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

Tombo2001

Seth Brundle wrote: »

When both the main state agency for road safety and the minister responsible for overseeing road safety hold a contemptible of cyclists, what do you expect?
The authorities in Ireland are anti-cycling. Cycling is something that obstructs our driving culture, nothing else.

Don't forget the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, who said of the LLS piece on cyclists last year - "nothing to see here folks, they are fair game".

Duckjob

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Agreed. We also have a huge problem with obesity, diabetes and general unhealthy lifestyles.

It’s pretty embarrassing when you go to Europe and beyond and see how generally fitter and more mobile the General population is. We’re definykwy the lazy slobs of Europe.

It’s hard to see how cycling will become on par with other means of transport - it’s definitely become more toxic in recent years. The Pat Kenny / George Hook / FM104 effect have all helped to contribute to this.

Another thing that struck me, since being away and coming back, was how grouped and dehumanised we are being labelled as "cyclists", whereas over there it was more a sense of just "people on bikes". I mean, I was aware of it before, but it doestn't register as much when you're immersed in it daily. Spending some time away really brought it home.

It's funny here, how the "anti-cyclist" people will give out about spending money on new facilities for "cyclists". Never seems to occur to them that if they were pissed off about missing out - any of them could get a bike in the morning and avail of any benefits afforded to people on 2 wheels. They don't want to (too lazy in most cases), but don't want those that do to have it - it's real Dog-in-the-manger stuff.

Tombo2001

Duckjob wrote: »

Another thing that struck me, since being away and coming back, was how grouped and dehumanised we are being labelled as "cyclists", whereas over there it was more a sense of just "people on bikes". I mean, I was aware of it before, but it doestn't register as much when you're immersed in it daily. Spending some time away really brought it home.

It's funny here, how the "anti-cyclist" people will give out about spending money on new facilities for "cyclists". Never seems to occur to them that if they were pissed off about missing out - any of them could get a bike in the morning and avail of any benefits afforded to people on 2 wheels. They don't want to (too lazy in most cases), but don't want those that do to have it - it's real Dog-in-the-manger stuff.

It is amazing the unwillingness - almost fear - regarding anything related to exercise amongst a large cohort of the commuting public.

"I wouldn't be able for that" is the response I most often get - which is a euphemism really for "I don't want to do that".

xckjoo

Tombo2001 wrote: »

It is amazing the unwillingness - almost fear - regarding anything related to exercise amongst a large cohort of the commuting public.

"I wouldn't be able for that" is the response I most often get - which is a euphemism really for "I don't want to do that".

There's nearly a pride in minimising the amount of physical exertion they have to do. Even people that go to the gym regularly will still try and park in the doorway of the place if they can. Cycling to and from work gives me free exercise AND saves me time. I only have one issue with it and that's the fear of getting crushed under the wheels of someone who can't wait 10s before they join the next traffic jam.

Hurrache

xckjoo wrote: »

There's nearly a pride in minimising the amount of physical exertion they have to do. Even people that go to the gym regularly will still try and park in the doorway of the place if they can. Cycling to and from work gives me free exercise AND saves me time. I only have one issue with it and that's the fear of getting crushed under the wheels of someone who can't wait 10s before they join the next traffic jam.

I was listening to the Last Word yesterday and he had a long piece on Commuter Hell or something like that. One of the guests was a university lecturer in the city centre. Her main issue was she had to leave earlier than she needs to in order to get a seat on the bus. She then said due to her increased commuting time cut into things like exercise time. There was an obvious solution for her she never brought up, despite cycling being mentioned later.

Mickiemcfist

Hurrache wrote: »

I was listening to the Last Word yesterday and he had a long piece on Commuter Hell or something like that. One of the guests was a university lecturer in the city centre. Her main issue was she had to leave earlier than she needs to in order to get a seat on the bus. She then said due to her increased commuting time cut into things like exercise time. There was an obvious solution for her she never brought up, despite cycling being mentioned later.

To be fair it's a bit of a vicious circle. I was hesitant to cycle to work for years due to seeing many many close calls while I was driving or getting the bus to work. Combination of terrible Irish drivers, terrible Irish road layouts & terrible manners of a lot of other road users contribute to it not being seen by many as a viable option. (also, pre-cycling I really overestimated how bad the rain is here)

Duckjob

Hurrache wrote: »

I was listening to the Last Word yesterday and he had a long piece on Commuter Hell or something like that. One of the guests was a university lecturer in the city centre. Her main issue was she had to leave earlier than she needs to in order to get a seat on the bus. She then said due to her increased commuting time cut into things like exercise time. There was an obvious solution for her she never brought up, despite cycling being mentioned later.

