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

DaveyDave

TallGlass wrote: »

I'll hold my hand up and say I have gone past a red on the push bike, but only and only if I was to literally step off the bike, I could walk across and I wouldn't be breaking any red light.

Now the situation with driving of cars in general seems to have taken a turn for the worst, there is just no policing of any type of rules.

I was walking along earlier and was looking at this yellow box, like a massive massive yellow box I mean you could see this thing from space, and I counted not 1 or 2 but 5 cars in the thing.

But what really really really gets me is two things, people breaking red/yellow lights only to go and block up the fúcking junction for everyone else, and then the knob heads who start bullying other road users following the rules of road by blowing the **** out of there horn.

The situation is this, either the Garda get off there arses and start to sort this **** out, or hand over the power to someone else who will sort it out.

As for Bus Lanes, waste of paint on the ground, majority of people don't go into them, others use them as personal lanes and not only that, they absolutely floor it in them and because they are breaking the law by been in the bus lane, there attention is not on anyone that might be in it, like a cyclist, they are too busy looking to see if there is a Garda waiting to nab them (which in the very rare case there might actually be a Garda there!).

I've noticed in the last 6 months to a year everyone just stopped caring. They really just stopped giving a crap. Driving into town the other month passing Heuston, stopped just after the Luas tracks a car behind me beeped to move up because he was stopped on the yellow box blocking the tracks. I couldn't move an inch because I was close to the car in front meanwhile my rear sensors are beeping because he's inches away. He's the one who drove into a yellow box not me!

Anytime there's a red light someone absolutely will break it and if there's a yellow box or roundabout it will almost always be blocked. There's times where 4-5 cars will go through the red. We desperately need red light cameras.

This then messes up the flow of traffic, especially if 2-3 cars squeeze into a junction, people get impatient and the end result is swerving into the bus lane without checking the mirror or indicating and flooring it down the road. Not good for cyclists.

It's getting to the stage where it's not even because heavy traffic. I've noticed more and more on normal days, outside of rush hour people doing this crap.

Theres no limit to it in terms of people over or under certain ages. If it was all young people you could call into question the quality of their driving instruction or if they'd had any to begin with. Not limited to vans for example. It quite literally is as said a free for all.

TallGlass

DaveyDave wrote: »

Driving into town the other month passing Heuston, stopped just after the Luas tracks a car behind me beeped to move up because he was stopped on the yellow box blocking the tracks.

This is what I am talking about. Bullying of other roads user who go by the rules.

**** him as far as I am concerned. He made his bed and he can slept in it. A Luas blasting him out of it and he won't be as quick to make that mistake again.

That's the type of driving I am talking about. Absolutely no consideration for anyone else but themselves. Everyone else's fault but there own. Same when your on the push bike, no it's not there fault it's yours. Argue with them and your fair game for a round of intimidation and bullying with a car/bus/truck.

Panjandrums

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Breezer

Weepsie wrote: »

They're supposed to stop on Amber though unless it's unsafe to do so, not just red. I don't think I ever see this any more.

I had the driver behind me lean on a horn when I did this recently (in a car). At first I thought it was a taxi driver beeping me because I'd gone into the College Green bus lane on a Bank Holiday Monday (mea culpa, I had it in my head it was Sunday). But no, it was an ordinary car doing the same thing, who appeared to object to me stopping on amber in a controlled manner to allow a crowd of pedestrians cross at a crossing.

amcalester

Panjandrums wrote: »

Why would you want to argue with someone at the roadside?
It's not your role to tell other road users how you think the road should be used and let's face it, there's very few people that know every law governing the road.

If someone did something that risked your life then in any other situation you’d have words, no reason why the roadside should any different.

You don’t need to know the ins and outs of every piece of road traffic legislation to know when someone is driving dangerously.

What Username Guidelines

amcalester wrote: »

If someone did something that risked your life then in any other situation you’d have words, no reason why the roadside should any different.

