College green pedestrians - Almost killed one

Caroline_ie

I was cycling into town last night for a bit of shopping and I decided to go towards Grafton street, I took the right turn up O'connell street to end up on the right side of Trinity College. This side is usually busy with buses and cabs, and there is that light that beside that that statue.

I was cycling at confortable yet generous speed on my fixie, the light was green, lots of room on the left of all the cabs going way slowler than me, as I was about to pass the lights ( GREEN ), the suddently cabs slowed down because they couldn't go much further there was a bus in the way about 10 metres across the lights. All happening very suddently, the pedestrians started crossing the road ( it was red for them ) ... BIG MISTAKE! ... cause I was coming.

I slammed on my brake, almost hit a few people. They 'caught the bike' rather than got hit but, I am the one who got hit by my own bike when I also most went over the handlebars.

I swore at the all ... F*cking look where you are going, I got the green light.... they all thought I was mad.

Anyway I hate people ... they're not worth it. I hate town too ...

Just wanted to voice my frustration.

Lumen

Human nature - cars stopped, cross road.

The only way to mitigate this is to filter slowly in traffic.

Sheeple, the lot of them.

is_that_so

Saw a "cyclist" do this on Kildare St. once. He flew around the corner bellowing "out of the way" and knocked down a poor unfortunate woman. When he got up he just roared "So f****ng sue me" and was gone. Pedestrians are a nightmare whatever transport you use and you need 360 degree radar to cope with their collective stupidity. Even so it is your responsibility not to hit them.

petethedrummer

You just have to expect these things, especially if the line of traffic has stopped. People will walk out, unless you start shouting from way back, but then you also look mental. There's no point in fighting it.

It doesn't bother me anymore, cos I think all lights and lines should be removed and the streets should be a well mannered free for all.

pickarooney

If you haven't a clear run to the other side, you shouldn't enter the pedestrian crossing, even on green. Unless I've misunderstood the situation, in which case, cream the bollixes next time.

DJsail

Name of the game I'm afraid Caroline, you can always count on the stupidity of others especially in town!

Hungrycol

David Banner would have turned into the Incredible Hulk in that situation; at least I would and then start throwing pedestrians over Trinity.

humbert

Dame St, particularly at night, is one of the most dangerous streets I'm regularly on, mainly due to pedestrians.

Caroline_ie

pickarooney wrote: »

If you haven't a clear run to the other side, you shouldn't enter the pedestrian crossing, even on green. Unless I've misunderstood the situation, in which case, cream the bollixes next time.

Like I said, the cabs were going slowly, but were still going when they stopped suddently. It was clear on the other side. the pedestrians see the cabs slowing down and start walking in front of them so the cabbies have no choice but to stop. that was that type of things that happenned.

Dr_Colossus

Sheep is the only word for them, never look where they're going and college green is particularly a bad spot. Similar to Caroline I was going through there a few months back with a nice bit of speed, the traffic had eased off so out walks a bunch of pedestrians in front of me even though I'd the green light and they were all jailwalking. I've no problem with jailwalking provided you're looking where you're going and not sheepishly strolling out in front of traffic. Anyway had no way of avoiding them all and not enough time to brake so kind of swerved the bike and hit one woman fairly hard with my shoulder and sent her flying. Obviously she and her friend were in shock as she lay sat on the ground with a bruised behind and ego but luckily no damage done and I didn't even get a scratch. Her friend helped her up, I apologised and told them to look where they were going in future and cycled off. Don't think she'll be crossing the road again without looking.

petethedrummer

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Sheep is the only word for them.

Cyclists and car drivers sometimes behave like sheep too. Also sheep.

PCPhoto

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Sheep is the only word for them, never look where they're going and college green is particularly a bad spot. Similar to Caroline I was going through there a few months back with a nice bit of speed, the traffic had eased off so out walks a bunch of pedestrians in front of me even though I'd the green light and they were all jailwalking. I've no problem with jailwalking provided you're looking where you're going and not sheepishly strolling out in front of traffic. Anyway had no way of avoiding them all and not enough time to brake so kind of swerved the bike and hit one woman fairly hard with my shoulder and sent her flying. Obviously she and her friend were in shock as she lay sat on the ground with a bruised behind and ego but luckily no damage done and I didn't even get a scratch. Her friend helped her up, I apologised and told them to look where they were going in future and cycled off. Don't think she'll be crossing the road again without looking.

I'm not a cyclist (have a motorbike and a car ...Boo Hiss !!!) anyway - I think ALL pedestrians should experience this and maybe they will start to look around before crossing.

