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

BoardsMember

Not quite a near miss, but...

Cycling with wife and son, stopped in the Advanced Stopping Zone. In Rathgar cross roads, for those who know it, having come from Terenure. The intention was to proceed thru the junction and take a right down Highfield Road. So we had to be in the right hand lane, taking the lane in the ASZ.

As we're waiting is noticed the Taxi behind, revving his engine. I turned around and gave him my sternest look.

As the lights go green, we move off. Before we've gone 10 metres, ie haven't yet reached the right turn 20 metres from the ASZ, this taxi driving d1ck starts beeping. A kid and a lady, me out front.

There was no oncoming traffic. So I kind of circled back, and let roar at him. I hate to think what I would have done to him had he stopped and argued the toss. He roared back.

As is so often the case, the professional driver is convinced he's in the right. Someone's in his way and he's going to bully them out of the way.

crosstownk

^^ Taxi drivers aren't professional drivers. They may drive as a profession but only have the same driving qualifications as a regular motorist - nothing more - no CPC, no driver training, no frequent training updates. Most, in my experience, have a diabolical attitude towards other road users.

Seth Brundle

Had to quickly head home at lunchtime and on my way back to the office, this bus driver gave me a punishment pass along the N4 at Lucan, presumably because they had no room to overtake and I inconvenienced them so much. The trucker behind him in lane 1 felt the need to alert me to their presence (I'm guessing that they were offering directions to the adjacent (poor quality) cycle path)...

https://youtu.be/nxKisfMrBeQ

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120125797#Comment_120125797

I will say that the bus driver was in the wrong and no excusing him there. I do have a genuine question about that cycle path though. What exactly is wrong with it? I haven't cycled on it before but I have driven alongside it many times and have looked at it on Google Maps. It looks pretty good to me! Is there a single bad spot or weird junction that I'm missing or something?

Cabaal

Problem here is the bus driver expects you to be on the footpath (cycle path), I'm guessing you weren't because like most its likely a **** design or if it was icy our when cycling the footpath of course wouldn't have been gritted.

buffalo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120127677#Comment_120127677

If you use the N4 cycle track, depending on the direction and the junction, every time you come to a slip road for an off-ramp, you have to stop, turn your head 180 degrees to check for fast-moving traffic from behind, wait for a gap, and then proceed. And likewise for the on-ramp slip road on the other side of the junction.

Or worse, you have to proceed uphill up the slip road and wait at the traffic lights at the top to proceed straight through to go down the other side and rejoin.

Seth Brundle

It is fine if you want to take your time but is really just a crappy footpath. However, with a somewhat uneven surface in places and plenty of gravel and other crap on it, it is unsuitable for any kind of speed. There are also pinch points where the overhead gantries are located. You also have to yield at every slip road. Then add in the occasional jogger or dog walker. All of this means that speed isn't really an option.

In yesterday's vid, I was moving somewhere between 35 and 40km/h which wouldn't be suitable on the cycle path. I was also conscious that whilst there had been a bit of a thaw at that time and many sections of the cycle paths on my journey (Nangor Rd & Ballyowen Rd) still had frost on them.

DaveyDave

Regardless of people's opinions on that bike lane there was no other traffic in front or behind the bus in lane 1 stopping the driver moving out and back in safely to pass. He's purposely being a prick. Whatever about a car doing it, a bus isn't something you want to mess around with. Looks like traffic is also fairly light.

The bike lane has a lot of harsh bumps once you've dropped down from the slip plus it has a lot of debris as there's a high volume of trucks coming from Grange Castle getting onto the N4. It's also prone to being overgrown in places so half the lane is taken up by sharp bushes. Where the bridge is you have to come to a crawl to go around the sign post and then you have to stop and wait to cross at Woodies and again on the other side as it's a busy section. Add the odd pedestrian traveling in the same direction as you also. I've had to drop into the bus lane and back up on occasion, this particular stretch is bike only as far as I remember.

buffalo

I cycled the N4 once to test it for the commute, it's horrible no matter how you use it. I go through Lucan village and along the Strawberry Beds instead now, and out through Phoenix Park. Apart from a few speed bumps, it's much more pleasant and far less traffic. Still the occasional close pass of course.

tnegun

On that cycle path this piece of design is outstanding, a foot path merges, the cycle lane marking disappears, a busy bus stop/chicane, a merge back where you'll immediately be cut up by traffic turning left then the slip itself is segregated from the main line at that point which pushes traffic into the on road cycle lane. A cluster fcuk of design.

VonLuck

This is the reason I can somewhat understand the frustration of drivers (but I just need to be clear that I don't agree with anger towards cyclists or dangerous manoeuvres!). The majority don't know there's anything wrong with the path. I cycle, but not along that road, but I am very well aware that many lanes with problems. Even still, I don't think you'd get a clear picture of what the issues are until you actually use it.

Unfortunately it leaves a lot of drivers with a dislike of cyclists for not using dedicated paths, even though they are perfectly entitled not to use them.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120128263#Comment_120128263

All of which 95% of motorists whizzing by a few feet away will be blissfully unaware. As far as they're concerned, there's a purpose built, perfectly good cycle lane there, which the cyclist cabal are constantly clamouring for more of, and there some lad in lycra holding up the traffic in the bus lane.

CramCycle

Just to play devils advocate, but is it possible the bus driver did move out and it could be not so much that it was intentional but that like many, he underestimated your speed and pulled in far too quickly.

Long story short, still sh1tty driving but for a completely different reason, not sure if being inept is better or worse than being malicious.

