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

VW 1

In my opinion, the red light breaking by motorists in particular, is very much a broken window situation.

People see people do it, see that there is no consequences due to the appalling lack of a Garda presence on the roads, and it has slowly crept to the point where there are no issues in two or three cars breaking a red.

At the junction of Leeson street and Fitzwilliam Place this morning, light went red, a car went thru, then another, then I could hear a loud engine roaring as a truck with a full skip on the back accelerated to get through the light at Fitzwilliam place straight across the junction to go down by the Eye and Ear hospital at a shocking speed.

Had a pedestrian stepped out to walk across the street when they saw the green man, without paying attention to the idiotic driving, there was no way that that truck was stopping.

QueenMTBee

cython wrote: »

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.

My bad - I misunderstood.

RGS

This morning traveling down from Newcomen Bridge to the five lamps.
A taxi decides that cyclists shouldn't be on the roadway(cycleway on the footpath which goes through a bus stop)
swerves left in towards the footpath directly in front of a cyclist ahead of me.
Luckily neither of us were going fast and were able to avoid a collision.

AndrewJRenko

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 suppose the main difference would be that motorists are killing 3 or 4 people each week on the roads, whereas cyclists aren't.

I presume the same applies to motorists - they can't complain about cyclists breaking red lights if they are among the 60%-82% of motorists that break speed limits?

Tombo2001

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.......

Lets be clear.

I'm not complaining about motorists breaking red lights.

I am complaining about the constant mantra from motorists that cyclists are always breaking red lights; when in my own view they are actually worse culprits themselves.

So its exactly your point that I would ask motorists to take heed of.

VW 1

Got pulled in by a squad car this morning, having just gone across the Liffey.

Came down Constitution Hill to the lights at the quays and came to a stop alongside a squad car. Lights immediately turn orange, so I prepare to move. Lights go red for traffic coming up the quays - through the light comes a bus, followed by another, the second one completely blatant.

I begin to cycle after the second bus, by the time I was through the junction the light was green.

So squad car siren sounds - and we both pull in after the bridge.

Garda: "You went straight through a red light. Why?"

Me: "I did go through when it was red, but it was green before I cleared the junction, I could see from the sequence it was about to go green"

G: You went straight through a red light.

Me: I didn't, I was stopped alongside your car, two buses went through on red, then I proceeded to go.

G: You can't be breaking red lights.

Me: The two buses also did.

G: I should be fining you, but be on your way.

I find the whole interaction strange, admittedly I did technically go through the red light, but the ignoring of a bus (two really) doing the same thing I don't get.

Ferris

Id say they pulled you because you did it right beside them, a bit cheeky of you to be fair.

In no way disputing the rights and wherefores but AGS are never going to police Dublin Buses running red lights.

VW 1

Ferris wrote: »

Id say they pulled you because you did it right beside them, a bit cheeky of you to be fair.

In no way disputing the rights and wherefores but AGS are never going to police Dublin Buses running red lights.

I'd say you are probably right.

To be honest, I've never noticed (previously) such a long delay between red for the traffic proceeding up the quays, to the green light for traffic proceeding across the quays. I'll make sure to be more vigilant in future.

Effects

VW 1 wrote: »

In my opinion, the red light breaking by motorists in particular, is very much a broken window situation.

People see people do it, see that there is no consequences due to the appalling lack of a Garda presence on the roads, and it has slowly crept to the point where there are no issues in two or three cars breaking a red.

There was a thread in After Hours recently about a woman who went through a red light after and unmarked Garda car went through on amber. They pulled her in. Her position was that they trying to entrap her by going through on orange.
People don't even seem to accept running red lights is wrong, even when caught.

magicbastarder

Effects wrote: »

There was a thread in After Hours recently about a woman who went through a red light after and unmarked Garda car went through on amber. They pulled her in. Her position was that they trying to entrap her by going through on orange.

only time i've ever had 'the talk' with a garda was in a situation where the cars were reversed from the situation above. about 20 years ago - was approaching lights which went amber when i was quite close to them, but there was a car right up my arse and my reflexive thought was 'if i brake, he'll smash into the back of me'.
it was a cop car. there's no doubt, he was tailgating me, i was commenting on it to my sister before we'd reached the lights.

