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

Truckermal

Driving on the N22 Macroom to Cork road last Sunday just past the Garda Station I could see two Cyclists on the hard shoulder, as I approached I indicated out going over the white line in the middle of the road as I'm driving a Truck and one of them wobbled out into the driving lane!

He definitely came out over 3 feet I couldn't believe he done it, if I hadn't went out so far he was mince meat! I always keep well out as the truck is heavily branded and the last thing I want is to end up on YouTube!

5uspect

Which is precisely why you should give cyclists at least as much room as if you’re overtaking a car. Fair play to you, not all drivers seem to get this.

Truckermal

5uspect wrote: »

Which is precisely why you should give cyclists at least as much room as if you’re overtaking a car. Fair play to you, not all drivers seem to get this.

I suppose being a Cyclist helps...:)

I always maintain though every driver should be made cycle so they can see the danger's. A lot of driver's including professional keep too close and no need of it.

Eamonnator

Truckermal wrote: »

Driving on the N22 Macroom to Cork road last Sunday just past the Garda Station I could see two Cyclists on the hard shoulder, as I approached I indicated out going over the white line in the middle of the road as I'm driving a Truck and one of them wobbled out into the driving lane!

He definitely came out over 3 feet I couldn't believe he done it, if I hadn't went out so far he was mince meat! I always keep well out as the truck is heavily branded and the last thing I want is to end up on YouTube!

Fair play to you, we need more like you on the road.
About 40 years ago, I did an advanced driving course. One of the things my instructor told me was to treat every cyclist as if they were about to wobble. One day, he said, they will (wobble).

harr

Had my first near miss this morning and it has shaken the confidence a little, not long cycling but really starting to enjoy the long rides on a Sunday morning.
Was on a wide road this morning little or no traffic when a SUV Came close enough for wing mirror to clip handlebar... frightened the **** out of me.
The road had a single white line and driver obviously didn’t want to go over the line even though no on coming traffic and could have safely over taken me like other cars did on same road, and it wasn’t like my road postion was bad or anything.. not sure he/she even seen me to be honest.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

harr wrote: »

Had my first near miss this morning and it has shaken the confidence a little, not long cycling but really starting to enjoy the long rides on a Sunday morning.
Was on a wide road this morning little or no traffic when a SUV Came close enough for wing mirror to clip handlebar... frightened the **** out of me.
The road had a single white line and driver obviously didn’t want to go over the line even though no on coming traffic and could have safely over taken me like other cars did on same road, and it wasn’t like my road postion was bad or anything.. not sure he/she even seen me to be honest.

It happened me too.
That's why I have a bike camera. I got an excellent quality one for 40€ that's water proof and records in 1080.

Take the lane in future and cycle in the middle of the lane. That forces drivers to overtake properly.and allows room to swing left if you are in danger.

Don't be afraid to report it to the Gardaí if contact is made. If you clipped someone's wing mirror you can be damn sure a claim would be filed.

Don't let these piss artists out you off cycling. It's a wonderful and liberating hobby.

harr

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

It happened me too.
That's why I have a bike camera. I got an excellent quality one for 40€ that's water proof and records in 1080.

Take the lane in future and cycle in the middle of the lane. That forces drivers to overtake properly.and allows room to swing left if you are in danger.

Don't be afraid to report it to the Gardaí if contact is made. If you clipped someone's wing mirror you can be damn sure a claim would be filed.

Don't let these piss artists out you off cycling. It's a wonderful and liberating hobby.

Thanks for the advice, it definitely was kind of unsettling and yes I probably should be riding out a bit any pull left this morning and I was in the ditch.

kenmm

harr wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, it definitely was kind of unsettling and yes I probably should be riding out a bit any pull left this morning and I was in the ditch.

It's unnerving when it happens, but don't let it put you off. Get back on the back, be as assertive as you need to be (without being aggressive with it!) and your general bike handling skills and confidence will continue to rise. Just keep an eye out for muppetry and keep checking places like this for any advice or questions on how to handle a situation.

Hope you are ok and you will have many happy miles ahead!

Duckjob

Duckjob wrote: »

...

Second incident, on a very quiet rural country lane barely more than the width of a car. SUV coming the other way showing no sign of slowing down, so I stayed out enough that they eventually had to slow. Gammon-faced lady driving was miffed that I made her slow down instead of scuttling in to the verge and letting her pass within inches of us at 30-40kph, telling me I need to "share the road".

Was out this morning for a ride with the family and had an almost identical incident to the above on the very same stretch of country laneway.