I'm one of the few motorists around that actively checks mirrors for fear of cyclists/couriers/motorbikes coming into my blind spot..... never had a bad experience with them - but do have some issues with some cyclist-commuters
(not cyclists but you know the muppets that use a bike but dont know how to use the road...my issue with them is that putting your hand out doesnt mean you can automatically cross three(3) lanes of traffic - always happens at the junction by christchurch - cycle lane on left side of 3 lanes of traffic... just really gets me when they just assume the cars will stop because they put out their hand and thats the right thing to do)

diverdriver

Name of the game around there. Just because you have the green doesn't mean the pedestrians are going to pay attention for bikes of any sort. Saw something similar once on the other side of Trinners. Pedestrian crossing beginning to turn. Biker appears, motorcycle that is, filtering, green light, he guns it hard just as a girl make a last minute dash, she trips over the front wheel tumbles and ends up standing on the kerb with her tights torn looking shocked. He goes down on his nearly new bike, scratch, scrape. He's furious but frankly, I had no sympathy, even as a biker myself. He was too dammed aggressive on the throttle. Around town you have to expect pedestrian to leap out in front of you. Ask any motorcycle or bicycle courier.

Jaywalking around town is an issue, guilty of it myself to be honest. On the motorcycle I used to rev engine loudly. That made them scatter. Not an on option on a bicycle. Maybe an air horn would do it?

Cyclists can be their own worst enemies too. I was at a T junction and got the green. As I turned right, behind me I suddenly heard a girl scream 'Look out!' following by the crash of a bike behind me. I was about to stop but I thought cynically, 'Stupid girl running a red light'. I didn't even stop to look.

Don't worry, you'll become battle hardened. After years of cycling and biking around town. I could almost read people's minds. You have to if you want to survive.

Morgan

You should have rung your bell.

Waterfall1975

I've had a few collisions & pulled plenty of 'endos' over the years. Unfortunately, rule of the road: 'a green light does not give right of way, it's just a signal to proceed if safe/with caution' ...(or something close to that.)

Raam

petethedrummer wrote: »

Cyclists and car drivers sometimes behave like sheep too. Also sheep.

I find that sheep sprint on down the road in front of you for about 2 or 3 hundred meters. Pedestrians don't do that (although I would like to see it). So pedestrians are more like penguins... when one goes off the edge, the rest follow thinking that it's safe.

Dr_Colossus

Raam wrote: »

I find that sheep sprint on down the road in front of you for about 2 or 3 hundred meters. Pedestrians don't do that (although I would like to see it). So pedestrians are more like penguins... when one goes off the edge, the rest follow thinking that it's safe.

Lol, spot on, great anology.

kenmc

Thats exactly the situation the AirZounds was invented for. Excellent bit of anti-lemming kit.

Chips Lovell

I hate airzounds. Every time I hear one in town I always think to myself "pompous git".

Jawgap

In that situation I'd be tempted to go with

"Full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes

Hungrycol

Couple of good points by PCPhoto and DriverDriver: Sticking your arm out does not give the cyclist the right of way!

I was going home on my motorbike after work and saw a POB (nice enough Hybrid) creep up the very narrow inside of a taxi only to give out (at length and while still cycling) to the taxi driver for not giving him enought room on the taxi's inside (no cycle track/path/lane). I though Jeeze man its bleedin eejits like you that give us cyclist a bad name. If I was on a bicycle myself I would have told the cyclist he was being an eejit or apologised to the Taxi driver for him.

Euro_Kraut

I think people should cycle with caution in an area like College Green with a lot of pedestrain traffic (including tourists).

They have as much right as any one else to use the road. Some cyclists here sound like motorist when talking about cyclists. Just because you are moving faster does not make you superior.

crazydingo

I've nearly had one or two collisions like that myself, one was on the BOI side of college green and the other was at the spire. I've always been of the mindset "f*ck 'em, if they want to live they'll move" and just keep going straight and at the same speed. But the same thing always happens, my conscious kicks in and I weave through them and occassionaly shout if I get too concerned that I might hit someone.
The bottom line is that nobody gives consideration until they have the other person's perspective. If they don't cycle through town then they don't think about looking for cyclists with right of way. Just like cyclists will sometimes not wear appropriate/decent lights while cyling at night, but once you have driven a vehicle at night on a dark road then been lucky enough to spot one of those suicidal nutjobs you can appreciate how important lights are

rob1891

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

I think people should cycle with caution in an area like College Green with a lot of pedestrain traffic (including tourists).

They have as much right as any one else to use the road. Some cyclists here sound like motorist when talking about cyclists. Just because you are moving faster does not make you superior.

It's the 900 miles per gallon that makes us superior.

petethedrummer

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

I think people should cycle with caution in an area like College Green with a lot of pedestrain traffic (including tourists).

