Hazards of Cycling in Dublin

claiva

Grrrrrrr......I am ready to explode !!!!
Yesterday - cycling home at 6pm in the rain...I get to Busaras and just as I go round the bend (with the green light may I add) the usual group of pedestrians are waiting for me to pass before they J Walk across the road....when I spot a typical big burly builder type man(in a high vis bib and hardhat). I look him in the eye and he proceeds to step right out in front of me....I swerve to miss him but I catch his big builder steel capped boot......I managed to keep upright and continue on my way.....I looked back and he was fine...I'd say he barely noticed what had just happenned.......Then this morning I got abused by a taxi man for not availing of 20 metres of treacherous cycle lane in Drumcondra......what is goin on ?????:eek::eek::eek:
Ok...Phew.....Vent over.
Anyone else experience this kinda stuff in Dublin recently ?
I definitely think it's gettin worse.

Caroline_ie

Oh No ... don't get me started with taxis who pass you and then pull over again in front of you at the lastminute and stop to take a passenger ... Actually ... not only taxis, and not all taxis - cars, vans, buses ...
Actually, I have been racing the same bus on my way to the Pheonix Park for the past couple of weeks. Cool bus driver though, he never tries to take over once I have passed him

Bicyclegadabout

I think its getting better. Purely IMO.
It might have something to do with me; cycling differently, getting more experience, knowing my route, or something else...maybe it's just that I'm about 6' 10" when I'm standing on the pedals. Not saying anything about you, but it's been a while since anyones shouted at me, for whatever reason.

The usual advice:
Make and maintain eye contact with people you might run over/might run over you.
If you don't think someone should be overtaking you move out and make them think before trying to overtake.
Shouting and hand signals are important.

claiva

I gave the taxi man a piece of my mind when I'd caught up with him...I mean they really do think they actually own the road don't they ?????
They have some cheek to be dishing out abuse to cyclists......"let he without sin cast the first stone" and all that........
I'd love a handlebar mounted machine gun for some of them !!!!!

Grrrrr....:mad::mad::eek:

claiva

The usual advice:
Make and maintain eye contact with people you might run over/might run over you.
If you don't think someone should be overtaking you move out and make them think before trying to overtake.
Shouting and hand signals are important.[/QUOTE]


Yeah...I do the hand signals alright and I don't mind being passed out....but I hate Taxi's that never use indicators and make mental turns and stops all over the shop.
I haven't found my voice yet.....but it will come.......or someone's gonna get hurt...........

whiskeyman

Saw a near accident the other day.
Bus coming down D'Olier St then turning right onto College Green.
Cyclist was also going this way, and keeping to the left.
Once they both got onto the college green side (bus was now slightly ahead), the bus started to move in left to stop at the first busstop... the driver clearly never looked to see if any cyclists on his left, and the cyclists was nearly 'sandwiched' between bus and footbath curb as he indicated at very last second.
Cyclist just stopped (bus nearly had him pinned against curb at this stage), walk reversed, then cycled on as if this was ok???


I don't know how so many of you (good) cyclists do it around the city. It's madness.

Caroline_ie

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

The usual advice:
Make and maintain eye contact with people you might run over/might run over you.
.

I do that all the time - even when I am driving. Works quite well.

irishmotorist

I fully agree with the eye contact and the hand signals. I usually reserve shouting for an emergency where somebody is in imminent danger of getting hit by me.

Regarding cycle lanes, I had reason to look at the rules of the road earlier and happened across the following information regarding cycle lanes. I wasn't aware of this beforehand. My problem with mandatory cycle lanes, as described here, is that they're regularly full of glass as they're away from the road and therefore ignored by roadsweepers - and also they don't have the general traffic keeping it clean.

Page:
http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-pedestrians-cyclists-motorcyclists/cyclists/cyclists_cycling-safely.html

A cycle track can also be a reserved part of a footpath or other area off the road. A cyclist must use a cycle track if it is provided.

Chips Lovell

I'm always very wary of taxis for this reason. You just never know when they are going to pull in/pull out right in front of you. And yes, there always the first people to give you dogs abuse for not cycling on those bike lanes painted onto footpaths. It doesn't matter if you're doing the speed limit or if the bike lane is being dug up with road works (a al Fairview), they still want to bawl you out if it.

whiskeyman wrote: »

Once they both got onto the college green side (bus was now slightly ahead), the bus started to move in left to stop at the first busstop... the driver clearly never looked to see if any cyclists on his left, and the cyclists was nearly 'sandwiched' between bus and footbath curb as he indicated at very last second.

