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

Utter Consternation

Bizarre situation this morning, where i was tailgated by a lunatic as I was cycling through estates in Crumlin. He had his front bumber practically left on the back wheel of my bike. He couldn't get by due to oncoming traffic and speed ramps. I filtered past him numerous times as well. Most aggressive bit of driving I've ever seen, and i've been cycling around Dublin for many years.

I was literally looking down on the bonnet of the car, he was that close to me. It was quite off putting because he was driving an Electric Kia which was basically silent.

Extremely aggressive and totally pointless.

Pawwed Rig

Fairly scary incident today cycling with my little boy where a bus came from behind and pulled right it on top of both of us in a cycle/bus lane and then stopped at a bus stop on top of us.

I remonstrated with the driver who admitted he had seen us but claimed it was (somehow 🤔) our fault so he pulled in anyway.🤬

Little boy fairly upset. Annoying as I am trying to build up his confidence on the road.

There was no time for me to avoid it which I obviously would have done if I could being with my child.

Have reported it to Gardai. Got photo of reg and photo of bus driver. I do not have too much confidence in the Gardai to follow up on it but I said I am happy to make a statement.

Any suggestions on how to proceed? I just took 30 mins to write everything down while it is fresh in my mind

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121675169#Comment_121675169

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121681698#Comment_121681698

Yes, get your GDPR request in urgently before they overwrite the footage. There's details about how to submit a request on Irishcycle.com.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121681698#Comment_121681698

Any bus with a camera should be able to get the footage under GDPR. Not sure how compliant the smaller companies would be but once they know you are looking, it should be preserved and given to you in 30 days.

Pulling in on a kid takes some special type of twisted mindset no matter who you blame.

Pawwed Rig

Thanks lads I put through the GDPR request today so will see what comes of the whole thing.

Thankfully my son was a couple of metres behind me so wasn't as close to the bus as I was.

Don't understand the driver mindset though. He said he saw us but pulled in anyway.

Will post an update (if any) if it developes at all

tnegun

In fairness, I've requested footage twice from Dublin Bus and they were pretty prompt dealing with it, they wouldn't say what follow-up occurred with the driver other than it had been sent to the depot/manager but if anything I'm sure the driver knew I'd made some noise about it any might think twice before attempting to bully a cyclist with a bus again!

CramCycle

If the footage shows it clearly, I'd be going to the Gardai and ignoring DBs "internal disciplinary procedure". There is no situation it is right but once it is a kid, even remotely close, personally there is a line where a simple caution is not enough. Hopefully your kid didn't get spooked and you have let them know it is rare, most DB drivers are great but there are regrettably a few.

Ferris

Just to say that the system does work, well it did for me this week anyway.

before Christmas I was beeped, tailgated, close passed and then driven into the verge on the Malahide Rd by a driver. This gentleman then got out of his car, there was an kerfuffle and he threatened me. Most of this was all recorded on my cam. I raised the traffic watch report and thought no more would come of it.

last week however I was contacted by a Garda from Malahide station. Made a statement, showed him the video and he proposed a FCN for careless driving and I was happy enough with that. Garda rang me yesterday to say he called to yer man’s house and issued him with the notice which he accepted. The Garda concerned was excellent throughout and a pleasure to deal with and I couldn’t believe how quickly he dealt with everything.

Weepsie

I got a similar outcome with the one and only time I used trafficwatch, but I have the feeling he was known to the gardai so theyvwere happy to be abke to hit him with something. Said I could go to court too, up to me, but didn't give me the spiel of making it sound like hard work. Was happy enough with the actual follow up.

That sort of thing should be easy, and it shouldn't need loads of paper work

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121685110#Comment_121685110

That is what I am doing. I have no interest in Dublin Bus internal procedures. If the Gardai do anything it will fall on the driver anyway

wheelo01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121686397#Comment_121686397

Why not do both? As a bus driver for Dublin Bus, I think that crappy driving should be brought to the attention of A. The driver, B. Management, if for no other reason than there should be consequences for actions.

Even if (especially as) this driver tried to convince you that you were somehow in the wrong.

wheelo01

How could anyone be expected to see a blue feckin bin Seth??

