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

BoardsMember

BoardsMember wrote: »

Remarkable one yesterday.

In Rathgar, Dublin. I'm sitting at the 4 way cross roads having come from Terenure. I passed a lady on a bike, a bit out in the middle of the road, seemed like she was enjoying the weather and maybe a bit away with the fairies.

Lights are red. I hear a bicycle bell ding twice as she piles straight through down towards Rathmines. I couldn't believe it. Cars coming thru green lights from left and right happened to miss her. By very little. She hollered something and shook a fist. And kept going. She is very lucky not to be dead.

I was tempted to go after her and ask her if she had a death wish, but thought better of it - very little chance of having a sensible outcome with someone that thought that was a good idea.

Chiparus wrote: »

I presume you do the same if a car breaks a red light ?
Go after them and ask do they have a death wish?

Would your query be different if you realised I was on a bike? It's fairly typical here of some responses, heckles up immediately if the poster is perceived to be a driver. Negative or defensive, passive aggressive type responses. We do ourselves no favours. Anyhow, I'm sure there will be violent disagreement.

To answer your question, when a car does this, I have often caught up with the car and asked "are you trying to kill someone". So, a similar response with a more appropriate question. Often while shaking with anger, if I have been the one nearly clipped.

I should have gone after her, but I was headed down Highfield, she towards Rathmines, by the time the lights were green she was too far gone for me to bother.

Sam Quentin

VonLuck wrote: »

Semi-related - I was cycling home from work on a dark evening and there was a guy in front of me on his bike but he had the most blinding flashing rear red light I have ever seen. It was very distracting and to be honest I was finding it hard to focus properly.

So I cycled up beside him and politely said "just a heads up, your rear light is very bright and is blinding people". He looked at me blankly and said nothing. I thought he might not have understood so I said "it's a bit distracting, just thought I'd let you know" all with a smile on my face. He looked puzzled and had a furrowed brow. I don't think he appreciated being told that.

I probably came off as a bit of an ass, but I figured how else is he to know. He's never going to be looking at the light!

Ahhhhhh the social media 'WhatsBook' generation. Please don't feel he ignored your comment about his beloved rear light
I'm sure he spoke somewhere about you,.but you'll have to do a social media Google search. :cool:

magicbastarder

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Ahhhhhh the social media 'WhatsBook' generation.

that may have made sense in your own head, but i'm scratching mine as to what you mean. if you just wanted to pass what appears to be a snide comment, you may find standards here are a little higher than that, so please try harder in future.

CramCycle

I figured you were on a bike BM. At Chiparus, I would. Not sure it makes a difference to either group but if it makes any of them second guess and stop the next time, it was worth saying.

Sam Quentin

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Ahhhhhh the social media 'WhatsBook' generation. Please don't feel he ignored your comment about his beloved rear light
I'm sure he spoke somewhere about you,.but you'll have to do a social media Google search. :cool:

magicbastarder wrote: »

that may have made sense in your own head, but i'm scratching mine as to what you mean. if you just wanted to pass what appears to be a snide comment, you may find standards here are a little higher than that, so please try harder in future.

NoNoNoNoNo you've taken my post up the wrong way
What I meant was:: the op got no reaction from the offending very bright rear red bicycle light owner, when the op pulled him up on it. . And my point was: he may have got no reaction on the side of the road!?!? But I'm sure the bright light 'offender' after processing what just happened..well he probably spoke about it online or in a pm to a friend or something.
That's all.
It does happen,. you can get nice quiet non confrontational people on the streets..but inside they may feel aggrieved and just mention it later on.

magicbastarder

cheers, i thought the 'social media whatsbook' comment was directed towards the poster, not the other rider.

Chiparus

BoardsMember wrote: »

Would your query be different if you realised I was on a bike? It's fairly typical here of some responses, heckles up immediately if the poster is perceived to be a driver. Negative or defensive, passive aggressive type responses. We do ourselves no favours. Anyhow, I'm sure there will be violent disagreement.

