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

site_owner

CramCycle wrote: »

Also they aren't using the rig at the time, but it would have been hard to park in the bus lane with all the cars already parked in it :pac:

exactly, when they were working on the other side they could magically work from the road. some people just refuse to see the real issue.

this was 8.40am hundreds of kids walking to school and they block the path and bike lane to leave the bus lane free for a bunch of queue skippers

breezy1985

It would be standard to park in the in the furthest left lane so that you don't have to cross live roads while working. It makes sense to not be running over and back active lanes but sadly for us the furthest over lane is almost always the cycle lane.

They do the same on the other side by the looks of it and pick the furthest over lane

site_owner

on the fairview video, since it generated a lot of discussion...
i was cycling to the left of the line as the path was empty and the actual track is a complete mess of mushed leaves, roots and broken tarmac.
legally its signposted as a shared space so I'll argue that in court if anyone wants to report me to the gardai

9 times out 10 i'd take the road there, but sometimes i take the bike lane if i'm not in a rush

anway, if you're not familiar with the handling of cargo bikes, or at least how they appear on wide angle lens, everything is and appears exaggerated. i probably moved half a foot to the right to go around the drain cover a split second before i realised the car was coming onto the path. there wasnt an intentional swerve towards the car. just a normal cargo bike movement.

and to add, i post a mix of videos, skipping traffic, infrastructure, kids cycling, fast cycling, stupid driving. it can be easy to conflate them all into "madman who cycles too fast with kids while filtering and screaming at drivers" but thats not the case. i just want better infrastructure for people who cycle and sharing my videos is a way of generating conversation around that

the camera at night is not great at this stuff, but i tried to outline the drain cover. look at the distance of the stem from the white line, the movement is not that much

CramCycle

breezy1985 wrote: »

It would be standard to park in the in the furthest left lane so that you don't have to cross live roads while working. It makes sense to not be running over and back active lanes but sadly for us the furthest over lane is almost always the cycle lane.

They do the same on the other side by the looks of it and pick the furthest over lane

There is a case to be made that narrowing the footpath that much inhibits pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists quite severely, to the point some people might be tempted to use the road side of the vehicle. Its just poor parking, there isn't a case to be made condoning it here IMO.

site_owner

breezy1985 wrote: »

It would be standard to park in the in the furthest left lane so that you don't have to cross live roads while working. It makes sense to not be running over and back active lanes but sadly for us the furthest over lane is almost always the cycle lane.

They do the same on the other side by the looks of it and pick the furthest over lane

yes, drivers do a lot of illegal things for their own convenience at the expense of pedestrians and people who cycle

breezy1985

CramCycle wrote: »

There is a case to be made that narrowing the footpath that much inhibits pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists quite severely, to the point some people might be tempted to use the road side of the vehicle. Its just poor parking, there isn't a case to be made condoning it here IMO.

I've never done that job so I'm only going by what I have seen before but I think the correct procedure would be to park there and make a temporary path using cones on the bus lane.

CramCycle

breezy1985 wrote: »

I've never done that job so I'm only going by what I have seen before but I think the correct procedure would be to park there and make a temporary path using cones on the bus lane.

Not ideal for wheelchair users but yes, that would have been another option, but I suspect no thought whatsoever was put in there.

breezy1985

breezy1985 wrote: »

I've never done that job so I'm only going by what I have seen before but I think the correct procedure would be to park there and make a temporary path using cones on the bus lane.

Lot of work going on near me and that is what they have been doing if they need to work on or occupy the path they'll put out the cones and signs directing people and have these little yellow ramps to help those who need them on and off the road.

breezy1985

CramCycle wrote: »

Not ideal for wheelchair users but yes, that would have been another option, but I suspect no thought whatsoever was put in there.

I've seen it done before and I'm not sure people are supposed to be squeezing in between cherry pickers and the pole like that regardless of whether it a big or small gap

VonLuck

site_owner wrote: »

this was 8.40am hundreds of kids walking to school and they block the path and bike lane to leave the bus lane free for a bunch of queue skippers

Is that what they're doing? Queue skipping? Not doubting by the way, just asking.

