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

mr spuckler

Ferris wrote: »

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.

agreed, by and large they are at the better end of the spectrum in my experience.

notmypants

mr spuckler wrote: »

agreed, by and large they are at the better end of the spectrum in my experience.

Yup I'd 2nd that. Can't imagine what its like having to deal with a number of people who don't take rules of the road into consideration.

DanDublin1982

Had a pedestrian with a wish to get injured this morning. Crossed through the junction at Ormond Quay on a green. It's fairly busy there these days so the lights had turned by the time i made it to the pedestrian crossing on the other side. He just walked out and I had to slam on.

Whatever happened to rule 4 of the safe cross code?!

Annie get your Run

Someone was hit this morning by a truck at the junction of Parkgate Street and Temple St West (the left turn just after the little park). There were a couple of other cyclists stopped with him but the truck was half way around the turn and the bike was right in front of his wheels on the ground. I stopped briefly to check but everyone seemed okay. I hate that junction, you really have to slow down there and grow eyes in the back/side of your head as it's a free for all with all sorts merging from both Parkgate St and those coming across the bridge.

QueenMTBee

notmypants wrote: »

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

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.

mr spuckler wrote: »

I also had a dude on a Dublin Bike acting very dangerously this morning.

I think Dublin Bikes have a lot to answer for regarding the way cyclists are perceived by other road users. Most of the people that use them are utter morons and have blatant disregard for the rules of the road, other peoples' safely and incredibly their own safety. I genuinely hate them more than any other road user.

If you pull up at a red light, you can be sure they will all pull in in front of your bike (with no helmets/lights and headphones stuck in their ears)and then pull off well before the light turns green - quite often when there are still cars or people crossing the junction. It makes my blood boil.

mr spuckler

QueenMTBee wrote: »

I think Dublin Bikes have a lot to answer for regarding the way cyclists are perceived by other road users. Most of the people that use them are utter morons and have blatant disregard for the rules of the road, other peoples' safely and incredibly their own safety. I genuinely hate them more than any other road user.

If you pull up at a red light, you can be sure they will all pull in in front of your bike (with no helmets/lights and headphones stuck in their ears)and then pull off well before the light turns green - quite often when there are still cars or people crossing the junction. It makes my blood boil.

while I don't have a fondness for some DB users, all DBs have front & back lights running at all times when not in the docking station and obviously the helmet thing is a red herring at worst and for the helmet megathread at best...

Danjamin1

Yesterday evening on Thomas Street at the Digital Hub I was waiting to cross at the pedestrian crossing to the south side of the street. I could see a car speed up & race against the amber light as I was waiting (he lost & went through on red) and I expected this as it seems to be the norm for Irish drivers. What I wasn't expecting was for the following car to blast through the light not caring that it was red, and you can imagine my shock as a third car followed suit. The pedestrian light was fully green by the time the two following cars went through the red light and I was very obviously waiting to cross the road.

I wouldn't class it as a near miss as I hadn't started crossing the road immediately because of the first driver speeding up, and I wasn't on my bike, but I feel it's worth mentioning for the pure blatant disregard on display.

Bloody cyclists though eh?

check_six

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Someone was hit this morning by a truck at the junction of Parkgate Street and Temple St West (the left turn just after the little park). There were a couple of other cyclists stopped with him but the truck was half way around the turn and the bike was right in front of his wheels on the ground. I stopped briefly to check but everyone seemed okay. I hate that junction, you really have to slow down there and grow eyes in the back/side of your head as it's a free for all with all sorts merging from both Parkgate St and those coming across the bridge.

There's a no left turn restriction on that turn at rush hour. It's tricky coming across the Heuston Station bridge on a bike alright. Trying to pick out the people who will and who won't grant you your right of way entitlement is 'invigorating' to put it one way!

check_six

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Yesterday evening on Thomas Street at the Digital Hub I was waiting to cross at the pedestrian crossing to the south side of the street. I could see a car speed up & race against the amber light as I was waiting (he lost & went through on red) and I expected this as it seems to be the norm for Irish drivers. What I wasn't expecting was for the following car to blast through the light not caring that it was red, and you can imagine my shock as a third car followed suit. The pedestrian light was fully green by the time the two following cars went through the red light and I was very obviously waiting to cross the road.

