Dangerous/Stupid Cycling

ulinbac

Based on The Times aritcle and the M50 post what are the stupid/dangerous things you (as a cyclist) have seen other cyclists do?

Though its not big, I am surprised with the amount of people that don't wear helmets cyclingIaround London considering the traffic.

You never know, some of us could be doing dangerous things everyday on the bike and unaware and this thread might help......maybe :rolleyes:

yop

Ah great, another stupid cycle thread. Just do a search and it will save a lot of posts

Beasty

It's Friday so we'll see how it goes - do not turn this into a helmet thread though - there's a separate Megathread on that topic (linked from the FAQs)

Cookie_Monster

I am surprised with the amount of people that don't wear helmets cyclingIaround London considering the traffic

people wearing hi-vis vests when not cycling on building sites

humbert

I've seen cyclists not use a cycle path where one is provided.

Cookie_Monster

cycling on the footpad

Raam

Saw a bloke cycle into a signpost once. He was looking to his right and didn't see it straight ahead of him.

Felloffmebike

Oh what the heck... At the risk of turning this into another row, what about people wearing headphones listening to music while they cycle. Surely you need all your senses, well sight and hearing anyway, when out on the bike. You sort of need to hear the traffic sneaking up behind you.. But I see an awful lot of people out there with the headphones in ..

TinyExplosions

Going for a swim before having a spin, then for some reason running -that's just stupid!

quozl

Raam wrote: »

Saw a bloke cycle into a signpost once. He was looking to his right and didn't see it straight ahead of him.

Saw a girl walk into a signpost once on Dawson street.

Signposts are too dangerous, we should get rid of them.

Tombo2001

To be fair, OP is a cyclist and not a cyclist basher (unless you can be both.....oh....)

Well anyway.

One stupid thing I did once.....

In the phoenix park, doing laps in the very heavy rain, absolutely pelting down, wind in my face. I was cycling with my head down looking maybe 6 feet ahead of me as i went along.

Cycled into the back of a parked car.

Parked illegally mind, where normally cars are never parked, but stationary nonetheless.

Chips Lovell

I go to races almost weekly. But by far the biggest number of crashes I've seen have been outside my office on Harcourt Street. Its a regular occurrence to see people faceplanting on the Luas tracks. And yet you still see muppets cycling up them.

seamus

As related to me by a buddy this morning...

Highlight of my morning cycle to work...

Stopped at college green cross road, near screen cinema...

One cyclist breaks red light, shouts at another cyclist, also breaking red light, about dangerous cycling

When I worked on Harcourt street, I also saw quite a few faceplants on the Luas tracks by people cycling the wrong way. No sympathy whatsoever. Karma, or something.

julio_iglayzis

I was flipping off a lad in a BWM who had passed a bit to close for comfort and ended up cycling into the back of a parked bus, much to his and the 170 people waiting at the bus stop's amusement.
Damn, I'm smooth.:o

Lumen

I think this thread should be restricted to "stupid shít I've done myself". It's much funnier.

galwaycyclist

julio_iglayzis wrote: »

I was flipping off a lad in a BWM who had passed a bit to close for comfort and ended up cycling into the back of a parked bus, much to his and the 170 people waiting at the bus stop's amusement.
Damn, I'm smooth.:o

I once saw a lad cycle at speed through a group of people crossing at a zebra crossing. There was a bus pulled up about 10m further up the road and he went straight into the back of it.

I laughed so hard I thought I was going to injure something.

Jawgap

A chap 'speeding' passed me and dodging through the level crossing at Sutton and getting caught between the gates :D:D:D - he was like a rat in a trap........and to compound it, a motorbike cop came up along the queue and gave him a b0ll1cking!

....a chap trying to bunny hop a Dublin Bike onto the central reservation on O'Connell St, and failing miserably to the point of clipping the kerb and getting flung off.

Face plants on the Luas line in Abbey Street - seen them and done it once - didn't think my wheel would fit into the groove / channel (it was chunky MTB wheel) - it did

heybaby

As a cyclist myself it does my nut when I see cyclists break red lights and cycling the wrong way down a cycling lane !!??

TinyExplosions

Lumen wrote: »

I think this thread should be restricted to "stupid shít I've done myself". It's much funnier.

Coming out of Messrs telling all my colleagues I wasn't that drunk, and was in a fine state to cycle home, climbing aboard and 5 feet later going straight into a massive pothole, faceplanting in front of everyone.... smooth operator here

buffalo

Lumen wrote: »

I think this thread should be restricted to "stupid shít I've done myself". It's much funnier.