Fool comes barrelling up the narrow road towards us showing no signs of slowing until he had to because I stayed in his way.

I stopped for a word as he passed, and when I said he needed to slow down on a narrow road like this so we can pass each other safely and go on our way, the answer of this genius was that we "shouldn't be riding bikes on a road like this."

Its very very wearing that in order to keep you and your family safe on narrow country lanes like this you're forced to play chicken with these idiots.

MojoMaker

Fuxache, that's so disheartening.

JazzyJ

Was coming down the hill from Stepaside/Kilgobbin onto the Drummartin Link Road towards the Beacon. Stopped at the roundabout lights in the left lane, with very little traffic about and a car pulled up behind me. Took off and at the exit they passed me with about a centimetre to spare from their mirror. The right lane was completely empty 😠😠😠.

They then floored it while looking in their rear view - I gave chase and they were about to get caught by the lights at the Beacon turning right but completely cut another car off to make it into the straight on lane, with much horns blaring at them. I was in that much of a rage I'm probably lucky I didn't catch up.

Closest pass I've ever had. Fecker knew well what he was doing.

MojoMaker

Cameras lads, it's the only way you'll ever have a chance of holding anyone accountable for this sh1t.

Diemos

MojoMaker wrote: »

Cameras lads, it's the only way you'll ever have a chance of holding anyone accountable for this sh1t.

Not just that, drivers have started behaving much better since I stuck one on my helmet.
Could be a coincidence...but I think what they see a camera they don't try as much dumb sh!t, which only proves that they knew they where being assho1es in the 1st place.

McGrath5

On Saturday afternoon, a "professional" driver tried to run me off the road here, let a roar at him as he passed me by, I couldn't make out what he was saying but no doubt he was trying to justify his actions.

Time to get a camera.

thebourke

what camera did you get for 40euro..thinking of getting one

padyjoe

Time to get a cam, lads!

I had my share of near miss today. Quiet country road, bit narrower than usual, that's why no white line in the middle. Bend is a right hander, if leaving the village, a tricky left hander if coming into, long enough straight inclination to gain some speed without pushing your vehicle.
I was about to start my turn and there was suddenly this 7.5t truck coming wide, making the left turn abd appeared to slipping towards me in a full swing. The only thing I knew that I was preparing myself for the contact, got onto a grassy shoulder, lost my grip and swung into a ditch, with mud and water at the bottom. While I was making the tumble, I thought the truck would make noise hitting the ditch well, but it's never happened. Ended up with soaked, muddy bottom. Got out of the ditch and was grateful being alive!
To my luck, 10 mins later one of my workmate was passing me, finishing his spin and recognised me. He lives nearby, so the problen of cleaning up a bit and getting home was sorted, thank God!
I have a bit of scratches, bruises here and there, and a strained back where I took impact. Could've been worse but I have to watch my every move because it hurts if I put it under load.

Mind yourselves out there and safe home all the time!

I should read the signs lately: roads are busy, had few 'I was not seen' misses lately despite having a defensive aproach on my spin. One thing for certain: there are more than usual 'mad' drivers on the road lately.
A 25500 km trouble free road cycling has ended today. :-((

magicbastarder

padyjoe wrote: »

One thing for certain: there are more than usual 'mad' drivers on the road lately.

glad you're (relatively) OK, but you're on the money here. three stupid, stupid overtakes today on a 50km spin, two towards me. people overtaking around blind bends.

CramCycle

Bloody Eir van followed a car overtaking on a solid white line. now he gave space but the reason for the white line is that there is a bend that fairly obstructs the view. Anyway, halfway in, he meets cars and a squad car coming and pulls in on me. Thankfully I was able to slam on. He then ran a red where a family were starting to cross. Caught up with him in Bray, laughing to himself as he watched videos on his phone while moving in traffic. I just went on as I was not going to come across as reasonable if I went up to him.

Duckjob

CramCycle wrote: »

Bloody Eir van followed a car overtaking on a solid white line. now he gave space but the reason for the white line is that there is a bend that fairly obstructs the view. Anyway, halfway in, he meets cars and a squad car coming and pulls in on me. Thankfully I was able to slam on. He then ran a red where a family were starting to cross. Caught up with him in Bray, laughing to himself as he watched videos on his phone while moving in traffic. I just went on as I was not going to come across as reasonable if I went up to him.

That 'follow the leader' sh*te is all too common on Irish roads. First car does a perfectly safe overtake, but they get followed blindly by 3 or 4 gobsh*tes regardless of whats on the road ahead.

