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These boxes do help give cyclists space to pull away safely. Nearly all fatal accidents in London occur on junctions. Blind spots are fatal; those that exist on HGV Lorries, those in the knowledge of the cyclists, and those in the tiny minds of people who use the death of an innocent woman as a platform to criticise cyclists in general.

I cycle daily around London and make sure I am at the front, in the middle and seen at every set of lights (where it is safe to get through to) if drivers are so pent up with aggression they cannot take the time to respect other road users, reduce their speed and give way to smaller, more venerable road users then they should really start to take a long look at their lives. There is clearly something missing

RIP Maria, my warmest wishes are with your family

- Pip, London, 02/02/2010 15:49
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Dear people: If the lorry didn't stop in the cycle box we could go in front of him. Simple as that.
Going in front of him meanwhile he was in the box that would mean not see the traffic light.

Can you guys see that a bike can't kill a lorry driver and that anything is done to protect cyclists?

Take as an other example taxi drivers.
Have you ever guys had to deal as a cyclist with taxis in London? They don't care about cyclists they pass 20cm from you and lorry and bus drivers do the same. Do you all think that cyclist are not scared of cars and lorries in London. I think that that is more probable than the driver scared of going over a cyclist. He would not lose he's life. Simple as it is.

Hope nothing like this will happen to you, but you will see clearer then.
Have you ever guys been to the Netherland? Might be helpful for you to understand to go on vacation to Amsterdam...then rent a bike maybe.

Is it so expensive to install a additional mirror to lorries to cover blind spots? That is a Law.
Why HGV are so noisy? Why bike lanes are so narrow? Why bike lanes are not on the pavement or protected by a barrier?

Don't care about the driver punishment. I'm speaking for you guys. For the future of your city. I'm not a Londoner anymore. Why would I care?
Or maybe you guys that write here are all drivers and no cyclists at all?

A lorry driver who doesn't write or say anything to the family in 7 months do you think is a person you would want in your roads?

- Riccardo Rispoli, Italy, 24/01/2010 15:07
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This cyclist was going West to East. Perhaps if TFL had some routes allowing cycling along the paths by river Thames through central London rather than on busy central London roads there would be less fatalities and accidents per year?? A two way cycle lane doesn't take up much space (about 1.5 metres wide) so surely there is easily capacity for a segregated traffic free cycle path on wide pavements (like the 5 metre wide river side paths of Victoria Embankment that stretches 2km West to East through central London). This would also benefit motorists as more cyclists would be directed away from busier roads.

- Pedestrian, London, 11/01/2010 13:21
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Whenever someone encroaches into the green bike bay I simply swing my bike in front of them whilst they're stationary and take my own sweet time pulling away from the lights, showing them that it's not just car drivers that can be inconsiderate.

- Bob, Cheam, 04/01/2010 10:09
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What about the couriers, the trend setters of modern cycling in London. Other cyclists, the regulaur commuters and those who choose to immitate the real two wheeled hooligans. These despatch warriers, unwashed, vegetarian, illegal working, tax dodgers who entertain themselves with illegal street races, loaded with alhohol.
lets pull these in. license them, enforce health and safety rules, insurance.

- Jermyn Tailor, London UK, 04/01/2010 05:48
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I don't understand how people can be so silly to put their own lives at risk like that. Common sense would say that if you are a fragile cyclist with no protection around you like a car/lorry/bus, you DO NOT force your way past anything or wait anywhere where the vehicle can possibly hit you and then blame the driver for not seeing you.
How bout you do use your head and be a little more patient and wait somewhere where it is safe and no danger of being hit?

- Josh, London, 02/01/2010 17:24
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Come on! She was a foreign student who didn't know her way around London roads

she should have been more careful!

- Richard, London, 31/12/2009 20:13
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Best way to save cyclists is to get them off the road. Period

- Steve, Brentford, 31/12/2009 19:50
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This beutifull young girl lost her life, and we must do something so this kind of tragedy can be avoided again.
Educating cycists to the dangers they face is of paramount importance, i have had many near things with bikes coming of pavements and onto the road without looking restricting the space between you , them and oncoming traffic as well as from side roads, many dont have bells or lights, and feel the rules of the road dont apply to them.
Some kind of profeciency test or licensing scheme would help.