You don’t need to know the ins and outs of every piece of road traffic legislation to know when someone is driving dangerously.

I’m not disagreeing with you, because by god I’ve gotten into shouting matches, but have you ever had any success, or at least perceived success, with a “chat”? I just don’t bother any more because I find it causes more stress for me.

I do remember once about 4 years ago I motioned at a guy driving at night with no lights on, he took it the wrong way (in fairness, it was a very vague motion) and he started with the usual “you ****ing cyclists are all the same, think you own the road” spiel, proper raging, and I interrupted with “your lights aren’t on”. To my surprise he instantly changed his tune and was full of apologies. That was once, I’ve never seen it again.

amcalester

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

I’m not disagreeing with you, because by god I’ve gotten into shouting matches, but have you ever had any success, or at least perceived success, with a “chat”? I just don’t bother any more because I find it causes more stress for me.

I do remember once about 4 years ago I motioned at a guy driving at night with no lights on, he took it the wrong way (in fairness, it was a very vague motion) and he started with the usual “you ****ing cyclists are all the same, think you own the road” spiel, proper raging, and I interrupted with “your lights aren’t on”. To my surprise he instantly changed his tune and was full of apologies. That was once, I’ve never seen it again.

I have had a few positive interactions, mostly negative ones though.

I normally wouldn’t bother and the few times I have in the last year or so have been because I was angry and wanted to vent/ruin the other persons day.

It’s vindictive and I know I shouldn’t but screw it, sometimes it needs to be done.

John_Rambo

RacoonQueen wrote: »

This is exactly why it annoys me when they bring up cyclists breaking lights. I think because they break it just after it goes red, they don't see it as a problem whereas a cyclist might rock up 20 seconds later and cycle through while they're sitting there

I'd a van behind me lean on the horn, I turned around with a "whatsup" shrug, he pointed at an elderly cyclist going through a pedestrian crossing red light at walking pace. He in a rage, beeping at the cyclist! Lights went red and on he went. Caught up with him later blocking the cycle lane as he picked up a workmate.

It's ok though. Hazard lights were on.

What Username Guidelines

amcalester wrote: »

It’s vindictive and I know I shouldn’t but screw it, sometimes it needs to be done.

Yeah I know exactly what you mean by that unfortunately. The incident I mentioned a few posts back about getting spat at still gets me far too riled up, even months later. Mostly that it was a well-to-do looking bloke that really encompassed the whole idea that some people really just see cyclists as a hindrance rather than a person.

sy_flembeck

Southbound on the coast road just south of Newcastle, Co. Wicklow this morning. Very close pass by a 06G VW Toureg/Touran. Totally unnecessary and on a blind bend. It would have been one thing if he's sped off into the distance but he didn't. About 100m further on I spot a man in hi-viz walking his 2 dogs (anyone familiar with this road will know him I'd say-he's thereabouts every day) coming towards me. The VW approaches him and gives him the complete lane. He actually drove on the other side of the road to avoid 2 dogs yet close passed me on the bike on a blind bend just before this. Bizarre way of thinking really

Kaisr Sose

Not a near miss but tonight when stopped at lights, I seen a guy driving a small van or people carrier with a phone plonked to the right of the steering wheel on the dash. Real line of sight stuff. He had what looked like maps/gps, or maybe messaginf on 2/3 of the screen, but was streaming video on the top third. He copped me staring at him and he just smiled, gave a thumbs up and drove on like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“Houston, we have a major problem”

RacoonQueen

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I always have to look in my rear view mirror to see how close the car behind is when I'm stopping on amber, the chances of someone running into the back of you are very high :rolleyes:.

I do this too. My folks always tell me not to be worrying about whats behind me but I'd rather not have someone going full speed into the back of me.
I almost always stop on amber. I usually find it entertaining too looking in my rearview as I slow and stop and seeing people go crazy behind me.