What about the moral high ground? I expect to be allowed to ride up to 30km/ph in the city centre, irrespective of the surroundings and even if it doesn't take into consideration natural human behaviour.

biomed32

only had one bad near miss which was just on the turn in to work, hard to miss me in my luminous jacket but these two pedestrians walked out in front of me i dodged them only into an oncomming car dodged that only to meet with another pededtrian which i swerved agin this time into a kerb and over the handle bars and into a thorny bush:eek:, i was livid but decided to hold my tounge but if it happens again i will holler before i take the turn in, maybe it will startle them to stay put:D

Nietzschean

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

I think people should cycle with caution in an area like College Green with a lot of pedestrain traffic (including tourists).

Isn't that just stating the obvious?

They have as much right as any one else to use the road.

Pedestrians arn't supposed to be on the road in towns except using cross walks in town. So same right to use the road does sound a little odd. No one ever said the pedestrian's can't cross roads, though looking around you as you illegally cross a road wouldn't be too much to ask?

Some cyclists here sound like motorist when talking about cyclists. Just because you are moving faster does not make you superior.

As regards to cyclists sounding like motorists when talking about cyclists we see... honestly I believe its a good thing. Generally its us ranting about those other cyclists breaking the law in some unsafe manner. The fact we do normally go faster is than crap traffic light breaking POB's is irrelevant. Law abiding and actual safe movement in traffic should make people be considered superior cyclists, in fact the only ones allowed on public roads. If you can't obey the laws then you shouldn't be on the road....


Either way i'd love to see our traffic laws enforced like on the continent, cite drivers/cyclists for running red lights, pedestrians for jay walking.... would avoid alot of minor/not so minor accidents in the city.

Jawgap

petethedrummer wrote: »

What about the moral high ground? I expect to be allowed to ride up to 30km/ph in the city centre, irrespective of the surroundings and even if it doesn't take into consideration natural human behaviour.

the moral high ground?? Is that easier to get to than Sally Gap????:)

rob1891

biomed32 wrote: »

only had one bad near miss which was just on the turn in to work, hard to miss me in my luminous jacket but these two pedestrians walked out in front of me i dodged them only into an oncomming car dodged that only to meet with another pededtrian which i swerved agin this time into a kerb and over the handle bars and into a thorny bush:eek:, i was livid but decided to hold my tounge but if it happens again i will holler before i take the turn in, maybe it will startle them to stay put:D

All I can discern from this incoherent mess is that you are a POB with the handling skills of a B2Wer. Maybe these should be included in the scheme.

So you fell off ,,,,,,comma ?

petethedrummer

Nietzschean wrote: »

If you can't obey the laws then you shouldn't be on the road....

what if the laws are stupid?

Waterfall1975

crazydingo wrote: »

...they don't think about looking for cyclists with right of way....

vehicles don't have right of way, only the right to proceed with caution / if safe to do so. > not speed friendly, but there u have it!

Nietzschean

petethedrummer wrote: »

what if the laws are stupid?

which ones? our cycle lane ones? while I agree those are stupid but I still believe they should be enforced as long as they stand. They would be repealed a lot faster if people were in court over avoiding the giant crator on the foot path. Or the footpath would be fixed.

Nietzschean

Waterfall1975 wrote: »

vehicles don't have right of way, only the right to proceed with caution / if safe to do so. > not speed friendly, but there u have it!

But isn't that exactly what it says if you've right of way somewhere? or pretty much any sort of junction regardless of what it looks like?

petethedrummer

Nietzschean wrote: »

which ones? our cycle lane ones? while I agree those are stupid but I still believe they should be enforced as long as they stand. They would be repealed a lot faster if people were in court over avoiding the giant crator on the foot path. Or the footpath would be fixed.

yeah that one and jaywalking. And cyclists having to religiously obey every light should be revised. I have had a complete u-turn in opinion on obeying traffic lights.

Traffic lights should be turned off at night in certain areas. Or switched to flashing amber. Or flashing Green for primary route flashing amber for secondary feeder roads scenario.

It should be a jailable offence to not let at least one car filter in the queue in front of you at junctions. It should be jailable offence for not thanking the person for letting you in.
Edit: this applies to built-up areas. Rural areas need further thought. will get back to you on this.

buffalo

At the same spot Christmas 2007, I was on the way home from work, and traffic was bumper to bumper. Coming down toward the pedestrian crossing from Pearse St direction, doing a steady pace, but keeping an eye out for any pedestrians coming between the cars... when someone opened their car door into me.

You just can't win.

Harrybelafonte

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I was cycling into town last night for a bit of shopping and I decided to go towards Grafton street, I took the right turn up O'connell street to end up on the right side of Trinity College. This side is usually busy with buses and cabs, and there is that light that beside that that statue.

