Near misses - mod warning 22/04 - see OP/post 822

Jawgap

Fian wrote: »

Sorry responding long after the fact but just noticed your response.

Tbh there is zero reality to suggesting someone who is bringing their wife in labour into the hospital should wait for a garda escort or would give a toss about whether driving in the bus lane is a breach of the ROTR. The idea is absurd. So thanks for the advice but "next time" I would do exactly the same thing again. Though I have four kids so "next time" is just not going to arise.

As it happens I met a Garda just approaching the junction in Donnybrook. He flagged me down, came to the window. I told him my wife was in labour. He immediately offered to arrange an escort for me (he was on foot) but I told him no, I will just keep going. He said grand but he would call ahead to see if anyone could link up with me, none did as it happens.

Equally there is absolutely zero chance that a prosecution would give rise to a conviction if someone were prosecuted for driving in the bus lane to bring a woman in labour to a maternity hospital. There is a general criminal defense of "necessity" which would be invoked, or more likely the judge would strike the matter out without any defense being entered and tell the Garda who brought such a prosecution to cop himself on.

I guess you probably won't see this response so long after the fact but I wanted to post it anyway.

"Necessity" wouldn't apply......the circumstances don't even come close to fulfilling the test.

Plus if you entered a defence of necessity, you're conceding you committed the offence charged with.

But you're right no Guard would prosecute someone for using a bus lane to get someone into medical care - I doubt it would make it past their skipper, never mind the courts or the judge.

It would be a different kettle of fish if you hit and injured someone.

howzy2016

Couple of days ago, cycling south through Ranelagh, at the Brown Sugar salon. I was moving off at the lights, heading straight rather than turning right so I took my position on the left side of the right lane. A young woman undertook me leaving 3-5cm between us, while I was signalling and moving towards the cycle lane. She was so close I could read her phone via her wing mirror. I was left pretty shook! She sped off! I couldn't believe either the impatience or stupidity.

Wishbone Ash

I'm puzzled - a Mathew's Coaches driver was very courteous to me on 3 separate occasions over a short length in Drumcondra this evening. He must be new! :pac:

I love Sean nos

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'm puzzled - a Mathew's Coaches driver was very courteous to me on 3 separate occasions over a short length in Drumcondra this evening. He must be new! :pac:

They'll train that out of him.

Pinch Flat

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'm puzzled - a Mathew's Coaches driver was very courteous to me on 3 separate occasions over a short length in Drumcondra this evening. He must be new! :pac:

Yep. Definitely a green horn. You can spot em a mile away. In no time he'll be passing close, cutting in front and generally acting the goat.

Depp

mrcheez wrote: »

Text-walker epidemic.

It'll be even more fun when augmented reality glasses become mainstream:

"Is that bike really coming for me, or is this part of the game I'm playing??"

My brother had an accident recently where a girl walked out in front of him head buried in the phone headphones in, as it transpired she was watching something on netflix, it boggles the mind the way some people go on lately!

AndrewJRenko

Chuchote wrote: »

Private coaches are terrifying. The drivers seem as a group to have no concept of how dangerous their vehicle is.

I love Sean nos wrote: »

They'll train that out of him.

You could genuinely be on to something there. I suspect that a lot of the private bus companies have their drivers under such pressure to keep to the schedule and make times that they are prepared to cut corners with other road users.

Rogue-Trooper

Rogue-Trooper wrote: »

Blue Fiesta actually 'nudged' me out of the way at speed this morning on North Strand (just at the top of the hill over the canal). Frightened the sh1te out of me. Was almost in the middle of the bus lane so had room to swerve left. I wouldn't mind but there was a bus in front of us so 5 seconds later he was stuck behind it when it pulled in.

Nice footage from both front and rear facing cameras which includes him driving the length of the bus lane on North Strand at 07.30. This is deffo one for Traffic Watch.

I'll include popcorn with the footage when I pass it to AGS................

