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Incident with Dublin Bus driver

  • 25-05-2010 9:05am
    #1
    daenerysstormborn3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,213 ✭✭✭


    So this morning I cycled up the quays towards O'Connell Bridge as I do every morning on my way to work. A nice man in a Guiness lorry let me in in front of him to turn right off the quays so i signalled I was turning right and proceeded to turn onto the bridge, on the opposite side (where buses turn left onto the bridge to make their way down D'Olier Street) an idiot driving a Dublin bus turned out in front of me and nearly took me off my bike. He was literally about an inch from hitting me and nevermind if he had hit me and knocked me off my bike I would've been in under the Guiness lorry and my brains all over O'Connell bridge.

    His bus was out of service so I don't even see what his big hurry was. As I swerved around him and nearly went into the back of another bus to avoid him he just laughed and shook his head because it was oh so hilarious apparently.

    I'm not sure if this even warrants making a complaint to Dublin Bus because as far as I'm concerned they'll all just stick together and laugh at me in my innocence of thinking they might take a complaint seriously. Just wanted to warn other cyclists to watch out on that bridge.


Comments

  • #2
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,522 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    bus turning left, you turning right across his lane.

    He had right of way, you're in the wrong from sounds of things.


  • #3
    daenerysstormborn3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,213 ✭✭✭daenerysstormborn3


    No, when turning onto that bridge the lights are only green on one side of the road if you get what I mean. Like he broke a red light to pull out and turn. When the lights are green on the bridge for cars to go straight down O'Connell Street or turn right to go down the quays towards Tara Street bridge then the light goes green for the buses to turn left onto the bridge.


  • #4
    Bazzer2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 275 ✭✭Bazzer2


    Firstly, the title of your thread does not do justice to the hundreds of other bus drivers who are conscientious about their driving, and would not be typical about this sort of behaviour.

    I believe, however, that you are in the right, as buses from the contra-flow bus lane on Eden Quay have a red light when traffic from Bachelors Walk is proceeding straight, or turning onto O'Connell Street / Bridge.

    If I was you, I would make a written complaint to Dublin Bus. Most buses using that turn are based in Ringsend Garage, so if you could narrow down the time, it would be quite possible to track down the driver who had finished his duty around that time and would warrant having 'Out Of Service' displayed on the bus.


  • #5
    daenerysstormborn3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,213 ✭✭✭daenerysstormborn3


    Sorry the title should've been Dublin bus driver, not drivers. And I agree that the majority of the time (given that I cycle around the city centre so much) I very rarely, if ever, come across bus drivers who laugh at near misses like that idiot this morning.

    Thanks for making sense of what I was saying about the contra flow bus lane.

    I have put in the post (as this is the only way they accept complaints according to their website) a letter of complaint and according to citizensinformation I can expect a response within 14 working days.

    My post is a warning to other cyclists and motorists, if that driver or any other bus drivers act in that way again there could be a very serious accident on a very busy bridge which could result in a fatality or fatalities.


  • #6
    AlekSmart
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,005 ✭✭✭✭AlekSmart


    Hi Pixiebean22...As a matter of interest,were you cycling alone or were there other cyclists with you ?
    I'm not sure if this even warrants making a complaint to Dublin Bus because as far as I'm concerned they'll all just stick together and laugh at me in my innocence of thinking they might take a complaint seriously. Just wanted to warn other cyclists to watch out on that bridge.

    Of course an incident such as this warrants a complaint and the notion of sticking-together is just so-far from reality that I`ll just let it be.

    However,your warning to the general body of cyclists is indeed timely and in reality should be carried out by Dublin City Council itself as O Connell Bridge is simply Danger exemplified no matter which direction a cyclist is headed.

    Its sometimes worth retruning to the scene at a less busy time and recreating the scene you describe.

    Try standing at a point close to that Busdrivers perspective and watch a few signal changes to get a more balanced view ?

    Were you originally on the inside lane on Bachelors Walk when the "Nice Guinness" man let you change lanes in front of him ?

    It`s a moot point anyway as if the Bus can be identified then the Forward Facing CCTV footage will illustrate quite clearly the situation.

    I`ve taken the liberty of amending a teeny-bit of your other warning-to-cyclists in the light of the wider threat from ALL forms of mechanical transport and the already far too high Cyclist Death Toll in the O Connell Bridge/Quays area (Although most conflict here is with HGV`s and SUV type vehicles from observation)
    If that driver or any other bus drivers act in that way again there could be a very serious accident on a very busy bridge which could result in a fatality or fatalities.

    Please post as to the response from Dublin Bus Ok ?


    Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

    Charles Mackay (1812-1889)



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  • #7
    Victor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,489 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Thread title changed

    When cycling and making a turn at a busy junction, always

    * Command the lane (cycle in the middle). Few drivers are willing to run you over, but most will willingly side-swipe you.

    * Get good eye contact with surrounding drivers. If they acknowledge that you exist, it would prey on their minds if they side swipe you.

    * Keep as far away from trucks and buses as possible. Ensure that you can see the driver of such vehicles - if you can't see then, they can't really see you.

    * For larger junctions like O'Connell Bridge, feel free to take the turn in stages, e.g if going from Bachelor's Walk to D'Olier Street, feel free to pull in by the pedestrian crossing on the far side of the O'Connell Monument and wait for a break in traffic or for the lights to change.


  • #8
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,522 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Victor wrote: »
    Thread title changed

    When cycling and making a turn at a busy junction, always

    * Command the lane (cycle in the middle). Few drivers are willing to run you over, but most will willingly side-swipe you.

