Near Misses Volume 2 (So close you can feel it)

magicbastarder

it's unusual, i'll give you that. i assume the design is such because it's uphill, and they didn't want to put slow moving straight on cyclists in front of motorised vehicles turning left (not trying to defend that logic, if i'm correct on it, btw)

CramCycle

Took me a minute to recognise it, presume that's the one near Dun Laoghaire. In theory it's fine provided everyone follows the lights but I can see how it would be easy to miss the bike ones if your used to bike lanes falling under normal traffic lights. I'd probably use the road, although I doubt many would as anytime I pass nearby (I turn at the junction before), traffic is heavy enough.

fixXxer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201906#Comment_119201906

It's not the worse but it is awkward. The problem is cars speeding up for orange/going through red and cyclists going into the middle of the junction waiting for the light to change. Be a better experience if everyone just behaved 😅

magicbastarder

just take the road and let it all hang out.

https://www.strava.com/segments/3438381

Seaswimmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201906#Comment_119201906

The only problem with it is that the phase between orange and red for the cycle lane is really short. slower cyclists (my wife for example) often struggle to clear the junction as you are also going uphill. You could go through on green and just about make it before the main traffic starts moving again. I did email the council about it shortly after the lights went in. It was on my daily commute but not anymore so I haven't checked it recently. Maybe it has improved.

VonLuck

After the comments here I ended up spending some time yesterday on my commute looking at cycle lane markings. The majority of lanes are non-mandatory, to my surprise. So what's the point if it affords cyclists no safe, unobstructed route?

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119204883#Comment_119204883

County councils get to say, "we've created 100km of cycle lanes, be grateful!"

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119204883#Comment_119204883

There are a number of reasons:

• box ticking as @buffalo pointed out
• by having a separate cycle lane, you're getting cyclists out of the way of those who our councils prioritise on the roads
• they're designed and constructed by people who don't cycle so they don't know any better. These engineers also seem to know what cyclists require more so than people who actually cycle because they usually do not seek consultation or when they do, just ignore the advice.
• did I mention box ticking?

VonLuck

So all this pent up anger at motorists pulling into non-mandatory cycle lanes has been misdirected. Should be pointing the finger at the engineers!

It will actually make my commutes a lot less stress inducing if I just tell myself that the driver is not in the wrong here. All those years of dirty looks at them were for nought!

Seth Brundle

Whilst cycle lanes are, on the whole, white lines painted at the side of the road, they offer no protection to the user. That said, it is not the engineer that makes the decision to cross it or to drive too close to it while there is a cyclist in the lane. With few exceptions, whilst engineers in the councils create poor infrastructure, it is impatient or inconsiderate drivers that make them unsafe.

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119205396#Comment_119205396

I don't want to be "preachy" at all, but if you add your voice to the many others who submit on public consultations it may help longer-term.

The designs being proposed nowadays are not perfect, but are often far better than what was proposed a decade ago.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119197961#Comment_119197961

It’s likely that I would have experienced a sudden bout of exhaustion immediately after passing the red car, causing me to slow down in the cycle lane.

DaveyDave

I don't cycle that slip road but drive it regularly. The amount of people hugging the curb blocking the bike lane because they want to turn left but they're stuck in traffic. What's with the recent trend of moving to the left of a single lane when wanting to turn? I've had people move into the bike lane to get around me as I'm moving right and speed up just to stop at the yield, I just don't get the impatience from people.

Don't get me started on people who move right immediately after the bollards and barely let you in when you're waiting to move over after the solid white line...

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119207239#Comment_119207239

It’s in the hopes that they can miraculously slip up the inside of the lane, despite the fact there’s zero chance of there being enough room. See it all the time in East Wall, single lane that has a filter light for left turn, so if there’s any car turning right they’re getting stuck behind it, but drivers insist on making sure they’re as far over to the left as is absolutely possible

tnegun

I've had several squeezes here where traffic starts to move off as you pass and then without looking they decide they can get by by using the bike lane. A bang on the roof usually sorts it out but you have to watch and be aware that it can happen at anytime.

