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

average_runner

CramCycle wrote: »

This is why I could never be a Garda. Lets say I was going to something else, so I ignore the people in front. The person behind me though, that is a lack of respect for the position they should hold in society. I would hop out of the car, car reg, license details, fine in the post.

Bet you think twice when you see the paper work that involves!!!

If only we lived in the modern era

mr spuckler

average_runner wrote: »

Bet you think twice when you see the paper work that involves!!!

If only we lived in the modern era

yeah tbf I gave a statement recently related to a collision I posted here before Christmas. full 2 page hand-written statement, very specific detail around the chain of evidence etc, for what for them must be a relatively minor incident. I can only imagine the paperwork involved when things get more complicated / serious.

CramCycle

average_runner wrote: »

Bet you think twice when you see the paper work that involves!!!

If only we lived in the modern era

I 100% agree. The AMA with a garda here was a good insight into why so many just give up on the small things unless there is a promo week and they are forced by their super.

In most other modern countries, it is all automated, the Garda just punches in the license plate, driver details, contact address and hands them a ticket. Pay in 28 days or go to court, court is a far larger fine. Sin e.

Over here, it is like a college essay with so many get out clauses for the accused that I completely understand their frustration.

RacoonQueen

I've a short (25k) lap up into Enniskerry and Kiltiernan I do when I'm short on time / can't face another turbo / just wanna get out and spin the legs. Nearly every time I do this route...I will have about 5 'near misses' (sometimes many more). One of the most common ones, is a motorist overtaking a cyclist on other side of the road, literally right into my path (usually in nearly exact same spot, solid white line and on a bend). Yesterday's one gave me a bit of a shake.
Not making a sweeping generalisation here, but they are usually fancy expensive cars

This one route really makes me want to invest in a helmet cam.

Arcade_Tryer

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I've a short (25k) lap up into Enniskerry and Kiltiernan I do when I'm short on time / can't face another turbo / just wanna get out and spin the legs. Nearly every time I do this route...I will have about 5 'near misses' (sometimes many more). One of the most common ones, is a motorist overtaking a cyclist on other side of the road, literally right into my path (usually in nearly exact same spot, solid white line and on a bend). Yesterday's one gave me a bit of a shake.
Not making a sweeping generalisation here, but they are usually fancy expensive cars

This one route really makes me want to invest in a helmet cam.

In fairness, they usually have more important places to go than other people.

RacoonQueen

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

In fairness, they usually have more important places to go than other people.

Agreed. Especially early on a Sunday morning. I mean who is going to park half on a footpath, half on a road outside the church to inconvenience literally everyone else if they don't get there NOW.
But it's those cyclists causing havoc on the roads. Damn them. :mad:

average_runner

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Agreed. Especially early on a Sunday morning. I mean who is going to park half on a footpath, half on a road outside the church to inconvenience literally everyone else if they don't get there NOW.
But it's those cyclists causing havoc on the roads. Damn them. :mad:

But they are praying for your sins in the church!! God forgive those cyclists:D

Alanstrainor

One of mine from last week. I was taking a primary position due to the blind bend, this numpty decides to go for a pass anyway. Even with my horn blaring they push on. The mind boggles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AoRAZbj4O4

(Excuse the language)

Looking back, I should have moved to the left when I realised he was going for it. But honestly I was expecting him to slow and return behind. There was a large manhole to avoid and I couldn't quite believe it, but better to be safe than smushed on the road I suppose.

Hard to call who he was closest to there, you or the on coming car.

axer

Deleted User wrote: »

Hard to call who he was closest to there, you or the on coming car.

Either way the cyclist is ****ed when cars and parts go flying every direction.

Steoller

That's a horrific manoeuvre, altogether.

Effects

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Even with my horn blaring they push on. The mind boggles.

What does it sound like to the driver? Sounds like a kids toy from the video!

Duckjob

Alanstrainor wrote: »

One of mine from last week. I was taking a primary position due to the blind bend, this numpty decides to go for a pass anyway. Even with my horn blaring they push on. The mind boggles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AoRAZbj4O4

(Excuse the language)

Looking back, I should have moved to the left when I realised he was going for it. But honestly I was expecting him to slow and return behind. There was a large manhole to avoid and I couldn't quite believe it, but better to be safe than smushed on the road I suppose.

