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

I called TrafficWatch in the evening of the day it happened and they took all the details over the phone. Then I had a call from a Garda at the local station a couple of weeks later inviting me to come in and make a statement.

That's not my experience. The benefit of using TrafficWatch is that you know that the incident has been logged. I've had a few experiences going into the station where they take details on a post-it note, which I'm fairly sure gets filed in the bin when I walk out. They can't do that with TW as it has een logged from day 1.

Cycling inbound towards the Children's Hospital, taking the lane so nobody tries to fly up past me in the bus lane after the junction and I hear a beep behind me to see a Prius right on my arse, I give him the WTF hand signal then he floors it past me. Normally bullying would make me move over more but before I could think he was already flooring it. I was behind him at the next light as it went green, then he flew down Kildare Road where I would have caught up to him again but I was turning off. You're never far from a red light in a built up area, speeding and driving aggressively is just pointless.

I'm not sure taking the lane here would have done anything to prevent that the other lane was clear he wasn't squeezing by just not bothered to give space

Absolutely I try to do the same too but it's not always easy a few seconds lapse in concentration and you're too close to the kerb. Looking at the video again the ops positioning isn't too bad but the state of the road, footpath widths and entrances etc. the good pass beforehand he drifts a little left something I'm probably guilty of daily! Then you get the close pass reminder :(

I wonder if they apply the same filter logic to burglaries (why not stay home and not give thieves the opportunity to break in) or assault victim( if you were not there the assault would have been avoided)

Etc...

The attitude of some of them leaves a lot to be desired. No wonder its a free for all with close passes etc. It's unlikely to be reported and even less likely to be taken seriously.

Policing by consent or is it if they consent to police?

Lucky I was pulling up short as he certainly wasn't stopping I was looking right for traffic on the road and lane and just looked left as he passed! https://streamable.com/i71n9a and a classic left hook https://streamable.com/unb6v1 yesterday on the way to work.

Fair enough it's not the worst left hook I've had but still poor driving if I didn't adjust speed and position I'd have hit him all because he was too impatient to wait and turn behind me.

If you have video it is definitely easier but it depends on the Garda you get. There is no way to upload video. We are in the dark ages in that way unfortunately. You could say to the Garda that you just want them to have a word and not make a statement. That driver was totally inconsiderate / unaware and deserves to be aske to account for that pass.

For the sake of tackliing the rise of close passing, I see it as correct to report them. Each incident could be the next cyclist in collision with motor vehicle, but motororist uninjured report in Media. Its time this sort of driving was tackled and proper records of how endemic it is built up.

That's a very different scenario. There is no mention of any phone in your initial post

I don't think being aggressive is the way to approach these kinds of scenarios. Best to just be in dismay and almost be disappointed in the person if you end up talking to them. Angry exchanges tend to lead greater vitriol towards cyclists whereas if you calmly explain yourself there may be a greater chance he'll think twice the next time.