Near Misses Thread Volume 2 (So close you can feel it)

crosstownk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118430353#Comment_118430353

Templeogue Village is a nightmare - especially where you encountered the bus. A few years ago the cycle track used to be on the footpath from the tennis club to the bridge on both sides. Then it was moved onto the road with painted lines and since then the kind of close pass you experienced is far too regular with all vehicles. I'd an even closer pass with an articulated truck a couple of weeks ago on the opposite of the road - one of those passes where you tense up just waiting to be clipped. Thankfully it just about missed me.

I usually go through the village in the opposite direction and have no problem taking the lane if there's traffic coming in the other direction and I always take the lane as I approach the tennis club until I get to the bus stop at the pedestrian lights where the road widens considerably.

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118431459#Comment_118431459

https://www.dublinbus.ie/Privacy/Making-a-Subject-Access-Request/

Make the request ASAP before footage is deleted - give bus number, place, time, and a description of yourself so they can ID you in the footage.

https://www.dublinbus.ie/Privacy/Making-a-Subject-Access-Request/

cletus

Are, say, taxi drivers given extra professional training? Or delivery van drivers? I don't think so. They just pass the test same as the rest of us.

Bus drivers have to do lessons and a test in the bus, but it's not any more "professional" than the car test, or bike test, or towing a trailer test

crosstownk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434945#Comment_118434945

Bus drivers and HGV drivers must have a Certificate of Professional Competency and do regular training courses in order to keep the certificate. In the case of Dublin Bus, these training courses are on an annual basis, afaik. While I'm not aware of the content of these courses, it is somewhat more 'professional' than a basic '"lessons, test, done for life" such as a taxi driver, van driver or average Joe car driver.

https://www.rsa.ie/services/professional-drivers/cpc/become-a-professional-cpc-driver/10.-staying-qualified

cletus

I stand corrected re. bus drivers

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118436605#Comment_118436605

I was questioning the fact that those drivers were more "professional". Leaving out bus drivers, as far as I know, taxi drivers and delivery drivers (the other driving professions, as such) don't get any more training than anyone else with a licence. You might expect them to be better drivers (whatever that might mean), but what is the higher standard we expect from a taxi driver over any other saloon driver on the road?

Are there things that non professional drivers can do on the road that we will excuse, that we wouldn't excuse for a taxi driver?

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448538#Comment_118448538

So, it's not that you want more stringent rules, but rather, harsher penalties for infringment of the rules already there.

I'd imagine it would be difficult to do, legislatively.

I'd prefer if drivers in general were held to a standard of driving

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448600#Comment_118448600

Professional drivers already have to meet higher medical standards in order to obtain a licence, and it needs to be renewed more frequently. I’m not in any way a legal expert, but presumably that sets some sort of legislative precedent for distinguishing professional from non-professional drivers?

MojoMaker

Who said Fastway.

Dr_Colossus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454054#Comment_118454054

Thanks, to update I got a call from the investigating Garda in Bridewell Station (I think) a few days ago who advised there was no CCTV at that junction and that any cameras in the area were for traffic flow monitoring. Ok, whatever, I'd lost interest at that stage with the he said she said argument and no means of proving the incident. Garda did say the van was registered down the country so I guess that gives such drivers a free pass for bad driving in the big smoke when out of their comfort zone. In conclusion Garda was to ring the registered driver with a warning but whether that actually happens I have my doubts (do Gardaí pull phone numbers from associated motor tax payment logs as I'm not aware where else driver's phone numbers are stored?). I wasn't interested in pursuing it any further since no simple means of reprimanding a driver and no injury but at least there's an incident recorded against the registration.

Garda also said it's better to report such incidents at the applicable station as he was only getting the TrafficWatch report nearly two weeks after the incident. Ok fair point but what then is the purpose of TrafficWatch if not a convenient means of reporting traffic incidents since it's apparently not fit for purpose?

