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Wife had a crash, tyres may have been worn!

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    #62
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    DrPhilG wrote: »
    Which leads me to yet another question for you folk...

    If my wife holds a NI license, can the judge (if we get that far) suspend that? As I say my wife doesn't intend to drive again anyway but I'm just wondering.

    Yes iirc, there is a reciprocal agreement here with the UK in relation to people banned from driving, but others here can confirm that.

    Can I please pass on my sympathies to your wife and how utterly horrifying this experience has been for her, it's one of my worst nightmares.

    I have to say though that the longer she leaves driving again, the more badly she will be affected, every drive she completes safely now will slowly help build up her confidence.

    A driving assessment ability course might be a longer term aim for her.

    My thoughts are with you, must be a shockingly awful experience.


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    #63
    DrPhilG
    Registered Users Posts: 12,221 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    Thanks Stheno.

    It's a mixed bag of emotions for her at the minute. She's greatly relieved that the cyclist is ok. Not because of fear of claims etc but because the guilt has been killing her.

    On the other hand she is scared by the possible prosecution. She thought that she would be arrested etc and held for court rather than issued a summons!


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    #64
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    DrPhilG wrote: »
    Thanks Stheno.

    It's a mixed bag of emotions for her at the minute. She's greatly relieved that the cyclist is ok. Not because of fear of claims etc but because the guilt has been killing her.

    On the other hand she is scared by the possible prosecution. She thought that she would be arrested etc and held for court rather than issued a summons!

    Hey I can get this, I've had one small (tiny, cost €170) collision with another motorist and I've avoided that parking area since but got no choice on dodgy parking when I started working where I do :)

    Were harm to a person involved, I'd remonstrate with myself over and over.
    It's pointless, I've done it loads in other scenarios.

    Were I your wife, I'd be celebrating tonight given the update today, any PI claim is out of your hands.


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    #65
    Tragedy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Tragedy


    DrPhilG, did they say why they were planning on prosecuting your wife? Or mention the van driver?


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    #66
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    Attempting to overtake a cyclist before a bend, while doing 50mph+, on a road without a hard shoulder, without changing lanes, sounds like dangerous driving to me.
    At 30mph a cyclist should be allowed a clearance at least 3 feet, at 50mph I recon this should be increased to at least six feet. How wide was this road?
    I agree with others that your wife shouldn't give up driving over this, but she should take further driver training, perhaps you should consider a few lessons yourself.


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    #67
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    2 stroke wrote: »
    3 feet, at 50mph I recon this should be increased to at least six feet. How wide was this road?
    I agree with others that your wife shouldn't give up driving over this, but she should take further driver training, perhaps you should consider a few lessons yourself.

    If you have ever driven in Dublin city centre in the rush hour, then you'd understand that we would repay our deficit in a matter of days if we fined every motorist who didnt obey these rules. I don't think the OP has mentioned if there were hard shoulders or a bike lane either?

    I think it's very harsh to question the OPs driving ability on the basis of an accident his wife has had and the relatively obscure rules you have quoted.

    I know I regularly do the back seat driver routine when my OH is driving, but that doesn't mean I drive like my OH and strangely enough our individual insurance loading reflects that!


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    #68
    Tragedy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Tragedy


    Also, the driver in question apparently swerved to the left to avoid an oncoming van that had overtaken around a blind bend and was driving head on towards her - if I'm reading the thread correctly.


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    #69
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    Yes I drive dublin city centre regularly. But if I drove at 50mph during rush hour I think more than 1 cyclist would be injured. Read the thread. also forgot to mention it was wet, imagine the spray of a car at 50mph.


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    #70
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    Tragedy wrote: »
    Also, the driver in question apparently swerved to the left to avoid an oncoming van that had overtaken around a blind bend and was driving head on towards her - if I'm reading the thread correctly.

    One should stop in a straight line, not swerve.


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    #71
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,707 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    Stheno wrote: »
    If you have ever driven in Dublin city centre in the rush hour, then you'd understand that we would repay our deficit in a matter of days if we fined every motorist who didnt obey these rules. I don't think the OP has mentioned if there were hard shoulders or a bike lane either?

    I think it's very harsh to question the OPs driving ability on the basis of an accident his wife has had and the relatively obscure rules you have quoted.

    I know I regularly do the back seat driver routine when my OH is driving, but that doesn't mean I drive like my OH and strangely enough our individual insurance loading reflects that!

    speed limit is 50 kmph in dcc


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    #72
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Tigger wrote: »
    speed limit is 50 kmph in dcc

    My point is that despite the Op being on a 100kph road, even in DCC and 30/50 Kph limits cyclists can be incredibly unpredictible

    Motorists invariably are at fault in cyclist related claims, but what gets my goat is the lack of regulation of cyclists by Gardai

    It's most likely OT so irrelevant


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    #73
    heathersonline
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭heathersonline


    2 stroke wrote: »
    Tragedy wrote: »
    Also, the driver in question apparently swerved to the left to avoid an oncoming van that had overtaken around a blind bend and was driving head on towards her - if I'm reading the thread correctly.

    One should stop in a straight line, not swerve.

    This is bs, one should react to the enviornment presented at a given moment. If everyone stopped in a straight line there'd be a lot more accidents on the road.


