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Near misses - mod warning 22/04 - see OP/post 822

  • 23-03-2017 12:17pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 6,405 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    Am a cycle commuter for past 6 years, and use the bike daily for work and for getting around. In Dublin.

    I've had a more 'near misses' than normal in the past few weeks.

    Last week, for second time ever - car hit me on the bike - wing mirror clipped the handlebar as he was pulling over to the left (to drop someone off I think). Fortunately in very slow traffic.

    Week before I was a half second from going flying when parked car opened driver door in front of me.

    And I've had quite few drivers leaving 50/60cms on an overtake, leaving me feeling very comfortable.

    Mostly young-ish men and women. I get the sense that a lot of people, more than before, are driving around with a phone on their lap - picking it up at lights, putting it down again, and are a bit more distracted than before.

    Any other cyclists experiencing this?

    (And note, I have zero interest in 'advice' or 'constructive criticism' from drivers - there are a million other threads where I can find this).

    Mod warning 22/04
    Beasty wrote: »
    Anyone else starting to discuss red light jumping or otherwise trying to change the topic into a discussion of cyclist behaviour can expect mod action

    Any questions PM me


«134567334

Comments

  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,994 Mod ✭✭✭✭sullivlo


    Tombo2001 wrote: »
    Am a cycle commuter for past 6 years, and use the bike daily for work and for getting around. In Dublin.

    I've had a more 'near misses' than normal in the past few weeks.

    Last week, for second time ever - car hit me on the bike - wing mirror clipped the handlebar as he was pulling over to the left (to drop someone off I think). Fortunately in very slow traffic.

    Week before I was a half second from going flying when parked car opened driver door in front of me.

    And I've had quite few drivers leaving 50/60cms on an overtake, leaving me feeling very comfortable.

    Mostly young-ish men and women. I get the sense that a lot of people, more than before, are driving around with a phone on their lap - picking it up at lights, putting it down again, and are a bit more distracted than before.

    Any other cyclists experiencing this?

    (And note, I have zero interest in 'advice' or 'constructive criticism' from drivers - there are a million other threads where I can find this).

    Yes.

    I commuted on my bike last week for the first time this year and I noticed a big difference in how I felt safety wise in traffic and whatnot.

    There also seems to be way more kamikaze pedestrians around recently too. I'm always in fear of someone stepping out onto the road to overtake slow walkers, and don't get me started on the risk of umbrellas.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,203 ✭✭✭Jack the Stripper


    The amount of people using phones at lights is definitely a common thing. Why people can't put the phone away while making a journey is mind boggling.


  • Registered Users Posts: 22,198 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Don't be cycling with an umbrella!


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,474 Mod ✭✭✭✭Weepsie


    Nope, other than the van driver who was (I am convinced) trying to knock me down the other day, I've found it better lately for the most part. I've been taking the lane more too though, and waiting til I think it's safe for people to pass, or pulling in somewhere if I feel that I'm at a stage where I'm going to slow.

    I'm getting a lot more waves, thank you beeps and flashes of the light too as I think they see me as behaving more typically like a car. Waiting in the queue of traffic at lights rather than squeezing up if it's too tight is a big one for some I think. A bit of give and take is needed.

    That's not to say I'm not seeing 100% perfect behaviour, but I'm mostly feeling safer as I am managing it better and being courteous etc. I am seeing an alarming amount of RLJing at busy junctions by cars though. It's definitely on the increase.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,405 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    Weepsie wrote: »
    Nope, other than the van driver who was (I am convinced) trying to knock me down the other day, I've found it better lately for the most part. I've been taking the lane more too though, and waiting til I think it's safe for people to pass, or pulling in somewhere if I feel that I'm at a stage where I'm going to slow.

    I'm getting a lot more waves, thank you beeps and flashes of the light too as I think they see me as behaving more typically like a car. Waiting in the queue of traffic at lights rather than squeezing up if it's too tight is a big one for some I think. A bit of give and take is needed.

    That's not to say I'm not seeing 100% perfect behaviour, but I'm mostly feeling safer as I am managing it better and being courteous etc. I am seeing an alarming amount of RLJing at busy junctions by cars though. It's definitely on the increase.

    Presume you mean bike lane here.

    My commute doesn't have any, Clonliffe Road or else Richmond Road would be the main thoroughfares.

    A bit of give and take refers to what exactly?

    What am I not doing that I should be doing?

    And again, yes I see plenty of very pleasant drivers. Just more for example overtaking when there is oncoming traffic and not enough room.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,246 ✭✭✭Hungrycol


    Tombo2001 wrote: »

    And I've had quite few drivers leaving 50/60cms on an overtake, leaving me feeling very comfortable.

