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

silverharp

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

There is a specific offence of impersonation of a Garda, so I'd be cautious.

If it was a Dominos guy on a honda 50 it would be more funny than anything else, someone on a big motorbike, white helmet is looking for trouble and for sure is trying to manipulate traffic

robinph

Is it manipulating traffic if you are just going about your business and hoping not to get knocked over?

Now if you were wearing those reflectives and trying to direct traffic or something then sure, you are impersonating an officer. The act of just riding around and happening to wear an incorrectly spelt word on your back shouldn't count as impersonation.

ARX

robinph wrote: »

You just need to think of an alternative word to Garda that could be stuck on similar gear, although the word police is probably close to embedded in the subconscious through TV and movies that Polite should still work.

silverharp

just to be clear "Polite" in Ireland would be ok under any circumstances? in the UK you would need to be more careful?

Hurrache

silverharp wrote: »

If it was a Dominos guy on a honda 50 it would be more funny than anything else, someone on a big motorbike, white helmet is looking for trouble and for sure is trying to manipulate traffic

I used to regularly share a commute with a guy on a big motorbike with the fairings and everything with one of those vests. I wouldn't say he was trying to manipulate traffic, you'd only see it from behind, but you'd always do a double take,

CramCycle

silverharp wrote: »

just to be clear "Polite" in Ireland would be ok under any circumstances? in the UK you would need to be more careful?

I'm not convinced, if it is clear you are trying to impersonate a police officer (ie a Garda) then it could be a crime. As said above, a commuter on a regular bike or a rider on a Honda 50, nope, not impersonating, just giving pause for thought for the inattentive who just catch it briefly in the corner of their eye. A rider on a decent moto with a white helmet, full leathers or the full yellow and blue gear, not so much. It would be at the discretion of the Garda who notices it to be honest. If you started pointing fingers and acting the maggot

magicbastarder

as garda don't use the word 'police' i suspect it'd be hard for them to make a fuss about it.

i must see if these folks make hi-vis jackets, for litter picking days and the like.

https://www.gadra.ie/

fat bloke

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I went out earlier for a quick spin to test a new casette and wore my "Stayin’ Alive at 1.5" jersey which I rarely wear.
I was conscious of the usual impatient morning traffic but what I noticed was that not once did anyone come near me or overtake with oncoming traffic as would normally happen.
Now, to be fair, one ride doesn't prove much but it will be interesting to repeat the exercise a few times and see if this morning was a one off or did the jersey make drivers think twice.
http://www.safecyclingireland.org/store/
https://spin11.com/shop/category/stayin-alive-at-1-5-safe-cycling-apparel-29#!/Stayin-Alive-at-1-5-short-sleeve-jersey-2020/p/187290367/category=23622817

I'd fancy one of their gilets but when you click through your links there to Spin11's purchasing section they don't seem to offer it?

Seth Brundle

fat bloke wrote: »

I'd fancy one of their gilets but when you click through your links there to Spin11's purchasing section they don't seem to offer it?

Send an email to Safe Cycling Ireland and see what he says.

sy_flembeck

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I went out earlier for a quick spin to test a new casette and wore my "Stayin’ Alive at 1.5" jersey which I rarely wear.
I was conscious of the usual impatient morning traffic but what I noticed was that not once did anyone come near me or overtake with oncoming traffic as would normally happen.
Now, to be fair, one ride doesn't prove much but it will be interesting to repeat the exercise a few times and see if this morning was a one off or did the jersey make drivers think twice.
http://www.safecyclingireland.org/store/
https://spin11.com/shop/category/stayin-alive-at-1-5-safe-cycling-apparel-29#!/Stayin-Alive-at-1-5-short-sleeve-jersey-2020/p/187290367/category=23622817

I have both the gilet and the jersey and EVERY time without fail, that I have worn either the difference in driver behaviour around me is staggering. It shouldn't be but it is.

A shocking indictment on driving standards in this country.

magicbastarder

i've always said to non-cyclists - if you want even a whiff of what it's like to be a cyclist, put an L plate up in your car, and watch and learn as other drivers try to bully you off the road.