- Brian, Wiltshire, 30/12/2009 18:52
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Tragic accident but accident nonetheless. Either cyclists have to take much much greater care or we all need to accept that London's roads are not suitable for cyclists.

- Susie Blake, London, 30/12/2009 14:00
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Her death could also have been prevented had she decided not to cycle on a horrendously busy, inner city road that wasn't designed for cyclists.

Just saying!

- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 30/12/2009 12:58
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I have been a lorry driver and a cyclist.
First of all,make it an enforced law that all large vehicles have a profusion of mirrors,so there is no 'blind spot'.Heavy fines for vehicles that do not have them.
Secondly,educate cyclists to regard trucks and busess as if they were dangerous,wild animals,and give them a wide berth.
I know that the point of cycling in the city is to get there fast,but you want to arrive alive.
Bells are useless,get a horn.

- Jimfred, London UK, 29/12/2009 11:35
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My usual encounter with cyclists in London is generally:
1. On the pavement and expecting pedestrians to get out of their way - around the Lancaster Gate one way system
2. On "No cycling" paths - clearly marked as such, in Kensington Gardens.
3. Overtaking on the inside and running red lights.

- Dep, London, 29/12/2009 10:59
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To all those cyclists who think they rule the road, and that everyone else is at fault but them, please note the following from the Highway Code (in the section "Rules for Cyclists"):

Rule 72
On the left. When approaching a junction on the left, watch out for vehicles turning in front of you, out of or into the side road. Just before you turn, check for undertaking cyclists or motorcyclists. Do not ride on the inside of vehicles signalling or slowing down to turn left.

I also suggest our two-wheeled friends read the rules about not cycling on the pavement, and observing the stop line when traffic lights are at red. Or better still, read rules 59-82 and learn to obey them.

- Jock, Ardmair, Scotland, 29/12/2009 09:42
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People who have been to Thailand will know what I am saying, the motorcyclist here have no regard to safety or their lives or anybody elses life. When out in your car you have to have eyes every where because they come at you from all directions.You dont see many people riding bicycles only the ones with no sense

- Brian Smith, chonburi Thailand, 29/12/2009 08:08
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Dogilewski you should be ashamed at your appalling lack of respect. Maybe this girl was careless, reckless or maybe she just made a mistake - sadly we'll never know. Your misinformed views about licensing of cyclists and bikes are not even worth responding to, but to read them under the story of a young woman's horrific death makes me sad in the extreme. For God's sake get some humility and come back to apologise.

- The Prof, Liverpool, 28/12/2009 23:36
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I'm not convinced that Advanced Stop Lines offer any real benefit. I find that if you wait a couple of cars back the vehicles around you tend to accelerate a bit more gently, and the short bike lane leading to the ASL can be a danger if the lights change while you are using it, as it can tempt people to be in the wrong place alongside a lorry.

- Mt, London, 28/12/2009 20:57
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If you combine careless cyclists, some with headphones, and some careless drivers with mobile phones etc disasters will happen . I would never ever undertake a lorry , van, bus or car.I have cycled and driven vans throughout europe and I do feel that London could use the very wide pavements to provide cycle lanes .Would all cyclists stick to those lanes though? Some macho cyclist are worse than the worst car owners .
As for green zones - After cycling from Bradford to Compostella and back with no problems I was threatened by a driver who pushed my bike with his bumper and blasted his horn because I overtook him to go into the green/red zone before turning right at the lights.He was late for work!!!

- Terry, Hennebont France, 28/12/2009 12:52
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accidents will happen when cyclists and bikes have to co-exist but in the future perhaps cars should be banned from the inner city altogether...and it is not the cyclists who need to be educated - it's the car drivers

- Morten Olesen, odense, denmark, 28/12/2009 09:39
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I live near an area that is very popular with cyclists. Arrogant, insolent, careless of danger, they take the moral high ground if ever they are asked to obey the rules. After many years of observing cyclists, my opinion is that they have no regard for anyones safety, drivers, pedestrians, children, dogs and least of all themselves. I've seen them riding hands free talking on mobiles for goodness sake!