I cycled into the back of a car once, smashed the rear windscreen with my face. Stupid but awesome! :pac:

Lumen

A couple of years ago I was demonstrating my awesome no-hands cycling skills to my kids in the Phoenix Park, lost control and faceplanted.

"Maybe wear a helmet next time, daddy".

Yeah, thanks.

Saruman

humbert wrote: »

I've seen cyclists not use a cycle path where one is provided.

I think some are so anti cycle path, that where there is one on a road, where they all say they should be in the first place, they will cycle to the right of the cycle lane, leaving it empty and cycle on the road part of the road. It defies logic.

I saw one cyclist almost hit a pedestrian where he had a red light, they a green but of course lights are optional to some cyclists so he kept going, almost hit someone and in avoiding them he came off his bike. Sadly he was uninjured.

I'm a cyclist myself sometimes and I obey the rules of the road. I use the bloody cycle lanes, even where somewhat inconvenient.

Kav0777

Lumen wrote: »

A couple of years ago I was demonstrating my awesome no-hands cycling skills to my kids in the Phoenix Park, lost control and faceplanted.

"Maybe wear a helmet next time, daddy".

Yeah, thanks.

".......and that, kids, is why you always keep your hands on the bars. Now give Daddy a minute..."

Chips Lovell

Saruman wrote: »

I think some are so anti cycle path, that where there is one on a road, where they all say they should be in the first place, they will cycle to the right of the cycle lane, leaving it empty and cycle on the road part of the road. It defies logic.

I frequently do this myself. Usually because the surface in the lane is in bits or its strewn with broken glass.

Chips Lovell

I saw someone doing a time trial last night on their steel commuter bike with downtube shifters and a dynamo light, turned on. He also missed his start time.

DirkVoodoo

Saruman wrote: »

I think some are so anti cycle path, that where there is one on a road, where they all say they should be in the first place, they will cycle to the right of the cycle lane, leaving it empty and cycle on the road part of the road. It defies logic.

How is that a question of logic. You want logic fails:

I cycled from Belfield towards town yesterday, took the bus lane down the N11 along the stretch before the bus garage. There are two blue signs close to each other. One shows a bike/bus share bus lane space, the other shows a bike/pedestrian shared footpath. Yet I have been nearly side swiped for cycling in the bus lane.

Heading in the opposite direction and using the cycle path, my wheels nearly got shredded by the hidden glass shards as the path snaked behind the bus shelter.

Go figure. Cycle paths aren't all they appear to be, and generally not suitable on a ROAD bike in my opinion.

cjt156

Saruman wrote: »

I use the bloody cycle lanes, even where somewhat inconvenient.

Even the ones that are full of glass, stones, potholes and slippy, wet man-hole covers? Cycle lanes are not mandatory; I cycle where the surface is good.

Jawgap

Saruman wrote: »

I think some are so anti cycle path, that where there is one on a road, where they all say they should be in the first place, they will cycle to the right of the cycle lane, leaving it empty and cycle on the road part of the road. It defies logic.

I saw one cyclist almost hit a pedestrian where he had a red light, they a green but of course lights are optional to some cyclists so he kept going, almost hit someone and in avoiding them he came off his bike. Sadly he was uninjured.

I'm a cyclist myself sometimes and I obey the rules of the road. I use the bloody cycle lanes, even where somewhat inconvenient.

......these cycle lanes

Felloffmebike

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Going for a swim before having a spin, then for some reason running -that's just stupid!

.
Nice one ..

Surveyor11

Getting up at 5am on Sunday to get to the W200 for 7am. Pretty stupid, looking back......

rp

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

I think some are so anti cycle path, that where there is one on a road, where they all say they should be in the first place, they will cycle to the right of the cycle lane, leaving it empty and cycle on the road part of the road. It defies logic.

I frequently do this myself. Usually because the surface in the lane is in bits or its strewn with broken glass.

Also you'll need to do that approaching certain junctions, to be sure you can see and be seen vis-a-vis traffic emerging from the junction

rp

Saruman wrote: »

I obey the rules of the road. I use the bloody cycle lanes

What is the connection between the two statements?

funkyjebus

I have only crashed into car once and it was my fault completely.

I was cycling down Pearse St (towards town) and as I was coming to the intersection at Pearse Station and BMW pulled across me, pulled in and parked in the cycle lane, so I swung around him just before I came to the lights (which were green).