Breezer

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've always said to non-cyclists - if you want even a whiff of what it's like to be a cyclist, put an L plate up in your car, and watch and learn as other drivers try to bully you off the road.

It’s unreal the way people react to a perceived traffic hierarchy. I sold an Audi and briefly drove a Fiesta afterwards. I drove the same route in exactly the same manner (early morning M50 commute, in as relaxed a manner as possible, rather than lane hopping and darting into gaps). Not a bother in the Audi. People lost their minds at me in the Fiesta.

The Fiesta was the mother’s car. She says to me, “Yep, now try being a woman and driving it.”

robinph

Breezer wrote: »

It’s unreal the way people react to a perceived traffic hierarchy. I sold an Audi and briefly drove a Fiesta afterwards. I drove the same route in exactly the same manner (early morning M50 commute, in as relaxed a manner as possible, rather than lane hopping and darting into gaps). Not a bother in the Audi. People lost their minds at me in the Fiesta.

The Fiesta was the mother’s car. She says to me, “Yep, now try being a woman and driving it.”

I learnt to drive and passed my test driving my grandads old car when they had decided he was too doddery to drive it himself anymore.

Was a very noticeable difference in how people treated it on the road though. If my mum was driving me around anywhere she'd never get let out of junctions and people would always be making dangerous overtakes on certain roads. Me driving it though and was a totally different behaviour from other road users. If she was driving it then it was a daft old woman getting in everyone's way in the battered old car, if I was driving then it was a well looked after old car that some youngster had restored or something.

hots

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've always said to non-cyclists - if you want even a whiff of what it's like to be a cyclist, put an L plate up in your car, and watch and learn as other drivers try to bully you off the road.

I'm a (late) learner at the moment, it's not even that comparible if you've got a bit of a thick skin, the worst you're going to have is a prick up your hole or putting themselves at risk if they overtake like a moron... if I was cycling and got similar or a close pass I'd be genuinely scared.

Suvarnabhumi

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I went out earlier for a quick spin to test a new casette and wore my "Stayin’ Alive at 1.5" jersey which I rarely wear.
I was conscious of the usual impatient morning traffic but what I noticed was that not once did anyone come near me or overtake with oncoming traffic as would normally happen.
Now, to be fair, one ride doesn't prove much but it will be interesting to repeat the exercise a few times and see if this morning was a one off or did the jersey make drivers think twice.
http://www.safecyclingireland.org/store/
https://spin11.com/shop/category/stayin-alive-at-1-5-safe-cycling-apparel-29#!/Stayin-Alive-at-1-5-short-sleeve-jersey-2020/p/187290367/category=23622817

I really like those tops, especially the "recording my journey" design, as I have a Gopro with me all the time. Unfortunately my back pack would cover most of it on my commute. I wonder if they'd make a bag cover in similar design.

CramCycle

Not a near miss, didn't come down. Yesterday a young lad in a Peugeot 207 undertaking traffic at a red light barrelled through at speed just as the light went green. Looks like he nearly lost control. Hit my wrist which seems fine with his wing mirror and tore off. I don't think he even knows that he hit me.

No camera unfortunately.

Steoller

CramCycle wrote: »

Not a near miss, didn't come down. Yesterday a young lad in a Peugeot 207 undertaking traffic at a red light barrelled through at speed just as the light went green. Looks like he nearly lost control. Hit my wrist which seems fine with his wing mirror and tore off. I don't think he even knows that he hit me.

No camera unfortunately.

Good to hear you're ok - did you get the plate?

magicbastarder

if you have the plate, it'll make it harder for him to deny it was him, if you have his mirror.

magicbastarder

anyway, yesterday evening, second time in i think three or four days - overtaken by someone on a country road (who this time floored it when i stuck my hand out with a clear emergency stop signal) into oncoming traffic. chap coming the other way blew him out of it, he had to drop anchors.

CramCycle

Steoller wrote: »

Good to hear you're ok - did you get the plate?

I did and everyone keeps saying report it but I really don't care anymore, the gardai >50% of the time give the its a you said/they said scenario. While I would be hopeful and like to imagine they would think outside the box and say, well actually, we can't do them for that but if you want to be a witness for using the bus lane, dangerous driving etc. but it will be a phone call to traffic watch where they don't get what you are saying, a call back in about 2 to 3 months, and then possibly a very polite well, nowt we can do about that now.

