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

tnegun

I'm getting fed up of close passes on this stretch https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3735735,-6.5245982,3a,75y,277.1h,59.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOZ6zbPXHtdkmX8VHJS2qIg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 and am thinking of just taking the entire lane in future. I keep out about a meter from the left and that keeps trucks and busses at bay and I think there probably is just enough room to pass a bike in a car safely. What do you all think is it possible for a car to pass a bike safely here or should I just take the lane?

07Lapierre

Take the lane or take an alternate route.

tnegun

You're right of course I'll just have to take the entire lane in future. Its a shame I drove it this morning to remind myself what its like it the car and I think there is easily enough room to pass safely albeit slowly.

CramCycle

Had to drive into town this morning to drop some things off. It really is a wonder some people survive day to day. I got to where I was going, car park space available. Traffic is heavy in front of me, so nowhere for people behind to go. Indicate so I can pull out and reverse in. Christ on a bike, one guy went bananas, I thought I was about to hit a small child. Two others thought the 12 seconds was too much and went into oncoming traffic to drive around me to get in behind the car in front of me.

I mean, there was literally, nowhere to go. I had got out of the car, paid parking and got to the next lights on foot before they had passed it.

No wonder people feel the roads are dangerous. This coupled with my work colleague meeting that driver who thought the yield sign meant that vehicles had to yield to him, I really do wonder why I get out of bed in the morning.

mr spuckler

somewhat similar experiences the last 2 days. this morning I was on the bike trying to cross the road in heavy traffic. traffic coming against me was bumper to bumper, I'd clearly signaled my intention to turn right across the oncoming traffic. the first driver coming against me looked straight at me and insisted on continuing forward 10 feet instead of just leaving the gap for me to cross. there was literally no way that she'd lose road position due to waiting, but couldn't / wouldn't do it.

yesterday evening I was driving home from town and coming up behind a bus which was pulled in at a stop. there was 1 car between me and the bus and constant oncoming traffic, which coupled with a solid white line meant that the most sensible option was for the driver in front of me to wait for the bus to pull out. which he did. cue the guy behind me losing it and sitting on his horn for several seconds as I could see him shouting and gesticulating while still sounding the horn. when traffic moved off and I passed the bus at its next stop I was doing around 60kph in a 60 zone, the guy was over 50 yards behind me. so he wasn't in a rush, nothing urgent, just couldn't fathom or tolerate patience and common courtesy on the road.

ED E

I clenched watching this
https://twitter.com/clanmahon/status/965245623250321408

Zulu

Bloody taxi man (drak gray skoda) tried to kill me and another cyclist this morning at 8:50am on Dorset Street Upper.
Fecking clown swung into the bus lane in front of us. Both of us had to hammer on the breaks. Then 75 m later, when he's caught behind a bus pulling into a stop, he swings back out again and I'd to hammer on again.
Pr1ck.

Anyways, I rang traffic watch (I got his plate), who took my details. Got a call back pretty much straight away from a Guard, but I need to make a formal complaint in the station - which I'll do tomorrow when I get a chance.

It's mental out there these days.

[edit] Reported! Lets see what happens. Weirdly, the Guard mentioned that a "even a partial plate" would have been helpful - after I'd given him the taxi plate?!? Surely the taxi plate is enough?

CramCycle

I just give up.

So we covered most of the BINGO calls this morning

- didn't see me
- wasn't near me
- I ride a bike myself

Johnnio13

I extended my route home yesterday to take in some country roads towards Moycullen and across to Barna now the evenings are stretching and I have to say all drivers bar one didn't mind sitting behind me until it was clear to pass.
The white van man 08-G transit decided his was the road and I was the nuisance. I could have written my name on the side of his dirty van.

mr spuckler

heading down Percy place, just off Mount st today, turning right to join the cycle path on the canal, a guy in a car was in the same position as the transit van is in the street view. I watched him the whole time from approach to crossing the junction in front of me and he never once looked left to where I was.

What Username Guidelines

mr spuckler wrote: »

heading down Percy place, just off Mount st today, turning right to join the cycle path on the canal, a guy in a car was in the same position as the transit van is in the street view. I watched him the whole time from approach to crossing the junction in front of me and he never once looked left to where I was.

Used to use percy place on my commute and that was a notorious spot for motorists just blasting through.

DaveyDave

Zulu wrote: »

Bloody taxi man (drak gray skoda) tried to kill me and another cyclist this morning at 8:50am on Dorset Street Upper.
Fecking clown swung into the bus lane in front of us. Both of us had to hammer on the breaks. Then 75 m later, when he's caught behind a bus pulling into a stop, he swings back out again and I'd to hammer on again.
Pr1ck.

Anyways, I rang traffic watch (I got his plate), who took my details. Got a call back pretty much straight away from a Guard, but I need to make a formal complaint in the station - which I'll do tomorrow when I get a chance.

It's mental out there these days.

[edit] Reported! Lets see what happens. Weirdly, the Guard mentioned that a "even a partial plate" would have been helpful - after I'd given him the taxi plate?!? Surely the taxi plate is enough?