It's a good example of why in slow moving traffic in the city centre I'll often take the lane rather than try and keep left. Reduces the risk of your being cut off in this fashion.

beans

Don't take it all so personally. That's my advice.

There are 101 little things you can do to make your trip around the city more pleasant, but even if you nail them all there will always be incidents and near-misses.

Take it in your stride, or else what should be a positive experience will eventually swing to a negative one.

Chips Lovell

irishmotorist wrote: »

Regarding cycle lanes, I had reason to look at the rules of the road earlier and happened across the following information regarding cycle lanes. I wasn't aware of this beforehand. My problem with mandatory cycle lanes, as described here, is that they're regularly full of glass as they're away from the road and therefore ignored by roadsweepers - and also they don't have the general traffic keeping it clean.

Yep, it's a big problem. The offroad ones are often littered with glass and other debris. The other issue is that pedestrians invariably walk on them, either because they're crammed alongside a footpath or, in some cases, there just isn't a footpath there. If you're doing any sort of speed on a bike, you really should belong on the road. It's bloody dangerous to be negotiating pedestrians/joggers/people with prams at high speeds.

jw297

I got shouted at by a taxi driver recently for not being in the cycle-lane when I was going in a different direction to the cycle lane and needed to be in a different lane. Unfortunately was concentrating too hard on not getting knocked down to think of a good comeback Have been pushed in to the kerb so many times by busses that now just let them overtake if I can, even if that means me slowing down loads.
Eye-contact, handsignals, and abiding by traffic-lights all help. Cant believe how many cyclists I see that just completely ignore the lights, and not just the pedestrian ones.
On a more positive note, a taxi-driver once apologised for stopping abruptly in front of me. Thats just one of many though....
One way of avoiding pedestrians on the cycle-lane is to have really squeaky brakes - makes them think you nearly crashed into them and get out of the way pretty quick. Its a bit mean, but it does work

Gavin

Agree with Gadabout, I've had very few incidents lately, certainly nothing I haven't seen coming. Taking the lane where needed, being careful, not going crazy all seems to work.

I never shout, I tend to flick my brakes a lot coming up the side of cars, or approaching pedestrian crossings. If an emergency happens, I'm too busy braking/avoiding to bother shout.

I have entered a state of zen cycling since my move to a singlespeed. Should I ever ascend to fixed, I believe I will achieve a divine state of calmness.

liamo

irishmotorist wrote:

My problem with mandatory cycle lanes, as described here, is that they're regularly full of glass

.... or parked cars.

It's just as illegal to park in a mandatory cycle lane as it is to park on double yellow lines but I've never seen a car clamped for it.

seamus

I think a lot of it does have to do with your presence and outward appearance to other road users. I would regulary take control of a lane to avoid being squished to the side and I've never once been beeped at for it.
If you're going along in your cycling gear (or even cycling a decent-looking bike) doing a decent pace and looking around you, you'll probably get more respect. On the other hand, if you're pootling along, saddle too low, high-vis flapping in the wind and helmet sitting on the back of your head instead of the top, you may as well paint a target on your back.

irishmotorist

el tonto wrote: »

It's bloody dangerous to be negotiating pedestrians/joggers/people with prams at high speeds.

I'd also include the quality of cycle lanes. Cycling towards town (Dublin town, of course) down the Stillorgan dual carriageway, there's a cycle lane as part of the path. I choose to use the road here because going over the speed bumps that are peoples drive-ways at 40 odd kmph is not safe. I've been intimidated and beeped at by busses, but that cycle lane is just not suitable for any kind of speed.

Malari

irishmotorist wrote: »

I'd also include the quality of cycle lanes. Cycling towards town (Dublin town, of course) down the Stillorgan dual carriageway, there's a cycle lane as part of the path. I choose to use the road here because going over the speed bumps that are peoples drive-ways at 40 odd kmph is not safe. I've been intimidated and beeped at by busses, but that cycle lane is just not suitable for any kind of speed.

Same goes for those cycle lanes that only appear for 50m or so on either side of traffic-calming islands. They are covered in glass, brambles growing in from the ditch, gravel, etc and you have to bump up over the island. I stay on the road and find that the traffic that is coming up behind me is anything but calm when they see me doing that.

Just because cycle lanes are present does not mean they are suitable for use!

Chips Lovell

irishmotorist wrote: »

I'd also include the quality of cycle lanes. Cycling towards town (Dublin town, of course) down the Stillorgan dual carriageway, there's a cycle lane as part of the path. I choose to use the road here because going over the speed bumps that are peoples drive-ways at 40 odd kmph is not safe. I've been intimidated and beeped at by busses, but that cycle lane is just not suitable for any kind of speed.