Reminds me when NewsTalk did their week on commuter hell. One of the days there was a woman on complaining that doing the school run the previous week had seen her sit in traffic for nearly a hour when it was normally a 3 min run.

Didn't seem to register with anyone, her nor the NewsTalk presenters, that the reason traffic is so bad is because people lucky enough to have a 3 min car journey to the school still insist on getting into their cars instead of moving their big arses and walking their little darlings to school instead.

TallGlass

Duckjob wrote: »

Reminds me when NewsTalk did their week on commuter hell. One of the days there was a woman on complaining that doing the school run the previous week had seen her sit in traffic for nearly a hour when it was normally a 3 min run.

Didn't seem to register with anyone, her nor the NewsTalk presenters, that the reason traffic is so bad is because people lucky enough to have a 3 min car journey to the school still insist on getting into their cars instead of moving their big arses and walking their little darlings to school instead.

No point, math is lost on these people. 3 mins driving time, totally forgetting about the preparation of getting to that point along with getting back to that point. I highly doubt it was 'a 3 min run'.


The same people, that drive like loons, only to get stopped at the next set of reds.

Lifted from the motors forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eVlgplY7XQ

magicbastarder

mark my words, if i'm ever knocked off my bike it will be at the punchbowl. this evening, inbound, i had the lights, keeping the usual eye out for people coming out of town and swinging right up booterstown avenue, across the front of cyclists (which is quite common).
today, i relaxed a bit because a small white commercial van was slightly ahead of me going straight on (he was in the right hand lane) so obviously the outbound traffic was going to wait for him to pass. except the guy in the white commercial decided at the very last second that he was going to swing left, and cut across straight in front of me. required a bit of emergency braking on my part (enough to lock up the rear wheel a little) and i'm afraid i took the lord's name in vain with quite a bit of gusto; however this was mainly to alert the driver's attention to the fact i was there. he just drove off.

What Username Guidelines

magicbastarder wrote: »

and i'm afraid i took the lord's name in vain with quite a bit of gusto

I’m usually the first to defend cyclists but this is too much. I’m siding with the van driver here.

Mc Love

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

(also, pre-cycling I really overestimated how bad the rain is here)

I always put rain down as the reason to not cycle to work but found it doesn't rain half as much as you'd think

buffalo

Deleted User wrote: »

Lifted from the motors forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eVlgplY7XQ

I'm Internet-famous!

buffalo

buffalo wrote: »

I'm Internet-famous!

I was wondering to myself if it might have been anyone here when I saw it posted over in motors.

buffalo

Deleted User wrote: »

I was wondering to myself if it might have been anyone here when I saw it posted over in motors.

You can't tell from that clip, but I had actually taken the lane and was in a very visible position, but he just didn't give a ****. I spotted what he was at and squeezed over to the right so as not to be hit.

mr spuckler

buffalo wrote: »

You can't tell from that clip, but I had actually taken the lane and was in a very visible position, but he just didn't give a ****. I spotted what he was at and squeezed over to the right so as not to be hit.

that's so fvcking grim. and you're right, the previous video didn't look as bad as yours at all because it didn't show where you came from.

What Username Guidelines

Had an awfully close, abuse-filled pass this morning here

Traffic was backed up in the driving lane, and a golf was nipping up the bus lane. I clocked him when I hand signalled to take the lane (I was going straight) and he sat on the horn and blasted past, followed by lots of gesticulation. Funny thing was, I hadnt even left the 'cycle lane' part of the bus lane. He then got to the lights, had his filter light, but of course he waits and rolls down his window. Considered asking him if he was in such a hurry why was he stopped, and I certainly wasn't in the humour for the usual explain-why-he's-wrong-only-for-him-to drive-off-half-way-through, so I just told him to F**k off

Gotta love the sense of entitlement while barrelling down a bus lane.

gaybeer

Having never been hit before, I've now been knocked down twice in 2 months. Luckily no more damage than cuts and bruises. Last night outside Vicar street a car looking for a parking spot turned into the bus lane and knocked me down. In fairness to the lady, she was very apologetic.

mr spuckler

not a near miss as such, just really infuriating. bringing my son to creche this morning, in the trailer for once instead of on the Weeride. we were approaching the crossroads in Raheny village and I was preparing to turn right, so I turned around, saw a decent gap and signalled to turn right. if I was on my own I'd have been more assertive but I could see the guy showing no inclination to let me out so I stayed in the cycle lane.
he kept coming, to pull up in traffic queued at the red light about 5 yards ahead of me, so I pulled out behind him into the right filter lane. as I passed by the driver window I looked at him to make eye contact and gestured for wtf. he stared dead ahead, completely blanked me.

my assumption is that he saw me and despite me having my son in the trailer decided he still needed to demonstrate his superiority over us. the alternative, which I think is almost equally plausible and probably scarier, is that he actually didn't see us.