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    #74
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    heathersonline wrote: »
    This is bs, one should react to the enviornment presented at a given moment. If everyone stopped in a straight line there'd be a lot more accidents on the road.

    How?


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    #75
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    If you allow 3 feet while overtaking you allow room for cyclists to fall, swerve ect, you also allow room for idiots to open car doors. If you don't have 3 feet you should not pass at speed.


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    #76
    heathersonline
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭heathersonline


    Stheno wrote: »
    heathersonline wrote: »
    This is bs, one should react to the enviornment presented at a given moment. If everyone stopped in a straight line there'd be a lot more accidents on the road.

    How?

    If your driving and a kid runs out in front of you, you have the opportunity to hit the brakes and swerve to avoid, would you follow your logic, hit the brakes and hope for the best in a straight line?


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    #77
    johnos1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,096 ✭✭✭johnos1984


    2 stroke wrote: »
    If you allow 3 feet while overtaking you allow room for cyclists to fall, swerve ect, you also allow room for idiots to open car doors. If you don't have 3 feet you should not pass at speed.

    I follow the French model and only over take on the opposite side of the road.


    much safer


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    #78
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    heathersonline wrote: »
    This is bs, one should react to the enviornment presented at a given moment. If everyone stopped in a straight line there'd be a lot more accidents on the road.

    If everybody swerved in a crisis there would be chaos. How would you predict what direction other road users would swerve.


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    #79
    Tragedy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Tragedy


    I wasn't meaning to imply that the person in question was right to swerve, just stating that she swerved to avoid what she thought would be a head-on collision.


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    #80
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    DrPhilG wrote: »
    my wife doesn't plan on driving again

    I realize she is shook and lost her confidence

    The longer she leaves it the harder it will be.

    Maybe book an hour with an instructor, not because she needs lessons but it might help her confidence more then if she drove with someone she knows

    In time, she'll be back driving again no problem.


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    #81
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    heathersonline wrote: »
    If your driving and a kid runs out in front of you, you have the opportunity to hit the brakes and swerve to avoid, would you follow your logic, hit the brakes and hope for the best in a straight line?

    Friend of mine swerved onto wrong side in similar situation, pedestrian took evasive action. Pedestrian died. Driver charged with dangerous driving as he was driving on wrong side of road when colision occured.


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    #82
    heathersonline
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭heathersonline


    2 stroke wrote: »
    heathersonline wrote: »
    If your driving and a kid runs out in front of you, you have the opportunity to hit the brakes and swerve to avoid, would you follow your logic, hit the brakes and hope for the best in a straight line?

    Friend of mine swerved onto wrong side in similar situation, pedestrian took evasive action. Pedestrian died. Driver charged with dangerous driving as he was driving on wrong side of road when colision occured.

    That's genuinely tragic but still doesnt mean that braking in a straight line in all situations (as the poster above suggested) is correct. You've got to react in the way you believe will have the safest outcome for all in the surrounding environment. Jamming on the brakes, closing your eyes and hoping for the best is just not good advice


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    #83
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    heathersonline wrote: »
    Jamming on the brakes, closing your eyes and hoping for the best is just not good advice

    Thats not how you do an emergency stop.


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    #84
    heathersonline
    Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭heathersonline


    2 stroke wrote: »
    heathersonline wrote: »
    Jamming on the brakes, closing your eyes and hoping for the best is just not good advice

    Thats not how you do an emergency stop.

    The post I took issue with says "One should stop in a straight line, not swerve.". Did you see me mention anything about performing an emergency stop? What I said was there are different scenarios that call for different reactions. Sometime an emergency stop is not the appropriate reaction.


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    #85
    DrPhilG
    Registered Users Posts: 12,221 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    Just to clarify a few things for "Tragedy".

    My wife was in the van. She didnt swerve any direction, she braked hard and the van skidded. It was an incoming car that overtook forcing the action. My wife was not mid-overtake when the oncoming car appeared, she was still in her own lane.

    We accept that she may have braked too hard, and not denying that she is liable. I just didn't think that what she did constituted dangerous or careless driving. Maybe I'm just being biased. :o


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    #86
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    Having read through this thread I'd say your wife was driving carelessly. How else did she hit the cyclist?

    She was either driving too fast or to close to the cyclist for the conditions at the time.

    Accidents don't just happen, they happen because someone has been careless, maybe unwittingly but still careless.

    Pleas don't say she hit the cyclist because the van skidded, this means she was driving a combination of too fast and close to avoid the cyclist when an in anticipated situation arose.

    Hopefully your wife will get back behind the wheel soon but she does need to understand this was HER fault and she needs to alter her driving style to avoid any repeat incidents. It really sounds like she had a lucky escape that this could have been much worse.


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    #87
    DrPhilG
    Registered Users Posts: 12,221 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    An update to this thread.

    Still no claim from the cyclist for either the bicycle or herself. Hopefully she is OK.

    Still no further information on the potential prosecution either. More on that here...

    In more positive news, my wife got behind the wheel for the first time yesterday. I do worry that if the prosecution does happen it will knock the stuffing right back out of her but time will tell.

    Either way I'm glad she has made the first step, she has been having a terrible time for the past 9 months, not sleeping, nightmares, bordering on depression to be honest. :(


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