AndrewJRenko

The young woman cycling in front of me was lucky that she wasn't a second or two faster, because the twat from S&G Property sure as hell never checked his mirrors before opening his driver's door.

https://streamable.com/wsgg0c

f1000

had a taxi perform 2 close passes this eve where he tried to shove me towards the kerb with the front of his cab.

Had taken the lane beforehand and moved in behind a car at a red, which was turning left and then pulled back in as I crossed the junction, heading straight on. The taxi was nowhere near me before taking the lane but was behind me as I pulled away on green 😐️

beggars_bush

Was nearly killed today, just 500m from home at the end of my cycle

Narrow secondary road, I had flashing front and rear lights (always do) and a prick in a range rover decided to overtake a car while coming towards me.

TheChizler

Got the Aircoach up to Dublin Saturday. On the Chapelizod bypass in the shared bus cycle lane the driver of the Dublin Bus up ahead didn't even wobble the wheel to overtake a cyclist in front, looked very close. Aircoach driver moved nearly fully into the next lane. Not sure if training is different or it driver was just more conscientious.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121796472#Comment_121796472

That's positive. I have to say, most DB drivers are good in my experience. I don't know what training they get in terms of being aware of pedestrians and cyclists, but they seem a lot better than some of the private bus companies and HGV drivers. You'll always get one or two who bring their own prejudices with them to the job, but I find DB drivers to be much more chilled out on the whole. They've a difficult job just dealing with the rest of the crap driving we see on the road, so credit to DB management for whatever courses they do run.

Schorpio

Another one this morning. Van decided they wanted to jump me at the lights, just so they could immediately turn left across my path.

Unfortunately too common an occurrence here so I was ready for it.

It honestly baffles me that some drivers think there is anything to be gained by pulling stunts like this.

https://streamable.com/b0nh61

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121798693#Comment_121798693

Contact numbers for the company here; https://watkinscatering.ie/

Citizen2011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785634#Comment_121785634

jesus Christ. Frightening. The roads are getting hazardous.

barryribs

MOD VOICE: Wrong thread

Kaisr Sose

Screenshot_1.jpg

Screenshot_2.jpg

Two close pasess in 3mins last Sunday The white car did not even try to cross the centre line, just squeezed past. The red van (which is officially a white van with a full red wrap = colour change not notified to Motor Tax) did not cross it either because there other lane had oncoming traffic, one of whom sounded their horn.

Both reported to AGS.

CramCycle

My new brand of concern in relation to cars are Mercedes. Coming uphill in a buslane, cars overtaking in the lane beside when an 08Merc estate came out of a side road in a pure leap of faith moment and just went for it. Didn't slow, didn't actually look, I was able to stop thanks to it being uphill and by some fluke there was a small break in traffic. Dropping the kid to school by the passenger in his car. 5 minutes later, a near identical incident with a newer Merc SUV, pulled out in front of me from a side road, to turn right. This time I was going downhill and was far out as I was turning right in 50m. Hauled brakes, swerved left and skid stopped about 20cm from his rear bumper (also dropping a kid to school). Neither flinched, I'm not sure either even noticed. The driver behind me in the second incident looked shook though.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121801093#Comment_121801093

I find morning commute far worse due to the simple fact of school drops - whether its stressed parents trying to find every gap in traffic, lane hop, rat run, hop into bus lane etc, whether it's cars thrown up onto footpaths, stopped in cycle lanes, doors opened without looking, pulling out from illegal parking spots in a rush without looking... it's much worse than evening commute home. Ironically, if canvassed I'd say 90% of the parents engaging in that kind of driving would say there's no way they'd let their kids cycle to school because the roads are too dangerous.

Roads in general are made s**t of by the school run alone. Traffic tailbacks change overnight whenever there's a mid terms break/ holiday. If only there was something that could be done about it.

