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

CramCycle · 09-09-2019 10:26PM

You should see the number of tractors on the new stretch of the N11. Zero f*cks given by them or the Gardai. I meet one every.time I drive it.

sy_flembeck · 09-09-2019 11:02PM

CramCycle wrote: »

You should see the number of tractors on the new stretch of the N11. Zero f*cks given by them or the Gardai. I meet one every.time I drive it.

Nothing wrong with that so long as they can meet the minimum legal speed

CramCycle · 10-09-2019 12:15AM

sy_flembeck wrote: »

Nothing wrong with that so long as they can meet the minimum legal speed

True but the ones I have met have been pulling big ass loads and were nowhere near 50kmph. Maybe they could hit it not pulling loads, and I suppose that's a confusing legal grey area. Either way, they were not travelling that speed. Two in he past month have had their rear lights insured by overhanging bails, others were just dragging g heavy loads. None showed signs of reaching the advertised (by the RSA) minimum speed limit although even their wording leaves much to interpretation.

cdaly_ · 10-09-2019 10:54AM

CramCycle wrote: »

True but the ones I have met have been pulling big ass loads and were nowhere near 50kmph. Maybe they could hit it not pulling loads, and I suppose that's a confusing legal grey area. Either way, they were not travelling that speed. Two in he past month have had their rear lights insured by overhanging bails, others were just dragging g heavy loads. None showed signs of reaching the advertised (by the RSA) minimum speed limit although even their wording leaves much to interpretation.

They have to be capable of reaching such a speed but are not required to travel at that speed. Otherwise you have tailbacks where everyone is crawling along breaking the law...

Stark · 10-09-2019 11:10AM

Close pass at speed by a motorcyclist in a defence forces jacket on Conyngham road this morning. Then on the quays, had a compo chaser on crutches walk up to the edge of the footpath, stare at me, wait till I was too close to brake, then step out in front of me. Luckily I was able to swerve around him.

secman · 10-09-2019 11:22AM

cdaly_ wrote: »

They have to be capable of reaching such a speed but are not required to travel at that speed. Otherwise you have tailbacks where everyone is crawling along breaking the law...

They are great for drafting behind when doing 40 to 45 kph, have used them occasionally in Wexford and on n81 near blessington,

cdaly_ · 10-09-2019 11:58AM

^^^

You need great faith in the road surface drafting one of them though.

VW 1 · 10-09-2019 03:35PM

Hit a cyclist on a fixie while cycling this morning, coming up Kevin street through the junction with Wexford street. He passed the slip to go left onto Wexford street, and suddenly veered left across me causing me to jam on while hitting into the side of him. We both stayed upright, though my right arm took a good smack while trying to make sure he didn't come down on top of me.

How he stayed up I've no idea. He mumbled an apology about should've looked, but why he was making that turn having already passed the slip to go left is still baffling me.

Thinkingaboutit · 10-09-2019 09:04PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9AAnW5UA8w

I had moved out a bit as it wasn't clear what was happening with the parked Mondeo. It must have annoyed the driver of the black vehicle who revved his engine, and overtook fairly close.

tnegun · 10-09-2019 09:32PM

Bike lane what bike lane!! After I passed her and she saw me I had my arm out to turn right but she was having none of that and stayed on my back wheel then after skipping to the top of the queue slows to cut in but isn't let and changes her mind as I try to pass on the left again.

https://streamable.com/vmh06

Steoller · 11-09-2019 08:50AM

Where the blazes were they going? They were all over the road!

plodder · 11-09-2019 08:55AM

Thinkingaboutit wrote: »

I had moved out a bit as it wasn't clear what was happening with the parked Mondeo. It must have annoyed the driver of the black vehicle who revved his engine, and overtook fairly close.

That situation really annoys me. What did he think you were going to do? You did exactly the right thing imo, which was gradually move out in plenty of time. He wouldn't have attempted to overtake a car that was passing the obstruction. So, why did he think he was entitled to pass a cyclist unsafely?

average_runner · 11-09-2019 10:19AM

tnegun wrote: »

Bike lane what bike lane!! After I passed her and she saw me I had my arm out to turn right but she was having none of that and stayed on my back wheel then after skipping to the top of the queue slows to cut in but isn't let and changes her mind as I try to pass on the left again.

https://streamable.com/vmh06

No patience at all from the driver, I really hate seeing drivers do that when everyone else waits their turn

Zulu · 11-09-2019 11:33AM

Four close passes on the way from Portmarnock to Baldoyle this morning.
To be fair, one chap didn't see me at all cause he was glued to his phone which was in a cradle in the centre console.
F'in clown.

Cant wait until that path is ready.

mr spuckler · 11-09-2019 11:59AM

Thinkingaboutit wrote: »

I had moved out a bit as it wasn't clear what was happening with the parked Mondeo. It must have annoyed the driver of the black vehicle who revved his engine, and overtook fairly close.

As Conor Faughnan very clearly articulated on Radio 1 the other day, new laws are useless without enforcement. 30kph limit in housing estates hasn't had any visible impact on how people drive imo.

average_runner · 11-09-2019 12:44PM

mr spuckler wrote: »

As Conor Faughnan very clearly articulated on Radio 1 the other day, new laws are useless without enforcement. 30kph limit in housing estates hasn't had any visible impact on how people drive imo.

