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

magicbastarder · 13-04-2017 10:39AM

tomasrojo wrote: »

Who among us even uses an amphibrach

is that a fixie? sounds very hipstery.

I love Sean nos · 13-04-2017 10:43AM

tomasrojo wrote: »

amphibrach

mr spuckler · 13-04-2017 01:31PM

reposting as previous version was way too long!

collision at lunchtime, cyclist hit pedestrian who was crossing the road in front of peter's pub in dublin city centre. neither were using the road with due care or awareness. he seemed fine afterwards, she had a sore leg and was very shook.

dory · 13-04-2017 01:37PM

I only started cycling for the first time ever last month. I can't believe how horrible motorists can be. One fella (the passenger) put his head out the window to shout at me to get off the road (just because he was behind the gárdaí for a long time who wouldn't pass me on a continuous white line). I've had loads of near misses - lots of people who are about to pull out onto the main road, see the bike, are terrified of getting stuck behind a bike , so pull out even though there's not enough space and almost knock into me. No wonder there are so many road deaths this year.

shootermacg · 13-04-2017 03:34PM

mr spuckler wrote: »

reposting as previous version was way too long!

collision at lunchtime, cyclist hit pedestrian who was crossing the road in front of peter's pub in dublin city centre. neither were using the road with due care or awareness. he seemed fine afterwards, she had a sore leg and was very shook.

So basically they both lived to tell the tale with minor possible bruising and a lesson learned being the outcome. Lets substitute in a car / truck and rerun this scenario again. What would the outcome be?

buffalo · 13-04-2017 03:52PM

shootermacg wrote: »

So basically they both lived to tell the tale with minor possible bruising and a lesson learned being the outcome. Lets substitute in a car / truck and rerun this scenario again. What would the outcome be?

The driver says 'the cyclist wasn't wearing hi-viz or a helmet, how was I supposed to see them while checking the speedo to make sure I was under 30kph?'

Tombo2001 · 13-04-2017 03:54PM

dory wrote: »

I only started cycling for the first time ever last month. I can't believe how horrible motorists can be. One fella (the passenger) put his head out the window to shout at me to get off the road (just because he was behind the gÃ¡rdaÃ for a long time who wouldn't pass me on a continuous white line). I've had loads of near misses - lots of people who are about to pull out onto the main road, see the bike, are terrified of getting stuck behind a bike , so pull out even though there's not enough space and almost knock into me. No wonder there are so many road deaths this year.

People have no idea what cyclists are up against until they get on a bike themselves.

VW 1 · 13-04-2017 03:59PM

Tombo2001 wrote:

People have no idea what cyclists are up against until they get on a bike themselves.

Its so true, most true when you have a taxi driver beeping you to get out of the bus lane because you are impeding them. I would always like to invite them to try the cycle lane on my bike to see where they would choose yo cycle.

ThisRegard · 13-04-2017 06:10PM

shootermacg wrote: »

Lets substitute in a car / truck and rerun this scenario again. What would the outcome be?

My money is on the truck beating the car.

Chuchote · 13-04-2017 06:18PM

Not quite a near miss, but - I'm a little enraged at the moment, things going on at home - so I dashed out to the shop at 16:50, and as I came around a major turn, a van driver with a van with the logo of a parking firm was turning at the same time.

The driver was holding a mobile phone in front of his face as he turned, and as he drove on, and when I joined him before the lights, he was still staring into it.

Not my normal calm self, so I gave the van a belt with the flat of my hand and told him to put down that phone.

"**** off," he explained.

It escalated from there, with me telling him it was illegal, he was irresponsible, he was in charge of two tons of industrial machinery, he was a professional driver and should have more sense, and him telling me he had a perfect right to use the mobile phone in the car and there was nothing dangerous about it. "I'm recording you," he said, pointing the phone at me, and of course I replied "I hope you are!" And off he drove, with a friendly beep.

