What Annoys You The Most On The Roads?

Kintarō Hattori

So as a cyclist what really annoys the heck out of you? For me it's the large number of cyclists who whizz by me without any lights. I simply can't fathom why a person can't be bothered to spend a few quid to make themselves visible on the road. A reasonable set of led lights are only a tenner and if you're really cheap they can be had for less than that on the likes of eBay or DealExtreme.

Once or twice I've been so tempted when pulled alongside some of these folk to ask them would they not spend €10 on a set of lights but I've held my tongue and said nothing. My apologies if this topic has been covered before.

mloc123

Anyone that's not me.

snubbleste

I don't like the colour grey. All roads should be brightly coloured.

CramCycle

The roads themselves are the biggest problem I have.

Lumen

People who overtake me when I'm trying.

100Suns, I'm looking at you.

CramCycle

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Once or twice I've been so tempted when pulled alongside some of these folk to ask them would they not spend €10 on a set of lights but I've held my tongue and said nothing. My apologies if this topic has been covered before.

I politely point out that their rear light isn't working or tell them they forgot to turn it on. Several people have then produced lights saying they forgot/didn't bother. One guy dismounted, told me he supposed it wasn't smart and proceeded to walk.

That said, as many have ignored me or told me to F to the K off

My other new pet hate is guys without lights, turning right to cross the canal on a red light and heading straight into oncoming traffic because they are %$^&$%^&%$& as shown below, red indicates cyclist path

califano

Heres one thing that annoys me and its something that seems to be happening a lot more recently.
Your cycling in a bike lane and you happen to be about 25-30yds from a bus stop when whoosh a bus speeds up to overtake and get in front of you and stops right in front of you up close to the curb over the cycle lane at the bus stop impeding your path:mad:. They dont leave the room for you to get up the inside. They cant just bite it and say ah ill just ease of and let him cycle on before pulling in, no they have to beat you to it for the sake of 25yds and take your ground forcing you to go outside them into the fast moving traffic.

kennyb3

Idiots that park in cycling lanes. Seen some tulip park his car in the bus lane outside dcu this evening to pop into eurospar. Blocked up both a busy cycle and bus lane.

Lemag

CramCycle wrote: »

red indicates cyclist path

Are they drunk as well?

Like CramCycle said, my main hate would be the roads and the lack of facilities, I guess.

sy

Potholes

RussellTuring

Taxi drivers.

poochiem

the road. hit something on the road approaching british embassy and it flattened me front. bugger. ninja cyclists are getting really annoying, ive said it to lots of them now, nothing rude just "I can't see ya, youve no lights, if i cant the cars cant"

Canis Lupus

I often cycle without a light (in lit urban areas). It's probably the only major bold thing I do on a bike. I've done it for years and all it requires is awareness of traffic. The only 'dangerous' bit is keeping an eye out for traffic pulling out/crossing your path if you're coming from behind them. For traffic coming from behind me they can easily see me same way I can see pedestrians without them wandering about with lights and reflectors. Wouldn't do it on an unlit country road though.

My biggest hate cycling is pedestrians continually failing to look. If traffic is stopped and I'm going up the inside they'll frequently put a foot out onto the road or just walk straight out without looking as well as when I'm on the main road and they're walking the same direction as I'm going and they cross a side road that I need to turn into and again, cos I can't be heard they don't bother looking. Drives me mental. I don't mind stopping and letting a pedestrian by even if I have right of way, it's just the not looking that bugs me.

Overall I'm a fairly happy cyclist though.

poochiem

^those lads with no lights thinking theyre visible^

Canis Lupus

poochiem wrote: »

^those lads with no lights thinking theyre visible^

Have you ever cycled into an unlit cyclist in a lit urban environment? I know I haven't and I pass them every single night of my commute. Same goes for pedestrians. In fact, in a lit urban environment, if you can't see someone/something for that matter, lights or not in your path, then there's something wrong with your eyes.

poochiem wrote: »

ninja cyclists are getting really annoying, ive said it to lots of them now, nothing rude just "I can't see ya, youve no lights, if i cant the cars cant"

Weird, if you couldn't see them who were you talking to

Captain Havoc

Cyclists who moan at me for having no lights.

Sunnyisland

As a cyclist and a driver i just cant understand people that use our roads who just dont have any courtesy or good normal manners. ps thank you:)

100Suns

snubbleste wrote: »

I don't like the colour grey. All roads should be brightly coloured.

