Gardi to tackle cycle menaces

Varied

Brilliant, when there's real work to be done, the Guards aren't there to do it.

opinion guy

Itzy wrote: »

It's about time the Gardai started cracking down on the stupidity of cyclists and pedestrians.

Whilst you are generalising - you forgot taxi drivers :rolleyes:

JuliusCaesar

Skrynesaver wrote: »

the notion that I should be using the cycle lane on the foot path from Finglas down to the Tolka valley is insane, I'm doing 50->60KPH on that stretch and the cycle lane has a bus stop in it, there is no way I'm going to obey the current law that I should use the available cycle lane where it endangers myself or others.

Two questions for you: What's the speed limit on that road? Are your brakes as effective and as safe as a cars'?

opinion guy wrote: »

....I just don't get why people go so mental about cyclists - I can only think it is jealousy on the part of motorists at being passed out by cyclists.

See above....

SerialComplaint wrote: »

Paris have recently passed a law to allow cyclists to break a red light when turning left. It avoid having a group of cyclists building up at a junction - great idea.

Turning left in Paris uses the same kind of action as turning RIGHT in Ireland or the UK. I presume you mean a French right turn, which is the equivalent to turning LEFT here.

Ray Dow

Murders, robberies assaults and kidnappings are at record levels and this is their response??

woodoo

SerialComplaint wrote: »

You don't pay any road tax either - pest.

I sure do.

magicbastarder

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Two questions for you: What's the speed limit on that road? Are your brakes as effective and as safe as a cars'?

60kph on that road.
a car can emergency brake a bit more rapidly than a bike - seems to be related to the danger of going over the handlebars, or skidding, which drops the bike's braking performance a bit below that of a car.

SerialComplaint

woodoo wrote: »

I sure do.

Oh no you don't - go check it out.

humbert

woodoo wrote: »

I sure do.

Oh no you don't!

EDIT: Snap.

magicbastarder

i suspect this exchange is related to it actually being called motor tax or some name other than road tax.

humbert

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

How do Gardai intend to catch some of these rogue cyclists?

It should be fun seeing some cycle chases across the rush hour traffic.

lycra lout on his super light Reynolds 531 steel framed fixie VS a Garda on his ton weight full laden mountain bike in hot pursuit bumping on and off curbs and breaking traffic lights

Gardai will have to upgrade to something sportier. : )

Actually I have to say, a lot of the cycle gardai in Keven St. are seriously fit. I'm pretty fit and wouldn't like my odds.

humbert

magicbastarder wrote: »

i suspect this exchange is related to it actually being called motor tax or some name other than road tax.

Which is a significant distinction as paying road tax would give you a sense of greater entitlement to use the road but paying motor tax doesn't.

The Bishop Basher

Chinasea wrote: »

WTF are cars parking for in cycle lanes ? most of these are just downright ignorant.

Just cause it might not be illegal (and I doubt that) fecken cars should not be parking in the few cycle lanes that we have.

A bit like the way cyclists constantly remind us that they are legally entitles to cycle in pairs or in the middle if the road blocking traffic. Doesn't make it right though.

magicbastarder

Swanner wrote: »

A bit like the way cyclists constantly remind us that they are legally entitles to cycle in pairs or in the middle if the road blocking traffic. Doesn't make it right though.

well, two cyclists cycling abreast at 20mph *are* making more efficient use of the road than one motorist driving at 40mph, and taking up less space in the process...

SerialComplaint

Swanner wrote: »

A bit like the way cyclists constantly remind us that they are legally entitles to cycle in pairs or in the middle if the road blocking traffic.

Cyclists don't block traffic. Cyclists ARE traffic.

magicbastarder wrote: »

i suspect this exchange is related to it actually being called motor tax or some name other than road tax.

Spoilsport.

To be honest, even it is was called road tax, it really has nothing to do with the roads. It's just a label. It all goes into the pot. You could make an arguement about not being entitled to an MRI in hospital because road tax pays for that, or not being entitled to a REPS payment for the sheep, because road tax pays for that. The amount collected on motor tax comes nowhere near the amount spent on roads.

And many, many cyclists pay motor tax too - they just don't have time to sit around in traffic, so they cycle.

dearg lady

Matt_Trakker wrote: »

And fine people €500 for not wearing a helmet. I cannot understand why a person would get on a bicycle without a helmet. And yea sure feck it, same fine for not wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle & talking/texting on the phone.

If they bring in a law making helmets while cycling mandatory, cycling numbers will almost certainly drop. Increased cycling numbers do a lot to improve cyclist safety. Helmets, if used correctly, can help to prevent injuries in very specific circumstances. Much of the time they are useless. Some studies have even shown that motorists drive closer to a cyclist wearing a helmet, than one who is not. A fine for not using a helmet is quite frankly a terrible idea.