    50-60cm passing? That's loads in the city centre! So many buses and taxi's only give 5 to 6 cms. Other cyclists passing give you even less (not that that's frequent :cool:)

    PS. I haven't noticed any discernible change in motorists behavior in the last month.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,588 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    sullivlo wrote: »
    There also seems to be way more kamikaze pedestrians around recently too.

    Text-walker epidemic.

    It'll be even more fun when augmented reality glasses become mainstream:

    "Is that bike really coming for me, or is this part of the game I'm playing??"


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,474 Mod ✭✭✭✭Weepsie


    Tombo2001 wrote: »
    Presume you mean bike lane here.

    My commute doesn't have any, Clonliffe Road or else Richmond Road would be the main thoroughfares.

    A bit of give and take refers to what exactly?

    What am I not doing that I should be doing?

    And again, yes I see plenty of very pleasant drivers. Just more for example overtaking when there is oncoming traffic and not enough room.

    I mean taking the full lane. In urban traffic I'm not going to be at the kerb if I can help it as much as possible. It invites close overtakes for some and is rutted, potholed, and covered in standing water at the moment.I take ownership of the lane as I can generally keep pace with it, though am often faster. Part of my route have decent enough cycle lane so I'll use it then. Drumcondra road has a brutal cycle lane, but more often than not I'll use it as it's the stretch where I think people will get impatient or take a stupid chance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,841 ✭✭✭✭average_runner


    Two cars drove up on the footpath today as I was walking to work. Then when I pointed it out to them, they looked confused.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,405 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    Weepsie wrote: »
    I mean taking the full lane. In urban traffic I'm not going to be at the kerb if I can help it as much as possible. It invites close overtakes for some and is rutted, potholed, and covered in standing water at the moment.I take ownership of the lane as I can generally keep pace with it, though am often faster. Part of my route have decent enough cycle lane so I'll use it then. Drumcondra road has a brutal cycle lane, but more often than not I'll use it as it's the stretch where I think people will get impatient or take a stupid chance.

    That's interesting. Something I've thought about, and should probably do more of.

    Best example of this is bus lanes. Taxis will over take unless you dominate the lane.

    Funny enough, I would identify the bike lane on Drumcondra road as quite a high risk place, simply as pedestrians are so likely to walk onto the lane. And also, cyclists often undertake on this lane.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭NeedMoreGears


    I've been getting more close passes lately - don't know if it's just a statistical blip or evidence of a more extensive change. I did have some numpty clip me with a mirror at the top of Howth on Sunday last. I stayed upright but got a good fright.

    He was an older man. He pulled in down the road and appeared to be quite a bit shocked. I let one or two wtf's out of me and kept going. Otherwise I would just got into a shouting match with a seventy year old - no point.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,245 ✭✭✭check_six


    I did have some numpty clip me with a mirror at the top of Howth on Sunday last.

    I think that's a 'near miss' only in the sense that he 'nearly missed' you while actually hitting you with his car. Clearly off topic meanderings! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,588 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Perhaps bikes are becoming more ubiquitous on the roads now and stand out less as something unusual and noteworthy in a driver's mind so they become part of the scenery rather than another road user.

    Or perhaps it's kick-back from the recent discussion about enforcing 1.5m overtake rule. And if there's one thing Irish drivers hate above all else is being told to give MORE allowances to cyclists.

    Or perhaps this is all complete bull**** ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    Phones. Morons on them would be one of the main reasons I don't cycle very much. It's definitely getting worse.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭shootermacg


    You can command the road all you want, but the graveyards are littered with cyclists and pedestrians who commanded the road. The problem is, you absolutely cannot even rely on every driver looking out their front window these days.

    I've seen many looking out for a second, then looking at their phone for 4 to 5 seconds, before another quick glance up. These days you're up against some people who actually spend 20% of their time actually looking at the road.

    I haven't heard anything yet about the most recent cyclist death, but I'd be very interested in the cause.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 21,637 Mod ✭✭✭✭helimachoptor


    I had 3 incidents on the way home last night on the n11, all were turning left without checking.

    I'm at the point where i dont go mad anymore its happening so often


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    This was on Monday, unfortunately it is a common enough occurrence:



    I haven't noticed much change of late, I've been commuting on my bike for 10 years or so now, more if I include my journeys to school! I do go through weeks here and there where I encounter more idiots than usual however.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    Thanks an arsehole who can't use a gear box. Can't possibly change down, hang back and go round 5 seconds later that would require actually driving the car.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭shootermacg


    This was on Monday, unfortunately it is a common enough occurrence:



    I haven't noticed much change of late, I've been commuting on my bike for 10 years or so now, more if I include my journeys to school! I do go through weeks here and there where I encounter more idiots than usual however.

    Pretty close there! I actually got pushed off the road last week by a Dublin bus that drew level with me and then drove me off the road by pulling into the cycle lane.

