Cyclists on a Backroad

Corkfeen

El Spearo wrote: »

Lived there for a year, and a regular visitor. Cycling there is a primary mode of transport and there are lanes everywhere.

This is not what I am talking about. Once again highlighting I'm on about the sports cyclists who can choose where they do their sport. I like soccer but I don't play on the M50...i play where it is safe and makes sense.

It's only illegal to cycle on motorways.(There's a good reason for that one) In most countries, you will find competitive(and those doing so for leisure) cyclists that cycle on back roads and taking hilly routes for example. It's a fairly awful experience to spend your time cycling on the hard shoulder of a dual carriageway for example. There's no reason that it shouldn't be safe for a person to cycle on back roads.

General General

Asshole pedestrians are the worst. No F.U.C.K.I.N.G hand signals! Ever! The older ones are the worst.

seven_eleven

Jaysus op, dont even try to question cyclists. They're a force not to be reasoned with :eek:

El Inho

poolboy wrote: »

Football on m50 = stupid, cycling on m50 =stupid equating the two = stupid. El spearo =????

right ill adjust that for ya,

playing soccer on a backroad is stupid
cycling on a backroad is stupid

my point was, sports belong somehwere safe. unless cycling is your primary transport please take your bike somwhere safe.

i do take the general asshole point though.....bad drivers annoy the hell out of me just as much as cyclists. i just feel cyclists might be more receptive as it would also benefit the cyclists safety

El Inho

seven_eleven wrote: »

Jaysus op, dont even try to question cyclists. They're a force not to be reasoned with :eek:

gosh darn it i will win them over :P

they just dont realise im in it for them...because next week im going straight through the first cyclist who annoys me :P

woodoo

Pests

wil

Larianne wrote: »

I've seen many asshole cyclists, going through red-lights, not hand signalling, swerving out in front of cars...

I've also seen asshole drivers not indicating, going through pedestrian crossings, parking on paths.

You get assholes.. in general.

And swerving out in front of other cars. Is that an Irish thing.
Do cars no longer come equipped with brakes.?
Many drivers here seem so incapable of anticipating traffic they swerve inside or outside any car that slows down or turns, into the cycle lanes or into oncoming traffic.
ANYTHING rather than pay attention and slow down if there is a gap to scrape through.
Driving instructers, what are ye doing?

Cee-Jay-Cee

El Spearo wrote: »

hence the invention of the bike rack...

this is why i differentiated between sports cyclists and those who cycle for practical reasons..

the feckers who bother me are the pro-looking lads who think the tour de france is on the back roads that wouldn't fit two donkeys past each other on a good day.

The people who have cars, and could easily bring themselves to somewhere safer and more practical

What the fcuk are you doing driving on a road that two donkeys couldn't pass each other on? ...at least two cyclists are thinner and able to pass each other. Its people like you in their big wide cars blocking narrow back roads that's the problem, not cyclists!!

kumate_champ07

El Spearo wrote: »

the roads were developed for motorists...and there is no such thing as a bike tax..so cyclists are free loaders in the roads in my view.

also cyclists who dont use the cycle lanes grind my gears too...

its all fun and games lads, but at the end of the day no matter what happens, you clip a stupid cyclist and no matter whose fault it is its the driver. its nonsense.

actually they were made for horse&carts, and pedestrians. motorways were made for motors. thats why country roads are so narrow

El Inho

wil wrote: »

And swerving out in front of other cars. Is that an Irish thing.
Do cars no longer come equipped with brakes.?
Many drivers here seem so incapable of anticipating traffic they swerve inside or outside any car that slows down or turns, into the cycle lanes or into oncoming traffic.
ANYTHING rather than pay attention and slow down if there is a gap to scrape through.
Driving instructers, what are ye doing?

driving instructors...where people learn to drive....

what training to cyclists have to use the road?

El Inho

CJC999 wrote: »

What the fcuk are you doing driving on a road that two donkeys couldn't pass each other on? ...at least two cyclists are thinner and able to pass each other. Its people like you in their big wide cars blocking narrow back roads that's the problem, not cyclists!!

note to self: do not exaggerate for humour/effect ever online.

Cookie_Monster

El Spearo wrote: »

cycling on a backroad is stupid

how so? Surely that means driving on those roads is also stupid.