Going up Harolds Cross a few weeks ago. I was waiting at the front of traffic at THIS junction. As the car coming from the direction rolled to a stop, also correctly on their amber. A white van man swerved out from behind them and took the right turn up Leinster road. Nearly crashing into the traffic on Leinster Road who were just about to start moving. Crazy manoeuvre.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

On the bike I've stopped just as lights are turning red only to have several cars then whizz past!

Happens all the time in the car too. You stop at a amber/red. A few seconds later a car comes up the other lane beside you and goes through the lights as if you're the idiot for sitting there and not moving.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

IOn another note, I've noticed recently at some junctions, you could be going through on the bike when they're green, then they go to amber and have gone red before you're through... of course anyone watching that will assume I've broken them (and I'm not that slow really, they're big junctions with a quick light change I swear ).

Used to happen to me all the time crossing the Naas Road coming from Walkinstown. Junction is huge and by the time you get going as you almost always hit it on a red and then start to get a across it had pretty much always gone red by the time you cleared it. Actually quite dangerous for cyclists. Always bothered me that that happened.

There is another junction in Terenure, where the light is before you hit the junction so if you cycle through it and then hit the junction the light can have gone red by the time you are barely crossing the junction. Traffic coming from other direction get a right filter light. I was actually knocked down by a car in this exact spot by this happening. The light changed to amber/red after I had passed the stop line. The right filter came on and the car in other direction was just watching that rather than the road, didn't see me and came right across me. Still have a scar above my lip from that one.

This one happened here Crazy distance even for a car to clear after the stop line if lights go amber as you hit it or just after.

AndrewJRenko

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

On the mobile phone thing too, I had an incident a few months back where a guy tailgated me up a hard shoulder, revving his engine and beeping, then overtook with inches to spare, only to get stuck in traffic 50ft up the road. When I passed he called me a spanner and spat at me. Anyway, I reported to traffic watch, but couldnt pursue it, long story. Now every single day, I see the same car (reg burnt into my eyes from the rage of being spat at) with a woman driving it. Every day she's texting. Because of traffic, we'd overtake each other back and forth 4 or 5 times on the cycle home and she's 100% of the time head-in-lap texting. Like every time I pass. As if her commute is her texting time. What could I possibly do about this? Gardai wont care. No point in saying anything I presume? It wrecks my head how she's just blatantly disregarding others' safety through pure selfishness.

Every point in saying something. Either say it to her when you catch up at the lights. Or get a helmetcam and report her to TrafficWatch.

Panjandrums

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Kaisr Sose

Panjandrums wrote: »

I doubt she will listen. There's no need to go to such hassle.

She's a liability and needs to be given a wake up call. Call the local station and explain that you see this particular car with its driver on the phone daily and request that the guard gives the person a call to inform them of their actions.

It's as simple as that.

It’s a good suggestion but the Garda have to observe this before they can or will do anything. Some video of the behaviour may lead to a different reaction.

Panjandrums

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buffalo

Panjandrums wrote: »

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Why a friendly reminder? That's what the RSA ads on the television are for.

The Garda should observe the behaviour and punish an (apparently serial) offender.

AndrewJRenko

Panjandrums wrote: »

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What's the 'hassle'? It's just one adult talking to another adult. What's the problem?

Is your advice about the Garda based on personal experience? Because my experience is different. I've brought video to the Gardai showing drivers on the phones, and got a load of excuses - oh, it might not be a phone in his hand, oh, maybe she had an emergency etc. So I really doubt that the Gardai are going to do much based on a call like this.

site_owner

Saw a car driving along with a decent length of wavin pipe sticking out the passenger window.

Didn't seem to be paying any attention to the fact that this was going to clothesline any cyclists he happened to try pass

Kaisr Sose

Panjandrums wrote: »

No, all the guard is doing is giving a friendly reminder to the driver that it's illegal to be in your phone while driving. He's not taking the driver to court.

I can’t see them doing that on the word of a member of the public. They have to see it, otherwise it’s the same as hearsay. What if I reported you for that and was just making it up ?? How would you feel about that?