I've always wondered what the right approach is when there's a queue of traffic turning left. Are you allowed to queue in the left lane even if it turns into a bus lane or should you stay in the right lane (blocking traffic going straight) until a gap appears at the end of the bus lane?

site_owner

legally you cant use a bus lane to queue for the next left turn until the markings change, so everyone should be in the right lane instead of delaying every 15 out of clongriffin during "rush" hour.

but you could say they "technically" aren't skipping the queue, as the queue to turn left is in the bus lane

CramCycle

VonLuck wrote: »

Is that what they're doing? Queue skipping? Not doubting by the way, just asking.

I've always wondered what the right approach is when there's a queue of traffic turning left. Are you allowed to queue in the left lane even if it turns into a bus lane or should you stay in the right lane (blocking traffic going straight) until a gap appears at the end of the bus lane?

Legally going up until the lane opens up for left turning traffic is the correct action. There is a car that does this on the N11 every morning at Whites cross, and some get annoyed at him but he is following the rules and he also skips about 30 cars while doing so.

site_owner wrote: »

legally you cant use a bus lane to queue for the next left turn until the markings change, so everyone should be in the right lane instead of delaying every 15 out of clongriffin during "rush" hour.

but you could say they "technically" aren't skipping the queue, as the queue to turn left is in the bus lane

They are though, as in they think that they will get there quicker but typically they just get blocked there anyway, and if they had all turned out at the correct time at the end, it would have been the same time. More importantly that that though, they are blocking public transport users, one bus of which would be transporting more people than in the entire queue from the junction.

lawrencesummers

site_owner wrote: »

exactly, when they were working on the other side they could magically work from the road. some people just refuse to see the real issue.

this was 8.40am hundreds of kids walking to school and they block the path and bike lane to leave the bus lane free for a bunch of queue skippers

If somebody is working in a basket at height the roadway underneath should be closed off because of the possibility of tools or parts falling.

Personally I don’t have any problem with what they are doing, outside of not closing off the road and if it means stopping or slowing my cycle it’s just how it is.

breezy1985

lawrencesummers wrote: »

If somebody is working in a basket at height the roadway underneath should be closed off because of the possibility of tools or parts falling.

Personally I don’t have any problem with what they are doing, outside of not closing off the road and if it means stopping or slowing my cycle it’s just how it is.

I was saying that earlier that even if they park on the bus lane everything in between should be closed anyway

Breezer

They were all out today. I can only assume it was for Christmas shopping.

Here this morning, I'm taking the second left up ahead, at the lights. I take primary in the bus lane to prevent close passes from queue skippers and left hooks. Firstly one driver, having driven up in the leftmost general traffic lane, cuts in left just ahead of me without looking. As I'm braking, another driver that drove up the bus lane behind me beeps because I'm in his way. I go left around the corner, there's two slow cyclists in the cycle lane, so I stay in primary position for the 5 seconds it takes me to overtake. Your man goes ballistic on the horn. Apparently he's not really in a hurry though, because as I move over into the now clear cycle track, he rolls up beside me with the window down, in a Golf GTI with a particularly stupid spoiler on it. I ignore and thankfully he fecks off. I then proceed to catch him at the next three red lights, two of which are up hills.

Then this evening in the cycle lane about here, a dog jumps off the path into the cycle lane. I swerve slightly to avoid him. A taxi has been hanging behind me in the bus lane and seemed to be about to choose that moment to close pass, but thankfully he hangs back till I'm past the dog. Then he passes within a foot, with two empty lanes to his right.

And finally heading south past Phibsborough shopping centre here, a white van man decides he's going into the left lane for the lights up ahead. He pulls in and sticks his indicator on at the same time, on top of the cyclist ahead of me. I thought he was going to left hook him into the apartments and I let out a roar. He missed him by inches. No harm done thankfully and the other cyclist seemed fairly unperturbed by the whole thing.

Stark

Breezer wrote: »

And finally heading south past Phibsborough shopping centre here, a white van man decides he's going into the left lane for the lights up ahead. He pulls in and sticks his indicator on at the same time, on top of the cyclist ahead of me. I thought he was going to left hook him into the apartments and I let out a roar. He missed him by inches. No harm done thankfully and the other cyclist seemed fairly unperturbed by the whole thing.