I know that one. Used it once. Never again.

markpb

jw297 wrote: »

Have been pushed in to the kerb so many times by busses that now just let them overtake if I can, even if that means me slowing down loads.
Eye-contact, handsignals, and abiding by traffic-lights all help.

Definitely. You have to assume that the bus beside you might switch lanes, swerve to avoid an obstacle or that a passenger will ring the bell at the last second and the driver will have to come to an abrupt stop. The only safe way is to know the road ahead of you and be prepared to stop and fall in line behind. If you can keep the lane in slow-medium moving traffic, it's much safer.

jw297 wrote: »

One way of avoiding pedestrians on the cycle-lane is to have really squeaky brakes - makes them think you nearly crashed into them and get out of the way pretty quick. Its a bit mean, but it does work

Squeaky brakes for the win! Not only do the draw attention to you, the make pedestrians think you're braking really hard and might not make it.

daymobrew

irishmotorist wrote: »

My problem with mandatory cycle lanes, as described here, is that they're regularly full of glass as they're away from the road and therefore ignored by roadsweepers - and also they don't have the general traffic keeping it clean.

Report the glass etc to the local authority. Contacting the depot responsible might work best as they'll be the people cleaning them.

I have a phone number for a Fingal County Council guy that do the Castleknock area. He's brilliant. The previous person was also brilliant and I made a point of letting his supervisor know - win/win for both of us.

Caroline_ie wrote:

Cool bus driver though, he never tries to take over once I have passed him

If you can, write to or phone his depot to praise his patience. Just hope that he's not back there after his shift complaining about some b'tch who holds him up

unionman

Verb wrote: »

I have entered a state of zen cycling since my move to a singlespeed. Should I ever ascend to fixed, I believe I will achieve a divine state of calmness.

You will Verb, trust me. That was how I managed to boot up O'Connell St that time...Zen calm.:D

Regarding the OP's experience. By some freak of fate I have never had a ding dong with a taxi driver. Having said that, I regard them the same way I would a dog or a cat on the road - unpredictable - so I try to maintain a bit of distance.

Most mornings I come down John's road. I stay about a meter out into the bus lane, and taxis are often travelling behind me. But because I can do a fair old speed on that stretch I'm never beeped, zero hassle. Which, come to think of it, is a bit of a surprise.

Have had one or two nasty bus encounters, already documented here.

Bicyclegadabout

jesus, that's some rain.......

TinyExplosions

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

jesus, that's some rain.......

And my bloody jacket is at home!

kenmc

TinyExplosions wrote: »

And my bloody jacket is at home!

whereas my little 'tennis ball' is in my pocket

unionman

TinyExplosions wrote: »

And my bloody jacket is at home!

I think everyone's jacket is at home, this morning looked so promising!

Mind the wet Luas tracks.

seamus

TinyExplosions wrote: »

And my bloody jacket is at home!

Yeah, me too.
Wear shorts and tshirt on the way home. Very quickly, the rain won't matter at all. It's actually much more comfortable I find than wearing rain gear.

I won't be saying that in November though

Raam

unionman wrote: »

I think everyone's jacket is at home, this morning looked so promising!

Mind the wet Luas tracks.

I brought my Montane, which is just as good as leaving your jacket at home.

Ste.phen

*sigh* no rain gear myself either, and i can't even bus home and leave the bike where it is, have to get to Strawberry beds in about 45mins from Baggot St

DirkVoodoo

I remember recently cycling out of UCD, there was this young girl with a big ass dog (might have been a boxer, or else some really muscular looking brute). Anyway, she was chatting with her mates, half on the cycle lane, half off it, with her dog pretty much in the middle. So, as you know this patch of cycle lane is one of those bendy bits that negotiates a turn round a bus stop.

As I'm coming up to the girl and the bend, the dog suddenly goes berserk at me, barking really aggressively. I was taken off guard and managed to swerve my bike, keeping upright and continued on my way. When I looked back, the girl was laughing with her mates.

I wouldn't blame the dog, maybe put the owner down instead

EDIT: Just cycles in, got soaked, drivers were particularly pleasant giving me loads of room, possibly because I looked miserable. My waterproof gear is not, and my spare clothes are wet. Thank god the spare socks made it!

DirkVoodoo

el tonto wrote: »

I know that one. Used it once. Never again.

The best part of that is the bit down by the church. The off road lane merges with the on road lane again in a continuous stretch, but it does so at a very busy and fast left hand turn onto kill avenue. So, if you choose to cycle down the cycle path at even a modest speed, drivers never look to their left and you are at risk of being mowed down even though I do believe you have the right of way as they have to cross your lane.

