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

tomasrojo

This might be an important development internationally:
Driver's not-guilty plea in a close-pass prosecution in the UK has lost.
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/884400992950910976

Maybe it's just a UK thing. Not-guilty plea for this sort of driving rarely (never?) gets defeated, it seems. (Not 100% sure what the importance really is, but reliable people on Twitter seem very happy.)

I really should have know better than to have read the comments on that at this hour.

Kaisr Sose

The comments there are just like here. Road tax, forcing motorist to risk overtakes, putting them in harms way having to cross over to over take

Outstanding !!

What chance a verdict like that in Ireland ? I tried to tell a District Court judge in Dun Laoghaire that cyclists don't have to ride in the gutter (quoting the RSA advice to prevent a close pass) and she said she was not interested in what the RSA said! Said cyclists were a nuisance when they rode all over the road. Never asked the driver why he made a deliberate pass at about 20cm that resulted in him nearly knocking me off. So kind to the motorist. I mentioned vulnerable road user and she said she was tired hearing that. Totally anti-cyclist. Her attitude shocked me.

tomasrojo

When I die it will be found engraved on my heart: Don't Read the Comments

tomasrojo

That's terrible about the judge. Nothing you can do when you run into someone like that, I guess. That sort of prejudice isn't amenable to logic or argument. Or compassion.

tomasrojo

tomasrojo wrote: »

That's terrible about the judge. Nothing you can do when you run into someone like that, I guess. That sort of prejudice isn't amenable to logic or argument. Or compassion.

Like I always say, you can have an alphabet of letters after your name and years of education and still be an absolute idiot.

CramCycle

I read the replies on twitter. Social media is where civilisation went to die.

Vel

Wow, just wow!

I stopped at the lights this morning at about 7.25am at the bottom of Charlemont Road where there are two lanes, one which takes you on down towards South Circular Road and the other which then take you into two lanes for the city centre. There are two other cyclists waiting at the lights as I pull up. I stop a good bit to the right of and a bit behind one of them.

I tend to watch the lights coming from the other direction at that junction and just as they turn orange I usually take off to get a tiny bit ahead of the cars as drivers tend to act like d*cks there. I did the same this morning, taking off probably less than a second before our lights turned green and am aware of the other two cyclists taking off maybe a half a second after me.

The next thing I know the guy who I had been alongside comes at me from my left and starts tipping his bike wheel into mine trying to knock me off the bike. At first I thought it was an accident but no he is really trying to do it. I stop and he takes off up to the next set of lights. I follow up and ask him 'what the f*ck' he was doing. He starts telling me that I had 'cut him up'. He then tells me that it was an accident and he hadn't seen me because I had 'cut him up', which clearly wasn't the case, and that was certainly proved as once again when we took off at the lights he tried to take me off the bike again!!

We came to the next set of red and I am just flabbergasted enquiring if he gets his kicks from trying to knock people half his size off their bikes, asking why he is so angry etc. We pop off to the next set of lights and I decide to try to take a photo of him. He sees me getting the camera out and goes mad, first cycling in circles so I can't take it and then putting his hand on my arm and telling me that he will knock it out of my hand if I attempt to take his picture.

This guys is really scaring me now. He's not angry or shouting but his manner is pretty intimidating so I drop back and manage to get a photo of him from behind, but its not very good. I'm not sure whether to follow up with the Guards on this case of road rage but am happy to warn people of the really tall, big, bald guy cycling around Dublin 6 and Dublin 2 who has some serious anger issues and if he perceives that you have 'cut him up' at the lights he might try to knock you off your bike! This morning he was in a vest top and shorts, with a sunglasses on and a black backpack with three reflective strips on it. I headed off left at the lights at the end of Georges Street and he went right.

Probably not allowed to post my photo??

I love Sean nos

Vel wrote: »

Probably not allowed to post my photo??

Best not. There are rules about posting bad photos of really tall, big, bald guys on bicycles from behind.

If there aren't, there should be.

Vel wrote: »

I'm not sure whether to follow up with the Guards on this case of road rage

I wouldn't bother. The Gardai don't give two ****s about people in 2 tonne landrovers endangering people on bikes, they'll barely give half a ****e about another person on a bike doing it.

