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

From the comments the OP mentions the driver lawyered up to get her off on the technicality so theres the cost of that I suppose.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119624400#Comment_119624400

Basically what you posted is that according to legislation drivers only need to pay heed to cycle lanes/tracks when stationary/parking but once driving they cease to exist?

Not much action here the last couple of days, either people like to argue their points or drivers or copping on a bit more, possibly due to a lot more 'education' in relation to cyclists these days

Came across these 3 today on twitter. they illustrate, perfectly, the idiocy of bikes sharing bus lanes

https://twitter.com/OisinOhAlmhain/status/1571805449288126466?s=20&t=ZtIc5bxV_c7Uy01clxHHfA

https://twitter.com/declan_doherty/status/1571827103888441347?s=20&t=GAPHY-iPLy2O-TjoYApyMA

https://twitter.com/garlittle/status/1571837408680845313?s=20&t=W29JxnsYptuPWwzzqLrlSw

DaveyDave

Jaysis that first clip, and he continues to move towards him when they're stopped. That in itself should warrant a fine for intimidation.

It's gas how aggressive they are towards cyclists but will purposely drive slow when they have a passenger. I got stuck behind two of them doing 65-70kph on the N4 leaving Dublin city centre one night, purposely not using the bus lane with the second car blocking the overtaking lane.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119638960#Comment_119638960

Exactly, 'professional' drivers my arse.

Never seems to occur to them that they're actually getting to beat most of the normal traffic, give them a designated lane and they're still not happy, par for the course..

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119638819#Comment_119638819

No, there are plenty of specific laws about cycle lanes and when you can drive in them or park in them, but drivers do not have to yield to a cyclist behind them, as far as I could tell (I'm not a lawyer!).

However, I saw this post by @GM228 and they sound like they know what they're talking about more than I do: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119636056/#Comment_119636056

But the area to concentrate on is yielding right of way to traffic in another lane, it is true that a "traffic lane" for the purposes of traffic offences is very narrowly construed due to the way they are defined under the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997 (and also in the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1997).

However, under common law S8 (8) of the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997 has a far broader application, this common law position dates back to the Ex parte Lewis (1888) 21 Q.B.D. 191 case (and even further to time immemorial) and the legal principles of pass and repass on a public highway (which for those who do not know is the common law basis for the right of use and enjoyment of public roads), the legal description of pass and repass was determined in 1888 and held to be a "right for all Her Majesty's subjects at all seasons of the year freely and at their will to pass and repass without let or hindrance" - in other words without limit or interference, since time immemorial use of the roads has been an equal right of way for all road users subject to not limiting or interfering with someone who is lawfully on the road, or in such a circumstance where lawfully already present in a lane (not a "traffic lane" as defined in regulations, but a lane in the ordinary sense).

Once you are lawfully in a lane (the courts will hold this to mean any lane including bus lanes and cycle tracks) other traffic must yield right of way to you when merging into your or crossing through your lane as otherwise they go against the very right of use of the road under common law and the principles of pass and repass of a public road.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119638960#Comment_119638960

Fair play he was so relaxed, I'd have lost it and be up in court by now if that first clip happened to me. Not in a hard man type of way but that is attempted murder in my eyes. He has removed any hope or chance of avoiding a collision if anyone makes one slip up following that close. That should be his taxi license taken from him.

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119638960#Comment_119638960

Had the same on the quays from a taxi driver, who made contact with the rear of my bike when I moved slightly rightwards to go around a pothole. I had video footage from a rear camera. Garda in Pearse Street said because the actual point of contact was off-camera (below the frame), there wasn't anything he could really do. 🤷

DoraDelite

What's as bad is some of the comments under that video. Some of those people are also "sharing" the road with people on bikes and have the attitude that they should get out of the way and how dare they be there stopping someone in a hurry from going somewhere in their car. A dangerous mix and is the reason there's some many incidents like this on a daily basis. I don't run a camera but I would have the same experience at least once every second or third trip.

standardg60

Unfortunately not a near miss but just passed a bad looking incident at the Taylors Lane roundabout.

Hope the cyclist is ok.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119640983#Comment_119640983

Is this it?

https://twitter.com/majorvonwaldron/status/1572182633903267842?t=e1HcnGJOvWstafFAOIj62g&s=19

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643579#Comment_119643579

Christ I hope she’s okay.

Terrible infrastructure accompanied by “professional” drivers who also seem to be the most aggressive and ignorant on the road.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643579#Comment_119643579

Yep that's it Seth, had just happened when i passed as no emergency services on scene.

Young enough girl unfortunately, clearly took a hard fall as she hadn't moved from when i saw her to when those pics were taken.

Do hope she's ok, quite a sobering image.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643592#Comment_119643592

I thanked the post in relation to the professional drivers bit but have no idea why you think the infrastructure is terrible.