I had posted this elsewhere but probably more relevant to update in this thread.

Gardai dropped in to me last night and, having reviewed the footage, are looking for a prosecution in this case. They are opening a file on it and will be back to me shortly to get a statement. Will update again with progress.

The Garda looking after it is actually on the Garda bikes a bit so was very understanding.

punisher5112

Rogue-Trooper wrote: »

I had posted this elsewhere but probably more relevant to update in this thread.

Gardai dropped in to me last night and, having reviewed the footage, are looking for a prosecution in this case. They are opening a file on it and will be back to me shortly to get a statement. Will update again with progress.

The Garda looking after it is actually on the Garda bikes a bit so was very understanding.

Its something I found with traffic watch they take it very serious which of course is good and I have found reporting in the station in whatever area issue happened to be sort of 50/50 where some haven't a notion of helping or investigating and others have been absolutely great.

Everyone including pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, tricycles, even the new craze of battery hoover boards and the single wheel battery operated units and motor vehicle users all have to watch out for each other.

Liam28

I love Sean nos wrote: »

Going 270 around a roundabout, I'd take as much of the road as possible.

I agree. Stay in left lane, take the whole lane, signal right at exits 1 and 2, then signal left at exit 3. Cars will still cut you off at 1st and 2nd exits, but definitely safer staying in left lane than having to change lane twice.

ROTR says:
"cyclists and horse riders who may stay in the left-hand lane and signal
right if they intend to continue round the roundabout"

I love Sean nos

Liam28 wrote: »

I agree. Stay in left lane, take the whole lane, signal right at exits 1 and 2, then signal left at exit 3. Cars will still cut you off at 1st and 2nd exits, but definitely safer staying in left lane than having to change lane twice.

ROTR says:
"cyclists and horse riders who may stay in the left-hand lane and signal
right if they intend to continue round the roundabout"

I disagree. That approach is going to encourage some daftie to try an unwise overtake at the first or second exit. I'd be in the right lane if one exists, signalling clearly that I'm going right, then left as I pass exit 2, all the while looking over both shoulders for good measure.

CramCycle

Liam28 wrote: »

I agree. Stay in left lane, take the whole lane, signal right at exits 1 and 2, then signal left at exit 3. Cars will still cut you off at 1st and 2nd exits, but definitely safer staying in left lane than having to change lane twice.

Same as Sean Nos, treat like you were in a car, as anyone going for the third exit will ignore you thinking you are going to the 1st or 2nd and may cut you down.

Kaisr Sose

CramCycle wrote: »

Same as Sean Nos, treat like you were in a car, as anyone going for the third exit will ignore you thinking you are going to the 1st or 2nd and may cut you down.

You can't signal or look about you too many times on a roundabout. It's actually essential to do so. If half the cars also signalled intention on them it would also be very helpful to all road users.

ED E

Good man Rogue-Trooper keeping us updated. Any news back from Alan?

papu

Just past a poor girl who has been knocked down on North Circular Road , doesn't look to be serious , she was receiving some medical attention on her leg but was sitting up and fully conscious.

not 50m from the incident was another cyclist and myself pressured by an impatient taxi driver, passed me quite close and drove aggressively and near to the cyclist infront straddling both lanes


WTF like..

Wishbone Ash

punisher5112 wrote: »

... and I have found reporting in the station in whatever area issue happened to be sort of 50/50 where some haven't a notion of helping or investigating......

"What are you doing out cycling at night anyway?" was the response I got from the desk duty Garda a few years ago when reporting a driver who's car had actually made contact when passing me in Dundrum. I found her response amusing in a perverse sort of way - the sort of thing my mother would say.

punisher5112

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

"What are you doing out cycling at night anyway?" was the response I got from the desk duty Garda a few years ago when reporting a driver who's car had actually made contact when passing me in Dundrum. I found her response amusing in a perverse sort of way - the sort of thing my mother would say.

