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

Breezer

Duckjob wrote: »

I did some travelling (by car unfortunately) around in rural NL in November and what stuck me even more that the number of bikes in the cities was seeing lovely separated cycle tracks running parallel to the roads between cities and towns.,

Even more striking again was seeing cyclists (obviously not half as many as in the cities), but of all ages including schoolkids happily riding these routes even in the most rural parts between cities and towns. I couldn't imagine seeing anything similar Ireland where intercity city/town support for cycling is virtually non-existant.

I think that there, is possible even greater of a marker of a great cycling culture, where ordinary people not only cycling in numbers in the cities, but are using cycle routes to go these longer distances. I think when you remove all the danger and apprehension that goes with having to share the road with (and particularly with hostile) traffic, what you're left with is pure stress relieving enjoyment. I also think if you do that many more people will jump for those options even on longer distances.

The really sad thing is it could be so similar here, if only our policitians would open their eyes, but they still prefer to spend most of their time banging on about electric cars in any talk about sustainable travel.

Yep, I remember cycling along the polders as a kid on holidays there. The road below on one side and the sea on the other and we just went all day at family pace. It was lovely! Must have been nearly 25 years ago now

Breezer

Stark wrote: »

It's pretty much standard for grid systems over there. Having spent a good bit of time over there it actually works quite well for the most part. As long as you don't have tourists driving . Means there's always a walk light in some direction, no dead time where it's all car traffic and no pedestrian time so pedestrians effectively have full priority. I prefer it to our system of having to stand and wait while traffic turning left/right has the priority tbh.

The Germans do it too, and for all their BMW manufacturing and autobahns it seemed to work pretty well.

cdaly_

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

Yeah, had an unusually brazen one at the junction near RTE yesterday (as a pedestrian). Flashing green man, myself and another guy stepping onto the road when he hear a car accelerating like crazy to cross the junction. This is a big enough junction, he would have had a solid red when he took off. By the time he had passed, green man was flashing amber. I gestured at him but he couldn't give a fcuk.

Many years ago, in conversation with an off-duty cop, he told me they used to carry snooker balls as an aid for urban car chases. It's difficult to drive with a smashed windscreen...

enda1

Breezer wrote: »

The Germans do it too, and for all their BMW manufacturing and autobahns it seemed to work pretty well.

Italy and France too. Makes complete sense of course, when turning you should give right of way to pedestrians going straight, green light or no green light.

Breezer

I was passed with a foot or less to spare in Phibsborough heading inbound this evening, despite being what I considered reasonably far out from the kerb to discourage this. Totally pointless MGIF: the lights at Doyle's Corner were red up ahead, there was a queue of traffic, and I passed her out again within 5 seconds. I lost it, which I don't often do: stopped and roared "You got far, didn't you?" at the driver. I felt a bit bad when I saw it was some young one who looked confused and terrified in equal measure at this man on a bike shouting at her.

I was looking at the Fly 12/6 CE combo as secondary (or perhaps primary) lights/cameras last night, and I think I'm going to get myself a late Christmas present. I don't scare easily but the level of muppetry seems to have increased since the new year for whatever reason.

tuxy

Breezer wrote: »

I lost it, which I don't often do: stopped and roared "You got far, didn't you?" at the driver. I felt a bit bad when I saw it was some young one who looked confused and terrified in equal measure at this man on a bike shouting at her.

These are the people that kill cyclists and then get a suspended sentence.
But if she was confused she has no idea what happened and will do it again.

purple hands

Worst left hook I've ever had this morning heading along N Wall Quay with a white Yaris turning up Park Lane...maybe a rental. Not sure how I didn't get knocked down tbh. There was f*ck all on the roads at the time, no need for it at all or driver just didn't look.

Time to invest in a camera methinks

padjocollins

tnegun wrote: »

The have some crazy setups in the states very nearly caught me out when driving over there too. You can have a green right filter while the pedestrian crossing your driving through has the walk sign displayed. There is a "yield to pedestrians in the crossing" sign somewhere close by but having experienced it from the drivers seat and as a pedestrian it's a shambles!!

It's here in germany too and i hate it . even harder to see small kids who are walking or cycling to school and suv's need to see them before they put them under the high bonnet. A nine year old got run over in this manner 10 years ago in Ravensburg, germany where i live. Apparently these kind of accidents are very rare but i'm not buying it. Cars come around bends very aggressively and are supposed to quickly see pedestrians when they are in drive through mode. just 1% of drives making this mistake is a receipe for disaster.

boardbeer

aloooof wrote: »

I'm recently back from Amsterdam

Me too, didn't see you? What routes were you riding?
The thing that impressed me was how spending a little bit more on the cycling infrastructure encourages more people to cycle, and as a result the main roads are a lot less busy, requiring less investment in road building. It's as if spending 1 euro on cycle paths saves 100 euros on roads, and made the whole place more pleasant for everyone.

Pinch Flat

Some retard nearly took out about half a dozen cyclists this morning, just before the h'penny bridge. Decided the queue of traffic to O'Connell Street wasn't for hit, so swung left across a lane full of cyclists head straight on. Guy that he nearly hit looked pretty shook.

It's hard to know which strategy is going to change the current thinking on the north and south quays regarding safe, segregated cycle lanes..

Vincenzo Nibbly

No stopping at the Stop sign for this chap - he's in too much of a hurry to bother looking properly before pulling out. Caught him at the next lights and he was very apologetic albeit classic SMIDSY. I asked which of the two very bright front lights he didn't see... You can't see if you don't slow down too look mate!

https://streamable.com/var69

kenmm

Vincenzo Nibbly wrote: »

No stopping at the Stop sign for this chap - he's in too much of a hurry to bother looking properly before pulling out. Caught him at the next lights and he was very apologetic albeit classic SMIDSY. I asked which of the two very bright front lights he didn't see... You can't see if you don't slow down too look mate!

https://streamable.com/var69

Ouch - close one there!

