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

Chuchote

magicbastarder wrote: »

best practice there would be to take the middle of the lane and not afford the bus the opportunity to pull alongside you. if he does anyway, it gives you much more escape room.

I'm just a big cowardy custard when a bus comes up fast right behind me.

cython

College Green in its current state is really not afforded the caution it deserves by some cyclists, unfortunately. I cycle through daily, and depending on my humour head for Dame and George's Streets, or go up to Nassau Street (2 routes to same destination), and only this morning when I paused behind and to the right of a bus on the way into the works (in particular as I could see the traffic beyond it starting to move), I saw not one but two cyclists try to zoom up the left of same bus, only to have to stop either when it moved off, or when they realised there was no space, and a high kerb on their left. The first of these then proceeded to try to squeeze me out when I left a few feet of space to the bus (AKA stopping distance ), and then even turned right for Dame Street (again, bear in mind they were looking to pass the bus on the left and presumably cut across).

As I muttered to myself at the time, some people are imbued with a special kind of stupid.

mr spuckler

cython wrote: »

College Green in its current state is really not afforded the caution it deserves by some cyclists, unfortunately. I cycle through daily, and depending on my humour head for Dame and George's Streets, or go up to Nassau Street (2 routes to same destination), and only this morning when I paused behind and to the right of a bus on the way into the works (in particular as I could see the traffic beyond it starting to move), I saw not one but two cyclists try to zoom up the left of same bus, only to have to stop either when it moved off, or when they realised there was no space, and a high kerb on their left. The first of these then proceeded to try to squeeze me out when I left a few feet of space to the bus (AKA stopping distance ), and then even turned right for Dame Street (again, bear in mind they were looking to pass the bus on the left and presumably cut across).

As I muttered to myself at the time, some people are imbued with a special kind of stupid.

indeed, but also as someone said above the design of many of the temporary diversions is terrible and funnels all road traffic into a stupidly tight space. i note now at the point where you've to cross the tracks outside the gate of trinity when heading towards dame st, that the groove in the tracks is not filled in as it was when the road was aligned a few metres to the right.

CramCycle

Big kudos to the 145 bus driver coming out of Shankhill the other night, young lad and his dad out for a spin. Young lad was clearly new enough, Dad was behind but out a bit. Bus driver slowed to a crawl and waited not only until it was clear, but until it was a really long sight line, more so than any other driver and held out on the other side of the road for well after. I can't imagine it slowed the journey down by more than a minute but it was well done.

Danbo!

cython wrote: »

...I saw not one but two cyclists try to zoom up the left of same bus, only to have to stop either when it moved off, or when they realised there was no space, and a high kerb on their left.

I see this a lot and it's mind boggling. Really shows you some people are just in their own little world. Had one a couple of months back that really made me wonder how there arent more accidents in these scenarios.

On the canal at the barge junction, heading east, the new set up has a left-turn lane to the left of the cycle track. It's a nice little upgrade. Anyway, there's a truck indicating left to cross the canal into town, but given his size, he's in the right lane to be able to make the swing.

Not only is he indicating, but there's a speaker at the back left playing a recorded voice "WARNING: THIS TRUCK IS TURNING LEFT". Amazing. Yet cyclist after cyclist ignores the indicator and audio warning and goes for the pass on the left. They've no idea if the lights are about to change or not. The first few head into the advance stop box in front of the truck, but one cyclist stops alongside the cab and eventually there are 4 or 5 queuing all alongside the truck

07Lapierre

CramCycle wrote: »

Big kudos to the 145 bus driver coming out of Shankhill the other night, young lad and his dad out for a spin. Young lad was clearly new enough, Dad was behind but out a bit. Bus driver slowed to a crawl and waited not only until it was clear, but until it was a really long sight line, more so than any other driver and held out on the other side of the road for well after. I can't imagine it slowed the journey down by more than a minute but it was well done.

Definitely report that to Bus Eireann!

CramCycle

07Lapierre wrote: »

Definitely report that to Bus Eireann!

BE were very quick when I rereported an incident on twitter, but went quiet when I gave them the date, I must investigate further.

buffalo

07Lapierre wrote: »

Definitely report that to Bus Eireann!

I have sent complimentary emails in the past when I see a driver being excellent or passing up an obvious opportunity to be a dick.

stevek93

Bl0ody lorry nearly took me and a lady cyclist out this morning on the Tonlegee Road turning into the recycling centre. He turned from the opposite side of the road into the recycling centre as I was passing the entrance. I had to dismount my bike and leg it up onto the path before he side swiped me.

