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

tnegun

I'd just cycled with my kids to school morning and left them 30 seconds before this https://streamable.com/fx6w4g . I caught up with him at the lights and he was oblivious to how close he passed me or even where he passed me. I thought the truck was close enough and never expected a trailer! For reference, he has just driven through Maynooth which has a supposed HGV ban past a primary school to get to the Dunboyne road via the shortest route possible.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492203#Comment_120492203

110% of 30 is 33, add 10km/h = 43km/h?

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120494348#Comment_120494348

is the ban enforceable? as in, can you report him to the council for violating the ban, and would they have any powers or inclination to do anything anyway?

tnegun

I doubt it has ever been enforced and all he has to do is say he's making a delivery and is exempt, its a ban on paper nothing more, the fact a HGV driver was oblivious to it says it all.

Ferris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120494348#Comment_120494348

You should report, with luck you'll get a a decent Guard. The mismatched reg plates is a slam dunk anyway, the pass was obviously horrendous.

DaveyDave

I just don't understand how the majority of people passing cyclists can't just fully move over to the other side of the road regardless of what the 'safe' distance is. Costs you nothing you'd be moving over anyway.

DJB030244

I had nice one over the weekend . Coming back from howth towards baldoyle church I had a muppet give me a dangerous close pass . He then stops as traffic is backed up. I go by him and he’s on his phone sitting there while traffic moves off looking at the phone .

The lights turn red and I stop . He wakes up oblivious, and goes through the red lights as a family are about to cross . I looked at the father and he looked at me, both of us exasperated . In the space of a couple of minutes he gave me a close pass, messed with his phone , broke the lights and wasn’t far off wiping a family out . Absolutely no self awareness and just doesn’t give a flying F…

AndrewJRenko

Good to see that some AGS do actually do their job;

https://twitter.com/righttobikeit/status/1648730070104539154?s=20

Wildly Boaring

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120497084#Comment_120497084

Now that is a close pass. Crist. Why do we cycle

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120494479#Comment_120494479

I think MB is sort of right and sort of wrong. The maths are right but its the opposite way around or I am just misunderstanding what he is saying. Your speedo can state up to the correct speed or give it as 10% over. So if you are travelling at 30kmph, your speedo can show between 27kmph and 30kmph. Car companies often choosing the safer option of having them closer to 27kmph but there is no legal reason it couldn't be 30kmph. The idea being that while the Gardai give you a little wiggle room, so will let you away up to 33kmph in a 30kmph zone, over that and there should be no argument that your speedo actually showed 30 or under. An issue that is propagated by driving instructors telling you that you would fail if you didn't go at 10% above the limit. In reality, you were just bringing it up to what the legally enforceable speed limit is. I had never heard of this +10kmph thing before though. Also the GoSafe vans do not have that wiggle room so more fool the person trying to go that 10% over for them.

magicbastarder

So if you are travelling at 30kmph, your speedo can show between 27kmph and 30kmph.

no - that would suggest to you that you are doing under the speed limit, and can increase your speed.

the speedo must correctly show your speed, or overstate it. it cannot understate it.

also, it removes the 'but my speedo claimed i was doing under the limit' defence.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120509392#Comment_120509392

Yep, not sure how I ended up saying that. If you are travelling at 30kmph, your speedo can say between 30kmph and 33kmph. I need more sleep as that is what I was thinking. So if you are doing 33kmph by your speedo, you are actually between 30 and 33kmph and the Garda tolerance means if you are caught you really don't have any excuse. I am going back to bed until tomorrow.

TheHouseIRL

Where to begin with this one?

https://streamable.com/yx1wno

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492175#Comment_120492175

Maybe i'm misunderstanding too but the +10kmh can't be right surely? If someone's speedo was indicating 43 in a thirty then they'd slow to 17 to be within the speed limit? Perhaps you're taking the example that 110% is allowable at 100kmh, which would be 10kmh, but at 30 it must indicate a speed of only between 30 and 33.

magicbastarder

that's based on what i found online. based on that, doing 18km/h could result in your speedo showing just a hair shy of 30km/h.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120528878#Comment_120528878

It's like one of those video games where they're lining up to take a pop at you.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120529386#Comment_120529386

Got a link?