Close the front door on way out there will ya.....

Good one at least it wasn't you know I could end up having to do you as I got before even though I had actually done nothing wrong.

RacoonQueen

papu wrote: »

Just past a poor girl who has been knocked down on North Circular Road , doesn't look to be serious , she was receiving some medical attention on her leg but was sitting up and fully conscious.

Glad to hear she was ok..NCR is a manic place for a cyclist especially as you get up past st peters church where the road begins to narrow. Got taken down there myself about 4 years ago when working in the Mater. The chap was getting impatient in the morning traffic on his way to a game of golf (I kid you not) - he was very nice in fairness and rang the house later that evening to check on me but what he did was so ridiculously stupidly dangerous.

I got a nice close pass as I came back into Jobstown from Blessington yesterday morning. You wouldn't mind but I was hitting about 45k coming down. Met the car again at the lights at Jobstown House...they started to crawl forward ahead of the stop line when I reached the red light...then sat there as I cycled through when the light went green. Glad for them that they made zero progress following me blocking their way on the road. :rolleyes:

LpPepper

Had a close one at the roundabout between Rathcoole village and Saggart village (the one beside N7 and Avoca). Was coming down the hill fairly swiftly, shoulder check and indicated right to head up towards Saggart - halfway around and a blind Fiesta driver coming from the N7 keeps coming! Tried making eye contact as he approached the roundabout but he was looking right through me.

Back wheel locked up trying to stop in time - not even a sorry or apology of any kind. That annoyed me even more.

Chuchote

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

"What are you doing out cycling at night anyway?" was the response I got from the desk duty Garda a few years ago when reporting a driver who's car had actually made contact when passing me in Dundrum. I found her response amusing in a perverse sort of way - the sort of thing my mother would say.

I got the same in Kevin Street many years back - the 1980s - when I was mugged and my lovely Viking stolen, as well as a beloved bag, one of the original big Cheneau shoulder bags in soft, mushy chestnut-red leather. "Going home from a night shift" changed their tone; not that it made them offer me a lift home or a loan of a fiver for a taxi; no, I had to walk home through those 3am streets that they'd gallantly told me were too dangerous.

Danbo!

Liam28 wrote: »

I agree. Stay in left lane, take the whole lane, signal right at exits 1 and 2, then signal left at exit 3. Cars will still cut you off at 1st and 2nd exits, but definitely safer staying in left lane than having to change lane twice.

ROTR says:
"cyclists and horse riders who may stay in the left-hand lane and signal
right if they intend to continue round the roundabout"

Personally I'll move into the right lane if the roundabout allows it, by that I mean there are loads of factors such as roundabout size, number of exits, etc. Luckily I only meet one roundabout on my commute and I'm going straight through. Some larger roundabouts will encourage undertaking if you're on the right, etc, so it depends.

I'd see the rules of the road as an allowance to stay in the left rather than you have to be in the left.

ThisRegard

I love Sean nos wrote: »

I disagree. That approach is going to encourage some daftie to try an unwise overtake at the first or second exit. I'd be in the right lane if one exists, signalling clearly that I'm going right, then left as I pass exit 2, all the while looking over both shoulders for good measure.

Never underestimate the stupidity of people out there. I think there's a few around here familiar with the roundabouts around Ballycoolin. I joined one at 3 o'clock, holding the left of the right lane, and was exiting at 12. So when passing the 9 o'clock exit I was already moving over to take the 12 o'clock exit when a lady in a BMW tried to shoot up between me and the kerb, braking hard realising it was either brake or hit me or the kerb. She threw her arms up in exasperation at me.

Now I could maybe understand if she had joined at another exit, but she joined the roundabout behind me so would have seen my signalling both to turn right and then to exit left. I think she had tried to go around the outside of me from the start not realising I had as much speed as her on the roundabout.