Weepsie

I know there's a specific one for Ireland that's very similar (would like the URL if someone has it) but just discover bikemaps.org which is asking people to report collisions and near misses around the world since 2015.

Might be worthwhile putting up all the near misses at the very least to see just how many there are.

https://bikemaps.org/

Mercian Pro

Weepsie wrote: »

I know there's a specific one for Ireland that's very similar (would like the URL if someone has it)

http://www.dublininquirer.com/2015/10/20/bicycle-collision-tracker/

This may be what you are thinking of. Dublin City only I think.

Weepsie

Mercian Pro wrote: »

http://www.dublininquirer.com/2015/10/20/bicycle-collision-tracker/

This may be what you are thinking of. Dublin only I think.

That's the one alright. cheers

PowerToWait

I don't know if this Swiss ad has been posted already but I saw it on a French mate's FB.

The comments on the FB are typically polarised with a large anti-cycling cohort spouting the same bile as their Irish counterparts.

https://gfycat.com/WhimsicalIgnorantIberianlynx

Danbo!

PowerToWait wrote: »

I don't know if this Swiss ad has been posted already but I saw it on a French mate's FB.

The comments on the FB are typically polarised with a large anti-cycling cohort spouting the same bile as their Irish counterparts.

https://gfycat.com/WhimsicalIgnorantIberianlynx

Interesting idea for an ad.

I do think an ad campaign by the rsa showing cyclists what it's like from a drivers perspective, and showing drivers what it's like from a cyclists perspective, would help. Most of the ads they have are just explaining the rules of the road to motorists, such as leaving room and two abreast, which doesn't do much to change any attitudes of the people who already have a "thing" for cyclists.

Especially with the amount of dash cams and helmet cams out there, real life footage could be more effective.

Kaisr Sose

Danbo! wrote: »

Interesting idea for an ad.

I do think an ad campaign by the rsa showing cyclists what it's like from a drivers perspective, and showing drivers what it's like from a cyclists perspective, would help. Most of the ads they have are just showing the explaining the rule of the road to motorists such as leaving room and two abreast, which doesn't do much to change any attitudes of the people who already have a "thing" for cyclists.

Especially with the amount of dash cams and helmet cams out there, real life footage could be more effective.

They (the RSA) did a see it from their perspective / put yourself in their shoes ad which was quite effective. It featured the same person as a cyclist / driver and similarly as a pedestrian / driver. Dealt with close pass/ turning without indicating and driving through pedestrian lights when pedestrians were crossing.

Not as hard hitting as drink driving ads or the not paying attention/distracted with phone ones.

The impatience / desperate to pass and close passes are a real bug bear of mine!

Chuchote

PowerToWait wrote: »

I don't know if this Swiss ad has been posted already but I saw it on a French mate's FB.

The comments on the FB are typically polarised with a large anti-cycling cohort spouting the same bile as their Irish counterparts.

https://gfycat.com/WhimsicalIgnorantIberianlynx

"In half of accidents involving bikes, the cyclist's at fault"? Very, very dodgy statistic.

magicbastarder

it says 'in nearly half'; which is another way of saying 'more than half of all accidents are the motorist's fault'.

PowerToWait

Chuchote wrote: »

"In half of accidents involving bikes, the cyclist's at fault"? Very, very dodgy statistic.

It's another way of saying motorists are at fault most of the time in cyclist fatalities, though panders to anti-cycling sentiment.

I posted it here as I was surprised, it's an official government sponsored ad afaik.

I thought the parallels with the discussion here, recent Garda hi viz and helmet comments, and what's happening on Irish roads in general, were worth noting.

shootermacg

PowerToWait wrote: »

It's another way of saying motorists are at fault most of the time in cyclist fatalities, though panders to anti-cycling sentiment.

I posted it here as I was surprised, it's an official government sponsored ad afaik.

I thought the parallels with the discussion here, recent Garda hi viz and helmet comments, and what's happening on Irish roads in general, were worth noting.

That guy was pedaling like a clown though.

PowerToWait

shootermacg wrote: »

That guy was pedaling like a clown though.

The whole premise is to portray cyclists as irresponsible clowns. I'd consider that fairly shocking from a state sponsored ad.

Kaisr Sose

Chuchote wrote: »

"In half of accidents involving bikes, the cyclist's at fault"? Very, very dodgy statistic.

1. As pointed out, it's nearly half which is not half and could be way less
2. That's a Swiss advert, not Irish. So Swiss agenda/Swiss audience.

I lived there, seen the general respect shown to pedestrians and cyclists by motorists (and vice versa, no jay walking etc.). I would suggest that if a cyclist does have an incident with a vehicle, they may have done something erratic. But to re-iterate the point, that's in Switzerland.