Like this?

http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/33680d1290561331-3.jpg

thebouldwhacker

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Have you ever cycled into an unlit cyclist in a lit urban environment? I know I haven't and I pass them every single night of my commute. Same goes for pedestrians. In fact, in a lit urban environment, if you can't see someone/something for that matter, lights or not in your path, then there's something wrong with your eyes.

100Suns

Getting dropped in a commuter race. Only happened once :pac: photo attached

http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/33678d1290561331-1.jpg

monkeyslayer

dublin day trippers taking dublin bikes for a spin

Idiots.

IngazZagni

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Have you ever cycled into an unlit cyclist in a lit urban environment? I know I haven't and I pass them every single night of my commute. Same goes for pedestrians. In fact, in a lit urban environment, if you can't see someone/something for that matter, lights or not in your path, then there's something wrong with your eyes.

Weird, if you couldn't see them who were you talking to

Pedestrians don't walk on the road, cyclists are on the road. Are you saying it would be okay for a cyclist not to have lights? Certain urban areas are well lit but certain areas are not. I was pulling out of a small lane there recently at night were the street was lit poorly with trees blocking a lot of the light. There was one car coming towards me so I waited for him, did my final look both ways and pulled out. I had barely moved when I slammed on my brakes as this shadow came out of nowhere. It was a cyclist with no lights or high viz and wearing all dark clothes. Luckily I just missed him. However if I had hit him, who would be at fault? Yep, me.
A lit urban environment is no excuse to not have lights, as there are areas that are poorly lit or contain a few broken lights. Do you believe cars should be allowed to turn off their lights in urban areas? Why should cyclists be any different?
Also I have a class 1 medical cert so there is no problem with my vision.

Another thing I hate about certain cyclists are those that ride side by side chatting to each other oblivious to the fact that there are cars trying to overtake them, pure idiocy.

By the way I'm a cyclist too at times and do my best to be well seen and follow the rules of the road.

Canis Lupus

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Facepalm all you like. I'm not seeing your point. I've been cycling lit and unlit for 15 years now in both Dublin and London and I've yet to have an accident and all the close calls I've ever had were in daylight. I also drive and have no issues seeing unlit cyclists, although maybe I haven't been driving over speed bumps....

I fully agree that on unlit country roads lights should be used but get off your high horse regarding city cycling.

Pedestrians don't walk on the road, cyclists are on the road. Are you saying it would be okay for a cyclist not to have lights? Certain urban areas are well lit but certain areas are not. I was pulling out of a small lane there recently at night were the street was lit poorly with trees blocking a lot of the light. There was one car coming towards me so I waited for him, did my final look both ways and pulled out. I had barely moved when I slammed on my brakes as this shadow came out of nowhere. It was a cyclist with no lights or high viz and wearing all dark clothes. Luckily I just missed him. However if I had hit him, who would be at fault? Yep, me.
A lit urban environment is no excuse to not have lights, as there are areas that are poorly lit or contain a few broken lights. Do you believe cars should be allowed to turn off their lights in urban areas? Why should cyclists be any different?
Also I have a class 1 medical cert so there is no problem with my vision.

Another thing I hate about certain cyclists are those that ride side by side chatting to each other oblivious to the fact that there are cars trying to overtake them, pure idiocy.

By the way I'm a cyclist too at times and do my best to be well seen and follow the rules of the road.

He'd have been at fault for cycling without lights and frankly when I'm cycling unlit I don't cross in front of a car pulling out as I'm aware I'm less visible. *shrugs*, I also wear all black and don't wear a helmet!!!!!

BengaLover

1. The state of the roads
2. Council workers hanging about doing nothing while they should be fixing roads
3. People randomly stopping
4. 2 cars, going opposite directions on same road and randomly stopping to chat because its a friend/neighbour/relative
5. People stopping, indicating and then pulling in
6. People pulling in without indicating
7. People who have absolutely no idea how roundabouts work
8. Young lads who have silly noisy exhausts
9. Young lads who have silly noisy exhausts and drive with their windows down and dance music pumping thinking they own it
10. Tractors - should be banned on main roads
11. People who overtake just to get one car ahead of you
12. People who pull out in front of you and go really really slowly
13. Guys eating dirty big breakfast rolls whilst driving

Think thats all areas covered...:D:D:D

chakattack

IngazZagni wrote: »

Another thing I hate about certain cyclists are those that ride side by side chatting to each other oblivious to the fact that there are cars trying to overtake them, pure idiocy.