Some of the worst are the people skipping the queue on the M4 by using the slip they'll try stay left using the bike lane if needed and try skip to the top of the queue at the lights to continue straight back onto the M4.

It makes it very dangerous for cyclists as they're deliberately not making their intentions obvious so that they don't get blocked off. All the while your trying to climb the hill, signal your intent to move right, look behind to ensure its clear/the driver behind is going to allow it and then the guy in front jams on blocking the lane to skip the queue!

Cycled up past Pearse Street DART station from Westland Row around towards Merrion Sq. West.

Just as I'm hitting Merrion Sq where the Oscar Wilde statue is, the lights go green. There are 4 lanes, left to right:

Lane 1 is left turn only onto Merrion Sq Nth.

Lanes 2 and 3 are for all heading straight up towards Baggot st.

Lane 4 is right turn only onto Lincoln Place.

Everyone moves off slowly except a taxi in Lane 3, who spots a hand out over beside the park and then cuts across to the footpath without indicating, nearly taking me out. Both brakes pressed so hard I came up off the bike and I'm left holding it in one hand while sprawled across his boot.

"sorry pal, didn't see you there" is a brutal justification for nearly ruining someone's week/summer/bike/legs

MojoMaker

At least you know who to send the bill to.

DeadSkin

All the recent posts on mandatory/non-mandatory cycle lanes reminded me of this post by MaxFlower in the "Galway Traffic" thread in the Galway forum https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178394/#Comment_119178394

https://streamable.com/lwt8za

It's been like this for years.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119211563#Comment_119211563

no damage to you hopefully?

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119212041#Comment_119212041

that beats all ever.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119212277#Comment_119212277

All good, thanks. Just a sharp reminder that you never know where the next incident is coming from

tnegun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119197961#Comment_119197961

It took me a little while to find someone in An Post to complain to, I didn't have time to try their live chat in hours so resorted to guessing email address and the way back machine to find addresses! In true Irish fashion, the response I got came from an address with an auto responder configured to say it was unmonitored!! That aside they couldn't have been more professional I got two calls to apologize one from the driver's immediate manager to say it was taken very seriously and was far below what was expected. I thanked them for the reply and said I'd be happy if they were shown the clip from my perspective and realized the dangers of their driving/parking.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119212705#Comment_119212705

That's great, it was dreadful driving

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119212675#Comment_119212675

After my own incident, can empathise with arriving over the handlebars. Funny how quick you can stop a bike at times!

magicbastarder

nowhere near the worst i've seen on the road, but yesterday a car came round a bend towards me about two foot over the white line, with the driver clearly bent over trying to find something on the seat beside him, or even in the footwell of the passenger side of the car, so very much not with eyes on the road.

the main reason it was noteworthy was i'm 90% certain it was my father in law.

seanino

Nearly got ended on Saturday going through city centre. Was going straight through Samuel Beckett bridge southbound. Some idiot in an suv beside me decided to turn left literally as I was at his passenger window. Anyway I braked and his car hit off my shoe/ankle so no damage done but was a close one. He pulled in when he saw me looking back so I did a u turn and cycled down to him expecting an "are you ok/sorry about that". Instead he was adamant it was my fault as he had indicated (fairly sure no indicator on) and I shouldn't have been on left when he was turning left!! Anyway as you all know he was completely in the wrong. Dont think he saw me or looked in the mirror and if he did I have right of way. Remember I was as far as his passenger window when he went to go left. I took a pic of his reg and him - anywhere I can report this? If he had apologised and admitted his mistake Id have let it go but he was ranting, even going on about cyclists owning the road etc. Another dangerous idiot behind the wheel not knowing rules of road.

Thanks

hesker

Yes, report it. It helps that he actually did hit you so you can’t be fobbed off on that front

Seth Brundle

You can report it to the gardai but without video, don't expect them do do much unfortunately (even with video, it needs to be fairly bad for them to react).

seanino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119212770#Comment_119212770

What camera is that? - need to get one asap. Too many incidents

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119231204#Comment_119231204

Mostly but not always. You can get lucky depending on the garda and his superior and their mood on the day. My written account with no video was enough to get at taxi driver a couple of penalty points and an €80 fine for a close pass before I bought a camera.