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

Ray Bloody Purchase · 17-08-2018 08:26AM

I saw two gardai on bikes cycle through a red light on Westmoreland Street this morning. I think they may have been following another cyclist who also broke the red to. It didn't seem like they pulled him over, they just had a few words with him and kept going.

coward · 17-08-2018 08:39AM

TooObvious wrote: »

I'm pretty sure there's a sign directing bikes onto this bridge, which by my estimation is not fit for them. Watch out if you're cycling on it.

Yes, that bridge is part of the greenway. Who had the bright idea to make the surface of a greenway bridge out of metal? The metal surface does look like a cheese grater but it has no grip whatsoever in the wet. I fell over three times this winter. It needs to be taken at a snails pace if it's anyway wet. The Clonburris plans for that region will have more bridges spanning the canal for walkers and people on bicycles. I just hope they don't give them a metal surface too.

I noticed this along the canal route at the Clogher Road junction. The traffic coming from the left gets a red light so that traffic coming from the right can turn right. So traffic coming from the right have a green light for straight on and a green right arrow at this time.

The last silver car breaks the red and blows the horn at the person on the bike. The light was still green for the person on the bike when they passed the silver pole on the left after the junction. I can only guess the car driver assumed the traffic from the right got a red at the same time they did - but that's not the case. No doubt the person driving the car is thinking "bloody cyclist" - but it's your own driving that should be called into question.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU9IS5J3Zgw

buffalo · 17-08-2018 08:52AM

TooObvious wrote: »

Not sure if this qualifies as a near miss, generally speaking if something happens during my commute that scares me a bit then I'd say it is.

I've been commuting in via the Grand Canal the past week, very enjoyable and no cars. They do have a red bridge at Grange Castle however. In the dry it's lovely, but in the wet the metal sections are very slippy. I had a bit of wheelspin this morning as i laboured up and over the bridge, grand i can handle that, on the way down though I had some serious slipping at either end of the bike - felt very much like black ice - anyway as is the norm with a near miss I didn't come a cropper.

I'm pretty sure there's a sign directing bikes onto this bridge, which by my estimation is not fit for them. Watch out if you're cycling on it.

I've never been over it, but that sounds like something to raise with the council or Waterways Ireland, whoever's responsible. They can add a coating or a new surface to give it grip.

What Username Guidelines · 17-08-2018 09:02AM

Not a near miss for this poor cyclist this morning. Check out the turning circle on that truck

https://twitter.com/ciaranahern/status/1030375561720459266?s=21

homer911 · 17-08-2018 09:13AM

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

Not a near miss for this poor cyclist this morning. Check out the turning circle on that truck

https://twitter.com/ciaranahern/status/1030375561720459266?s=21

This guy works in my team, just got a call from him. He had almost made it into work. Looks like multiple leg fractures but he is still waiting in the A&E. He is thankful it wasn't worse!

TallGlass · 17-08-2018 09:21AM

Sorry about your friend, I cycle into the city daily, that's part of my run. Today's my last day cycling into the city, moving out of city.

I have a Full, A B and C licence. I won't miss cycling into here, it's diabolic. There are a certain minority of drivers who are so self centred they ruin it for everyone.

That set of lights and the one where that girl was killed. I don't wait on red I go once clear, for this exact reason. I would rather a fine than take a risk with a HGV. Think what you want of me for breaking the red light, but I couldn't give a ****.

That truck shouldn't be turning there, end of story. He should have continued straight, turned around roundabout and then turned right.

Vel · 17-08-2018 09:23AM

Thats two then this morning. I posted this in the off topic thread earlier:

'Not sure where to put this but came upon the aftermath of a collision this morning (8am ish) at the Church on Aungier Street between motorist and cyclist. Ambulance and loads of Guards on the scene. No sign of the cyclist but the bike was crushed under the two front wheels of the SUV.

Its a really nasty junction there with cars coming out of the side road after the church, especially as the cycle lane is usually full of parked up cars/taxis. Its a part of my commute I really hate.

