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

Seth Brundle · 06-12-2019 4:26pm

CramCycle wrote: »

Nobody ****ign cares anymore..

In fairness, some of us do.
But because there is effectively no enforcement of our traffic laws, a large number of drivers know that they will get away with whatever infringement they make.
So they make that infringment!

Breezer · 06-12-2019 4:36pm

There was a car after rear ending another car quite badly at the bottom of Bridge St Lower, at the junction with the quays, at about 8.30 this morning, in one of the lanes for proceeding across the Liffey. The first car was stopped at the stop line for the lights and I can only assume the second guy thought the first guy was going to run the amber/red and sped up. It was causing mayhem for cars right back to Christchurch. Lollipop ladies and kids meandering around the traffic etc.

Pure speculation on my part. Anyone happen to witness it?

Kander · 06-12-2019 5:39pm

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

I've been very tempted to push my bike out in front of one of these due to downright frustration to teach them a lesson, but then I'd have no bike. They'll catch me on a bad day.

Haha I've been tempted to get the cheapest heaviest bike shaped object and do just that as well.

Wishbone Ash · 06-12-2019 7:34pm

Kander wrote: »

Haha I've been tempted to get the cheapest heaviest bike shaped object and do just that as well.

I'd like to put a doll in a child's buggy and push it out in front of them. Scare the living daylights out of them.

Seth Brundle · 06-12-2019 7:51pm

...until they swerve into someone

Kaisr Sose · 07-12-2019 12:38am

Seth Brundle wrote: »

...until they swerve into someone

Thats if they even noticed...

AndrewJRenko · 07-12-2019 1:51am

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'd like to put a doll in a child's buggy and push it out in front of them. Scare the living daylights out of them.

Great idea

CramCycle · 07-12-2019 12:07pm

Last night doing 60kmph in the bus lane, in fact I had to ease up as I was catching the bus in front. Guy pulls in behind me and just loses his sh1t. Lays on the horn, flashing lights, wildly gesticulating at the bike lane. To be clear, there is a bus a few metres in front of me, I am doing the speed limit for motor vehicles, and this guy believes I am obstructing him.

After a few 100m, I just give up, indicate I am slowing and do a dead stop. We are in a bus lane and he is still not near the next turn. Needless to say, he did not take this well, he then went to go round me and I laughed at him.and stupidly blocked him.

Eventually I left, he went round, I overtook him before the next turn. There was a lovely Garda there, happy to have the footage sent on and take a statement. Apparently he had got a warning for mobile use the day before, and this time drove through the junction as the Garda waved him down.

That man is getting alot of FPNs and possibly a court date.

AndrewJRenko · 07-12-2019 12:46pm

CramCycle wrote: »

Last night doing 60kmph in the bus lane, in fact I had to ease up as I was catching the bus in front. Guy pulls in behind me and just loses his sh1t. Lays on the horn, flashing lights, wildly gesticulating at the bike lane. To be clear, there is a bus a few metres in front of me, I am doing the speed limit for motor vehicles, and this guy believes I am obstructing him.

After a few 100m, I just give up, indicate I am slowing and do a dead stop. We are in a bus lane and he is still not near the next turn. Needless to say, he did not take this well, he then went to go round me and I laughed at him.and stupidly blocked him.

Eventually I left, he went round, I overtook him before the next turn. There was a lovely Garda there, happy to have the footage sent on and take a statement. Apparently he had got a warning for mobile use the day before, and this time drove through the junction as the Garda waved him down.

That man is getting alot of FPNs and possibly a court date.

You could sell tickets here for that Court sitting.

CramCycle · 07-12-2019 12:53pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You could sell tickets here for that Court sitting.

Even funnier is that it turns out to be the same guy from a few pages back who I seen watching videos going through the junction. Garda asked me to send on the video.

Seth Brundle · 09-12-2019 11:08am

Not quite a near miss but a stupid overtake attempt...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnSPsI4GN-I

It was on the N4 this morning about 7:30. Driver travelling illegally in the bus lane (with a convoy of other illegal drivers behing him) decides to attempt to overtake me despite it being blindingly obvious that he had no room (and it wasn't far to the Ballyowen Rd slip road).
I decided to take it easy (whilst gesticulating towards the traffic lanes) until I got to the slip road.
On the slip road he says to me that he thought he'd make it :rolleyes:
Then told me that i should be in the cycle lane. I resoponded by saying how I can use the bus lane but he cannot.
Meanwhile with the green light facing us, the driver behind was getting fed up and you can hear me telling him to calm down (or something to that effect!).

tnegun · 09-12-2019 12:18pm

Fair play to you it was intimidation like that finally made me snap and I no longer use the N4 despite it adding several kms to my commute. The last straw for me was a motor biker loosing it with me for being in the bus lane. I tried explaining it was legal for me to be here and he couldn't accept that kept pointing to the cycle lane full of leaves and then nearly giving me a heart attack with a punishment pass on the rev limiter a couple of minutes later.