El Spearo wrote: »

my point was, sports belong somehwere safe. unless cycling is your primary
transport please take your bike somwhere safe.

get over yourself, a cyclist is fully entitled to be on any road they want bar motorways. They are entitled (and safer) to be two wide and don't have to be in the ditch struggling to stay out of your way. Back roads are safe to cycle, it's just the odd prick of a driver that makes them unsafe.

El Inho

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

how so? Surely that means driving on those roads is also stupid.

get over yourself, a cyclist is fully entitled to be on any road they want bar motorways. They are entitled (and safer) to be two wide and don't have to be in the ditch struggling to stay out of your way. Back roads are safe to cycle, it's just the odd prick of a driver that makes them unsafe.

So cyclists should have their bikes taxed then.

I assure you I am a safe driver, hence why im complaining. Because I get stuck behind these lads with nowhere safe to overtake to miles.

Cookie_Monster

El Spearo wrote: »

driving instructors...where people learn to drive....

what training to cyclists have to use the road?

The ROTR and common sense and a good parent to teach them (one would presume).
A cyclist is not in control of 2 tonnes of steel that can operate at 120kph+ and so does not require the same level of testing and oversight to ensure the safety of other as any consequences and risks are far less drastic and dramatic.

Cookie_Monster

El Spearo wrote: »

So cyclists should have their bikes taxed then.

why?

You pay MOTOR tax for the privilege of pumping our pollution, not any form of ROAD tax. Bikes don't produce said pollution and hence have no need to be taxed for it.
Road are funded centrally from the tax pot and motor tax bears no relation to road maintenance costs.

And for the record bikes have 23% VAT on them, even the safety gear is taxed!

wil

El Spearo wrote: »

gosh darn it i will win them over :P

they just dont realise im in it for them...because next week im going straight through the first cyclist who annoys me :P

Yes there are plenty of crap cyclists out there, many can no longer afford cars, others will get a car.

Its the bad drivers I tend to worry about when I'm behind the wheel.
They kill far more road users.

El Spearo wrote: »

what training to cyclists have to use the road?

Up until recently, pretty much the same as drivers - drive around until you dont get killed. License optional.
Shocks me some of the bad driving by instructers I've seen.

As the car is the killing machine, the onus is a little more on the driver.

El Inho

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

The ROTR and common sense and a good parent to teach them (one would presume).
A cyclist is not in control of 2 tonnes of steel that can operate at 120kph+ and so does not require the same level of testing and oversight to ensure the safety of other as any consequences and risks are far less drastic and dramatic.

I could argue that the actions of cyclists allow them 'control' over anything that is near them on the road.

They are a moving obstacle, which has to be negotiated. A little more cooporation would make the roads safer for everyone involved.

Skylinehead

El Spearo wrote: »

So cyclists should have their bikes taxed then.

There's no such thing as road tax. You pay motor tax, a completely different thing.

Icyseanfitz

you want to know why cyclists cycle 2 abreast? because idiots in trucks and cars are downright dangerous in this country, even more so on busy roads tbh.

ive had so many idiots pull in in front of me on a hard shoulder while im going at 40-50 km per hour for a chat on the mobile phone, ive had tractors pulling slurry tanks go past me with the tanks open spewing ****e all over me on busy roads, ive had idiots being "big men" swerving into the hard shoulder trying to intimidate/frighten me (which it does when i know i could be killed in the blink of an eye) oh and all the exhaust fumes and ****e ive to inhale on bust roads isnt too nice either

By comparison cycling nice quite backroads has been a much nicer experience in general, probably due to the lack of traffic, also in favor of backroads is the fact that they are a much nicer route to cycle, these are the roads that go up mountains, around lakes etc. as opposed to main roads which are for the most part flat straight and boring, but even on nice quite roads ive had incidents where ive nearly been killed

people who actually race/compete at cycling need a challenge to get fitter and faster, main roads dont offer this for the most part.

if everyone just chilled out a little bit and wasnt in such a rush everywhere this country would be a much nicer place

i think every person going for a full license should have to cycle on the roads for a period of time in order for them to realize how vulnerable cyclists actually are

and il put this up here for good measure

Icyseanfitz

El Spearo wrote: »

So cyclists should have their bikes taxed then.

I assure you I am a safe driver, hence why im complaining. Because I get stuck behind these lads with nowhere safe to overtake to miles.

its called motor tax for a reason you know

El Inho

look il admit defeat on a few points. such as the back roads are quieter and cleaner. but to a certain degree this thing of 'drivers chill out' is really annoying.

first of all it insinuates im at fault for being annoyed by cyclists taking over the road and slowing down my commute. Please note that cyclists are in the same column as tractors and grannies for me...