    * Keep as far away from trucks and buses as possible. Ensure that you can see the driver of such vehicles - if you can't see then, they can't really see you.

    corrected

    And you also not going to be constantly looking behind you at drivers, if a truck or bus is infront of you you won't be able to see the driver either. Its dangerous to go out of your way to ensure you can see these people either way.


  • #9
    Jip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,418 ✭✭✭Jip


    Take a look in the cycling forum, there's been many similar issues concerning some DB drivers and their dangerous lack of respect for cyclists.


  • #10
    paddyland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 932 ✭✭✭paddyland


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    Bad advice, if turning right you should not be in the cycle lane at all (assuming its on the left of the road) but at least in the middle of the road lane, and probably across in the right hand lanes usually.
    Read the post properly before making a stupid retort. Victor suggests cycling in the centre of the traffic lane. He never mentioned a cycle lane.
    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    And you also not going to be constantly looking behind you at drivers, if a truck or bus is infront of you you won't be able to see the driver either. Its dangerous to go out of your way to ensure you can see these people either way.
    Again, use your head. If you are behind a truck or bus, try to keep within the visibility of their rear view mirrors. If you are in front of them, it is reasonable to assume they can see you, if you are commanding your road space properly. You don't need to keep looking back. Victor never suggested that. Why are you denigrating other people's valid posts?


  • #11
    paddyland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 932 ✭✭✭paddyland


    Jip wrote: »
    Take a look in the cycling forum, there's been many similar issues concerning some DB drivers and their dangerous lack of respect for cyclists.
    No thanks, I have years of experience of watching cyclists in action. I respect a good cyclist when I see one, but by a long country mile they are the most aggressive and disrespectful road users. Bus drivers shouldn't take out their frustration on what is a very vulnerable road user, but all I ever see is cyclists taking grossly dangerous risks around everyone else, large or small vehicles, and aggressively forcing their way through no matter what the situation. They give way to NO-ONE. So I wouldn't be paying much attention to anything I might read in the cycling forum. Their own actions generally speak louder than anything else.


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  • #12
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,522 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    paddyland wrote: »
    Read the post properly before making a stupid retort. Victor suggests cycling in the centre of the traffic lane. He never mentioned a cycle lane.

    fixed, chill out
    paddyland wrote: »
    Again, use your head. If you are behind a truck or bus, try to keep within the visibility of their rear view mirrors.

    so you need to constantly watch their mirrors to make sure you can see them and they can see you, don't be stupid, watch the road


  • #13
    reggaeman
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭reggaeman


    pixiebean22 wrote: »
    So this morning I cycled up the quays towards O'Connell Bridge as I do every morning on my way to work. A nice man in a Guiness lorry let me in in front of him to turn right off the quays so i signalled I was turning right and proceeded to turn onto the bridge, on the opposite side (where buses turn left onto the bridge to make their way down D'Olier Street) an idiot driving a Dublin bus turned out in front of me and nearly took me off my bike. He was literally about an inch from hitting me and nevermind if he had hit me and knocked me off my bike I would've been in under the Guiness lorry and my brains all over O'Connell bridge.

    His bus was out of service so I don't even see what his big hurry was. As I swerved around him and nearly went into the back of another bus to avoid him he just laughed and shook his head because it was oh so hilarious apparently.

    I'm not sure if this even warrants making a complaint to Dublin Bus because as far as I'm concerned they'll all just stick together and laugh at me in my innocence of thinking they might take a complaint seriously. Just wanted to warn other cyclists to watch out on that bridge.
    Its the same all over' their are good and bad Bus/Truck/car drivers' the same with cyclists' But cyclists do tend to be more at fault. They are allways weaving in and out of traffic,and show no respect for traffic lights.Its a dangerous place out there so take care and watch were your going.


  • #14
    DWCommuter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,032 ✭✭✭DWCommuter


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    fixed, chill out



    so you need to constantly watch their mirrors to make sure you can see them and they can see you, don't be stupid, watch the road

    Thats a very stupid statement cookie. Rear view mirrors on large vehicles are very important to cyclists and indeed other drivers. Due to the width of the vehicles if cyclists behind cannot see the mirrors, then the driver cannot see the cyclist. Positioning oneself in view of mirrors on a large vehicle is a very important aspect of road safety. Im sure other bus or HGV drivers here will confirm that.


  • #15
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,522 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    DWCommuter wrote: »
    Thats a very stupid statement cookie. Rear view mirrors on large vehicles are very important to cyclists and indeed other drivers. Due to the width of the vehicles if cyclists behind cannot see the mirrors, then the driver cannot see the cyclist. Positioning oneself in view of mirrors on a large vehicle is a very important aspect of road safety. Im sure other bus or HGV drivers here will confirm that.

    you are very rarely following a bus or truck closely enough or for long enough for any of that to matter. In circumstances where you are obviously it is prudent to have a quick glance now and again but not constantly.


  • #16
    Andrew33
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Andrew33


    pixiebean22 wrote: »
    His bus was out of service so I don't even see what his big hurry was.

    :D:D:D:D Did you not know that Dublin Bus vehicles are fitted with a secret warp drive which can only be operated when the bus is "OUT OF SERVICE"?
    Dublin Bus drivers drive like fcukin loonies (almost without exception) when their shift is finished and they're on the way back to the depot. Just keep an eye on "out of service" buses in future and you'll see what I mean.


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