Obviously I started shouting all sorts of abuse at him, staring at him to my left as I rode past. I was berating him so good, that I didn't notice the traffic in front of me has stopped (yellow box) and I went smack into the back of a taxi and properly crashed, I ended up about 7 foot from my bike.

Taxi man was very nice about it. I couldn't bring myself to look at the BMW driver though, I just knew he would be laughing, I didn't need validation.

Neeless to say, I felt like a tit. Karma is a cruel mistress at times.

HomelessMidge

Saruman wrote: »

I think some are so anti cycle path, that where there is one on a road, where they all say they should be in the first place, they will cycle to the right of the cycle lane, leaving it empty and cycle on the road part of the road. It defies logic.

I saw one cyclist almost hit a pedestrian where he had a red light, they a green but of course lights are optional to some cyclists so he kept going, almost hit someone and in avoiding them he came off his bike. Sadly he was uninjured.

I'm a cyclist myself sometimes and I obey the rules of the road. I use the bloody cycle lanes, even where somewhat inconvenient.

I cycle a road bike daily and sometimes i have to stay out of the cycle lane! My wheels are not made for potholes and sewage grates. Plus those big dublin city road sweepers, yeah they just sweep everything into the cycle lane. Atleast once a day i will run into glass in a cycle lane.

Dermot Illogical

Kav0777 wrote: »

".......and that, kids, is why you always keep your hands on the bars. Now give Daddy a minute..."

If ever there was a "Did you notice the deliberate mistake I made there?" moment, that was it.

goose06

Leaving the Barge one night and my mate was fairly hammered, me being slightly less intoxicated decided I'd cycle his bike home rather than have him risk it. Anyway I cycled it home and I was a sweaty mess thinking this cycling drunk is hard bloody work. Woke up next morning to drop the bike back to him and noticed some little git had let the air out of the tubes while we'd been in the pub :rolleyes:

Dermot Illogical

Saruman wrote: »

I'm a cyclist myself sometimes and I obey the rules of the road. I use the bloody cycle lanes, even where somewhat inconvenient.

You do know they aren't mandatory, right? Do you just plow on ahead through potholes while you're at it?

Squidgy Black

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

You do know they aren't mandatory, right? Do you just plow on ahead through potholes while you're at it?

I wonder does he just cycle right into the back of parked cars in the lanes also, for fear of leaving the cycle lane.

brianomc

Me last night on a road I'd never cycled on before. Waiting patiently at the traffic lights in a filter lane for turning right. Wondering why nobody was queueing up behind me as the road was fairly busy, suddenly realised there was no filter lane, I was on the wrong side of the road so I shuffle-cycled onto the traffic island until the lights went green.

Luckily it was on those junctions where traffice can only come from one side at a time. The worst part was I was kind of lost and was meant to be going straight on in the first place.

Saruman

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

You do know they aren't mandatory, right? Do you just plow on ahead through potholes while you're at it?

I didn't know that the mandatory nature of cycle lanes was no longer the case. I see it was changed last year.

That said, I clearly don't aim for pot holes and patches of glass and everything else people have been saying in this thread.
The fact that some of these obstacles exist in some places on some cycle lanes is not reason to avoid them completely.
Use some common sense.

Some cycle lanes are rubbish, of course they are.

Hmmzis

Saruman wrote: »

Most cycle lanes are rubbish, of course they are.

There, fixed that for you.

paddydriver

quozl wrote: »

Saw a girl walk into a signpost once on Dawson street.

Signposts are too dangerous, we should get rid of them.

Am assuming the phone was broken too:P

paddydriver

Hmmzis wrote: »

There, fixed that for you.

Only since starting back into cycling in last year or two that I realise how absolutely sh!te the cycle lanes are. More so since the cold weather destroyed all the pink surface. Hope the councils have been back for refunds on all that stuff..

DirkVoodoo

Saruman wrote: »

That said, I clearly don't aim for pot holes and patches of glass and everything else people have been saying in this thread.
The fact that some of these obstacles exist in some places on some cycle lanes is not reason to avoid them completely.
Use some common sense.

Eh, hard to see glass when it is only visible as you pass over it. Lots of lanes snake left and right, are in heavy shade, etc.

Also, most of the cycle paths that you are talking about tend to be above street level. So you are either on them or off them, you can't "partially" avoid them.

petethedrummer

brianomc wrote: »

Me last night

I agree with this approach.

You should have to give account of your own stupidity before having a go at others.

Me: I have on occasion drafted a bus.

