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

Just got left hooked at lunchtime. Travelling from the bottom of the photo towards the top, where the yellow line is, on the new protected cycle lane.

Fella pulled out almost on top of me where the red line is. I gesticulated, and he put up his hand in what I considered a conciliatory manner.

I continued straight on, he pulled out after I passed. We both reached the junction with the blue line, and as I continued straight on, he proceeded to left hook me. Close run thing not to end up over his bonnet. Cue emergency braking and much shouting from me.

Closest one I've had in a long while

yeah, we both ended up stopped at the junction, but only momentarily. I sort of kept going after shouting at him, and it only really sank in how close it was 15 or 20 yards up the road

In fairness, they've done the thing where the road is raised at the junction so the cycle lane continues unbroken, and it's protected right up until the junction.

I agree with dipping behind the parking section, but at the end of the day, if drivers aren't watching for you, they're not going to see you regardless of the situation.

I mean, this guy nearly hit me, then made eye contact, then overtook me, all within 30 seconds of very nearly hitting me again

That's a classic case of a driver with a burning dislike of cyclists trying to teach you a lesson.

After weeks of almost zero incidents the last few days have dumped a load on me.

1. Tuesday: Silly old bint had to overtake me on a rickety road leading into Kilcoole village, despite me matching the pace of the car ahead of me, approaching a speed bump and with minimal space for her to pull back in safely after the overtake. Meaning when she did push her way back in she effectively tried to run me off the road. Stupidity more than anything else, but of course she was completely oblivious to what she was doing when I glared back at her.
2. Yesterday 1: Asshat had to get in front of me approaching the Vevay Church in Bray, despite knowing that he was turning left, meaning that he cut right across me. I'd have passed that off as just an asshat being an asshat, but…
3. Yesterday 2: After first asshat nearly left hooks me, with me just missing his rear bumper, Asshat No. 2 approaching from the opposite direction swings a right to come across the junction (i.e. effectively following Asshat No. 1) and comes within inches of t-boning me. I had to swerve to the left, say a quick prayer and hope that he wouldn't catch my back wheel. Again, as I look back immediately after clearing his front bumper, the old b***ox is just staring straight ahead, completely ignoring what almost just happened. If I hadn't swerved left and stayed upright I'd have been up over his bonnet.

With all that said, there are plenty of really decent and courteous drivers out there - including one who could have completed her turn left as she had plenty of time and space to do so, but being aware that I was travelling in the same direction straight ahead, she just waited with her indicator on until I'd passed. I get a few of those every commute and always make a point of acknowledging them. Makes it much easier to deal with the Asshats.

First time I came off the bike in years yesterday evening. I'm very interested to hear what people's take is on this incident.

In case it isn't obvious on video, I'm coming down (quite a long) hill. My Garmin had me at 48.5 km/hr when I hit the brakes as hard as I could. The car is on the brakes constantly from passing me until the right-hand turn. They also leave their indicator running throughout the overtake and into the junction.

It's possible that I could have braked harder earlier, but I've ridden this road hundreds of times, and cars usually have to brake for the left-hand bend immediately beyond the junction.

Overtaking where they did, knowing they were going to have to stop immediately to go right, is moronic - doubly so as I was already going 50 in a 60 zone. But is there anything wrong with what the car does (in a Road Traffic / legal sense)?

Id have thought driving without due care and attention would be an offense here? Overtaking you only to brake immediately after the manoeuvre has to be seen as careless driving

Just a few nettle stings, but I'll take it. Stung a bit more that the car never bothered stopping to see if I was okay (the car immediately behind did, to be fair).

Almost looks on the video that I could have kept going, but my front wheel was in the grassy verge, so I was just trying to control it best I could. It was a case of pick a line, get on the brakes, and hope for the best.

I just can't get over the mentality of the driver - why bother overtaking? It just baffles me.

Could report them for passing on the continuous white line, they shouldn't be overtaking there anyway coming into a junction/bend. If nothing else a few words from the garda will at least make them aware of the situation and the damage they could have done and maybe next time they'll be careful and not act so stupidly.

The new garda traffic watch portal is relatively hassle free, can't upload footage but you can include the above link in the text section.

I wouldn't say there was any malice there, but it's hard to tell I suppose.

It looks like pure dumbf*ckery at first glance. Hope you're ok, chalk it up to experience I guess is all you can do. Keep an eye out for that car in the locality - would be interesting to learn what kind of driver was behind the wheel.