Buffalo & Doozerie - The mild musings of two grumpy old men!

doozerie

Leroy42 wrote: »

^ so the moral of the story is that the woman was right!

Eh, no. If there is any moral to this story it's that muppets come in all forms. Some of them ride bikes and fully expect others to put themselves in danger at their "request", some others sit in cars and fidget randomly with their indicators.

check_six

doozerie wrote: »

Eh, no. If there is any moral to this story it's that muppets come in all forms.
...some others sit in cars and fidget randomly with their indicators.

Probably unfamiliar with that particular control device. They were just giving the indicator stalk a wiggle for the hell of it to see what happened next.

See also fog light controls.

magicbastarder

you were clearly - wilfully and maliciously - blocking her view of said indicator by being in front of her, so how was she to know what the taxi was doing?

CramCycle

I had a teenager ride into the back of me last week because they thought I was going to roll on through the light and pedestrians. They apologised and looked sheepish, but after about 5 seconds of waiting decided they were going to go round me. No real comprehension of why i might have randomly stopped there.

doozerie

magicbastarder wrote: »

you were clearly - wilfully and maliciously - blocking her view of said indicator by being in front of her, so how was she to know what the taxi was doing?

Are you calling me FAT?

doozerie

check_six wrote: »

Probably unfamiliar with that particular control device. They were just giving the indicator stalk a wiggle for the hell of it to see what happened next.

See also fog light controls.

It's highly likely that that driver, like so many, has no idea what an indicator actually is. He may have flicked the lever and sat watching the flashing light and thinking "It's working!", "No, it's not working", "It's working!", "No, it's not working", etc.

RobertFoster

doozerie wrote: »

Are you calling me FAT?

Let's just say you'd make a better door than a window...

NamelessPhil

He's not fat, he's just big biked.

doozerie

NamelessPhil wrote: »

He's not fat, he's just big biked.

Does my bum make this bike look big?

Apparently, yes! :eek:

CramCycle

Damn light runners again. This morning, all stopped in Shankill where the Lollipop person works. About to step out and a girl rolls through, oblivious to the near miss because she thought she was grand as cars had stopped. Then just passed Stillorgan, guy went halfway through a junction on red but instead of completing it, stopped halfway over to rest on the island bollard, so his rear wheel was now impinging on traffic and his front wheel was doing the same. People, if they had brains they would be dangerous.

Eamonnator

CramCycle wrote: »

Damn light runners again. This morning, all stopped in Shankill where the Lollipop person works. About to step out and a girl rolls through, oblivious to the near miss because she thought she was grand as cars had stopped. Then just passed Stillorgan, guy went halfway through a junction on red but instead of completing it, stopped halfway over to rest on the island bollard, so his rear wheel was now impinging on traffic and his front wheel was doing the same. People, if they had brains they would be dangerous.

If they had two brains, they'd be twice as dangerous!

CramCycle

Eamonnator wrote: »

If they had two brains, they'd be twice as dangerous!

As my neighbour used to say, having "brains" is not a sign of intelligence.

magicbastarder

had a minor enough interaction with a driver this morning about him being in the cycle lane, but the most irritating thing about it was that i had then to use a cycle path i'd usually avoid, cos otherwise he'd have seen me using the road and would have thought 'you pillocking hypocrite'.

Doc07

magicbastarder wrote: »

had a minor enough interaction with a driver this morning about him being in the cycle lane, but the most irritating thing about it was that i had then to use a cycle path i'd usually avoid, cos otherwise he'd have seen me using the road and would have thought 'you pillocking hypocrite'.

Car sheepishly crossing lanes yesterday am to make a left hand turn at Harold’s Cross at the lights where you have to go into bus lane( the V) Myself and another cyclist spot this and slow down. Cyclist behind sprints around us to opportunistically overtake into a small gap and make lights and almost collided with car ( good bike handling in fairness)
Berates driver very aggressively. Now I know what’s its like to get a fright on a bike and be vulnerable and adrenaline flows but IMHO he was an arse&ole.
It’s not always possible to be in the correct lane in time in many parts of the city and driver was trying to signal and waive their intent to cross over, everybody else yielded. Driver was trying to get kids to school not mow down pesky cyclists.

CramCycle

Jeebus. Local facebook group was giving out about cyclists on the Shankill N11 roundabout being dangerous. Now passing through it every day, the majority of cyclists don't even use it, probably less than 5%. I pointed out that unlike many of the road users there, at least I knew how to use a roundabout including indicating, correct lane, changing lane and observation. This morning was a prime example of why I am not the danger.

In the right lane as I am taking the third exit. Two cars behind me, we are all waiting for a break to move out. Just as we get it, a 181 comes in on the left lane, comes beside me on the roundabout and wheels struggling with grip as it corners. I know as soon as I look at him, no indicator, looking straight through me, he is going to go around. I have to slow to allow him to pass for my own safety. He gets onto the N11 and promptly swerves from the left lane to the right lane so he can gun it past a few cars. It is pretty grey and murky, no lights on, no indicators, no lane manners. Every fuppin morning there is an idiot there, and yet somehow, I am the one who gets given out about online.

