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

MojoMaker

It's also a cool story bro, just waiting for it to turn into the inevitable - there has been a hint already.

Seth Brundle

Had this prick yesterday not liking me using the 24/7 bus lane so close passed me in anger on the N4 near Lucan...

https://youtu.be/0pOLLQm-vyk

I believe that it is Dublin Fire Brigade but can anyone confirm from the logo?

(excuse my f***in hell shout)

Seth Brundle

It is listed on this site as being DFB...

http://www.fire-ireland.com/Dublin-Fire-Brigade-and-Ambulance-Service-Miscellaneous-Vehicles

Idleater

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963527#Comment_119963527

I had a similar experience further on the n4 at the junction from Ballyfermot. Behavior is suspiciously similar to your video. A guy in a full Dublin Fire Brigade Ranger/Hilux/thing (red, hiviz, lights (not on)). Went past me like that, then had to stop for the lights from Inchicore so I passed him.

He shouted that I shouldn't be in the BUS lane, so I told him politely that not only _could_ I, but that the lane was _specifically_ marked with bicycles too. That and that he was on camera.

I was going to report to traffic watch, but was also considering ringing around the fire stations in town saying I would chip in to fund their chief an alarm clock, as he clearly is poor at timing his commute.

Breezer

https://streamable.com/u9xrx7

A near miss last week, for the driver involved, but not for me. I braked to avoid going over her bonnet and instead went over my handlebars.

I need some advice about this one. She was nice about it (albeit she started waffling about someone on the M50 with no lights on. I think she was in shock). But as far as I’m concerned this is 100% her fault. I had 2 bright front lights and was wearing multiple hi viz/yellow bits: she just didn’t look.

I’ve got sore ribs that are popping in and out, a smashed Garmin Edge 1030 and a smashed high end front light. I think the bike is ok but I’m going to get it looked at.

I stupidly only took her reg, rather than her insurance details or even her phone number. I was in pain and just wanted to get home. I’m guessing this leaves me no choice but to go to the Gardaí if I want to follow it up? I mainly want my equipment replaced. We’re talking €500 approx. for the light and the Garmin, and whatever the bike service ends up costing (it’s just a hybrid commuter). The ribs will heal and I can likely sort any medical bits myself, I work in the field. Any ideas how I can go about contacting her/her insurer, only having her reg? Could the guards help here?

Edit: I went to the Gardaí. I'm literally only looking to contact the driver/her insurer, but seems I've to make a statement etc. I'm taking the video down for now anyway. Moral of the story: get insurance and contact details at the scene.

Seth Brundle

100% the fault of the driver for entering your lane without looking.

Ask Gardai for her details - they will get them and pass them on.

Breezer

Cheers. Presume I should just pay upfront for the replacement Garmin and lights and keep receipts? I should have receipts for the originals as well and I’ve photos of the smashed ones.

This was day 1 of running the new Fly 12 by the way! I had been running a GoPro at the front but got fed up with the poor battery life and had taken it off the bike!

Breezer

Yeah I could probably put her through the ringer if I wanted to (I reckon I’ve non-displaced rib fractures, hard to be sure without an X-ray). I don’t think I want to though. She seemed pleasant enough and I suspect she’ll think twice in future. I just want my gear replaced really. I’ll see how I heal up and I’ll think about it.

randomname2005

Sh1t situation and completely her fault in my opinion, but I think back to Ciaran cannon and his incident and wonder if you would get anything out of it.

Seth Brundle

Cheers. Presume I should just pay upfront for the replacement Garmin and lights and keep receipts? I should have receipts for the originals as well and I’ve photos of the smashed ones.

I don't see why not and you'll need them anyhow.

Like @magicbastarder says, they'll pay up quickly and I can't see them questioning some lights and a bike computer when potentially it could have been broken bones, etc. (thankfully so!).

Any claim should include medical costs incurred and that may arise.

