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

Duckjob

I actually saw them from well back and had started to slow down, probably earlier than you can detect from the video. Just that the road was very slippy so I was trying to just bring down my speed slightly and hoping he/she would not force me into a heavy braking situation (which they did).

@site_owner no they didnt stop, just continued on their merry way. Unless they were deaf as well as blind, I dont think they could not have heard my panicked roars.

buffalo

mr spuckler wrote: »

possibly, but any basic level of awareness causes a road user to keep checking after they've commenced the manouevre.

I was also cringing about what was going to happen next first time I watched it!

If the cyclist and the car sync up in the wrong way, the cyclist can remain in the driver's blind spot during the entire manoeuvre. I've had it happen to me (as a cyclist), and it's unnerving. I've found drivers are particularly prone to not allowing it for it at quieter junctions with good visibility (often where there's a stop sign, but people are used to treating it as a yield).

This has also popped up recently: https://beyondthekerb.org.uk/collision-course/

Annie get your Run

mr spuckler wrote: »

yeah it was an evening that required cyclists to be on high alert alright! I several cars edging out into traffic (presumably) waiting for someone to sound their horn to warn them as they clearly didn't have a view of what was coming :mad:

and I saw a car heading out the Clontarf road with no lights on in the dark & fog. Jesus Joe, why won't they just light up like the rest of us?!

Last night was nuts. I took the very long way home so I could stay on cycle paths as much as possible. Even hit the pedestrian lights at Clonsilla roundabout and crossing the road a few times as there was no way I was sharing the road with the utter lunatics who were out driving. From what I could see no one was reducing their speed at all. I eventually had to join the road for the last 2 miles home and it was frightening. It really does go to show how utterly stupid so many road users are. I'm assuming they have regard for their own lives, so why put themselves in such danger unless it's pure stupidity on their part?!

If I'd known how bad it was going to be I'd have left the bike and gone home on the train...

site_owner

mr spuckler wrote: »

yeah it was an evening that required cyclists to be on high alert alright!!

not directed at you personally, but its funny that this is our reaction, as we know the people driving the cars will take zero extra precautions. for cyclists, pedestrians, kids or themselves.

GreeBo

site_owner wrote: »

not directed at you personally, but its funny that this is our reaction, as we know that some of thepeople driving the cars will take zero extra precautions. for cyclists, pedestrians, kids or themselves.

FYP.

site_owner

add another near miss 20 mins ago.
car driver blew through red light at the T junction. it was already green for me and the car waiting so we both had to brake.
she continued on oblivious, mostly driving in the cycle lane but veering left to right with abandon.

i was stuck behind her as didnt want to get crushed.

eventually, without indicating and with a completely unnecessary dead stop in traffic, she turned left into the super market car park across me.
i was holding back expecting it but there is no way mirrors were checked.

Duckjob

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I'm assuming they have regard for their own lives, so why put themselves in such danger unless it's pure stupidity on their part?!

By and large, People driving don't realise the danger attached to driving, nevermind the danger attached to driving badly. Car manufacturers have done a great job of convincing them that if they buy this car they will be kings/queens of the road, and therefore indestructable.

The safer people feel in their cars, the worse the standard of driving - its a sad fact. Take out all the safety features, ban cars that put you on a higher level than other cars, make people feel like if they crash they WILL get hurt, and watch how the behaviour changes. (all wishful thinking of course)

CramCycle

Left hook right in front of me this morning, car overtook me and then caught the cyclist in front, slowed down, and then turned across him. Luckily the cyclist had judged what he was going to do and dropped anchor. The driver was going to the same place as me, so I said it in a polite fashion, and he profusely apologised, said he hadn't realised or seen either of us. I have two epic lights on the back and the guy in front looks like something out of a 1960s soft core porn / sci fi movie he was so illuminous.

This is the second time in a week I have had a polite word with a driver, who has apologised, neither seen me or realised I would be in there (after overtaking), by their reaction I believed them. The previous one overtook but pulled in midovertake and only for I pulled my brakes would have crushed me.

Lambay island

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Last night was nuts. I took the very long way home so I could stay on cycle paths as much as possible. Even hit the pedestrian lights at Clonsilla roundabout and crossing the road a few times as there was no way I was sharing the road with the utter lunatics who were out driving. From what I could see no one was reducing their speed at all. I eventually had to join the road for the last 2 miles home and it was frightening. It really does go to show how utterly stupid so many road users are. I'm assuming they have regard for their own lives, so why put themselves in such danger unless it's pure stupidity on their part?!

If I'd known how bad it was going to be I'd have left the bike and gone home on the train...

