video of a van driver seemingly cutting up a cyclist, but the cyclist actually had to increase the speed he was traveling at in what seemed be him racing the van to a junction. Had the cyclist maintained his original speed the van would of cleared the junction a head of the cyclist.

Osem · 02-12-2015, 16:18

Yes and of course we're only likely to see the video which supports the 'victim' in any such incident. Few people are knowingly going to submit footage which confirms their own wrongdoing.

Taf · 02-12-2015, 16:18

An earlier report stated that the car driver sells dashcams.

Free advertising for a middle lane hogger?

Osem · 02-12-2015, 16:21

It'll be interesting to see what comes out following any investigation.

tweedle · 02-12-2015, 16:33

Whatever happens that guy/gal won't be driving a HGV ever again, no matter what the reason or how others act deliberately using a 40 ton articulated lorry in that way on a public road is inexcusable.

007stuart · 02-12-2015, 19:17

Given the HGV is limited to 56 mph it would safe to assume the car driver was travelling at perhaps just over 50 in the middle lane. Also HGV's cannot travel in any lanes other lanes 1 and 2 and from the footage it appears the car driver deliberately stayed in the middle lane effectively denying the HGV driver the ability to pass. It would interesting to see how long this car driver sat in the middle lane before the HGV driver finally lost patience and used the 3rd lane. Perhaps he misjudged the distance or did the car driver speed up in an attempt to stop the HGV driver returning to the middle lane. Certainly more to this story than the report shows.

tweetiepooh · 03-12-2015, 10:09

Playing middle lane devil's advocate - maybe lane 1 was indicated to use for exit effectively making the main carriageway 2 lane only. But even if the car was using the lane 2 improperly doesn't mean other drivers can drive badly around them.

Osem · 03-12-2015, 10:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

Playing middle lane devil's advocate - maybe lane 1 was indicated to use for exit effectively making the main carriageway 2 lane only. But even if the car was using the lane 2 improperly doesn't mean other drivers can drive badly around them.

I think we've all agreed that.

Having said that, driving improperly (e.g. middle lane hogging, driving too slowly) is something which the police can act upon for the very reason that it is dangerous in part because is likely to cause other drivers to react.

In the first front view clip you can clearly see another HGV in the otherwise empty lane one well ahead of the car driver as the offending lorry cuts in. In fact, the car driver moves into lane 1 which is where he probably should have been in the first place.

tweedle · 03-12-2015, 10:45

Am I remembering it wrong or has the video on the BBC news site been edited/changed in some way. It now looks like the HGV driver drivers behind the flashes his lights then clips the at as he passes.

I'm sure there was more to it last night.

Osem · 03-12-2015, 10:53

I don't think so, I felt I could see an impact as the HGV driver overtook when I first saw the clip.

What I can also see is the reflection of hazard lights/indicators on the front of the driver's cab and on the rear of the truck after it passes. One explanation for this could be that the car driver had put them on due to some prior incident and was sitting in Lane 2 baiting the lorry driver, hence the aggressive and dangerous reaction. In any event, the full facts won't be known until there's been a full investigation. From what I can see, neither party has been driving well.

Pierre · 03-12-2015, 11:12

The Lorry driver should have undertaken him. It's not illegal to undertake if done safely.

BTW, I agree that this appears to be a publicity stunt, by a former Police Commissioner no less, to sell dash cams. Set out to purposely antagonise other road users.

Not excusing the lorry driver, but the Police should also consider action against the car driver too. If any action is taken at all.

mrmistoffelees · 03-12-2015, 12:12

I think i read somewhere on this that the car driver intended to pull into lane 1 but as the truck intimidated him he decided to hold his position in lane 2

Whilst there is no excuse for the HGV drivers actions (Who apparently has been dismissed) the car driver should of pulled into lane 1 regardless or provocation (as per the highway code) and as such he plays some part towards in the inciting/provocation of the incident.