Chicken!

MCOS

This is a recent thing in Limerick. Young hoodies playing 'chicken' with bikes and cars. They usually get out of the way of a determined motorist (except the occasional pizza delivery hijack) but they are very brave when facing cyclists. Often if you lose their game and stop you are stripped of your steed or parts of it...

Experiences?
Thoughts?
Strategies?

AstraMonti

Is that really happening? Jesus! Are we back 10 centuries?!

Cabaal

Experiences?
Thoughts?
Strategies?

Big stick, nail and a beating to the young lad who's bothering you as you cycle

kenmc

Drop into low gear and keep the pedals spinning, just like a normal obstruction when mountainbiking.

niceonetom

MCOS wrote: »

Thoughts?
Strategies?

carpet-bomb limerick.... ?

Chips Lovell

MCOS wrote: »

This is a recent thing in Limerick. Young hoodies playing 'chicken' with bikes and cars.

Is this just anecdotal or is there solid evidence? It's pretty hard to stop someone on a bike.

Tactics? Nothing a few slaps won't sort out in my view.

MCOS wrote: »

Often if you lose their game and stop you are stripped of your steed or parts of it...

Do they get their allen keys out?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

MCOS wrote: »

This is a recent thing in Limerick. Young hoodies playing 'chicken' with bikes and cars. They usually get out of the way of a determined motorist (except the occasional pizza delivery hijack) but they are very brave when facing cyclists. Often if you lose their game and stop you are stripped of your steed or parts of it...

Experiences?
Thoughts?
Strategies?

Escape from Limerick starring Kurt Russel, only in real life.

We just need to build a massive wall around it. It'd completely get rid of the overcrowding in the 'joy.

jollylee

MCOS wrote: »

This is a recent thing in Limerick. Young hoodies playing 'chicken' with bikes and cars. They usually get out of the way of a determined motorist (except the occasional pizza delivery hijack) but they are very brave when facing cyclists. Often if you lose their game and stop you are stripped of your steed or parts of it...

Experiences?
Thoughts?
Strategies?

Where is this happening? I've never had any hassle and I cycle all over the city! Never even heard of such events? Has it actually happened to you? Limerick gets a hard enough time without publicity such as this! Fair enough if this is in response to a personal experience.

blorg

U-Lock?

Bunnyhopper

http://skangerland.blogspot.com/2006/11/limerick-last-out-turn-alarm-on.html

victorcarrera

Here is what I use.

Oregon Scientific ATC-2K Hands free video camera.
Bought this on Ebay 2nd hand for 60 Euro including 2Gig memory.
(140 Euro new I think.)
Can be mounted on helmet or handlebars (All fittings included)
I’ve had a few near misses and escapes recently and wished I had a camera or witness, so I decided to do something about it.
My intention is to record a few incidents and send them to the garda traffic department and Road Safety Authority to see what happens.
I haven’t had it long and I am only experimenting with it at present but I think it could be the way to go.
Most of my spins are on rural roads and I find I am most at risk when.
1.Traffic overtakes and cuts me off when there is on coming traffic.
2.Traffic overtakes me approaching, or on a blind bend and cuts me off when oncoming traffic appears round the corner.
3.Articulated lorries attempting to overtake and beat me to the next bend.
4. Oncoming traffic on narrow lanes not slowing down and getting too close etc. Most people on here will know what I mean.

Product Description
Waterproof action cam! Weighing in at half a pound (with batteries), this self-contained, hands-free digital video cam delivers full color digital video in 640 X 480 VGA at 30 frames per second - even underwater. PC and MAC compatible, ATC2K works seamlessly with most video editing software. Expandable up to 2GB on a standard SD card, ATC2K mounts easily and all mounting hardware is included.

DetailsDimensions (WxDxH):
4.4 cm x 10.8 cm x 5.7 cm

Weight
227 g

Additional Features
Auto power save, shock resistant


Here is what I have found so far.
2 G/Bite card stores between 60 < 794 Mins of video depending on resolution. I find that medium resolution with sound gives me 114 Mins and number plates are visible.

Chips Lovell

victorcarrera wrote: »

Here is what I use.

Oregon Scientific ATC-2K Hands free video camera.

Not very aero:D

kenmc

el tonto wrote: »

Not very aeuro:D

fixed.

Chips Lovell

In all honsety I'd love to have one of them to take out on a few spins. Video descents would be a bit of crack.