    Old bus driver got out finally, just saying sorry, sorry I'm really sorry. Sometimes I think its our fault for going cycling each day, it's simply not a safe enough environment no matter what steps you take.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Thanks an arsehole who can't use a gear box. Can't possibly change down, hang back and go round 5 seconds later that would require actually driving the car.


    I reckon it was caused by this idiot blindly following the guy in front. Although the first overtake left plenty of room, it was still around a blind bend on a continuous white line. And I was fairly prominently out in the lane. My solution is to cycle further out now, so far so good.


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,256 Mod ✭✭✭✭Borderfox


    Cycled through the city centre last Monday and it's exactly as I remember, not better or worse


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭Indricotherium


    I reckon it was caused by this idiot blindly following the guy in front. Although the first overtake left plenty of room, it was still around a blind bend on a continuous white line. And I was fairly prominently out in the lane. My solution is to cycle further out now, so far so good.

    People don't seem to realise that they can back out of an overtake if a car comes the other way, hit the brakes and pull in behind the cyclist.

    They invariably seem to pull in and squash the cyclist rather than back out of the over take and slot in behind.


  • Registered Users Posts: 665 ✭✭✭Esho


    If a driver has the opportunity to do something stupid, I'll expect them to. Still I've had a few close ones since the new year, cycling defensively didn't make a difference. Mostly yahoos overtaking to turn left.
    There's def a difference in pedestrian vigilance, more important to catch that pokemon or whatever.


  • Registered Users Posts: 378 ✭✭shansey


    Massive Argos lorry coming down under Christchurch nearly took me out last week. Was so close I had to jump (with bike) onto the footpath... Few other cyclists stopped from shock of it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 36,161 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    shansey wrote: »
    Massive Argos lorry coming down under Christchurch nearly took me out last week. Was so close I had to jump (with bike) onto the footpath... Few other cyclists stopped from shock of it.

    If you got the reg Argos CC are very good. Worth an email/tweet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 683 ✭✭✭JazzyJ


    This was on Monday, unfortunately it is a common enough occurrence:



    I haven't noticed much change of late, I've been commuting on my bike for 10 years or so now, more if I include my journeys to school! I do go through weeks here and there where I encounter more idiots than usual however.

    I'd be sending that to the gardai.


  • Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭vg88


    This was on Monday, unfortunately it is a common enough occurrence:



    I haven't noticed much change of late, I've been commuting on my bike for 10 years or so now, more if I include my journeys to school! I do go through weeks here and there where I encounter more idiots than usual however.

    I cycle that route often, I've found it to be one of the most dangerous cycling parts in Dublin between Portmarnock and Baldoyle. This use to happen to me until I slightly pushed out more into the road to prevent doggy over takes like this.

    I really hope it doesn't take a death until they build that cycleway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,588 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Generally speaking if you can see a car coming in the other direction, and you know there's no way for someone to pass you without coming close, take the lane.

    I do this now for the stretch opposite St Annes Park (where the S2S is being built) when I can see cars coming in the opposite direction, to indicate to the cars behind me that they cannot overtake.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,489 ✭✭✭VW 1


    I'm back commuting to city centre the last 3-4 weeks having been out of city centre for 3 years.

    Couple of close passes but nothing noteworthy until this morning. Coming down constitution hill and a woman turns left across the cycle lane into Kings Inn without indicating. I jammed on the brakes but smashed sideways into the side of the car. Luckily not hurt I'd scrubbed a lot of speed off and dropped the bike and landed on my feet after hitting the car.

    She was apologising but I didn't want to hear it, I let off a few expletives and got back on the bike. hopefully she learned a lesson about indicating and looking in mirrors when turning left, luckily no damage done this time.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭Arcade_Tryer


    VW 1 wrote: »
    I'm back commuting to city centre the last 3-4 weeks having been out of city centre for 3 years.

    Couple of close passes but nothing noteworthy until this morning. Coming down constitution hill and a woman turns left across the cycle lane into Kings Inn without indicating. I jammed on the brakes but smashed sideways into the side of the car. Luckily not hurt I'd scrubbed a lot of speed off and dropped the bike and landed on my feet after hitting the car.

    She was apologising but I didn't want to hear it, I let off a few expletives and got back on the bike. hopefully she learned a lesson about indicating and looking in mirrors when turning left, luckily no damage done this time.
    Whatever about not checking the mirror, not indicating is frankly inexcusable. We all forget to check our mirror on occasion when turning, which is why we have an indicator literally attacked to the steering wheel to indicate our intentions before making a manoeuvre and reducing the risk of an incident. Basically, I'd forgive her for turning without checking her mirror if she had indicated prior. But f**k anyone who is neither checking mirrors or indicating.


This discussion has been closed.
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