I find it both scary and depressing and many drivers now seem incapable of following rule 101 of safe driving which says to react in good time to hazards or in laymans terms - slow the f down when you see the road ahead has obstacles.

This, coupled with the common driver comment that goes something like:

"I'm wrote:

Bloody cyclists, came around the bend and had to lock my wheels because one was in the middle of the road

These type of comments bend my brain trying to understand not only the lack of driving competence being wilfully announced, but also the lack of awareness of their lack of competance. It gives me chills to think that we share the road with people like this.

Pinch Flat

Must-get-past

RowanHarley

I had a close call actually the other day. Was cycling down a main road that wouldn't usually be a problem when this person pulled out to pass me out then went to turn left about 20m up. Had to slam on the brakes while swerving out to avoid the back of the car, sluggishly driving in the driveway

ED E

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Must-get-past

MGIF - Must get in front

https://twitter.com/CorkCyclist/status/957775072063836161

https://twitter.com/tampopo2236/status/918252865692385280

https://twitter.com/SafeCyclingEire/status/792259423481786368

selwyn froggitt

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I've a short (25k) lap up into Enniskerry and Kiltiernan I do when I'm short on time / can't face another turbo / just wanna get out and spin the legs. Nearly every time I do this route...I will have about 5 'near misses' (sometimes many more). One of the most common ones, is a motorist overtaking a cyclist on other side of the road, literally right into my path (usually in nearly exact same spot, solid white line and on a bend). Yesterday's one gave me a bit of a shake.
Not making a sweeping generalisation here, but they are usually fancy expensive cars

This one route really makes me want to invest in a helmet cam.

If every time I did this particular 25km route and was subjected to at least 5 'near misses' (or more),I wouldn't be long making my mind up to not do it in future and pick an alternative.

queldy

selwyn froggitt wrote: »

If every time I did this particular 25km route and was subjected to at least 5 'near misses' (or more),I wouldn't be long making my mind up to not do it in future and pick an alternative.

I don't know which loop it is, but it is not easy to find an alternative sometimes.
In my experience, I have definitely more than 5 near misses (in average let's say, and of course it depends on what we consider a near miss...; let's say, a very dangerous manouvre, e.g. overtaking at speed, turning right after overtaking, a door opening at the last moment, a bus/truck not giving enough space, and so on - certainly is not a "close-death" experience every time, but I would say "a miss"). If you are out there for 1.5/2 hours, no matter the place you choose, you will also experience this.
And there is always a trade-off: city center means busy traffic, pedestrians, lights, doors opening, etc. SO you choose isolated roads to avoid these problems, but then you get rally pilots, potholes, tractors, etc.
Every 2 hours training, no matter the timing, the place; you will have different types of danger, definitely always (way more than) enough near misses... sad to say.

PS The only time I felt close to safe it was a few months ago during the "hurricane", every one at home, empty city. Post-apocalyptic dream of a sad cyclist

selwyn froggitt

queldy wrote: »

I don't know which loop it is, but it is not easy to find an alternative sometimes.
In my experience, I have definitely more than 5 near misses (in average let's say, and of course it depends on what we consider a near miss...; let's say, a very dangerous manouvre, e.g. overtaking at speed, turning right after overtaking, a door opening at the last moment, a bus/truck not giving enough space, and so on - certainly is not a "close-death" experience every time, but I would say "a miss"). If you are out there for 1.5/2 hours, no matter the place you choose, you will also experience this.
And there is always a trade-off: city center means busy traffic, pedestrians, lights, doors opening, etc. SO you choose isolated roads to avoid these problems, but then you get rally pilots, potholes, tractors, etc.
Every 2 hours training, no matter the timing, the place; you will have different types of danger, definitely always (way more than) enough near misses... sad to say.

PS The only time I felt close to safe it was a few months ago during the "hurricane", every one at home, empty city. Post-apocalyptic dream of a sad cyclist

I hear you Queldy.

I must admit that I have really changed the way that I cycle over the last few years.
As someone who averages about a thousand kilometers per month I am becoming more and more wary of travelling on main roads, sometimes it’s unavoidable, but here is a good example of what I mean.