Seth Brundle

magicbastarder wrote: »

if you have the plate, it'll make it harder for him to deny it was him, if you have his mirror.

I think the driver tore off rather than the mirror was torn off

magicbastarder

ah, i misread that.

Cabaal

Breezer wrote: »

It’s unreal the way people react to a perceived traffic hierarchy. I sold an Audi and briefly drove a Fiesta afterwards. I drove the same route in exactly the same manner (early morning M50 commute, in as relaxed a manner as possible, rather than lane hopping and darting into gaps). Not a bother in the Audi. People lost their minds at me in the Fiesta.

The Fiesta was the mother’s car. She says to me, “Yep, now try being a woman and driving it.”

I used to drive a Hyundai Getz and the amount of idiots who would try overtake me and then realise I was actually doing 80km or 100km was unreal.
Numerous instances of tailgating as well.

I drive an estate now and no such isues
:rolleyes:

Breezer

Not really cycling related (well I was on my bike when I saw it), but a near miss nonetheless. I’m heading into work today and I’m stopped at the junction of New St/Dean St/Patrick St/Kevin St. (You may need to rotate that around in Street View, I’m on my phone and can’t share the link properly).

There’s a long truck of some sort turning right from Kevin St, beside the Maldron Hotel, back towards the main part of the junction. First he can’t make the turn and ends up mounting the path. Then when the light goes green for straight ahead only at the main junction, he proceeds to turn left, through a pedestrian crossing with the green man. There was indeed a pedestrian crossing and your man in the truck leans on the horn and proceeds through.

Weepsie

Big construction works happening there, so expect it to be carnage over the next year

Breezer

Weepsie wrote: »

Big construction works happening there, so expect it to be carnage over the next year

It always was a mad junction. Where exactly? They’ve finished the hotel. Up further onto Dean St?

Mundo7976

CramCycle wrote: »

I did and everyone keeps saying report it but I really don't care anymore, the gardai >50% of the time give the its a you said/they said scenario. While I would be hopeful and like to imagine they would think outside the box and say, well actually, we can't do them for that but if you want to be a witness for using the bus lane, dangerous driving etc. but it will be a phone call to traffic watch where they don't get what you are saying, a call back in about 2 to 3 months, and then possibly a very polite well, nowt we can do about that now.

Hit & run, leaving the scene of an incident might be worth a report!

downtheroad

Cycled through Fairview outbound in rush hour this evening, first time since last year. Forgot how awful it is there. The bus lane outbound may aswell not exist, with cars joining it from the footbridge and beyond. The painted cycle lane crosses the bus lane but is so full of traffic it is a completely redundant, and dangerous, cycle lane anyway. And of course plenty of cars parked at awful angles in the parking bays throughout, aswell as a few mounted on the footpath with obligatory hazards flashing.

Suvarnabhumi

On the way home today. If you know Templeogue village heading towards Terenure, theres no right turn onto Dodder View Road, so I always cross at the pedestrian lights (they have bike lights on them too). Anyway, me and a pedestrian waiting to cross, we get green and a van takes the (no) right turn and through the pedestrian crossing beeping at us as he comes through.

I have it on camera, he was driving an Enterprise rent a van. Have a clear picture of the reg. Contemplating reporting it, will have a think about it over night.

Breezer

Suvarnabhumi wrote: »

On the way home today. If you know Templeogue village heading towards Terenure, theres no right turn onto Dodder View Road, so I always cross at the pedestrian lights (they have bike lights on them too). Anyway, me and a pedestrian waiting to cross, we get green and a van takes the (no) right turn and through the pedestrian crossing beeping at us as he comes through.

I have it on camera, he was driving an Enterprise rent a van. Have a clear picture of the reg. Contemplating reporting it, will have a think about it over night.

Please do. I was raging I didn’t have a camera this morning when the truck driver did the same thing. If a pedestrian is on the road in front of you, you STOP. It doesn’t matter if they’re in the wrong, or if you think they are. You just stop. You don’t keep going and beep the horn. That’s how people get killed.