I got beeped one day my a soccer mom SUV because i went out onto the lane in front of her. I didnt cut in front of her, just cycled through. I hate that bit and prefer cycling in the bus lane past foxrock church because people actually SEE you. Too many cycle lanes seem to reduce driver awareness of cyclists.

blorg

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

The best part of that is the bit down by the church. The off road lane merges with the on road lane again in a continuous stretch, but it does so at a very busy and fast left hand turn onto kill avenue. So, if you choose to cycle down the cycle path at even a modest speed, drivers never look to their left and you are at risk of being mowed down even though I do believe you have the right of way as they have to cross your lane.

If you think that is bad you should see the "straight on" cycle lane by the Beacon Hotel. I'll try to get a photo for you.

I find the worst thing about cycling in the rain is wearing glasses tbh. The helmet does help a bit but it's just a matter of time before your vision becomes blurry.

Malari

Myth wrote: »

I find the worst thing about cycling in the rain is wearing glasses tbh. The helmet does help a bit but it's just a matter of time before your vision becomes blurry.

No, the worst thing is non-waterproof mascara!

irishmotorist

Malari wrote: »

No, the worst thing is non-waterproof mascara!

I couldn't really comment in public on the mascara, but I find my shades/glasses a pain when I stop. While moving, the air keeps them fairly clear but when I stop, they fog up. Also, once rain/sweat starts getting into your eyes, it's no fun

TinyExplosions

Malari wrote: »

No, the worst thing is non-waterproof mascara!

That's what kills me

Chips Lovell

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I got beeped one day my a soccer mom SUV because i went out onto the lane in front of her. I didnt cut in front of her, just cycled through.

Had an encounter with an SUV the other week. Was stopped at the lights and in the lane to turn left. Arrow to go forward went green and she started honking me out of it. Me: "It's not my fault you're in the wrong lane".

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Too many cycle lanes seem to reduce driver awareness of cyclists.

It's one of the main beefs I have with offroad cycle lanes. They reinforce the erroneous belief a lot of motorists have that bikes don't belong on the road.

Malari

el tonto wrote: »

Had an encounter with an SUV the other week. Was stopped at the lights and in the lane to turn left. Arrow to go forward went green and she started honking me out of it. Me: "It's not my fault you're in the wrong lane".

I've had that too. Some people think cyclists should be clung to the kerb at all times, no matter what lane you should be in.

Also have been given out to for "undertaking" whilst cycling past slow-moving traffic!

Caroline_ie

Malari wrote: »

No, the worst thing is non-waterproof mascara!

... no make up while cycling ... I did it once: Bad idea. Plus looking nice and being sweaty doesnt really work well. Make up + cycling in the rain + arriving in work sweaty and wet from the rain = eeerrrr I don't think even a cyclist would find us attractive ... :pac: sorry

dub_skav

blorg wrote: »

If you think that is bad you should see the "straight on" cycle lane by the Beacon Hotel. I'll try to get a photo for you.

Cycle on that every day. It's a lottery what's going to happen

bobtjustice

blorg wrote: »

If you think that is bad you should see the "straight on" cycle lane by the Beacon Hotel. I'll try to get a photo for you.

Cycle thru that every day too man.... farce.... the only saving grace at 5.30 is that traffic is a stand still so safe enough.

Malari

Caroline_ie wrote: »

... no make up while cycling ... I did it once: Bad idea. Plus looking nice and being sweaty doesnt really work well. Make up + cycling in the rain + arriving in work sweaty and wet from the rain = eeerrrr I don't think even a cyclist would find us attractive ... :pac: sorry

I have a 10 minute commute to work, so gladly sweaty doesn't come into it! But occasionally I do get caught in the rain. Never wear make-up on a normal spin, ew!

Caroline_ie

Malari wrote: »

I have a 10 minute commute to work, so gladly sweaty doesn't come into it! But occasionally I do get caught in the rain. Never wear make-up on a normal spin, ew!

Yeah - me too ...

PeadarofAodh

Something needs to be done to reinforce in drivers' minds that the cycle lane is a traffic lane just like the ones they're driving in.
Would they swerve across a lane for cars? No.
So why does it seem right for them to swerve across the bike lane?

Granted most will indicate or check their mirrors before taking a left turn but it happens far too often that I'm nearly cleaned out of it trying to cycle straight on.

Edit: Oh god...when will the raining stop...