Easy Rod wrote: »

I've cycled, walked and driven in Dublin city centre and from each vantage point I have given out about the other two doing stupid things and endangering others.

TL; DR -People are stupid, not bikes or cars.

+1 it really is that simple!

The Bishop Basher

magicbastarder wrote: »

well, two cyclists cycling abreast at 20mph *are* making more efficient use of the road than one motorist driving at 40mph, and taking up less space in the process...

But not if I have 4 people in the car travelling at 100kph. It's a bit of a pointless argument though.

dearg lady

SiegHeilNosey wrote: »

the vast majority of problems ive had with cyclists involved them breaking red lights and nearly killing me, the pedestrian, when i have a green man.

This happens atleast once a week on my 2KM walk from ballsbridge to pearse st every mornin. Anyone who walks that route will have seen it.

Ive never seen a cyclist get a ticket, ive seen gardai stop them, but never giving a ticket and just sending them off after a quick dressing down which is a joke.

I'm not saying that is ok, it's definitely not, but the amount of pedestrians that wander out in front of my bike is unreal. In the city centre this could easily happen to me 5 or 10 times on a 30 minute cycle. It's constant and it's very annoying.

magicbastarder

people often raise the point of cyclists getting penalty points; penalty points (someone tell me if i'm wrong) apply to your licence to drive.
how do you endorse someone's licence to cycle when you do not need a licence to?

The Bishop Basher

SerialComplaint wrote: »

Cyclists don't block traffic. Cyclists ARE traffic.

Even of we were to agree on that point it still doesn't address the hypocrisy.

B.A._Baracus

So we are going to get arrested for j-walking? :P

magicbastarder

are you referring to the practice where cyclists cycle two abreast to control overtaking manouevres?

The Bishop Basher

magicbastarder wrote: »

are you referring to the practice where cyclists cycle two abreast to control overtaking manouevres?

Yes. Yet again I was blocked by 2 cyclists on a straight road for no good reason for about 2 miles last weekend. All they had to do was cycle in single file and allow the build up of traffic behind to pass but no, they took it upon themselves to takeover that stretch of road and hold everyone else up. Then they wonder why motorists get frustrated with them.

Run_to_da_hills

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

So we are going to get arrested for j-walking? :P

Hopefully, J Walkers are the scourge of all road users including motorists, motorcyclists and cyclists.

A Cyclist on the road is like a hemophiliac in a royal rumble and they still have the audacity to scream at drivers to be careful.
But this law is obviously done to make money. I have seen police drive by drugys to fine somebody on the bike. These are the same police that are understaffed by the way ! Stupid Stupid Stupid.

All cyclists are guilty of is being slightly pricky

Bradidup

Why don't Gardai deploy facial recognition CCTV to detect rogue cyclists that run traffic lights etc. surely this would free up staff that could be used for more useful tasks.

dearg lady

magicbastarder wrote: »

people often raise the point of cyclists getting penalty points; penalty points (someone tell me if i'm wrong) apply to your licence to drive.
how do you endorse someone's licence to cycle when you do not need a licence to?

A lot of cyclists would have a driving licence, but unless all cyclists have one, it just doesn't seem feasible.

Pace2008

smash wrote: »

Don't know why anyone thanked this. It's not the job of traffic corps and the average cop on the beat to track down gangland scumbags!

Populist rhetoric raking in Thanks in AH? Well I never.

Cookie_Monster

Swanner wrote: »

Yes. Yet again I was blocked by 2 cyclists on a straight road for no good reason for about 2 miles last weekend. All they had to do was cycle in single file and allow the build up of traffic behind to pass but no, they took it upon themselves to takeover that stretch of road and hold everyone else up. Then they wonder why motorists get frustrated with them.

because it's safer, it stops driver blindly overtaking, they have to slow and actually think about it, and you are done in one manoeuvre rather than prolonging it overtaking a longer distance if they were in a line.
They are perfectly entitled to cycle two abreast without any issues, just because you think you are inconvenienced slightly.
If you can't pay two abreast due to road conditions then you should not be overtaking a single file either as you clearly couldn't give the required space while passing.

JuliusCaesar

dearg lady wrote: »

the amount of pedestrians that wander out in front of my bike is unreal. In the city centre this could easily happen to me 5 or 10 times on a 30 minute cycle. It's constant and it's very annoying.

This is why I have a bell on my bike, and I'm not afraid to use it.







Shame so many people have earphones plugged in, and can't hear anything else at all.

Hootanany

Off with there heads.