It was awful to see and I hope everyone is ok.'

Duckjob · 17-08-2018 09:31AM

Corca Baiscinn wrote: »

I think you're reading too umch into the position of the rider. The demo is designed to educate drivers re what 1.5 metres looks like and how the car needs to be at least partially over on the opposite side. ( I take your point that in that case it may as well be fully over the white line) . For the purpose of the demo the rider is taking a "normal" riding position, ie about .75 metres out from the kerb. . The positioning of the rider here doesnt imply anything about the road positioning he should adopt when he feels the need to deter dangerous overtakes. In that case the driver would need to hang back and not overtake until safe to do so.

Would need to, but in the real world doesn't, at least not always

You may be right, maybe i'm reading too much into it. Its just that I often find in cycling articles, many of the hostile comments from drivers are rooted in complete ignorance of the reasons for cyclists positioning on the roads, and how that positioning is really only relevant to somebody intent on doing a bad overtake. I think it would be helpful if the likes of the RSA could drill down into the nitty gritty like this to help drivers understand why a cyclist does certain things, instead of spending some much time banging on about helmets and hi-viz which achieves nothing.

Only last week I had a taxi driver ranting at me on Dorset Street for taking the left lane heading out of town. The right lane was full of traffic and there was no way he could have done a safe overtake in the left lane, but he still wanted me over in the gutter so he pass me and get on his way. Pathetically, we easily had some 30-40 seconds for "discussion" about it as we waited at the red light some 50 yards up from where he was beeping me out of it.

Missus Doubtfire · 17-08-2018 11:38AM

TooObvious wrote: »

I've been commuting in via the Grand Canal the past week, very enjoyable and no cars. They do have a red bridge at Grange Castle however.

Something else to look out for on that bridge. In the winter when it is dark the lights are on the bottom so are "uplighters". This means they will be lighting into your face as you go over the bridge (that is if they are working). I contacted Waterways last winter to tell them that quite a number of lights along the canal were not working. Got a response saying they would pass it on to SDCC as they look after the lighting. Don't know yet if they are all fixed as I am only cycling that way in daylight at the moment.

TooObvious · 17-08-2018 01:17PM

buffalo wrote: »

I've never been over it, but that sounds like something to raise with the council or Waterways Ireland, whoever's responsible. They can add a coating or a new surface to give it grip.

I'd say they are more likely to add a "Cyclists Dismount" sign! Hopefully once the roadworks are complete at Adamstown end I can take the old route and avoid the bridge.

AndrewJRenko · 17-08-2018 01:41PM

TallGlass wrote: »

That truck shouldn't be turning there, end of story. He should have continued straight, turned around roundabout and then turned right.

It is legal to left turn onto Guild St though, right?

What Username Guidelines · 17-08-2018 01:52PM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

It is legal to left turn onto Guild St though, right?

Yep, legal turn. But given how tight it is, the truck may have attempted to swing right first. Even in the pic you can see he'd have struggled if there was a car on Guild street in the right lane.

I've seen it a few times at leonards corner inbound where a coach will sit in the right lane, indicating left as he needs the swing. Even with 15 years commuting experience I've nearly been caught out due to lack of attention/assumption they're going straight or right, and only twigged the indicator at the last second.

buffalo · 17-08-2018 02:25PM

TooObvious wrote: »

I'd say they are more likely to add a "Cyclists Dismount" sign! Hopefully once the roadworks are complete at Adamstown end I can take the old route and avoid the bridge.

Funnily enough I saw one of those signs last night at roadworks by the roundabout between Lamb's Cross and Stepaside in south Dublin. Zero need for it, the road was narrower for maybe 50 metres? Baffling.

twinsen · 17-08-2018 02:32PM

Just happened yesterday. Overtaking only so he can cut me off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc47HJ_o_VE

MB Lacey · 17-08-2018 02:42PM

twinsen wrote: »

Just happened yesterday. Overtaking only so he can cut me off.