CramCycle

Yeah, the first one I have seen a few times now though and admittedly, not always a Merc. Just driving out blind, sometimes with their teenager in the car (great example), but overall no real demographic to speak of. It is just mind blowing. Not saying the driver who pulls out into a barely existent gap in traffic is acceptable but it is now a few times where there hasn't even been a glance, it is simply a leap of faith, at speed, whether they decide that statistically this is a quieter road, or they make an assumption that it is quiet, I don't know but it is incredible. I can accept it in a car chase in a movie as they are simply spectacles but in real life, it just blows my mind.

CramCycle

Seems to be just the week for it, left hooked on the way home yesterday. Luckily I swung left and slammed on. I let a roar and the driver stopped to ask me to repeat what I said. Needless to say, repeating it didn't impress him (why ask if you didn't really want to know). Then he went full bingo. Where's my helmet? I told him it wasn't required but even if it was, that's hardly a reason to run someone over, to which he replied, that's why he done it (I don't actually believe him). He then asked where my Hi Vis was, I looked at the sky and laughed. I inquired could he not see me to which he said no. Which is weird because 12 seconds earlier he was running me over intentionally because he could see I didn't have a helmet. He then warned me that he was going to get out of the car and slap me, to which I laughed, I had many witty replies to this statement but alas all were thought in silence in my head. Needless to say, he didn't get out. His passenger (I think his mother) did get out and apologised. I apologised to her and said sorry about the language but if he had said sorry, it was a mistake, we'd all be on our way already. He then said, do you want to stay with him, and started to drive off with the passenger door open. At this point I realised that he hadn't his seat belt on which I found humourous considering me without a helmet apparently justified being run over. I laughed and said well at least we know what class of a lad you are now. His Mum apologised again and got in the car.

I learned that I need to not be concerned about being politically correct when dealing with scumbags and in future I should say what I think out loud as it irks me more than the interaction that I didn't.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121811482#Comment_121811482

The funny thing is, I don't think he done it intentionally, it was like a defense reaction but I wouldn't say he had the highest of IQs considering he repeatedly contradicted himself. His Mamai was lovely though, you'd hope he learned a lesson in diplomacy but sadly I'd say he roared abuse at her like a petulant child afterwards.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121684613#Comment_121684613

4 weeks now. Not a whisper from Gardai or Dublin Bus.

Can't say I expected anything to happen ☹ but disappointing none the less considering a father of 3 was killed on the same road while out cycling last week

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2024/02/19/cyclist-killed-in-dublin-is-second-member-of-ucd-cycling-club-to-die-on-roads-in-a-year/

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121818884#Comment_121818884

Contact the Data Protection Commission, data controller in the company you’ve made a GDPR request to has to respond within a month, and only can extend if they give you a written response explaining why.

DPC are fairly quick in forcing their hands

07Lapierre

Lots of distractions in cars nowadays. While it’s most likely the driver being inattentive, they could be talking on a hands free phone, or following instructions from a sat nav etc. combine that with the fact that most drivers are simply looking out for other cars, not cyclists, motorcycles or pedestrians.

Wildly Boaring

Not cycling related except I witnessed it from my bike.

3 teen girls crossing pedestrian crossing in Laytown. DPD van stopped to let them cross.

Old woman in brand new Dacia overtakes me and blasts through crossing including a few sparks off the ramp.

One girl on the crossing had to run/jump out of the way. The other 2 obviously have it stamped in their brain to wait for Dacias to stop.

My wife had a similar experience with an old woman at the primary school in bettystown tuesdsy. Different car. This fool stopped when my wife roared at our 5 year old to stop. No apologies or acknowledgement despite her window being open.

knockoutned

Not sure if this is the correct thread, however I have seen this type of situation discussed here before.

I was driving this morning and had an interaction with a couple of cyclists and I want to see if I was in the wrong. This is a junction I turn at daily so I would appreciate any response. It is also busy with cyclists, but this is the first time this has happened where verbals were exchanged.

Turning left from Merrion road onto Ailesbury road and was stopped at the lights, second car from the front. I had my indicator on and was positioned in the middle of my lane.

This is a left turning lane, but would also have a painted cycle lane, boarded by a broken while line. There is also a bus lane ending approx 50m before the junction and continues on after the junction.

I was in front of all cyclists from the point I turned into the lane. First cyclist came up from behind, banged on my car and rolled up to the window shouting that I was in the cycle lane, which was repeated by another cyclists.