I'd also note down everything you remember e.g. conditions at the time (i.e. the road wasn't icy or whatever) and light was good - I'd forget stuff after a few days

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119993157#Comment_119993157

I thought of this and went back and looked at Ciarán’s incident, then looked at my video a few times. The difference here (I think; I am not a lawyer) is that Ciarán was filtering on the inside of a line of traffic, with no cycle lane. I was actually travelling in a clear bus/cycle lane. Whatever argument could be made in Ciarán’s case about the driver not expecting him to be coming up the inside, this driver drove straight into a different traffic lane without looking.

I’m not suggesting either driver was in the right, but I just don’t see how this one could even make the argument that she had no expectation of oncoming traffic (and I don’t think she did, to be fair).

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119992959#Comment_119992959

I wonder out of curiosity (and not that it makes a difference to her actions) but did she just pull in front of you or did the driver travelling in your direction and facing her kinda wave her on.

Breezer

I don’t know and can’t tell from the video. I’ll have a listen back to the full aftermath audio later but I think it was both of us talking a bit of gibberish for the most part. Irrelevant anyway, as you say.

Seth Brundle

Just looking at the video again but I can't tell - did your helmet get damaged?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119993719#Comment_119993719

I don't think an insurance company would consider opposing this claim, especially when it is clear that the drivers actions directly led to the outcome.

Seth Brundle

It looks like the driver entered the lane without looking for or seeing the oncoming traffic. When they did see the oncoming traffic, they stopped their vehicle leaving it inevitable that the oncoming traffic had no option but to hit the anchors. Unfortunately when on a bike and having to brake suddenly, one can be thrown from the bike. There would be no doubt as to who is responsible for the incident.

However, if there was a large sum of money at stake, I've no doubt that the insurance company would try and point to the cyclist as being partly liable for travelling too fast to stop, etc in the same way they'd use any lack of high-viz etc or non-helmet use as reasons to keep a payout amount down

Breezer

@Seth Brundle Re: the helmet. No. I didn’t land on my head. My side took the impact.

randomname2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119993242#Comment_119993242

True, as is the other poster who replied. 500 quid will probably work out okay if it doesn't escalate. Hopefully the poster is recovering and gets sorted out soon

MojoMaker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119993132#Comment_119993132

If you haven't been formally checked out by a medical professional and are not currently holding (a) receipt to prove assessment and (b) the diagnosis/assessment, then please get both as quickly as possible or a case will be much more difficult to pursue down the line.

Cabaal

How long is too long to report a near miss?

Have video from two back in Sept but not yet reported, is this likely to cause an issue if I reported them now?

buffalo

Driver coming against me had to pull out around some eejit who had stopped on the corner of a junction to pick someone up. However, he then didn't pull back in onto his own side of the road and continued to drive toward me until I gave a shout.

It was then I realised I'm going to have to rein in the "**** hell"s while on the creche run.

MojoMaker

I really don't get the driver's logic here. Could he not have waited 10 seconds and all would have been good?

Seems like you met a driver with a chip on their shoulder about cyclists, and probably all other roads users. There's more of them out there then we may like to consider.

Idleater

Forgot to post this yesterday, but I saw a car almost get left hooked and then some pedestrians nearly taken out.

Weird situation, obviously the done thing at this junction (https://maps.app.goo.gl/17vEabkZSoU3QDEB6 - I'm not familiar with the area), but the left/straight lane queues and there's a short right lane. A little bit before the lights there's a left turn. All pretty residential.

A "steady stream" of vehicles overtake the queue to turn right (straddling the centre líne causing oncoming traffic to keep very left, but one hero cuts across the queue just as it has started to move, in that "make an orange/red light" kind of progress.

The car in front did well to spot the clown and braked immediately, and the pedestrians crossing did well to run the last few steps to finish crossing!

I was just about to cross but stood there gawking at the clown. Exchanged a :shrug: with the ashen faced driver.

Breezer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069790#Comment_120069790

Both pure ignorant gits. Hope your shoulder is ok.

