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

km991148

Yeah for sure, in general YouTube hindsight is wonderful. Also don't forget the distortion of the camera too. Often you can see more or it appears like there was more information available.

On that specific video tho, not trying to be a smartarse or anything, it was posted and comments were asked for. Since it's up I would say to anyone if you recognise that situation and your own path ahead is blocked (red light, other traffic etc) then just hang back. The cars will clear quicker and everyone will get on their way a bit quicker and smoother and stress free. Isn't that what we should all be aiming for?

TheChizler

In one of the recent traffic laws posted yesterday there was one saying a driver should yield to all other traffic when moving off from a standstill, I'm not sure how that wins out in conflict with the bicycle specific rules, but one to consider in the overall context.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118797755#Comment_118797755

Experience would teach me there is as much chance of them skipping traffic up the bus lane as there is of turning left. I'd still go on the right but that's just me.

magicbastarder

much as it pains me to retweet the sun:

https://twitter.com/TheSun/status/1505325747375943685

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118808455#Comment_118808455

F me! Good reactions to go right rather than left or stop.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118808455#Comment_118808455

If that's Ireland, HIQA will be all over that.

Shotser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118809981#Comment_118809981

Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is an independent authority that exists to improve health and social care services for the people of Ireland. Basically they regulate residential care facilities and have a role in researching and advising on health information and health technology. This incident would be for someone else, RTA or HSA maybe?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118813132#Comment_118813132

Your right, I should have said HSA, not HIQA

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118813266#Comment_118813266

I wouldn't have much trust in HSA taking action. If you make a a report, they are at pains to tell you how they can't give you any further information for confidentiality reasons. It is very rare that you hear in the news of them taking serious action.

Weepsie

The larger punishments make their own website as press releases. Everything else goes into their annual reports.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118813745#Comment_118813745

Inspections and complaints are only mentioned at summary level in the Annual Report. There is no detail on the nature of complaints, how many were investigated, how many led to site visits, what were the main areas of complaint - nothing actually useful.

Two things jump out from looking at the convictions listed;

1) Their unwillingness to name individuals, even when those cases have been heard in open court and completed with convictions and fines.

2) The number of investigations that came about following workplace deaths. Horses and stable doors spring to mind.

Pinch Flat

Ah Dublin bike commuting. Had my first quadruple over take on Wednesday last - me overtaking a slower bike, while a car behind me decides to overtake me - at 1.5 m in fairness, but he could have awaited the 5 seconds it took me to pass the slower cyclist. Not to be outdone, guy in Mercedes decides to overtake us all - 4 of us wide on the road at one point - he even used the opposite side bus lane to execute his amazon act of driving, all to get to a red light.

https://goo.gl/maps/LsrvcHYt9K7DL8Dx9

Weepsie

Now it wouldn't be a cycle through castleknock without that happening

MojoMaker

That's the norm on that road unfortunately. Maybe it's knowledge of the 30km/h speed limit ahead of them in the park.

buffalo

I got a cargo bike on Saturday, and despite its ginormous size and corresponding difficulty in not seeing it, I had two near misses just cycling it home.

First at the relatively new cycle track outside the shops in Kilmainham. I'm almost certain it was deliberate. I was waiting at the lights nearby and noticed a Range Rover parked in the crosshatching outside the lane with the hazards on. After my wait of a minute or so at the lights, I got my green and started off. At the same time, the driver got out of the car and ambled around to the far end of it.

He timed it so that he stepped into the cycle track right in front of me and conspicuously did not even glance in my direction. In hindsight, I should have asked him if he was grateful for my anticipation and advance braking. No doubt if I'd hit him (and scooped him up into my box), the narrative would be that it was the fault of the new cycle lane and the poor man was just minding his own business when he was hit by a bloody cyclist.