Others: This morning I saw a guy on a bike undertaking on the left and immediately turn right across the front of a car going straight through a junction. He wrongly assumed the car was also turning right.

valleyoftheunos

the majority of cycle lanes are a mess, either actively dangerous because of their condition or effectively useless because of their layout and positioning, Whats the use of 100 Meters of cycle lane on a footpath that then simply comes to a halt and doesn't carry on or spits you out on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic?

rp

Saruman wrote: »

The fact that some of these obstacles exist in some places on some cycle lanes is not reason to avoid them completely.

To ride safely, you cannot not be influenced by what someone in an office, with no experience of cycling or knowledge of cycle-lane design best-practice (e.g., BYPAD) has dreamt up.
As well as the poor surface conditions and bad road positioning already mentioned, it's my experience that motorists drive right to the edge of the cycle lane, dangerously passing much closer than they would on an unmarked road.
It's no wonder that studies in the UK and Germany show that likelihood of injury or death is up to 1/3rd greater for cycle lane users over road users.

Kav0777

petethedrummer wrote: »

I agree with this approach.

You should have to give account of your own stupidity before having a go at others.

Me: I have on occasion drafted a bus.

Others: This morning I saw a guy on a bike undertaking on the left and immediately turn right across the front of a car going straight through a junction. He wrongly assumed the car was also turning right.

Me: I was stopped in a line of traffic behind a van at a red light. The lights went green and the traffic started to move so I pushed off and looked down to clip in......bang...I hit the back of the van which had stopped.... The lights had turned red with just enough time for one car to get through. So, quick changing lights + my complete inattention to what's going on around me = profuse apologies & a large dollop of humble pie.

Others: As I was coming home from work along the north quays recently, I cycled up behind a man wobbling up the road on a BSO approaching the junction at Tara St. Bridge, heading towards Amien Street. The lights were red as we approached with buses and cars queuing up to turn left, and just as we got to the queue the lights changed to green. I stayed behind the traffic, unsure whether the cars would head to Gardiner Street or Amien Street but fairly confident that the bus at the front would be pulling in around the corner, but the fella on the BSO decides to squeeze up beside the bus at the front before it starts to move. He didn’t make it in time but still gamely pressed on (with what seemed like the mastermind philosophy of life “I’ve started so I’ll finish”) as the bus began to turn left. I honestly, thought he was going to get crushed under the bus and I let an involuntary shout “Don’t do it, Stay behind!.... For the love of God!”. The bus jammed on mid-turn, and our hero seemingly oblivious, wobbled onwards towards Amien Street. I was left at the back of the queue feeling a little sick in the pit of my stomach after witnessing such a close call, but mostly embarrassed at what must’ve looked to everyone around shouting out random words..

Saruman

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Also, most of the cycle paths that you are talking about tend to be above street level. So you are either on them or off them, you can't "partially" avoid them.

What do you mean that I'm talking about? I specifically said in my original post that I was talking about cyclists avoiding cycle lanes on a road and cycling to the right of them. Such as a bus lane with a cycle lane painted to the left, they cycle to the right of the cycle lane.

I'm not talking about cycle lanes beside foot paths etc.

To me, proper cycle lanes are road level, not part of a path and have safety barriers to keep cyclists and cars apart. Like the grand canal cycle lane, another one that is avoided by many cyclists.

DirkVoodoo

Saruman wrote: »

What do you mean that I'm talking about? I specifically said in my original post that I was talking about cyclists avoiding cycle lanes on a road and cycling to the right of them. Such as a bus lane with a cycle lane painted to the left, they cycle to the right of the cycle lane.

I can honestly say I've never seen that and I cycle along the rock road daily.

The only times I move outside the on-road cycle lane are:

1) By the toyota garage, lane is badly cut up by cars/trailers parking on it
2) just up ahead, when the circus comes to town, again parking on it
3) just up ahead a bit more again, more people parking on it, lots of drain/access covers.

Even so, do you drive a bus or a taxi with passengers? Why do bus drivers get annoyed when they are held up?

EDIT: The grand canal cycle lane that routes you down by a bad stretch of cobbles near the docks and has high kerbs so you can't easily make a left turn should you need to?

dogsears

Saruman wrote: »

To me, proper cycle lanes are road level, not part of a path and have safety barriers to keep cyclists and cars apart.

Do these exist in Ireland? I'm not a Dub so I'm not familiar with the grand canal cycle lane referred to, but I've never seen a cycle lane separated from the road by a safety barrier.