On the plus side it would certainly make the roads safer if everyone's speedo added 10kmh to their actual speed, and would explain the behaviour of middle lane drivers on the M50 too!

magicbastarder

i found lots of links from UK sources stating that they were adhering to EU regs on the 110% + 10kmh; as per here:

https://www.startrescue.co.uk/breakdown-cover/motoring-advice/safety-and-security/how-accurate-is-my-speedometer

but wikipedia states EU regs are as follows:

"The indicated speed must not be more than 110 per cent of the true speed plus 4 km/h"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedometer

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120528878#Comment_120528878

Yer wan's back tyre could do with some air

TheHouseIRL

The flat tyre might be the only thing that saved her from ploughing into the side of the white van

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120529744#Comment_120529744

Cheers, it seems mad that +10 is allowed in the UK, +4 is far more reasonable. One thing's for sure though, it really isn't arguable that your speedo was giving a lower speed than actual, the 10% allowance dependent on prosecution is actually to do with the calibration of the speed measuring gun.

Back OT, a great example of a cyclist who justifiably gives drivers a reason to lambast them in the vid above, moron.

De Bhál

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120529875#Comment_120529875

what was she thinking, so close to being seriously injured. White van just didn't register with her.

Yikes

https://twitter.com/duncanIDM/status/1651879377527791617?s=20

deleted

tnegun

Very poor from the driver he had no excuse not to know you were there and the other cyclist filtered past it was also rush hour so the chances of a bike being on his inside in near stationary traffic are significant! I would send that to the company they sponsor at least one cycling club and would likely frown on that behavior.

CramCycle

Not defending the lorry driver but from his perspective you were waiting behind the Toyota. A trucks blind spot is out further than you think (it is not along the side as the RSA would have you believe), so as you move to your left and he starts to turn, you are in his blind spot. I can see how he would have thought you weren't there. It's more a slight on lorry design than the driver IMO. Doesn't excuse his driving but just explaining that there is a good chance he hadn't a notion you were there.

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120552960#Comment_120552960

Honest question - what does a truck driver do in that situation? Let's say that he is stopped in traffic and needs to get into the left lane. By definition it is a blind spot so he can't see what's there. He'll never be able to know who or what is there at that point in time so does he just have to stay put or else assess the risk and only move when he thinks there's no one there even though he'll never be 100% sure?

Pawwed Rig

It is a bus lane

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120553568#Comment_120553568

Sorry, I meant in general, not necessarily this situation.

I recall a cyclist dying a few years ago when a concrete truck was turning left and they were in his blind spot. Does it come down to very unfortunate luck or is there some sort of liability in that scenario?

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120552960#Comment_120552960

And playing devils advocate, he might have checked the bike lane was clear for a few seconds before, and seen the cyclist waiting to the right rear of the car in front. Like I said, not excusing it but hard to say the cyclist couldn't have seen it as a risk either. The cyclist was waiting behind the car to the right and then moved to the left to overtake just as the truck started to move around it.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554052#Comment_120554052

In the story you are referring to, she was not in his blind spot, that truck cut the corner where the cyclist should have been clearly visible, that was very different to this situation in my opinion.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555991#Comment_120555991

As soon as he started the move I think it was obvious, I would have still kept going as I think I am nippy enough but in reality, shouldn't have.

cunavalos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120556617#Comment_120556617

I don't think he is referring to Donna Fox but more likely this incident near St James Hospital

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/vigil-held-for-cyclist-who-died-in-collision-with-cement-truck-in-dublin-1.4069178

Weepsie

I think, road users, need to be a bit predictable in their behaviour. Stopping behind and on the extreme right of a car gives the impression your either overtaking or waiting for it to be clear. Swinging left suddenly though, we all have done it I'd say, might be seen as a bit unpredictable.

It's risky too given the car immediately in front wants to go left, the car ahead might just shoot out, and the truck is indicating that it's going into that lane either way the first time you pass it

Its poor, and illegal driving, but it's also poor awareness. Its just seeing the road behind clear to hell with the full reality of the situation there imo

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120556650#Comment_120556650

Op stopped behind the car indicating left allowing them to turn, but then the car couldn't turn because the taxi was blocking the narrow road, so OP maneuvered slowly back around to the left to continue, i don't see much issue with this.

The truck driver had no business darting into the bus lane, illegal and bordering on dangerous driving, at that angle of approach they would have very little view of anything in the bus lane.

Wildly Boaring

Trucks shouldn't have blindspots.

The onus is on the owner to provide mirrors and/or cameras to deal with any.

Further the onus is on the driver to check any prior to preforming a manouver.

That being said I would always help as much as possible and would never cycle (or drive) into one.

My main question on the footage above is, was it really that close? Maybe it's the camera - looked quite a gap yet?

micar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557392#Comment_120557392

The onus is on the manufacturer to build trucks with features so that there are no blind shops......a combination of mirrors covering a wider area and camera covering areas where mirrors cannot cover.

Is there any company out there that retrofit existing trucks,/,lorries with these features.

Wildly Boaring

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120559513#Comment_120559513

Yes.

