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

sy_flembeck · 07-01-2021 11:15pm

For me it's if I see flat caps and/ or long ears in the car in front. It's the full house if the rear shelf also has a tartan rug and/ or a panama hat.

Biiiig warning signs

CramCycle · 07-01-2021 11:16pm

I had a near miss yesterday, now I won't lie, I seen it coming and was ready to stop. I just knew he was going to do it and cut across me, the two cars in front of him had plenty of time to do so, he did not. He went for it, now I easily avoided it but I made a song and dance. Now people will have looked at me and wondered why, but the truth is, if I changed nothing I would have had to slam on and possibly hit them, I avoided it but if I was a car, they never would have done it.

John_Rambo · 07-01-2021 11:45pm

John_Rambo wrote: »

Nurburgring stickers on a diesel Audi

magicbastarder wrote: »

nurburgring stickers, too.

Nurburgring sticker on a performance petrol car like a Caterham or a Lotus that's been to the ring is usually a sign of a pretty good driver that will have the cop and skills to negotiate cyclists properly.

Nurburgring sticker on a car wannabe - bad news. Hasn't a clue. "Get out of my way. I may have done the ring. (But didn't)"

breezy1985 · 08-01-2021 3:23am

sy_flembeck wrote: »

For me it's if I see flat caps and/ or long ears in the car in front. It's the full house if the rear shelf also has a tartan rug and/ or a panama hat.

Biiiig warning signs

Where or in what time period are you cycling

Idleater · 08-01-2021 9:26am

CramCycle wrote: »

He went for it, now I easily avoided it but I made a song and dance. Now people will have looked at me and wondered why, but the truth is, if I changed nothing I would have had to slam on and possibly hit them, I avoided it but if I was a car, they never would have done it.

I did the same thing years ago but it happened on the motorbike. A car pulled out of a side road in front of me. I had taken it into account as a potential gamble so was able to brake in time. They stopped halfway across my lane, I _could_ have gone around, but since I was slowing I let it run through to stop 2cm from the driver's door.

The car behind me also stopped in time, I assume thinking this was going to be nasty.

Anyway, I didn't move, switched off the engine and stared at the driver. They wound down the window and said "I didn't see you".

The dipped headlights cannot be switched off, and I was wearing a full fluro jacket.

I also hoped they would have learned from the incident.

machiavellianme · 08-01-2021 9:34am

John_Rambo wrote: »

Broken or turned in wing mirrors, padre pio stickers, ANYONE wearing a hat, stickers or emblems to do with country and western music, pink cars, Dire Straits music playing, cars with "amusing bumper stickers", cuddly toys carefully placed on the parcel shelf, cuddly toys carefully placed on the dashboard, little yellow minions placed anywhere, Nurburgring stickers on a diesel Audi, driver with hoody up, pro life stickers, construction hat on show on the parcel shelf, serifed font reg plates, audible fake dump valves noises, most VW Passats, "cancer protecting" pads on seatbelts, beaded seat covers, weird tinted windscreens, small dog on drivers lap, religious paraphernalia hanging from rear mirror.

Excellent list. Though you missed "Taxi markings"

CramCycle · 08-01-2021 10:23am

I drove today for a change as I got a text from the kids school saying a box was to be collected and I was not confident that I would make it back on the bike. By the time I got in I had another text saying the collection had been cancelled :rolleyes: Anyway, going along the N11, left hand lane and there is a Toyota Land Cruiser in front who pulls over to the right lane. I can see the cars in that lane turning right about 800m down the road, as they always do. It is one of those weird ones where I am adding up whether the turning lane will be full before this monstrosity gets to it as the right lane is slowing and i just felt that they merged over way later than a car that was turning right typically would have. Lane of traffic was slowing on the right. So I looked in the bus lane as I just had a feeling that they would do what they often do while I am on the bike. Low and behold, she pulled out, and hit the indicator at the same time, thankfully it was predictable so I could accommodate it but lets be clear, technically, the space was not there and if I hadn't been prepared/adjusted she would have hit me side on.