Now it is my understanding that I am allowed be there if I am turning left and clearly indicating that that was my intention, and cyclists are supposed to wait behind until I have turned. I don’t think I can do anything different, but would rather not have a similar confrontation again. Below is an arial picture of the junction. I was in the same position as the white van.

IMG_3552.jpeg

ARX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121855773#Comment_121855773

I can't see that you did anything wrong - where else could you have been if you were turning left? The guy sounds like an asshole.

knockoutned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856003#Comment_121856003

Thanks for the response and this is why I asked the question.

On your first point, I always thought that a cyclist cannot pass on the left if a car has indicated to turn prior to them arriving. Is that not correct?

I also can’t leave the cycle lane clear. The bus/cycle/car lane isn’t wide enough. So by just being in the lane I’m “blocking” the cycle lane. The light was red, so are both stopped.

Even though you say you’d be annoyed, you actually describe what I thought should happen. I indicate left and position myself so and would have expected the cyclist to pass me on the right. If no room, wait.

And finally, and I guess this goes back to the first point. Who has right away? if one cyclist squeezes by, given the time of the morning, you could have a lot following, while I just sit there, despite being there first.

MangleBadger

If the light is red I would think you can keep far enough right in your lane to allow cyclists filter up inside you.

In the arial photo you provide the van is covering half the cycle lane but is nowhere near the right hand line. If they moved across cycle lane is free and everybody wins.

While the cycle lane is shared use it is annoying as a cyclist when vehicles position to the left of the lane and block the ability to filter up on the inside. Cyclists shouldn't have to wait behind you at lights.

ARX

As this is a busy road and there was only one car in front of the OP at the red light, I would guess that the light had not been red for long and could reasonably expected to remain red for some time. So the cyclists were going to have to stop shortly regardless of whether the OP passed them.

If the OP had passed the cyclists and then immediately braked, forcing them to brake as well, then yes, I could see them being vexed, because that's dangerous rather than merely inconvenient. The appropriate thing to do in that circumstance would have been to wait for the cyclists to pass and then (if safe to do so) move into the left-turn lane. Of course, this would probably mean some jackass behind them blasting the horn and using the left-turn lane to overtake. But you can't drive other people's cars for them.

However, if the OP passed the cyclists some distance from the junction and gave them plenty of room before pulling into the left-turn lane, I really don't see what the cyclists were complaining about. The light was red, so they were going to have to stop anyway. So they were held up by the length of one car. It's not a big deal.

EDIT: OP, would it have been possible to just wait behind the cyclists in the same lane?

knockoutned

Sorry this was initially responding to @MangleBadger but probably covers other responses

Not sure I would agree with your last sentence.

There is no advance stop line, so where are they going. The cyclist should stop in line with the first car before the pedestrian lights, as the stop line continues across the cycle lane. Me being the second car really shouldn’t impact them too much especially as it’s a shared lane and I have indicated my position before their arrival.

Anyway, I agree on Seth’s take that it’s bad infrastructure. Hopefully the bike lane from the Merrion Gates can be extended and can proceed without Bus Connects as it’s badly needed. It also a strange junction as the green light for the Merrion Road is on 90% of the time with only a small run for both Ailesbury Road and the pedestrian crossing, so probably won’t be caught in this situation again!

*just to add, I was in the right straight lane until the bus lane ends about 50m from the junction. When I moved lanes there was no cyclists beside me or in front of me. As noted, the lights here are typically always green for traffic towards town and have very short times for the other roads / pedestrian crossing, so even the lights were red when I arrived, they do change quickly to green.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856191#Comment_121856191

In this instance the cyclists should have waited, car was ahead, indicating, and had moved to the left before they got there.

They didn't know the rules about not filtering up the lhs of a car doing so nevermind that a dashed cycle lane isn't a cycle lane, it's a shared lane so the OP was entitled to be in it.

magicbastarder

it's a great case of 'paint isn't infrastructure'.

you can see from the overhead shot that a dotted cycle lane has been created on top of, not beside, the left turning lane - very clear that if the car was not to be placed partly in the cycle lane, it thus becomes a much narrower lane than the 'straight on only' lane is.