If anything alot of people drive more erratically in these conditions, taking more risks to try to get home quicker it seems. I got close passed(brushed my jacket at my elbow in fact) by a van just after Harolds cross bridge going southbound where the driver shot through the red light in the fog and continued into the bus lane before merging back into main lane 50 yards beyond the junction where he was then stuck in a gridlock. The Companys logo was all over the van and have since contacted them about this (without a reply as of yet), As I passed him, he did everything to avoid any sort of eye contact with me. P.S. i was well lit up and I know he saw me

mr spuckler

site_owner wrote: »

not directed at you personally, but its funny that this is our reaction, as we know the people driving the cars will take zero extra precautions. for cyclists, pedestrians, kids or themselves.

i'll try not to take it personally so

tbf this is the scenario every day - yesterday was really just an exaggerated version.

CramCycle

site_owner wrote: »

eh, that not what i wrote

MOD VOICE: FYP, mean fixed your post, it is a joking term for someone changing a minor thing to make it something they would say, nothing to take too seriously, greebo makes it clear with BOLDing what was changed

Duckjob

Duckjob wrote: »

By and large, People driving don't realise the danger attached to driving, nevermind the danger attached to driving badly. Car manufacturers have done a great job of convincing them that if they buy this car they will be kings/queens of the road, and therefore indestructable.

The safer people feel in their cars, the worse the standard of driving - its a sad fact. Take out all the safety features, ban cars that put you on a higher level than other cars, make people feel like if they crash they WILL get hurt, and watch how the behaviour changes. (all wishful thinking of course)

Absolutely.

I have a friend who was a very nervous and very bad driver, until she bought a Q5. Now she is a very confident, but still very poor driver in a big car.

It's frightening

Idleater

Duckjob wrote: »

The safer people feel in their cars, the worse the standard of driving - its a sad fact. Take out all the safety features... and watch how the behaviour changes. (all wishful thinking of course)

I saw as part of a documentary (or at worst Mythbusters or equivalent), that not only do the safety features detract from driver behaviour, but people push more boundaries to feel whatever it is they want to feel. What I mean, if you drive at 120kmph in a car, it feels like x (whatever a value that describes that for you). If you drive a for example a motorcycle in the open air that value of x is reached much earlier, or for the same value of 120kmph it feels like x*y (or some factor larger than x).

The idea of cocooning yourself in air-conditioned comfort with 5***** safety means you don't feel the exhilaration you expect. You can relate that to all the "but you can't drive at 50kmph" comments. You can't because your brain feels absolutely nothing from it - you might as well be sitting at home on the couch.

That said, the flip side of that coin, is a saying from my Uncle years ago - if you're going to walk across the road in front of something, at least pick a Mercedes :-D

GreeBo

Idleater wrote: »

if you're going to walk across the road in front of something, at least pick a Mercedes :-D

Pick a Volvo, at least then the car might stop itself even if the driver is otherwise engaged!

magicbastarder

GreeBo wrote: »

Pick a Volvo, at least then the car might stop itself even if the driver is otherwise engaged!

well, *someone* has to do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbGq0vjiOes

GreeBo

magicbastarder wrote: »

well, *someone* has to do it:

LOL!

Volvo spokesman Johan Larsson told Fusion the people in the video did not pay for the car's “pedestrian detection functionality.

AndrewJRenko

Duckjob wrote: »

By and large, People driving don't realise the danger attached to driving, nevermind the danger attached to driving badly. Car manufacturers have done a great job of convincing them that if they buy this car they will be kings/queens of the road, and therefore indestructable.

The safer people feel in their cars, the worse the standard of driving - its a sad fact. Take out all the safety features, ban cars that put you on a higher level than other cars, make people feel like if they crash they WILL get hurt, and watch how the behaviour changes. (all wishful thinking of course)

And the industry has done a great job at convincing society that if someone gets hurt or maimed or killed, well, that's was just an 'accident' - no one is to blame really -**** happens.

But interestingly, when a cyclist mooches through a red light, that's a very different scenario.

07Lapierre

Duckjob wrote: »

By and large, People driving don't realise the danger attached to driving, nevermind the danger attached to driving badly. Car manufacturers have done a great job of convincing them that if they buy this car they will be kings/queens of the road, and therefore indestructable.

The safer people feel in their cars, the worse the standard of driving - its a sad fact. Take out all the safety features, ban cars that put you on a higher level than other cars, make people feel like if they crash they WILL get hurt, and watch how the behaviour changes. (all wishful thinking of course)

+1. I work in the Motor industry. I sometimes wish car manufacturers would remove seat belts and steering wheel airbags and replace the airbag with a steel spike! it would do wonders for road safety!