I often wonder (and it's been much debated, even illegal at one point) if the flashing lights cause confusion with a certain demographic of driver).

There are a wide variance in bike lights and we don't do much to standardise this (like for example car lights) or test drivers on this (i.e. testing eyesight or something specifically for flashing or other bike lights).


**Of course here, the driver should have at least made an attempt to wait to check if there was any traffic to yield to! NOT suggesting otherwise**

Vincenzo Nibbly

kenmm wrote: »

I often wonder (and it's been much debated, even illegal at one point) if the flashing lights cause confusion with a certain demographic of driver).

There are a wide variance in bike lights and we don't do much to standardise this (like for example car lights) or test drivers on this (i.e. testing eyesight or something specifically for flashing or other bike lights).

That's true, I wonder if some kind of standardisation would help. Speaking for how I approach lights, solid bright front and rear on the bike, flashing front and rear on the helmet. It's served me well so far except with this hurried gent. I think most drivers do get that many people on bikes use flashing lights, but maybe it makes it more difficult to judge approach speed.. needs more research!

downtheroad

I've seen quite a lot of red lights on the front of bikes lately and even some white lights on the back which is really offputting as from a distance in the dark you initially think somebody is cycling towards you in the cycle lane.

Great that these people are using lights but a standard would be helpful.

Stark

I don't think the driver in that case gave a ****. I've noticed it a lot these days whether I'm out for a jog, cycling or driving. They don't give a **** about stop or yield signs no matter who's on the road already, just drive straight out and leave it to everyone else to react.

downtheroad

A near miss for a cyclist on the Howth Road this morning when she broke a red light and nearly collided with a car that had right of way pulling out of a junction.

I caught up with her shortly after and told her that behaviour is what gives a bad name to cyclists in general and she was apologetic and said she shouldn't have done it. Hopefully she'll learn and thankfully there was no accident.

What Username Guidelines

Vincenzo Nibbly wrote: »

No stopping at the Stop sign for this chap - he's in too much of a hurry to bother looking properly before pulling out. Caught him at the next lights and he was very apologetic albeit classic SMIDSY. I asked which of the two very bright front lights he didn't see... You can't see if you don't slow down too look mate!

https://streamable.com/var69

Does he have a phone in his right hand? As he waves you can see it. Prick probably just glanced for car headlights.

mrcheez

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

Does he have a phone in his right hand? As he waves you can see it. Prick probably just glanced for car headlights.

Does indeed, nice spot.

Kander

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

Does he have a phone in his right hand? As he waves you can see it. Prick probably just glanced for car headlights.

Yeah looks like it

Vincenzo Nibbly

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

Does he have a phone in his right hand? As he waves you can see it. Prick probably just glanced for car headlights.

Jesus you're right, the fu€ker does have a phone in his hand. I hadn't noticed that myself. That changes things. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt over a daft mistake, but that's pure wreckless. Reporting him so (for all the good it'll do).

What Username Guidelines

Vincenzo Nibbly wrote: »

Jesus you're right, the fu€ker does have a phone in his hand. I hadn't noticed that myself. That changes things. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt over a daft mistake, but that's pure wreckless. Reporting him so (for all the good it'll do).

Good man. You can actually make out that it’s something like Spotify. Rolling out of his estate, choosing some music.

If you find a Garda who cares it should be an easy case. It was very very close.

Polar wizard adventure

Report the f**ker. Half second later and he would have killed you.

droidus

Phone or not, it's an offense to proceed through a stop sign without stopping.

kenmm

droidus wrote: »

Phone or not, it's an offense to proceed through a stop sign without stopping.

Looks like a yield sign. but doesn't matter- you still have to yield or give way to oncoming traffic!

I missed the phone as well - no excuses, clear cut prick-ism.

Good spot!

Pinch Flat

There' something about the Nissan Qashqai. They seem to attract a disproportionately high number of idiotic drivers.

droidus

Yup, the bigger the car the bigger the c*nt.

https://twitter.com/karlstanley/status/1217863730584793090

FouxDaFaFa

^^^^

Didn't a van a crash into a signpole in or around that spot a few weeks back and knock it onto a cyclist? I can't find the post mentioning it.

Pinch Flat

Only a matter of time before some twat tried this. Had a similar incident before Christmas when a "gent" in a similar vehicle reckoned the bike lane and path at the rosey Hackett bridge was his personal route through the lights. Had ignored the bus bike lane leading up to it, and mounted two wheels onto a packed pack doing so. People like this simply don't give a toss and there's zero policing or deterrent out there

Stark

They usually make **** of the cycle lanes in the process too. Those cracks and potholes aren't from bicycles.

cdaly_

kenmm wrote: »

Ouch - close one there!

I often wonder (and it's been much debated, even illegal at one point) if the flashing lights cause confusion with a certain demographic of driver).

There are a wide variance in bike lights and we don't do much to standardise this (like for example car lights) or test drivers on this (i.e. testing eyesight or something specifically for flashing or other bike lights).


**Of course here, the driver should have at least made an attempt to wait to check if there was any traffic to yield to! NOT suggesting otherwise**

Stark wrote: »

I don't think the driver in that case gave a ****. I've noticed it a lot these days whether I'm out for a jog, cycling or driving. They don't give a **** about stop or yield signs no matter who's on the road already, just drive straight out and leave it to everyone else to react.

I'm inclined to think they are looking for cars in the car lane and stuff in the bike lane is effectively invisible. I usually move out into the lane for such junctions.