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

CramCycle

I in no way condone slaps, but when I hear the phrase, I don't care, I understand the want to give them.

His poor kids, they haven't a hope.

John_Rambo

It's interesting driving your cycle route. I've been doing so over the last two weeks as I'm bringing gear in and out of work that's impossible to cycle with.

As a motorist, there's absolutely no excuse for some of the behavior and close passes that happen on the route and confirms that most of the carry on is not due to carelessness, but down to driver frustration, impatience and malice.

The best one was yesterday. A road biker with Blanch Wheelies shorts was ahead of me on the James Larkin road (coast road, Clontarf). He wasn't using the segregated cycle lane for one obvious reason - speed. He was thumping along at 40+kph (50kph speed limit) I hung back about 10 metres away from him and trundled along home. There was a fella in a Ford behind me ITCHING to get around me and the cyclist. Flashing his lights, driving on my shoulder, gesticulating, mouthing off... I'm 100% certain if there wasn't a cyclist in front of me he would have been fine with my speed.

(I don't know how that cyclist could maintain that speed for that long. He eventually joined the cycle lane in Raheny and disappeared ahead of the traffic)

EDIT... the 1.5 metre passing distance is very very doable from motoring experience.

Wishbone Ash

John_Rambo wrote: »

...(I don't know how that cyclist could maintain that speed for that long....

There was a very strong south/south westerly blowing yesterday. Easy enough to maintain 40km/h in those conditions.

magicbastarder

Miklos wrote: »

How bout that wind? Was clocking over 40 on the way out to Howth this morning without even trying, coming home the cycle lane has never felt so steep.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=106160794&postcount=3389

AndrewJRenko

BoardsMember wrote: »

Had an bizarre one last week with a Dublin bus driver last week.

I'm coming up Camden street out of town towards the contra flow starting at the Bleeding Horse. I've two front lights so am very visible. Two double decker buses are pulled in on the left. So I overtake. As i am overtaking, one of the busses swings out. I am only alongside the back of the bus, so I have time to take measures to avoid. He sees me as his nose is half at out to the outside lane, and stops while I pass giving him loads of room. I don't bother making eye contact as I go by. Sh1t happens, he didn't see me, made a mistake, no need to get involved, right?

So I pull up to the red light at the contra flow and feel the bus come pretty close. So I look around. Driver is taking a photo of me on the bike. I'm confused. So I hop up onto the island beside where he is pulled up and ask him why he is taking a picture of me? He starts giving out to me that I am on the wrong side of the road and I am in the wrong. It doesn't explain the picture, but whatever.

I try to explain that by ant reasonable measure, he was completely in the wrong. I explained that if a bus is pulled in I am perfectly entitled to overtake it. Also, that I needed to be in the right most lane to take the contra flow.

This guy is having none of it. I am stunned. He's still giving out to me, failing to listen. So I tell him that if that's his opinion then he should not be driving a bus. He starts getting antsy now. And starts asking me to tell him that at the next bus stop and he'd show me a thing or two. All I want now is to annoy him, so I tell him he's a moron and should not be driving a bus.

I disengage and roll on when the green light shows. He shadows me sitting inches, well maybe a foot, all the way up to the next bus stop after the contra flow ends, revving the engine. I was scared ****less but was not prepared to give in. Even if I wanted to I would have had to jump up on a keen and that would have meant slowing down, and risked him hitting me, he was so close. Would dearly have loved a rear facing camera.

Presuming that it was his phone he used to take the picture, he broke the law by having the phone in his hand.

ED E

Pinch Flat

Heading out to the ray crinion in trim earlier. Nearly got t-boned by some clown at the roundabout heading into trim. That was an opener for 10 at 9.15am on a Sunday morning. He stared at me like a ufo from outer space - I genuinely think I might have been the first person on a bike he’s ever seen.

Plenty of crazy overtaking heading out of trim on the sportive, my car is pretty old, but new cars must have gadgets that allow them to see around corners and over hills. Because the amount of overtakes in clearly unsafe places over continuous double white lines was pretty scary. Lots of impatient people out there today with places to get to urgently that’s more important than other people’s lives. Things like mass, the paper or perhaps just popping out for a brunch. You know, life or death stuff.

For good measure, got squeezed at two traffic calming spots - barely a hundred meters apart - heading black to clonee at bracetown. Both times, indicated to pull out. Flashing light (which incidentally doubles as a camera) on the rear of my bike. Both times - a van and some wan in a Volvo suv - squeezed through. The van mirror almost hit my head, it was that close.

Ah well, at least I was wearing a helmet and paying “road tax”, so alls good.

Kaisr Sose

ED E wrote: »

]

That a shocking catalogue of daily life on Irish roads for cyclists.

I hope you reported some of them. I was in a station today reporting a driver for simular behaviour. It’s the only way to deal with it.