By the way I'm a cyclist too at times and do my best to be well seen and follow the rules of the road.

You're just displaying your ignorance. Cycling two a breast in a group IS perfectly legal and the safe way to go....prevents risky overtaking manoeuvres and the group is treated the same as a slow moving vehicle (although we pass most tractors out....)

chakattack

Cycling = Zen

Don't stress the small stuff.....

Expect the worst from all road users and you won't be disappointed and often pleasantly surprised.

Anticipate Anticipate Anticipate....use good brake pads and keep your rims clean

What annoys me most on the road? Ice

ollaetta

Really slow cyclists who insist on edging back out in front at traffic lights making it necessary for anyone who has overtaken them to do it again. If you're unlucky with lights you can have to get past the same one several times. Pain in the h*le.

murph226

Theres a factory on the way to work on my side of the road.

Just when I reach the entrance there is these factory workers who deem it neccesary to overtake me before they turn into the factory,
nearly creaming me while they do so!

Could they not slow down a bit and wait a few seconds for me to pass, especially since I'm half way across the entrance by the time they decide they are overtaking me!

I'm sure I'm not the only person who experiences this?

thebouldwhacker

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I fully agree that on unlit country roads lights should be used but get off your high horse regarding city cycling.

The face palm was in reference to the construction of your argument for putting people at risk of knocking you down.
I am happy that you are so talented at cycling that you have done it in two cities however I was not on a high horse......I have a bike outside....

chakattack

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Facepalm all you like. I'm not seeing your point. I've been cycling lit and unlit for 15 years now in both Dublin and London and I've yet to have an accident and all the close calls I've ever had were in daylight. I also drive and have no issues seeing unlit cyclists, although maybe I haven't been driving over speed bumps....

I fully agree that on unlit country roads lights should be used but get off your high horse regarding city cycling.



He'd have been at fault for cycling without lights and frankly when I'm cycling unlit I don't cross in front of a car pulling out as I'm aware I'm less visible. *shrugs*, I also wear all black and don't wear a helmet!!!!!

You might be just lucky but you're gambling with the odds...I can make out ninja cyclists when I'm driving most of the time but only because I'm aware of it and it's usually at the last minute.

Sometimes you have to ride out in front of a car to avoid an obstacle....what do you do then?

Saw someone horsing up the N1 tonight though with some hardcore front lighting...respect

neris

Idiots walking in the cycle lane from sutton to clontarf and idiots on their bikes with no lights (though by the looks of some of them its part of their diet/get fit plan so they,ll be gone in a week or two)

Canis Lupus

chakattack wrote: »

Sometimes you have to ride out in front of a car to avoid an obstacle....what do you do then?

Pop a wheelie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taCa8qBgIFY

tomasrojo

Probably cyclists who are dawdling who then attempt to race you when you overtake them.

(This problem seems worse when you overtake someone while you're cycling a Brompton.)

If I tried to use them, our cycle facilities would probably annoy me the most. By not using them (unless they happen to lie on the part of the road that I would choose to use anyway), I find they annoy me not at all.

buzzingnoise

1. motorists who try to overtake a group of cyclists on small roundabouts.
2. motorists who overtake you only to cut across you into a petrol station.
3. motorists who get within 6 inches of your back tyre when climbing.
4. Motorists who see you, dont indicate and the car behind nearly creams you.
5. Motorists who stop on a main road to let someone out despite there being two lanes to cross.
6. Motorists on mobile phones at roundabouts.
7. Manhole covers that arent flush with the road.
8. Motorists who look at you straight in the face and still pull out in front of you.
9. People who park on hard shoulders and dont indicate when they're pulling-out.
10. Cyclists who don't call left or right or gravel or hole or badger.

michael196

at the end of a long spin, when a car then pulls out in front of you, patience is then non existant for me ,and I tend to overtake the motorist ( usually in town traffic) then block their route by riding in the center of the road ( to avoid another car pulling out in front of me !!


on the issue of lights, if you are a cyclsit and a motorist, you will know that oncoming car beams , while driving, can blind the motorist towards any activity on the kerb side of the car, i.e. an unlit bike, pedestrian , runner . jogger etc

certininly a bigger problem in an unlit country road arena; less of a problem in lit cities, but the risk remains higher when cyclists are unlit.