CramCycle · 13-04-2017 06:25PM

Chuchote wrote: »

It escalated from there, with me telling him it was illegal, he was irresponsible, he was in charge of two tons of industrial machinery, he was a professional driver and should have more sense, and him telling me he had a perfect right to use the mobile phone in the car and there was nothing dangerous about it. "I'm recording you," he said, pointing the phone at me, and of course I replied "I hope you are!" And off he drove, with a friendly beep.

I only have two palms and feels so inadequate when I hold them upto my face.

Sarz91 · 13-04-2017 07:44PM

Coming home on the N11 just before Stillorgan a lad decided to pull into the cycle lane just in front of me and jam on. Nearly went into the back of him. Went to go around him and he had his hand up to apologise. This talk of hi-vis this and that. The chap saw me and decided he'd do it anyway.

I slowed down at his window to gesticulate that there are other cyclists behind him and that he should move. Other motorists started to shout at me even after I had moved on as if I was in the wrong. I nearly get hit and somehow I'm in the wrong....

Alanstrainor · 13-04-2017 07:53PM

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Call now logged with traffic watch, awaiting call back from local station.

The person who answered the call on the traffic watch line was fantastic, asked for the details of the incident (which I had a lot of!) and just said she would pass on all information to the local station. I'll keep you all posted with how I get on.

Just an update on this for anyone that remembers. (Close pass by a taxi in Portmarnock, video now private)

I got a call from the local station about a week after contacting Traffic Watch, and for a few different reasons I only managed to go up to the station with the footage this evening. His opinion on the pass was that it was ridiculously dangerous. He asked whether I'd be willing to go to court over it, which I said I would. He took the footage and said he will call to the drivers house and see what he says.

So far, everyone has been incredibly professional and courteous. So a thumbs up on the response so far.

papu · 13-04-2017 09:09PM

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Just an update on this for anyone that remembers. (Close pass by a taxi in Portmarnock, video now private)

I got a call from the local station about a week after contacting Traffic Watch, and for a few different reasons I only managed to go up to the station with the footage this evening. His opinion on the pass was that it was ridiculously dangerous. He asked whether I'd be willing to go to court over it, which I said I would. He took the footage and said he will call to the drivers house and see what he says.

So far, everyone has been incredibly professional and courteous. So a thumbs up on the response so far.

Fair play, hopefully the way to stop these ridiculous overtakes and punish passes is to take a few people to court over them. It really is sad that this is what it takes.

a148pro · 13-04-2017 10:04PM

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Just an update on this for anyone that remembers. (Close pass by a taxi in Portmarnock, video now private)

I got a call from the local station about a week after contacting Traffic Watch, and for a few different reasons I only managed to go up to the station with the footage this evening. His opinion on the pass was that it was ridiculously dangerous. He asked whether I'd be willing to go to court over it, which I said I would. He took the footage and said he will call to the drivers house and see what he says.

So far, everyone has been incredibly professional and courteous. So a thumbs up on the response so far.

Glad you did this, was going to PM you when I read your first post at the start of this thread last night. I was knocked off bike 2 years ago, got photo of car with reg and number for witness who stopped. Rang it in to Garda Station but never went to make formal complaint. Even posted on here to say I would but never did.

Through bizarre coincidence later learned that 6 months after I got knocked down the same car was speeding with another car and the other car crashed into someone and killed them. Can't be sure it was same driver but probably was. Felt a bit sick to learn that as I felt I could have done more and perhaps if I had he might not have been so quick to go speeding the second time and perhaps that accident wouldn't have happened. A bit remote to say the least but still don't feel good about it.

The lesson is we have to make these complaints, even if it may be frustrating or may come to nothing we have to make them and do our best to stop this behavour lest others get hurt.

shootermacg · 13-04-2017 10:19PM

I had two close passes from some old bas tard on a motorbike. Started in Goatstown, where the bloody ape with a clear road ahead decided to buzz past me almost in the cycle lane, leaning into me.
I ignored the first one.