Your best bet is to let Finian McGrath know about it. He hates people on bikes. Problem is that you, the victim, were also on a bicycle. Finian will probably have to lie down in a dark room for a bit to square that circle mentally.

Vel

I love Sean nos wrote: »

Best not. There are rules about posting bad photos of really tall, big, bald guys on bicycles from behind.

If there aren't, there should be.



I wouldn't bother. The Gardai don't give two ****s about people in 2 tonne landrovers endangering people on bikes, they'll barely give half a ****e about another person on a bike doing it.

Your best bet is to let Finian McGrath know about it. He hates people on bikes. Problem is that you, the victim, were also on a bicycle. Finian will probably have to lie down in a dark room for a bit to square that circle mentally.

Yeah, I don't know, I've been the victim of close passes and d*ckish behaviour from drivers but this was someone trying to intentionally knock me off my bike. And he may have done it in the heat of the moment without thinking, in the first instance, but he then did it again a second time after we had both stopped and exchanged words. He also had no qualms about placing his hand on my arm to try to stop me from taking the photo.

That to me is someone who clearly needs words had with them before they lose the rag and really hurt someone. Might make them think twice before doing it again. Maybe they are just a bully who thinks they can get away with trying to intimidate a woman half their size and might not try it on with someone the same size as them but who knows.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure there is no point reporting it based on the quality of the photo I have but I certainly think I would if the photo had been better.

I hope he is in work now hanging his head in shame at his behaviour on the roads this morning. I'd be absolutely mortified if I had reacted the way he had. Scarleh for him!!!

I'd likely have been hauled off in handcuffs had I witnessed that :mad:

Disgraceful behaviour.

CramCycle

CramCycle wrote: »

I read the replies on twitter. Social media is where civilisation went to die.

I mostly gave up on Twitter recently. It's bad for my mental health.

I love Sean nos

Vel wrote: »

That to me is someone who clearly needs words had with them before they lose the rag and really hurt someone.

On mature reflection, as Mr Lenihan once said, you're absolutely right. Report it.

Danjamin1

Does anyone else find it's consistently the slower and less aware cyclists who feel the need to move to the very front of the queue at every set of traffic lights (if they feel the need to stop)? I find myself repeatedly overtaking the same people after every light change on my commute, they just seem oblivious or indifferent to the fact they're pushing to the front. Have never said anything to anyone about it but it really irks me!

CramCycle

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Does anyone else find it's consistently the slower and less aware cyclists who feel the need to move to the very front of the queue at every set of traffic lights (if they feel the need to stop)? I find myself repeatedly overtaking the same people after every light change on my commute, they just seem oblivious or indifferent to the fact they're pushing to the front. Have never said anything to anyone about it but it really irks me!

I don't think it is less aware cyclists, just d1cks. Typically they think they are faster so manners are not important. It's when they get overtaken and they do it again I start to lose the will to remain civil.

Kaisr Sose

It's their version of 'marginal gains'...I have had one squeeze past me along the kerb, asking me to move out a bit so they can pass !!

Vel

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Does anyone else find it's consistently the slower and less aware cyclists who feel the need to move to the very front of the queue at every set of traffic lights (if they feel the need to stop)? I find myself repeatedly overtaking the same people after every light change on my commute, they just seem oblivious or indifferent to the fact they're pushing to the front. Have never said anything to anyone about it but it really irks me!

As this is posted in the near misses thread and isn't about a near miss, can I assume it might be directed at me in relation to my post about another cyclist trying to take me out?

If so then I can assure you that I didn't filter up to the front of a queue of cyclists at the lights. At these particular lights there are two lanes and you either stay to the side if going towards SCR or place yourself in front of the traffic in the other lane in order to get around before the cars start to bully you out of the way. I placed myself behind, so my front wheel would have been level with his back wheel, and to the right of the guy. Apart from another girl who was staying left there were no other cyclists for me to filter past. And not right beside him either, lots of room as its a wide junction. I took off a split second before him keeping well right and he had plenty of room to overtake me/undertake me, whatever he felt the need to do if he felt I was slower or less aware, although bearing in mind the lights further ahead are never green when you get to them it would have been a pointless exercise.