for me : I routinly do the tallaght to blessington N81 at night: helmet has a flashing red rear facing LED, two small red flashing LEDs on each of the rear down tubes to the sprockets, a brighter red Cat EYE flashing mutli LED under the seat post,

on the front are two white flashing LEDS on each leg of the fork, ( these are great at attracting oncoming cars attention who promptly dip their headlights) and two Sigma power lights . which light up a good 20 to 25 feet ahead of me.

garda cars pass me by on the dark road, so I reckon they can see me and are happy that I am adequatly lit up

Captain Havoc

Whilst not entirely cycling related but when I was driving home from Ballyhoura this evening, some prick was driving right behind me with either a) his full headlights on or b) he just has really bright lights. I felt like stopping the car, I also reckon I clipped the back wheel of my bike off something as it was hanging out a bit (on a carrier).

I saw the red mist last year when a mate and myself were cycling at 40+kph in a 50 zone when some jizz stain on the underpants of the human race comes right up behind us and starts beeping aggressively and then overtakes. Well, talk about red rag to a bull, I was off after him, queue traffic and I caught up with him and I banged on his car and gave him a couple of hand gestures.

Someone said they don't like tractors, how can you not like tractors? Nothing better than cycling behind a tractor.

Numpties that just stroll out into the middle of the street, had to give a shout today (although my throat was kinda blocked so I sounded like bosco).

Cyclists that think they own the road, show some courtesy. Just because you have the legal right to cycle two abreast doesn't mean that you should when there's a queue of traffic, two miles long behind you.

I generally expect stupidity so it doesn't get to me too much but it's anyone being a dick that'll make me see the red mist (yes, I do have road rage issues).

CramCycle

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Have you ever cycled into an unlit cyclist in a lit urban environment? I know I haven't and I pass them every single night of my commute.

YES.

tomasrojo wrote: »

Probably cyclists who are dawdling who then attempt to race you when you overtake them.

(This problem seems worse when you overtake someone while you're cycling a Brompton.)

Was that you on the quays Saturday evening heading from Phoenix Park into town doing about 90 on a Brompton?

monument

The state of roads and cycle lanes.

Hermy

RussellTuring wrote: »

Taxi drivers.

Me too. Far too many of them if you ask me.:pac:

tomasrojo

CramCycle wrote: »

Was that you on the quays Saturday evening heading from Phoenix Park into town doing about 90 on a Brompton?

No, not me. But I bet that the cyclists he was overtaking treated it as a gauntlet thrown down.

Ardennes1944

when people in front of you brake to an almost stop and then put on their indicator and turn!:mad:

CramCycle

tomasrojo wrote: »

No, not me. But I bet that the cyclists he was overtaking treated it as a gauntlet thrown down.

I was impressed and then I got a flat but your right, I was about to hammer it to make me feel more like the big man I am, I'm not ashamed to admit it :eek:

BollickyBill

As an occasional cyclist but most time motorist I have some things to say for and against both sides.
As a cyclist, I hate drivers that don't give you enough room as they pass by. This is especially aimed at "artic" drivers. They just dont seem to know or care what their slipstream does to a cyclist.
I hate bad road surfaces that can buckle wheels.
I hate when contractors, farmers or the council have just cut roadside hedges and made no attempt to clean the road afterwards. Puncture city for sure !!

As a motorist, I hate it when cyclists cycle two or three abreast on country roads when they know there is traffic behind them trying to get past. As a motorist, if I am forced onto the other side of the road to pass cyclists and another car appears out of nowhere, self preservation means that I will always choose to scrape the side of my car with a cyclist rather than risk a head-on with some speeding lunatic.
As a motorist I think that cyclists who cycle through red lights, even when the coast is clear, should get 2 penalty points on their drivers licence if they have one.
As a motorist I hate it when you are stopped in traffic at the lights and a cyclist makes their way to the front. Then when the lights change they wobble away in front of the traffic, holding everybody up because they have forgotten to change into a low gear before they stopped.

In conclusion I would like to remind cyclists of their responsibilities towards their own safety. (take out the earphones) and have an occasional glance over their shoulder. A cyclist is the most fragile and easily damaged thing on the road.
I would also like to encourage motorists to give cyclists their space on the road. So what if you have to slow up for a moment, you'll probably only lose a few seconds which is easily made up but it could mean the difference of getting home safely or not at all for a cyclist.

One last thing for cyclists and motorists, have a second look because you might not have seen it the first time.