Pinch Flat · 09-12-2019 1:12pm

It’s amazing the arrogance of drivers and motor bikers who think they’ve hid some right to use the bus lane illegally.

Utter Consternation · 09-12-2019 1:22pm

I particularly dislike the idiots who absolutely bomb it in the short distance between each traffic light and rev their engines. One has to wonder at the intelligence level of these simpletons.

A large majority of them have to get serious injuries the way they drive their penile compensatory vehicles.

positron · 09-12-2019 1:27pm

As someone who bikes and motorbikes - I can't understand why a motorcyclists will ever get into an argument with a cyclist!

Both motorbikes and cycles have same sort of threats to deal with on the roads - cars, slippery surfaces, ice, frost, wet leaves, car drivers on phones rear ending you, changing lanes without looking etc etc... And a motorbike can squeeze past a cyclist on a bus lane even if the cyclist was riding in the middle of the lane (and most cyclists won't), so not sure why motorbiker would pick a fight with a cyclist. That must have been a particularly nasty dude on the motorbike.

PS: About motorcycles on the bus lane, while it's technically illegal, it's tolerated, I had had multiple occasions where Garda will stop the car behind me while letting me carry on riding on the bus lane. It's just much safer for motorbikes to be on bus lane than trying to filter between two opposing lanes of traffic.

Utter Consternation · 09-12-2019 1:45pm

positron wrote: »

It's just much safer for motorbikes to be on bus lane than trying to filter between two opposing lanes of traffic.

It's great that it's safer for motorcyclists. Fcuking delighted for you.

Stark · 09-12-2019 1:49pm

Utter Consternation wrote: »

It's great that it's safer for motorcyclists. Fcuking delighted for you.

Ah here. As a cyclist, you think you'd understand bending some motorist-centric rules in the interest of personal safety. As long as they're being careful and not being dicks in the bus lanes, I'm okay with it.

Utter Consternation · 09-12-2019 1:51pm

Stark wrote: »

Ah here. As a cyclist, you think you'd understand bending some motorist-centric rules in the interest of personal safety. As long as they're being careful and not being dicks in the bus lanes, I'm okay with it.

Ah yeah, fair enough, but the problem is i've been skimmed a few times in the bus lane by jack asses flying it on motorbikes lately. The south quays in Dublin in particular seems to have some really unpleasant people on motorbikes. They'd literally drive on top of you to get by.

CramCycle · 09-12-2019 2:16pm

It is a rare day I have an issue with MBs. Typically considerate and give space all the time, the odd exception but typically I have more cars been dicks on a single commute than total MBers who pass me out.

09-12-2019 2:24pm

Same, in recent times since changing jobs I meet one guy occasionally who filters up and sits at the lights beside me and takes his time taking off on green so I get a head start on the traffic behind.

Like anything else though you get arseholes in all modes of transport

positron · 09-12-2019 2:31pm

Utter Consternation wrote: »

It's great that it's safer for motorcyclists. Fcuking delighted for you.

:rolleyes: I cycle as well, but sounds like you are really traumatized by tat motorcyclist, lets hope he doesn't do that you again.

Everything works well when everyone is considerate of everyone else, irrespective of the their mod of transport.

Utter Consternation · 09-12-2019 5:02pm

positron wrote: »

:rolleyes: I cycle as well, but sounds like you are really traumatized by tat motorcyclist, lets hope he doesn't do that you again.

Everything works well when everyone is considerate of everyone else, irrespective of the their mod of transport.

Apologies, if i came off a bit strong there. This thread winds me up no end. :mad:

AndrewJRenko · 09-12-2019 10:38pm

The joys of Ballsbridge this evening.