A few months ago I spent approximately 90mins in Store Street over two visits reporting a more serious incident involving a taxi driver on Aston Quay (gave the details in a post here at the time), I got a text message and an unexpected letter in the post with pulse numbers and what not. After all that the incident was then transferred to Pearse Street station and from there the initial Garda wanted me to call in to report the incident again but she was only available after 19:00 for a few days and then on leave for two weeks. Incident was thereafter transferred to another Garda who was very helpful and following a couple of updates advised he had the driver call into the station to give a statement and had also tracked down and spoken to his fare paying passenger. I did have a missed call or two around the time but haven't heard anything more on the incident since so not sure what if anything ever happened.

I really need to get cameras for the bike as your word is literally useless without an independent witness. I have a front and rear facing dashcam for the car but since I do more mileage per year on the bike I need to get that prioritised. Pretty difficult to get a good but yet reasonable camera for the bike though, I had the search narrowed to the Ghost Drift X a while back but never pulled the trigger.

5uspect

https://twitter.com/safecyclingeire/status/1480999260938199040?s=21

MojoMaker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118463480#Comment_118463480

Jaysus. The neck on that driver.

cletus

Do professional drivers have a separate licence from their driving licence? We have some teachers here that have a bus licence for the school bus, but it's just added to their normal licence, I thought. Open to correction, though

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118467063#Comment_118467063

So, the "professional driver" thing is a bit of a mish mash. Some of them have ongoing traing, some of them don't. Some have separate permits/licences, some don't.

The reality is, there isn't two levels of safe driving on the road, one for professionals and one for social/recreational/commuting/whatever.

There is safe driving, and unsafe driving (I'm aware that there are levels of unsafe), and everyone behind the wheel of a vehicle should be held to the same standard.

cletus

I suppose the question is, what's a better standard of driving. As long as they are obeying the rules, and driving with due care and attention, then what is the more or better you want from them?

The flip side of the above, is that all drivers should be obeying the rules, and driving with due care and attention.

*Edit*

To address the last part of your post, vonluck, being a skilled driver is not the same as being a safe driver. The carpenter comparison is a false equivalency

cletus

I'm still not sure what the "higher standard" would constitute? What would it look like?

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118468067#Comment_118468067

So, there would be levels of safe driving then? Pro drivers would have to do safer driving than the rest of us?

I'm not sure which of the rules of the road we could make safer just for one subset of drivers (I'm aware of differing speed limits for different vehicles), that wouldn't also benefit all road users by having all road users obey the new safer rules, rather than just some.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118468721#Comment_118468721

So, we're back to looking at harsher penalties for breaking those laws, rather than a more stringent set of laws for those drivers

Cabaal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118468760#Comment_118468760

Thats insane,

If anything they should be held to a higher standard of driving (an even lower limit!), especially HGV and bus drivers!

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118472195#Comment_118472195

Not really. They're two different things, to my mind. The inital calls were for "more stringent rules", not more punishment

Breezer

Hope they make a full recovery. It’s not the worst stretch, but the surface downhill is in bits and there’s a left turn off it. Uphill is only one lane and can be intimidating with impatient drivers. I only go down

The off road cycle track is awful, confusing, theoretically is for people cycling up the hill only, and frequently has pedestrians and dogs on and off leads in it.

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118467654#Comment_118467654

Comparing 'professional' drivers with 'professional' carpenters is a poor analogy. A carpenter is judged on his work. If he's shoddy, he's unlikely to get further work. A truck driver is not judged on how he makes the journey to his delivery point. He's judged on making good time, not missing the ferry, not missing his delivery slot at the warehouse, not missing out on the back load etc. Unfortunately, there is a temptation to cut corners. This is especially true of tipper truck drivers who are generally paid per ton dropped so there is always a temptation to hammer along and squeeze in an extra load every day. I'm not excusing the above but merely pointing out that calling someone 'professional' has nothing to do with driving skills.

Someone else said that artic drivers should be held to higher standards than taxi drivers. It could be argued that taxi drivers carry much more precious cargos than artic drivers.

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118479487#Comment_118479487

Yes, but if the standard isn't acceptable, he'll have to redo it so it's in his interest to maintain a certain level. On the other hand, a truck driver who gets the delivery in on time may be rewarded regardless of how it got there.

