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

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643767#Comment_119643767

Because it’s a sub-standard design, as can be seen in any country with decent cycling infrastructure and any new project implementing cycling infrastructure. You’re actively putting cyclists into points of conflict with drivers and hoping that the drivers aren’t idiots, which time and time again leads to incidents like this due to lack of enforcement and just general road user arseholeishness.

Look, I understand that you’re a more confident road user and are willing to stand your ground with drivers, but there’s a lot more people who want protected infrastructure because they don’t trust drivers to not be knobheads.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643919#Comment_119643919

I completely agree with you, but the ancient lay out of our infrastructure means that points of conflict are always going to arise.

My point is the solution should be strict enforcement and education of drivers, not blaming infrastructure or placing the onus on cyclists to have more cop on.

It's not as if we weren't taught all this stuff.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644036#Comment_119644036

The solution isn’t necessarily one or the other though, that’s why I said it’s both terrible infrastructure and ignorant awful driving.

We can have protected infrastructure while also pushing for stronger enforcement and education for drivers, the problem is in this country you’ll be waiting an awful lot longer for the latter compared to minimising the chance a driver has to run you over.

As grim as it sounds I’d almost say that the driver who caused this collision probably won’t see any major repercussions for this unless theres strong witness statements or someone comes forward with dash cam footage. And even then it would depend on what judge he’s up in front of. When realistically his PSV licence should be revoked.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643916#Comment_119643916

It seems that some people need stuff to be shoved in their faces to make them cop on to the possible consequences of their perceived God given rights when driving.

I have no issue with someone posting pics to achieve that aim if that's what it takes.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644083#Comment_119644083

Unfortunately you are no doubt correct in that assessment

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644172#Comment_119644172

who's going to see it though? irish cycling twitter. preaching to the choir.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644202#Comment_119644202

You know as well as i do that there's been a few on here waxing about their right to ignore a cycle lane, that's a start.

9320

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119638909#Comment_119638909

Nearly got absolutely creamed in the Bus Lane on Manor Street yesterday - van parked illegally in the bus lane and the delivery guy swung the door open without checking and thankfully the brakes on my Dublin Bike were good or I would have had a mushed up face.

He was apologetic which was refreshing and I doubt he'll do that again but was seriously frightening. The illegal parking element went right over his head.

Punishment pass if ever I saw one

https://twitter.com/righttobikeit/status/1572586240792461318

Weepsie

Thats criminal, but it's another situation that righttobike it has done something a little daft himself imo

If he can see the tractor he probably shouldn't have been overtaking there. He doesnt know that there's a trailer not going to swing out or how wide a turn it's going to take as he has surely only seen it front on. It's piss poor reading of the situation ahead, and he does it a lot.

I'd be asking myself why has the van ahead stopped on what looked a clear road too and being very cautious.

The driving is criminal and no excuse and shouldn't be on the road.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647577#Comment_119647577

I don't know, its not unusual (in my personal experience) to have a few a day of varying degrees with 1-2 downright dangerous ones on a weekly basis

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647577#Comment_119647577

I think part of it is he has no problem in asserting himself and taking the primary position, but the definition of primary position aka smack in the middle of the road, and aggressive drivers interpret that as him taking the piss and react like arseholes.

The punishment pass above for example, he was overtaken, driver had slowed because of the tractor (I don’t necessarily know if the driver stopped to let the tractor go as he mentions in his tweet it looks like the tractor was turning while the van was a fair distance back) and he passes the van and swings out into the primary. Perfectly entitled to do so, but arsehole behind the wheel is probably thinking he’s doing it to annoy him.

Bit like when you overtake someone, you both get to a set of lights 200m down the road and they jump the queue ahead of you, and you have to overtake them again ten seconds later. You think to yourself what’s the point but unlike arsehole in the van you don’t try push them off their bike.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647579#Comment_119647579

Agree, the overtake looks scary even on the video, could easily have been a second vehicle turning behind the tractor which he mightn't have seen. Think that's what annoyed the driver more than anything, you can here him beeping as he passes.

Driver's still an arseh*le though.

Mundo7976

I've to come this road to get home on maybe 70% of my rides. Unlimited close passes with drivers mounting the raised central reservation, even when I place myself bang in the middle of the lane. Its one of those places that seems to really pi$$ some drivers off to the point I'd be so nervous that I sometimes ride on the footpath 🙄

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647875#Comment_119647875

If it were me i'd be dropping into my/the local Garda station and having a friendly chat about placing a guard there the odd day.

