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

DaveyDave · 22-11-2019 07:16AM

In Berlin at the moment, bikes everywhere, at all times of the day. All casual looking cyclists but obviously know what they're doing.

Motorists are quite aggressive and like to do a bit of beeping at each other and accelerate quickly quite a lot, that behaviour seems to be towards themselves. Bike going down the road? No hassle. No beeping, no close pass, no intimidation. Cars keep to themselves.

Obviously I'm not cycling so can't fully experience it but in Dublin you hear nothing but cars speeding up past you even to a red light even when you're in a bike lane, it's just built into their mentality. Constant engine revs.

It can be quite chaotic here, not many pedestrian crossings, lots of junctions without traffic lights, every man for himself. Not a problem.

There's obviously a lot of respect for cyclists, it's bizarre to see from an Irish perspective.

xckjoo · 22-11-2019 10:43AM

DaveyDave wrote: »

In Berlin at the moment, bikes everywhere, at all times of the day. All casual looking cyclists but obviously know what they're doing.

Motorists are quite aggressive and like to do a bit of beeping at each other and accelerate quickly quite a lot, that behaviour seems to be towards themselves. Bike going down the road? No hassle. No beeping, no close pass, no intimidation. Cars keep to themselves.

Obviously I'm not cycling so can't fully experience it but in Dublin you hear nothing but cars speeding up past you even to a red light even when you're in a bike lane, it's just built into their mentality. Constant engine revs.

It can be quite chaotic here, not many pedestrian crossings, lots of junctions without traffic lights, every man for himself. Not a problem.

There's obviously a lot of respect for cyclists, it's bizarre to see from an Irish perspective.

Not a high viz or helmet on any of the cyclists either! And street lights are noticeably darker.

I must have been in a different part of Berlin but found the pedestrian crossings and drivers fine. Don't think I was waiting for more than a few mins to cross the road. They also seemed to stick to the speed limit when driving from junction to junction on a quiet road. Mad stuff all together.

Stark · 22-11-2019 11:01AM

I cycled around there. It was a weekend so didn't get to experience the rush hour traffic there, but it did seem quite relaxed. I'd injured my foot the night I arrived so could only limp a few metres at a go, so was pretty dependent on the bike for the two days to get me around. Such an ableist mode of transport

Seth Brundle · 22-11-2019 11:09AM

For some weird reason, traffic in Berlin also stops for amber or red lights.

RobertFoster · 22-11-2019 11:35AM

Seth Brundle wrote: »

For some weird reason, traffic in Berlin also stops for amber or red lights.

Typical Germans, no fun.

Stark · 22-11-2019 11:38AM

They also have an over-zealous culture regarding pedestrians crossing the road against a red light. A friend who lives there told me a young girl was killed by a speeding driver before and all the media reports were suggesting it was her/her parents' fault for crossing against the light. So not all wonderful.

mr spuckler · 22-11-2019 11:58AM

Stark wrote: »

They also have an over-zealous culture regarding pedestrians crossing the road against a red light.

I've seen that when leaving Oktobefest in Munich. Everyone's been drinking all day, yet can still patiently wait for the green man even on an empty road!

droidus · 22-11-2019 12:16PM

You can be fined for crossing on the red. Its treated as a road traffic offense IIRC.

Stark · 22-11-2019 12:22PM

Same situation in Poland. Anyone I know from Poland sees it as an easy way for police to pocket fines as it's so easy to catch someone out on. Especially if you find a bunch of drunk tourists who are willing to hand over cash.

ED E · 22-11-2019 01:25PM

Stark wrote: »

Same situation in Poland. Anyone I know from Poland sees it as an easy way for police to pocket fines as it's so easy to catch someone out on. Especially if you find a bunch of drunk tourists who are willing to hand over cash.

Municipal police forces focus on minor infractions. Gardai see RLJing as below them, we need a system like PL.

LeChienMefiant · 22-11-2019 01:44PM

ED E wrote: »

Municipal police forces focus on minor infractions. Gardai see RLJing as below them, we need a system like PL.

The Dublin Agreement, agreed between the controlling parties on Dublin City Council included provision for Street Wardens. Unfortunately I think they're completely powerless to actually implement them.

5uspect · 22-11-2019 09:50PM

Had an absolutely horrendous close pass coming up to the filling station before junction 3 of the N4 heading to Lucan this evening. Looked like they pulled into the filling station but I got such a shock I didn’t recognise the car. It was a dark hatch back or estate.

Fortunately there was a Garda car just about to pull out of the filling station when I got there. We had a look at the footage on my GoPro but it was too dark and wet to see clearly on the tiny screen. He gave me his details to send the video on. Looks like I have a partial reg in the video, I’ll need to look at it closely on a big screen and the Garda noted the reg number of some cars leaving the petrol station.