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118479509#Comment_118479509

I know. I was just highlighting the fact that many people look on taxi drivers as people who drive around in empty vehicles.

MojoMaker

OMG that's priceless 🤣🤣🤣

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118505087#Comment_118505087

I’ve seen a few of you worried about Griffith Avenue now. Which section exactly is worrying you?

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118505412#Comment_118505412

That’s what I thought. I pass through there every day and it looks decent to me. Cyclist stop lines well ahead of general traffic. Cyclist specific lights. Nice wide cycle tracks. They’re banning left turns for general traffic, as far as I know (the bedding in period for that one might be an issue though).

The 90 degree bend for cyclists going right from Griffith Avenue onto Ballymun/Mobhi Road looks a bit awkward but I think the idea is to do it in two movements, which is slow for confident cyclists, but safer for less confident people.

I’m not arguing with you, I’m just clearly missing something and am curious what you’re spotting that I’m not.

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506840#Comment_118506840

I seem to remember them planning to reverse the direction of travel around the triangle, specifically to avoid left hooks on cyclists. But I can’t for the life of me find it now. Thinking about it, I’m not sure how it would have worked for turning from Griffith onto Ballymun road; I was thinking about the opposite manoeuvre when I looked at it.

What I have found is this, which leaves the left turns intact:

https://consultation.dublincity.ie/traffic-and-transport/griffith-avenue-protected-cycle-track/supporting_documents/Griffith%20Avenue%20Junctions%20with%20Ballymun%20Road%20and%20St%20Mobhi%20Road.pdf

And yeah, if that’s what they’re doing, that’s likely to be a disaster.

Edit: I’m looking over Dutch junction design here and seeing what they were trying to do. I think there was room to design this better. But I’m wondering, would Dutch junctions work here on an ad hoc basis? They seem to rely on drivers turning right (left here) anticipating the presence of cyclists and knowing to give way.

Sorry, this may be better in the Infrastructure Planned for North Dublin thread, if mods want to take it over there.

Gaz

Whats the process of reporting to the guards? Is there an upload site or must I visit a station ? Had this muppet scare the bejaysus out of me this morning

https://streamable.com/jqg9py

Gaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118558199#Comment_118558199

Yeah, he almost hits him. Then that cyclist went out in front until the cycle lane begins.

Breezer

There was all sorts wrong with what that driver did, but I’ve had worse happen. I’d rate quite a few of the videos on this thread as worse, too.

Skrynesaver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118613952#Comment_118613952

I used to get filled with such energetic rage at dangerous driving that I would inevitably chase down the driver and "have words", however either I've mellowed, I've grown out of that sort of behaviour or I've become inured to motorised idiocy.

Seth Brundle

Had a good solo spin today wandering around Slade hill (near Saggart) but near home this driver on the N4 put a damper on it. Scared the crap outta me!

https://youtu.be/_hibjfVdt_o

MojoMaker

Jesus wept 😫

Seth Brundle

Trafficwatched just now.

Still, I love the sound of my the freehub on my Scribes!

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118708873#Comment_118708873

I stopped to make sure that the video file was saved. Then I continued up the slip road where the driver was calmly sitting in a queue of traffic.

Seth Brundle

What did occur to me afterwards however, is that when he pleaded guilty it means he was admitting that he had done it on purpose.

His pleading guilty would be to the offence but not necessarily the intent e.g. the incident happened but he hadn't seen you (but it probably was intentional!)

My recent report to TrafficWatch above hasn't yet resulted in a call from AGS 🙄

Had a close pass last night near Adamstown on my way home from work by a plonker in a white Transit. Caught up with the driver at the next set of lights and knocked on his window. He said to me before I opened my mouth "sorry I didn't see you". Surprised at this I asked how, given my two bright rear lights, high viz bag on my back and the street lights. He just repeated his "sorry I didn't see you" line. All I could think of saying as I left was that would be of little comfort to my wife if he had killed me. As I was pedalling away he twice shouted out his passenger window that he hadn't killed me. Gobsh1te!