GreeBo

VW 1 wrote: »

Got pulled in by a squad car this morning, having just gone across the Liffey.

Came down Constitution Hill to the lights at the quays and came to a stop alongside a squad car. Lights immediately turn orange, so I prepare to move. Lights go red for traffic coming up the quays - through the light comes a bus, followed by another, the second one completely blatant.

I begin to cycle after the second bus, by the time I was through the junction the light was green.

So squad car siren sounds - and we both pull in after the bridge.

Garda: "You went straight through a red light. Why?"

Me: "I did go through when it was red, but it was green before I cleared the junction, I could see from the sequence it was about to go green"

G: You went straight through a red light.

Me: I didn't, I was stopped alongside your car, two buses went through on red, then I proceeded to go.

G: You can't be breaking red lights.

Me: The two buses also did.

G: I should be fining you, but be on your way.

I find the whole interaction strange, admittedly I did technically go through the red light, but the ignoring of a bus (two really) doing the same thing I don't get.

The red light you need to worry about is the one on your side of the junction, not the other side!

CramCycle

I once had an unmarked garda car chase me through Windy Arbour estate. I had turned in front of them but traffic was stopped. They didn't put on the lights/sirens, just turned after me at speed. I seen two angry lads bombing after me, and I put the boot down, eventually I bunnyhopped on the pavement behind a car, and got ready for a hiding as they were getting to a point where the road was more open and I wasn't sure I could keep away.

Identified themselves as Gardai and I just blurted out "What in ****s name are you at?!?" They explained that I nearly hit several cars on the way through the estate, I pointed out because two lunatics were chasing me down and I thought trying to run me over. They left it at that but part of me was as confused as hell over the point of it all.

Ray Bloody Purchase

CramCycle wrote: »

I once had an unmarked garda car chase me through Windy Arbour estate. I had turned in front of them but traffic was stopped. They didn't put on the lights/sirens, just turned after me at speed. I seen two angry lads bombing after me, and I put the boot down, eventually I bunnyhopped on the pavement behind a car, and got ready for a hiding as they were getting to a point where the road was more open and I wasn't sure I could keep away.

Identified themselves as Gardai and I just blurted out "What in ****s name are you at?!?" They explained that I nearly hit several cars on the way through the estate, I pointed out because two lunatics were chasing me down and I thought trying to run me over. They left it at that but part of me was as confused as hell over the point of it all.

They were chasing you for your own safety.

AckwelFoley

Context.

I cycle 1 day a week.

80k

74k of that is on a greenway with no cars the balance is to and from it

Yet...

Last week, man pulls out in front of me on a roundabout only for I predicted It, I was into the side of the car

Week before I was passing through a junction on the green light..and a woman pulls out in front of me from the other lane and misses me by a few feet

Week before that man cuts me off in a line of traffic by squeezing the car between the double yellow line and the path.

I frankly don't know how people cycle daily in the city. I'm jist waiting for someone to open a car door and take me out

I wish I was as invisible to the taxman

Annie get your Run

On my way home last week and had been closed passed by a handful of cars on the road about a mile from home. I was thinking to myself 'why are there never any Gardai on this road'? They could set up a speed cam and rake in a ton of money in fines as no one ever obeys the limit. Could feel another car on my tail about to close pass again, turned my head to see this :mad:

eeeee

Fcuking hell. Did you report that Annie? I wonder how far you'd get with it/ what the response would be.

Annie get your Run

nee wrote: »

Fcuking hell. Did you report that Annie? I wonder how far you'd get with it/ what the response would be.

No I didn't, where would I even start??!!! 'Hi I have video footage of a close pass I want to report - oh, hey look it was you driving'!

magicbastarder

send it to the garda press office and tell them straight out you are not going to report it as you expect it will be buried.

not that i necessarily expect anything from that, i would just be very curious to see what their response is. i once had an issue with a jobsworth garda and sent a complaint to the press office, who responded saying my experience was contrary to garda practice and they would take it up with the relevant superintendent. whether they did or not, your guess is as good as mine.

amcalester

Make a complaint to GSOC, let them investigate?

Complaint form available here

Ray Bloody Purchase

amcalester wrote: »

Make a complaint to GSOC, let them investigate?

Complaint form available

Definitely do that. It's tough enough out there for cyclists without the Gardai also trying to mow us down!