Don't make the assumption it's a global statistic, it's not meant to be.

MediaMan

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Damn this thread got huge. For those that remember from earlier. I have a conclusion to this scenario:

TLDR: Went to Gards, got a direct apology from the taxi driver. Not much else the gards could do.

Even though this ended up as a reasonable outcome, I find it appalling that the Gardai are unable (or feel unable) to prosecute this type of behaviour. If someone went around the streets thrusting a sharp knife towards people, they would be arrested, even if they didn't actually stab anyone.

Why a motorist doing effectively the same thing with a car can walk away without fear of prosecution, even when it's captured on video beggars belief. It shows how much the car-centric philosophy is ingrained in our society.

I looked at that the car-free Oslo video and felt like crying at the lost opportunities for similar schemes here, due to the total lack of vision of our so-called leaders.

Kaisr Sose

Second MediaMan there. I am waiting one week to make a full statement about a driver that drove at me. Had it been an afraid attempted assault on the street, the accused would have been arrested/ questioned by now. What I found out is they can't even arrest or compell the motorist to give a statement under caution (it's voluntary) if it's not criminal assault. So even though a car can be used as a weapon, where no injury occurs, it's normally prosecuted under the Road Traffic Act (dangerous driving) rather than as an attempted assault. You could argue that Irish law is an Ass!

CramCycle

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Second MediaMan there. I am waiting one week to make a full statement about a driver that drove at me. Had it been an afraid attempted assault on the street, the accused would have been arrested/ questioned by now. What I found out is they can't even arrest or compell the motorist to give a statement under caution (it's voluntary) if it's not criminal assault. So even though a car can be used as a weapon, where no injury occurs, it's normally prosecuted under the Road Traffic Act (dangerous driving) rather than as an attempted assault. You could argue that Irish law is an Ass!

I also think that the Garda in your case is wrong, they could go under the attempted assault route and it would be justified, if a difficult one to prove. Find the right Garda, and I suspect you would have gotten the right response. Alas I feel the paperwork mess that is the other side of police work in Ireland means that many have lost the will to go after the small stuff as they know it will suck up 75% of their time.

Pinch Flat

Coming down the quays yesterday - green light though junction at DCC offices, going at a fair clip, car pulled out right in front of me at Merchants Quay. Driver completely oblivious. Yelled "Wakey, Wakey", still oblivious and confused as to what was wrong.

Coming towards castleknock gate this morning, going down hill at probably close to 40 kph, numpty in a ford focus pulls out to my left right in front of me from a side street. Bright flashing strobe on my bike, completely oblivious. Didn't even register with him.

Further on, car pulled into the dedicated bike lane to park beside it opposite Loretto School on Stephen's Green, completely obliviously. Sure it's a free space beside a bike lane - there's no one else to consider.

Saw these in Tk Maxx for €20 - worth a punt, probably not up to much in rain. Even cheaper here:

https://www.tjhughes.co.uk/milestone-micro-dv-camera-p5099

Nearly disposable at that price. "Ideal for recording footage of reckless drives" :pac;

CramCycle

Pinch Flat wrote: »

https://www.tjhughes.co.uk/milestone-micro-dv-camera-p5099

Had one a few years ago, fisheye view, sound was awful. Image quality was OK/mediocre but it failed in very short order.

Pinch Flat

CramCycle wrote: »

Had one a few years ago, fisheye view, sound was awful. Image quality was OK/mediocre but it failed in very short order.

Yeah fair enough, you pays peanuts you gets monkeys as they say

I love Sean nos

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Yeah fair enough, you pays peanuts you gets monkeys as they say

Aye, but you can teach a monkey to hold your phone and record video in landscape.

Pinch Flat

I love Sean nos wrote: »

Aye, but you can teach a monkey to hold your phone and record video in landscape.

Or cycle a bike

Kaisr Sose

CramCycle wrote: »

I also think that the Garda in your case is wrong, they could go under the attempted assault route and it would be justified, if a difficult one to prove. Find the right Garda, and I suspect you would have gotten the right response. Alas I feel the paperwork mess that is the other side of police work in Ireland means that many have lost the will to go after the small stuff as they know it will suck up 75% of their time.

I don't disagree! All statements have to be dictated....slow slow! My post here is esssentially my statement only to add the driver slowed down to my pace before steering at me three times.

I am going back again tonight to report it again. The other Garda wrote it on a sheet of paper and said he was back on duty again Tuesday and would contact me. Still waiting!

Meanwhile I am concerned that video footage from two businesses and a traffic camera at the junction that may hold vital footage, may not be preserved.