It could also be more malicious in that he did know but wanted some excuse if he did manage to knock you off.

Seth Brundle

Not sure @CramCycle but given how late the driver left it before looking to move out, I'm inclined to think there knew exactly what they were doing.

DaveyDave

They seemed to be driving fairly slow themselves considering it's an 80kph road far enough away from the slip to be up to speed so that doesn't help the situation. Hard to overtake when you're not actually speeding up!

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120127677#Comment_120127677

As others have said it's having to cede right of way at every junction that is the problem, especially if you're clipped in. Slip roads on the N3/4/7 etc would be a nightmare I'd imagine. My own experience on the Waterford ring road which is an 80km/h dual carriageway with roundabouts is that when decided to give the similar "cycle track" on the footpath (no segregation or markings as seen on the left below) a go back in the day, you have to stop at the crossing point to the left of the silver car, At that point it's difficult to see if anything is turning left since you're halfway round the turn yourself at this point, so it's stop and check (unclipping usually). Then you need to get the the small island just before the blue car - making sure you're not taken out of it by drivers turning right at speed from the opposite direction (it's blind - note the shrubbery). Then finally get across the last bit and continue to the same thing at the next roundabout. It got very old very quickly (plus it's dangerous) so I've stayed on the main carriageway ever since so I only have to worry about normal roundabout rules from the right now. And don't get me started with the dog on an extendible string brigade!

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120129392#Comment_120129392

There's a car in the middle lane right behind the bus, you can see it moving over in the clip. I think he's waiting for the lane to be clear to be honest.

TheHouseIRL

Not so much a near miss, as sheer ignorance. I gave them an earful and got the usual brain dead "I had my indicator on, you were going slow, etc."

Also, some bonus footage of the Washboard Launderette van parked inside the cycle lane bollards.

https://streamable.com/xwa26r

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120138081#Comment_120138081

It is pure ignorance, no one was in any danger but it is pure f*cking c***ish behaviour. Why not just pull in behind you,nothing specific to the spot (although how many cars manage to get behind those wands FFS).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120129392#Comment_120129392

You could be right but they did slow and wait till they could pull out further. Lots of new bus drivers out there with the shortage. I'm not excusing it, it is still really bad situational awareness but 1) its possible it wasn't intentional 2) its better than some I have gotten from BE. Doesn't excuse the sh1tty driving but I would actually feel better if it wasn't intentional. Like I said before though, which is worse a talented intentional b****cks or a nice but incompetent one.

DaveyDave

Bloody hell that's pure ignorance. I'd rather get left hooked at the junction then someone full on park up to a stop right in front of me!

Wildly Boaring

There's pricks in every walk of life. Problem is when they have a vehicle.

Had similar today. But L plates so I let it go with no more than a shrug. Overtook and they stopped to take the next right, leaving almost no space for me.

patrickc

not a near miss, but was cycling yesterday on the N80. a rigid truck with an aul fella driving layed on the horn going by, making some gestures at me. There was a a hard shoulder which was less than a 1/2 a foot wide and I think he wanted me to cycle in there. Not a chance!

tnegun

Cycling back from the school drop-off just there and a car tries and fails to pass me due to oncoming traffic. They attempt again this time blind as we're approaching a 90 degree left-hand bend in the road. Sure enough a car is coming in the opposite direction meaning they need to be in my space so dive to the curb as both of us are on the apex completely cutting me off. No acknowledgment as they floor it to get away. Less than 30 seconds later they've pulled into a parking spot on their phone. So I pull in to explain what they'd done but probably not as calmly as I should have as they'd almost knocked me down. The excuses ranged from didn't see me, to you'd plenty of room to they had right of way as they'd gotten in front. She had no idea how close she had gotten or why it might be an issue and in her mind I was over reacting!

micar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144999#Comment_120144999

I've often thought of asking straight away.....when you passed me, how close do you think you were to me by getting them to stretch out their arms.

Them tell them the reality of it.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145652#Comment_120145652

When safe to do so, I sometimes put my hand out when being close passed, and if the wing mirror or body of the vehicle hits my hand, that is very hard evidence that they were too close.

tnegun

She really couldn't see the issue in her mind she hadn't hit me so it didn't matter how close she had gotten crazy stuff.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145768#Comment_120145768

Even if they were truthful and hadn't seen you, surely that alone would be a huge cause for concern.

Dr_Colossus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145694#Comment_120145694

+1, had a Bus Éireann driver pull in on top of me at Usher's Quay just after Mellow's Bridge junction where the cycle lane disappears. Slapped the side of the bus a couple of times but he continued to encroach and force me towards the kerb, slapped the back of the bus again as now had no room and had to stop but he continued on. He was stopped at the lights outside Guinness so I pulled up in the cycle lane beside him and opened the bus doors so he had to get out to reset. I asked him to explain his driving and forcing me off the road to where is only response was he didn't, one seriously ignorant and dangerous driver. Lights had well gone green at this stage so he closed the door and climbed back into his seat when I turned the door open level again and just said we'll see what his employer would say. Didn't bother reporting but hopefully the lost time and inconvenience might get him to think of what had he to gain.

Wildly Boaring

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145694#Comment_120145694

Oh if you're within arms reach of me your car is getting a wrap on the window or roof.

Quite happy if you want to stop to "Debate" the merits of same. And if you wish to warn me against damaging your car, well next time drive properly

DaveyDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145888#Comment_120145888

Yeah it's a bit concerning when people can't see you directly in front of them!