I wouldn't class it as a near miss as I hadn't started crossing the road immediately because of the first driver speeding up, and I wasn't on my bike, but I feel it's worth mentioning for the pure blatant disregard on display.

Bloody cyclists though eh?

Saw a thread where someone was claiming that if they were driving close enough to the last car that scraped through on a *fresh* red light that they too were entitled to go through as well. Happily, they were dissuaded from this notion quite quickly by other contributors, but it does give you an insight into the mindset of some people behind the wheel of powerful vehicles.

I'd like to think that only a minority of people would do this kind of lunatic manoeuvre, although I did see a various selections of four of them do this on a number of occasions on the school run in the past at a busy junction.

magicbastarder

check_six wrote: »

someone was claiming that if they were driving close enough to the last car that scraped through on a *fresh* red light that they too were entitled to go through as well

yes, the 'he did it first' mentality. i once questioned a driver who performed a close pass over a white line going around a blind bend, and his immediate reaction was to say 'but the guy in front did it first'.

you wouldn't let a five year old away with that sort of excuse.

Corca Baiscinn

Danjamin1 wrote: »

Yesterday evening on Thomas Street at the Digital Hub I was waiting to cross at the .................

Bloody cyclists though eh?

Yea, hope you videoed it all to send to Mannix Flynn:rolleyes:

Hurrache

check_six wrote: »

Saw a thread where someone was claiming that if they were driving close enough to the last car that scraped through on a *fresh* red light that they too were entitled to go through as well. Happily, they were dissuaded from this notion quite quickly by other contributors, but it does give you an insight into the mindset of some people behind the wheel of powerful vehicles.

It was by some eejit trying to claim entrapment because the car they followed through was a Garda car who subsequently pulled her over.

I see on the Dublin Fire Brigade twitter that there was an accident between a HGV and cyclist in the west side of the city somewhere.

Pinch Flat

CramCycle wrote: »

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

Ah but you missed “You were over the fcuckin road”. Used by a taxi driver on me a while ago - had barged past me in a shared bus / cycle lane a few weeks ago. I tapped on his window.

Moi- “Sorry but you nearly took me off the bike back there, it’s a shared lane”

Taxi man - “Fcuk off you were all over the road. Have it all on my dash cam”

Moi - “Really, so do I. So my rear camera shows you aggressively tailgating me, then overtaking me and nearly hitting me, while there is an empty traffic lane beside me. Why don’t we head to the Bridewwell Garda station, and let them work out who was in the wrong

Le taxi man - “Fcuk off” window rolled up and he drives off

mr spuckler

mr spuckler wrote: »

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.

the truck even lurches slightly forward just as he passes...

GreeBo

Jaysus, you wouldn't see that lack of self preservation in India.

mackeminexile

actually saw the aftermath of an accident this morning at the Croppy Acre barracks - Arbor Hill turn-off. Cyclist seemed to have been left hooked by a refridgerated van at the turn. Thankfully he was ok, a bit shaken though. I was nearly caught myself on the way home. Proceeding down the cycle lane at the Foxhunter on the N4 and indicated and moved around a bus at the stop. The car that had literally just overtaken me then dropped anchor and indicated while moving left into Ballyowen. Locked up at the rear but managed to keep upright

Lambay island

mackeminexile wrote: »

actually saw the aftermath of an accident this morning at the Croppy Acre barracks - Arbor Hill turn-off. Cyclist seemed to have been left hooked by a refridgerated van at the turn. Thankfully he was ok, a bit shaken though. I was nearly caught myself on the way home. Proceeding down the cycle lane at the Foxhunter on the N4 and indicated and moved around a bus at the stop. The car that had literally just overtaken me then dropped anchor and indicated while moving left into Ballyowen. Locked up at the rear but managed to keep upright

I had a left hook this morning too. I was travelling down the bus lane at a decent pelt as had tail wind. Car cut in right in front of me bout 30 yards before a left turn and then stopped right in front of me at the turn itself. I had to brake fairly hard without actually the need to slam on as such(must have subconsciously seen it coming).
At this stage i would have preferred if he had just made the turn as he had already caused me an inconvenience. He hesitated though with his car angled towards the turn with a yard or so of space inside his car and and kerb. It was like It suddenly dawned on him that I was there despite the fact that he just close passed me too to get in this position.
There was no way I was going inside of him at this stage though as he was too unpredictable. Eventually he realised I wasnt going so he took the turn.
He managed to put me at risk and delay both himself and me for no apparent reason whatsoever. What surprised me most really though was, I wasnt angry or frustrated just completely indifferent to it all at this stage.

