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Garda & Cyclist close call

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12467…13

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    #92
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,129 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    ronoc wrote: »
    There have been multiple cycling fatalities and serious injuries on this road over the years.
    when was the last death on that road?


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    #93
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,584 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    07Lapierre wrote: »
    Agree but the cyclist was in a position to do something. Instead of simply allowing the car to pass he insisted on blocking the car. Yes the motorist should not have acted so aggressively, but he did. Life's too short for these type of altercations! the cyclist should have allowed him to pass. He could still have posted the video and commented on it.

    I understand your point but considering how the driver had already been driving aggressively, the safer option is to remove the opportunity to potentially knock you off the bike.

    But ultimately, while it all could have been avoided, aggressive driving is more likely to cause a serious accident here.


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    #94
    irish_dave_83
    Registered Users Posts: 144 ✭✭irish_dave_83


    Initially I thought the Garda was solely in the wrong, but having watched it again, the car was in the process of over taking him and he swerved in front of the car, which is a ludricous decision, therefore it was dangerous by the cyclist in my opinion. After that speeding up behind the cyclist was a bad move and also dangerous.

    There is enough room to pass on that stretch of road, whether the car should have been in the bus lane or not we don't know, depending on the time of day.


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    #95
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    I'm enjoying the fact that the Garda twitter account posted this last week.

    https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/727827314340470784


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    #96
    daymobrew
    Registered Users Posts: 6,499 ✭✭✭daymobrew


    The RSA tells motorists to leave plenty of space when overtaking cyclists.
    RSA - Cyclists - We all share the road wrote:
    The general message is the need for drivers to properly observe the road at all times for the presence of cyclists, be they commuters, shoppers, family or racing groups. However, it focuses specifically on a number of key manoeuvres. These include:
    • Anticipating cyclists at junctions and checking the various driver blind spots.
    • Checking mirrors and blind spots when getting out of a parked vehicle to avoid the risk of ‘dooring’ a cyclist that might be passing by.
    • Allowing plenty of space when over-taking a cyclist, particularly when they are cycling in groups or two abreast.


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    #97
    RIGHTisRIGHT
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 726 ✭✭✭RIGHTisRIGHT


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    when was the last death on that road?


    Serious question is there anyway for the public to know when and where fatal road deaths occur?

    They don't all hit the media do they?


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    #98
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,129 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    RIGHTisRIGHT wrote: »
    Serious question is there anyway for the public to know when and where fatal road deaths occur?

    They don't all hit the media do they?
    exactly, i went looking for a map of road deaths; not that i expected to find it, and my expectations were met.


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    #99
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    RIGHTisRIGHT wrote: »
    Serious question is there anyway for the public to know when and where fatal road deaths occur?

    They don't all hit the media do they?

    There's a website that shows reported accidents and includes that fact for example if the death was a motorist, cyclist, pedestrian. Might be maintained by the RSA.

    edit, here it is http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Collision-Statistics/Ireland-Road-Collisions/

    It's only up to 2012, but in that year there were no fatal or serious accidents involving cyclists on the quays according to their stats.


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    #100
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,584 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    TheExile1878 wrote: »
    Wonderful - suits me!

    You should try cycling more then and it just might.


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    #101
    RIGHTisRIGHT
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 726 ✭✭✭RIGHTisRIGHT


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    There's a website that shows reported accidents and includes that fact for example if the death was a motorist, cyclist, pedestrian. Might be maintained by the RSA.

    edit, here it is http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Collision-Statistics/Ireland-Road-Collisions/

    Never knew of this.


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    #102
    07Lapierre
    Registered Users Posts: 8,232 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    irish_dave_83 wrote: »
    Initially I thought the Garda was solely in the wrong, but having watched it again, the car was in the process of over taking him and he swerved in front of the car, which is a ludricous decision, therefore it was dangerous by the cyclist in my opinion. After that speeding up behind the cyclist was a bad move and also dangerous.

    There is enough room to pass on that stretch of road, whether the car should have been in the bus lane or not we don't know, depending on the time of day.

    That's the way I see it too..and In my opinion, that's the cyclist been a prick!Was the Garda being a prick too? yes, but he didn't post the video!


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    #103
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    I understand your point but considering how the driver had already been driving aggressively, the safer option is to remove the opportunity to potentially knock you off the bike.
    My contention is that point had already passed when he decided to push right. From the video it looks like the front of the car is already beside his back wheel when he moves right.
    If the driver had been checking his mirror or otherwise not looking straight ahead, then the cyclist could have been under that wheel instead.

    It's one thing taking more room to keep someone behind you. Taking more room and hoping the other vehicle will brake and pull back is extremely risky when you don't have a cage to protect you.