Paddigol

Those cyclists sound like an angry, ill-informed self-entitled bunch. Bad luck coming across them. Can't see you did much wrong. At those kind of junctions (think also N11 at the Trees Road/ Stillorgan junction) I just abandon any thought of being restricted to the cycle lane and behave instead like a car/ motorbike. In slow moving traffic you're probably going to cause less issues by just taking the lane and filtering accordingly.

As others have said, it's a case of really poor road infrastructure. Tokenism really. Perhaps the anger you encountered is a result of years of those cyclists being roared at to "get in the cycle lane" when very often there's a good reason not to use it. Or perhaps they were just angry asshats. But it should be help up as an example of what happens when you trumpet "25 Gazillion Billion Euro spent on cycling infrastructure" but in reality provide a really poor end product for people to use - it just generates conflict, confusion, fear and anger among the people using the roads.

It shouldn't be that hard to get right.

Edit: as for the banging on your car, that's not on at all. Losing the rag after nearly being taken out by a car is one thing, but nobody has the right to go around banging on other people's property just because they're angry over a perceived infraction. They'd get little sympathy from me if someone got out of their car and gave the bike a welly. There's enough aggro on the roads without that kind of nonsense being added to the pile.

CatFromHue

You didn't do anything wrong there KnockOutNed.

For most of that stretch of road the inside lane is a bus/cycle lane but not at that junction so the cyclists are in the wrong here.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856198#Comment_121856198

"approaches the turn" is too vague. A driver can be approaching the turn with a cyclist maybe just behind them. Should still be on the driver to ensure the way is clear.

Now if it's a case of that lad in cork who kills himself to get ahead of traffic for his videos, then to hell with it, I fully expect the car to be able to turn. I'd say if the car is a good 2 car lengths away from the approaching cyclist, maybe it's okay. 3 for sure.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856418#Comment_121856418

I said should have waited. If they didn't want to wait then they were obligated to filter to the right as the OP had already moved to the left. That is the law.

You agree that the OP was entitled to be there, but still want to find fault that they didn't 'need' to be as left as they were. It was absolutely correct driving, the whole purpose of 'moving to the left' is to assert priority over following traffic, which is not entitled to filter to your inside then.

There is no cycle lane there, just paint on a road indicating that the rules and laws applying to that road are the same as one that hasn't been painted at all. Maybe this needs to be pointed out more rather than faffing about with vague wording and completely stupid 'vision zero' advertising campaigns.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858343#Comment_121858343

Cyclists don't have to be in a cycle lane to be legally allowed overtake on the left. Vehicle indicating does not give right of way. The law on it was quoted above already

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858107#Comment_121858107

I've said before that the new wording is nonsensical, it used to be 'has signalled an intention and HAS moved to the left'.

Why anyone thought that 'a reasonable expectation' is a clearer definition is beyond me, it's up there with 'durable relationship'.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858365#Comment_121858365

They are not legally allowed to filter on the left when the vehicle has already moved to the left. The OP had already moved there.

Do you agree that the cyclists had no right to tell the OP that they shouldn't be in the non-existent cycle lane?

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856198#Comment_121856198

You're disagreeing with your own post, the reasonable expectation bit is irrelevant as it's already happened. The OP IS approaching the turn, they've executed the move to the left, therefore making it illegal for following cyclists to filter to their left.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858632#Comment_121858632

I've just explained it based on the same law posted.

Can you post a law that entitles following traffic to filter to the left of traffic that has already moved to the left in order to execute a left turn?

knockoutned

I believe they came up on the path, not the road, as I was just passed the entrance to Michaels where there is no curb.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858732#Comment_121858732

The whole point is is that they shouldn't have Seth, squeezing past and banging on the car is not on. Telling the OP they shouldn't be in a painted shared cycle lane is wrong.

We all rightfully lambast a driver who couldn't wait five seconds to accommodate a fellow road user on here, is it any wonder that the cycling forum gets a bad rep when non accommodating cycling gets excused and defended.

The OP asked whether they'd done anything wrong. The answer is no, end of.