As likely as anything to fall on deaf ears but if it's as regular as you say it is the prospect of shooting a few fish in a barrel might be quite enticing to them.

magicbastarder

i once reported an RTC to ashbourne gardai (i was i think 4.7km away from ashbourne garda station); thankfully no one seriously injured, but enough to close a busy road. the garda i was talking to couldn't have been more disinterested, they told me to ring balbriggan (20km away)

standardg60

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPGb0IQdFlI

Reminds me :-)

Mundo7976

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119648060#Comment_119648060

😂 I laugh because as magicbastarder says, they couldn't be bothered, I was left hooked & hit last year, she left the scene, whilst 2 Gardai showed up, they did absolutely nothing about it!

magicbastarder

for people who know the area around ashbourne, that RTC we arrived on was on the bad double bend just below sam dennigans on the garristown road; the road was closed and dennigan's trucks were queuing up. we had to wait 40+ minutes for a car from balbriggan to show.

it was two german lads in a rental who got distracted coming around one of the bends and ended up on the wrong side of the road, resulting in an oblique head on collision. they were amazed at how helpful everyone was, they thought there'd be an angry mob due to them having caused the collision.

CramCycle

It can go either way, once attending a collision where a back brace was needed and the ambulance had blocked the road for safety. There were drivers giving out saying they could leave space to pass, one was informing me of the importance of his train that had never been late in all his years working for Irish rail, started F'in and blinding. EMT gave him short thrift, he had 3 options, keep quiet, turn around and go another way or the next blue lights would be a Garda car coming to take him to the station.

Some people are nice, and sadly some people are not. Thankfully the former are in the majority but sadly the latter are the more memorable.

Luxman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119648330#Comment_119648330

Would the Dublin/meath border factor into it? Not making excuses for the response which was unacceptable.

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650501#Comment_119650501

Until Ireland starts to report why an accident happened, things will never change in Ireland. So many accidents on roads lately and never a cause of accident explain. Its like the state wants to put the head in the sand like it did for mental health in the past

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650588#Comment_119650588

You might flesh that out; who explains why the accident happened? A reporter, a Garda?

How soon after?

Who examines scene, examines vehicles, interviews parties involved or any independent witnesses?

Would such a process prejudice any other matters be they criminal, civil, coroner's court etc?

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650751#Comment_119650751

After the court case and coroner's report. The cause of the accident is known majority of the time from the team that investigates it.

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650846#Comment_119650846

Court cases are report all the time. What change are you looking for?

Your original post read like you want to read about the cause/responsibility immediately? Maybe i misread it?

Even experienced investigators can jump to conclusions or have a certain bias which may need to be tested; I would have thought it was only fair that all parties got access to due process

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650967#Comment_119650967

Wasn't meaning straight away, but not all accidents end up in court. Been in court before for an accident and unless it gets reported afterwards, it goes under the radar.

What I would be looking for after all legal stuff is sorted etc that there be a section in the paper for all accidents and the cause is printed.

I think this would open more eyes to the issues on our roads.

Now you might say the family wouldn't like that, but trust me, a day after an accident most people living close to the family knows exactly what happened and if they don't, they make up rumours which is worst than the facts

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650489#Comment_119650489

the excuse i was given was that where the incident occurred is in the garristown area from an AGS perspective; and that's a part time station, and when it's closed, balbriggan look after it.

however, i reached out to the garda press office (can't remember why) and they apologised and said that when i mentioned it was an RTC, the garda should have logged it to the main despatch office to decide which car to send. they said they'd reach out to the superintendents in balbriggan and ashbourne.

How it started

https://twitter.com/CycleGort/status/1572830123950309376?s=20&t=Krh93h2Smvng8y0RY3O5GA

How it ended

https://twitter.com/CycleGort/status/1572948797965340674?s=20&t=Krh93h2Smvng8y0RY3O5GA

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651510#Comment_119651510

Not publicly available yet, unfortunately, pending possible appeal.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651510#Comment_119651510

Me too. It must be pretty bad for a conviction for dangerous driving with 4 Yr ban in Ireland. That's upper level in term of sentencing. Career changing ban. Well done in going through to the end with it and to the judge on conviction/sentence. Sure to be appealed.

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651449#Comment_119651449

Fair play to the judge. Too often they do nothing about the behaviour on our roads!!

Mundo7976

Absolute knobhead driving a jcb tried to pass me here today whilst there was cars coming to other way, dunno what the fcuk he was playing at, had to wave him back, scared the sh!té outta me. He passed me further on near the x-roads with more cars coming towards only for me to be less than 10metres behind him for the next couple of km before I turned off. Fcuktard of the week.

TallGlass2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647875#Comment_119647875

What I have started to do in these situations is literally put the hand out to tell the drivers behind I am coming out to the right, quick look in the face of the driver makes sure they have seen me and take up as much room as I need and then move back in once I have past anywhere it gets tight.

Not sure if it helps but it's what I have started doing where possible.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667892#Comment_119667892

The follow up tweets 😲

https://twitter.com/revoltingbikers/status/1574438859315634184?s=20&t=v3q7mRGyKTGjA51p58XPKw

https://twitter.com/revoltingbikers/status/1574438953901498370?s=20&t=v3q7mRGyKTGjA51p58XPKw

DaveyDave

Doesn't know what happened = person didn't have control of the car and should not be driving.

