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

magicbastarder

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blackwhite

Beaver Row this morning, waiting at the lights to change to cross the N11 towards Anglesea Road. Pleasantly surprised to see that no cars are blocking the yellow box, until I notice that there's a Garda car (Road Traffic unit no less) waiting at the top of the queue on N11 inbound, so all others are on their best behaviour.

Lights for N11 traffic change to red, and lights for Beaver Row turn green. Both myself and another cyclist start to move, as well as a car in the right hand lane beside us, only for a taxi to blast through the red on N11 inbound forcing all of us to emergency brake and the car beside us to lay on the horn.

Despite happening right in front of the Garda car and the horn from the other car surely alerting their attention to it all, not a hint of them going after the c*nt.

ARX

blackwhite wrote: »

Despite happening right in front of the Garda car and the horn from the other car surely alerting their attention to it all, not a hint of them going after the c*nt.

I once pulled up behind a Garda car meekly queuing behind a line of vehicles illegally using the bus lane on the Finglas Road. The lights turned green and we all moved off to turn right onto Prospect Way. At the junction with Botanic Road the lorry driver immediately in front of the Garda car wants to turn left so up he drives onto the footpath to get past a bus on his right. No reaction from the Garda car. They really couldn't care less.

[Deleted User]

Mundo7976 wrote: »

-10% Gardai seem more bothered that you would ring them in the first place!

-10% for the lad who reported someone and got a ticket for his troubles

Hurrache

blackwhite wrote: »

Despite happening right in front of the Garda car and the horn from the other car surely alerting their attention to it all, not a hint of them going after the c*nt.

I had a similar happen on the NCR a few years ago. 3 Gardai in the car had chosen to ignore it until myself and another that had to stop or be driven into it made exaggerated WTF gestures to them and at the car, and with a perceivable shrug and eye roll the Garda driver eventually decided maybe he should do his job and turned around and followed the car.

The driver of the car had actually dived down a side alley and jumped out and tried to look innocent so I figured there was more to it than breaking a red light. Garda probably pissed that it took them that bit longer to get back to HQ.

sy_flembeck

Fighting Tao wrote: »

0%

100% for me. 7 reported and 7 dealt with. I can have absolutely no complaints. Other than the sh*tshow that is the reporting system here but I can't blame them for that!

Effects

ARX wrote: »

No reaction from the Garda car. They really couldn't care less.

I was on the quays a few years back, loads of cars driving in the bus lane, skipping the queues.
I asked two Gardaí in a van in the lane next to me about it.
Their response was "what do you want us to do about it".
Some of them just don't care about enforcing some laws/rules of the road.

Steoller

Effects wrote: »

I was on the quays a few years back, loads of cars driving in the bus lane, skipping the queues.
I asked two Gardaí in a van in the lane next to me about it.
Their response was "what do you want us to do about it".
Some of them just don't care about enforcing some laws/rules of the road.

it's endemic. I know not all Guards are like this. I've had one trying and one good experience reporting issues to the Gardaí, myself, so I'm not willing to write them all off. But there are too many examples like the ones mentioned here for me not to suspect that it's cultural.

And then you see stories like this.

Tombo2001

Am thinking about the child killed yesterday in Kerry. And the social media comments you see about it. I dont know what happened. But frequently the comments refer to thinking about how awful it is for both the childs family, and for the driver.

The driver will have to live with this (they will). Every drivers worst nightmare.

The thing is -and I'm talking generally, not about this incident - if its every drivers worst nightmare then why do they drive they way they do. Its not their worst nightmare. Until it happens.

They dont drive like they believe this could happen.

Am struck by a comment on thejournal.ie on this news story.

"There are many houses immediately adjacent to this road & the speed limit is 80Km. Its such a dangerous road that it should be 60Km but all the locals drive at 100 & over! I’m regularly overtaken by idiots on solid white lines only to catch up with them a mile or so further up the road. Unfortunately this tragedy isn’t the first on this road & it will be repeated again & again. Every one is in a hurry to go nowhere!

This is describes a road in Kerry. And it describes roads all over Ireland. Speed limits are routinely higher than they should be. And drivers routinely drive above the speed limit on same road. Everywhere.

The culture of excessive speed is what kills people, particularly vulnerable road users. Its not an accident.

Tombo2001

magicbastarder wrote: »

a chap i know was the driver in a pedestrian fatality. he was held to be completely blameless, by both the victim's family and the gardai, and witnesses who saw the incident. he took it badly, as you might expect - he sold his house because he didn't want to have to drive that road again, but within a few years had moved back to the area. time heals, i guess.