Met him at the next set of lights, an inch outside the cycle lane, rolled my bike ahead of him, as is my right. I rolled off just as the lights turned green and about a second or two later he buzzed me accelerating actually in the cycle lane, barely inches away.

I cycled on and finally caught the scumbag at the canal near Harcourt street (I know right, all the breaking the speed limit and he still can't beat a man on a bike). Pulled up next to him and said, "hey I have all your bad behavior on camera and it's going straight to the police". To which he replied, "WHAT ARE YOU ****E-ING ABOUT? ******!!!"

I think it was a rhetorical question, but I answered anyway. I informed him, that he'd been breaking the speed limit and riding in the cycle lane the whole journey. I informed him that he was trying to unnerve cyclists on purpose and it was all on camera and that I would be reporting him to the police as soon as I got to my work-place. Seemed to quieten the scumbag down a little.

Unfortunately my camera was out of charge because I'd left it on my helmet the previous evening.

tomasrojo · 13-04-2017 10:25PM

Chuchote wrote: »

"**** off," he explained.

This is the best thing I've read today.

magicbastarder · 13-04-2017 10:29PM

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Just an update on this for anyone that remembers. (Close pass by a taxi in Portmarnock, video now private)

i would like to think that there's an element of contagion with this sort of thing. the more taxi drivers who relate to their mates that they've been caught on camera might spook the horses a little in their overtaking of cyclists.

Tenzor07 · 13-04-2017 10:34PM

Not my video, but shows some close calls for this cyclist...

I think it's getting worse out there, a buddy of mine came into contact with a UK reg coach on the way into Laragh during the week, sent him into the ditch but no injury suffered.. he caught up with the coach up in Laragh village.. driver must have hid! Definely seen him in the coach mirrors though, and didn't stop to check my buddy was ok on the bike...

CramCycle · 14-04-2017 07:16AM

It is weird, less than a month ago I could swear it was improving, now in the last two weeks it seems to be getting so much worse. Most cars are still grand but the few that are bad, are awful. I have ran out of fingers and toes to count the number of near misses I have observed this week. Out of all of them, one was the cyclists fault where they swerved out for a right turn without looking. Car was observant and slammed on as soon as it started, lucky they were well under the speed limit. The rest though, skimming by vans/cars in the bus lane, left hooks when overtakes were not even close to being completed etc.

Danbo! · 14-04-2017 08:59AM

CramCycle wrote: »

It is weird, less than a month ago I could swear it was improving, now in the last two weeks it seems to be getting so much worse. Most cars are still grand but the few that are bad, are awful. I have ran out of fingers and toes to count the number of near misses I have observed this week. Out of all of them, one was the cyclists fault where they swerved out for a right turn without looking. Car was observant and slammed on as soon as it started, lucky they were well under the speed limit. The rest though, skimming by vans/cars in the bus lane, left hooks when overtakes were not even close to being completed etc.

I've been thinking the same. At first maybe I thought it was this thread and I was noticing it more, but there definitely is something different. Maybe it's the weather, traffic getting worse in general, I'm not sure. But I've also witnessed a few altercations between cyclists and motorists, 2 this week alone.

jive · 14-04-2017 09:11AM

They should run an ad campaign on close overtaking as it's no joke and it's fairly prevalent. I think if people could see it from a cyclists POV they would be more considerate, I'm sure most of them do it out of ignorance rather than any kind of malice.

If they can run a campaign with some guys tonsils talking absolute tosh then surely they can run a campaign for this which is a genuine issue.

magicbastarder · 14-04-2017 09:16AM

jive wrote: »

I think if people could see it from a cyclists POV they would be more considerate, I'm sure most of them do it out of ignorance rather than any kind of malice.

yeah, they could licence some of the close pass videos which would be shared here from time to time. i think it's an empathy thing, many drivers don't think what their manouevre feels like for the person being outmanouevred.