DirkVoodoo

Dress head to toe in black medieval armour, carry a lance slung over the handlebars and laugh maniacally whenever some foolish youth charges you?

kenmc

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Dress head to toe in black medieval armour, carry a lance slung over the handlebars and laugh maniacally whenever some foolish youth charges you?

Yo know I think you might be onto something there - a pole (you know what I mean!) strapped to the cross bar, like a jousting lance - 2 foot past the front wheel would do nicely... a bit like those window washers around town do. Sharpening would of course be optional, but encouraged. Using the venom from an amazonian jungle frog would be overkill. But you can never be too sure

TinyExplosions

el tonto wrote: »

In all honsety I'd love to have one of them to take out on a few spins. Video descents would be a bit of crack.

Don't you mean craic?

sorry, pet hate of mine....

TinyExplosions

kenmc wrote: »

Yo know I think you might be onto something there - a pole (you know what I mean!) strapped to the cross bar, like a jousting lance - 2 foot past the front wheel would do nicely... a bit like those window washers around town do. Sharpening would of course be optional, but encouraged. Using the venom from an amazonian jungle frog would be overkill. But you can never be too sure

Yes, but would they be happy strapped to your bike, and would you use a man or a woman.... also, would add a bit of weight, though I suppose they could help pedal on uphill sections...

I'll get me coat...

Morgan

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Don't you mean craic?

sorry, pet hate of mine....

Bit of a tangent...

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/a-notsofair-city-of-contrived--craic-and-american-stout-1548333.html

The word "crack", a fine Hiberno-English word, was only ever spelt in the English way, because it is an English word which has acquired particular cultural resonances in Ireland.

About 10 years ago, possibly because of the competing cultural aggressions of the peace process, someone decided that an Irish phenomenon like "crack" could not have an English spelling.

So they fitted it out with a bawneen cap, and shoved a clay pipe in its mouth, and sewed little buckles on its shoes. And henceforth it was known as "craic", often enough in conjunction with "agus ceoil".

It was all desperately contrived, and in utter denial of what "crack" was all about: a spontaneously good time. For "craic" was now a self- consciously "Irish" commodity, and in a hideously winsome guise.

niceonetom

Morgan wrote: »

Bit of a tangent...

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/a-notsofair-city-of-contrived--craic-and-american-stout-1548333.html

^^^^KEVIN MYERS^^^^

unionman

MCOS wrote: »

This is a recent thing in Limerick. Young hoodies playing 'chicken' with bikes and cars. They usually get out of the way of a determined motorist (except the occasional pizza delivery hijack) but they are very brave when facing cyclists. Often if you lose their game and stop you are stripped of your steed or parts of it...

Experiences?
Thoughts?
Strategies?

This happens to me all the time. I have some strategies. You may not like them, they do present a challenge, but they are effective.

1. Cycle through the city naked. The hoodies would be too weirded out to try and stop you.

2. But they acclimatise quickly those youngfellas, I reckon it would only work once. If you tried it a second time they'd probably beat the cr*p out of you. Plus you'd be naked.

3. For a slight variation on the second attempt you could remove all your body hair. If you are already hairy this would have the benefit of giving some contrast to how you looked the first time (ie Hoodie says; "Hey look, it's the naked guy on the bike" Other Hoodie says, "Yeah, but something is different"), in their distraction you whizz by. If you are not a very hairy person I wouldn't attempt this, too risky.

4. If naked is not your thing (and let's face it, it's cold out there) you could always get some flesh coloured lycra kit. The Hoodies would only notice you weren't naked at the very last minute.

5. Another option would be to walk, that'd confuse them completely. All points of reference gone, you can't really play chicken with a pedestrian.

6. Move away from Limerick - they'll never find you. Willie O'Dea might be down a vote, but he'll get by, he's very popular.

7. Don't confuse a recent experience with a growing trend. I do this all the time. A bit like worrying that you are an alcoholic just because you have a hangover.

8. Ride a horse.

9. Wrap your entire body with double sided sticky tape. If they attempt to grab you, the low level adhesion will feel uncomfortable and they will probably leave you be. Or kick the cr*p out of you, the stickiness won't be as much bother to their trainer clad feet. Risky one this, and time consuming. Trust me, the paramedics don't like having to peel that stuff off you to treat bruised ribs and open cuts.