If you have a taxi number you can look up the reg of the car here. Has their name and licence expiry date too.

Ray Bloody Purchase

Cycling in through Kimmage today. Dublin Bus was stopped in traffic. He was a few hundred yards hundred yards from the bus stop. I slowly undertook him on the cycle lane, he hadn't left too much room for me to go by. For some reason he opened the doors nearly caught me in the middle door, as they open out and then slide over.

Was he being a dick? There was no one getting on or off the bus. It was a bit bizarre.

Lambay island

Ray Bloody Purchase wrote: »

Cycling in through Kimmage today. Dublin Bus was stopped in traffic. He was a few hundred yards hundred yards from the bus stop. I slowly undertook him on the cycle lane, he hadn't left too much room for me to go by. For some reason he opened the doors nearly caught me in the middle door, as they open out and then slide over.

Was he being a dick? There was no one getting on or off the bus. It was a bit bizarre.

Did you catch his eyes as you went past? Unless he apologised with a wave or something, it does sound like it was a deliberate act. bizarre alright

Ray Bloody Purchase

Lambay island wrote: »

Did you catch his eyes as you went past? Unless he apologised with a wave or something, it does sound like it was a deliberate act. bizarre alright

He was staring out, for the life of me i don't know why. It looked like a few passengers nearly fell out too. They weren't expecting him to open them. Nowhere near the stop. Just up from the lights, on the way into town on Kimmage Road lower

I took the reg, it was a number 9 bus. Really odd.

Johnnio13

I don't miss the daily fight with Dublin F£$king Bus. As they said in Hill Street Blues
https://youtu.be/Jmg86CRBBtw

CramCycle

I overtook one this morning but it was a confusing moment as he was waiting behind another, but they both took off as I was halfway up and in the driving lane. To be fair, he slowed and gave me a gap to move in. I turned, gave a thumbs up and mouthed a thank you, to which he waved back. Not all DB drivers are bad, some are a shining example of how good a driver could be.

On a separate note, I stopped at the yield sign before a stop as a bus had pulled in to let passengers off. The driver obviously said to watch out for me as the passenger was very cautious and seemed shocked I had stopped. The behaviour of a small number of cyclists on the N11 baffles me. That triangle is a yield sign, if the bus has pulled in and the doors are open or about to open, slow down and possibly stop. Don't be a dick and plough on through.

notmypants

I actually got hit by a Dublin Bike today....

Crossing O'connell Bridge. I had a green light, he decided to run his red light while traffic was mid junction. Straight into me and then got incredibly agro with me for not watching where he was going. Front wheel needs to be replaced. Dude cycled off, couldn't even follow.

I've been out of the country for 4 years. So surprised to see the increase in cyclists. So many of them not knowing basic rules of the road. I'm finding cars/buses to be incredibly patient with them all.

Pet hate - que of traffic and the slowest cyclist skips the traffic and everyone has to overtake them. WHYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

mr spuckler

I also had a dude on a Dublin Bike acting very dangerously this morning. coming down South Lotts Rd there was a truck reversing into a building site. making quite a poor job of it and taking ages tbh, even though he was being guided by 2 or 3 people from the site. he was reversing in to my right, so the front of the truck was nearly up against the cars on my left as he swung around. with at most a 3 foot gap the DB appeared between the truck and the parked car on my side of the road, coming against me, everyone including me was shocked that he'd put himself in that position. one small roll forward from the truck (which had already happened a couple of times due to the shoddy reversing job) and he was in serious trouble.

Ferris

CramCycle wrote: »

Not all DB drivers are bad, some are a shining example of how good a driver could be.

This is largely my experience of DB drivers who I encounter on my commute, I find them cautious and predictable, but to be fair I try to accommodate them as much as possible. A bit of courtesy in both directions always helps of course.

I actually feel sorry for them, they have to deal with passengers, taxis, other motorists and late requests to stop from people waiting at stops. All the while they are driving something that doesn't particularly like to accelerate or to stop easily - I don't think that they have an easy job and they frequently get abuse for it.

mr spuckler

Ferris wrote: »

This is largely my experience of DB drivers who I encounter on my commute, I find them cautious and predictable, but to be fair I try to accommodate them as much as possible. A bit of courtesy in both directions always helps of course.

I actually feel sorry for them, they have to deal with passengers, taxis, other motorists and late requests to stop from people waiting at stops. All the while they are driving something that doesn't particularly like to accelerate or to stop easily - I don't think that they have an easy job and they frequently get abuse for it.

agreed, by and large they are at the better end of the spectrum in my experience.

notmypants

mr spuckler wrote: »

agreed, by and large they are at the better end of the spectrum in my experience.

Yup I'd 2nd that. Can't imagine what its like having to deal with a number of people who don't take rules of the road into consideration.

DanDublin1982

Had a pedestrian with a wish to get injured this morning. Crossed through the junction at Ormond Quay on a green. It's fairly busy there these days so the lights had turned by the time i made it to the pedestrian crossing on the other side. He just walked out and I had to slam on.