A white van nearly doored me last time I cycled through there. Overtook me, pulled in very sharply then immediately opened the door right in front of me.

Breezer

Stark wrote: »

A white van nearly doored me last time I cycled through there. Overtook me, pulled in very sharply then immediately opened the door right in front of me.

It’s a mental spot. Thankfully at the times I go through it, most of the traffic is usually stationary, but you need eyes in the back of your head.

DoraDelite

Breezer wrote: »

They were all out today. I can only assume it was for Christmas shopping.

Here this morning, I'm taking the second left up ahead, at the lights. I take primary in the bus lane to prevent close passes from queue skippers and left hooks. Firstly one driver, having driven up in the leftmost general traffic lane, cuts in left just ahead of me without looking. As I'm braking, another driver that drove up the bus lane behind me beeps because I'm in his way. I go left around the corner, there's two slow cyclists in the cycle lane, so I stay in primary position for the 5 seconds it takes me to overtake. Your man goes ballistic on the horn. Apparently he's not really in a hurry though, because as I move over into the now clear cycle track, he rolls up beside me with the window down, in a Golf GTI with a particularly stupid spoiler on it. I ignore and thankfully he fecks off. I then proceed to catch him at the next three red lights, two of which are up hills.

Pretty much thought I was dead at that exact spot about 3 months ago. Took the bus lane to take the same route round to the right, I try to centre myself on it so as not to get stuck when going around to the right. A Bus Eireann bus passed me so close that I could have licked the side of the bus and ran the red light just after, I was actually thinking someone must have taken it for a joyride as there's no way a professional driver could drive like that.

I got off my bike as I was shaking so much and almost burst into tears. That experience is exactly why I can see how people are bullied off the roads and don't want to cycle around Dublin, you question why you'd put yourself through something like that. I keep at it as I don't want the the aggressive selfish drivers to win. I want to see the infrastructure changes that will stop that type of driving being a danger to myself and others, who just want to get from A to B in a safe manner.

Breezer

DoraDelite wrote: »

Pretty much thought I was dead at that exact spot about 3 months ago. Took the bus lane to take the same route round to the right, I try to centre myself on it so as not to get stuck when going around to the right. A Bus Eireann bus passed me so close that I could have licked the side of the bus and ran the red light just after, I was actually thinking someone must have taken it for a joyride as there's no way a professional driver could drive like that.

I got off my bike as I was shaking so much and almost burst into tears. That experience is exactly why I can see how people are bullied off the roads and don't want to cycle around Dublin, you question why you'd put yourself through something like that. I keep at it as I don't want the the aggressive selfish drivers to win. I want to see the infrastructure changes that will stop that type of driving being a danger to myself and others, who just want to get from A to B in a safe manner.

Sorry to hear that. It's a clusterf**k of a junction that thankfully is planned to be improved significantly for cyclists under Busconnects. If it's any consolation, I go through there every day in both directions, and I've never had a particularly close call on it. Drivers blocking lanes all over the place, yes. Lots of weaving through stationary traffic as a result, yes. Drivers beeping horns at you for confidently taking road position, yes. But as regards close calls, I find the only thing you usually need to watch out for is drivers cutting in to the bus lane to go left at the last second. Which is a problem, but at least you only need to watch one place and be ready to brake if needed.

I presume that's what the bus driver in question did? Sounds pretty intimidating with a bus alright.

magicbastarder

it's an awful bollocks of a junction even in the car. approaching from phibsboro, you pass the big off licence on your right, and if the bus lane is in operation, you stay in the rightmost lane. but other private car drivers take the bus lane anyway to get the hop on you and won't let you merge then to take the left down botanic road.

anyway, i filled out a complaint on centra's website today to complain about a truck driver. i'd say the chances of me getting a satisfactory result are nil.
he overtook me on a blind bend over a solid white line, into oncoming traffic on a narrow road. between the side of the runway at the airport and sillogue golf course.

DoraDelite

Not in this instance, he was going in the same direction as me. Instead of either waiting behind me in the same lane or switching lanes, he decided to close pass me with half the bus in my lane and half in the other. I was centre of my lane so it wasn't like I was in at the kerb and he thought he had room to squeeze by. It was not a error of judgement in this case and he topped it off by running the red light.