- Fanta, London UK, 27/12/2009 10:38
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May Miss fernandez rest in PERFECT PEACE.

- Kofi-Gimel(P&S Of Ep), London, UK, 27/12/2009 03:15
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A sad tragedy, but sounds like 50-50 in terms of fault. OK the lorry was stopped too far forward - so why the cyclist didn't use judgement of risk and stay back? As some others have said, cyclists frequently and habitually ignore the rules of the road, and disregard the safety of themselves and others (vehicle users AND pedestrians).

And changes to the highway code to allow them to, for example run red lights?!?! If that is true, WHY!!! so why can't we car/van/truck/bus drivers do the same? Is this change just because Boris and Dave are cyclists? Sounds like it to me. I'm all for proper, sensible improvements to the rules, but please, consider that all road users are essentially equal. Cyclists have no more and no less rights than the driver of a vehicle in terms of obedience to stop signs etc. Awareness is what they should be being taught, didn't there used to be a cycling profficiency course in schools? Of course that doesn't cover those who start to cycle as adults, so maybe a cycling license is what's needed, with requisite test etc.

I've had a number of near misses because some cyclist who wasn't paying proper attention to traffic movements ran a red light and caused me to emergency stop. If I'd had a collision, I'm sure it would have been recorded as my fault, not the uninsured unregistered cyclist. I strongly feel that all road users should have to be registered and insured. Yes cyclists are involved in accidents, but I wonder if there's a count of ones they cause?

- Dave, London, 27/12/2009 02:13
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Its a shame about the girl who was killed by a lorry ,it is far too dangerous to ride a cycle on any roads today as a lot of cyclist's are morons and drivers dont care.

- Edward, london, 26/12/2009 21:23
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On the way home from work on Thursday a cyclist smashed into the side of our bus as he was on his mobile phone and paying not a jot of attention to the traffic as he sped onto a junction without looking. Luckily he was ok as was everyone on the bus.
I work in the city and daily I see cyclists weaving in and out of traffic, or even going down busy streets on the wrong side, yet as soon as they get hurt they're never responsible. I fully believe that cyclists should take more notice of the highway code and stop living under the impression everyone owes them something just cuz they're on a bike. If they stopped cycling like they were the only road users (or lets face it quite often pavement users) accidents might drop.

- Anne, New Cross, 26/12/2009 17:59
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Mmmm. The boyfriend of the lady in question seems to blame the lorry driver, when it is clear from what he said above that the accident was indeed the Lady's own fault. They passed along the side the inside of the lorry which was already indicating left and was already in the green box. Thus, any cyclist with some common sense would have waited behind the lorry for it to make its left turn. Why do cyclists think they are invincible? The lorry may have been in the wrong for being in the box, but it was there first and the cyclists saw that it was intending on turning left. Use a bit of common sense and hold back. Simple really.

- Bob, Enfield, 26/12/2009 17:46
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It's not hard to see why there's deaths on the roads each day, however all of them are avoidable.

1. Driver stopping at the Advanced Stopping Line. (Highway code Rule 178)
2. Cyclist creeping up on the nearside of a large vehicle signalling left. (Blindspots).
3. The road lanes are to narrow for large vehicles. (Due to bus lanes, example Graham road E8 London).

When death happens to someone close to you then you may look at the choices you make and what the consequences may be.

- Jonny Boy, London, 26/12/2009 08:58
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Common sense would tell me that cyclists should stop behind big lorries at red light, rather than pulling alongside them.

- Ed, London, 26/12/2009 07:08
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The safest way not to die as a cyclist - don't cycle. it is little more than a vainity exercise and people would be far better if they walked when possible and used public transport when not.

- Jeni, Belfast, UK, 25/12/2009 14:50
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Cyclists should undergo training before they are allowed to go on the road.