To answer your question, when a car does this, I have often caught up with the car and asked "are you trying to kill someone". So, a similar response with a more appropriate question. Often while shaking with anger, if I have been the one nearly clipped.

I should have gone after her, but I was headed down Highfield, she towards Rathmines, by the time the lights were green she was too far gone for me to bother.

No not really , chase after someone especially a female , on a bike or other wise to give out to them sounds pretty threatening.

VonLuck

Chiparus wrote: »

No not really , chase after someone especially a female , on a bike or other wise to give out to them sounds pretty threatening.

He's on a bicycle, he's not the T-1000 from the Terminator.

Chiparus

magicbastarder wrote: »

Btw, why are you writing speed limits in metres per second? This is not how speed limits are expressed.

And FWIW, quoting a speed limit of 100km/h is suggesting a road that very few cyclists commute on in the dark. And almost certainly not the one in the post which led to this exchange.

Because thats how quick a car could catch up with a cyclist , far worse to have a light that is too dim to see than have a light that is too bright when you are immediatly behind them, but can be seen clearly by a driver from a few hundred meters away.

Again this cyclist with the bright light may be travelling to a place that is dark and where cars travel at 100kmph ( or 28m/s)or even a road where the speed limit is higher ( certain dual carriageways ).

Chiparus

VonLuck wrote: »

He's on a bicycle, he's not the T-1000 from the Terminator.

Clearly on a bike he could have never caught up with another cyclist - my bad.

BoardsMember

Chiparus wrote: »

No not really , chase after someone especially a female , on a bike or other wise to give out to them sounds pretty threatening.

I think that says more about you than me, to be honest.

magicbastarder

if i'm a bloke and i saw someone chasing after me on a bike, i'd give them a chase.
general rule, unless someone has already threatened you, chasing after them is a fool's errand.
and yes, a bloke chasing after a woman could very easily be interpreted as being intimidating.

Chiparus

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

Why do cyclists advocate "using the lane" and take a position on the middle of the road?

I'm new to cycling. I told a coworker that I was squeezed a few times because I keep left and she told me to be assertive and take a position centre of the lane.

I might try this next time. How will this force car drivers to overtake with 150 cm though? They can still easily squeeze by.

I'd also be scared of getting rammed if some clown is glued to their phone and not paying attention.

The 1.5 metres was hammered into me by my driving instructor when I started driving 12 years ago so I've always done it even before those ad campaigns regardless of what position the cyclist was in. I was always told to imagine the cyclist was a full sized car, if you can't safely overtake by crossing the other side of the road, then don't overtake at all.

It is recommended in the ROTR.

Think I recall this one being posted here , €120 fine and 3 points was the outcome.

https://irishcycle.com/2020/06/07/e120-fine-and-3-penalty-points-for-another-irish-motorist-unwilling-to-give-cyclists-space/

hesker

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Think I recall this one being posted here , €120 fine and 3 points was the outcome.

https://irishcycle.com/2020/06/07/e120-fine-and-3-penalty-points-for-another-irish-motorist-unwilling-to-give-cyclists-space/

That was bloody close

magicbastarder

unfortunately the video cuts off just as the interesting bit starts.

BoardsMember

Saw one the other day. Closed my eyes as I was sure it wasn't ending well. I'm coming up Terenure Road north, I am stopped in my car waiting to turn right onto Eaton Road.

Oncoming are 2 cyclists, and they are overtaking a delivery van parked about 30 yards in front of me, on the same side as the cyclists. My plan was to wait for the cyclists to pass as they are too close and are moving fast.

Behind the cyclists a white van decides to overtake them at speed, giving them all of a foot clearance I'd say, as they are broadside of the delivery van. He leans on the horn, as if they did something wrong. And while remonstrating with them, eventually turns and sees he's about to hit me nearly front on. He swings in at the last second.

On a positive note, I had a very pleasant and uneventful cycle with my son today, all drivers on their best behaviour.

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

unfortunately the video cuts off just as the interesting bit starts.