JMcL

Was cycling back from football with the young lad this morning. He's 8 and I'm trying to build up his confidence on the road when it's usually quiet. Needed to make a right turn to head up to the house, so I've been talking him through these - giving him notice what we're going to do etc., and he's been great at it. Anyway, this morning, coming up to the turn, there was a driver gunning to pass (despite something coming the other way) so I thought feck it let him go, and he did, fair enough. Looked over the shoulder again (was on the right of the lane at this stage with the young lad inside me), and there was another car behind but hanging back as the oncoming car was just passing, so I signalled that I was going to go right. Thanks be to Jaysus I looked over the shoulder again, cause the bellend behind had gone regardless - regardless of road positioning, the fact a child was involved, signalling, the lot. He had some choice words thrown in his wake which thankfully the wind prevented small ears from making out

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120087327#Comment_120087327

Whatever about another cyclist, there could well have been a car moving along half in the cycle lane which wouldn't have had as much time to slow down.

Seth Brundle

Commuting both yesterday and this morning, it feels worse than before Christmas. On my way home yesterday, there were several pointless impatient passes such as this in Leixlip...

https://youtu.be/UwUJILx2iks

accensi0n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086876#Comment_120086876

I've had that happen a few times, drives me bananas. I know it's a ridiculous thought but if it happens again I'm tempted to just bloody ram into them.

Seth Brundle

Not sure if it was the rain or what but there was a lot of impatience out there today. I encountered several drivers who overtook me this morning despite oncoming traffic and my arm out to indicate not to pass.

I looked at disabling sound but can't do it on my new work laptop - excuse my French in this where the driver of 12-D-13107 thought he was on a bike (just like the driver in front of him)...

https://youtu.be/oVSwExBMQIQ

Both he and his passenger immediately went on the offensive giving out to me, hence my verbal reaction.

Cabaal

Keep the sound, it gives more context

Seth Brundle

...and another driver wanting to use a cycle lane today while I'm already in it. This happened about 30 seconds after they passed me. Not really sure what they were doing. I don't think they had a passenger (I didn't have time to look) and they still turned to their right...

https://youtu.be/4-2Gv4yCS_k

Excuse the "WTF" shout

Stark

Either deliberately cutting you off (people seem to do this quite a bit when stuck in traffic and they see cyclist coming up on inside) or suffering from "small car needing to swing out like a truck to turn" syndrome.

Seth Brundle

I should also point out that today's cycle lane encroachment was on Shackleton Road in Celbridge where a cyclist was seriously injured a few months ago. There was also plenty of kids on bikes heading to school.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/female-cyclist-rushed-to-hospital-after-collision-with-truck-in-celbridge-co-kildare-42009496.html

Seth Brundle

Are you ok now? I'd report the incident to AGS anyhow.

Dr_Colossus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108408#Comment_120108408

WTF, I heard of that assault and resulting permanent disability but not of the subsequent court case. Hard to see how she can loose the case with registration given by an independent witness and the scumbag then admitting to the offense. Judicial system is seriously messed up.

crosstownk

^^ Taxi drivers aren't professional drivers. They may drive as a profession but only have the same driving qualifications as a regular motorist - nothing more - no CPC, no driver training, no frequent training updates. Most, in my experience, have a diabolical attitude towards other road users.

Seth Brundle

Had to quickly head home at lunchtime and on my way back to the office, this bus driver gave me a punishment pass along the N4 at Lucan, presumably because they had no room to overtake and I inconvenienced them so much. The trucker behind him in lane 1 felt the need to alert me to their presence (I'm guessing that they were offering directions to the adjacent (poor quality) cycle path)...

https://youtu.be/nxKisfMrBeQ

Cabaal

Problem here is the bus driver expects you to be on the footpath (cycle path), I'm guessing you weren't because like most its likely a **** design or if it was icy our when cycling the footpath of course wouldn't have been gritted.

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120127677#Comment_120127677

If you use the N4 cycle track, depending on the direction and the junction, every time you come to a slip road for an off-ramp, you have to stop, turn your head 180 degrees to check for fast-moving traffic from behind, wait for a gap, and then proceed. And likewise for the on-ramp slip road on the other side of the junction.

