Car vs Bike at Junction

gerdee

Hi Guys,

I had a near incident on the way in to Dublin city this morning on my bike. Just curious as who was at fault. I think I was in the wrong but unsure. All opinions are appreciated.

I was trying to cross Pearse St on my bike near the McMahon bridge in Grand Canal Dock. I was on the north side of the street, wanting to cross to the other side. I was just west of the junction of Pearse at Grand Canal Street and wanting to head in the direction of the city. This section of road is four lanes wide.

There was no traffic so I proceeded to cross, I had crossed the first lane when I checked again that there was no traffic coming from the Ringsend direction. Anyway, just as I was about to enter the bus lane on the far side a taxi had to come to stop or else he would have hit me. I think he pulled out of the Grand Canal Quay Junction while I was halfway across.

My question is, because I was already engaged in the movement before he arrived at the junction would he be in the wrong, or is it a case that I was completely wrong for not making sure that a car was not pulling of the junction while I was crossing. I am usually very aware of traffic around me but I guess I messed up this morning.

Thanks,

G

R.O.R

This motors, so you were in the wrong.

Post here - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=410, and I'm sure you'll be in the right.

djimi

If you pulled onto the road before he did then he was in the wrong; he should have checked to make sure the way was clear. Im not sure I fully understand the road layout (I know where youre talking about but I just cant visualize it in my head).

gerdee

This is the location

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9LmdyYW5kK2NhbmFsK3F1YXklMmMrZHVibGluJTJjK2lyZWxhbmQlN2Vzc3QuMCU3ZXBnLjEmYmI9NTMuMzQzMDI0Mjc1Mzg1MiU3ZS02LjIzNzUxNDI2NTcwMDk2JTdlNTMuMzQxNzY2Nzg1NDclN2UtNi4yMzk5MzYwNjUyMzk1Nw==

Thanks for your opinion djimi

GreeBo

He cannot proceed until/unless the road is clear...however if you were cycling perpendicular to the traffic then Im not sure what right of way you had...
If you were walking the bike across you would have more rights I think!

Fey!

GreeBo wrote: »

He cannot proceed until/unless the road is clear...however if you were cycling perpendicular to the traffic then Im not sure what right of way you had...
If you were walking the bike across you would have more rights I think!

I get the impression that he was cyling along the lane, and was going from the rightmost lane to the leftmost lane, checking to see that the lane he was entering was clear each time (which to me is the right way to do it).

If the taxi entered the road after the OP, then I think that the OP is in the right.

OP; it's not very often I'll stick up for the cyclist!

seamus

I'm assuming you were here:
http://maps.google.ie/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Grand+Canal+Street&sll=53.401034,-8.307638&sspn=9.506055,17.687988&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Upper+Grand+Canal+St,+Dublin,+County+Dublin&ll=53.342496,-6.239175&spn=0.000584,0.00108&t=h&z=20

You're not making the scenario very clear. As far as I can tell, you were cycling on the footpath on the northern side and decided to cycle across the road in order to join the citybound traffic flow.
Notwithstanding anything else, the vehicle pulling out of the side street is obliged to give way to all traffic on the road it is entering, be that crossing the road, doing a U-turn or driving down the road.

In a typical scenario, there is no legal basis for you to cycle from the northern to southern side of the road since there is a solid white line at that section. You could be fined for cycling on the footpath and probably some other misdemeanours in addition to the other driver failing to yield to you.

If he hit you he would be in the wrong regardless of the circumstances unless it was impossible for him to stop.

Tragedy

In essence, he was wrong and you were wrong.

gerdee

seamus wrote: »

I'm assuming you were here:
http://maps.google.ie/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Grand+Canal+Street&sll=53.401034,-8.307638&sspn=9.506055,17.687988&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Upper+Grand+Canal+St,+Dublin,+County+Dublin&ll=53.342496,-6.239175&spn=0.000584,0.00108&t=h&z=20

Yeah that's where I was

seamus wrote: »

You're not making the scenario very clear. As far as I can tell, you were cycling on the footpath on the northern side and decided to cycle across the road in order to join the citybound traffic flow.

seamus wrote: »

In a typical scenario, there is no legal basis for you to cycle from the northern to southern side of the road since there is a solid white line at that section. You could be fined for cycling on the footpath and probably some other misdemeanours in addition to the other driver failing to yield to you.

There is a bicycle parking on the footpath on the northside of the street at that location (in front of the Il Valentino cafe). I just wanted to get from there and cycle in a westerly direction.

I am a keen cyclist (one of the few that obeys the rules of the road) and driver. This morning I just wasn't sure who was in the wrong. The taxi driver definately believed that I was in the wrong though :pac:

Thanks all for your replies