Chuchote wrote: »

I got the same in Kevin Street many years back - the 1980s - when I was mugged

Kevin Street was some place for muggings around the 80s/90s! There was a set of phone boxes at the cross roads and any unsuspecting student using them would often find themselves trapped in one of them by a gang of scrotes and would find themselves emptied of anything valuable before they were let go.

Chuchote

ThisRegard wrote: »

Kevin Street was some place for muggings around the 80s/90s! There was a set of phone boxes at the cross roads and any unsuspecting student using them would often find themselves trapped in one of them by a gang of scrotes and would find themselves emptied of anything valuable before they were let go.

Someone did try to mug me off my bike at that Kevin Street crossroads, after which I always cycled straight through (in those days) if the cross was clear. But this time I was going home to Rialto from the quays at 3am having left work; cycling up past Oliver Bond a bunch of kids aged about 12 to 14 wrestled me off my bike and ran off with it and my bag. May they have the luck of it.

Wishbone Ash

ThisRegard wrote: »

.... I think there's a few around here familiar with the roundabouts around Ballycoolin. I joined one at 3 o'clock, holding the left of the right lane, and was exiting at 12....

That's a strange way of describing it!

Apologies for being pedantic but roundabout entry is always described from the users POV - i.e. no matter where you enter, it is always at 6 O'Clock (so you were actually exiting at 3 O'Clock).

josip

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That's a strange way of describing it!

Apologies for being pedantic but roundabout entry is always described from the users POV - i.e. no matter where you enter, it is always at 6 O'Clock (so you were actually exiting at 3 O'Clock).

Or perhaps he really did enter it at 3pm and intended staying on it for the next 9 hours?
A bit of Irish velodrome training.

Danbo!

Well, had my first call to traffic watch today. Unanswered but I'll try tomorrow.

Heading up the hard shoulder of the n81 towards the spawell past cheeverstown. Had a guy in a corolla skipping all the traffic right on my rear wheel. Went for the overtake with **** all room. Caught up to him at the roundabout and he said, in a very well to do voice, "you're some f**king spanner", and drove off, clearly pissed off. The well to do part surprised me as he then stopped his car and as I passed again, he spat out his window at me, and unfortunately he had a decent aim and plenty of spit knacker. Dressed in a suit and all.

I would have generally just left it but the spitting is such disgusting scumbag behaviour, so footage being sent to the Gardai.

RacoonQueen

Danbo! wrote: »

Well, had my first call to traffic watch today. Unanswered but I'll try tomorrow.

Heading up the hard shoulder of the n81 towards the spawell past cheeverstown. Had a guy in a corolla skipping all the traffic right on my rear wheel. Went for the overtake with **** all room. Caught up to him at the roundabout and he said, in a very well to do voice, "you're some f**king spanner", and drove off, clearly pissed off. The well to do part surprised me as he then stopped his car and as I passed again, he spat out his window at me, and unfortunately he had a decent aim and plenty of spit knacker. Dressed in a suit and all.

I would have generally just left it but the spitting is such disgusting schmumbag behaviour, so footage being sent to the Gardai.

So he was driving in the hard shoulder and you were the spanner? Right... :rolleyes: Driving license applications should come with an IQ test.

Danbo!

RacoonQueen wrote: »

So he was driving in the hard shoulder and you were the spanner? Right... :rolleyes: Driving license applications should come with an IQ test.

To be honest, it happens almost every day and while it's cheeky, most people do pass safely or wait behind. It's a bit of a slog uphill near the end of my commute so I'm not exactly hitting 45km/h...but this guy had to go and spit at me.

AndrewJRenko

Danbo! wrote: »

I would have generally just left it but the spitting is such disgusting scumbag behaviour, so footage being sent to the Gardai.

Great to have it on camera - you'd love to see his face when he makes up some fairy story for the Garda, and the Garda then informs him that you recorded the lot on camera.

I love Sean nos

Danbo! wrote: »

"you're some f**king spanner"

It's your own fault for not saying it to him first.