Downtime

Bloody mopeds who use the cycle lane but are going slower than you and when you give out they are none the wiser. its not a "nip inside a car lane"

Also Dominos Pizza in Rathmines - bloody mopeds parked outside on the cycle lane all the time. if there is a bus going by you have no where to go.

I could go on.

fish-head

The other day I had a pedestrian stop in the middle of the road 10 meters ahead of me just to tell me I broke the red light (there were no peds around).

He stood there waiting for me to have a go at me! Of course I told him exactly what to do.

Another thing I almost fell foul of last week was buses that pull in before the bus stop to let people out, spewing forth pedestrians directly into your path.

BeerNut

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

Make and maintain eye contact with people you might run over/might run over you.

Recently, I pulled off after stopping at lights and the car to my right decided he would turn left across me, slowly and keeping eye contact the whole time. I couldn't believe he was doing it and was too speechless to make use of his open window.

unionman wrote: »

I think everyone's jacket is at home, this morning looked so promising!

Not mine. I bring full rain gear and lights with me every day, no matter how sunny it starts out or what the forecast is. I'm such an optimist.

Myth wrote: »

I find the worst thing about cycling in the rain is wearing glasses tbh. The helmet does help a bit but it's just a matter of time before your vision becomes blurry.

I wear contacts solely for this reason.

DirkVoodoo

fish-head wrote: »

He stood there waiting for me to have a go at me!

You should have kicked the crap out of yourself!!!

blorg

I had a very close shave yesterday coming down from Lambs Cross towards Sandyford/Dundrum. I thought I had good eye contact but someone decided to pull out from the estate on the left, right in front of me. 50km/h to 0 in a few short seconds. Thankfully I had good brakes, stopped back wheel off the ground about an inch from her door.

daymobrew

fish-head wrote: »

The other day I had a pedestrian stop in the middle of the road 10 meters ahead of me just to tell me I broke the red light (there were no peds around).

He stood there waiting for me to have a go at me! Of course I told him exactly what to do.

Another thing I almost fell foul of last week was buses that pull in before the bus stop to let people out, spewing forth pedestrians directly into your path.

The bus issue would be karma getting you back (before the fact of course ).
Please read: Why not run red lights? and then stop running red lights, regardless of whether there were pedestrians around.

fish-head

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

You should have kicked the crap out of yourself!!!

It's difficult when you're clipped in!

daymobrew wrote:

The bus issue would be karma getting you back (before the fact of course).

I didn't know there was such thing as pre-emptive Karma.

Vel

I was cycling up Nicholas Street towards the junction at Christ Church. As I was going straight ahead in the bike lane a car turning left to go down Thomas Street cut dangerously in front of me. As the line of traffic that he was joining to turn left was stopped at a red light he ended up stopping right in front of me with the back of his car in the bike lane. As I went by I stopped and knocked on his window and told him to be careful. He proceeded to open his car door and hit me with the door about 4 times on the arm. He didn’t hurt me but was ranting and raving that I had no right to touch his car. I wasn’t hurt but was really shocked. A woman in a car shouted at him to stop and told him she had seen him cut me up on the road and another man stopped to ask if I was ok. I told him I was reporting him to the Guards and put his registration number in my phone. He drove off and I ended up crying and shaking at the side of the road. It was horrible.

I reported the incident to the Guards and I have to say the Guard who I dealt with me was really concerned and supportive. A couple of weeks later he rang to say he had been out to speak to Mr. Angry and he admitted that he had been in the area at the time but denied having any altercation with a cyclist. The woman who had stopped to ask if I was alright said she would ring the Guards when she got into work but I wasn’t together enough to get her details and she never reported it. Or if she did, and it was to her local station, they have no way of cross referencing reports. The Guard said that basically without witnesses it was my word against his and it was up to the Deputy Sergeant to decide if there was enough evidence to go to court, but in his experience if Mr. Angry continued to deny that anything happened, it would probably go nowhere. He said that if I wanted to pursue it I could go in and make a formal statement and it would mean that Mr. Angry would have to come in and give one too. I thought that at the very least I would inconvenience the **** and make a statement, thus ensuring that he had to give up some time to the matter and it might make him think about hitting a cyclist again.

I made the statement and now its all in the hands of the Deputy Sergeant, however I’m realistic that it isn’t going anywhere. When I was giving the statement I happened to glance at the Guard’s notebook and I saw Mr. Angry’s name and address. It rang a bell with me and when I went back into work I ran his name on my system. It turns out he is a rich bastard property developer/legal advisor (not solicitor) who lives in Dublin 6 and owns a few different properties in Dublin 6 and Dublin 4! I’m kind of over the whole thing now but I was scared for a while at what I might do with that information!!!!