Anyway, whatever anyone's interpretation is of my cycling and I maintain I did nothing wrong, his actions are indefensible

Danjamin1

Vel wrote: »

As this is posted in the near misses thread and isn't about a near miss, can I assume it might be directed at me in relation to my post about another cyclist trying to take me out?

If so then I can assure you that I didn't filter up to the front of a queue of cyclists at the lights. At these particular lights there are two lanes and you either stay to the side if going towards SCR or place yourself in front of the traffic in the other lane in order to get around before the cars start to bully you out of the way. I placed myself behind, so my front wheel would have been level with his back wheel, and to the right of the guy. Apart from another girl who was staying left there were no other cyclists for me to filter past. And not right beside him either, lots of room as its a wide junction. I took off a split second before him keeping well right and he had plenty of room to overtake me/undertake me, whatever he felt the need to do if he felt I was slower or less aware, although bearing in mind the lights further ahead are never green when you get to them it would have been a pointless exercise.

Anyway, whatever anyone's interpretation is of my cycling and I maintain I did nothing wrong, his actions are indefensible

Ha you know what just before I posted I thought to myself "I wonder should I put a disclaimer directed at Vel to say this has nothing to do with their encounter?". You mentioned you were beside the other cyclists, not that you went to the front so I didn't want to be oversensitive and assume you'd think I was directing it at you. I posted in here because it's an active thread around road behaviour, wasn't trying to derail.

Effects

Just a couple of spas cycling fast, against the flow of traffic in the Coombe. High enough chance of someone exiting Francis St. hitting them as cars will generally only look right for moving traffic.

AndrewJRenko

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Does anyone else find it's consistently the slower and less aware cyclists who feel the need to move to the very front of the queue at every set of traffic lights (if they feel the need to stop)? I find myself repeatedly overtaking the same people after every light change on my commute, they just seem oblivious or indifferent to the fact they're pushing to the front. Have never said anything to anyone about it but it really irks me!

Say it. Ask them if they really want you to have to overtake them for a third time? Or ask them if they normally skip to the top of a queue of cars at traffic lights when they are driving.

But say something.
.

magicbastarder

the funny thing is that this is the hardest thing to rationalise to a non-cyclist, as to why it's irritating. they generally look at you as if you have two heads. it's a little irritating, but has never bothered me to the point where i'd say anything to someone doing it.

Lemming

Vel wrote: »

He also had no qualms about placing his hand on my arm to try to stop me from taking the photo.

That act alone (by him) is classed as an assault as far as I am aware; 'Simple' assault, but assault nonetheless. And that's ignoring the deliberate attempts to knock you off your bike. The problem is getting the Gardai to bother chasing up without a decent facial picture and knowledge of him being on a particular commute regularly.

Shameful behaviour all the same, and clearly someone in dire need of a chill pill.

Edit: I'd still report the guy to Traffic Watch.

magicbastarder

is traffic watch the right place to report it? i would assume you report violations of traffic law to them, and assault to a 'normal' garda station.

Vel

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Ha you know what just before I posted I thought to myself "I wonder should I put a disclaimer directed at Vel to say this has nothing to do with their encounter?". You mentioned you were beside the other cyclists, not that you went to the front so I didn't want to be oversensitive and assume you'd think I was directing it at you. I posted in here because it's an active thread around road behaviour, wasn't trying to derail.

Cool! I'm a bit sensitive as have already had one div in work tell me that I had probably annoyed this guy because I should have let him go first as he was always going to be faster than me! :rolleyes:

buffalo

magicbastarder wrote: »

is traffic watch the right place to report it? i would assume you report violations of traffic law to them, and assault to a 'normal' garda station.

Aye, I reported threatening behaviour to TrafficWatch, and they told me to report that directly to the Gardaí.