No one drives more than 20k in our estate and if anyone does go fast, they will have the neighbours onto them.

average_runner · 11-09-2019 12:47PM

mr spuckler wrote: »

As Conor Faughnan very clearly articulated on Radio 1 the other day, new laws are useless without enforcement. 30kph limit in housing estates hasn't had any visible impact on how people drive imo.

Especially when he said its grand to park on footpaths!!!

mr spuckler · 11-09-2019 12:47PM

average_runner wrote: »

No one drives more than 20k in our estate and if anyone does go fast, they will have the neighbours onto them.

Do you think that's as a result of particularly narrow roads, speed bumps / other physical factors or just behavioural?

Our road isn't wide, ie if a car is parked legally on both sides of the road there wouldn't be enough space to pass through the gap. No speed bumps though and there's a long enough straight stretch of road that consistently sees people going well over 30kph.

mr spuckler · 11-09-2019 12:49PM

average_runner wrote: »

Especially when he said its grand to park on footpaths!!!

I heard that separately and wish there was a facepalm emoji to respond more appropriately :pac:

I've criticised him on here in the past, thought he was very good on the segment with Neil Fox and then...

average_runner · 11-09-2019 01:00PM

mr spuckler wrote: »

Do you think that's as a result of particularly narrow roads, speed bumps / other physical factors or just behavioural?

Our road isn't wide, ie if a car is parked legally on both sides of the road there wouldn't be enough space to pass through the gap. No speed bumps though and there's a long enough straight stretch of road that consistently sees people going well over 30kph.

Roads initially in are not narrow but have 2 speed ramps, after that i think it comes down to behavioural change as young kids play alot in the estate

tnegun · 11-09-2019 01:08PM

Steoller wrote: »

Where the blazes were they going? They were all over the road!

Usually back out onto the motorway the queues backup to Lucan or further and these drivers slip surf to skip the queue on the mainline using the bus lane/exit ramp to get ahead.

average_runner wrote: »

No patience at all from the driver, I really hate seeing drivers do that when everyone else waits their turn

Nope and zero fcuks given, I know myself from driving that the lights last long enough to join that queue from where she started and you'll get through no problem

xckjoo · 11-09-2019 01:25PM

Had one yesterday I'd like a critique on. Unfortunately forgot my camera so can't upload a video right now.

Cycling in a line of traffic towards two junctions; first a left turn/t-junction off the main road, then a larger junction with traffic lights that I will be turning left at. About 100yards between them. As we approach junction 1, I'm in a free flow of traffic that's moving continuously if somewhat slowly (probably ~20kpmh). The lights on junction 2 go green for traffic in my direction and the cars at the light start to move. Car in front of me suddenly decides to let people out from junction 1 so they can cross our lane and turn right. I wasn't expecting this but swerve around without major issue (had been accelerating to match traffic flow as the lights changed) and was about to move right anyway to get in lane for the traffic lights.
At this point I'm in front with nothing between me and the traffic lights. The car coming from the minor road looks at me (right), looks left and then pulls straight out in front of me. I had intended to keep going because as I understand it I shouldn't be impeding traffic to let others out, but I also anticipated the driver might pull out in front of me so was able to stop in time. Got a big head shake from the taxi driver behind the lead car that pulled out, which I'm assuming was aimed at me.

So that left me wondering. Am I right that 1) the driver ahead of me should not have stopped, 2) that I had the right of way when I ended up in front of her and 3) driver coming from the other road should not have pulled out? Should I just have had a bit of cop-on when the first car stopped and either stopped behind or after passing her? I could have stopped behind her but it would have been a full pull, feet on the ground kind of stop and I wasn't sure how close the car behind me was.
So have at it lads. What's the feeling on it based on my (hopefully objective) description?

mr spuckler · 11-09-2019 01:31PM

xckjoo wrote: »

Had one yesterday I'd like a critique on. Unfortunately forgot my camera so can't upload a video right now.
Cycling in a line of traffic towards two junctions; first a left turn/t-junction off the main road, then a larger junction with traffic lights that I will be turning left at. About 100yards between them. As we approach junction 1, I'm in a free flow of traffic that's moving continuously if somewhat slowly (probably ~20kpmh). The lights on junction 2 go green for traffic in my direction and the cars at the light start to move. Car in front of me suddenly decides to let people out from junction 1 so they can cross our lane and turn right. I wasn't expecting this but swerve around without major issue (had been accelerating to match traffic flow as the lights changed) and was about to move right anyway to get in lane for the traffic lights. At this point I'm in front with nothing between me and the traffic lights. The car coming from the minor road looks at me (right), looks left and then pulls straight out in front of me. I had intended to keep going because as I understand it I shouldn't be impeding traffic to let others out, but I also anticipated the driver might pull out in front of me so was able to stop in time. Got a big head shake from the taxi driver behind the lead car that pulled out, which I'm assuming was aimed at me.
So that left me wondering. Am I right that 1) the driver ahead of me should not have stopped, 2) that I had the right of way when I ended up in front of her and 3) driver coming from the other road should not have pulled out? Should I just have had a bit of cop-on when the first car stopped and either stopped behind or after passing her? I could have stopped behind her but it would have been a full pull, feet on the ground kind of stop and I wasn't sure how close the car behind me was. So have at it lads. What's the felling on it based on my (hopefully objective) description?