It was criminal driving and while 99 times out of 100 you can get through that junction okay, it only takes that one. I did complain to Bus Eireann but I'm sure it got filed away in the "we don't care if our drivers kill a cyclist or pedestrian".

CramCycle

DoraDelite wrote: »

Not in this instance, he was going in the same direction as me. Instead of either waiting behind me in the same lane or switching lanes, he decided to close pass me with half the bus in my lane and half in the other. I was centre of my lane so it wasn't like I was in at the kerb and he thought he had room to squeeze by. It was not a error of judgement in this case and he topped it off by running the red light.

It was criminal driving and while 99 times out of 100 you can get through that junction okay, it only takes that one. I did complain to Bus Eireann but I'm sure it got filed away in the "we don't care if our drivers kill a cyclist or pedestrian".

Bus Eireann are incredibly poor in my opinion in their engagement on such issues, have requested video footage under GDPR and it kept getting back with a we are looking into it, and then no response until you follow up. Videos disappeared, I even had a helmet camera where the drive admitted it was malicious, nothing. Straight to the Gardai going forward, i wouldn't even go to them as its just wasting your time in the hope they don't get pinged on it.

sy_flembeck

CramCycle wrote: »

Bus Eireann are incredibly poor in my opinion in their engagement on such issues, have requested video footage under GDPR and it kept getting back with a we are looking into it, and then no response until you follow up. Videos disappeared, I even had a helmet camera where the drive admitted it was malicious, nothing. Straight to the Gardai going forward, i wouldn't even go to them as its just wasting your time in the hope they don't get pinged on it.

Yep, been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Bus Eireann are utterly utterly, useless. I'd have thought it was in their interests to get these things right but apparently not. The next time a BE route 133 driver, who regularly pull stunts in and around the N11, tries one on me he'll be answering to the Guards. It may still not go anywhere but it will definitely soften the cough

Weepsie

Anything to be said for fighting out who doe their fleet insurance and start telling these companies that your letting insurers know?

Gardai will only do so much and they know it.


On my case, the gardai are checking for cctv they've told me.

Whats most annoying regards busses is that if you reported a private car pulling the same **** and the Garda did follow it to the end they'd have points. When was the last time anyone heard of a bus driver getting points?

wheelo01

Weepsie wrote: »

Anything to be said for fighting out who doe their fleet insurance and start telling these companies that your letting insurers know?

Gardai will only do so much and they know it.


On my case, the gardai are checking for cctv they've told me.

If you are talking of Bus Eireann, I presume they are the same as Dublin Bus, in that they don't hold insurance from an Insurance company, CIE hold a shed load of money (amount set by Dept of Transport, I think) aside in the case of any accident claim. So, they are their own insurers, if that makes sense.

Weepsie

That seems completely absurd and like it would be rather more expensive than getting actual third party liability insurance but on the other hand it cuts out spineless insurance companies

velo.2010

^^^Here you are...
https://www.cie.ie/Who-We-Are/Organisation-Structure/Group-Risk#:~:text=Our%20history%20and%20experience%20in,specialist%20provider%20of%20such%20services.

magicbastarder

Weepsie wrote: »

That seems completely absurd and like it would be rather more expensive than getting actual third party liability insurance but on the other hand it cuts out spineless insurance companies

for a big enough organisation where insurance claims can almost be predicted year on year, it's sensible. if an insurance company know there are going to be claims totalling a million a year, they'll probably charge a hefty premium to handle them.

the rest of us pay insurance because of the unpredictable nature of risk. but it gets less unpredictable the larger an organisation gets.

wheelo01

I think the logic was that there was a pool of money there, and if it were invested properly (which somehow it has, not very CIE like at all) it would accrue any amount of claims accross the three companies.
You have to remember the amount of public liability insurance, vehicle insurance, Etc. they would have. They also have their own legal dept. to - as you say avoid spineless insurance companies.
If a Taxi insurance can be as much as 5 or 6,000 euro when the max passengers they can carry is 4, imagine what an insurane company could charge for 90 passengers.