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

magicbastarder

to be fair, it's not the most dramatic i've seen; how far was he from you? his right wheel was on the grass verge on the other side of the road.

Thargor

He looked like he was afraid of you! Nothing wrong with that overtake.

PhillySteak9

Fair enough so - looks like I'm too sensitive. 🤣

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119485421#Comment_119485421

It's poor driving to overtake with off side of van effectively crossing the mouth of at least two private entrances, but he's a decent distance from you

Seth Brundle

Popped over to my mam's earlier and on the return journey, I decided to wander around the Phoenix Park.

Coming down Military Rd past the Chapelizod entrance with the intention of heading up Upper Glen Rd, a driver who just came into the park turned towards me (map), clearly without looking despite me having right of way and she having two big red STOP signs (and a painted one on the ground). Not sure how I managed to avoid a collision - she seems to have turned right into the lane I was in but I managed to swing to my right where there was a bit of space. She pulled in a little further up and I turned up after her. In fairness she was quite apologetic but then said something which took me by surprise: "I probably should have stopped at the Stop sign". I was momentarily lost for words when I heard the "probably" bit but I managed to say something like "no, you should have stopped at the sign as that's why they're called Stop signs".

De Bhál

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119484831#Comment_119484831

The speed they take off up the road would be the only thing I see wrong in that clip

magicbastarder

i think someone has taken a price out on my head. three near misses in a 50km cycle, all from people pulling out of minor roads without looking. two of them happened in the space of just over 230m. at least one may have popped a tyre on kerb after swerving with fright when he realised i was there.

and that's not counting white van man who was beeping at me and giving me the fingers, even though he did this coming towards me and we'd had no cause to interact in any way at all.

magicbastarder

this is where the one happened where the driver clipped the kerb; i was headed in the direction the camera is facing, which is northbound (and downhill, so you pick up a bit of speed) through garristown. from the minor road to the right, a van was taking a left and a lad in a blue peugeot (407 maybe?) was taking a right; i copped the peugeot but he was partially obscured by the van and in hindsight clearly didn't have a clear field of view up towards me, so i'd already started to brake; but he pulled out, copped i was there, and swung left and clipped the kerb probably a little further on from where the merc is parked on the left hand side.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.5673168,-6.3834362,3a,75y,34.47h,83.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sn1QdiBVX_axj_FvJ9LwGAQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Mundo7976

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486797#Comment_119486797

I cut short my cycle yesterday around the same area. Im assuming people are frustrated & oblivious due to them looking for alternative routes due to the road works along the N2 & up at the snailbox. Had a few very close passes & a di(khead in a beemer do a uturn about 100m in front of me at the snailbox, not a f(uk given 🙄 thankfully I was only trundling uphill!

magicbastarder

the other two happened in ballyboughal; one guy pulled out in front of me at the junction at o'connor's/the village inn (that was close enough), and then half a minute later, i was following maybe 30m or 40m behind an SUV who was turning right towards oldtown (as was i) and the driver of a white souped up audi waited for the SUV to pass, then gunned it out and came within maybe a metre or two of hitting me side on.

mmrs

Not a near miss but twice over the last month or so I've had drivers have a go at me for not using cycle lanes. The first instance there was no cycle lane, the driver beeped at me and made some aggressive hand gestures. I usually ignore this stuff as I find it irritates me and puts me off for the rest of my cycle. I caught up to this fella who was stuck in traffic and nocked on his passenger window. I asked him what his issue was. I calmly explained I am not required to use a cycle lane (especially non-existent ones) and in fact he misused his horn. Felt good, he was a gobshite and he knew it.

The second instance a Mrs Bucket type lady pulled up beside me and asked did I know there was a cycle lane beside me (a useless one) and I asked her (kind of politely) did she know I'm not required to use a cycle lane even if it is available. She told me I was a danger to myself. This is all while she was driving alongside me in a housing estate, not paying proper attention to the road so that she could vent at me. She then drove off at speed and I shouted some expletives her way. This got me riled up.

I've feel since lockdowns have ended some drivers see it as their duty to be **** to cyclists. Still I love cycling and my commute!

Citizen Six

Thank god I was slowing down for the yield sign anyway. 🤣

https://imgur.com/a/VYNxWJq

BoardsMember

Hardly a near miss. Maybe one for this thread? https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058245870/your-own-pictures-of-bad-parking-with-chat#latest

Etc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119504997#Comment_119504997

There are several points along that track where I automatically slow down in anticipation of a potential issue, that's one of them, the stretch at Vernon avenue at the pumphouse, you have people crossing the road and not looking and people getting out of their cars at the carpark. The other one is the car park opposite Clontarf garage.

I wouldn't see that one as a near miss, rather a predictable hazard.

Citizen Six

Yeah, I know what you mean. The stretch at the pump house can be particularly bad, and it's a yield coming in at both sides. A lot of cyclists seem to barrel through there regardless.

The carpark opposite the bus garage was deadly, when the bushes completely obscured the cycle track for motorists trying to enter. At least it's trimmed back now.

When there's people on the track, I tend to ring my bell continuously, from a distance, at a slow enough rate. So it's a low bell that alerts them for a distance hopefully.