I say this as someone who hands up is not a good driver but f*ck me, the number of people are so unaware of their surroundings while driving is shocking.

fatbhoy · 08-01-2021 11:03am

Came off the MTB a couple of weeks ago and suspect I cracked a rib.

Doored last night by a Domino's pizza driver, going fast. I'm pretty sure he saw me going past and keep opening the door. It was surreal: like our eyes locked and time slowed down. Of course I was in too much shock to do anything about it. He was very apologetic. Seemed like a decent lad. Sprawled out on the road. Bike was okay. Didn't seem like any significant injuries, so kept going on my spin.

Got home and saw blood dripping from my hand. Skinned my fingers (even through thick leather gloves that were unmarked), hip, knee. Shoulder felt weird. As time went on, shoulder feels like it might have a fracture. Only did the same collar-bone a couple of years ago from something similar (pedestrian crossing the road).

Going to have a shower and go to Mater Smithfield. Get x-rays on ribs and shoulder.

Edit (update): X-rays indicate no breaks.

magicbastarder · 08-01-2021 11:17am

best of luck with that.

MojoMaker · 08-01-2021 11:35am

Nasty one fatbhoy, hope it all works out. Did you get contact details for the driver?

fatbhoy · 08-01-2021 11:57am

MojoMaker wrote: »

Nasty one fatbhoy, hope it all works out. Did you get contact details for the driver?

Nah, no point really. The hospital won't cost me anything with medical insurance, and the only damage to the bike is a scuffed pedal.

It was the guy's first day in work. He was just starting I think. I got his name and know the branch. But I won't be pursuing it.

It's made me come to the decision to buy a helmet for street biking. Might be the one good thing to come out of it.

magicbastarder · 13-01-2021 11:30pm

(not me)

https://twitter.com/righttobikeit/status/1349453684036542465

fatbhoy · 14-01-2021 2:11pm

fatbhoy wrote: »

Nah, no point really. The hospital won't cost me anything with medical insurance, and the only damage to the bike is a scuffed pedal.

It was the guy's first day in work. He was just starting I think. I got his name and know the branch. But I won't be pursuing it.

It's made me come to the decision to buy a helmet for street biking. Might be the one good thing to come out of it.

A couple of friends said to me that sorry isn't good enough, and the more I thought about it the more I agreed. So I reported it to the Gardai with a view to claiming off his insurance for the medical charge and a set of scuffed pedals. The Garda said she'd pass on his insurance details to me so I can claim.

Just mentioning this in case it happens to someone else.

beauf · 14-01-2021 2:16pm

I regret not pursuing it when I got knocked off. I didn't really feel the effects until a good 24/48 hours later and by that time it was too late to get the details, witness's, CCTV required.

fatbhoy · 14-01-2021 2:35pm

beauf wrote: »

I regret not pursuing it when I got knocked off. I didn't really feel the effects until a good 24/48 hours later and by that time it was too late to get the details, witness's, CCTV required.

Yeah that's the thing: you don't realise the damage to yourself or your bike till a good while after, when you can properly inspect your bike, and when the adrenaline wears off and the pain and injuries kick-in.

That's what the Garda said to me: always take a look/photograph of their motor insurance disk on their windscreen.

lawrencesummers · 16-01-2021 11:08am

We live in a country that has some terrible roads.
Roads that are completely over subscribed and not designed for the volume of traffic they hold.

As cyclists we have the right to use almost all of the roads in the country. Even the bad ones.

Out of interest do people avoid these worse roads on their cycle / commute? Do people take the slightly longer route to avoid a more dangerous road?

I know you don’t have to, but surely it’s safer to do so? Where do people stand on this.

CramCycle · 16-01-2021 11:25am

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Out of interest do people avoid these worse roads on their cycle / commute? Do people take the slightly longer route to avoid a more dangerous road?