ED E

Sorry, again not me. Via twitter.
https://twitter.com/righttobikeit/status/964904576687198208

I could only fit 257 of the 500 clips into the 15min YouTube restriction of the dangerous drivers I encountered in 2017.

Duckjob

ED E wrote: »

The most depressing thing is that the arseholes on that video are probably the same arseholes that shout loudly and often about what a "danger" cyclists are on the road.

tnegun

I'm getting fed up of close passes on this stretch https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.3735735,-6.5245982,3a,75y,277.1h,59.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOZ6zbPXHtdkmX8VHJS2qIg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 and am thinking of just taking the entire lane in future. I keep out about a meter from the left and that keeps trucks and busses at bay and I think there probably is just enough room to pass a bike in a car safely. What do you all think is it possible for a car to pass a bike safely here or should I just take the lane?

07Lapierre

Take the lane or take an alternate route.

tnegun

You're right of course I'll just have to take the entire lane in future. Its a shame I drove it this morning to remind myself what its like it the car and I think there is easily enough room to pass safely albeit slowly.

CramCycle

Had to drive into town this morning to drop some things off. It really is a wonder some people survive day to day. I got to where I was going, car park space available. Traffic is heavy in front of me, so nowhere for people behind to go. Indicate so I can pull out and reverse in. Christ on a bike, one guy went bananas, I thought I was about to hit a small child. Two others thought the 12 seconds was too much and went into oncoming traffic to drive around me to get in behind the car in front of me.

I mean, there was literally, nowhere to go. I had got out of the car, paid parking and got to the next lights on foot before they had passed it.

No wonder people feel the roads are dangerous. This coupled with my work colleague meeting that driver who thought the yield sign meant that vehicles had to yield to him, I really do wonder why I get out of bed in the morning.

mr spuckler

somewhat similar experiences the last 2 days. this morning I was on the bike trying to cross the road in heavy traffic. traffic coming against me was bumper to bumper, I'd clearly signaled my intention to turn right across the oncoming traffic. the first driver coming against me looked straight at me and insisted on continuing forward 10 feet instead of just leaving the gap for me to cross. there was literally no way that she'd lose road position due to waiting, but couldn't / wouldn't do it.

yesterday evening I was driving home from town and coming up behind a bus which was pulled in at a stop. there was 1 car between me and the bus and constant oncoming traffic, which coupled with a solid white line meant that the most sensible option was for the driver in front of me to wait for the bus to pull out. which he did. cue the guy behind me losing it and sitting on his horn for several seconds as I could see him shouting and gesticulating while still sounding the horn. when traffic moved off and I passed the bus at its next stop I was doing around 60kph in a 60 zone, the guy was over 50 yards behind me. so he wasn't in a rush, nothing urgent, just couldn't fathom or tolerate patience and common courtesy on the road.

ED E

I clenched watching this
https://twitter.com/clanmahon/status/965245623250321408

Zulu

Bloody taxi man (drak gray skoda) tried to kill me and another cyclist this morning at 8:50am on Dorset Street Upper.
Fecking clown swung into the bus lane in front of us. Both of us had to hammer on the breaks. Then 75 m later, when he's caught behind a bus pulling into a stop, he swings back out again and I'd to hammer on again.
Pr1ck.

Anyways, I rang traffic watch (I got his plate), who took my details. Got a call back pretty much straight away from a Guard, but I need to make a formal complaint in the station - which I'll do tomorrow when I get a chance.

It's mental out there these days.

[edit] Reported! Lets see what happens. Weirdly, the Guard mentioned that a "even a partial plate" would have been helpful - after I'd given him the taxi plate?!? Surely the taxi plate is enough?

CramCycle

I just give up.

So we covered most of the BINGO calls this morning

- didn't see me
- wasn't near me
- I ride a bike myself

Johnnio13

I extended my route home yesterday to take in some country roads towards Moycullen and across to Barna now the evenings are stretching and I have to say all drivers bar one didn't mind sitting behind me until it was clear to pass.
The white van man 08-G transit decided his was the road and I was the nuisance. I could have written my name on the side of his dirty van.

mr spuckler

heading down Percy place, just off Mount st today, turning right to join the cycle path on the canal, a guy in a car was in the same position as the transit van is in the street view. I watched him the whole time from approach to crossing the junction in front of me and he never once looked left to where I was.

What Username Guidelines

mr spuckler wrote: »

heading down Percy place, just off Mount st today, turning right to join the cycle path on the canal, a guy in a car was in the same position as the transit van is in the street view. I watched him the whole time from approach to crossing the junction in front of me and he never once looked left to where I was.

Used to use percy place on my commute and that was a notorious spot for motorists just blasting through.