Fian

Two incidents on my way in this morning. I was running later than usual - not sure if that impacted or not but i felt all the drivers around me were just not on their game. Maybe they were all running late as well!

As I was approaching the canal I needed to pull into the right most lane, because I turn right off leesons street towards fitzwilliam square, after crossing the canal. I had a feeling one car who was well back was going to ignore me and sure enough she accelerates and pushes through teh lane to my right. OK after her I cross over to the rightmost lane, I am on the left of the rightmost lane, or the right of the middle lane. As I am crossing the bridge the driver of a range rover who is level with me in the rightmost lane decides she wants to go straight on so she starts drifting towards me, forcing me to swerve to my left. She is looking at me as she does so. I let out a roar at her and she just gesticulates that she wants to go straight on, then she brakes and lets me proceed on, passing to my left behind me. That second one was scary and very annoying.

I don't like Mondays.

nomdeboardie

Fian wrote: »

Two incidents on my way in this morning. I was running later than usual - not sure if that impacted or not but i felt all the drivers around me were just not on their game. Maybe they were all running late as well!

As I was approaching the canal I needed to pull into the right most lane, because I turn right off leesons street towards fitzwilliam square, after crossing the canal. I had a feeling one car who was well back was going to ignore me and sure enough she accelerates and pushes through teh lane to my right. OK after her I cross over to the rightmost lane, I am on the left of the rightmost lane, or the right of the middle lane. As I am crossing the bridge the driver of a range rover who is level with me in the rightmost lane decides she wants to go straight on so she starts drifting towards me, forcing me to swerve to my left. She is looking at me as she does so. I let out a roar at her and she just gesticulates that she wants to go straight on, then she brakes and lets me proceed on, passing to my left behind me. That second one was scary and very annoying.

I don't like Mondays.

Horrible. I suppose the thing to do is fully "take the (right) lane" so they are forced to confront the fact that you are right-turning traffic, but I realise it's difficult, and they'll probably still do dangerous swerve-arounds :mad:

nomdeboardie

CramCycle wrote: »

Jeebus. Local facebook group was giving out about cyclists on the Shankhill N11 roundabout being dangerous. Now passing through it every day, the majority of cyclists don't even use it, probably less than 5%. I pointed out that unlike many of the road users there, at least I knew how to use a roundabout including indicating, correct lane, changing lane and observation. This morning was a prime example of why I am not the danger.

In the right lane as I am taking the third exit. Two cars behind me, we are all waiting for a break to move out. Just as we get it, a 181 comes in on the left lane, comes beside me on the roundabout and wheels struggling with grip as it corners. I know as soon as I look at him, no indicator, looking straight through me, he is going to go around. I have to slow to allow him to pass for my own safety. He gets onto the N11 and promptly swerves from the left lane to the right lane so he can gun it past a few cars. It is pretty grey and murky, no lights on, no indicators, no lane manners. Every fuppin morning there is an idiot there, and yet somehow, I am the one who gets given out about online.

Ugh. Not fully clear about which entrance and exit you were using, but think from Shankill towards Loughlinstown(?) I hate that place - think I've only gone around the roundabout proper once or twice and have grumpily stuck to the cycle lane, crossing the road to the ropey two-way coming from Shankill :mad:

nomdeboardie

Don’t even get me started about the string of 4 of roundabouts at Carrickmines...

CramCycle

nomdeboardie wrote: »

Ugh. Not fully clear about which entrance and exit you were using, but think from Shankill towards Loughlinstown(?) I hate that place - think I've only gone around the roundabout proper once or twice and have grumpily stuck to the cycle lane, crossing the road to the ropey two-way coming from Shankill :mad:

Coming from Shankill and turning right to head towards town. I use the cycle lane on the return leg as it cuts out the roundabout.

cjt156

CramCycle wrote: »

Coming from Shankill and turning right to head towards town. I use the cycle lane on the return leg as it cuts out the roundabout.

Personally I'd always use the cycle lane both ways as that roundabout just isn't worth the hassle.
I know its a pain crossing over & back but at least you have ped/cycle crossings at your disposal.

Gasco

CramCycle wrote: »

Coming from Shankill and turning right to head towards town. I use the cycle lane on the return leg as it cuts out the roundabout.

On the way into town I avoid that whole mess by taking the left after the Applegreen and coming down past the Silver Tassie (or whatever it is called these days). I think most drivers are still in motorway mode getting to that roundabout, I have had similar experiences to yours Cram - not a nice place on the bike.

Plastik

CramCycle wrote: »

Jeebus. Local facebook group was giving out about cyclists on the Shankill N11 roundabout being dangerous. Now passing through it every day, the majority of cyclists don't even use it, probably less than 5%. I pointed out that unlike many of the road users there, at least I knew how to use a roundabout including indicating, correct lane, changing lane and observation. This morning was a prime example of why I am not the danger.