Alot of people do, its certainly noticeable here when someone asks for the "best route" on a long commute.

I know you don’t have to, but surely it’s safer to do so? Where do people stand on this.

I don't unless I specifically want to get a longer spin in. Admittedly much of my commute is not on "bad" roads. It should be noted that in the past, when I was on roads that some consider "bad" roads, it was not the actual road that was bad. I realise that my safety should be top of the list in my head, and this behaviour seems to go against this. The way I see it, if I stop cycling those roads and people become used to getting away with acting like a pr1ck, they will a) continue to do so and possibly hit someone else and b) that behaviour will spread to other areas they drive and soon, there will be no "good" roads left.

lawrencesummers · 16-01-2021 11:48am

CramCycle wrote: »

Alot of people do, its certainly noticeable here when someone asks for the "best route" on a long commute.

I don't unless I specifically want to get a longer spin in. Admittedly much of my commute is not on "bad" roads. It should be noted that in the past, when I was on roads that some consider "bad" roads, it was not the actual road that was bad. I realise that my safety should be top of the list in my head, and this behaviour seems to go against this. The way I see it, if I stop cycling those roads and people become used to getting away with acting like a pr1ck, they will a) continue to do so and possibly hit someone else and b) that behaviour will spread to other areas they drive and soon, there will be no "good" roads left.

So your somehow assuming the role of the authorities?

I get that your using roads you can use. I’ve been looking at videos someone has posted a number of near misses on a road that I’m familiar with, a terrible road that has had a number of fatal car crashes over the years and is in dire long overdue need of improvement. It’s not a safe road for cars let alone cyclists IMO.

At all times the cyclist is in the right and the vehicles that are doing stupid / dangerous things are in the wrong, but that’s a road I would never dream of cycling on, and it has a quieter smaller road running parallel to it that I often use.

Does it strike people as foolish to use a terrible road for cycling when an alternative exists?

AndrewJRenko · 16-01-2021 12:05pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

We live in a country that has some terrible roads.
Roads that are completely over subscribed and not designed for the volume of traffic they hold.

As cyclists we have the right to use almost all of the roads in the country. Even the bad ones.

Out of interest do people avoid these worse roads on their cycle / commute? Do people take the slightly longer route to avoid a more dangerous road?

I know you don’t have to, but surely it’s safer to do so? Where do people stand on this.

lawrencesummers wrote: »

So your somehow assuming the role of the authorities?

I get that your using roads you can use. I’ve been looking at videos someone has posted a number of near misses on a road that I’m familiar with, a terrible road that has had a number of fatal car crashes over the years and is in dire long overdue need of improvement. It’s not a safe road for cars let alone cyclists IMO.

At all times the cyclist is in the right and the vehicles that are doing stupid / dangerous things are in the wrong, but that’s a road I would never dream of cycling on, and it has a quieter smaller road running parallel to it that I often use.

Does it strike people as foolish to use a terrible road for cycling when an alternative exists?

Roads aren't bad/dangerous/terrible.

Drivers on some roads are bad/dangerous/terrible.

CramCycle · 16-01-2021 12:09pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

So your somehow assuming the role of the authorities?

I don't get how you make that leap, I am not pulling people over and fining them for dangerous driving. I am not being assertive and blocking people, I am not delaying them but over the years I have heard people use the excuse, I never expected a cyclist, even though it could have been a tractor, a cow, a pedestrian and so on. Down at my parents place there is no choice but the roads themselves are fine, its just a subset of drivers are dangerous. There are no alternative routes.

I get that your using roads you can use. I’ve been looking at videos someone has posted a number of near misses on a road that I’m familiar with, a terrible road that has had a number of fatal car crashes over the years and is in dire long overdue need of improvement. It’s not a safe road for cars let alone cyclists IMO.

