motorcycle psycho

thesunwashot

Had a nasty incident this morning on the way to work. I was on the cycle path on the canal (which has a solid white line so no motor vehicles allowed) and a Pony Express motorbike courier drives out from behind a truck and straight into the lane, first going all the way across the lane blocking it. Luckily I saw him and managed to brake in time. It was all a bit of a blur but I somehow managed to get past him without crashing.

At this point he was behind me so I turned around to ask him what he was doing springing out across the cycle lane and all I got was abuse. "F*** you this and that. I couldn't give a F*** about you, get the F*** out of my way. etc". I couldn't believe it since there is no way he can claim to be in the right when he is in a cycle lane on a motorbike.

Anyway, he zooms by me but then gets stuck at the traffic lights so I catch him up and start asking him again what he was doing and so on. Again he gives me loads of abuse. Tells me to shut the F*** up because I am annoying him.

So much abuse and absolutely no remorse. W@nker.

I got his reg so hopefully the gardai will do something.

penexpers

I would also call up Pony Express and let them know. I would hope they wouldn't look too kindly on this.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

A strongly worded letter to Pony Express wouldn't go amiss, you'd expect better from motorcycle drivers, especially professionals.

FrankGrimes

Yeh, defo go to Pony Express and ask them for details of how they are going to address this misconduct by someone operating under their business (they'll probably say he's a contractor blah blah blah) - there's a much better chance of getting some minor action from them than any from the Gardai.

That said, you have a good detailed account to give the Gardai of blatantly dangerous behaviour and there's gotta be some term they have for that kind of unwarranted abuse he gave you, so you've gotta ask if they don't follow-up on this one what can a cyclist do to get the Gardai to follow up to provide the protection they are duty bound to provide? For what it's worth, I lose the plot when someone gives me that kind of abuse so I'd probably at the very least have hauled him off his bike, so fair play to you for not getting involved.

thesunwashot

I called the gardai and they can call the guy giving him a verbal caution which goes on his record in case of future incidents. They also said they could contact Pony Express on my behalf.

The other option they suggested was that I made a formal complaint such that he would have to make a court appearance. That sounds a bit excessive though.

I will contact Pony Express I think. I just hope they deal with it professionally rather than giving him my name so he can come find me...

Harrybelafonte

Wouldn't worry about that, he knows where to find you anyway

seamus

Ah motorbike couriers. By and large they're ignorant, arrogant and don't give a **** about anyone else on the road. You can always tell the guy who enjoys driving the bike and gives a ****, and the guy who cares about nothing except making his few quid and getting home.

The latter being on a bike too small for him, usually a wrecked honda cb125/250 with the brake light stuck back together with masking tape, driving along with one of his feet off the pegs while cornering, helmet sitting on top of his head while he's having a smoke. You're better off not even getting involved in an argument with these guys because they're just your average scumbags.

Harrybelafonte

seamus wrote: »

Ah motorbike couriers. By and large they're ignorant, arrogant and don't give a **** about anyone else on the road. You can always tell the guy who enjoys driving the bike and gives a ****, and the guy who cares about nothing except making his few quid and getting home.

The latter being on a bike too small for him, usually a wrecked honda cb125/250 with the brake light stuck back together with masking tape, driving along with one of his feet off the pegs while cornering, helmet sitting on top of his head while he's having a smoke. You're better off not even getting involved in an argument with these guys because they're just your average scumbags.

Agree, they're not the nicest people, bit like downgraded taxi drivers. If he was one of the half decent couriers he wouldn't have done it in the first place

TinyExplosions

FrankGrimes wrote: »

For what it's worth, I lose the plot when someone gives me that kind of abuse so I'd probably at the very least have hauled him off his bike, so fair play to you for not getting involved.

Ditto, I've nearly sent my U-Lock through a cars window a couple of times...

Gavin

thesunwashot wrote: »

I called the gardai and they can call the guy giving him a verbal caution which goes on his record in case of future incidents. They also said they could contact Pony Express on my behalf.