    In any case, the driver would be completely in the wrong. But that's scant consolation to your family. Defensive and assertive road use is not just about defending your space on the road, but also knowing when to yield it to protect yourself from other peoples' stupidity.


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    #104
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    when was the last death on that road?

    Hang on a second - one of the arguments trotted out about cycling on the footpad, RLJing etc is that the true danger isn't reflected in the mortality stats - that there are countless minor and near misses.

    So is that the way it works, if cyclist behaviour is under the microscope near miss and minor accident stats are the metric, whereas if it's driver behaviour, mortality stats are the only show in town?

    The Quays in Dublin are a mess and consistently rated as some of the worst stretches of road to cycle on.


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    #105
    LollipopJimmy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,442 ✭✭✭LollipopJimmy


    07Lapierre wrote: »
    Agree but the cyclist was in a position to do something. Instead of simply allowing the car to pass he insisted on blocking the car. Yes the motorist should not have acted so aggressively, but he did. Life's too short for these type of altercations! the cyclist should have allowed him to pass. He could still have posted the video and commented on it.

    Have to agree here, certainly the pair of them in it, the car was overly aggressive and the cyclist was just a little bit precious. The whole situation could have been avoided if one of them had a calm head. WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!! :D

    I often drive in that bus lane myself, it's only a bus lane from 7-10am then from 12-7pm Mon-Sat.


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    #106
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,760 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    irish_dave_83 wrote: »
    Initially I thought the Garda was solely in the wrong, but having watched it again, the car was in the process of over taking him and he swerved in front of the car, which is a ludricous decision, therefore it was dangerous by the cyclist in my opinion. After that speeding up behind the cyclist was a bad move and also dangerous.

    I actually assumed the cyclist did the blocking manoeuvre because the car shouldn't have been in the bus lane. The camera perspective might be misleading, but once the car had committed to overtaking, taking the lane wasn't the best option. Taking the lane is really to dissuade people from making a manoeuvre, not to force them to abandon the manoeuvre.

    What the driver did next is deliberate intimidation with a several-tonne object, which is not acceptable behaviour by anybody, let alone an enforcer of the law.

    (The flashing of the badge is wrong too, in the sense that it really was to say to the cyclist "Oh really? Well, what do you think of that!" As if he should psychically be aware that the driver was a Garda, or simply give way to every motorised vehicle on the off chance that a Garda is driving it.)


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    #107
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users Posts: 7,761 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    I had a similar situation with road bullying on my commute this morning - it's the first time in a long, long time I reacted. I've been commuting since 2009, so pretty immune to d!cks on the road, but this guy this morning kind of stood out.

    Warning - rant coming....

    So, I'm cycling down the bus lane in this location, http://tinyurl.com/z9dacqb, joining the main traffic lane which merges with the bus lane about 20 meters from the roundabout.

    I'm lit up with an Exposure Flash strobe on the back and a hi-vis bag cover. I look over my shoulder, and seeing a car perhaps 50 meters or so behind, I indicate to merge with the main traffic lane. As soon as I do, the car behind starts beeping furiously and passes me very close, almost skimming me and he barges through the roundabout.

    I decide to pursue him, as I didn't get his reg and I was going to follow this through with trafficwatch. He circles back again, and darts out of a side street, passing me close again and beeping. Dublin 15 is so congested with traffic in the mornings that it's pointless trying to do a d!ck move like that and get far.

    So, I catch up with him - I've pulled my phone out and start recording - he's behind the 37 in the bus lane, traffic choked from that location to the traffic lights leading to Castleknock Road.

    "What was all that about back there", I asked. He say's he was "entitled" (love that word) to pass me and I was in his way. I asked him if the entitlement extended to almost running me off the road - mumbled reply about effing cyclists, etc and continued to verbally abuse me (finger signs, etc) through his windscreen. This is a so called grown man FFS. I'm reconciling all this on my phone, with every intention of bringing it to a Garda station with my formal compliant. My phone unfortunately ran out of battery, so no video (or reg).

    Some people definitely need more hobbies, and either need to leave earlier in the morning, or find an alternative way to get to work.

    /Rant over.


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    #108
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,584 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    seamus wrote: »
    My contention is that point had already passed when he decided to push right. From the video it looks like the front of the car is already beside his back wheel when he moves right.
    If the driver had been checking his mirror or otherwise not looking straight ahead, then the cyclist could have been under that wheel instead.

    It's one thing taking more room to keep someone behind you. Taking more room and hoping the other vehicle will brake and pull back is extremely risky when you don't have a cage to protect you.

    In any case, the driver would be completely in the wrong. But that's scant consolation to your family. Defensive and assertive road use is not just about defending your space on the road, but also knowing when to yield it to protect yourself from other peoples' stupidity.

    I don't disagree.


