Always wear a helmet! (pic)

blorg · 03-09-2008 11:58am #1

Full face is best for maximum protection when casually drifting through red lights!

dub_skav · 03-09-2008 12:02pm

Great picture. The irony - gambling with his life by looking at a bookies instead of where the traffic might come form.

kenmc · 03-09-2008 12:07pm

Ah lads give him a break, that's a full suss mountain bike, he's obviously a hardcore downhiller, so he needs the full face helmet :rolleyes: :pac:

Diarmuid · 03-09-2008 12:12pm

Ranelagh looks quiet!

blorg · 03-09-2008 12:17pm

Diarmuid wrote: »

Ranelagh looks quiet!

That is because everyone else was observing their red lights

I was at the front of the traffic queue there and it had just gone green but yer man would have had a red for some time as there is the filter right turn in the opposite direction to him before my light (in the photo) went green.

Bonus points for the high-vis too!

Chips Lovell · 03-09-2008 12:23pm

Kept a tally of the other cyclists I enountered on my short commute near O'Connell Street to Harcourt Street yesterday. 11 cyclists seen. 8 broke the lights, including one who almost got hit by a police motorbike as a result and got a serious dressing down from the cop. Another cyclist was cycling down the wrong side of Aungier Street.

Drapper · 03-09-2008 12:56pm

get away bikes are not like the use to be !! did he just knock off the paddy power shop?

03-09-2008 1:40pm

el tonto wrote: »

Kept a tally of the other cyclists I enountered on my short commute near O'Connell Street to Harcourt Street yesterday. 11 cyclists seen. 8 broke the lights, including one who almost got hit by a police motorbike as a result and got a serious dressing down from the cop. Another cyclist was cycling down the wrong side of Aungier Street.

I've noticed lately that I tend to develop a bit of road rage when I see a cyclist coming towards me (usually in the cycle lane) on the wrong side of the road.

Crazy about the cyclist being hit by the cop though.

Chips Lovell · 03-09-2008 1:45pm

Myth wrote: »

I've noticed lately that I tend to develop a bit of road rage when I see a cyclist coming towards me (usually in the cycle lane) on the wrong side of the road.

You actually see it quite a bit and, yes, it's usually in cycle lanes. I'm inclined to think that some people believe you can cycle in either direction on any cycle lane.

Myth wrote: »

Crazy about the cyclist being hit by the cop though.

Almost hit.

fish-head · 03-09-2008 1:48pm

I saw that guy the other day, huffing and puffing his way up the hill at Milltown.. what a loon!

irishmotorist · 03-09-2008 2:31pm

Blorg, you were quick on the draw there. Did you just happen to be taking a picture of a row of shops in Ranelagh, or do you have lightening fast reflexes to catpure n'ere doers of good in the act?

blorg · 03-09-2008 3:05pm

irishmotorist wrote: »

Blorg, you were quick on the draw there. Did you just happen to be taking a picture of a row of shops in Ranelagh, or do you have lightening fast reflexes to catpure n'ere doers of good in the act?

Ha, he had sort of paused at the red and just looked so ridiculous in the full face helmet, I figured on what he was going to do next and sure enough he didn't dissapoint!

monument · 03-09-2008 4:55pm

I've been heavily watching what cyclist wear first since I came back from Denmark etc and secondly after writing about it - two of my favours are seeing cyclists with helmets but without lights after dark and the same crowd braking light etc.

Myth wrote: »

I've noticed lately that I tend to develop a bit of road rage when I see a cyclist coming towards me (usually in the cycle lane) on the wrong side of the road.

While cycling I've have stronger words for such cyclists than any motorist.

ozt9vdujny3srf · 03-09-2008 7:32pm

So you guys never break lights on your bike?

Chips Lovell · 03-09-2008 7:36pm

Mathew Alive Sidecar the Uncivil wrote: »

So you guys never break lights on your bike?

Nope

03-09-2008 8:58pm

Mathew Alive Sidecar the Uncivil wrote: »

So you guys never break lights on your bike?