First, this nice young man who seemed to be heading into RDS (do they do UCD exams at dinner time?) drove straight out in front me. He later explained that he didn't see me. I had two lights, one solid and one flashing and a hi-vis jacket.

https://streamable.com/ltnja

Then this nice man in the big Volvo very nearly took out the cyclist in front of me by drifting into his lane. When I caught up, he had his phone in his left hand and was on a hands-free call.

https://streamable.com/lve06

Steoller · 10-12-2019 11:24am

What did the second lad say to you?

Steoller · 10-12-2019 11:29am

Also, I had my second experience of reporting to trafficwatch at the end of november. BMW overtook me at the same place as my first incident, except this time it was wet and dark, and the oncoming car was plainly visible before they bulled past me.

No afters this time, so I'm not as pushed about throwing the book at them, but I still reported it.

Garda called me within the week, cautioned the guy at his home at the weekend, and all done and dusted.

Still no update on incident number 1.

AndrewJRenko · 10-12-2019 11:42am

Steoller wrote: »

What did the second lad say to you?

Nodded apologetically while continuing his phone call, until I suggested strongly that he needed to end the call now. "Listen, I'll call you back as soon as I can get away from this eejit".

Weepsie · 10-12-2019 11:43am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

The joys of Ballsbridge this evening.

First, this nice young man who seemed to be heading into RDS (do they do UCD exams at dinner time?) drove straight out in front me. He later explained that he didn't see me. I had two lights, one solid and one flashing and a hi-vis jacket.

https://streamable.com/ltnja

Then this nice man in the big Volvo very nearly took out the cyclist in front of me by drifting into his lane. When I caught up, he had his phone in his left hand and was on a hands-free call.

https://streamable.com/lve06

That's bad, but I think it's p!ss poor positioning by the cyclist too. He's basically in the oncoming lane and in the worst possible part for being in the blind zone (not that he'd have noticed anyway) His driving is crap, but he also has the lane ahead of the cyclist and despite not using indicators, seems apparent that he is going to the right. They both need to have more awareness to be honest and he definitely needs to get off his phone and use his indicators.

And yup, UCD do exams from 9 am to 9pm pretty much. The flashbacks

positron · 10-12-2019 2:06pm

Utter Consternation wrote: »

Apologies, if i came off a bit strong there. This thread winds me up no end. :mad:

No worries, I understand the frustration, commute does my head in too (on motorbike, you see all sort of craziness out there, especially filtering past thousands of cars on M50 the amount of people on phone, typing / watching videos is unreal).

Utter Consternation · 10-12-2019 3:01pm

positron wrote: »

No worries, I understand the frustration, commute does my head in too (on motorbike, you see all sort of craziness out there, especially filtering past thousands of cars on M50 the amount of people on phone, typing / watching videos is unreal).

I drove a lot for work in the west for years well before there were too many motorways and i have to say the standard of driving on the M50 is absolutely the worst i've ever seen. The amount of people who hog the right lane, undertake, weave in and out of traffic and speed is ridiculous.

I would not fancy driving a motorbike on the m50 at all. You must have balls of steel for that.

CramCycle · 10-12-2019 3:33pm

Utter Consternation wrote: »

I drove a lot for work in the west for years well before there were too many motorways and i have to say the standard of driving on the M50 is absolutely the worst i've ever seen. The amount of people who hog the right lane, undertake, weave in and out of traffic and speed is ridiculous.

I would not fancy driving a motorbike on the m50 at all. You must have balls of steel for that.

I drive the M50 once a week for work, I hate it. Leave super early just to hopefully skip the bulk of it. Today was that day. Nothing surprises me, the lanes mean nothing. Had to drop anchor at one point where a ford transit just decided to merge across me. Every now and again you would see a car not moving with traffic, obviously whipped out the phone when traffic stopped and never restarted. The South bound lane was stopped dead as some lorry had an unsecure load of insulation, and there was one guy who had got out of his van to move it out to the side of the motorway, thankfully other cars had stopped to let him do that which was surprising.

Seth Brundle · 10-12-2019 3:53pm

I changed jobs two years ago and now instead of travelling from Leixlip via the M50 to Sandyford, I now work closer to home and have the choice of driving a fairly easy drive or cycling (it's maybe 50:50 currently). I did the M50 for over 11 years. At the time, I knew it was horrible but tolerable.
Without trying to sound hippy-ish, I know for a fact that my own wellbeing has improved. Leaving out the health benefits from cycling, the fact that I'm not in that mentally-toxic queue twice daily means that when I get home, I'm not as tired or stressed.
I didn't know how bad it actually was until I stopped doing it. I really don't know how or why I allowed myself to do it.
If I was offered my old job back for twice the money, I would turn it down simply because of that commute!

cdaly_ · 10-12-2019 6:52pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I did the M50 for over 11 years. At the time, I knew it was horrible but tolerable.