Which road and why did the crashes occur? Where they mainly speed, phone use, lack of observation. Most of these can be fixed with ease via average speed cameras, more enforcement until it becomes the norm. The dangerous thing at the moment is that these behaviours are being passed on to the drivers of tomorrow as normal behaviour. It will take a few years for any measure to have a proper affect and yet we delay in bringing in cost neutral, societally beneficial measures that could be implemented almost immediately.

At all times the cyclist is in the right and the vehicles that are doing stupid / dangerous things are in the wrong, but that’s a road I would never dream of cycling on, and it has a quieter smaller road running parallel to it that I often use.

Does it strike people as foolish to use a terrible road for cycling when an alternative exists?

You really need to give the road or I can't comment.

beauf · 16-01-2021 1:06pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

....
Out of interest do people avoid these worse roads on their cycle / commute? Do people take the slightly longer route to avoid a more dangerous road?

I know you don’t have to, but surely it’s safer to do so? Where do people stand on this.

I pick the roads I prefer cycling on. On my commute Is often go the 10 min longer route. I do the same driving or walking.

beauf · 16-01-2021 1:11pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

....Does it strike people as foolish to use a terrible road for cycling when an alternative exists?

I'm not sure what your point is. I think your trying to portion blame on the cyclists for poor driver behaviour or even road and junction layout.

CramCycle · 16-01-2021 2:26pm

I'm still waiting to find out what road this is. None of my "bad" roads have alternatives that don't bring you either on a significantly longer route or on an equally "bad" road. Has anyone considered just giving these "bad" roads a good telling off?

beauf · 16-01-2021 2:49pm

Think this is against thread rules tbh...

"....Originally Posted by Beasty
Anyone else starting to discuss red light jumping or otherwise trying to change the topic into a discussion of cyclist behaviour can expect mod action

Any questions PM me..."

07Lapierre · 16-01-2021 2:51pm

Cycling along this road this morning
Car (Hyundai Tuscon) came towards me at what I estimate 60-70kph! Driver made zero attempt to slow down and zero attempt to move over to the left. He made it very clear it was up to me to get out of his way. For a split second I considered moving out to the centre of the road and force him to slow, but thought the better of it and instead “gave him the finger 🖕 instead! :mad:

https://goo.gl/maps/RJ2um26FpXogsut66

ED E · 16-01-2021 8:37pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

Cycling along this road this morning
Car (Hyundai Tuscon) came towards me at what I estimate 60-70kph! Driver made zero attempt to slow down and zero attempt to move over to the left. He made it very clear it was up to me to get out of his way. For a split second I considered moving out to the centre of the road and force him to slow, but thought the better of it and instead “gave him the finger 🖕 instead! :mad:

https://goo.gl/maps/RJ2um26FpXogsut66

Motorbikers would take his mirror with them

breezy1985 · 17-01-2021 12:39am

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bora-hansgrohe-riders-hit-by-vehicle-at-training-camp-and-taken-to-hospital/

7 Bora riders hit by a car in a training ride in Italy

Seth Brundle · 19-01-2021 1:15pm

(not me!)

DB driver urgently needs to get their out of service bus to a red light...

https://twitter.com/rohal_/status/1351461375479066626

Thargor · 19-01-2021 3:38pm

I was cycling back into our estate at 11am yesterday after a night shift, I was on the road around a big green area and there were a lot of young kids out playing on scooters and bikes. Over on the road on the other side of the green there was a little kid, basically a toddler kicking along on a small balance bike and a Dacia Duster drove up behind him at speed, braked hard about half a car length behind him and started beeping to get him out of the way. I shook my fist at them when they drove past me a second later and they did a "what?" gesture with their hands at me, I was fecking raging, If Id had something to hand to throw at him I would have :mad:

Didnt even wait for him to get up on the footpath, just accelerated past the minute there was a car-width clear, the kid could have easily fallen over under the wheels or anything.

CramCycle · 19-01-2021 4:51pm

I don't condone capital punishment but I also wouldn't rush to stop someone if they were drag the driver out of the car and give them 40 lashes.

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

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