Nope, except when there's a traffic loop set up which won't detect me.

el tonto wrote: »

Almost hit.

Ah. Yes, that.

dub_skav · 04-09-2008 9:35am

Myth wrote: »

Nope, except when there's a traffic loop set up which won't detect me.

Same boat myself.

I have to admit though that I break the law on my way home from work nearly every day. I get on the footpath for about 300 metres to avoid 2 junctions in a row where I have to cross a traffic lane to continue going straight and another where I have to cross 2 lanes to turn right.
I know perfectly well that it's illegal, but I have nearly been wiped out a number of times by impatient motorists flying along either side of me.

Cabaal · 04-09-2008 10:49am

Mathew Alive Sidecar the Uncivil wrote: »

So you guys never break lights on your bike?

Once in a blue moon I would when I used to cycle in Waterford, generally around 7am when there was no traffic and people.

What used to piss me off is I'd stop at a red light some muppet would fly past me, I'd then overtake hjim as he'd be going slower then me then I'd have to stop again and he'd do the same thing :rolleyes:

kenmc · 04-09-2008 11:01am

I told one lad this morning that it's OK to stop at red lights, it wasn't illegal, and he thanked me. Then proceeded to break every other red light I stopped at. :rolleyes:

Húrin · 04-09-2008 11:43am

I live near there. It's safe breaking the red light there. There's about 20 second's gap between the light going red and the other light (the pov from which this photo was taken) going green.

blorg · 04-09-2008 11:59am

I'd question that Húrin, that 20 second gap is only because there is a filter right turn with traffic coming in the other direction crossing across this rider's path; also clearly this guy is cycling across when the light has already gone green. I have come pretty close to a collision before with a red light jumper who I presumed was going to stop at his red but didn't.

penexpers · 04-09-2008 12:09pm

Mathew Alive Sidecar the Uncivil wrote: »

So you guys never break lights on your bike?

Never. Even at 3am when there's no traffic around.

blorg · 04-09-2008 12:15pm

PeadarofAodh · 04-09-2008 12:16pm

Speaking of people breaking lights - I was on the way back from Howth hill last week, was approaching the right hand turn on the way to the toll bridge. Light was green for a good 15 seconds when, as I was about 10 metres from the junction, a car just sped through the red light across my direction as if the lights weren't even there. Looked over to my mate and without saying anything you could see both of us thinking the same thing - "If we'd been a couple of seconds ahead of where we were that'd be us finished with!".

Not exactly a near miss but scary all the same!

hottstuff · 04-09-2008 12:26pm

Cyclist's who break red lights =

jimmycrackcorm · 04-09-2008 12:37pm

I break red lights to turn left. Can't see a problem with that especially if it's turning on to a cycle lane. I've also gone across to a median when there was a clear view of no oncoming traffic.

PeadarofAodh · 04-09-2008 12:44pm

hottstuff wrote: »

Cyclist's who break red lights =

How much for the wheels?

penexpers · 04-09-2008 12:46pm

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I break red lights to turn left. Can't see a problem with that especially if it's turning on to a cycle lane. I've also gone across to a median when there was a clear view of no oncoming traffic.

What happens if there's a cyclist coming from the right, you could be cycling straight into their path.

unionman · 04-09-2008 12:55pm

Mathew Alive Sidecar the Uncivil wrote: »

So you guys never break lights on your bike?

Never.

Wez · 04-09-2008 2:08pm

I tend to run a few reds.. Normally I'll only I'd only do it when it's safe, but whenever I do it, my head's swinging and checking all around me.

I agree with Húrin, there is a big gap on those lights and if he's like me, then he's checking your light to see if it's still red, which it ain't! Saw him today just the other side of the Luas bridge, going the other way, looks gas! Can't be too safe, I always wanted to wear a full face when I was real young, woulda saved me a whole lotta facial road rash!

Chips Lovell · 04-09-2008 2:37pm

I saw him too today, at lunchtime on Wexford St.

Always wear a helmet! (pic)

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