I use this roundabout most days and it's clear as day that there's a 'lane' on your left that you need to be aware of. Thanks to Buffalo above i think it's pretty much set in stone now that a cycle track is indeed a lane which you need to yield to when crossing it, like any other.

It actually caused me to spend the rest of the day observing drivers turning left opposite me to see how many checked their left mirror before turning. It was pretty shocking tbh..

magicbastarder

not sure i'd stop and take photos of someone being treated at the scene of a collision like that.

she can't be identified in the photo but it is a bit ghoulish.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643767#Comment_119643767

Because it’s a sub-standard design, as can be seen in any country with decent cycling infrastructure and any new project implementing cycling infrastructure. You’re actively putting cyclists into points of conflict with drivers and hoping that the drivers aren’t idiots, which time and time again leads to incidents like this due to lack of enforcement and just general road user arseholeishness.

Look, I understand that you’re a more confident road user and are willing to stand your ground with drivers, but there’s a lot more people who want protected infrastructure because they don’t trust drivers to not be knobheads.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643919#Comment_119643919

I completely agree with you, but the ancient lay out of our infrastructure means that points of conflict are always going to arise.

My point is the solution should be strict enforcement and education of drivers, not blaming infrastructure or placing the onus on cyclists to have more cop on.

It's not as if we weren't taught all this stuff.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644036#Comment_119644036

The solution isn’t necessarily one or the other though, that’s why I said it’s both terrible infrastructure and ignorant awful driving.

We can have protected infrastructure while also pushing for stronger enforcement and education for drivers, the problem is in this country you’ll be waiting an awful lot longer for the latter compared to minimising the chance a driver has to run you over.

As grim as it sounds I’d almost say that the driver who caused this collision probably won’t see any major repercussions for this unless theres strong witness statements or someone comes forward with dash cam footage. And even then it would depend on what judge he’s up in front of. When realistically his PSV licence should be revoked.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643916#Comment_119643916

It seems that some people need stuff to be shoved in their faces to make them cop on to the possible consequences of their perceived God given rights when driving.

I have no issue with someone posting pics to achieve that aim if that's what it takes.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644083#Comment_119644083

Unfortunately you are no doubt correct in that assessment

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644172#Comment_119644172

who's going to see it though? irish cycling twitter. preaching to the choir.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644202#Comment_119644202

You know as well as i do that there's been a few on here waxing about their right to ignore a cycle lane, that's a start.

9320

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119638909#Comment_119638909

Nearly got absolutely creamed in the Bus Lane on Manor Street yesterday - van parked illegally in the bus lane and the delivery guy swung the door open without checking and thankfully the brakes on my Dublin Bike were good or I would have had a mushed up face.

He was apologetic which was refreshing and I doubt he'll do that again but was seriously frightening. The illegal parking element went right over his head.

Punishment pass if ever I saw one

https://twitter.com/righttobikeit/status/1572586240792461318

Seth Brundle

He does seem to get more than an average number of close passes

Weepsie

Thats criminal, but it's another situation that righttobike it has done something a little daft himself imo

If he can see the tractor he probably shouldn't have been overtaking there. He doesnt know that there's a trailer not going to swing out or how wide a turn it's going to take as he has surely only seen it front on. It's piss poor reading of the situation ahead, and he does it a lot.

I'd be asking myself why has the van ahead stopped on what looked a clear road too and being very cautious.

The driving is criminal and no excuse and shouldn't be on the road.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647577#Comment_119647577

I don't know, its not unusual (in my personal experience) to have a few a day of varying degrees with 1-2 downright dangerous ones on a weekly basis

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647610#Comment_119647610

He seems to attract the 2-3 weekly ones every day though. As weepsie says though, he does contribute towards some of them (that said his road position or anything else does not justify dangerous driving)

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647577#Comment_119647577

I think part of it is he has no problem in asserting himself and taking the primary position, but the definition of primary position aka smack in the middle of the road, and aggressive drivers interpret that as him taking the piss and react like arseholes.

The punishment pass above for example, he was overtaken, driver had slowed because of the tractor (I don’t necessarily know if the driver stopped to let the tractor go as he mentions in his tweet it looks like the tractor was turning while the van was a fair distance back) and he passes the van and swings out into the primary. Perfectly entitled to do so, but arsehole behind the wheel is probably thinking he’s doing it to annoy him.

Bit like when you overtake someone, you both get to a set of lights 200m down the road and they jump the queue ahead of you, and you have to overtake them again ten seconds later. You think to yourself what’s the point but unlike arsehole in the van you don’t try push them off their bike.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647579#Comment_119647579

Agree, the overtake looks scary even on the video, could easily have been a second vehicle turning behind the tractor which he mightn't have seen. Think that's what annoyed the driver more than anything, you can here him beeping as he passes.

Driver's still an arseh*le though.