An event designed to give HGV drivers and cyclists a view on each other’s perspectives was one of the many success stories during National Lorry Week.
The Exchanging Places ‘swap’ was held in partnership with O’Donovan Waste and Metropolitan Police during the national event that ran from September 11 and 16.
Cyclists were given the chance to sit in the cab of a lorry and watch as another cyclist rode alongside the HGV to the front of the vehicle, allowing the cyclist in the HGV to see exactly where blind spots occur.
O’Donovan’s Managing Director, Jacqueline O’Donovan, said, “At O’Donovan waste, we feel that the Exchanging Places initiative is vital to strengthen interactions between lorry drivers and vulnerable road users.
“It is important for hauliers to collaborate with other road users so that both have a joint understanding of the others’ experience and expectations.”
Sergeant Asad Ikram, from the Metropolitan Police’s Cycle Safety Team, said, “The Met aims to reduce collisions and the number of people killed or seriously injured on London’s roads, enforcing traffic legislation robustly and at every opportunity.
“Our award-winning Exchanging Places programme helps to contribute towards road safety by educating cyclists about how to safely position yourself alongside other traffic, particularly vans, trucks and heavy goods vehicles.”