I didn't know how bad it actually was until I stopped doing it. I really don't know how or why I allowed myself to do it.

This is so true. You're sitting there 'comfy' in your car and you can't think of any other way it could be so you ignore the stress.

The extremely odd time that I take the car to work and have to queue to drive home I get that reinforced...

Breezer · 10-12-2019 7:59pm

cdaly_ wrote: »

This is so true. You're sitting there 'comfy' in your car and you can't think of any other way it could be so you ignore the stress.

I have to disagree. I used to do the whole length of it (and for a while half the M1 too) every day. I eventually bought a house closer to work, but spent a year doing it up before I could live in it. Despite not having been on a bike in 10 years, every minute of that year that I spent on that fecking road, I was dreaming of being on a bike instead! I finally got there

Pinch Flat · 10-12-2019 9:47pm

Good to see Dublin motorists getting in the Christmas spirit. Defo a touch of lunacy around this evening.

My commute started with a left hook at Poolbeg street by some tool in a large Volvo. Continues up the bus lane then bullied his way across O’connell bridge and headed out towards Heuston.

Got tail gated and beeped for several hundred meters by a taxi on the bus / bike lane on the south quays, which I duly ignored, as it is almost normal at this stage. Wasn’t enough for this tool though - he drew along side at the red light at parliament st and started berating me out his passenger window. Two gardai passed and ignored the commotion, despite me saying he’d hassled me for 200 meters plus.

The fun really started at the Guinness brewery. Despite taking primary in the bus lane and indicating right to move across, the car that tailgated eventually had enough and slipped up my left - simultaneously the motorist behind me on my right, who had ignored my hand signal, spotted his opportunity and also close passed me. So managed a double close pass - one on each side, less that a foot from each of my my shoulders. Kind of lost it with the motorist who at this point had pulled to a red light. Just had a rant, he stared ahead.

Traffic heading into the park was mad with the Christmas lights thing on. Taxi behind me started beeping - presumably for me to move across two lanes of traffic. Duly ignored and took primary up the hill at park gate street. He joined the queue of traffic that stretched almost the entire length of the park, to Castleknock gate.

Tail gated out of Castleknock at myos which is almost customary at this stage. Guy in a bmw on my wheel to the M50 bridge

The evening wasn’t done yet - time for one more close pass squeezed in at laurel lodge - into oncoming traffic. Fair play to him though for left hooking across me. I hope his dinner didn’t get too cold with all that.

5uspect · 10-12-2019 11:41pm

Idiot in black with no lights running the red light at the Barge on Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGcGP4acvKo

The amount of fools with no lights. :mad:

sy_flembeck · 10-12-2019 11:51pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Nodded apologetically while continuing his phone call, until I suggested strongly that he needed to end the call now. "Listen, I'll call you back as soon as I can get away from this eejit".

I must admit I did 'LOL' (as the kids would say!) at this one

Weepsie · 11-12-2019 12:23am

Had my first bad one in an absolute age this evening. Air coach with acres of room squeezed by me on Drumcondra road a bit past Quinn's.

Couldn't catch up with to get the licence plate

Kaisr Sose · 11-12-2019 1:14am

Weepsie wrote: »

Had my first bad one in an absolute age this evening. Air coach with acres of room squeezed by me on Drumcondra road a bit past Quinn's.

Couldn't catch up with to get the licence plate

If you have the time and location ring them to complain. They will know who that driver was from their onboard GPS tracking, which they are sure to have on all vehicles. Between them and Swords Express its a race to the bottom of bad driving. Swords Express drivers are regularly passing red lights at O'Connell Bridge, only to block the junction and hold up other traffic, particularly the LUAS. Supremely bad!

tnegun · 11-12-2019 11:56am

Been commuting a bit later this week and mixing with the schools traffic, will check the camera later for anything worth posting but had a near miss with 2 pedestrians I was on a brand new mixed cycle path and taking it a little easy.
There was a pedestrian up ahead to my left so slowed up thinking he might step in front of me just as I get to him he does so I go on the brakes and at exactly the same time a girl steps out from in front of a van to my right. Had I not slowed I've of hit both!
Then a pedestrian crossing I was slowing as a lady was approaching so anticipated she might cross and yes steps out onto the road then looks for traffic!
Lastly preparing to turn right, I sat up, looked over my shoulder let the a car pass then held my arm out and began to move right with plenty of room before the next car would reach me. Kept turning to look back and made eye contact with the driver and she was in panic mode didn't know what to do and just kept driving at me then passed me as I got to the center of the lane :mad::mad:

Duckjob · 11-12-2019 1:01pm

Weepsie wrote: »

Had my first bad one in an absolute age this evening. Air coach with acres of room squeezed by me on Drumcondra road a bit past Quinn's.

