Moment a ‘prat biker with a death wish’ narrowly avoids being crushed as he squeezes through a 4ft gap between two HGVs at 80mph 

  • Lorry driver John Thompson, 53, was going down A11 from Norwich to London
  • Another HGV began to overtake him when a motorbike emerged between them
  • He said the reckless motorcyclist put his own life and the life of others at risk  

By Emily Chan For Mailonline

Published: 05:13 EST, 10 February 2017 | Updated: 05:23 EST, 10 February 2017

Shocking footage shows the moment a 'prat biker with a death wish' squeezed through a tiny gap between two lorries at 80mph - narrowly avoiding being crushed.

Lorry driver John Thompson, 53, was travelling down the A11 from Norwich to London when another HGV began to overtake him in the outside lane. 

Despite both vehicles going at around 60mph and having no more than four feet between them, he was stunned when a biker emerged between them.

Shocking footage shows the moment a 'prat biker with a death wish' squeezed through a tiny gap two lorries at 80mph on the A11 from Norwich to London 

Shocking footage shows the moment a 'prat biker with a death wish' squeezed through a tiny gap two lorries at 80mph on the A11 from Norwich to London 

Mr Thompson, who was travelling near the Attleborough Bypass at around 6.30am, says the reckless biker put the lives of the two lorry drivers at risk, as well as his own life.

He said: 'Honestly, I didn't see the bike coming. I was shaking when I saw it. There was a truck without a trailer in the right-hand lane and it was overtaking me.

'Many drivers flash other cars to let them overtake. If I had done that, the prat biker would have died.'

Mr Thompson only heard the motorbike as it sped past him and had not seen it approaching due to the height of his wing mirrors. 

Lorry driver John Thompson, 53, was stunned when a biker emerged between the two HGVs

Lorry driver John Thompson, 53, was stunned when a biker emerged between the two HGVs

He said: 'We're basically in charge of a lethal weapon in a lorry, we can cause a lot of damage. On the video, it is literally a second or two and he's gone.

'A slight lapse in concentration and he would have been dead. They just come up on you so quickly. It's like he had a death wish.

'Trucks are so large that any movements are exaggerated. A slight turn and he would have been under the wheels.'

The lorry driver said unfortunately he sees this type of dangerous driving nearly every day.   

'They think they can get away with it so it is a chance they take and one of these days if he keeps taking those chances, he won't be so lucky,' he said. 

'If the other truck driver had got past me, if I was in front, I would have flashed him in.

He says the biker could easily have been killed during the dangerous manoeuvre

He says the biker could easily have been killed during the dangerous manoeuvre

'If I had done that, the truck driver could have moved over and squashed him.'

Mr Thompson has been a lorry driver for the same company for 13 years, however it was in the armed forces that he first learned how to drive trucks.

He said: 'I was driving for 12 years in the army but in total, I have been driving them for 35 years.

'I would like to think I'm experienced, but sometimes you get caught out.'

He urged fellow drivers, as well as the biker in the clip, to be more vigilant.   

Mr Thompson said: 'Be aware of what is going on in front of you and have patience. We [lorry drivers] can only do a certain speed.

'Is your life not worth waiting just five seconds for one of us to get out of the way?' 

Comments (0)

Share what you think

No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now