And bear in mind it’s difficult enough to get them to follow up on close passes.

Panjandrums

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AndrewJRenko

Panjandrums wrote: »

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How did you manage to equate 'having a video' with a particular style of communication? Given that you weren't present, I'm slightly amazed at your apparent knowledge of how I communicated. I guess this is on a par with your knowledge of the deaths/serious injuries caused by cyclists in Ireland that never actually happened.

But regardless, I went through the process that the Garda recommend - initial complaint to TrafficWatch, followed by making a statement in the station. I don't recall anything in the legislation that gives Garda discretion based on 'how the complainant communicates'. It's a matter of law, and they actively choosing not to enforce the current law.

You seem to have missed my earlier question so I'll try it again: Is your advice about the Garda based on personal experience?

TheChizler

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

I can’t see them doing that on the word of a member of the public. They have to see it, otherwise it’s the same as hearsay. What if I reported you for that and was just making it up ?? How would you feel about that?

If the statement can be made in court, if they gave an official statement or went to court as a witness themselves, then it's not hearsay.

SPDUB

RacoonQueen wrote: »

There is another junction in Terenure, where the light is before you hit the junction so if you cycle through it and then hit the junction the light can have gone red by the time you are barely crossing the junction.

Similar situation at the junction of Crumlin Road and Sundrive Rd at the Loreto School .

https://www.google.com/maps/place/R110,+Drimnagh,+Dublin/@53.3301126,-6.2981397,3a,75y,118.18h,92.61t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s0F12JrnIbvdUGUmeht9VPg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D0F12JrnIbvdUGUmeht9VPg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D312.57324%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x48670c6a358f8441:0x22022daad71f1ec4!8m2!3d53.3301296!4d-6.2981945

Plenty of times I have gone through a green light but before I got to the junction the traffic coming out of Sundrive Road has got a green to go .

TallGlass

Panjandrums wrote: »

Why would you want to argue with someone at the roadside?
It's not your role to tell other road users how you think the road should be used and let's face it, there's very few people that know every law governing the road.

You do know the range of arguements doesn't mean having to roar at people? It's a disagreement if you want to be extremely technical about it. Which I try not to be. Yano, cms in my lane and the type of stuff.

Well if it wasn't my role, why do manufacturers feel the need to install a horn on both my car and motorcycle? You do get the fact sometimes you have to not only tell someone not to do something but force them to not do something?

Kaisr Sose

TheChizler wrote: »

If the statement can be made in court, if they gave an official statement or went to court as a witness themselves, then it's not hearsay.

You mis-interpret what I said. If you go to the station and say x, without any evidence, it’s as good as hearsay.The other party denies, so you have no way of knowing what’s what.

Lambay island

TallGlass wrote: »

You do know the range of arguements doesn't mean having to roar at people? It's a disagreement if you want to be extremely technical about it. Which I try not to be. Yano, cms in my lane and the type of stuff.

Well if it wasn't my role, why do manufacturers feel the need to install a horn on both my car and motorcycle? You do get the fact sometimes you have to not only tell someone not to do something but force them to not do something?

Horns are installed for warning reasons only. They have been used for all sorts of behaviour for so long that id imagine a large percentage of people don't even know its proper purpose.

magicbastarder

nee wrote: »

I am constantly bewildered on group spins by how others think it's ok to approach horses. Slow the fup down, hang back and make a noise way out. I wait until the rider makes a sign it's ok to pass before I go by.

you saw that story of the horse being hit by a car over the weekend? i think my wife knows the owner - she was leading a (lame) horse into a field, saw a car coming, and waved at it to slow down. the driver hit the horse and kept going:

https://twitter.com/campbellsuz/status/987999105283747841

TheChizler

Just looked up the ROTR there on this. I knew the obligation to take instruction applied to people driving cattle or sheep but not horses. There's no difference it seems between the hand signal for 'I intend to slow down' and telling another road user to slow down. Obviously you should take extra care in both circumstances but how is the person behind you supposed to know which you're using?