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    #109
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,760 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Pinch Flat wrote: »
    I look over my shoulder, and seeing a car perhaps 50 meters or so behind, I indicate to merge with the main traffic lane. As soon as I do, the car behind starts beeping furiously and passes me very close, almost skimming me and he barges through the roundabout.

    Yeah, that's really ignorant. You started the manoeuvre in plenty of time, so he should just have let you do it.


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    #110
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,760 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    when was the last death on that road?

    The last death on the south quays was about four years ago, I think. A man in his fifties hit by a bus, as far as I can recall. Can't recall a death on the north quays in a long while. The north quays are definitely better to cycle on.

    As Jawgap said (I think), there may be a lot of unrecorded injuries. The quays are very far from ideal.


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    #111
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Cyclist was giving a lot of mouth and also lot of hand gestures.

    He has plenty of videos up and I have seen his actions on the road. He needs to take a few lessons.


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    #112
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,129 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i think i've only ever cycled once on the quays. not something i plan on repeating.


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    #113
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,129 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    punisher5112 wrote: »
    Cyclist was giving a lot of mouth and also lot of hand gestures.
    it's mandatory for a cyclist to use hand gestures, such as when indicating intention to change lane or execute a turn.


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    #114
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users Posts: 7,761 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    i think i've only ever cycled once on the quays. not something i plan on repeating.

    Actually, they're not as bad as they look on the north side - of course lots of room for improvement - there's a cycle lane from Heuston almost all the way. Cars pulling out of the Croppy Acre, and turning left across you at Black Hall place are probably the most dangerous parts. The bike lane runs out from Black Hall to Capel Street - again cars turning left can be a challenge top deal with.

    the south quays are much more intimidating and it would be nice to see these addresses - you can get squeezed at Temple Bar, and also at the Parliament Street Junction,. I take the lane most times from there to DCC's offices. Getting across the three lanes to negotiate the bridge to Park Gate Street is the worst part - cars are speeding by at this stage if the traffic is light of the lights themselves have fallen for them with greens.


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    #115
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,680 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    what's an MGIF? In the video description.


    EDIT: oh right I think I found it... "Must get in front" ?


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    #116
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,621 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    mrcheez wrote: »
    what's an MGIF? In the video description.


    EDIT: oh right I think I found it... "Must get in front" ?
    Must get to the back of the traffic queue as soon as possible.:rolleyes:


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    #117
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Pinch Flat wrote: »
    Actually, they're not as bad as they look on the north side

    The right onto O'Connell bridge can be pretty choppy when its not 100% gridlocked but the south is worse all right.


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    #118
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,584 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Pinch Flat wrote: »
    Actually, they're not as bad as they look on the north side - of course lots of room for improvement - there's a cycle lane from Heuston almost all the way. Cars pulling out of the Croppy Acre, and turning left across you at Black Hall place are probably the most dangerous parts. The bike lane runs out from Black Hall to Capel Street - again cars turning left can be a challenge top deal with.

    the south quays are much more intimidating and it would be nice to see these addresses - you can get squeezed at Temple Bar, and also at the Parliament Street Junction,. I take the lane most times from there to DCC's offices. Getting across the three lanes to negotiate the bridge to Park Gate Street is the worst part - cars are speeding by at this stage if the traffic is light of the lights themselves have fallen for them with greens.

    The stretch with buses pulling in and pulling out along Aston Quay and Wellington Quay is the worst part along the south quays. I usually try to avoid it by coming out onto the quays by the Brazen Head.


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    #119
    traprunner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,887 ✭✭✭traprunner


    TheExile1878 wrote: »
    Wonderful - suits me!

    As is evident from every thread involving cyclists that you jump on. We can teach you how to cycle and you can learn the joys and speed of your travels around the city. We might need to put stabilisers on first but I'm sure you'll grow out them quickly. :pac:


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    #120
    Jawgap
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    it's mandatory for a cyclist to use hand gestures, such as when indicating intention to change lane or execute a turn.

    .....plus to do it properly and get full effect, you have to use very exaggerated hand gestures while shouting in pidgin Italian :D


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    #121
    acronym Chilli
    Registered Users Posts: 525 ✭✭✭acronym Chilli


    punisher5112 wrote: »
    Cyclist needs to go get some lessons on how to stay safe and not be such a fool cycling out in front of a vehicle like he did.

    Please go do yourself a favour and cop on to yourself.
    The Garda doesn't seem to be properly trained or to know his job, and he seems to have realised the thin ice he was on when he decides to just drive away. Either there was a traffic violation or there wasn't. The cyclist thought there wasn't (at least not on his part). The Garda then just drives away, essentially conceding the point?

    The lack of professionalism is damning.

    The fact he certainly won't be disciplined is indicative of a general lack of discipline and competence and of the overall management failure in the force.


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