In the right lane as I am taking the third exit. Two cars behind me, we are all waiting for a break to move out. Just as we get it, a 181 comes in on the left lane, comes beside me on the roundabout and wheels struggling with grip as it corners. I know as soon as I look at him, no indicator, looking straight through me, he is going to go around. I have to slow to allow him to pass for my own safety. He gets onto the N11 and promptly swerves from the left lane to the right lane so he can gun it past a few cars. It is pretty grey and murky, no lights on, no indicators, no lane manners. Every fuppin morning there is an idiot there, and yet somehow, I am the one who gets given out about online.

Are "they" giving out about cyclists using the right lane for the 3rd exit or using the left lane and going all the way around? I use it inbound daily and use the left lane everytime as I find it's safer for exiting to the left lane of the N11 and taking the exit for Whelans. I've very rarely had a problem on the roundabout with traffic.

cjt156

Plastik wrote: »

Are "they" giving out about cyclists using the right lane for the 3rd exit or using the left lane and going all the way around? I use it inbound daily and use the left lane everytime as I find it's safer for exiting to the left lane of the N11 and taking the exit for Whelans. I've very rarely had a problem on the roundabout with traffic.

So you take the third exit off a roundabout from the left lane?

CramCycle

Plastik wrote: »

Are "they" giving out about cyclists using the right lane for the 3rd exit or using the left lane and going all the way around? I use it inbound daily and use the left lane everytime as I find it's safer for exiting to the left lane of the N11 and taking the exit for Whelans. I've very rarely had a problem on the roundabout with traffic.

Just giving out about cyclist using the roundabout in general.

The only traffic I accept using the left lane to turn right on that roundabout are buses as they have a bus lane nearly up to the roundabout, and they indicate and the fact that they are DB so there is really only one place they are going.

I have seen cyclists using the left lane, and I nearly always see cars jump out from the M11 (left side) in front of them. I take the right lane (as is good etiquette) and indicate clearly, I never have issues with people who follow the best practices for roundabouts.

Every day though, cars coming southbound, turning right and going in on the left lane for Loughlinstown, not indicating, or indicating the wrong way (FFS, I had someone turning right on a roundabout tell me you had to indicate left as you entered, I just closed my eyes and never got a lift with the dimwit again).

Plastik

cjt156 wrote: »

So you take the third exit off a roundabout from the left lane?

On that roundabout, on the bike, I do. I find it's safer to take primary position in the centre-right of the left lane on entry to and around the roundabout from Shankill, and to follow the left lane around to the third exit so that it leaves me exiting onto a dual carraigeway in the left lane where I'm taking a slip-exit on the left 200m away.

Fair play for using the cycling 'infrastructure' there but it's completely deficient and not worth the hassle.

CramCycle

Well nothing to be proud of this morning. Coming past Stillorgan/Oatlands college and the usual mess of cars not willing to wait and clogging the junction. Muppet on a bike beside me goes through a red, at the same time a car goes through a crossing red (the cyclist was about to go green) and an angry near miss was had by all with both parties thinking they were in the right.

Anyway, a little further up, where you can turn left just after the pedestrian crossing, a car came out from the traffic line, into the bus lane to take the left but I was already there. i could have slammed on or any number of things. Instead i let a roar and punched the wing mirror as I continued on. It was not my finest hour. The driver needless to say was surprised by my existence and looked confused as to what was happening.

Alek

Scenery: lights known for red light jumpers in the morning.

Me: waiting at lights
Green light: goes on
1st car: passes on their red
2nd car: squeezes past the 1st
3rd car: tries to follow suit
Me: pretends to move forward, the front wheel goes slightly in their way, forcing the car to stop and block the traffic. Lesson learned, so I give them a wave to move on.
3rd car passenger: shouts obscenities while passing.



The whole thing took 3-4 seconds, was most likely slightly frustrating to people behind me, but if cars will jump the red without anyone ever giving a shoite, it will never stop.

<vigilante mode off>

nomdeboardie

Gasco wrote: »

On the way into town I avoid that whole mess by taking the left after the Applegreen and coming down past the Silver Tassie (or whatever it is called these days). I think most drivers are still in motorway mode getting to that roundabout, I have had similar experiences to yours Cram - not a nice place on the bike.

That's an idea - a bit longer, but more pleasant

buffalo

I had a close pass at the weekend, and then the guy slowed up and came back alongside me to tell me I should be on the cycle track.

Does anyone ever fantasize about just leaping through the window in those cases? I mean, I don't think it would work considering the cleats, and even if I unclipped, the bike would probably be fecked under the back wheels of the car, or at least bounced along the ground at speed.

The deliberate close pass is such a bully move when the driver has the advantage of a more powerful force. So part of me would love to see the the reaction as I dived in on top of them, superman-style, and grabbed them by the lapels to roar into their face how much of an arsehat they are. Who's got the power now?

Missed my opportunity yesterday anyway. Maybe next time.