- John Smith, London. UK, 25/12/2009 08:13
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Kathy from London, your idea is as unrealistic as a Labour government without debt. Please.

- Marco Marboni, Kettering, UK, 25/12/2009 02:02
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This is the governments fault. Cyclists should have their own lanes like in the Netherlands.

- Marco Marboni, Kettering, UK, 25/12/2009 01:13
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Advance stop lines are just a cheap and useless alternative to providing advance traffic lights for bikes. A 10-second light-controlled head start would give cycles the necessary time to manoeuvre ahead of motor traffic legally and prevent accidents. And to those cruel, heartless commentators on this page who suggest she got what she deserved - I'm glad I'm not spending Xmas with you! A woman has lost her life for cycling legally and waiting at a red light.

- Robin, London, UK, 25/12/2009 00:37
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I drive and cycle in London, both for many years. In my experience 99% of drivers are pretty good with cycles, as long as the driver can see the cyclist is in control of their road space by assertive signalling - most drivers will assume a passive role when the cyclist appears in command of what they are doing. However, there are a scary number of driver misjudgements - car overtakes cycle at 30mph, approaches lefthand junction,brakes and turns underestimating the cycle speed - inducing an undertaking move by the cyclist with fatal consequences.

- Jonathan, Doha, Qatar, 25/12/2009 00:08
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Sadly a life has ended in a very tragic accident.
I feel sorry for her family and friends at this difficult time.

- Cyclist And Motorist, London, 24/12/2009 19:54
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ASLs are pretty much not enforcable.

From the Highway Code..
178
Advanced stop lines. Some signal-controlled junctions have advanced stop lines to allow cycles to be positioned ahead of other traffic. Motorists, including motorcyclists, MUST stop at the first white line reached if the lights are amber or red and should avoid blocking the way or encroaching on the marked area at other times, e.g. if the junction ahead is blocked. If your vehicle has proceeded over the first white line at the time that the signal goes red, you MUST stop at the second white line, even if your vehicle is in the marked area. Allow cyclists time and space to move off when the green signal shows.

[Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10, 36(1) & 43(2)]

So if drivers are too close when the lights change they must stop at the second line, blocking the box, rather than try and cross the junction.

Seems to me like this sacrifices cycle safety by not keeping the box clear balanced against safety for vehicles crossing the junction and/or congestion by allowing an extra couple of seconds for the lights to hange from one direction to another.

- Paul, london, 24/12/2009 18:51
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Austen: "Why aren't the police enforcing the law on Advanced Stop Lines?"

Good question. Why don't they enforce the law on driving whilst on mobile phones, on cycles going through red lights, on pedestrians jay walking, on any number of motoring offences committed in London.

Allow people to get away with this behaviour added to lack of respect for the laws and you get London driving. With this will always come these tragedies.

- T Harris, London UK, 24/12/2009 18:11
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John, the trouble is how many more mirrors can you squeeze on an LGV? Its like looking at 20 tv screens at once - a hell of a lot of information to take in.

Even if you can see the driver in a mirror it doesnt mean they have seen you either. My advice to other riders is ALWAYs keep your distance.

The best thing you can do in my experience is this:
1. If the lights have only just changed red and the ASL is clear and traffic stationary then proceed to it, but only if there is a smaller vehicle infront of the LGV

2. If there isnt space in the ASL or there is a Lorry there dont assume they're going straight on. Remain about 3 feet of the left rear and try and make eye contact with the driver behind too before you pull off on green.

3. If the LGVs road positioning or actions make you uneasy then it can sometimes be safer to dismount and navigate the junction on foot if you have a chance to do so.

- Djc, Hampshire, 24/12/2009 17:38
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Perhaps all high vehicles should have an additional angled downward facing mirror on the on-side. Only cyclists ahead would be unseen.

