Near misses - mod warning 22/04 - see OP/post 822

Kaisr Sose

Danbo! wrote: »

Schools not back until next week so we’re only spooling the thread up at this stage.

So true! Schools out is a dream!

AndrewJRenko

Danbo! wrote: »

Schools not back until next week so we’re only spooling the thread up at this stage.

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

So true! Schools out is a dream!

We can but dream about what traffic might be like if we actually encouraged and enabled schoolkids to travel to school independently, cycling or walking. Imagine if every day was a school holiday on the roads?

CramCycle

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

We can but dream about what traffic might be like if we actually encouraged and enabled schoolkids to travel to school independently, cycling or walking. Imagine if every day was a school holiday on the roads?

There is a fine balance to reach. I for one would cycle regardless of traffic levels, even though a car is an option for me. There are some out there though who will sit in the car regardless of traffic volumes and will never stop using it unless there is a physical impediment to doing so.

What you end up with is an "optimal" (mockingly used), traffic jam time, one that will be tolerated by the majority. If it goes over this, people will slowly move to other forms of transport (or leave their jobs in some cases, I know a few who have). Therefore, if you remove the capacity of certain transport forms, and increase the capacity of others, you will see a swift move over a few weeks from one to another. There will always be those who will not move until they are completely forbidden, and those who do not have a choice (actually don't, not feel like they don't).

The big problem in Dublin at the minute for example is that without a backbone from DCC to restrict one form, and actively promote PT, cycling and walking, then even with the traffic load, there is not enough difference to make a shift from one to another attractive.

Alanstrainor

My cycle home was ruined by a close pass in the centre of Portmarnock village. Clear road on the other side, so room to overtake for them, but they decided to leave me an inch at most instead. I actually followed the car to try and read the reg as I'm not certain my cameras caught it in the dark. They parked up not far from the incident so I caught up and just started calling out the reg so the camera would pick up my voice, driver then hears me and shouts "you shouldn't be cycling in the middle of the road!". :rolleyes: The funny thing was that I was only a half meter out from the kerb at the time...

I'll be calling traffic watch in the morning, and I'll review footage then. Feck sake. Haven't had any issues in a decent while.

Danbo!

First two commutes of 2018 today were both quite eventful

Close pass and beep from a car who was obviously unhappy about me on the road, even with nothing oncoming. Drivers face lit up by a mobile phone in hand.

Templeogue college roundabout, not a near miss at all but only down to experience. I entered at 6 and there was a guy about 100ft from 9 o'clock doing a fair clip, no cars behind me so I knew he wouldn't even bother to look. I slowed right down in plenty of time and he flew through. Let a roar and he gave a sheepish wave.

Two taxis drifting into cycle lanes on clanbrassil street and then harolds cross.

And finally, turning right onto Firhouse road from spawell, it's a tight turn due to pedestrian island, and the car behind me attempts the overtake mid turn, then makes it nice and wide and almost hits kerb, another complete stop for me in the middle of the junction to avoid.

So much for quieter roads before schools are back ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Alanstrainor

Here's the previously mentioned pass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9svXiz6xrU

mr spuckler

jesus that's tight. i winced at the rear view one in particular.

RobertFoster

You weren't even in the middle of the lane never mind the road.

Sometimes I think if a car is slow or over-cautious to pass you, the next car will take their aggression out on you as you're an easier target.

Lemming

That is some text-book footage for motorists of both safe and dangerous overtaking of cyclists, neatly captured a few seconds apart for before-and-after comparison; the first car overtaking and giving ample safe distance really shows up the second car overtake.

07Lapierre

Lemming wrote: »

That is some text-book footage for motorists of both safe and dangerous overtaking of cyclists, neatly captured a few seconds apart for before-and-after comparison; the first car overtaking and giving ample safe distance really shows up the second car overtake.

+1 and it's quite common too! if there is more than one car behind, i always find that if the 1st car passes with plenty of space, the 2nd car passes a bit closer and if there's a 3rd car, your lucky to stay upright! Its usually because the 3 cars are trying to pass when there is oncoming traffic with enough time for only 1 or 2 cars to pass safely.