Annie get your Run

check_six wrote: »

Saw a thread where someone was claiming that if they were driving close enough to the last car that scraped through on a *fresh* red light that they too were entitled to go through as well. Happily, they were dissuaded from this notion quite quickly by other contributors, but it does give you an insight into the mindset of some people behind the wheel of powerful vehicles.

I'd like to think that only a minority of people would do this kind of lunatic manoeuvre, although I did see a various selections of four of them do this on a number of occasions on the school run in the past at a busy junction.

I'd say it's a large enough minority though - I could be wrong but I think this is one of the reasons it takes more than a few seconds for the green man to appear at some junctions after the traffic lights have gone red. The powers that be know only too well that at least one or two, if not more, cars will plough through..

purcela

Annie get your Run wrote: »

check_six wrote: »

Saw a thread where someone was claiming that if they were driving close enough to the last car that scraped through on a *fresh* red light that they too were entitled to go through as well. Happily, they were dissuaded from this notion quite quickly by other contributors, but it does give you an insight into the mindset of some people behind the wheel of powerful vehicles.

I'd like to think that only a minority of people would do this kind of lunatic manoeuvre, although I did see a various selections of four of them do this on a number of occasions on the school run in the past at a busy junction.

I'd say it's a large enough minority though - I could be wrong but I think this is one of the reasons it takes more than a few seconds for the green man to appear at some junctions after the traffic lights have gone red. The powers that be know only too well that at least one or two, if not more, cars will plough through..

I wrote twice to Shane Ross about the possibility of red light traffic cameras because this problem is getting worse and worse every day, only to be told by his secretary that "the Minister for Transport has no role in the implementation of red light traffic cameras in Dublin".

magicbastarder

they'd probably point at charlie flanagan, whose department is responsible for law enforcement. but as it's a road safety issue too, it's shirking the question really.

Annie get your Run

purcela wrote: »

I wrote twice to Shane Ross about the possibility of red light traffic cameras because this problem is getting worse and worse every day, only to be told by his secretary that "the Minister for Transport has no role in the implementation of red light traffic cameras in Dublin".

Just did a quick google on 'who is responsible for traffic light management' and found this page http://www.tii.ie/roads-tolling/operations-and-maintenance/network-management-traffic-control/

Focuses mainly on the motorway but perhaps TII are the people to contact? I'm not sure the Garda even have to get involved, break a red light and you automatically get a fine in the post, money goes back into road management then..?

CramCycle

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I'd say it's a large enough minority though - I could be wrong but I think this is one of the reasons it takes more than a few seconds for the green man to appear at some junctions after the traffic lights have gone red. The powers that be know only too well that at least one or two, if not more, cars will plough through..

It sounds stupid but I think it is part of my more militant attitude as I get older. Over in southern europe awhile ago, and there was no break between the red and then the green for crossing traffic. If you didn't move when it went green, you were ripped a new one by everyone behind you, if someone was still crossing, they were either chased down or simply driven into (exaggeration included).

The Amber should be long enough to let a slow moving cyclist across but once it turns red, the crossing light should go green immediately, anything else encourages the behaviour we see.

Interested Observer

I've seen some appalling cycling behaviour in town in the last few days. People just cycling through red lights at busy junctions and stuff, one guy in particular at Macken St nearly got knocked off his bike by a jeep and it would have been entirely his own fault.

Danjamin1

Interested Observer wrote: »

I've seen some appalling cycling behaviour in town in the last few days. People just cycling through red lights at busy junctions and stuff, one guy in particular at Macken St nearly got knocked off his bike by a jeep and it would have been entirely his own fault.

I hate seeing that kind of behaviour because of the connotations it has for other cyclists, we've all been told that all cyclists do this, that and the other based on these enlightened observations. What I can't understand is how this is unique to cycling, why are drivers not reprimanding each other for running red lights, speeding, driving in bus lanes, etc? All I can think of is that it must be because it's relatable behaviour, i.e. "He ran a red light in his car, but I've done that too I suppose" or "He's speeding, but I am too so it's ok". The problem in this instance would be that all drivers are not cyclists so for some reason they feel entitled to "educate" the cyclist (regardless of whether they actually understand the rules themselves) because they feel they are the superior road user. A lot of the time people that feel they have to say something don't seem to comprehend that a cyclist may also be a driver and have a good understanding of the rules of the road. These people just can't see past the bike.

