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

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434485#Comment_118434485

Just gave my opinion based on my experienc.

VonLuck

There are bad road users in all categories, but what I must say is that professional drivers should be held to a higher standard than everyone else. Driving is what they are trained to do and do it every working day of their lives yet many fail to obey the most basic of rules. Repeat offenders shouldn't be allowed to operate a vehicle in a working capacity in my opinion.

kennethsmyth

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

Anyone who drives for a living (not just to get to work) should be held to a higher standard - its literally their job!

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118429578#Comment_118429578

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434300#Comment_118434300

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434300#Comment_118434300

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434300#Comment_118434300

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434897#Comment_118434897

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118327107#Comment_118327107

New fuppin website, can't seem to comment under the individual posts.

@wheelo01 some people don't like this but there is no group of vehicle users that are worse than others, there are just sh1t road users and there is a number of them spread across all vehicle types. People tend to remember the bad ones but when I look at it objectively, as someone who interacts with 100s of buses per week, they are typically better than other road users, Dublin Bus in particular. Yes I have had a few bad experiences but considering the 1000s of interactions, the number of negatives are minor. Pick any brand of car and I guarantee you I have met more poor drivers for each brand than all the DB drivers in total.

@bmc58 but are you being objective. 40 years is a long time, How many have been good and how many have been bad, what vehicle type was each driving, and so on. Recently I have found myself thinking Land Rover drivers are the worst as that is who I recall the worst interactions of late, before that it was BMW poverty spec Diesels and before that it was Nissan Quashqais were the most terrifying vehicle on the road. Stereotypes are great for stories but if many of us were honest, are probably not an accurate representation of the real world.

@VonLuck NO, I am sorry but NO. They should be held to the same standard as any other motorist. It is ridiculous to think that just because you are not a "professional" driver you should get away with worse driving. No one can really think this? Its not so much that they should be held to a higher standard its that motorists in general are not held ot a high enough standard, many forget due to such low standards that driving is a privilege, not a right.

@monkeybutter fair enough it is a left only lane but that doesn't excuse the motorist, you always look in your mirrors and do a shoulder check before turning, they clearly different. I won't lie, I would have expected it to happen but that doesn't give the motorist the thumbs up to cut someone off.

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118437193#Comment_118437193

I disagree. Someone who drives for a living should have more stringent rules because they are on the road for the entirety of their working day and are more prevalent on the roads. I'm not talking about your typical motorist being let away with minor infringements, I'm suggesting something along the lines of bans from professional driving in addition to your normal penalty point system.

As some know on this thread, I am now permanently welded to the middle of the lane after several close passes in one day.

This is a perfect example of why

https://twitter.com/ciarancannon/status/1480190186403282944?s=20

CramCycle

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

I presume you are coming from the place that the rules that are there, are not strictly enforced as is. What I am saying is that they should be strictly enforced with all motorists, professional or otherwise, as you only have to be on the road for a few minutes a day to kill someone. I am implying that law enforcement is lackadaisical attitude at present against all motorists. I drove about 800km over the weekend. In that time I seen multiple breaches of the law from motorists, nearly all of which could kill someone. Whether they were professional or not was irrelevant. The standard across all motorists should be of a level that the need for differing rules would be pointless. Things like correct use of lanes, undertaking, not indicating (or indicating as you turn), speeding, mobile phone usage. These are all contributory factors in fatal RTCs, many of which can be monitored via cameras and appropriate software. If you think the rules should be stricter for professional drivers because they are on the road more, then they should be brought up to that level for all motorists. I certainly won't think any better of someone running me over if they are only commuting and not driving all day, I would expect them to receive as harsh a punishment as someone who typically drives 7 hours a day.

wheelo01

Enforcement, or lack of, is the reason why people behave as they do, they know there is little to no fear of being stopped, so therefore regulations are ignored.

I saw a car in its proper lane on the quays, drive into the bus lane, and zoom away, and the car that had been in front of him? A Garda traffic Corp jeep (before rebranding). They ignored it for whatever reason.

There is a certain logic to professional drivers being put under higher scrutiny, and in fact, they are when it comes to the drink driving laws, but I think all laws need to be enforced which would encourage more to drive carefully.

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450524#Comment_118450524

I more so mean that it should be relatively easy to lose your right to be a professional driver if you repeatedly infringe on road traffic laws. I think motorists would be more wary of their actions if they knew could have a temporary ban from professional driving as a result of their actions.

mackeminexile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118357175#Comment_118357175

That's the worst bit of the new layout there. I was really surprised it was what they went with when I commuted for the first time after wfh for so long. Lethal, glad you're ok

AndrewJRenko

There's a difference between the legal standard on the road and what good employers or fleet managers do? When I had a company car, the employer made sure that all company car drivers did advanced driver training every couple of years. It wasn't a panacea, but it did provide some additional skills and good practices. That's an example of professional drivers being held to a higher standard than others on the road.