GreeBo

Lemming wrote: »

That is some text-book footage for motorists of both safe and dangerous overtaking of cyclists, neatly captured a few seconds apart for before-and-after comparison; the first car overtaking and giving ample safe distance really shows up the second car overtake.

Was just going to say similar, dunno why the second guy couldnt just follow the first one...seems like a punishment pass alright.

I guess he wanted OP to be in the "lane" between the curb and the hardshoulder lines!

Interested Observer

Had an O'Grady's bus pass within what felt like inches of me today by Donnycarney church. Was outrageous driving. The mirror was right at my head height as well. It's hard to know exactly how close it got to me but it was much too close.

mr spuckler

Interested Observer wrote: »

Had an O'Grady's bus pass within what felt like inches of me today by Donnycarney church. Was outrageous driving. The mirror was right at my head height as well. It's hard to know exactly how close it got to me but it was much too close.

shane ross would want you to hold up a measuring tape as it passed to prove it was too close :mad:

snottybridge

Had an interesting one with a pedestrian today, a woman in her late fifties cleaning her front windows, one of those rural houses where you come out you're front door straight onto the road, she steps back to admire her handywork, without looking, straight out in front of me, I managed to avoid hitting her and came to a stop, didn't expect what came next, she goes on a rant about me not having a Bell, says I should have rang my non existent bell to warn her I was coming, let's just say we proceed to have an interesting conversation which ended with her giving me the middle finger and the words "fnuck off, ye'll all get killed anyway" all this on the first spin of the year, it's gonna be a long oneðŸ˜(oh, and I got a puncture aswell)

ED E

IIRC, she's technically correct.

papu

ED E wrote: »

IIRC, she's technically correct.

Yup,

Under the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 a bicycle used in a public place must be fitted with a bell capable of being heard at a reasonable distance. It must also be equipped with brakes, one for the front wheel and another for the rear wheel.

Though I wouldn't be ringing it at every pedestrian you go by....

mr spuckler

ED E wrote: »

IIRC, she's technically correct.

indeed she is regarding the requirement for a bell (although not sure if that applies to racing bikes?).
she seems determined to avoid any level of personal responsibility too. i wonder would she have reacted the same if she stepped out in front of an electric car without looking?

RobertFoster

The part about bells in the Irish Cycling Legislation thread says "Every pedal cycle (other than a cycle constructed or adapted for use as a racing cycle)", so not every bike requires one.

If you rang the bell when she stepped back would you still have been able to avoid her? Or are you meant to ring your bell at every randomer at the side of the road in the event they cross your path at some stage?

CramCycle

The only error I can think you really done, has nothing to do with the bell, is that even though she is a plonker for stepping out, you should be prepared for her to do so. Preparation would involve moving out from the edge, and slowing down, no different than driving a car through town, you should be driving slow enough that you can stop if a plonker runs out in front of you.

snottybridge

To be honest folks the whole Bell argument was a smokescreen with the woman, the whole thing turned into an "I hate cyclists" rant, her parting words of "**** off, ye'll all get killed anyway" summed up the state of the woman's mind.

Type 17

snottybridge wrote: »

To be honest folks the whole Bell argument was a smokescreen with the woman, the whole thing turned into an "I hate cyclists" rant, her parting words of "**** off, ye'll all get killed anyway" summed up the state of the woman's mind.

A lot of people seem to go on the defensive, as an attempt to deflect blame when they realise that they are in the wrong, because they are embarrassed at their mistake. (a lot of "whataboutery" comes from similar scenarios).

Pinch Flat

If it’s any consolation, I’ve had verbal abuse form people when warning then of my approach with a bell. “Get over yourself” and “watch where you’re going” (while almost been doored in a cycle lane) are recent ones that spring to mind.

The Phoenix park cycle lanes will be full of nick nacks as soon as the weather gets anyway better.

sy_flembeck

snottybridge wrote: »

Had an interesting one with a pedestrian today, a woman in her late fifties cleaning her front windows, one of those rural houses where you come out you're front door straight onto the road, she steps back to admire her handywork, without looking, straight out in front of mel)

You should have told her she'd missed a bit but refused to tell her where

Fighting Tao

Billgirlylegs wrote: »

it would be great if someone would explain to the little darlings that currently cycle that they need to check out Road Trafic Legislation.
The current practice involves the majority of kids using footpaths with the added twist of cycling against the direction of the rest of the traffic.
Bless them, most of the rest use bus cycle and traffic lanes, but again in the wrong direction.