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118753315#Comment_118753315

That is insane. I looked at the first pic and didn’t really understand the issue. Then I saw the second one. Holy $hit! I cant help you with the footage, I’m afraid, but if you manage to get it sorted please do report that.

Not a near miss for me, but this morning I was coming up Phibsborough Road to Doyle’s Corner. I look to my right and here’s a guy on a Dublin bike merrily cycling the wrong way up the bollard-protected cycle lane on the other side. He comes to the junction a few seconds after the lights go green for Phibsborough Road, and swings right onto NCR, over to the left side of the road, right in front of a truck coming the other way turning left. Not a bother on the nutter!

Seth Brundle

Am I correct in thinking that if you edit the video, even just to enhance it, this puts its ability to be used as evidence on shaky ground?

hesker

Sharpening isn’t a myth just that the possibilities are dramatically less than what is shown on those cop shows. It is very unlikely to help much.

Do you know if there are any other cameras in the area that might have captured the reg.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118756760#Comment_118756760

Given your use of the words "most likely" means that if you see a matching car, there is doubt as to whether it is THE car! Plus I reckon the garda that you will be talking to will be too busy or disinterested to play detective and won't want to get involved.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118758242#Comment_118758242

Trust me, they haven't the time for playing detective for you. Plus they probably won't want to!

5uspect

https://youtu.be/x6MG7eIBYbM

Another from Strawberry Beds, overtaking on a bend against an oncoming cyclist.

Seve OB

How did you embed that you tube video

ive tried uploading one but it’s just coming in as a link

also tried posting video directly but even though it’s only 32mb tells me it’s failed because over limit of 50mb!

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787509#Comment_118787509

We've had cycle lanes albeit unprotected for many years and most drivers still don't check and observe. The behaviour in the video below is normal on my commute. I've resorted to taking the lane along that stretch because some drivers sneak into the bus lane and put the foot right down so that they can get to the junction as soon as possible (and join a queue of traffic).

(language NSFW)

https://youtu.be/OaNDwlJDPiM

Seth Brundle

Just out of curiosity, what are people's thoughts on this?

I'm annoyed at myself for allowing it to escalate - I shouldn't have followed him into the car park but for him to keep moving his car knowing that I was there? Am I at fault here?

Thoughts?

Some language is NSFW!

https://youtu.be/gZIqy4EqNgQ

Seth Brundle

Foot is fine. My cycling shoe took the weight seemingly without any damage. I remember thinking at teh time that I was going to be brought down. Thankfully it didn't happen.

Before that, he also pinned my tyre down (reckon it was the tyre as the wheel looks fine) but wasn't enough to cause it to blow, thankfully.

Cabaal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787872#Comment_118787872

I get why you followed him, but personally I wouldn't have bothered.

Fact he pulled out shows he didn't give a crap about you, he wasn't going to care what you said sadly.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787872#Comment_118787872

What did he say to you when he had his arm out the window when you first approached him?

In this instance, I'm not sure I would have bothered following him into the car park. I don't think anything will be gained, at best he might offer some form of an apology, but if you're upset enough to follow him, that's unlikely to assuage anything.

In more general terms, I continually surprised when people put themselves in a position for potential confrontation (this isn't a dig at you, Seth)

Having spent a good portion of my life involved in kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA, I'm somewhat aware of what's involved or required when an altercation becomes physical, and at that, I steer clear of anything that could result in a row.

Following someone to where they were parking would fall into that category for me, because if I was followed by someone I didn't know, I'd be preparing myself for it to become physical.

Just my two cents

cletus

I keep saying it here, but the vast majority of drivers would probably be surprised if you stopped them and said they were too close.

If they didn't hit you, they were far enough away, like any inanimate object they might drive past or around.

On top of that, having a random stranger explain to them that they did somthing wrong, and what that was, is not going to engender some sort of come to God moment about cyclist safety. Most people just get defensive.

"Teaching" them by deliberately delaying them, or whatever other tactic? I can't see how anyone thinks that might make people be more considerate.

People are automatically on the defensive if people challenge them about something, particularly if they are unaware they were in the wrong in the first place.