Tombo2001

Danjamin1 wrote: »

I hate seeing that kind of behaviour because of the connotations it has for other cyclists, we've all been told that all cyclists do this, that and the other based on these enlightened observations. What I can't understand is how this is unique to cycling, why are drivers not reprimanding each other for running red lights, speeding, driving in bus lanes, etc? All I can think of is that it must be because it's relatable behaviour, i.e. "He ran a red light in his car, but I've done that too I suppose" or "He's speeding, but I am too so it's ok". The problem in this instance would be that all drivers are not cyclists so for some reason they feel entitled to "educate" the cyclist (regardless of whether they actually understand the rules themselves) because they feel they are the superior road user. A lot of the time people that feel they have to say something don't seem to comprehend that a cyclist may also be a driver and have a good understanding of the rules of the road. These people just can't see past the bike.

There is a very subtle difference between the way that cyclists break red lights and the way that motorists do it.

Cyclists arrive at red light - because of the manouvrability of a bike they can push up closer to the crossroads, say ahead of the pedestrian crossing - if the way is clear they go straight through it.

Motorists on the other hand dont have that manouevrability. They arent in a position to break the red light, because they arent at the front of the line.

The only motorists who can break the red light are the ones arriving at the junction just as the lights are turning red, or have turned red. Of those motorists, nearly every time - they will break the red lights.

My own view is that motorists - when they have the opportunity - are far more likely to break a red light than cyclists.

In other words; at any cross roads, look at the lights as they are turning red. One ....two......cars go through......then the pedestrian lights go green.....very often a third car goes through.

Tombo2001

Saw an incident yesterday at junction of Gardiner Street and Parnell Street. Big white coach, branded, was turning left.

Cyclist in front of him was turning left. Bus drove around the corner, around the cyclist and pushed him into pavement, hurt his leg.

Cyclist was shook, I dont think badly hurt but certainly hurt enough to stop and get off his bike.

Bus driver never stopped.

I got the reg of the bus if anyone knows the individual.

PaulieC

Tombo2001 wrote: »

There is a very subtle difference between the way that cyclists break red lights and the way that motorists do it.

Cyclists arrive at red light - because of the manouvrability of a bike they can push up closer to the crossroads, say ahead of the pedestrian crossing - if the way is clear they go straight through it.

Motorists on the other hand dont have that manouevrability. They arent in a position to break the red light, because they arent at the front of the line.

The only motorists who can break the red light are the ones arriving at the junction just as the lights are turning red, or have turned red. Of those motorists, nearly every time - they will break the red lights.

My own view is that motorists - when they have the opportunity - are far more likely to break a red light than cyclists.

In other words; at any cross roads, look at the lights as they are turning red. One ....two......cars go through......then the pedestrian lights go green.....very often a third car goes through.

Motorists are often speeding up at that point too, making it even more dangerous. It's just so common now, some junctions being worse than others.

What Username Guidelines

PaulieC wrote: »

Motorists are often speeding up at that point too, making it even more dangerous. It's just so common now, some junctions being worse than others.

Fine example of it this morning, bearing in mind there is an almost 3 second gap between red light for truck and green light for me. Shocking. Light goes red at 2secs when fiesta is in the middle of the frame, our light is green just as the accelerating truck is crossing his stop line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQUOoNaiPzg

QueenMTBee

Tombo2001 wrote: »

There is a very subtle difference between the way that cyclists break red lights and the way that motorists do it.

They're still breaking a red light. You can't complain about motorists breaking red lights if you as a cyclist think its acceptable to break a light just because it's safe in your opinion. What's good for the goose.......

cython

QueenMTBee wrote: »

They're still breaking a red light. You can't complain about motorists breaking red lights if you as a cyclist think its acceptable to break a light just because it's safe in your opinion. What's good for the goose.......

I don't think he's saying that it's acceptable for either demographic to do it, but rather pointing out that the reason it may appear to be more prevalent among cyclists than motorists is that cyclists can more easily get into a position to do it by being able to filter through stopped traffic at the light.