I was cycling at confortable yet generous speed on my fixie, the light was green, lots of room on the left of all the cabs going way slowler than me, as I was about to pass the lights ( GREEN ), the suddently cabs slowed down because they couldn't go much further there was a bus in the way about 10 metres across the lights. All happening very suddently, the pedestrians started crossing the road ( it was red for them ) ... BIG MISTAKE! ... cause I was coming.

I slammed on my brake, almost hit a few people. They 'caught the bike' rather than got hit but, I am the one who got hit by my own bike when I also most went over the handlebars.

I swore at the all ... F*cking look where you are going, I got the green light.... they all thought I was mad.

Anyway I hate people ... they're not worth it. I hate town too ...

Just wanted to voice my frustration.

Glad you managed to stay on. Wouldn't aplly in this situation but I have begun to take foot out of clips and scrape it along ground at lights hoping the noise will wake them up, same for cycle paths. Obviously wouldn't work fixed though.

Same happened a guy I know on motorbike. Result was not pretty.

ED E

What drives me nuts is when pedestrians crossing the road walk stright in front of you and expect you to stop just because you are on two wheels. I get it all the time on my way into town.

seamus

Yep, the college green crossing on to the big island, and ped. crossing at central bank are easily the two worst in the city. There's zero observation from anyone. I've even had peds stare me out of it in a "Why aren't you stopping?" manner as they saunter across a red ped. light.

DirkVoodoo

Euro Kraut has a point. Yes Caroline was in the right to continue through and the pedestrians should not have been scurrying across through traffic. Unfortunately in the real world this happens and knocking people down with an "I told you so" attitude doesn't endear cyclists to the greater public. Pedestrians are as vulnerable to us as we are to cars, regardless of who is in the wrong, and I think the duty of care rests with the less vulnerable.

Glad you were ok anyway Caroline, town is not fun for cycling at the best of times.

Lumen

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

What drives me nuts is when pedestrians crossing the road walk stright in front of you and expect you to stop just because you are on two wheels. I get it all the time on my way into town.

I find that shouting "BIKE" at them helps a bit.

jusk

...funny how cyclists can see green lights, but rarely see the red ones :rolleyes:

Caroline_ie

jusk wrote: »

...funny how cyclists can see green lights, but rarely see the red ones :rolleyes:

I dont think this is relevent to this thread at all.... troll

DirkVoodoo

jusk wrote: »

...funny how cyclists can see green lights, but rarely see the red ones :rolleyes:

Funny how some people ride into a forum for the first time on a high horse.

Dan Dare

Interesting discussion. A couple of hours ago I was cycling in Cork and was stopped at a red light. The pedestrian crossing lights turned green, and as there were no pedestrians crossing, I cycled across the junction. However the car immediately behind me followed (breaking the red light). Felt a bit guilty about that.

petethedrummer

Dan Dare wrote: »

The pedestrian crossing lights turned green, and as there were no pedestrians crossing, I cycled across the junction.

It may have looked like noone was around, but I'm sure someone could concoct a hypothetical scenario where you would have been responsible for someone's death. Murderer.

Waterfall1975

Nietzschean wrote: »

But isn't that exactly what it says if you've right of way somewhere? or pretty much any sort of junction regardless of what it looks like?

Sorry N, don't understand a word! can u rephrase?

Tayto2000

After a number of similar experiences around dublin, I am picking one of these up over the weekend

http://www.deltacycle.com/product.php?g=1

Should be fun next week

I usually just slow down and weave between the crowds... it falls between asserting a right to be there and not running people over I guess.

crazydingo

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

town is not fun for cycling at the best of times.

I love cycling through town!

Waterfall1975 wrote: »

vehicles don't have right of way, only the right to proceed with caution / if safe to do so. > not speed friendly, but there u have it!

I'll put it another way; Who should have been allowed to proceed through the jumction?

Borneo Fnctn

is_that_so wrote: »

He flew around the corner bellowing "out of the way" and knocked down a poor unfortunate woman.

What a hero. I nearly died laughing after reading that.

jusk

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I dont think this is relevent to this thread at all.... troll

I think it's pretty relevant. Cyclists moan about pedestrians and motorists. Motorist moan about cyclists and pedestrians and pedestrians moan about cyclists and motorists. It's not going to change.

Incidents such as the one you described are all too common - the pedestrians were in the wrong, but you've no reason to be outraged (if you are), and cyclists in general will never get any sympathy or consideration from pedestrians when every day a large proportion of city cyclists pay no attention to traffic lights, cycle on footpaths and generally act like they own the place (I am not saying you do this, but it's widespread!).

This doesn't excuse the pedestrians - they should look before crossing and not follow each other like lemmings.

My point is, this is a pointless thread and my horse is not as high as some other peoples' bicycles apparently.

Is there a pedestrian forum?

Stark

Almost killed one? Fail. Come back to us when you've scored a real MDK.

Extra l33t points if it was at an empty pedestrian crossing when the lights were red