Safe home everybody.
BB.

tomasrojo

I saw four taxi drivers who seemed to be fighting with each other over who got to park illegally on the cycle lane in front of the Hilton on Inchicore Road on Saturday night. It brought it home to me that that end of the cycle lane is effectively lost; it's now accepted that it's for parking on.

Maybe they should move the cycle lane onto the footpath there, where it can't be parked on.

In order to stay on topic, I'll say that this incident annoyed me (though it would be more accurate to say it left me a little despondent).

CheGuedara

buzzingnoise wrote: »

1. motorists who try to overtake a group of cyclists on small roundabouts.
2. motorists who overtake you only to cut across you into a petrol station.
3. motorists who get within 6 inches of your back tyre when climbing.
4. Motorists who see you, dont indicate and the car behind nearly creams you.
5. Motorists who stop on a main road to let someone out despite there being two lanes to cross.
6. Motorists on mobile phones at roundabouts.
7. Manhole covers that arent flush with the road.
8. Motorists who look at you straight in the face and still pull out in front of you.
9. People who park on hard shoulders and dont indicate when they're pulling-out.
10. Cyclists who don't call left or right or gravel or hole or badger.

Sh!t, someone beat me to my answer!
(although I've never had reason to call badger!)

Add to that:

11. People who won't do their turn at the front

- and look surprised when told to do a turn after wheelsucking the cr@p out of you for the last 10km!).

12. The super-slippy-zero-friction tar sometimes used to seal the edges of road works (or whatever)

- seen some awful helpless and highspeed falls caused by that stuff. They should find a way to use it in bearings, it's that slippy.

13. New roads where a hard shoulder has been ommitted in its design and instead a shared use 'cycle lane' (non-statutory signage included) the width of a post-it, with an uneven surface and edged with loose gravel is suggested as the correct means for cyclists to navigate the route.

- FFS!

14. Dog owners who laugh from their garden gate as their dog chases passing cyclists

- but is surprised if not distraught when the warden arrives on their doorstep to talk about fido and why his contribution in impromptu red neck intervals is not appreciated).

15. Riders who overtake on the inside.

- I've seen waaay way too much of this in recent times and by riders of both ends of the experience spectrum. Maybe it flies in a race (?) but that's it, other than that don't do it.

biomed32

potholes, i really hate potholes there after ignorant drivers

michael196

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Whilst not entirely cycling related but when I was driving home from Ballyhoura this evening, some prick was driving right behind me with either a) his full headlights on or b) he just has really bright lights. I felt like stopping the car, I also reckon I clipped the back wheel of my bike off something as it was hanging out a bit (on a carrier).

.

I honestly think there are a lot of '' intellectually challanged'' people around who drive cars.....

on most cars there is a dial, so that if ur boot is loaded down or you have passangers more than usual, ur headlights will point more upwards due to your load, there is that switch that re-tilts ur headlights downwards again to compensate for your load in the back


I see it a lot with Jeeps towing trailers on motorways, dipped lights point into space , and blinding the person in front,


If ur lights are lighting up the acbin of the car in front 1) u are too close or 2) adjust ur lights downwards 3) if u dontknow how then a) RTFM or b) ask the dealer how to.


there is a car that I regularily see now on the M11 traveling from wexford to dublin: honestly Peugeot 206 or something, wicklow plates, silver, when the night running lights are on, all three brake lights come on, so it looks like the car is permanaetly braking as it is driving along .....

michael196

which trail in bally houra ? Captain? was there on sunday myself.

ThisRegard

ollaetta wrote: »

Really slow cyclists who insist on edging back out in front at traffic lights making it necessary for anyone who has overtaken them to do it again. If you're unlucky with lights you can have to get past the same one several times. Pain in the h*le.

That is a real bug bear of mine. On a quiet road I don't mind as the same people usually stop in too high a gear and struggle and wobble as they try to take off and you get by them easily. However in the summer along the Grand Canal it's just a bloody nightmare. You arrive at the lights and bar those who break them, most will continue on half way into the road, edging out bit by bit, or more often than not stop right in the middle of the pedestrian crossing as people are crossing.

On the flip side pedestrians crossing against a red light when there's no cars coming, just you, think it's ok to just keep looking at you as they cross slowly in front of you. I've stopped skimming these people as one morning I had a flash of the possibility of my bars getting caught in their clothing or bag and ending up in a heap on the ground.

Chips Lovell

I'm annoyed they don't plant more flowers on the side of the road.