My thanking your post doesn't properly convey the shaking of my head, eye roll and anger/ frustration felt at that clip.

Muahahaha · 17-08-2018 02:50PM

Is that truck not a 5 axle, ie banned from the city centre? I know the likes of Guinness have an exemption for using 5 axle trucks in the city but whats the status of other trucks, are they banned full stop or only banned from using the city as a through route? There does seem to have been an increase in 5 axles around, I dont think it is getting enforced properly at all.

papu · 17-08-2018 02:53PM

Muahahaha wrote: »

Is that truck not a 5 axle, ie banned from the city centre? I know the likes of Guinness have an exemption for using 5 axle trucks in the city but whats the status of other trucks, are they banned full stop or only banned from using the city as a through route? There does seem to have been an increase in 5 axles around, I dont think it is getting enforced properly at all.

Not 5 axle only 4, but it is articulated

TallGlass · 17-08-2018 03:18PM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

It is legal to left turn onto Guild St though, right?

Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's automatically safe or you should do it, I mean come on 9am on a Monday morning? Really... Swinging an arctic truck up that street, the Bus Eireann bus just about makes it around that turn and that's cause the back wheels turn like the front. It's asking for trouble. The turn would take that long to complete, there is not a possibility the driver could have known his blind-spots where safe.

Take the cyclist out of the mix here, that turn is that tight he could have easily mounted the path and taken a pedestrian out of the game with the trailer.

You think it was safe to do, cause it's legal. I think it was absolutely wreckless and dangerous. Driving an artic isn't some amazing skill because you can get up a tight turn, it's doing it safely, planning your route so the truck isn't put into that type of turn, planning so your not doing it at 9am rush hour, planning to have someone with you, to help you stop traffic and keep an eye on your blind spots, then I would it agree it's legal and that's the skill. Thankfully it's not a fatality.

TallGlass · 17-08-2018 03:20PM

Muahahaha wrote: »

Is that truck not a 5 axle, ie banned from the city centre? I know the likes of Guinness have an exemption for using 5 axle trucks in the city but whats the status of other trucks, are they banned full stop or only banned from using the city as a through route? There does seem to have been an increase in 5 axles around, I dont think it is getting enforced properly at all.

You get a permit or something from DCC. But unless someone is checking these things. Sure what's the point in them!

Rechuchote · 17-08-2018 04:07PM

Trucks don't belong in cities.

site_owner · 17-08-2018 04:15PM

two incidents, nothing too dramatic but close enough that something could easily have gone wrong IMO.

first one on the malahide road, red car just pulls into the bus lane without indicating or checking their surroundings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bce4EVRhKG0

second one on the coast near sutton, audi got a little impatient and made a very tight pass causing the mini to brake. if you know the road its very narrow.
i dont know the other cyclist so wasnt planning on 2 abreast for safety. but i probably could have taken the lane more assertively, i think he still would have attempted the pass, possibly without giving me any extra room so it a balacing act, knowing cars are going to pass one way or another

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkAGm9eAFIc

AndrewJRenko · 17-08-2018 04:50PM

TallGlass wrote: »

Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's automatically safe or you should do it, I mean come on 9am on a Monday morning? Really... Swinging an arctic truck up that street, the Bus Eireann bus just about makes it around that turn and that's cause the back wheels turn like the front. It's asking for trouble. The turn would take that long to complete, there is not a possibility the driver could have known his blind-spots where safe.

Take the cyclist out of the mix here, that turn is that tight he could have easily mounted the path and taken a pedestrian out of the game with the trailer.

You think it was safe to do, cause it's legal. I think it was absolutely wreckless and dangerous. Driving an artic isn't some amazing skill because you can get up a tight turn, it's doing it safely, planning your route so the truck isn't put into that type of turn, planning so your not doing it at 9am rush hour, planning to have someone with you, to help you stop traffic and keep an eye on your blind spots, then I would it agree it's legal and that's the skill. Thankfully it's not a fatality.