As mentioned if i wasn't complaining it would mean i was taking chances and overtaking cyclists when it was dangerous. alas im a good driver and wait, though impatiently, behind for my chance to overtake safely.

Cookie_Monster

El Spearo wrote: »

They are a moving obstacle, which has to be negotiated. A little more cooporation would make the roads safer for everyone involved.

No, they are another road user with all the rights and privileges that affords them.

marketty

El Spearo wrote: »

Well I do not object to cyclists using the road. By cyclists I mean people who do no drive, and this is their form of transport to get from a to b. But there are hundreds if not thousands of enthusiasts who are taking over the roads and making them notably more dangerous.

Automobiles have far more right to the road as we are the ones who pay the taxes for the upkeep (however crap it is) of said roads. All I'm saying is, it wouldn't kill the sports cyclists to move to a ring road or road with large shoulders, while keeping on the back roads unfortunately could kill them.

You have no problem with people who's sole transport is a bike, but you do with people who own a car but cycle for fun/fitness? But don't those people pay 'road' tax??
Just chill out, go out and get some fresh air and exercise maybe, it's good for the mind and body, helps with the stress

wil

El Spearo wrote: »

I could argue that the actions of cyclists allow them 'control' over anything that is near them on the road.

They are a moving obstacle, which has to be negotiated. A little more cooporation would make the roads safer for everyone involved.

Not a bad thing, the risk is with them, not the driver, cyclists rarely injure drivers.
They are not a moving target waiting to be decimated.

If people are forced to slow down, or overtake at a safe point in the road, perhaps they might be less likely to skim them in their usual driving style.
They may also be more likely to pay attention or get off the phone.
A bit of cooperation from ALL road users equally doesnt go astray.

Might do you the world of good to get on a bike for a while and see how you fare against the "perfect Irish drivers"

El Inho

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

No, they another, very slow, road user with all the rights and privileges that affords them.

FYP

marketty wrote: »

You have no problem with people who's sole transport is a bike, but you do with people who own a car but cycle for fun/fitness? But don't those people pay 'road' tax??
Just chill out, go out and get some fresh air and exercise maybe, it's good for the mind and body, helps with the stress

ah look, i just wanted to rant...i got my rant done, and even some food for thought myself.

Cookie_Monster

El Spearo wrote: »

first of all it insinuates im at fault for being annoyed by cyclists taking over the road and slowing down my commute. Please note that cyclists are in the same column as tractors and grannies for me...

but it is your fault. you are getting needlessly annoyed and frustrated because you can't deal with the fact that these cyclists are there doing what they do, being entitled to it. Find another route if it's that big a deal, or leave earlier, or just chill out and accept it and wait for the chance to pass quickly and safely.
No one is out to purposely slow down your precious commute, and maybe by cycling instead of driving and taking more and more cars off the roads they are actually improving your commute for you in the long run.

endacl

I always cycle two abreast. Even when I'm on my own. Just so I can read these threads.

The roads are there for the use of people, who are entitled to drive (if licensed & taxed), cycle, walk, run, ride donkeys, shuffle along on their bums....

Get over yourself OP. Should everybody just get out of your way? If other people using the roads annoys you, I suggest you pull the duvet up over your head and stay at home.

Cookie_Monster

El Spearo wrote: »

FYP

not really, my average cycling speed is 26-28kph, the current average on my car is 33.

Icyseanfitz

El Spearo wrote: »

look il admit defeat on a few points. such as the back roads are quieter and cleaner. but to a certain degree this thing of 'drivers chill out' is really annoying.

first of all it insinuates im at fault for being annoyed by cyclists taking over the road and slowing down my commute. Please note that cyclists are in the same column as tractors and grannies for me...

As mentioned if i wasn't complaining it would mean i was taking chances and overtaking cyclists when it was dangerous. alas im a good driver and wait, though impatiently, behind for my chance to overtake safely.

you are, they are just as entitled to be there as you are, ive never held anyone up for an extended (few seconds really) period of time while cycling so long as its safe to overtake me, unfortunately its dangerous car/truck users that are causing cyclists to take up much more assertive road positions so as to protect themselves.

every time i go out on a spin i have countless fools overtake me around blind corners with around a foot and a half clearance of me.

for the record i drive a big 2.5 liter landrover and a small hatchback so im no eco nut, but i do have patience and realize that taking the extra minute or two to overtake safely is probably a better option to nearly killing someone

endacl