Now, the above title might seem to be a bit obvious. However that’s only if you’re assuming (and never assume as it ‘makes an ass out of you and me’) that I’m talking about British lorries. I’m not.
What I am talking about is foreign lorries. This is because they have completley different dead spots compared to British lorries. The reason for this is that the driver in a foreign lorry is sat on the left-hand side of the lorry. His mirrors are therefore set-up to maximise driving on the left-hand side of the road.
What this means for you, is that when you’re overtaking and have drawn level with - or are just behind - the cab, if the driver looks out of his right hand window from his seat, or into his mirror, he won’t see you.
This isn’t a problem - unless he’s also thinking about overtaking traffic in front. It is becoming increasingly common for foreign lorries to sideswipe cars in the middle lane, simply because they can’t see you. So, if you’re overtaking a foreign lorry, make sure you do so as swiftly and safely as possible. Be prepared to move out into the fast lane, be aware of their indicators (since these will be the best signal you can get of their intentions) and be safe. Move into the fast lane if you have to.