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

magicbastarder

Tombo2001 wrote: »

But what gets me is the widespread discussion around cyclists with no lights.

I really dont see them.

QED!

boom boom.

Ferris

r.e. cyclists with no lights, I see them all the time on my commute. Everything from no lights, very faint ones, red lights facing forward, the lot. Worryingly a lot of them are school kids. Can’t understand that, I wouldn’t let my kids near a bike without proper lights.

Agree that it doesn’t contribute much to accidents but it’s a PR nightmare for cycling. Another stick for the media to beat us with.

CramCycle

I see it all the time as well, percentage numbers are higher around universities and colleges but, and not deflecting, overall it is no worse than any other mode of transport. The number of cars over the last few weeks, 630am, still pitch black and no lights, no rear lights, occasionally ****ty DRLs that seem weaker than parking lights.

The fact that it is used as a rod to beat cyclists with is stupid, the only good thing is that it highlights to the truly ignorant they should have lights, or it would if the RSA and gardai were not handing out hi vis, giving the belief to those not in the know that hi VI's is sufficient.

homer911

I put the lights on my bike this evening and then forgot to turn them on - had gone about 2Km before I noticed!

Type 17

Ferris wrote: »

... it’s a PR nightmare for cycling. Another stick for the media to beat us with.

homer911 wrote: »

I put the lights on my bike this evening and then forgot to turn them on - had gone about 2Km before I noticed!

Let's hope no one saw you... oh, wait...:pac:

average_runner

CramCycle wrote: »

I see it all the time as well, percentage numbers are higher around universities and colleges but, and not deflecting, overall it is no worse than any other mode of transport. The number of cars over the last few weeks, 630am, still pitch black and no lights, no rear lights, occasionally ****ty DRLs that seem weaker than parking lights.

The fact that it is used as a rod to beat cyclists with is stupid, the only good thing is that it highlights to the truly ignorant they should have lights, or it would if the RSA and gardai were not handing out hi vis, giving the belief to those not in the know that hi VI's is sufficient.

But at least cars that are 6 years old or less, the lights come on automatically, so that was a step in the right direction.

07Lapierre

average_runner wrote: »

But at least cars that are 6 years old or less, the lights come on automatically, so that was a step in the right direction.

Are you talking about Daytime Running Lights?
Most cars only have front DRL's. Also the Auto lights feature that switched on both front and rear lights can be switched off by the driver.

mr spuckler

average_runner wrote: »

But at least cars that are 6 years old or less, the lights come on automatically, so that was a step in the right direction.

unfortunately this seems to make drivers forget about switching on the lights. I see a lot of cars now at night-time with just DLRs on.

07Lapierre

mr spuckler wrote: »

unfortunately this seems to make drivers forget about switching on the lights. I see a lot of cars now at night-time with just DLRs on.

One of the annoying features of my car is that the dash lights up with the DRL's. There's no "Lights on" light on the dash. Although I do have my lights set to Auto.

average_runner

07Lapierre wrote: »

Are you talking about Daytime Running Lights?
Most cars only have front DRL's. Also the Auto lights feature that switched on both front and rear lights can be switched off by the driver.

Well if the driver switches them off, that's down to user stupidity, same as forgetting to turn lights on when on your bike!!

07Lapierre

Agree! lots of stupid people out there...walking, cycling and driving.

GreeBo

average_runner wrote: »

Well if the driver switches them off, that's down to user stupidity, same as forgetting to turn lights on when on your bike!!

Typically they switch them off to enable fog lights....unfortunately.

Felexicon

GreeBo wrote: »

Typically they switch them off to enable fog lights....unfortunately.

Really? That seems a bit of a stretch since we have the need for fog lights about 3 days a year in Ireland.

average_runner

GreeBo wrote: »

Typically they switch them off to enable fog lights....unfortunately.

Never had to that on any of my cars!

Chips Lovell

Daylight running lights are the high-viz vests of the motoring world.

Unnecessary in daylight and inadequate at night time.

shootermacg

Quite a few cyclists getting killed during daylight hours.

mr spuckler

shootermacg wrote: »

Quite a few cyclists getting killed during daylight hours.

and more often than not they've been wearing hi-viz.

07Lapierre

shootermacg wrote: »

Quite a few cyclists getting killed during daylight hours.

Which would suggest that visibility is not the issue. My guess is distracted drivers and speed are more likely (Most cyclist are hit from behind). Inexperience on the part of cyclists (e.g. squeezing up the left side of a HGV) could also play a part.

CramCycle

average_runner wrote: »

But at least cars that are 6 years old or less, the lights come on automatically, so that was a step in the right direction.

Except the rear lights and for several manufacturers, lights which appear to be dimmer than parking lights.

Coming through Bray this morning, in the bus lane when a car decides to swing out from the traffic lane (person in front had slowed, presumably to turn right). I slammed on the brakes and stopped just in time and off he drove. One of those skilled, I will indicate after I have started the maneuvre drivers. As we go through Bray I am thinking about it, he really could not have seen me as there is no way he would have thought it was a good move, which means he didn't look as I could see him in his rear view mirror.

I decide as traffic stops just to stop and say it to him, not expecting much, but what I got was even less than expected. He turned to me and said, "yeah, I seen you. Do you have brakes on that thing?" I replied I did, I even told him they both worked. He sort of mumbled an apology but I know he didn't understand what he had done wrong and that any escalation wasn't worth it. I am not great at reading people but this was the guy in the pub who if he bumped into you, he wouldn't say sorry and if your said it, he would probably punch you or accuse you of bumping into him. Not worth it.

Shortly after this I had a driver undertake me on a roundabout, for nothing really. I was behind them for 5 minutes until they got stuck in Shankhill and I doubt they caught up with me after that.

Danbo!