Or worse, you have to proceed uphill up the slip road and wait at the traffic lights at the top to proceed straight through to go down the other side and rejoin.

Seth Brundle

It is fine if you want to take your time but is really just a crappy footpath. However, with a somewhat uneven surface in places and plenty of gravel and other crap on it, it is unsuitable for any kind of speed. There are also pinch points where the overhead gantries are located. You also have to yield at every slip road. Then add in the occasional jogger or dog walker. All of this means that speed isn't really an option.

In yesterday's vid, I was moving somewhere between 35 and 40km/h which wouldn't be suitable on the cycle path. I was also conscious that whilst there had been a bit of a thaw at that time and many sections of the cycle paths on my journey (Nangor Rd & Ballyowen Rd) still had frost on them.

buffalo

I cycled the N4 once to test it for the commute, it's horrible no matter how you use it. I go through Lucan village and along the Strawberry Beds instead now, and out through Phoenix Park. Apart from a few speed bumps, it's much more pleasant and far less traffic. Still the occasional close pass of course.

Seth Brundle

Not sure @CramCycle but given how late the driver left it before looking to move out, I'm inclined to think there knew exactly what they were doing.

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120127677#Comment_120127677

As others have said it's having to cede right of way at every junction that is the problem, especially if you're clipped in. Slip roads on the N3/4/7 etc would be a nightmare I'd imagine. My own experience on the Waterford ring road which is an 80km/h dual carriageway with roundabouts is that when decided to give the similar "cycle track" on the footpath (no segregation or markings as seen on the left below) a go back in the day, you have to stop at the crossing point to the left of the silver car, At that point it's difficult to see if anything is turning left since you're halfway round the turn yourself at this point, so it's stop and check (unclipping usually). Then you need to get the the small island just before the blue car - making sure you're not taken out of it by drivers turning right at speed from the opposite direction (it's blind - note the shrubbery). Then finally get across the last bit and continue to the same thing at the next roundabout. It got very old very quickly (plus it's dangerous) so I've stayed on the main carriageway ever since so I only have to worry about normal roundabout rules from the right now. And don't get me started with the dog on an extendible string brigade!

patrickc

not a near miss, but was cycling yesterday on the N80. a rigid truck with an aul fella driving layed on the horn going by, making some gestures at me. There was a a hard shoulder which was less than a 1/2 a foot wide and I think he wanted me to cycle in there. Not a chance!

Dr_Colossus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145694#Comment_120145694

+1, had a Bus Éireann driver pull in on top of me at Usher's Quay just after Mellow's Bridge junction where the cycle lane disappears. Slapped the side of the bus a couple of times but he continued to encroach and force me towards the kerb, slapped the back of the bus again as now had no room and had to stop but he continued on. He was stopped at the lights outside Guinness so I pulled up in the cycle lane beside him and opened the bus doors so he had to get out to reset. I asked him to explain his driving and forcing me off the road to where is only response was he didn't, one seriously ignorant and dangerous driver. Lights had well gone green at this stage so he closed the door and climbed back into his seat when I turned the door open level again and just said we'll see what his employer would say. Didn't bother reporting but hopefully the lost time and inconvenience might get him to think of what had he to gain.

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120151274#Comment_120151274

Online portal can't come soon enough.

fatbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120151274#Comment_120151274

The first fcuker should be taken out of that car and bet around the road in front of everyone. What if a toddler shot out of one of those driveways.

Idleater

Had the aul "stick on the indicator and turn" this morning.

Granted, the clown looked like they were going to turn so I was prepared.

They indicated as they were beside me and thanks to traffic everyone was going slowly.

What was interesting was that they stopped just after starting the turn, say 30 degrees. So I slow rolled in front of them. I reckon they knew what they were doing and bullied their turn.

Gaz

Trying to decide if I should go to the hassle of reporting this. I've rewatched it so many times it dosnt seem as bad now.

https://streamable.com/9i94t0

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120189241#Comment_120189241

Did they actually hit you?