Absolutely it does.... there was a few kids in my primary school. Their dad was killed in a traffic accident. I didnt know them at all really, but I just remember their shocked faces. But the thing is, 40 years on, they havent seen their dad for 40 years......whereas I can still call out to see my dad.

hots

Seth Brundle wrote: »

What kind of wank3r thinks it is ok to endanger a bunch of children just to get to the next set of red lights quicker?

https://twitter.com/donna_cooney1/status/1392763555917832194

How does it make them get through lights quicker? Slower surely as they all have to stick together at the slowest one's pace?

hots

fixXxer wrote: »

He's talking about the truck putting kids in danger so it can get through the lights quicker, not the cycle bus.

jesus my bad

sy_flembeck

Seth Brundle wrote: »

What kind of wank3r thinks it is ok to endanger a bunch of children just to get to the next set of red lights quicker?

https://twitter.com/donna_cooney1/status/1392763555917832194

I was walking in Bray this afternoon, southbound on Castle Street towards the main junction at the bottom of the town centre (Main St/ Herbert/ Quinsboro' Roads). Got to the junction and the lights were green for the traffic on Main St. As I was intending crossing the junction diagonally I was mindful of a car stopped waiting to turn right onto Herbert Road. The cycle lane at Macari's chipper is closed due to roadworks and there is good signage to reflect this.

Coming down Main Street towards me I see a woman and a little girl, maybe 6yo, cycling towards me. Both wearing helmets and both in cycle lane. Mother slightly out to the edge in a protective manner (we've all done it). Then the woman in a white car behind them decides she wants to pass. On the junction. With the lights amber. And an oncoming stationary car (waiting to turn right). And a closed cycle lane. Bizarrely she passes giving them plenty of space but they are forced to move out due to the roadworks. So she is left going through a red light on the wrong side of the road facing an oncoming car. An utterly shocking manoeuvre. Absolutely no awareness of her surroundings - simply MGIF.

But it's what happens next that's the real sickener. She sits on the horn and frightens the life out of both cyclists - who up to that point were unaware of what was unfolding behind them.

However, the junction was very busy with pedestrians, many of whom were not shy in shouting their opinions after her (sadly of course the driver was completely oblivious to this and is doubtless still blaming the bloody cyclists).

While I found the reactions refreshing I couldn't help thinking that had that been me and one other male adult in cycling gear the reaction would most likely have been mute.

Effects

Three close passes today. I was driving.

Heading up a steep winding hill towards the Blue Light. Three cyclists ahead of me, and a blind corner, so I held back to give them room, until it was clear. As I was overtaking, a Black Peugeot further back decided to overtake me at the same time. Really dangerous if something had been the other side of the corner.

Heading back down towards Sandyford, passing over the M50, two oncoming cyclists riding two abreast. Driver swerves on to my side of the road to overtake them, leaving me having to swerve sharply into the bus lane on my side to avoid collision.

Final one was on the strand road in Sandymount. Articulated lorry coming towards me overtakes a cyclist at the same time as meeting me, so leaving them very little space.

stoneill

https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/nc0pxh/you_had_one_job_and_that_definitely_wasnt_it/

Not so much as a near miss as a I definitely got you!

riewomann

sy_flembeck wrote: »

Mother slightly out to the edge in a protective manner (we've all done it).

I've being noticing where a parent and child are cycling, the child will be in the cycle lane as normal and the parent cycling parallel to them in the traffic lane.

I appreciate their will to protect their child, although by cycling in the traffic lane they are holding up traffic. Even where it is a mandatory cycle lane.

This type of behaviour will only create further animosity amongst some motorists for cyclists. Surely if your child is ready to cycle then let them cycle, or if not take them off the primary routes where traffic is whizzing by.

I love cycling as much as the next person, but the optics of this are terrible. Its a big two fingers to everyone else and reeks of a "my child is the most important thing in the world, so if I have to incenvenience hundreds of people for them to have a spin, then so be it".

Rant over.

Smee_Again

riewomann wrote: »

I love cycling as much as the next person, but the optics of this are terrible. Its a big two fingers to everyone else and reeks of a "my child is the most important thing in the world, so if I have to incenvenience hundreds of people for them to have a spin, then so be it".

Rant over.

Makes a change from the "I and my car are the most importantest person ever, get out of my way" attitude that is so prevalent on Irish roads.

riewomann

magicbastarder wrote: »

the dutch have a nickname for cycle lanes which are nothing more than a line of paint; they call them murder strips.

Right a bit sensationalist then.

Cycling in both the cycle lane and then in the traffic lane has the further issue of when another cyclist (capable of cycling without a chaperone) needs to overtake, they have to overtake the two of them and go right over close to the approcahing traffic.

I'm assuming the reason they are "protecting" their child is both concern their little angel might make a mistake and weave out of the cycle lane, and to make them very visible to the traffic behind. I can see this problem getting worse and worse, there are already motorists who treat cyclists with contempt and this kind of behaviour will only serve to increase this.

Probably the wrong forum to bring this up in.

After being out of the city since March last year the standard of cycling seems to have gotten far worse in the city. As usual it's probably only 1% of cyclists but they are the most visible (like the minority of reckless motorists).

07Lapierre

riewomann wrote: »

"my child is the most important thing in the world, so if I have to incenvenience hundreds of people for them to have a spin, then so be it".

Rant over.

That's exactly what i think to my self when i'm closed passed by an Audi Q7 travelling at 100kph, with a "Baby on Board" sticker on the back window!

Mundo7976

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gg8jN4Lc6M1ZQTEL7

There a brand spanking new, cant miss it, red tarred cycle lane on this road. Yesterday a woman turned left without as much as a glance to her right. Thankfully the approaching teen on his bike could read what was happening and managed to get around behind her. Fcuking ridiculous how no-one is paying attention to the bike lanes around Ashbourne, it would make you fearful.