CramCycle

Idleater wrote: »

What I mean, if you drive at 120kmph in a car, it feels like x (whatever a value that describes that for you). If you drive a for example a motorcycle in the open air that value of x is reached much earlier, or for the same value of 120kmph it feels like x*y (or some factor larger than x).

I think Doozerie explained it best (warning anecdote coming up and I only think it was doozerie, could have been another poster) in regards his child. When in a car compared to the trailer on the bike, the child, having no speedo, always thought she was going slower in the car and would call to go faster in the car, even though the car was probably going 3 times or more faster.

GreeBo

CramCycle wrote: »

I think Doozerie explained it best (warning anecdote coming up and I only think it was doozerie, could have been another poster) in regards his child. When in a car compared to the trailer on the bike, the child, having no speedo, always thought she was going slower in the car and would call to go faster in the car, even though the car was probably going 3 times or more faster.

I first really noticed that skiing, I felt I was absolutely flying on the downhill, clocked maximum speed of 25mph

Pinch Flat

07Lapierre wrote: »

+1 Cycling Home last night the Fog was like soup! two cars passed me and the side and rear windows were fogged up. they also over took me directly into oncoming traffic and at speed! Crazy stuff.

Had a car pass me in Castleknock with zero lights on at about 7.30pm last night. Flicked my own front light to see if it’d alert him. I mean on a standard dark evening you could probably understand it, but on an evening last night when it’s so dark and foggy and you literally can see nothing, you’ve really got to wonder are they even looking out the windscreen at all when they’re driving not to notice....:eek:

Wishbone Ash

Very close pass this morning on the way to work at about 6.50am just south of Blake's Cross. I had my head down into a headwind so wasn't aware of the car until it passed inches from me. I'm wondering if the driver actually saw me as he/she didn't change their position in the left lane.

(For those not familiar with the area, there are 2 lanes southbound with no hard shoulder so not a pleasant place to cycle at the best of times).

Effects

Just had what was a close pass turn in to a bus knocking me down. Dublin bus on the howth roads pass me, then move in on top of me and his rear arch caught my handle bars. I thought I was going to go under the wheels.

magicbastarder

bloody hell. did he stop?

Annie get your Run

bloody hell. did he stop?

And are you okay??

CramCycle

Effects wrote: »

Just had what was a close pass turn in to a bus knocking me down. Dublin bus on the howth roads pass me, then move in on top of me and his rear arch caught my handle bars. I thought I was going to go under the wheels.

Glad that your still here posting, that is insane.

Pinch Flat

Managed to do the royal flush of near misses this morning. All within the space of about 30 seconds.

Approaching the roundabout on the N3 just past the new Avoca. I’m going right towards rathoath.

I’m approaching from 6 o’clock turning to 3 o’clock.

Vehicle 1 (a Car) - coming from my 3 o’clock- guy coming from my right - he’s coming from Ratoath and heading towards avoca - is turning left. He starts beeping the horn to get my attention - I look over and he’s giving me the two fingers. A kind of mad look in his eyes. I shake my head and put it down to a wtf moment.

I continue into the roundabout.

Vehicle 2 (a Car) - coming from the left, my 9 o’clock - coming from my left so should give me right of way, doesn’t even look. I scream at her and she stops dead. You can see she’s still half asleep.

I continue to indicate and turn right.

Vehicle 3 (white van man) - coming from my 12 o’clock - sees me indicating to get off the roundabout. Blasts straight through, passing about 2 meters in front of me.

All on a clear Sunday morning, about 8.30 am with back and front lights. What’s wrong with people?

Kaisr Sose

CramCycle wrote: »

Glad that your still here posting, that is insane.

My thoughts exactly. Had a DB clip me near his rear wheel arch on Georges St last week too-doing same thing. Passing me and pulling in immediately. Nearly came off.

triggermortis

I had some muppet not even look as they pulled out onto Estuary Roundabout in Swords around midnight Friday. I was heading north and saw the car approaching and not even look. I slowed - even though I had a decent tailwind for a rare occasion and he noticed me at the last second and screeched to a halt a full cars length into the roundabout.
I was well lit up so he had no excuse - he simply didn't look. Scared the cr@p out of me all the same as there was hardly any traffic and what little there was, was trying to murder me

triggermortis

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Very close pass this morning on the way to work at about 6.50am just south of Blake's Cross. I had my head down into a headwind so wasn't aware of the car until it passed inches from me. I'm wondering if the driver actually saw me as he/she didn't change their position in the left lane.

(For those not familiar with the area, there are 2 lanes southbound with no hard shoulder so not a pleasant place to cycle at the best of times).

I've had a few close shaves there. I usually ride in the middle of the left hand lane there to make everyone use the right hand one. I tend to move more left as I approach that first roundabout as the road surface isn't the best