CramCycle wrote: »

He turned to me and said, "yeah, I seen you. Do you have brakes on that thing?" I replied I did, I even told him they both worked.

Sounds like one of those entitled pr*cks who feels like he's more deserving of the road, given he's paid his road tax.

I've had a couple of close passes in the last two weeks where I said it to the drivers stopped in traffic and been met with an apology and an "I didnt see you" :rolleyes: - but with someone like your man above there's no point going any further with it once he says something like that

CramCycle

Danbo! wrote: »

Sounds like one of those entitled pr*cks who feels like he's more deserving of the road, given he's paid his road tax.

I've had a couple of close passes in the last two weeks where I said it to the drivers stopped in traffic and been met with an apology and an "I didnt see you" :rolleyes: - but with someone like your man above there's no point going any further with it once he says something like that

As I continued on, I regrettably thought of many answers to his question which made more sense, one was asking him, how do you think I stopped when you pulled out in front of me?

You are right though, at that point, the conversation was over, so nothing left to do but move on.

queldy

I wonder if there is some virus in the air, in the last few days I had quite a few close passes of people "not seeing me". I am lighted up properly, and highvis as well. Some of them just do not see me, some think they have enough time to do what they are doing, some just do not care... let's be honest.
This morning during commute I had two of the typical:
1) approaching cross, cars stop in the right lane, waiting for turning right (they have to wait for cars traveling in the opposite direction), the smart man in the SUV with his phone on his lap and his colleague arguing like they are in the Wall Street stock exchange room pulls left with no indicator and without caring much I was there ("if there is not a car on my left me, why would there be a bike?")
2) straight road, continuos line, no much traffic, the car in front of me decides to make a u turn - sure why not. I was 10 meters from him, he pulled the indicator and made the u-turn. I wonder why such maneuver are forbidden.

But ehi, here I have a funny one: I finally decided to use my camera once. I do not really want to edit all the video, but here there is a part of what happened a few days ago in Shankhill. So I was very prepared for it, it ALWAYS happens; I was also quite aware of the motor roaring on my back, and I felt the impatience of the lady in the car (something not really visible from the video), like trying to decide "shall I pass now or shall I wait? shall I...?"

link1

link2


So, as I said, I was aware - so it is not a real misses, just would like to point out this dangerous situation. And what happened later is: I talked to her and asked "why do you do this? why cannot you wait 3 seconds and give me some space?"
So the answer was: "excuse me, I cycled myself too, I thought I gave you enough space"

Really??? :eek::eek::eek::eek:

I asked her "would this space be enough for you?" and I continued my training.

PS do you think, by any chance, she runned the light red at the beginning of the video?

Stay safe!

Steoller

She definitely ran the red, and if she thinks that's enough space to give, she's having a laugh.

queldy

queldy wrote: »

I wonder if there is some virus in the air, in the last few days I had quite a few close passes of people "not seeing me". I am lighted up properly, and highvis as well. Some of them just do not see me, some think they have enough time to do what they are doing, some just do not care... let's be honest.
This morning during commute I had two of the typical:
1) approaching cross, cars stop in the right lane, waiting for turning right (they have to wait for cars traveling in the opposite direction), the smart man in the SUV with his phone on his lap and his colleague arguing like they are in the Wall Street stock exchange room pulls left with no indicator and without caring much I was there ("if there is not a car on my left me, why would there be a bike?")
2) straight road, continuos line, no much traffic, the car in front of me decides to make a u turn - sure why not. I was 10 meters from him, he pulled the indicator and made the u-turn. I wonder why such maneuver are forbidden.

But ehi, here I have a funny one: I finally decided to use my camera once. I do not really want to edit all the video, but here there is a part of what happened a few days ago in Shankhill. So I was very prepared for it, it ALWAYS happens; I was also quite aware of the motor roaring on my back, and I felt the impatience of the lady in the car (something not really visible from the video), like trying to decide "shall I pass now or shall I wait? shall I...?"

link1

link2


So, as I said, I was aware - so it is not a real misses, just would like to point out this dangerous situation. And what happened later is: I talked to her and asked "why do you do this? why cannot you wait 3 seconds and give me some space?"
So the answer was: "excuse me, I cycled myself too, I thought I gave you enough space"

Really??? :eek::eek::eek::eek:

I asked her "would this space be enough for you?" and I continued my training.

PS do you think, by any chance, she runned the light red at the beginning of the video?

Stay safe!

I hate that bit of road. Near enough every time i go over that roundabout heading south, someone tries to overtake me coming off it and it is a real pinch point.

Lambay island

CramCycle wrote: »

As I continued on, I regrettably thought of many answers to his question which made more sense, one was asking him, how do you think I stopped when you pulled out in front of me?

You are right though, at that point, the conversation was over, so nothing left to do but move on.

I'm forever coming up with witty and clever replies about 2 minutes too late. What generally comes out of me at the time is just gibberish:rolleyes:

GreeBo

Felexicon wrote: »

Really? That seems a bit of a stretch since we have the need for fog lights about 3 days a year in Ireland.

You never see cars with their fog lights on weeks after we had any fog?

CramCycle

GreeBo wrote: »

You never see cars with their fog lights on weeks after we had any fog?

I only see fog lights on when we don't have fog, never when we do

andy69

Lambay island wrote: »

I'm forever coming up with witty and clever replies about 2 minutes too late. What generally comes out of me at the time is just gibberish:rolleyes:

ha! think we're all a bt like this! (courtesy of a boards.ie thread recently)....

magicbastarder

CramCycle wrote: »

I only see fog lights on when we don't have fog, never when we do

the fog is clearly to blame.

Weepsie

Are people confusing full beam headlights (entirely unnecessary in urban areas) with fog lights? I ask as I don't recall seeing them being used all that often