First, reading that made my head hurt :pac:

Second, assuming I've finally read it right it doesn't sound like you did anything wrong. Once you were in front of the car which had stopped suddenly, you then had priority on the road (not sure there's such a thing as 'right of way' in this scenario). Therefore any traffic which was merging into or crossing your lane was obliged to yield to you regardless of whether they liked it or not.

edit: updating to quote below post!

hesker wrote: »

If you were aware of why the driver in front of you stopped then I think you should be prepared to stop too and let the other driver out.

From the description it sounds like the driver was accelerating to clear roadway and then stopped suddenly. I agree with your general point about courtesy but that sounds like pretty sh1tty driving and outside of what might reasonably be expected by the cyclist. If the driver had been moving off slowly then slowed to a stop I'd agree that it'd be reasonable to expect them to be letting out the other traffic and that the cyclist in that scenario should hold back.

hesker · 11-09-2019 01:40PM

It can be almost impossible to get out of a minor road so some drivers are courteous enough to let people out. Whatever about the legalities of it in my opinion this is a necessary accomodation.

If you were aware of why the driver in front of you stopped then I think you should be prepared to stop too and let the other driver out.

I don’t know why the driver looked through you and proceeded, possibly they were looking for cars overtaking behind the stopped car.

Legally you would probably be in the right but consider if you were in a car instead and overtook the stopped car to proceed. How would you think that would be perceived.

tnegun · 11-09-2019 02:48PM

Have a few similar junctions on my route where cars with right of way will yield to allow a car join or cross the lane, all do it without a care in the world for the bike lane that runs parallel. All you can do is ease off and plan to expect it as you did try make eye contact so you know they see you if not yield and let them on their way. Had a guy follow me once after he didn't see me in a similar situation and I let a roar at him while I stopped. He then informed me I was a danger on the roads, he was a cyclist himself and if I had of been cycling slower there wouldn't of been an issue as he would of cleared the junction with plenty of time to spare!!

Steoller · 11-09-2019 03:44PM

Sounds like you did nothing wrong. You avoided the sudden stop of the car in front of you, and stopped to avoid the car pulling out on top of you from the second road.

Thinkingaboutit · 11-09-2019 05:08PM

One good thing is that stopping or signalling to people to move out risks failure at a driving test. There's never a place that impossible to pull out of given a short wait. Always have to watch for those motorists who decide to effectively direct traffic.

xckjoo · 11-09-2019 05:25PM

mr spuckler wrote: »

First, reading that made my head hurt :pac:

<snip>
From the description it sounds like the driver was accelerating to clear roadway and then stopped suddenly. I agree with your general point about courtesy but that sounds like pretty sh1tty driving and outside of what might reasonably be expected by the cyclist. If the driver had been moving off slowly then slowed to a stop I'd agree that it'd be reasonable to expect them to be letting out the other traffic and that the cyclist in that scenario should hold back.

Sorry, was very wordy and was trying to describe it as best I could

.
Ya I'm pretty sure the car was moving and then decided she should stop and let the other car out for no apparent reason. I say "pretty sure" as I'm as fallible as anyone else. I was moving in the flow of traffic and closing the gap towards her. The lights went green at the junction and all the cars between her and the lights were gone.

hesker wrote: »

It can be almost impossible to get out of a minor road so some drivers are courteous enough to let people out. Whatever about the legalities of it in my opinion this is a necessary accomodation.

If you were aware of why the driver in front of you stopped then I think you should be prepared to stop too and let the other driver out.

I don’t know why the driver looked through you and proceeded, possibly they were looking for cars overtaking behind the stopped car.

Legally you would probably be in the right but consider if you were in a car instead and overtook the stopped car to proceed. How would you think that would be perceived.

It's not really one of those junctions though as there's traffic lights a few metres up the road. The lights went green and all the other cars in front were gone. There's ample opportunity when the lights are red for the cars on the other road to come out. It's something that drives me nuts when I'm driving because it messes up the whole flow of the traffic. I'll admit I was a little annoyed by her unexpected stop though and probably should have just stopped when I rounded her car. But I was thinking of it as what I should be doing in terms of traffic flow.

Anyway, we can leave it there lads. I was just doubting myself and wanted some feedback. Cheers for that. Not sure what I can do differently next time beyond expect the unexpected.

mr spuckler · 11-09-2019 06:40PM

xckjoo wrote: »

Not sure what I can do differently next time beyond expect the unexpected.

I always work off the approach of hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

mo_bhicycle · 12-09-2019 09:33AM

Squeezed into the ditch today by a MGP manoeuvre by a woman with a "I vote Connemara Greenway" sticker who then told be to "get off the road". She must only be voting for the greenway to get more cyclists off the road!

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

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