There's also the flip side of the coin, where employers or business managers pay or incentivise drivers to cut corners. If drivers are paid per delivery (like couriers) or paid based on making x number of deliveries a day, the business is actually incentivising drivers to break traffic laws. There could be a legal liability on the employer if a crash or injury arises as a result of the driver's dangerous driving or parking.

TheChizler

My experience with traffic watch is that an incident file gets created and has to be followed up. Report to the station and there's no such obligation.

Effects

Got left hooked at the bottom of Francis St. the other day. Woman was on her phone. I was on a cargo bike, and leaned as left as I could. So she ended up rubbing the side of her car off the steering arm, leaving a sizeable amount of damage to her car. She decided to just keep on driving.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118458785#Comment_118458785

I can imagine the conversation she had at home and work once she saw the damage 🤣

Beeping cyclists

ARX

I had one before Christmas on St Raphaela's Road in Dublin.

If I'd been on the road bike I'd have been on the road but I was on the slow hack bike so I thought I'd try the cycle track.

A couple ahead of me were walking on the adjacent footpath and about 3 metres before I passed them the man pushed the woman (in a jocular way, they were both laughing) into the cycle track, right in front of the bike sign on the tarmac.

They were very apologetic and I just said "be careful".

Even on the coastal cycle route in Dun Laoghaire people will walk onto it without looking. I think if they don't hear a motor vehicle they assume that there's nothing coming.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118458008#Comment_118458008

Tread carefully with submitting material to this. If it is shown in mainstream media, expect to be attacked the next day with ALL the reasons why you're wrong, because you're not wearing hi-vis, and you went over that white line 10 minutes before. Expect to be doxxed too.

07Lapierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118460823#Comment_118460823

Yep.. Hi-viz is very important... https://twitter.com/r0thar/status/1477050648982138883?s=20

AndrewJRenko

I've seen some of these before, but when you look at the full thread, it really is a jaw-dropping indictment of the abysmal quality of driving on Irish roads

https://twitter.com/CitizenW0lf/status/1481050925192130565

He's a better man than me in this one. Jesus.

https://twitter.com/CitizenW0lf/status/1481051630514720769

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118463369#Comment_118463369

Colourful language a plenty

A lot of these are a perfect example why I'm 100% glued to the middle of the lane, every lane on every road, from now on. I had too many like this when I hugged the curb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118464371#Comment_118464371

Night and day to the one behind who saw what was happening and held back should she need to leave that driver reverse so there are good drivers out there but all it takes is one to ruin your day or worse.

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

Both assholes

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118464766#Comment_118464766

Get out on the bike much yourself?

That and the brake check one were unbelievable. Can accept that some people are just thick but when it's clearly deliberate it's another matter entirely

sy_flembeck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118464766#Comment_118464766

Really? Why so?

CatFromHue

Well at least the dog seemed to be having a great time!

DaveyDave

So he's an asshole because she doesn't want to move over and yield to traffic that has right of way? If he was in a car she'd be moving into the empty space beside her.

Imagine driving into someone because you're that entitled. With a bloody dog on the front!

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118453736#Comment_118453736

But surely this should be the same for all drivers, it should be really easy to lose your license if you are a sh1t driver. Average speed cameras, red light cameras, bus lane cameras etc. would sort out a huge amount of sh1te on the road very quickly.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454249#Comment_118454249

Same here, driving for work for me means that you don't cut corners but so many are incentivised to do so. An uncle drove long distance, I think another regular posters father had the same issue, where they were being incentivised to brake less so as to keep brake wear at a minimum but also the timing cross country was such that it was legally possible from a driving perspective provided you didn't have a break. Absolute insanity. Only 2 days ago Hildegarten Naughten was bragging about how they have suspended driving time rules to accommodate the logistical issues surrounding Covid. So to make up for the understaffed and under supported sector, they are effectively giving carte blanch for employers to demand more. There is a reason it is increasingly understaffed, as pay has plummeted and conditions have hit near rock bottom, a lot of people who would have made a career out of it years ago packed it in and left

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118458008#Comment_118458008

Much like Andrew, it just isn't worth the stress that it would bring to your life, as if somehow not wearing a Hi Vis or stopping just over a white line so your more visible is somehow relevant when someone tries to kill you.

ARX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118460823#Comment_118460823

If you were wearing hi-vis, you weren't wearing enough of it. If you were clad in head-to-toe hi-vis, you didn't have lights. If you were clad in head-to-toe and had lights, you didn't have a motorcycle escort.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118464766#Comment_118464766

And there we go.