He was hoping to nab them then and there in fairness to him.

EDIT: Here is the video for what it's worth, I would be grateful if anyone could help identify the model of car. Looks like some sort of Audi estate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBTr25PKZ70

Kaisr Sose · 23-11-2019 12:06AM

^^^Shocking. Camera lens angle does not reflect how close that is. No attempt to move out to pass you or slow down.

tuxy · 23-11-2019 12:15AM

I think that's the closest I've seen without contact. :eek:

fat bloke · 23-11-2019 12:32AM

Very hard to say but it doesn't look like an audi to me. If I was to guess I'd say a Kia Cee'd but, not enough detail really.

23-11-2019 12:54AM

Awful lucky you weren't further out in the lane or you'd not have been posting that!!!! :mad:

I've a line I use for ones like that I've used before here and it goes like this " You could have shoved a lump of coal up my butt and I'd have pooped a diamond after that"

EDIT: Seeing that few more times, jesus h christ thats a close shave.

Wishbone Ash · 23-11-2019 01:07AM

fat bloke wrote: »

Very hard to say but it doesn't look like an audi to me. If I was to guess I'd say a Kia Cee'd but, not enough detail really.

Don't think it's an Audi either. Seat Leon??

5uspect · 23-11-2019 01:40AM

I think you might be right about that. Looking at the original file the badge is more square and there is some text to the left that isn’t very Audi.

sy_flembeck · 23-11-2019 01:45AM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Don't think it's an Audi either. Seat Leon??

My guess too. As a Seat Leon driver myself.

What Username Guidelines · 23-11-2019 07:24AM

Looking at badge position and circular lights, maybe a mk5 golf?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KTUAAOSwivdczacR/s-l300.jpg

ED E · 23-11-2019 09:40AM

Seems like a Seat to me.

Do NOT envy you commuting the N4.

5uspect · 23-11-2019 09:47AM

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the help.

I usually go via Strawberry Beds but when it’s dark and wet I figure the N4 is safer. It’s usually fine but all it takes is one moron to scare the ****e out of you.

The pigeon man · 23-11-2019 10:20AM

5uspect wrote: »

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the help.

I usually go via Strawberry Beds but when it’s dark and wet I figure the N4 is safer. It’s usually fine but all it takes is one moron to scare the ****e out of you.

Glad that you're still alive after that shocking near death incident. I would suggest contacting the petrol station to look at their CCTV. If you know the exact time it'll be easy to catch them pulling in.

Drivers like that need to be put off the road before there's a fatality.

Breezer · 23-11-2019 03:03PM

Looks like a Seat Leon to me too. Glad you’re alright.

Edit: Actually no, the badge is wrong. Looks more like a Kia.

Kia-Pro-Ceed-Verus-X-Rear-Bumper-Extension_picture_25703.jpg

CramCycle · 23-11-2019 03:50PM

We have a seat leon, light pattern is wrong for the 2006 model anyway

5uspect · 23-11-2019 04:15PM

Here’s a sharpened still from the camera before YouTube mangles it. Pretty sure its 08-D-851xx.

Sorry, image was too large to attach, here's a link.
https://imgur.com/S9REOhL

Perhaps it is indeed a Kia cee'd?

Stark · 23-11-2019 04:19PM

5uspect wrote: »

Here’s a sharpened still from the camera before YouTube mangles it. Pretty sure its 08-D-85xxx.

I'm getting an invalid attachment message.

Edit: working now

micar · 23-11-2019 05:21PM

I reckon that the third digit is 1 and only one digit after that

Using NCT website....I got the following

08D8517 is a grey kia ceed

tnegun · 23-11-2019 06:58PM

I used to commute the N4 until quite recently but just gave up and take a longer route away from traffic doing those speeds there's just no room for error for either party

Nothing like 5usects near miss I saw the car ahead indicate then stop and knew I had one or two cars behind me. The first overtook me and I turned back to see where the other was it was further back than I thought and I did a double take to be sure, I never saw the stopped car ahead indicate to pull out. I went to pass and he starts accelerating leaving me in the middle of the road with a car coming in the other direction thankfully the car on the other side had stopped or it would of been very tight! Bit of a 50/50 I think, we both should of been more observant

https://streamable.com/t805m

Pinch Flat · 24-11-2019 08:15PM

Has a fast close pass by a large suv (possibly Pajero) today here - really startled me.

https://goo.gl/maps/WjNVri2UZyV2VNRa8

He would have seen me from hundreds of meters back - flashing rear stobe and visibility was good. Didn’t even change his course as he sped through the traffic calming. What a Cnut.

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

Comments