Couldn't catch up with to get the licence plate

In fairness he probably was probably just trying to *alert* you to the "perfectly good" cycle infrastructure somewhere off to the side there. He probably paid for it too through his "road tax" so pretty damn ungrateful of you to stay on his road holding people up Like that &#55357;&#56489;

Seth Brundle · 11-12-2019 2:03pm

Just saw this on Twitter which some of our drivers should see...
https://twitter.com/SafeCyclingEire/status/1075867127708569605

tnegun · 11-12-2019 11:02pm

Bike down in Leixlip this evening at the top of the hill just before the garda station hope all was and its minor. He/she was still on the road covered in blankets when I passed about 6.20 with several cars stopped at the scene.

Makes these few clips seem very trivial.

Ninja bike wrong side of the road with no lights!

Crosses without even looking I know she had right of way but at least check nothing is going to run you over!

Pedestrian on the left steps off the path into the side of me just as one steps out from the right from in front of a van!

Signalling to turn right and begin my move but no I'll pass you any way

Almost lost it, the front wheel went on the mucky soup road sweepers leave behind just got my foot down in time to save it

Seth Brundle · 11-12-2019 11:07pm

tnegun wrote: »

Bike down in Leixlip this evening at the top of the hill just before the garda station hope all was and its minor. He/she was still on the road covered in blankets when I passed about 6.20 with several cars stopped at the scene.

I turned half way up the hill but saw the blues flashing. Assumed it was a checkpoint or something. Hopefully they are ok.
Coincidentally I was close passed on the hill, the final slap after a pain in the hole journey home via Liffey Valley.

McGrath5 · 12-12-2019 12:46pm

Multiple close passes yesterday evening going up Stocking Lane just by the entrance to Prospect, it's like the first driver did it then the rest just followed suit. The sound of all those weedy diesel engines been floored by their angry user is still rattling around in my head!

Seth Brundle · 12-12-2019 12:47pm

Some from my journey home yesterday...

Driver not looking for cyclist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRgTfm5sXmA

Ignorant cow in 07-TN-3272 (ironically I went this route from liffey valley because I thought it would be safer :rolleyes:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBx-JCc5B8Y

kenmm · 12-12-2019 12:49pm

5uspect wrote: »

Idiot in black with no lights running the red light at the Barge on Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGcGP4acvKo

The amount of fools with no lights. :mad:

I thought you meant the guy creeping through the other side, until the last second! Holy sh!t!

(could cut the clip a bit tho..)

tnegun · 12-12-2019 1:13pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Some from my journey home yesterday...

Ignorant cow in 07-TN-3272 (ironically I went this route from liffey valley because I thought it would be safer :rolleyes:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBx-JCc5B8Y

That's definitely reportable complete lack of awareness / consideration

magicbastarder · 12-12-2019 1:40pm

had it from the other side today - picked my wife up from horseriding, and we were driving home - entering a roundabout, a cyclist cycled out in front of me. i was going most of the way around the roundabout, but was not sure which exit he was heading for so i slowed drastically, as i was afraid he'd pull out in front of me for his exit (i didn't know whether he was being dozy or reckless), but as i slowed he did too and was giving me the 'what's your problem?' body language.
in hindsight i suspect his thought process was 'if i keep my line on the roundabout, and he keeps his, we shouldn't cross paths', but if so, it was a very, very dumb thing to think.

magicbastarder · 12-12-2019 2:27pm

it's a day for it; walking through the combined car park/rat run at the local spar, a chap came gunning through in a car, towards me, and took umbrage at me telling him to slow down.
'no, *you* slow down' was his considered response.

Mc Love · 12-12-2019 2:53pm

This was me on my first week back. Genuinely frightening but have adjusted my cycling to ride more defensively especially at tight spots like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Dsk3J-dsM

This was the other one on my first week back

https://twitter.com/MacL0ve/status/1201629016920190977?s=20

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

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