The J Stands for Jay

Dowee wrote: »

So many things wrong with this.

1. Cycling two abreast: Perfectly Legal.

Anyone complaining about cycling 2 abreast is saying that they believe cyclists should cycle in the gutter so they can be passed without a proper overtaking manouver. I also fail to understand how they think 2 cyclists in single file is easier to overtake than 2 abreast.

Reality_Check1

Had a very pleasant interaction yesterday on my spin that I thought I would share. There is about 2km of road beside my house from the local town that really unpleasant to cycle on - lots of turns and is narrow enough - if someone decides to pass you its nearly always dangerous. I hate cycling on it and do so only out of necessity.

As I was just starting into it I notice a heavy lorry behind me. ****ing great I thought and I was tensing up for the inevitable close pass but.....it never came. He was happy to sit behind me at 30ish km an hour and gave me plenty of space. I nearly didn't know what to do with this

Anyway after about a km or so I pulled into a drive way to let him pass and he gave me a happy beep and on he went. Cant say some of the cars behind him felt the same but can't win them all!

Wildly Boaring

Well I had a nice 2 hour spin Clogherhead direction but then came home through drogheda.

Christ.

A woman threw open passanger door of car in my face.

Another genius changed into my lane without indicating and caused me to slam on.

And finally I got green light an as myself and car behind took off 2 broke the red light.

[Deleted User]

Maybe I'm not remembering what it was like pre-covid but to me the traffic around town seems to be worse now than pre-covid the tailback on Donore Rd yesterday and at John's shop on the Platin Rd were unreal. Don't recall them being as bad as that. Donore Rd usually backs up on the way in for evening rush but it was backed up in both directions from about 2pm yesterday.

Great on the bike though you sail passed the whole mess then you get a bus driver trying to get out of the station at the bottom trying to bully his way out as I approach and ends up blocking the lane and the footpath for a woman with small kids and a buggy. She wasn't shy about telling him to reverse, although she used slightly stronger language

TallGlass2

Good camera system for the push bike?

Eamonnator

Deleted User wrote: »

Maybe I'm not remembering what it was like pre-covid but to me the traffic around town seems to be worse now than pre-covid the tailback on Donore Rd yesterday and at John's shop on the Platin Rd were unreal. Don't recall them being as bad as that. Donore Rd usually backs up on the way in for evening rush but it was backed up in both directions from about 2pm yesterday.

Great on the bike though you sail passed the whole mess then you get a bus driver trying to get out of the station at the bottom trying to bully his way out as I approach and ends up blocking the lane and the footpath for a woman with small kids and a buggy. She wasn't shy about telling him to reverse, although she used slightly stronger language

I notice the Dublin Road is crazy at 3.30/4.00pm, backed up nearly to The Black Bull, bad at lunch time as well.

[Deleted User]

Eamonnator wrote: »

I notice the Dublin Road is crazy at 3.30/4.00pm, backed up nearly to The Black Bull, bad at lunch time as well.

Herself is usually heading home along there in the evenings or mid afternoon and reckons it's busier there too.

[Deleted User]

TallGlass2 wrote: »

Good camera system for the push bike?

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=114345374

Few older threads around too

riewomann

McGaggs wrote: »

Anyone complaining about cycling 2 abreast is saying that they believe cyclists should cycle in the gutter so they can be passed without a proper overtaking manouver. I also fail to understand how they think 2 cyclists in single file is easier to overtake than 2 abreast.

Where there is a cycle lane, one can pass a cyclist safely despite oncoming traffic as no lane change is necessary. ie cyclist in cycle lane does not affect traffic in regular lane.

Where there is a cyclist in the cycle lane and another cyclist cycling in the traffic lane, one then cannot proceed unness the oncoming traffic lane is clear as you essentially have a cyclist using the regular lane who needs to be overtaken.

I take your point that if it was a regular traffic lane it wouldn't make much difference if it was one or two abreast as the oncoming lane would need to be clear either way (it does make a small difference in time taken to complete the overtake).

I know it is complicated, but it may help to read the post you are commenting on.

07Lapierre

riewomann wrote: »

Where there is a cycle lane, one can pass a cyclist safely despite oncoming traffic as no lane change is necessary. ie cyclist in cycle lane does not affect traffic in regular lane.

Where there is a cyclist in the cycle lane and another cyclist cycling in the traffic lane, one then cannot proceed unless the oncoming traffic lane is clear as you essentially have a cyclist using the regular lane who needs to be overtaken.

How wide is this "Regular Lane"? it must be very, very narrow? I've often overtaken two cyclists cycling two abreast without having to enter the oncoming lane?

Smee_Again

riewomann wrote: »

Where there is a cycle lane, one can pass a cyclist safely despite oncoming traffic as no lane change is necessary. ie cyclist in cycle lane does not affect traffic in regular lane.

This is not the case more often than it is, but sadly many motorists, you included, seem to think that as long as there is a painted line between them and the cyclist it’s safe to pass.