I wasn't suggesting it was safe, or a good idea. I was just clarifying the legal point.

Internet Friend · 17-08-2018 05:01PM

The loonies are out this evening!

Had an Astra dive in on top of me from the inside lane of the carriageway here to then have a Jeep overtake my in the middle of this turn and finally was overtaken at speed by another Jeep here with traffic just about to be clear on the opposite lane, so could have overtaken safely 3 seconds later!

All in the space of 2km!

Corca Baiscinn · 17-08-2018 06:36PM

TallGlass wrote: »

You get a permit or something from DCC. But unless someone is checking these things. Sure what's the point in them!

I Bike Dublin's twitter feed is saying that you can get a permit for €10,just by applying they have a graph showing the number of permits issued growing so seems to be easy to get around the 5 axle ban. Others saying that particular truck only a 4 axle but clearly too big for where it was going at rush hour with 1 driver and restricted view.

Twitter also showing a spat with Lord Mayor, Nial Ring as people angry that he opposed the Liffey Cycle Route (and other cycle routes) where 3 major collisions have occurred over the summer, the bus one near today's where the man had to have his foot amputated, the Glass Animals one at Usher's Quay and today's.

Alanstrainor · 17-08-2018 06:43PM

site_owner wrote: »

second one on the coast near sutton, audi got a little impatient and made a very tight pass causing the mini to brake. if you know the road its very narrow.
i dont know the other cyclist so wasnt planning on 2 abreast for safety. but i probably could have taken the lane more assertively, i think he still would have attempted the pass, possibly without giving me any extra room so it a balacing act, knowing cars are going to pass one way or another

Yep, that's a bad stretch, the only way to defend yourself is to take the lane. However there's no certainty that even that will work...

site_owner · 17-08-2018 06:45PM

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Yep, that's a bad stretch, the only way to defend yourself is to take the lane. However there's no certainty that even that will work...

I don't know why they don't / didn't make the promenade bike friendly. It would solve a few problems. There was a Brazilian lad badly injured on that stretch a few years back too

Alanstrainor · 17-08-2018 06:52PM

site_owner wrote: »

I don't know why they don't / didn't make the promenade bike friendly. It would solve a few problems. There was a Brazilian lad badly injured on that stretch a few years back too

I've thought of that too, but it's not a good solution either. It would just be another cycle path that would randomly appear and end in a short distance.

Balanadan · 17-08-2018 07:02PM

Saw a cyclist nearly go into the back of a car today, the cyclist was trying to undertake a moving car coming up to a roundabout while in the same lane as the car. Beggars belief. The cyclist had a right moan about it too!

rushfan · 17-08-2018 07:26PM

Corca Baiscinn wrote:

I Bike Dublin's twitter feed is saying that you can get a permit for â‚¬10,just by applying they have a graph showing the number of permits issued growing so seems to be easy to get around the 5 axle ban. Others saying that particular truck only a 4 axle but clearly too big for where it was going at rush hour with 1 driver and restricted view.

I saw that earlier alright, quite an astonishing figure really. Sounds like the 5 axle rule needs to be revised. Looking at the decals and reg on the truck, you'd be wondering (a) why he was there & who he was delivering to? & (b) how familiar was he with the area? I'd be willing to bet that in the latter case, he wasn't familiar at all. Nor had any idea how busy that area is at 9am.

copperhead · 17-08-2018 10:20PM

Rechuchote wrote: »

Trucks don't belong in cities.

how are shops going to get stocked and industry ?
im a cyclist and i drive a lorry for a living and believe me no lorry drivers want to drive around city centres but its sometimes unavoidable, i think some hgv are idiots but on the other hand so are alot of cyclists, everybody seems to be in a rush these days on the roads, and im sure all cyclists are aware of the dangers of being in close proximity of hgv's so why put yourself in danger ? if your close hang back those extra few seconds could save your life

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

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