I live in the Cork City suburbs, and in the Spring/Summer/Autumn I do a fairly long commute to East Cork twice or (sometimes three times a week), it’s exactly 43 km’s one way if you take the most direct route, over the years I have had some awful experiences on that journey to and from work. These dangerous passes/incidents nearly always took place on the same sections of road or junctions though.

It made me think about looking at alternatives, I now take every ****ty boreen, back road, shared walking/cycling paths available. This adds about another 10 km’s to the journey, I have to leave earlier and get home later, but the experience is a million times better.

I know it’s not the same for everyone, and I really admire all city and town commuters and for all the ****e they have to put up with on a daily basis.

This country is absolutely riddled with back roads, and extremely quiet ones at that, I cycle with a small group on a weekend, and I swear that with a little bit of forward route planning there is a different world out there to be discovered.
I would sacrifice smooth tarmac for a safer cycle all day long.

RacoonQueen

selwyn froggitt wrote: »

If every time I did this particular 25km route and was subjected to at least 5 'near misses' (or more),I wouldn't be long making my mind up to not do it in future and pick an alternative.

As said, not really many alternatives. Also, don't hear of any accidents around there they're just near misses. Close passes, people passing too fast, not seeing me (or not caring) and coming out of side roads etc when I'm too close to them, someone coming off the path at the shops at lambs cross two weeks ago to join the road when I was right behind where he came off the path, not using mirrors and turning left on top of me, must get aheads etc typical to anywhere...I find this route particularly bad but perhaps thats because it is so short its more noticable...and roads are probably narrower out there than many other routes.

I'm not going to be scared off the road by di*kheads driving too fast. Plenty of cyclists around the same area no matter what day or time I go out that way...so don't think it poses a major risk but I earmark this as a bad route for crappy driving.

Annie get your Run

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I'm not going to be scared off the road by di*kheads driving too fast. Plenty of cyclists around the same area no matter what day or time I go out that way...so don't think it poses a major risk but I earmark this as a bad route for crappy driving.

I sometimes adjust my commute route to eliminate one of the more 'dangerous' roads when conditions are bad but but I hate doing that, I feel like I've 'let them win' - it feels like that's what those drivers want, they want us off THEIR road and if we all concede, well.... I do understand that safety comes first and I don't blame people for taking the safer route but on the other hand there is safety in numbers!

07Lapierre

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I sometimes adjust my commute route to eliminate one of the more 'dangerous' roads when conditions are bad but but I hate doing that, I feel like I've 'let them win' - it feels like that's what those drivers want, they want us off THEIR road and if we all concede, well.... I do understand that safety comes first and I don't blame people for taking the safer route but on the other hand there is safety in numbers!

I used to cycle along the n32(R139). But I stopped because i was always the only cyclist on that road in the mornings. I had too many close passes on it (at 80-100kph!) so self preservation kicked in and I now take a different route.

magicbastarder

07Lapierre wrote: »

I used to cycle along the n32(R139).

i drove along this road about an hour ago - don't remember being on that road at night before. there was a chap on a bike cycling along the road, and i really would not want to have been him. it's got a posted speed limit of 60, and i would hazard a guess that the average speed on the road is 75km/h or thereabouts.

07Lapierre

magicbastarder wrote: »

i drove along this road about an hour ago - don't remember being on that road at night before. there was a chap on a bike cycling along the road, and i really would not want to have been him. it's got a posted speed limit of 60, and i would hazard a guess that the average speed on the road is 75km/h or thereabouts.

Yep the average speed on that road is more like 80kph. when I did cycle along it, I cycled in the middle of the left lane. Cars didn't like it as they see it a " bloody cyclist cycling in the middle of the road!" ... but I'm still alive!

magicbastarder

there's a fair bit of wasted space on that road - a painted hatched median which could be narrowed if they put a barrier in, might give a bit more space for a cycle lane.

Alanstrainor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJaKymRo-xA

amcalester

Did he run the red as well for good measure?

robyntmorton

amcalester wrote: »

Did he run the red as well for good measure?

I was thinking myself that he did, but it was a yellow, into a blocked junction (traffic waiting to turn right in front) and only gets to turn a bit after red.

Still totally unprofessional driving, and needs reporting.

Alanstrainor

amcalester wrote: »

Did he run the red as well for good measure?

Yep. It was well red by the time he even reached the top of the junction.

JazzyJ

Completely broke it. Pure punishment pass.