Mickiemcfist

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

Had an awfully close, abuse-filled pass this morning here

Traffic was backed up in the driving lane, and a golf was nipping up the bus lane. I clocked him when I hand signalled to take the lane (I was going straight) and he sat on the horn and blasted past, followed by lots of gesticulation. Funny thing was, I hadnt even left the 'cycle lane' part of the bus lane. He then got to the lights, had his filter light, but of course he waits and rolls down his window. Considered asking him if he was in such a hurry why was he stopped, and I certainly wasn't in the humour for the usual explain-why-he's-wrong-only-for-him-to drive-off-half-way-through, so I just told him to F**k off

Gotta love the sense of entitlement while barrelling down a bus lane.

Wasn't by any chance a black golf (don't know exact year but c.2012) guy about 30? Had a very similar experience with one this morning on the Ballyboden road going towards Rathfarham. Super aggressive.

Benny Biscotti

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Wasn't by any chance a black golf (don't know exact year but c.2012) guy about 30?

Do black golf's get driven by anyone other than a male in his 30''s?

Mickiemcfist

Benny Biscotti wrote: »

Do black golf's get driven by anyone other than a male in his 30''s?

Oddly, I happen to be a black golf driving 29 year old male :pac:

What Username Guidelines

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Wasn't by any chance a black golf (don't know exact year but c.2012) guy about 30? Had a very similar experience with one this morning on the Ballyboden road going towards Rathfarham. Super aggressive.

2012 alright, but this was silver

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Oddly, I happen to be a black golf driving 29 year old male :pac:

Drove a dark grey golf myself for 3 years up until last year (I'm 34)

Skrynesaver

Yesterday evening here heading towards Clonee arm out to move to the outside lane with 2 lights in front (500 && 720 lumens) silver Merc turning right pulled out and was just shy of T-boning me when he came to a stop, very unnerving, but I picked up the pace considerably after the incident.

Duckjob

Had a close-ish pass yesterday on the rural road part of my commute from a Myra Manor construction van.

Narrow road with traffic coming behind me and traffic coming the other way, so I was keeping well out from the edge to block any monkey business as I've been buzzed too many times on that particular stretch of road. This seemed to piss off Mr Myra Manor behind me as when the oncoming traffic had gone by he buzzed past me when he could have left me plenty more space.

Bonus points for the 2nd van driver behind him, who, although he passed me with more space, roared out his passenger window at me to move over to the side.

Really heartwarming to know these van-driving gents are so concerned with my wellbeing they feel the need to give me cycling safety tips while passing.

Ferris

Taxi driver Michael Donnelly decided to teach me a lesson for taking the buslane outside Blackrock college today. Told me to foxtrot oscar later in front of his fare too so, stay classy Michael!

amcalester

The “cycle lane” there does more harm than good. Road is simply too narrow.

AndrewJRenko

Ferris wrote: »

Taxi driver Michael Donnelly decided to teach me a lesson for taking the buslane outside Blackrock college today. Told me to foxtrot oscar later in front of his fare too so, stay classy Michael!

His verbal abuse in front of a fare opens the door to a formal complaint to the NTA about his behaviour. Don't complain to them about his dangerous driving, as that is a matter for the Gardai.

AndrewJRenko

Duckjob wrote: »

Had a close-ish pass yesterday on the rural road part of my commute from a Myra Manor construction van.

Narrow road with traffic coming behind me and traffic coming the other way, so I was keeping well out from the edge to block any monkey business as I've been buzzed too many times on that particular stretch of road. This seemed to piss off Mr Myra Manor behind me as when the oncoming traffic had gone by he buzzed past me when he could have left me plenty more space.

Bonus points for the 2nd van driver behind him, who, although he passed me with more space, roared out his passenger window at me to move over to the side.

Really heartwarming to know these van-driving gents are so concerned with my wellbeing they feel the need to give me cycling safety tips while passing.

You can pass on your thanks to them here, via FB or mobile phone number listed

Link

Ray Bloody Purchase

I was staying in the right lane here last night (in the cycle lane approaching the lights) and someone in a SUV nearly knocked me down in a rush to join the traffic stopped at the red light turning left.

It's a pure balls of a spot.