Driving is a privilege not a right. It's far too easy to panic or do the wrong thing and send a 1,200kg+ box towards people.

Etc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668098#Comment_119668098

Right on brother 😶

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668098#Comment_119668098

You don't have all the information to make a judgement on the woman, for all you know she could of taken ill.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650501#Comment_119650501

Sad to report that poor cyclist lost a leg.

He had another decent video up there in the last week about people cutting corners etc. interesting watch.

The driver is the lucky one apparently

Driver has lucky escape after car overturns in Co Longford

https://www.independent.ie/videos/driver-has-lucky-escape-after-car-overturns-in-co-longford-42023431.html

Weepsie

Driving coming the other way is the lucky one if that's the standard. That's completely mornonic.

CR 7

How unlucky, driving along minding their own business and their car just overturns.

DaveyDave

"Car overturns" is a nice way of saying idiot driver not paying attention to where they're going crashes into stationary object directly in front of them and flips car as a result of their own actions.

Pinch Flat

I'm sure there'll be outrage in the press about the Longford incident (***sarcasm***).

Anyway, this spot in Dublin has turned into a favourite left hook spot for some motorists - ironically, it seems to have gotten worse after the recent cycling infrastructure improvements, which is not in the google maps street view.

https://goo.gl/maps/qzEvyY8PYfpLpZ4r8

Usually, someone speeding up the bus lane coming from Park Gate Street is a sure sign they intend to left hook here, and this morning was no different - the impatient motorist had obviously let his quota of one cyclist pass on the cycle lane, which excluded me and a few others whom he's overtaken in the bus lane, left hooking the guy in front of me, who had to swerve to avoid the car. I braked sharply to avoid contact. I've seen 2 or 3 cyclists clipped here in the past while.

CramCycle

Jebus, coming from Sandyford to Clonskeagh this morning. While crossing the M50 I had an Audi with kid in front seat drive wide around me and then cut into get to the back of the queue. I imagine I got through the next lights 6 to 10 minutes before them for all their rushing. The few T junctions onto the Clonskeagh road had the usual, I am unable to turn into my own lane so I'll block the cycle lane and mount the kerb a bit as I turn right. Finally as we passed the goat, the bike in front of me had not one, not two but three drivers pull out in front of him. One was a kids school bus, who sort of shrugged as if to say, what else was I going to do. I don't miss commuting in Dublin, people just don't give a f*ck. Parents dropping kids to school being the main offenders, the ones you would hope to be slightly more aware of the vunerable road users all over the place. Topped it all off by a 151 BMW coming through a car park in UCD at 70 kmph, again driving their kid somewhere, I didn't even have time to shout as I jumped out of the way.

Wildly Boaring

I was halfway across a pedestrian crossing (bike lane to bike lane) with the 3 year old on the bike and a mammy on the school run drove straight through.

I gave a roar and she looked back gormless. I was fully aware it could happen, kids would have no chance.

magicbastarder

not a near miss, but descending off howth head today, a guy in a white van parked on the right hand side of the road in front of me pulled out, clearly knowing i was there, but rather than waiting for me to pass, decided to accelerate to get past me. without giving consideration to the fact that i was already doing probably nearly 50km/h. so i ended up with the van driving alongside me for maybe 200m, desperately trying to accelerate past me, before he had to hit the brakes because of oncoming traffic, and tucked in behind.

Witnessed a pedestrian take a glancing blow of a car this morning, lucky not full bumper and got ktfo from hitting the ground. Driver hadn't a chance, the man on drink or drugs or both ran straight out into the road as he was passing with zero warning. Driver and witnesses pretty shook and the guy comes to and hops straight up as if nothing had happened telling the guy checking for a pulse and breath to get his hands off him. I kicked on as there were plenty there but wasn't 2 or 3 minutes before I met the ambulance, crossed my mind as to how willing a passenger they'd meet.

It was some time later I recalled an incident I got involved in months ago when a guy walking in front of me one evening in the same spot gave me cause to hang back due to how he was walking, read looked out of it on drugs or booze who then went 90 degrees hard right into the road from the footpath all of a sudden. Taxi driver nearly hit him and got out to get into it with him shoving him. I let a roar at the taxi driver to get his hands off him and he came over to me ready to get into it me then until I explain to him I was only looking out for him as if he'd hurt that guy or he'd fell after the shove and hit his head he'd be the one in that ****. Can't be 100% but I'd be fairly certain it was the same guy who got hit today.

Pinch Flat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119680022#Comment_119680022

No dark coloured. Will keep an eye out for a repeat offender and maybe call Traffic Watch, for what it's worth. Anyway, not to be outdone and on the same day, I had a left hook literally on top of me at the Porterstown Road on the way home. I seem to be on a run lately, or maybe I need to get my see sense lights checked out.

https://goo.gl/maps/8mw5bDpWXoueWLLbA

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119669988#Comment_119669988

Yes I agree, regular medical certification for all drivers would be a good idea.