Buffalo & Doozerie - The mild musings of two grumpy old men!

Popped down to Stillorgan to do a bit of grocery shopping the other day. As I cycled back up home, guy rolled to a stop sign and then continued to roll through it as I passed by, I roared and swerved out. Luckily a car behind me beeped or he would have knocked me down. Maybe it was my fault, it was dark and I have been told the my Schmidt edelux light is only as bright as one cars headlight:

since it was only one, maybe he didn't see me. Either way, I crawled along after as traffic was heavy, little shook and the guy caught up with me and started eyeballing me, giving me the dirtiest look ever, so much so that he swayed into on coming traffic, and nearly rear ended the car in front. I stopped (out of discomfort as he was quite creepy) and so did he, quite literally <2cm from the bumper in front. I turned to him, full barman, clear the pub voice, OPEN YOUR F*CK"NG EYES. and then I cycled off. I should have stopped, taken his number, and reported him for not driving' with due care and attention but I just wanted to get home, so apologies to the person he hits, and he will, it was irresponsible of me not to take his details.
Its not entirely his fault, because if I don't report him, and he doesn't seem to understand the issue, then he will continue to behave like a muppet.

So a week of minor irritations that led to nothing.

Monday: In bus lane on the N81 before you hit the M50, 2 snow ploughs/grit spreaders were in the lane beside me, the 2nd one noticed me but the first one didn't as he swerved across the bus lane at the last minute to get into the Texaco just before the bridge, luckily I had slowed as they overtook and was able to stop. The second one noticed and gave an apologetic look, I waved him through as I had already stopped dead. As I passed, I eyeballed the driver and pointed at my eyes but he did not even cop me.

Tuesday: On the way home, approaching Dundrum town, I pulled out to overtake a car that had pulled in to let someone off. The car had been in my vision for awhile, so I had been cautious, little traffic often gives drivers the comfort to pull out with out checking their mirrors or blindspots properly. As she pulled out at the last minute, flicking on her indicators as she turned, I let out an almighty roar "F'IN STOP", she continued rolling and finally braked but I had already made the call to swerve to the other side of the road as there was no oncoming cars. The shout was so loud that pedestrians at the lights 50metres away had stopped to gasp. I hopped off and walked back up to the driver, who to be fair, could have just driven off. She apologised profusely,with this, I asked her was she OK, I'd say she nearly soiled herself but the fact that she apologised, admitted it was her fault and even explained what she had done wrong, i felt a bit more at ease. We exchanged pleasantries and I went home at peace. I did notice that she now went up to the junction to take a left and the long way home rather than the U turn just off a roundabout at an entrance to one of the busiest shopping centers in Ireland.

Wednesday: Some ding bat pulled into the bus lane to skip the queue, nearly knocking off a motorcyclist, meters in front of me. I was going to say something but it was on the approach to the M50 roundabout and hardly a time or place to have a conversation, she did not see what she had done and will not have learned. I then kept up with the motorbike as far as the Tallaght village junction which I found impressive even though it was due to bad driving by other road users and good driving by the motorcyclist.
On the way home, some Bint in a pink, long pink Puffa style jacket, driving a BMW coupe (06 D if anyone recognises the description) near Goatstown/Dundrum, decided that despite my lights and sitting in front of her for a minute at the traffic lights, she would overtake me on the turn at the lights despite being in her lane and indicating with my arm that I was staying to the right lane (its an odd junction with a left turn immediately after). I gave chase but lost her when she overtook in a right hand turn lane, to go straight on, at the next traffic lights which had just went red.

Thursday: Coming over the M50, a lady drove straight through the red on the M50 roundabout. My light was already green but i Copped her approaching the junction at speed and slowed (luckily). I caught up with her and when she parked I called over and said, I don't know if you realised but when you ran that red at the M50 roundabout, you nearly hit me and the van that only slowed because I pulled my brakes. She apologised, and then said that she had seen and acknowledged me but that she had other things on her mind and it was not intentional ?!? I didn't shout, I didn't raise my voice, just pointed out that she should be more careful as those things on her mind may leave my mind spread out all over the roundabout.

Friday: Will be a good day, I can feel it.