DaveyDave

Zulu wrote: »

Bloody taxi man (drak gray skoda) tried to kill me and another cyclist this morning at 8:50am on Dorset Street Upper.
Fecking clown swung into the bus lane in front of us. Both of us had to hammer on the breaks. Then 75 m later, when he's caught behind a bus pulling into a stop, he swings back out again and I'd to hammer on again.
Pr1ck.

Anyways, I rang traffic watch (I got his plate), who took my details. Got a call back pretty much straight away from a Guard, but I need to make a formal complaint in the station - which I'll do tomorrow when I get a chance.

It's mental out there these days.

[edit] Reported! Lets see what happens. Weirdly, the Guard mentioned that a "even a partial plate" would have been helpful - after I'd given him the taxi plate?!? Surely the taxi plate is enough?

If you have a taxi number you can look up the reg of the car here. Has their name and licence expiry date too.

Ray Bloody Purchase

Cycling in through Kimmage today. Dublin Bus was stopped in traffic. He was a few hundred yards hundred yards from the bus stop. I slowly undertook him on the cycle lane, he hadn't left too much room for me to go by. For some reason he opened the doors nearly caught me in the middle door, as they open out and then slide over.

Was he being a dick? There was no one getting on or off the bus. It was a bit bizarre.

Lambay island

Ray Bloody Purchase wrote: »

Cycling in through Kimmage today. Dublin Bus was stopped in traffic. He was a few hundred yards hundred yards from the bus stop. I slowly undertook him on the cycle lane, he hadn't left too much room for me to go by. For some reason he opened the doors nearly caught me in the middle door, as they open out and then slide over.

Was he being a dick? There was no one getting on or off the bus. It was a bit bizarre.

Did you catch his eyes as you went past? Unless he apologised with a wave or something, it does sound like it was a deliberate act. bizarre alright

Ray Bloody Purchase

Lambay island wrote: »

Did you catch his eyes as you went past? Unless he apologised with a wave or something, it does sound like it was a deliberate act. bizarre alright

He was staring out, for the life of me i don't know why. It looked like a few passengers nearly fell out too. They weren't expecting him to open them. Nowhere near the stop. Just up from the lights, on the way into town on Kimmage Road lower

I took the reg, it was a number 9 bus. Really odd.

Johnnio13

I don't miss the daily fight with Dublin F£$king Bus. As they said in Hill Street Blues
https://youtu.be/Jmg86CRBBtw

CramCycle

I overtook one this morning but it was a confusing moment as he was waiting behind another, but they both took off as I was halfway up and in the driving lane. To be fair, he slowed and gave me a gap to move in. I turned, gave a thumbs up and mouthed a thank you, to which he waved back. Not all DB drivers are bad, some are a shining example of how good a driver could be.

On a separate note, I stopped at the yield sign before a stop as a bus had pulled in to let passengers off. The driver obviously said to watch out for me as the passenger was very cautious and seemed shocked I had stopped. The behaviour of a small number of cyclists on the N11 baffles me. That triangle is a yield sign, if the bus has pulled in and the doors are open or about to open, slow down and possibly stop. Don't be a dick and plough on through.

notmypants

I actually got hit by a Dublin Bike today....

Crossing O'connell Bridge. I had a green light, he decided to run his red light while traffic was mid junction. Straight into me and then got incredibly agro with me for not watching where he was going. Front wheel needs to be replaced. Dude cycled off, couldn't even follow.

I've been out of the country for 4 years. So surprised to see the increase in cyclists. So many of them not knowing basic rules of the road. I'm finding cars/buses to be incredibly patient with them all.

Pet hate - que of traffic and the slowest cyclist skips the traffic and everyone has to overtake them. WHYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

mr spuckler

I also had a dude on a Dublin Bike acting very dangerously this morning. coming down South Lotts Rd there was a truck reversing into a building site. making quite a poor job of it and taking ages tbh, even though he was being guided by 2 or 3 people from the site. he was reversing in to my right, so the front of the truck was nearly up against the cars on my left as he swung around. with at most a 3 foot gap the DB appeared between the truck and the parked car on my side of the road, coming against me, everyone including me was shocked that he'd put himself in that position. one small roll forward from the truck (which had already happened a couple of times due to the shoddy reversing job) and he was in serious trouble.

Ferris

CramCycle wrote: »

Not all DB drivers are bad, some are a shining example of how good a driver could be.

This is largely my experience of DB drivers who I encounter on my commute, I find them cautious and predictable, but to be fair I try to accommodate them as much as possible. A bit of courtesy in both directions always helps of course.

I actually feel sorry for them, they have to deal with passengers, taxis, other motorists and late requests to stop from people waiting at stops. All the while they are driving something that doesn't particularly like to accelerate or to stop easily - I don't think that they have an easy job and they frequently get abuse for it.