- John, Buckley Wales, 24/12/2009 16:35
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"Virtually all cyclists refuse to obey or recognise the highway code.Their only protection from traffic is education. After that we should think of licencing them as they do in other European countries; at that point motorists will not be traumatised after being involved in accidents with careless cyclists. Come on Boris try and put some discipline into this cranky subsection of society. Make sure their bikes are road worthy and within the law.ie have mud guards,front and rear lights,bells etc.Also we should try get them off the roads as they don't know how to use them, firstly by building more cycle paths.And if we can't help them,they should be banned on the Queen's highway.

- Alexis Dogilewski, London England"

I see no evidence that ALL disobey the laws. Infact they cant by sheer logic or else I would be too.

Currently I know of no licensing scheme in any part of Europe. Those that were in operation (switzerland, germany iirc) have been abolished due to lack of admin costs. Google the Toronto licence scheme - you will see many good reasons against it.

Lastly there is no law over mudguards or bells (bells can legally be removed after purchase). A word of note however - if a Police Officer thinks your cycle unroadworthy they have the power to detain you and investigate. You can be fined for dangerous cycling if found to be in possession of a dangerous bike. £2500 in court max.

- Djc, Hampshire, 24/12/2009 16:13
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As ever the cyclists believe that their safety is everyone else's responsibility except their own.

- Matty, London, UK, 24/12/2009 16:11
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Virtually all cyclists refuse to obey or recognise the highway code.Their only protection from traffic is education. After that we should think of licencing them as they do in other European countries; at that point motorists will not be traumatised after being involved in accidents with careless cyclists. Come on Boris try and put some discipline into this cranky subsection of society. Make sure their bikes are road worthy and within the law.ie have mud guards,front and rear lights,bells etc.Also we should try get them off the roads as they don't know how to use them, firstly by building more cycle paths.And if we can't help them,they should be banned on the Queen's highway.

- Alexis Dogilewski, London England, 24/12/2009 16:02
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"This is another tragic accident, and like most I am sorry and disturbed to learn of it. However, as it is only legal to overtake on the outside of another vehicle and that is the only place where there is a chance that you will be noticed. To undertake as in this instance, puts the risk and onus on the one breaking the law.

- Ian B, Reading, England"

No. Technically there is provision to filter on the inside in the Highway Code (after all, drivers legally do this when a car infront wants to turn right on single carriageways). ASLs also have a "sink lane" on the left, often a whole cyclelane leading into it.

- Djc, Hampshire, 24/12/2009 15:36
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This is another tragic accident, and like most I am sorry and disturbed to learn of it. However, as it is only legal to overtake on the outside of another vehicle and that is the only place where there is a chance that you will be noticed. To undertake as in this instance, puts the risk and onus on the one breaking the law.

- Ian B, Reading, England, 24/12/2009 15:08
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It really is time that action was taken to enforce ASLs. A change in the law is required so that it is illegal for a motorist to enter the boxed area unless the lights are green AND the exit from the junction is clear. A tragic case in which a young life was needlessly lost.

- Cyclingsilk, London, 24/12/2009 14:48
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All new bikes and vehicles need to have installed a sort-of tracking device so when a car/van is close to a bike a loud voice emanates from the car/van such as: "cyclist on your left/right hand side, proceed with caution!". That way the driver knows to check his mirrors before he manoeuvres. Can someone design this and give a proportion of the profits to a London charity. Thanks!

- Kathy, London, 24/12/2009 14:39
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A number of people are asking why vehicles stop in the Cycle Zones at junctions and it should be pointed out that it is not illegal for a vehicle to stop in this zone if they have no choice. It is very easy to get isolated in this zone when a light changes and be stranded. In this case it is perfectly acceptable to be there and not illegal. I would guess that this is the reason that the Police do not spend more time enforcing them. As a grey area it would be very hard to prove.

It is always a tragedy when someone dies but in this instance I hope others learn from it. Undertaking a lorry that is indicating left is madness whether he was in the forward zone for the right reasons or not.

A little more patience and awareness and this poor girl would still be alive.

- Dr Who, London, 24/12/2009 13:07
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I commute by cycle every day in central London. I've never seen the police pull a car/van/lorry/bus or motorbike for stopping in the ASL.

Would any stats be available to show how many have been issued tickets for this?