Pinch Flat

the passing motorists favourite spot in my neck of the woods in Castleknock - never fails to attract morons, despite the 1.5m passing sign.

https://goo.gl/maps/ETGrH3SKkDubDeLm8

Today it was the turn of some numb nut in a Honda CRV - the oncoming car had to stop and flash / beep. He them proceeded to overtake 5 cars in the stretch of the phoenix park between Castleknock gates and the first roundabout. The three drivers behind him thought it was such a good idea, they followed - the last one barely making it in before the roundabout.

I can't really see how there's any other solution to calm speed in the Phoenix Park other than by speed ramps down Chesterfield Avenue - whether the limit is is 30kph or 50 kph limit, they're constantly ignored.

07Lapierre

Chesterfield ave is too straight. No matter what they do, cars will always exceed the speed limit. Personally I think traffic from the city should be directed around the military road and the traffic into the city from Castleknock directed onto the North road. Put chicanes, speed ramps and pinch points all along both the north and military roads and that would slow the traffic. It would also ruin the park for everyone so won’t happen.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119511775#Comment_119511775

To be honest i'd be on the road there with all that hassle

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119512228#Comment_119512228

Lots of lights to contend with on the road. And then aggressive drivers cause you aren't using the cycle lane.

magicbastarder

Bit of a red mist incident on the bike today. Cycling from the nine mile roundabout near Ashbourne, towards donaghmore church, a guy in a white mondeo overtook me on a blind bend and pulled back in on top of me when a car came along the bend at him, probably came with a metre of me. I sent him some hand signals and he slowed down and reciprocated. Some points of view were exchanged, and some more hand signals and he drove off. A woman in a blue Audi passed me a couple of hundred metres later (safely) and gave me a big thumbs up and a friendly wave.

Idleater

Someone beside me in an advance stop area in a lx400 jeepythiny(c)(r)(tm) accelerated off the lights on the way home from work last week. You'd like to think it would have enough power to clear a cyclist, but not so it turns out so the driver squeezed in on me. Anyway, cue beeping, but from the car behind.

Eventually the Lexus gets enough room free from oncoming traffic, as does the car behind who i gave the :shrug to and got some sort of "warning" comment.

At the next lights, i stop beside the car and the driver says "i could see what was going to happen, they were never going to pass and I could've sworn you were going to be taken out". So, fair play to them, i apologised for doubting them and made my way past the Lexus and on.

patrickc

I don't do the camera on the bike thing, but yesterday a 40ft truck overtook me and a car was oncoming, his trailer was so close to me when he pulled back in, that was a scary moment!

Paul_Mc1988

https://www.strava.com/activities/7717987608?utm_source=com.microsoft.office.outlook&utm_medium=referral

A different kind of near miss😅

First_October

Was cycling up near Glencree this morning when a guy on a big white horse tried to take me out! As I cycled up to him he started screaming abuse at me at the top of his lungs. Called me a dirty c@nt and all manner of things. As I passed he got his horse to walk across the road and right out in front of me! Got the impression he was trying to make me crash or get the horse to rear up on top of me. I'm still a bit shocked by the whole incident. Seemed to be a complete nutjob; be careful if you come across this guy on your spins!

Seth Brundle

Thankfully not me but I witnessed what would have been an horrific incident yesterday while out on the bike.

I stopped at the junction at the top of Ash Hill (between Maynooth & Dunboyne) having come from Kilcloon (map link). A JCB farm loader with the long silage bale tines sticking out up high was coming up the hill to my right and a large tractor & trailer coming along on the left. Both moving at a decent pace. The loader driver flicked on his indicators to turn to his left (to head down the lane I had just come) but for whatever reason steered to his right meaning the tines were heading straight for the cab of the tractor. With milliseconds to spare, the loader driver turned left and down the lane. The vision of the tractor driver with his arms covering his head is still crystal clear in my mind.

Wildly Boaring

It never ceases to amaze me the way some idiots drive with bale spikes or buckrakes.

Spikes should be turned back in towards your own engine.

These guys driving around with them at car (bike) level or as above, tractor/truck cab level should be put off the road.

Cabaal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119535649#Comment_119535649

Had a pheasant fly out of a ditch a few years back and was so close some of the wing feathers hit my arm, scared the crap out of me at the time. Earlier on the same ride a white fan almost knocked me off the bike and just missed me by 2 inches.

Part of me was very thankful when I go home 😂

magicbastarder

Had a close pass from a guy in a red Jeep near oldtown earlier, overtook around a blind bend and there was an oncoming car. The chap in the car behind pulled alongside after and shouted out the window 'Christ, they're all out tonight, aren't they?'

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542938#Comment_119542938

I was once talking to a chap, who on the same road I mentioned in the post above, came within a few feet of colliding with a red kite. It burst out of the ditch as he approached and it scared the daylights out of him. They're big beasts.

cletus

This is not a near miss, but I don't know where else it belongs.

Driving out of work yesterday, a colleague was ahead of me in his car, and there was a bicycle in front of him.

My colleague kept a nice distance back, good overtake, plenty of space given, basically what you'd want in an overtake.

Having a cup of tea with him in the staffroom this morning, and he told me he was super conscious of overtaking the cyclist, because he knew I was behind him.

Can't figure out whether it's a good thing or a bad thing 🤷‍♂️😂