The other option they suggested was that I made a formal complaint such that he would have to make a court appearance. That sounds a bit excessive though.

I will contact Pony Express I think. I just hope they deal with it professionally rather than giving him my name so he can come find me...

I'd be tempted to go the whole hog and go for a court appearance. Making a mistake is one thing, spewing abuse after the fact isn't on.

Also, I think it'd be pretty interesting to go to court!

lukester

seamus wrote: »

Ah motorbike couriers. By and large they're ignorant, arrogant and don't give a **** about anyone else on the road. You can always tell the guy who enjoys driving the bike and gives a ****, and the guy who cares about nothing except making his few quid and getting home.

The latter being on a bike too small for him, usually a wrecked honda cb125/250 with the brake light stuck back together with masking tape, driving along with one of his feet off the pegs while cornering, helmet sitting on top of his head while he's having a smoke. You're better off not even getting involved in an argument with these guys because they're just your average scumbags.

You're forgetting the pair of wellies there

I ride a motorbike and these muppets give motorcyclists a bad name. I can't count the number of times I've heard dodgy courier stories followed by 'I hope you don't ride like that.' :rolleyes:

Danbo!

Yep, these guys and moped riders are the worst. It seems that anyone on a decent motorcycle (anything that doesnt moan waaaaaahhh as it goes by) knows how to use the road and will filter past traffic on the right.

I find its always mopeds and couriers in the cycle lane and bus lane, either going too slow because of the wide bikes, or roaring up behind you and squeezing past.

Definitely make a complaint to Pony Express, preferably in writing with time, date, reg no.. etc. No need to stand for that kind of attitude.

penexpers

noblestee wrote: »

Yep, these guys and moped riders are the worst. It seems that anyone on a decent motorcycle (anything that doesnt moan waaaaaahhh as it goes by) knows how to use the road and will filter past traffic on the right.

Filtering on the right is against the law.

Danbo!

penexpers wrote: »

Filtering on the right is against the law.

isn't that just overtaking?

penexpers

noblestee wrote: »

isn't that just overtaking?

As far as I understand (very open to correction here), overtaking is passing on the right when there is no traffic coming towards you, filtering is passing on the right when there is traffic coming towards you.

The former is legal, the latter is not.

Danbo!

penexpers wrote: »

As far as I understand (very open to correction here), overtaking is passing on the right when there is no traffic coming towards you, filtering is passing on the right when there is traffic coming towards you.

The former is legal, the latter is not.

Im not sure of the law myself, maybe someone here knows? but in either case, for cyclists, its better than them using the cycle/bus lane

lukester

Filtering on the right isn't illegal. From the RSA 'Your bike' booklet:

"Filtering can be defined as overtaking slow moving or stationary traffic"

and should avoid causing

"...other road users to alter course or speed to accommodate (the) manoeuvre"

It is only illegal if there is a solid white line or other road marking that indicates overtaking isn't permitted.

seamus

penexpers wrote: »

As far as I understand (very open to correction here), overtaking is passing on the right when there is no traffic coming towards you, filtering is passing on the right when there is traffic coming towards you.

The former is legal, the latter is not.

It's a legal grey area. "Filtering" is not defined in law, and by all accounts a motorcycle passing on the right is overtaking, regardless of whether or not there is oncoming traffic.

The Road Traffic act (SI) of 1964 put bikes into something of a protected zone in this regard. In relation to overtaking:

(2) A driver shall not overtake (or attempt to overtake) unless he can clearly see a portion of the roadway which—

(a) is free from approaching traffic, pedestrians and any obstruction, and

(b) is sufficiently long and wide to permit the overtaking to be completed without danger or inconvenience to other traffic or pedestrians.

The words "a portion of the roadway" would indicate to me that the motorcyclist is OK, provided that he has enough room for himself (his "portion" of the roadway).

This was amended in 1997 to something a little clearer:

(2) A driver shall not overtake, or attempt to overtake, unless the roadway ahead of the driver—

( a ) is free from approaching traffic, pedestrians and any obstruction, and

( b ) is sufficiently long and wide to permit the overtaking to be completed without danger or inconvenience to other traffic or pedestrians.