Jawgap · 14-04-2017 09:20AM

jive wrote: »

They should run an ad campaign on close overtaking as it's no joke and it's fairly prevalent. I think if people could see it from a cyclists POV they would be more considerate, I'm sure most of them do it out of ignorance rather than any kind of malice.

If they can run a campaign with some guys tonsils talking absolute tosh then surely they can run a campaign for this which is a genuine issue.

No, they should just enforce the existing law.

We've seen it over the years, driver behaviour only changes when there is a credible threat of sanction. Barely 1500 FCPNs are issued each ear for offences relating to overtaking - all that needs to happen is for the Guards to start taking it as a serious issue and enforce it.

.....and forget about a minimum passing distance law - that will be an utter, unenforceable disaster if it comes in.

magicbastarder · 14-04-2017 11:23AM

a colleague yesterday was claiming that there's now talk of disbanding the traffic corps. if true, it sounds like a 'change for the sake of change' gesture rather than an attempt to actually fix the problem.
to be fair, the traffic corps is operating at just over half the numbers they had at their peak.

punisher5112 · 14-04-2017 12:04PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

a colleague yesterday was claiming that there's now talk of disbanding the traffic corps. if true, it sounds like a 'change for the sake of change' gesture rather than an attempt to actually fix the problem.
to be fair, the traffic corps is operating at just over half the numbers they had at their peak.

They would do their own mother.

I came across one he lied about my speed and summoned me to court lied some more. My solicitor made a show of him and was dismissed.

Same cop was looking for me and removed my sister from her car outside our family home and kept her there for 20 minutes. He didn't notice CCTV all over house and lied about this also.

Not the brightest to be honest but dangerous when there are ones like that in a position like that.

Eamonnator · 14-04-2017 01:18PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

a colleague yesterday was claiming that there's now talk of disbanding the traffic corps. if true, it sounds like a 'change for the sake of change' gesture rather than an attempt to actually fix the problem.
to be fair, the traffic corps is operating at just over half the numbers they had at their peak.

I think, what may happen is the Divisional Traffic Corps may be disbanded, and new units set up under a different name. Members of the current Traffic Corps would have to apply for new positions.

Kaisr Sose · 14-04-2017 01:24PM

punisher5112 wrote: »

They would do their own mother.

I came across one he lied about my speed and summoned me to court lied some more. My solicitor made a show of him and was dismissed.

Same cop was looking for me and removed my sister from her car outside our family home and kept her there for 20 minutes. He didn't notice CCTV all over house and lied about this also.

Not the brightest to be honest but dangerous when there are ones like that in a position like that.

Power can be abused and it can corrupt. Most are good.

Driving behaviour of a very noticeable some (as in not a generalisation) has deteriorated and will continue to do so until it's tackled with the blunt force of the law. My concern is that Garda are told by Dept of Justice to be lenient because motorists are also voters and what politician wants to be the one being blamed for hundreds or motorist being banned/disqualified or in serious cases imprisioned?

The biggest mistake made was cutting back on policing resources. It's there as a deterrent and when it's not an effective one, those that believe they should be able to speed, run red lights or generally behave like they own the road, will take advantage. As a result of the Govt cut backs, lives were lost, people injured (adding indirect cost to HSE) and ordinary citizens have had to front up more money in insurance costs.

All in all, I would say the cutbacks have added more cost into the coffers/economy than they saved.

The usual totally short sight economics from the usual short sighted people.

magicbastarder · 14-04-2017 01:35PM

one easy one is why the gardai don't have ANPR systems in their cars to spot insurance or tax defaulters; at the moment, you can drive around in complete impunity really if you're not taxed or insured.

Wishbone Ash · 14-04-2017 01:41PM

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

....All in all, I would say the cutbacks have added more cost into the coffers/economy than they saved....

A case in point being the closure of 40 Garda stations which only saved a derisory €750,000.

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

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