Tombo2001

Annie get your Run wrote: »

On my way home last week and had been closed passed by a handful of cars on the road about a mile from home. I was thinking to myself 'why are there never any Gardai on this road'? They could set up a speed cam and rake in a ton of money in fines as no one ever obeys the limit. Could feel another car on my tail about to close pass again, turned my head to see this :mad:

Funny enough - I saw a post on Facebook, advertising a great deal in helmet cameras for cyclists...

The thing for me is - what use is it. You get really clear footage of dangerous overtaking; even in this case by the Gardai......what do you do with it?

As far as I know, the Garda line is that footage of dangerous overtaking is not something they can (or will) act on.

Is it only valuable if you are actually hit?

Hurrache

Annie get your Run wrote: »

No I didn't, where would I even start??!!! 'Hi I have video footage of a close pass I want to report - oh, hey look it was you driving'!

Send it to the various Cycling campaign twitter accounts, it will spread across them and into certain media and I think you'll then get an official response. Even if it's of the type that it wasn't the driving we'd expect of our members and we'll be asking them to respect and observe the MPD it would be worth it.

amcalester

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Funny enough - I saw a post on Facebook, advertising a great deal in helmet cameras for cyclists...

The thing for me is - what use is it. You get really clear footage of dangerous overtaking; even in this case by the Gardai......what do you do with it?

As far as I know, the Garda line is that footage of dangerous overtaking is not something they can (or will) act on.

Is it only valuable if you are actually hit?

It really annoying, the Gardai repeatedly say they can't do anything with camera footage but then are asking for up to €80m to be spent on body cams.

Seems a complete waste of money to me if when this technology is being used by members of the public the Gardai refuse to use it.

Link

CramCycle

Garda press office, or garda twitter, tell them you have the reg and date if they want to DM you to get details. If your nervous they will be dickish, then the ombudsman.

Personally, I would ring up and ask for a quick meeting with the super, and just state your case. I's not on social media, your not making a big deal but whoever was driving needs to be made aware, because if they do it, Joe Soap will think they are OK to do it.

Annie get your Run

magicbastarder wrote: »

send it to the garda press office and tell them straight out you are not going to report it as you expect it will be buried.

not that i necessarily expect anything from that, i would just be very curious to see what their response is. i once had an issue with a jobsworth garda and sent a complaint to the press office, who responded saying my experience was contrary to garda practice and they would take it up with the relevant superintendent. whether they did or not, your guess is as good as mine.

amcalester wrote: »

Make a complaint to GSOC, let them investigate?

Complaint form available here

Hurrache wrote: »

Send it to the various Cycling campaign twitter accounts, it will spread across them and into certain media and I think you'll then get an official response. Even if it's of the type that it wasn't the driving we'd expect of our members and we'll be asking them to respect and observe the MPD it would be worth it.

Thanks folks, okay I will get a better screen shot of the pass and send it around twitter to start off with. I'll have a think about the GSOC one, I think I'd be more inclined to be up front and send it to the local station first, give them a chance to apologise/realise their mistake before taking it further.

Hurrache

Just bear in mind the car won't necessarily be from the local station.

Steoller

There have been people on this forum who've gotten positive results (up to the driver being taken to court and being fined) from going to Trafficwatch with camera footage. It's not a waste of time every time.

site_owner

waiting at the lights at georges quay heading onto burgh quay (outside tara street station)
chattting to cyclist beside me, about the cars that were coming from tara street onto butt bridge, even though they all had tons of room, they couldnt help beeping and buzzing each other if they thought someone was slower than they liked

he mentioned something about a taxi driver hassling him for not using enough hand signals changing lanes to turn right at christchurch and at the same time telling him to stay left if he doesnt want to get killed.

as the lights were changing i metnioned that the rat run down corn excahnge is another one to watch out for.
i was faster off the lights and sure enough a car flew out at corn excahnge. in a double stupid move, after they get stuck trying to squeeze into traffic and i was passing them on the left in the cycle lane they decided to pull sharp left and go up the bus lane.

i used my verbal bell and i think they got the message

monkeybutter

unreal restraint from all motorists that passed me on a frustrating day to drive as I held up traffic on the cycle in.

Zulu

Cycling today? Really??