Later in the journey, I was coming to a crossroads. One car is stopped in the straight/right-turn lane, I'm heading for the left turn lane. There's a green filter light, but it appears to be broken on the nearest light, but it's clearly visible on the far side of the junction. As I approach the junction - about three car lengths out - a driver of an Audi cuts in tightly from the other lane between me and the stopped car. Then she slams on the brakes a few metres in front of me. I brake and cyclist instinct sends me up her inside in an attempt to filter, and the cargo bike hits the curb.

I point at the green light across the junction, she points at the red light on this side. She makes a hands-in-the-air gesture, I point at the green light again. Both lights then turn yellow, and red. We both sit and seethe. To give her the benefit of the doubt, she was probably concentrating too hard on not running me over while performing a daft overtake to notice the green light. Then again, who would bother overtaking that close to a red light?

Cabaal

Who would bother overtaking that close to a red?

Sadly so, so many people.

Had three this morning coming up to a junction that you'll ALWAYS have to stop and wait at, didn't stop three overtakes around me and the trailer....just so they could sit and wait right infront of me. Utterly pointless but yet it endangers me and my kid, especially the last car as they had to pull in to avoid a traffic island.

km991148

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118817477#Comment_118817477

A lot of people just dont look that far ahead.

Stark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118814549#Comment_118814549

As if they plan to stick to it.

Effects

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118817597#Comment_118817597

And drivers are tuned to just get past a cyclist asap, no matter what's ahead of them.

km991148

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118819043#Comment_118819043

I see "must get ahead" syndrome in all road users tbh. But in general its just not reading the road ahead - the keystone that most good road use should be built upon.

Seth Brundle

On my commute this morning - I had put my arm out to signal that I was going to take the third exit (going right)...

https://youtu.be/b1xQOC-Jqf4

I had heard the car approach and to be honest had a gut feeling that I needed to be ready for something stupid given the location. The driver claimed that she didn't see me do that which would make me wonder that if she saw me, why would she comtemplate overtaking me here.

Cabaal

Just curious, any reason for not taking the lane?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824133#Comment_118824133

No reason. It tends to be a fairly quiet part of road at that hour where road position wouldn't really matter.

DaveyDave

Even if she didn't see you stick the arm out going through a roundabout WITH a cyclist is one of the dumbest things people do. Really shows that people just don't acknowledge cyclists on the road when they pass you like you don't exist.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824319#Comment_118824319

I'm presuming it is the "Must Get In Front" mentality. Even though she was at her destination, she didn't want to be behind a cyclist for even a few seconds.

km991148

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824319#Comment_118824319

Absolutely.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824355#Comment_118824355

And 100pc on the must get in front.

The only question tho (and I'm not having a go here, I know it sounds like I do):

When you realised you were dealing with maximum stupidity, why go round the roundabout with a moron?

To me (and yes, only a short clip from a cam, angles may vary etc) I would have hung back. Been annoyed at the nonsense of course, but hang back and let them get on with it.

CramCycle

Even on a quiet road, take the lane at a roundabout, its just not worth it not too.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118795935#Comment_118795935

And, let me guess, you are the authoritative judge as to the difference between what constitutes assertive and aggressive?

Again, do what you like, I just hope I never meet a motorist shortly after one of your dealings with them.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824133#Comment_118824133

I always take the lane when going 'straight' or 'right' at a roundabout, but in fairness that hasn't stopped drivers from undertaking me on the roundabout itself when taking the same exit as me. Mind boggling stuff. Thankfully rare enough.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824902#Comment_118824902

You don't need to take my judgement on the difference between the two. That difference has been well documented over the years;

https://thriveworks.com/blog/assertive-vs-aggressive-whats-the-difference/

There's no aggression in any of my contacts. No swearing, no shouting, no threats of violence. Just simple communication with another adult to let them know that their behaviour was dangerous and I'd suggest that they don't do it again. Do drivers have some kind of magical immunity to such feedback? Have we let drivers bully us into submission like the victims of an abusive relationship?

It's long past time to stand up and act. Make it socially unacceptable for drivers to endanger the lives of others.