- Dave, Essex, 24/12/2009 12:29
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Advanced stop lines are meaningless. At best drivers see them as an acceleration area for anticipating the green light. I can't count the number of times drivers behind me have had to accelerate hard to pass so that they can turn left in front of me.

- Patrick, Dalston, 24/12/2009 12:01
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I'm am both a cyclist and a car driver, so I'm not just car-driver bashing. Whilst cycling, and this applies to 99% of drivers particularly Buses; lorries, and other large vehicles, they leave no room at the side of the road when at a stand still. There have been times when I@ve had to dismount my bike, pull it onto the pavement, make my way to the front of the traffic lights on the pavement, then return to the road waiting for the the lights to turn green. I dare not try and squeeze past the vehicles in case the lights change and I'm stuck between vehicle and pavement. With regards to the above incedent, this poor chap witnessed his partner's fate; I just hope he's manageing to cope.

- Dominique Marion, london, 24/12/2009 11:49
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Licensing/testing is not the answer to inexperienced cyclists, awareness is. An inexperienced cyclist can ride all the way down a cyclelane up towards the ASL and not realise they should wait behind LGVs and busses. Get this point on the telly in proper ads.

Secondly I will point out that to the best of my knowledge (and I have tried researching this, perhaps it needs a Press FOI request?) no driver or motorcyclist has ever been fined or even told off by Police for stopping in the ASL.

Third point. Boris brought in a good series of mirrors on lamp posts (shop mirrors as they are known) so that large vehicles can see down the left and immediately in front of them. Sadly there is very little else we can all do on this.

- Djc, Hampshire, 24/12/2009 11:33
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most people need to be more aware of what is happening around them: pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists...

i cycle daily and have to think not just for myself but to notice the person walking on the pavement who might suddenly step in to the road (this happens every day on jermyn street), the driver who isn't indicating but turns left anyway, the motorbike speeding in the bus lane and passing me on the left. the police should do something about drivers in the asl. i know the junction in holborn very well and the asl always has vehicles stopped in it. if i find a car in the asl i go in front of it, so i can clearly be seen. and if i mention to them they should not be in that area the language used at me is so offensive. unless everyone cares about other people as much themselves, nothing will change and there will be all sorts of incidents on the roads.

- Bandora Etrog, london, 24/12/2009 11:01
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As I understand it the lorry was already in place (albeit in the wrong place), indicating, when the cyclists cycled up along side - any cyclist who moves alongside the left side of a vehicle that is already ahead of them which is indicating left is a fool. I'm sorry another cyclist has died but the circumstances of this case don't suggest that greater provision should be made for cyclists save for ensuring that all cyclists have passed a suitably stringent training course and learned about safety on the roads!

- Andy, london, 24/12/2009 10:54
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Here we go - if you cycle on the inside of a lorry at a road junction you can expect to be injured or killed.

Again, a strict enforcement of government approved training and subsequent licensing for all cyclists will ensure that they have the necessary knowledge to avoid such dangerous situations and avoid the distress they cause others by their deaths.

It's about time that cyclists stopped blaming others for their inadequacy’s and used common sense to avoid these situations.

- James, London, 24/12/2009 10:52
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What a terrible tragedy.

Your first priority whilst using the roads when you are on two wheels must be to stay alive. You should presume that everyone else is a blind, deaf lunatic, and work from there.

Sitting at the lights to the left of an HGV also turning left is utter madness. As a motorcyclist I cannot understand why you would not have let the HGV get out of the way before making your next move.

- Pc, London, 24/12/2009 10:48
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Austen: "Why aren't the police enforcing the law on Advanced Stop Lines?" Why in fact aren't they enforcing ANY road markings?

I was driving in London a couple months ago and couldn't believe how box junctions were now completely ignored by motorists, resulting in gridlock and much tooting. Like that's going to help anything!

- Marianne, SW France/London, 24/12/2009 10:39
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Part of the problem is that given a choice between possibly shooting the lights and stopping in the cycle zone, I will stop in the cycle zone. This particularly applies with slow moving traffic.