Loads of them. Cameras, mirrors etc are constantly retro-fitted to HGVs, buses, vans, machinery.

Anywhere i've worked we have had to bring existing fleet up to scratch.

Far as i know it's a requirement to retro-fit at least class v and vi mirrors

downtheroad

Not a near miss but an insight into the mentality some motorists have against cyclists. Took the little one to creche on a cargo bike this morning, and parked it outside between 2 cars. I came out to see a car sitting behind my bike with the driver throwing her hands to the sky and shouting at me. Calmly strolled around to her window to see what the issue was, to be told I was taking up three parking spots with my bike. Her inability to park her crossover wasn't the issue, my bike was, even though there was ample parking either side of me that had been vacated by 2 cars as she arrived.

The moron then tried reversing towards my bike thinking I'd jump out of her way, but I was happy to sit there and let her scratch her car and damage my bike under cctv. I won that game of chicken.

The icing on the cake was me sailing by her at a busy junction around the corner, as she was stuck in heavy traffic about 15 vehicles back from the junction. Those vehicles weren't in her way or casuing any obstruction of course!

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575522#Comment_120575522

We all recognise that mentality unfortunately. I'm struggling to visualise how you could possibly be seen to be taking up three parking spots though!

downtheroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575630#Comment_120575630

Her driving was so inept she couldn't park her suv/crossover either side of me, despite the ample space that had been vacated by 2 other cars, so she preferred to throw a tantrum instead.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575630#Comment_120575630

They're as likely to have that mentality with anyone. Was working for an elderly lady yesterday and while she was taking her car out to let me in a car held up for maybe 20 seconds started aggressively beeping the horn at her. Looking up expecting to let a roar at some young lad about having a bit of respect I was stunned to see a late middle aged woman.

What can you do?

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120575861#Comment_120575861

There’s a reason the whole ‘Karen’ thing has become so widespread, the shoe tends to fit

magicbastarder

first time out in over a month, two incidents in just 27km.

first was here - i'd crossed over the M50 heading north of ballymun, and this section is always somewhere you need to pay attention. a lad in a large rigid lorry coming off the M50 stopped at the yield sign, and when i was about 10m away, gunned it. one of those '****, swerve right or swerve left?' moments

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4102235,-6.265836,3a,75y,7.74h,93.94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sL8-SqUZ1e0YZfXZqeAGDgw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DL8-SqUZ1e0YZfXZqeAGDgw%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D114.81335%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

second was on the road on the loop past the boot inn, between the runways. a very quiet road, but some lad in a wine coloured mondeo coming towards me swerved across the road, straddling both lanes, and leaned on the horn as he came past. i've no idea what his major malfunction was.

Weepsie

I send people out near the boot inn to protect my hardest gained kom

Wildly Boaring

I've had a couple of near misses on this road and no end of agro if there's a bit of traffic about.

I don't use the cycle lane when i'm out for a spin, it's grand for bringing the kids to school, but i basically cycle over all the pedesetrian crossings.

It is everything that's wrong with design of cycle paths. It ends for field enterances!!! They just give up at the roundabouts and delete the cycle lane. It starts in grass!

https://irishcycle.com/2023/05/17/it-looks-grand-so-why-wont-some-cyclists-use-this-cycling-infrastructure/

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120611335#Comment_120611335

That is absolutely horrendous. Look at the amount of wasted space. The height of the kerb. The narrowness of the road. That's before even getting into the points you mentioned, which seem to be part of the design brief for every new cycle path - yield for farmers' fields, make it impossible to get from the road to the bike lane and back (in case, god forbid, there's an obstruction on the cycle path or you miss the initial entrance to the cycle path and find yourself on the road), encourage pedestrians and cyclists to mix, start and stop at random spots for now reason.

TheChizler

Near miss this morning going around this roundabout. It's very common for drivers to neglect to look right here so I was watching out for, and noticed, that the driver approaching the roundabout wasn't slowing down so was touching the brakes and hugging the kerb. As predicted she only noticed me a few feet to my left, she slammed on as did I, came close to falling off as the rear wheel skidded a bit and of course I got an extended beep for my trouble. No clue that she was in the wrong.

A colleague walking to work was crossing the road saw it and gave me a wave so at least I came away with a chuckle rather than effing and blinding the driver and grumpy for the morning.

tnegun

Unreal I'd a guy once tell me if I hadn't been cycling so fast him pulling out of a junction in front of me wouldn't have mattered! Some people can never be in the wrong.

DaveyDave

Motorists seem to think you're doing 15-20kph like a lot of casual/family cyclists they see. They can't comprehend that if you're doing anything close to 30kph that you're clearly moving at a faster speed. I'd say I get cut off mainly because they can't judge your speed.