Whatever happened to rule 4 of the safe cross code?!

Annie get your Run

Someone was hit this morning by a truck at the junction of Parkgate Street and Temple St West (the left turn just after the little park). There were a couple of other cyclists stopped with him but the truck was half way around the turn and the bike was right in front of his wheels on the ground. I stopped briefly to check but everyone seemed okay. I hate that junction, you really have to slow down there and grow eyes in the back/side of your head as it's a free for all with all sorts merging from both Parkgate St and those coming across the bridge.

QueenMTBee

notmypants wrote: »

I actually got hit by a Dublin Bike today....

I've been out of the country for 4 years. So surprised to see the increase in cyclists. So many of them not knowing basic rules of the road. I'm finding cars/buses to be incredibly patient with them all.

mr spuckler wrote: »

I also had a dude on a Dublin Bike acting very dangerously this morning.

I think Dublin Bikes have a lot to answer for regarding the way cyclists are perceived by other road users. Most of the people that use them are utter morons and have blatant disregard for the rules of the road, other peoples' safely and incredibly their own safety. I genuinely hate them more than any other road user.

If you pull up at a red light, you can be sure they will all pull in in front of your bike (with no helmets/lights and headphones stuck in their ears)and then pull off well before the light turns green - quite often when there are still cars or people crossing the junction. It makes my blood boil.

mr spuckler

QueenMTBee wrote: »

I think Dublin Bikes have a lot to answer for regarding the way cyclists are perceived by other road users. Most of the people that use them are utter morons and have blatant disregard for the rules of the road, other peoples' safely and incredibly their own safety. I genuinely hate them more than any other road user.

If you pull up at a red light, you can be sure they will all pull in in front of your bike (with no helmets/lights and headphones stuck in their ears)and then pull off well before the light turns green - quite often when there are still cars or people crossing the junction. It makes my blood boil.

while I don't have a fondness for some DB users, all DBs have front & back lights running at all times when not in the docking station and obviously the helmet thing is a red herring at worst and for the helmet megathread at best...

Danjamin1

Yesterday evening on Thomas Street at the Digital Hub I was waiting to cross at the pedestrian crossing to the south side of the street. I could see a car speed up & race against the amber light as I was waiting (he lost & went through on red) and I expected this as it seems to be the norm for Irish drivers. What I wasn't expecting was for the following car to blast through the light not caring that it was red, and you can imagine my shock as a third car followed suit. The pedestrian light was fully green by the time the two following cars went through the red light and I was very obviously waiting to cross the road.

I wouldn't class it as a near miss as I hadn't started crossing the road immediately because of the first driver speeding up, and I wasn't on my bike, but I feel it's worth mentioning for the pure blatant disregard on display.

Bloody cyclists though eh?

check_six

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Someone was hit this morning by a truck at the junction of Parkgate Street and Temple St West (the left turn just after the little park). There were a couple of other cyclists stopped with him but the truck was half way around the turn and the bike was right in front of his wheels on the ground. I stopped briefly to check but everyone seemed okay. I hate that junction, you really have to slow down there and grow eyes in the back/side of your head as it's a free for all with all sorts merging from both Parkgate St and those coming across the bridge.

There's a no left turn restriction on that turn at rush hour. It's tricky coming across the Heuston Station bridge on a bike alright. Trying to pick out the people who will and who won't grant you your right of way entitlement is 'invigorating' to put it one way!

check_six

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Yesterday evening on Thomas Street at the Digital Hub I was waiting to cross at the pedestrian crossing to the south side of the street. I could see a car speed up & race against the amber light as I was waiting (he lost & went through on red) and I expected this as it seems to be the norm for Irish drivers. What I wasn't expecting was for the following car to blast through the light not caring that it was red, and you can imagine my shock as a third car followed suit. The pedestrian light was fully green by the time the two following cars went through the red light and I was very obviously waiting to cross the road.

I wouldn't class it as a near miss as I hadn't started crossing the road immediately because of the first driver speeding up, and I wasn't on my bike, but I feel it's worth mentioning for the pure blatant disregard on display.

Bloody cyclists though eh?

Saw a thread where someone was claiming that if they were driving close enough to the last car that scraped through on a *fresh* red light that they too were entitled to go through as well. Happily, they were dissuaded from this notion quite quickly by other contributors, but it does give you an insight into the mindset of some people behind the wheel of powerful vehicles.

I'd like to think that only a minority of people would do this kind of lunatic manoeuvre, although I did see a various selections of four of them do this on a number of occasions on the school run in the past at a busy junction.

magicbastarder

check_six wrote: »

someone was claiming that if they were driving close enough to the last car that scraped through on a *fresh* red light that they too were entitled to go through as well

yes, the 'he did it first' mentality. i once questioned a driver who performed a close pass over a white line going around a blind bend, and his immediate reaction was to say 'but the guy in front did it first'.

you wouldn't let a five year old away with that sort of excuse.