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

CramCycle

Same rule as the old thread…

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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".

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.

buffalo

CramCycle wrote: »

Ha, it was the 133 that has been the cause of every issue I've ever had with BE.

Interesting. 133 for the most deliberately malicious piece of driving I've ever encountered on the roads as well. Sprayed me with the wiper jets, then slowly squeezed me into the kerb over the course of several hundred metres, despite having two empty lanes to his right. I was so close to going under the back wheels.

I should've gone to the Guards straight away, but didn't have a reg. BE didn't do anything, afaics.

buffalo

tnegun wrote: »

Just got straight to Leixlip or Celbridge garda station (Thats Applegreen in Celbridge right?) if its open. All traffic watch will do it is log it and then you'll have to try make an appointment with the Guard its assigned to some time in the next 2-6 weeks. If you go in and make a statement print off a couple of pics and have the footage on USB you've done all the leg work and have a better chance of a prosecution and guard taking an interest IMO

Managed to get down to the station tonight - having a 5 month old with the temperament of a 3 month old leaves me little free time and very little energy to do much in that time! Felt good to avoid TrafficWatch though.

After watching it and taking a statement, the Garda asked me to email a compact clip of the manoeuvre so as not to fill the inbox presumably. I specifically asked for a 'dangerous overtake of a cyclist' FCPN. Will see what happens next.

Wishbone Ash

North King Street (Dublin) this morning - instinctively slapped the side of a van which made contact with me as it suddenly veered across the on-street cycle track presumably to park. Luckily I wasn't going fast at the time due to traffic and shitty weather conditions. The driver seemed to have gotten a bigger shock than I did and, in fairness, he was very apologetic making me immediately regret what I did..

Wishbone Ash

Weepsie wrote: »

...If they are that close, and more to the point, if they touch you in anyway, them getting a shock from a slap to the side of the vehicle deserves no sympathy in my opinion.

I know what you're saying but, when a driver is immediately apologetic, I always regret that instinctive few seconds of anger. Perhaps I'm a bit soft!

(I've no regrets when they get bolshy about it.)

Breezer

I hit a pedestrian yesterday evening. General traffic was stopped, queuing, he was looking to cross the road, and stepped out into the cycle lane, then paused.

I was ready for it, and hit the brakes, but due to the wet and the wind being behind me, I slid into him. I managed to slow to the point that I came to a stop as I reached him, and the contact was basically a result of him putting his hands out. Neither of us were hurt, but we both got a shock.

It was a lesson for me really, regarding the stopping power of my bike in the wet, and the invisibility of my 320 lumen front light.

magicbastarder

Weepsie wrote: »

I've hit 2 cars this year, and 1 in memory before. I've no guilt.

i once slapped the side of a car on st martin's row (for those who don't know it, it's the narrow road linking chapelizod to knockmaroon hill); she overtook into oncoming traffic and pulled it right on top of me, i ended up with about one foot space between the side of her car and the kerb. open handed slap on the rear passenger window, it was a very reflexive defensive reaction from me.
remarkably, she ended up driving along st martin's row (at rush hour) shouting through the passenger window at me at probably something like 20km/h, with oncoming traffic having to brake and swerve. there was a bit of back and forth about calling the gardai, and then she informed me she *was* a garda, so i shouted back 'right, i'm ringing the gardai and reporting you for impersonation' at which point she floored it and drove off.

Breezer

Steoller wrote: »

Deer in the bikelights moment?

I don’t think so. I don’t think he saw me at all until he heard me skidding towards him. Onus was on me to see him, of course, which I did, I just couldn’t stop. Combination of wet weather, a tailwind and my tyres, I suspect. They’re threadless Schwalbe Kojaks. I should probably get something grippier for the winter.

I felt very bad because when I realised he was fine, I just cycled off without saying anything. He was falling over himself apologising to me. I just got such a fright. If he happens to read this, I’m sorry for being a prick!

Actually, on the subject of grippier tyres, I think someone here (CramCycle?) uses the Schwalbe Marathon Pluses. How do you find them for traction/braking in the wet? I love the durability of the Kojaks, but it’s not the first time I’ve had an issue with them in the wet (I skidded braking and went head over heels right in front of a security camera on the ramp into the car park at work last year!)

magicbastarder

Grooves make very little difference in road bike tyres. Their presence on car tyres is purely to shift water out from under the tyre, but that's not necessary on a road bike because the contact point is tiny and there's no issue with water getting 'trapped' under the tyre.