Vel

Would a bike with a red frame be unusual? My picture is terrible but the bike appears to have a bright red frame which might help distinguish him a bit. Really not sure what to do in this case now as I can just imagine the reception I'll get from the Guards with my blurry photo from behind! If anyone regularly cycles that route (Ranelagh to Georges Street) early in the mornings who thinks they might have seen a tall, totally bald guy on a red bike at any stage pm me and I can send on pic! I got the impression he was commuting to work so he might be a regular.

Danjamin1

Vel wrote: »

Cool! I'm a bit sensitive as have already had one div in work tell me that I had probably annoyed this guy because I should have let him go first as he was always going to be faster than me! :rolleyes:

Victim blaming at its finest! The guy sounds like a d1ck.

With regard to moving to the front, I'll happily move into the bike box myself, as it sounds like you did, but I won't force my way past people to get there. If someone has already passed me I would never put myself in front of them cos I know they'd only have to overtake me again. If I've moved in to the bike box and someone beside me is faster I'll give way.

It's a funny one cos on the one hand it's a behaviour that really annoys me by some cyclists, but if I was to think of it with cars in mind I'll happily filter past cars which have overtaken me in their rush to the lights even if it means they'll have to overtake again. Is this a d1ck move? I'm at odds with it. Usually you end up leaving them in a line of traffic at some point anyway so it all evens out but I can only imagine some headcases going nuts about having to overtake me twice, maybe even 3 times because my average speed is more consistent than theirs.

I haven't had anything I'd consider a near miss in a while so this is what's on my mind on the bike!

AndrewJRenko

Vel wrote: »

Would a bike with a red frame be unusual? My picture is terrible but the bike appears to have a bright red frame which might help distinguish him a bit. Really not sure what to do in this case now as I can just imagine the reception I'll get from the Guards with my blurry photo from behind! If anyone regularly cycles that route (Ranelagh to Georges Street) early in the mornings who thinks they might have seen a tall, totally bald guy on a red bike at any stage pm me and I can send on pic! I got the impression he was commuting to work so he might be a regular.

There is nothing to stop you publishing the pic on your own social media, if you're on Twitter or Facebook. It wouldn't be wise to allege a specific offence ("this guy assaulted me"), but you could say something generic.

Annie get your Run

Danjamin1 wrote: »

With regard to moving to the front, I'll happily move into the bike box myself, as it sounds like you did, but I won't force my way past people to get there. If someone has already passed me I would never put myself in front of them cos I know they'd only have to overtake me again. If I've moved in to the bike box and someone beside me is faster I'll give way.

It's a funny one cos on the one hand it's a behaviour that really annoys me by some cyclists, but if I was to think of it with cars in mind I'll happily filter past cars which have overtaken me in their rush to the lights even if it means they'll have to overtake again. Is this a d1ck move? I'm at odds with it. Usually you end up leaving them in a line of traffic at some point anyway so it all evens out but I can only imagine some headcases going nuts about having to overtake me twice, maybe even 3 times because my average speed is more consistent than theirs.

Agreed it's a funny one, it's something that occurs on the quays in the mornings big time but here's (sort of ) the conundrum. You've been overtaken by faster cyclists between lights, you reach the next set of red lights and the faster guys are not in the bike box, they're possibly along the kerb but they may not be right up top. There are buses and vans etc. etc., rather than stay behind a bus (I'd never stay stopped along the inside of one) I'll filter right up to the bike box and when the lights go green I'll be overtaken again. Now there are are usually cyclists much slower than me in the bike box too and I'll always try and stay out of everyone's way knowing they'll be coming past me but there's one reason why someone might do that. Maybe I should just stay behind the bus but then he'd hold me up!!

Just so as not to be too OT I had a doozer of a near miss yesterday morning, on the quays a car pulled into the bus lane just in front of me and was almost trying to pull into the kerb on top of me, no indication nothing, no left turn at the lights we were coming up to (which were red). I managed to bang my fist on his passenger door and he stopped and put his hands up in apology. Not pleasant in the rain and I learned a major lesson re brakes on wet days .

LpPepper

A short clip of a fairly eventful commute last week, with a few close passes involved. In fairness the majority of other road users are courteous but it's the odd few that can easily put you in a bad mood....