10. Carry a large wad of €50 notes. Stop, distribute a fifty to each hoody and be on your way. A costly solution I grant you, but how can you put a price on your peace of mind?

Good luck OP, I hope some of this advice comes in useful. As I say, I've tried them all, with varying degrees of success. Other posters ideas are probably better than mine.

Morgan

niceonetom wrote: »

^^^^KEVIN MYERS^^^^

Radioactive chicken farmer?

niceonetom

more myers

Morgan

Hot water bottle?

Budgie?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND

DirkVoodoo

I'm not sure either. Does it mean he is a "cock"(erel-dont ban me!) a (blue)"tit"?

Chips Lovell

It's a tit, not a budgie

DirkVoodoo

In that case he is also a:



(The second one, I dont know if he is any of of the others)

chroma

Clip-on aerobars and pick up the pace.

blorg

Just thought I'd throw this in as we are all posting pictures.

E@gle.

edit nevermind

311

When driving ,I notice kids are pretending to fall out in front of you.
Crying wolf always fails.

john77

when i worked in an insurance company a few years ago, i came across a file where a guy was driving into Waterford city when a couple of kids on bikes cycled across in front of him. Turns out the kids were brothers (aged 10 & 4) who were part of a gang of kids playing 'chicken'. The younger kid didn't judge it properly & got hit. Ended up with head injuries and when he went back to school after his recuperation, it was claimed he had attention problems in class. A few years later the young fella gets a half million pounds payout from the insurance company! So maybe it's a money making racket they've got going in Limerick...

MCOS

Just logged on again... LOL love the strategies!

Astramonti & el tonto no this is not anecdotal it actually happens. My mother is 50 and cycles all over the north side of the city. She cannot get down St Patrick's road without some scobe trying to step in front of her. They usually yell chicken but get out of the way. They sometimes give chase and taunt. Luckily my mother is one of the fittest 50 year olds out there and can speed away. These guys seem happy just to taunt, however I know of a few other people who have been bullied off the bike and it taken.

ROK ON

MCOS - I am from Limerick, and am planning to cycle home for Christmas.
Other than Patricks Rd, any other areas that this seems to be happening.
I would be coming into town via Castletroy/Dublin Rd/Clare St, then out via town to the Ennis Road.
I dont fancy having to cycle my shiny new carbon bike into some sham wearning a hoody.

72hundred

niceonetom wrote: »

carpet-bomb limerick.... ?

Nice w^anker comment tom.

TinyExplosions

72hundred wrote: »

Nice w^anker comment tom.

Nice to see people can take a joke

72hundred

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Nice to see people can take a joke

The jokes about Limerick have worn thin at this stage.

helimachoptor

Not in limerick, but I was cycling home a few weeks ago, in my usual get up of a suit..(and on the path:eek: as the only other option is to be road kill) 4 young lads standing there for no reason looking shady.

As I'm cycling by the furthest lad away from me swings his jacket at me, I was expecting a fist! anyway i grab his jacket and cycle off down the road and then as I cross the road I left it on the ground, man it was f**king funny to see this scumbag chasing after me

Gavin

4 lads standing on the path. One cyclist on the path. Who exactly was on the path for no reason ?

helimachoptor

Verb wrote: »

4 lads standing on the path. One cyclist on the path. Who exactly was on the path for no reason ?

Well the last time I cycled home on that road, I ended up under a truck:eek:
So I wont be going on that road again, Its barely wide enough for one car never mind 2.

Vélo

72hundred wrote: »

The jokes about Limerick have worn thin at this stage.

Sure a few years ago Saddam Hussein was going to attack Shannon for letting the Americans land there until he realised it was too close to Limerick:D:D:D

petethedrummer

MCOS wrote: »

Strategies?

You could turn the other cheek. That's what Jesus would do.

Morgan

petethedrummer wrote: »

You could turn the other cheek. That's what Jesus would do.

Yeah, but after doing that a few times you just run out of cheeks.

MCOS

ROK ON wrote: »

MCOS - I am from Limerick, and am planning to cycle home for Christmas.
Other than Patricks Rd, any other areas that this seems to be happening.
I would be coming into town via Castletroy/Dublin Rd/Clare St, then out via town to the Ennis Road.
I dont fancy having to cycle my shiny new carbon bike into some sham wearning a hoody.

That route is very busy so I'm sure you will be grand. Just watch out if you take any of the quays going through town