CramCycle

Duckjob wrote: »

That 'follow the leader' sh*te is all too common on Irish roads. First car does a perfectly safe overtake, but they get followed blindly by 3 or 4 gobsh*tes regardless of whats on the road ahead.

The family at the red light gave me more of a scare than the Van nearly crushing me, he seen the red as he sped up into it. It was insanity, more and more common to see cars not only running reds but accelerating hard into a red that they had not just ample time but substantial time to slow and stop at. I was driving in today and coming to a red, about 150m away, decelerating and a car in the lane beside me, who was behind me put the foot down and went straight through. It has been red so long that by the time I reached it, it had went green again. Novice plate driver who only managed to get 50 m further than me until they turned off a few km down the road.

breezy1985

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Who's the 'we' you're referring to in this situation;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc5VGuJvOVk

And we know that all car drivers also speed and are drunk when driving :P

breezy1985

Duckjob wrote: »

First incident, couple of hundred metres from home, at a little traffic calming chicane that is only wide enough for traffic one-way and has yields are either end so you have to yield to whatever is on the section. Halfway through the section and a car appears at the other end, sees us, driver decides he doesn't want to yield and comes straight towards us. Chap driving didn't like me staying in the middle of the lane and gave me the standard "in the middle of the road" nonsense.

About 2 years ago my commute in London ended on a 2 lane few hundred metre road that always had some Uber taxis parked on the opposite side to me. The oncoming traffic would always try squeeze past me and run me onto the path so after a few weeks I always took the road in the middle of my lane and would get chronic abuse despite the obstruction being on their side

Duckjob

breezy1985 wrote: »

About 2 years ago my commute in London ended on a 2 lane few hundred metre road that always had some Uber taxis parked on the opposite side to me. The oncoming traffic would always try squeeze past me and run me onto the path so after a few weeks I always took the road in the middle of my lane and would get chronic abuse despite the obstruction being on their side

I wouldn't necessarily be so militant about making them wait, only the same people seem to have no understanding of the need to even slow their speed as they pass so as to prioritise your safety in a narrow situation. They generally want to storm past closely without adjusting their speed in the slightest, which is something I'm not prepared to tolerate, especially when I have any of my family with me.

breezy1985

Duckjob wrote: »

I wouldn't necessarily be so militant about making them wait, only the same people seem to have no understanding of the need to even slow their sleep as they pass so as to prioritise your safety in a narrow situation. They generally want to storm past closely without adjusting their speed in the slightest, which is something I'm not prepared to tolerate, especially when I have any of my family with me.

If I am already half way through the obstructed area they should wait and same the other way around. I should have pointed out this was late at night so its only a car or two not streams of traffic

hesker

breezy1985 wrote: »

If I am already half way through the obstructed area they should wait and same the other way around. I should have pointed out this was late at night so its only a car or two not streams of traffic

I had a guy do this to me a couple of years ago when I was half way through a 200m stretch with parked cars lining his side. When he got to about 50m from me he moved over so his wheels were almost touching the kerb on my side and he kept the foot down. Only swerved away at the last second. Totally bullying and frightening behaviour. This despite the fact that there would be enough room for us to pass if he slowed down a little and kept over.

I fantasise afterwards that if I had a hammer in my hand I would have flung it through his window.

Seth Brundle

hesker wrote: »

I fantasise afterwards that if I had a hammer in my hand I would have flung it through his window.

Whilst I've often imagined this, it takes a lot to smash a car window. Something with a pointed corner e.g. the end of a spark plug is more likely to quickly break the glass but you're unlikely to succeed if throwing it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_lW_w6QxV0

kenmm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

it takes a lot to smash a car window.

- wing mirrors tho - they pop right off

5uspect

Most certainly not a miss.

https://twitter.com/gladwellm/status/1286222851066953728?s=21

CramCycle

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Whilst I've often imagined this, it takes a lot to smash a car window. Something with a pointed corner e.g. the end of a spark plug is more likely to quickly break the glass but you're unlikely to succeed if throwing it

Having lightly tapped a Santa Fe rear window, I respectfully disagree.

kenmm wrote: »

- wing mirrors tho - they pop right off

I know alot of the newer ones just bend back. I mean, I think, I suspect, I don't know, what are you accusing me off.

buffalo

CramCycle wrote: »

Having lightly tapped a Santa Fe rear window, I respectfully disagree.

Likewise - I don't like to think of my nose as 'a pointy corner'.