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118465771#Comment_118465771

Your average motorist can't loose their professional driving licence if they don't drive professionally so I'm not sure what your point is there. If you're talking about your normal licence, we have the penalty point system where you're off the road after 12 points. For professional drivers, you could have say, just for arguments sake, a month's professional driving ban after 6 points. It's an additional measure for those who are on the road more often.

magicbastarder

it's interesting that they've removed some restrictions on HGV drivers because of covid, in that context.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118466654#Comment_118466654

Taxi / PSV licence was a separate document, not sure if it still is.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118466456#Comment_118466456

A large %age of drivers would lose their licence in a week if they were constantly monitored and penalty points applied when laws were broken.

It is just lack of enforcement that keeps many on the road

VonLuck

I'm not sure what's so difficult to understand here. What I'm saying is that you should expect professional drivers to have a better standard of driving than your average motorist. I certainly wouldn't expect the same from your average motorist, unfortunately.

In the same way I would expect a greater level of skill from a professional carpenter compared to your mate down the road who cuts some timber from time to time!

magicbastarder

to put a different skew on it, you could argue it's the type of vehicle involved which should determine the standards to which we hold the drivers to rather than professional vs. non-professional categorisation? though that might be redundant in many cases as you're pretty much a 'professional' driver if you drive some of them.

e.g. a artic driver should be held to a higher standard than a taxi driver.

magicbastarder

stricter rules, i guess; do the (suspended) laws which apply to HGV drivers and time behind the wheel apply to less regulated professions like taxi drivers?

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118467734#Comment_118467734

What you're saying is that all drivers should be obeying the rules. That's fine, I agree with that, but it's not realistic because a lot of people are inconsiderate and just do not care. There's a limit to how effective the penalty point system can be with the general population and an increase in penalties (e.g. driving ban after say 6 points) is not going to gain traction with the general public.

Professional drivers on the other hand will likely be a lot more careful if they knew that if they break a red light or fail to indicate that their only source of income will be affected. It's a lot easier to target these people and would have a greater impact on overall traffic safety in my opinion. Looking at some rough CSO stats, commercial vehicles average about 7 times the annual mileage a private vehicle does. Focusing in on that area can yield a much better result.

AndrewJRenko

There are lower blood alcohol limits for professional drivers (of buses, goods vehicles and public service vehicles)

https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/16883/

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118469360#Comment_118469360

They ARE at a lower limit?

Effects

Had a woman left hook me to pull onto a pavement/cycle lane earlier. Came really close to hitting me, but I was quick to brake.

When I said it to her she said it was my fault for not having lights. Then when I pointed at my lights she tried to say they weren't on when she pulled in front of me.

Only yesterday evening about 5pm I had a guy in a Volvo SUV beep at me for not being in the cycle lane just 30m further ahead on the same stretch. Where it goes up and down with the dished footpath. Same guy who I witnessed driving along Fairview in the bus lane to skip the traffic, then continue straight on towards the coast from the left lane for the Malahide Road.

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118468957#Comment_118468957

Being a bit pedantic I think. I would consider penalties being encompassed by the word "laws".

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118472397#Comment_118472397

I clarified immediately afterwards so not sure why you're still focusing in on this. You know what I mean so let's leave it at that.

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/Ste_Mc_Lean/status/1481983042407313410

no details, but that's not usually a particularly dangerous stretch; hopefully whoever it was makes a full recovery. i know there's a few boardsies who live nearby or pass down the road reasonably regularly.

Effects

Yeah, I'd never use the lane going down there, just stick to the road.

Never had any issues with drivers going uphill, even though it's a slower trek going up, and cars have to hold back.

magicbastarder

You shouldn't be using the lane going downhill there AFAIK, it's for uphill cyclists.

Weepsie

I use it several times a week, but don't come up it. I normally come back through the estates off home fsrm road. Less problematic.

But yeah, it's probably the stretch with the most likely issues for me on my commute. This morning on a mostly empty road even a Kia had to get ahead of a bmw so undertook them, and really struggled to get past them and then sped off.

There's always someone moving into the bus lane without indicating too or trying to take a shortcut

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118466456#Comment_118466456

I would be of the opinion that it should be the same for both, unfortunately enforcement is so poor that it isn't realistic. Several days a week I see regular commuters who rack up 12 points on their commute in the short space I see them. They obviously don't just do this for my viewing pleasure. If its not safe for someone who has racked up 6 points to be driving then neither should be.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118478708#Comment_118478708

interesting, i don't recall any issues downhill myself but i've never done it in rush hour; most of the times i've been on it were during lockdown where i was using it as part of my 5km limit spin.

Weepsie

The left turn onto Home farm road, into the 2-3 schools and in Na Fianna nearly always see someone kind of take liberties with the bus lane, indicators and personal space.

Then there's always the one who decides,Shure bus lane is for me too. Again this is between 8-9.30

Effects

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118478675#Comment_118478675

I didn't know that. I should be paying more attention. 🤣I guess that's why the lane abruptly ends at the lights, as it crosses the road there.