Breezer

magicbastarder wrote: »

Grooves make very little difference in road bike tyres. Their presence on car tyres is purely to shift water out from under the tyre, but that's not necessary on a road bike because the contact point is tiny and there's no issue with water getting 'trapped' under the tyre.

Hmm. I suppose slowing down in the rain with a wind at my back and having just come down a hill might be an option so...

Pigeon Reaper

Effects wrote: »

You can get studded tyres. I've never seen anyone use them here. I've a mate in Sweden who uses them in the winter.

I have marathon ice tyres fitted to old wheels and swap them when it's dodgy out. They're great for black ice but you still need to take care and be aware that cars etc will still skid. I bought them over 10 years ago and they're still going strong. Main drawbacks are the weight and noise. I'm also on a cross bike so have the clearance too.

JazzyJ

McGrath5 wrote: »

Saturday morning on Grange road, mammy motorist didn't like that I was on the road and not in my little cycle lane. She beeped me, squeezed through and broke the red light heading towards Nutgrove SC.

Another fine abomination of a cycle lane ending up ahead at those lights.

JazzyJ

I'm really getting sick of this roundabout between cars overtaking me at the island, which happened again yesterday - even when I'm taking the lane; and having to pull evasive maneuvers to avoid those who don't bother yielding to me when I'm on it.

Its close to home, so I do go through it a lot, but I don't think that I encounter as many incidents on any other junction or roundabout.

Dr_Colossus

Cycling home yesterday evening on south quays taking the lane (bus/cycle lane after O'Connell Bridge).

1st driver in 04 merc pulls over from 2nd lane in on top of me, I slap the side of the car a few times to alert her of my presence as she obviously can't see all the lights and high vis and pull up to inspect her windscreen papers. She apologises a couple of times and all in order so I continue on.

A km or so later and a group of lads in a 10 octavia again pull in on top of me so I let a roar at the open passenger window, passenger looks and driver continues on and straight into the CircleK pushing me to the kerb. I follow to see tax expired since Aug 2020 so car would be impounded if there was a checkpoint. None of them said a word so I just said to expect a call from the guards.

Why can't we have a similar system to the UK with action taken such as in this example where driver gets 3 points, £232 fine plus costs for an ordinary enough incident:

Seth Brundle

She's probably off telling everyone about the cyclist that nearly knocked her down on the footpath today.

RobertFoster

Ferris wrote: »

That’s horrendous. I think they reported it -now let’s see what the Guards do.

The Gardaí don't seem to be as proactive on the socials as some of their UK counterparts.

Seth Brundle

just saw this bully in a Porsche having to back down...

https://twitter.com/CitizenW0lf/status/1337175598486138883

Breezer

Seth Brundle wrote: »

just saw this bully in a Porsche having to back down...

https://twitter.com/CitizenW0lf/status/1337175598486138883

That is bizarre. I assumed he was planning on parking on that side, but apparently he eventually continued on down the road...

Duckjob

VonLuck wrote: »

I love the look the dog gives at the end!

It's like even the dog is saying "What a f****n ar**hole!"

qwertz

South Hill Avenue in Blackrock seems to be a favourite for bloody eejits trying to force me off the road when coming at me in my lane. This happens at least once per week.

Had some elderly driver try to force me out of his way and when I politely explained to him that I don’t appreciate his behaviour, especially when he jerked his car towards me by another half meter. He resorted to calling me a f’ing foreigner. I suppose one can always be racist when the argument has been lost

qwertz

bazermc wrote: »

The cream of the country in Blackrock

Then I had some tool on my backside going up Wilton Terrace just for that driver to turn into the tennis courts. Maybe I need a bike cam

buffalo

chuck eastwood wrote: »

As a driver and cyclist of 20 years this has to be one of the most ridiculous statements I've heard yet "high vis doesn't add to visibility" then throws in anecdotal statement abouts blending into hedge rows, the exact opposite of what high vis is designed for.
I spend my days driving and cycling around west Wicklow, blessington lakes and surrounding mountains. Lack of awareness is down to the individual be they in a car or on a bike. Genuinely dumbfounded by your argument.

Just an edit to add I'm well aware cyclists don't like being asked or told to wear high vis but to detract from the blindingly obvious benifts of any extra visibility aid is simply stupid. Excuse my language but I think it fits in well with the tone

Here's a thread you can read for some context: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=88491882

Seth Brundle

***not me - spotted on Twitter just now...
https://twitter.com/rohal_/status/1338555861619322889

Seth Brundle

Do PIAB resolve non-medical claims e.g. the cost of damage to the person's bike?