However, the words, "roadway ahead of the driver", still leaves room for interpretation.

If you think of the example of a tractor pulling into the hard shoulder, and a car overtaking while there is oncoming traffic, then how is that any different to a motorcycle overtaking a car when there is oncoming traffic, *and* the motorcyclist still has room?

If the oncoming traffic has to take action to avoid hitting you, then clearly that is illegal overtaking.

daymobrew

thesunwashot wrote: »

The other option they suggested was that I made a formal complaint such that he would have to make a court appearance. That sounds a bit excessive though.

If you make a statement to the Gardai then the motorcycle rider will also have to make a statement. Then both statements are given to supervisors to decide whether the info is good enough to go to court. You can always decide to drop the issue later, but if the rider is called in to make a statement it should be a good wake-up call.

thesunwashot wrote: »

I will contact Pony Express I think. I just hope they deal with it professionally rather than giving him my name so he can come find me...

If you just give your name and mobile number he will not be able to find you.

Harrybelafonte

daymobrew wrote: »

If you just give your name and mobile number he will not be able to find you.

Any brains he'd know the OP was commuting to work and could wait for him in the same place.

Paranoid I know, but possible

SetOverSet

Slightly off topic, but same cycle-lane; a mate of mine drives down the canal every morning and he says he's seen the same bicycle courier a few times, hurtling down the cycling lane and booting the door of any car unlucky/stupid enough to be over into the cycle-lane! :eek:

Nisio

Is it legal for a scooter to use the bike lane on the canal?

Danbo!

SetOverSet wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but same cycle-lane; a mate of mine drives down the canal every morning and he says he's seen the same bicycle courier a few times, hurtling down the cycling lane and booting the door of any car unlucky/stupid enough to be over into the cycle-lane! :eek:

Idiot, cant stand that kind of ****, [sweeping generalisation]no wonder all motorists hate all cyclists[/sweeping generalisation]

Nisio wrote: »

Is it legal for a scooter to use the bike lane on the canal?

Absolutely not, Bicycles only.

Chris Peak

There are many more than ‘the few good couriers’ in Dublin. I know plenty of them.

That guy was one of probably four or five c#nts who give the rest a bad name, because they’re seen all around town and people think it’s a different one each time an incident like this happens.

The actions of that guy were deplorable. Get onto Pony Express and tell them the Guards are looking into the incident. You don’t have to give them your details, as the cops already have these, but you can if you want give your first name and mobile number to the boss. He’s not going to give any of that to the rider in question, as that will only drop him in the sh’t if this goes to court.

It doesn’t matter if the rider passes the same route as you coming home or going to work. Once he realises that you not afraid to report his behaviour to the cops, he less likely to threaten you as this will be added to his file and it will make the prosecution case stronger. Threatening behaviour/ intimidation on top of (verbal) assault is quite serious.

Chances are, if you tell Pony Express that your willing to go all the way with this, they’ll sack him, and they may get you some compensation off the rider. (Not the real issue)
Bike couriers are ‘ten a penny’ and courier companies will do anything to keep / client accounts. If a company gets a bad name because of a rider’s action – he’s gone. Especially if the cops are involved

Harrybelafonte

Most of the couriers coming into our place are decent enough, but if they're bad, it seems they're very bad. Would Pony Express get rid of someone that quickly on the basis of a complaint if the cops weren't involved? or wait until the cops confirm what happened?

Limestone1

noblestee wrote: »

Absolutely not, Bicycles only.

Nor should they be in the bus lanes either

blorg

Limestone1 wrote: »

Nor should they be in the bus lanes either

Technically this is true but I don't have a problem with them using them either. Most bikers are perfectly courteous. I'd be happy with a change in the law that lets motorbikes into bus lanes (not bike lanes) and removes the obligation on cyclists to use cycle lanes where provided. Letting bikes turn left on a red would be nice too.