Sandyford Road Near Miss!

ozzy jr

Was cycling down the cycle lane on Sandyford Road heading from the Central Bank to Dundrum this evening,

http://maps.google.ie/?ll=53.276999,-6.230192&spn=0.000006,0.005284&t=h&layer=c&z=18&cbll=53.277239,-6.23046&panoid=309K4GOKriigHsNhZZA-Vg&cbp=12,326.46,,0,12.15

The lights were red in the distance and judging by the amount of cars in the line, I knew they'd be green by the time I got there. There's a good distance between last corner and lights so you can make a good judgement on the situation as you approach. I'm familiar with the stretch of road as I cycle it a lot.

Anyway as I got about 3 or 4 car lenghts from the lights they changed to green so I kept going, easily doing about 40-45km/h as it's slightly downhill. The first car decided to turn left just as I was approaching and I had to jam on the breaks. His car was now blocking the cycle path and he must have seen me because he stopped. I swerved left to avoid him and narrowly did. It was quite a scary moment, if he hadn't of stopped there was no where for me to go. Images flashed before my eyes!

I turned around and gave him the usual glare, but this is where it gets interesting. There was a car stopped waiting to come out of the side road (Clonard) and he started beeping and giving me the w**ker gesture. I stopped and went over to him and said "what's your problem".

His response was "what did you continue going for, when the car was turning left".

I said I had the right of way as I was in the cycle lane.

He relied with "you don't pay road tax", called me a few names and drove off in the direction of Dundrum.

I chased after him (I know, I know, but I was annoyed and a bit shaken after the near crash so wasn't thinking right). I caught him at the lights at Dundrum shopping centre. I told him I do pay tax, and he said I suppose you're going through these red lights too. It got a bit stupid then so I carried on and left it at that.

Anyway to get back to the important part, what's the situation regarding me coming up on the left in the cycle lane and the car turning left.

I remember from the rules of the road, indicating is a signal of intent not a right of way.

I'm thinking that (1) the driver was in the wrong for turning when it wasn't clear (2) I'm possibly in the blame for shooting up on the inside and (3) the driver coming out of the side road in the w**ker in all this!

Anyone like to comment?

McWotever

First driver was in the wrong, crossing a broken white line without checking it was clear, open and shut case.

The second driver is an ****hole

And your brave bordering on wreckless, doing 45kmh on the inside of traffic.

awec

I cycle that road all the time, it's part of my commute. I always slow right down when I come to those junctions as some cars forget/don't bother to indicate before turning left.

lac007

Sounds to me like the two of you were wrong.Plus it was none of the other Guys buisness.

ozzy jr

Probably more like 35-40 but still a bit reckless, although the traffic was stopped.

Lumen

Undertaking left turning traffic at speed is likely to lead you to an accident. As you've discovered.

Wishbone Ash

ozzy jr wrote: »

Probably more like 35-40 but still a bit reckless, although the traffic was stopped.

Always assume a vehicle may turn left regardless of the absence of an indicator.

.....and a passenger could decide to get out a vehicle queuing at a junction (as I found out the hard way!)

Mycroft H

You technically do have right of way here but your way way too fast at that speed. If a passenger had hopped out of the car at the lights you're toast.

CardinalJ

Doing that speed inside stationary traffic where a car could turn left is madness I think.

I do some really stupid things on a bike but I don't think I'd do that. I work around there and at least once a day I see something really stupid along with countless other things that are potentially lethal.

If you hadn't been able to stop it would ultimately be the other guys fault, but you'd almost be asking for it if you're speeding inside traffic.

ozzy jr

Yeah, they're the responses I expected really. Lesson learned on my part anyway.

It's a grand stretch of road though, from stepaside to dundrum especially that stretch since it was resurfaced. It's a shame to have to break

Thanks for the replies.

awec

ozzy jr wrote: »

Yeah, they're the responses I expected really. Lesson learned on my part anyway.

It's a grand stretch of road though, from stepaside to dundrum especially that stretch since it was resurfaced. It's a shame to have to break

Thanks for the replies.

Once you get over the M50 bridge the road is perfectly smooth and all downhill so it's very easy to build up a lot of speed.

It's a nice cycle at night when there are few cars about!

irlirishkev

I don't cycle much anymore, but when I do, I know damn well to expect cars turning left not to check for cyclists.

OP, assume that all drivers will cut you off, because most will. Glad you weren't hurt, and yeah, that other driver was a tosser. I hate that anti-cyclist crap..

ozzy jr

The worst part about the "other driver" was when he was swearing away at me his wife just sat there looking mortified. She never looked in my direction, just stared away. Probably a regular occurrence.

endacl

If a driver made that manouver on his driving test, he'd fail. 'nuff said.

Of course, that fact is of little use to the cyclist who's now splattered all over the road. My default position is to presume stupidity and act appropriately when I'm on the bike......... or in the car........ or on foot....