The problem with some cyclists is that they just don't realise how vulnerable they are to lorries which are high off the ground and don't always see them in their mirrors.

Beware what you wish for because if the police enforce the cycle area they will also enforce the regular infringements by cyclists.

I was recently walking in central London and saw a police car with two officers. The driver was texting, talk about lack of standards.

I speak as a cyclist and a motorist and the lesson I have learnt is be careful and aware of other road users. Don't think because you are in the right that you will be alright. Use a bit of common sense and guess what, accidents happen, there isn't always someone to blaim although modern society seems to think there is always is.

- Stephen C, London, 24/12/2009 10:35
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A very sad case, but you should always assume that a lorry will turn left and it will save your life in the long run, the vehicles rear indicator might not even be working.

Again a very sad case, but cyclists need to start taking a lot more care on the roads, by assuming that a vehicle will be unpredictable.

- P Staker, London, W8, 24/12/2009 10:32
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I absolutely agree with Austen. I cycle everyday to work in London, and routinely see vehicles stationing on the ASL, therefore endangering cyclists who have no choice but stopping either on the side, or behind. And when you point this out to the driver of said vehicle, you usually get torrents of abuse.

- Jerome, London, 24/12/2009 10:26
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The sad truth in this case is that had they waited behind the first indicating vehicle this accident would never have taken place. The driver wasn't charged because he is blameless in this incident.

Cyclists must never pass a vehicle on the side to which it is indicating, regardless of whether it is moving or not.

Mr Rispoli's time would be better spent educating other cyclists not to make the same mistake they did, rather than trying to enact more arbitrary motoring law.

- Stew, London, 24/12/2009 10:22
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To be honest, Cyclists need to do more to protect themselves. They need to be more aware of other road users and exercise greater knowledge of the Highway Code that applies to all road users! The Advanced Stop lines are necessary for cyclists. Any death on the roads is a tragedy. I ride in London daily, albeit on a motorcycle, but the principles are the same. Offer courtesy to other road uers, don't flaunt the law and keep well away from the left side of turning vehicles at junctions and traffic lights.

- Rider, Londonistan, 24/12/2009 10:22
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I was knocked off my bike by a lorry turning left in 1954 when I was on my way to school, so every day after that I got off my bike and walked round the corner. Today any cyclist is at risk to the nearside of an HGV And as an EX-HGV driver I can assure that when I was driving I would be concentrating on the road ahead, I would have checked to my left, but then I would look ahead, any cyclist which then came between me and the pavement would be un-noticed.

- Jim Allan, Silverdale, 24/12/2009 10:15
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No cyclist should die on the roads, but if the lorry was indicating left she should never have gone alongside it. Either that, or gone around and then in front, even if that means going over the stop line. To make sure the driver has seen you.

- Peter, London, 24/12/2009 10:13
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"Caution might have been exercised if she believed it was going to turn left" ie believed the indicators?

"The driver was in the cycle box so we couldn't get in front."

I cannot believe people don't simply wait until the danger has passed...at the end of the day, if a lorry gets ahead of you and you have to wait 10 seconds for it to turn left in front of you, will that really make any difference to you in the long run?

It's very sad, of course, but I just can't believe people don't understand that being hit by a big lorry is going to be more painful than the bruised pride of giving way.

- St, London, 24/12/2009 10:09
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The best way for cyclists to be protected on the road is for them to take resposibility for their own actions. This unfortunate woman didn't obey the advice in the Highway Code not to stop to the left of a HGV indicating left (Rule 72)and paid the ultimate price.

According to the circumstances the law can require the driver of a motor vehicle to stop in the marked area between the stop lines (Rule 178).

Most accidents could be avoided if everyone complied with the Highway Code.

- Frank, Waterlooville, 24/12/2009 09:40
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Why aren't the police enforcing the law on Advanced Stop Lines? These have been placed - at great expense - to improve cyclists' safety, yet drivers routinely ignore them, in this case with fatal consequences. It's not as if there's a shortage of CCTV cameras in London, particularly at road junctions.

- Austen, London, 24/12/2009 09:05
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