Thank you for contacting the collective. We have absorbed your input and every unit will be updated as they come online today. All 4 year olds will be directed to the revealent S.I.s to assimilate the Data.

Pinch Flat

Billgirlylegs wrote: »

it would be great if someone would explain to the little darlings that currently cycle that they need to check out Road Trafic Legislation.
The current practice involves the majority of kids using footpaths with the added twist of cycling against the direction of the rest of the traffic.
Bless them, most of the rest use bus cycle and traffic lanes, but again in the wrong direction.

I’ve no issue with school kids using the paths around my estate. Beats being ferried a few humbled yards in the back of a car. Drivers have made the roads too intimatdating and unsafe for them to use them like I would when I was a school kid. Perhaps if mummy or daddy walked or cycled the short distance to our school rather than clogging up the roads all around while ferrying their little darlings i their cars and suvs it might make space on the roads for the local kids to cycle safely.

AndrewJRenko

Billgirlylegs wrote: »

it would be great if someone would explain to the little darlings that currently cycle that they need to check out Road Trafic Legislation.
The current practice involves the majority of kids using footpaths with the added twist of cycling against the direction of the rest of the traffic.
Bless them, most of the rest use bus cycle and traffic lanes, but again in the wrong direction.

You know that Garda/RSA guidance is that under 12s should NOT cycle on the road without adult supervision? So the footpaths is exactly where primary school cyclists should be.

But it is interesting to see your focus on a non-issue from a safety point of view.

CramCycle

MOD VOICE: Billygirlylegs banned, do not respond to post in thread. If you disagree please let me know via PM only. Do not respond in thread.

Vel

Not necessarily a near miss but kind of belongs in here.

I stopped in Ranelagh at lunchtime last week to take some photos of cars parked in the bike lane outside the Tesco to send on to IBikeDublin etc. On the opposite side of the road, the side I was taking the pictures from was a Frylite delivery van which was parked up in the bike lane up ahead of me, hazards on, driver inside. I tend not to have too much beef with delivery guys when there is nowhere else for them to park so wasn’t bothering with him but he must have thought I was taking his picture.

I set back off and up ahead was another car parked in the bike lane. I looked over my shoulder, indicated and moved out to pass it, but you guessed it the motorist behind me was Mr. Frylite and he was not happy. He sped up to try to block me from passing but I had started my overtake in plenty of time so he failed to stop me. He then proceeded to tailgate me and beep his horn.

I kept cycling and he pulled into the garage up the road and starting roaring out the window after me to ‘take his picture’ over and over again, big red face on him, looking like a total tool. I couldn’t help but blow him a few kisses as I cycled on!

Sent an email that afternoon to Frylite with details of incident and the General Manager replied the next morning apologising, saying they had identified the driver based on times and locations and that he would be spoken to and ‘retrained’ if necessary.

Who knows if they will bother their holes but I’m glad I reported him either way.

average_runner

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You know that Garda/RSA guidance is that under 12s should NOT cycle on the road without adult supervision? So the footpaths is exactly where primary school cyclists should be.

But it is interesting to see your focus on a non-issue from a safety point of view.

Pity some cyclists in Phoenix Park don't take that attitude to kids cycling in the cycle lane there:mad:

timmy_mallet

Was taking the bus last week, as no traffic, and using the Dublin Bikes...
Heading on Custom House Quay (Westbound) - heard a lorry coming behind me fast as I approached the metal things (? Cranes?!) - decides to overtake me under these metals things - pushed me to the left of those double yellows - about 20cm away from me...

Here...

Cycled slowly beside him as i overtook him then when he was stopped at the lights 50m up the road - "What are you looking at" - "You, you f***ing clown" etc...
Can safely say, in 2+ years of commuting - it's the most terrified I've been.