Yeah the longer version was definitely posted on here at the time, if I remember the van nearly does him in aswell maybe.

5uspect

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Think I recall this one being posted here , €120 fine and 3 points was the outcome.

https://irishcycle.com/2020/06/07/e120-fine-and-3-penalty-points-for-another-irish-motorist-unwilling-to-give-cyclists-space/

Yup, that was me. Meant to post here yesterday but only got around to it now.

Here is the original post:

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2058033834/28/#post112214339

MojoMaker

Yes it was indeed. Good result. The female motorist *might* just be more cognizant of the space bikes need now.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

I popped out for a quick 10k, round cycle. I was taking the lane with traffic coming on the other side.

A white transit van flew up behind me, well in excess of the 60 km/h limit blaring the horn, nearly skimming my handlebar and almost scraping off oncoming traffic.

I nearly sh1t myself. I appreciate I was blocking traffic more than an experienced faster cyclist.

These things would discourage people from taking up cycling.

07Lapierre

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I popped out for a quick 10k, round cycle. I was taking the lane with traffic coming on the other side.

A white transit van flew up behind me, well in excess of the 60 km/h limit blaring the horn, nearly skimming my handlebar and almost scraping off oncoming traffic.

I nearly sh1t myself. I appreciate I was blocking traffic more than an experienced faster cyclist.

These things would discourage people from taking up cycling.

The fact that cars were able to squeeze by suggests you weren't out far enough. When you take the lane, you must take it completely. It takes balls/confidence to do this...practice makes perfect.

kenmm

07Lapierre wrote: »

The fact that cars were able to squeeze by suggests you weren't out far enough. When you take the lane, you must take it completely. It takes balls/confidence to do this...practice makes perfect.

Indeed - someone recently suggested this video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJHXzt7TC2k

It explains things well to drivers, but shows primary quite well

(Careful, bad shirt)

07Lapierre

kenmm wrote: »

Indeed - someone recently suggested this video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJHXzt7TC2k

It explains things well to drivers, but shows primary quite well

(Careful, bad shirt)

Not going down too well in the motors forum!

kenmm

07Lapierre wrote: »

Not going down too well in the motors forum!

Usual sh!t show - the mere mention of a bicycle is a red rag to some. Same as how some here are quick to lump all drivers together.

Hairy - hope you are ok, it can be unnerving when someone is booting it and "surprise attack" approaches, but if it was a dodgy bit of road, taking full primary is the way to go (but won't necessarily stop the beeping).

07Lapierre

Worth mentioning too that taking the lane should only be done in certain circumstances.

3 Examples:

if there are parked cars on the left side of the road.
If there is a "pinch point" (traffic island) ahead.
If your approaching a junction and intend turning right.

But if your cycling along a road that has no junctions, no parked cars and your simply taking the lane to prevent traffic overtaking...well you know what happens.

It also helps if you can ride at pace and if the traffic behind can see why you are taking the lane.

Even when you do all this, you'll still get muppets honking horns and driving aggressively.

Hope this helps.

The recommended position on the road for a bike is 0.75m or roughly arms length from the left or in line with passenger side wheels of a vehicle (I hate referencing RSA guidelines) . Keeps you away from drains and debris etc. Sometimes you need to take a bit more space such as on a bendy road I'll keep out a bit more than that so I'm seen sooner by drivers as they round the bend or as mentioned parked cars etc.

magicbastarder

07Lapierre wrote: »

Not going down too well in the motors forum!

damn, they closed the thread.

magicbastarder

kenmm wrote: »

Same as how some here are quick to lump all drivers together.

i'd be tempted to start a poll in the cyclists forum to see how many of us are drivers, but there's no option to limit it to 'regulars' of the cycling forum so no way to keep the poll honest.

but i'd wager 90%+ of the people on here are also drivers.

07Lapierre

magicbastarder wrote: »

damn, they closed the thread.

Can't believe a guy driving a Civic Type R couldn't overtake a van and a few cyclists! Drivers today are too soft! In my day we overtook anything and everything! .