Idiot on road

keithdelahunty

Out for my Saturday Cycle this morning and out at back of airport (Naul Rd) and an idiot in a white van drove by me and hit me with a half full coke bottle in the head. Luckily he did not hit bike as I would have been off as traveling about 28km/hr

ozzy jr

You get the reg?

I cycle out that way a lot. Hope you weren't badly hurt.

sullzz

There are some f***ing idiots out there , yesterday I was cycling back roads near dunboyne , a jeep came around corner on wrong side of road , phone stuck to drivers ear , luckily he wasn't travelling too fast , but either way he ended up in one ditch and I ended up in the other , no damage done to my bike except broken pump holder , jeep came off a bit worse , I snapped at the driver , he had the cheek to ask me what I was thinking cycling these roads , I told him I have been cycling them roads for years , just never met a bol**x like him on them.

keithdelahunty

Didn't get license plate as was in shock at what happened and he was driving fast.

purple cow

Surely this qualifies as an assault? I would report to the guards. Presumably with a description of the van, time and location, the guards could locate some CCTV footage that captured the van? Especially out by the airport, I'm guessing there's plenty of CCTV coverage around the perimeter.

Love2u

keithdelahunty wrote: »

Out for my Saturday Cycle this morning and out at back of airport (Naul Rd) and an idiot in a white van drove by me and hit me with a half full coke bottle in the head. Luckily he did not hit bike as I would have been off as traveling about 28km/hr

That is low! First they assault you and secondly they put litter on to our streets. Arrrrrrrggggggggg..................disgusting!!

Love2u

sullzz wrote: »

There are some f***ing idiots out there , yesterday I was cycling back roads near dunboyne , a jeep came around corner on wrong side of road , phone stuck to drivers ear , luckily he wasn't travelling too fast , but either way he ended up in one ditch and I ended up in the other , no damage done to my bike except broken pump holder , jeep came off a bit worse , I snapped at the driver , he had the cheek to ask me what I was thinking cycling these roads , I told him I have been cycling them roads for years , just never met a bol**x like him on them.

I love the attitude of car drivers when your cycling, " what are you thinking cycling these roads". Probably never cycled a bike in their life. Ugh!!

Squidgy Black

Was cycling home from town one day when a car full of travellers decide to pull up to me and were basically screaming and laughing at me for a good 2 miles, no idea why. Then they start trying to push me into the curb and sped off. Some pure scum on the roads alright.

hueylewis

Sorry to hear that OP. Some sociopathic idiots out there. Years and years ago while climbing a hill, I was stopped by a car full of late-twenties scumbags asking for directions, only for them to hop out and pelt me with eggs as I tried to accelerate up a hill, before hopping back in the car and speeding off. My mind was divided 1% seeing the humour in it, 99% desire to chase them down and throw a rock through their windscreen. Obviously a bottle of liquid has a bit more chance of knocking you off course, so I hope you're ok.

531

That happened a few times in my part of the world a few years ago, seemed like a craze a the time. It is difficult to get the reg. no. when you're in shock.

I was cycling my commuter a few years ago when some asshole in a car grabbed at the rear view mirror I have on it. I got a start and he could have knocked me off. I got his reg and reported it. Gardai confirmed the make of car with me asked if I wanted to press charges. I asked that he just contact and have a word with them, hopefully frighten them into having more sense.

If you can, get reg and always report to Gardai if possible.

I hope you're ok, OP, it is not a pleasant experience.

feck sake lads

yeah a little **** hit me with a plastic bottle ,on the ardee rd few years back. the brave souls sped off laughing there heads off.

slap/dash

It's always the way. They speed off. Funny that they'd be afraid of a mamil in pastels!

ericzeking

There is definitely an increase in aggressive behaviour towards cyclists since the announcement of the 'clampdown'... I'm convinced of it.

Astala

Some really unacceptable behaviour from drivers here.

Of course, cyclists are not all angels.

I'd like to get your opinion on something which happened to me a week ago. Being a cyclist myself, I always take care not to encroach or risk them in anyway when I'm driving. Yet, are cyclists allowed to go two abreast when cycling on a main road? We were driving behind two cyclists who were literally taking up the whole road. There was a huge tail-back and they refused to go single file, or even move into the hard-shoulder. It seemed incredible at the time. We had to wait until we actually got to a wider part of the road and there were no dangerous bends to overtake them. It was like they had the attitude, "Well I'm a cyclist, I have rights!"

Now, like I said, I'm a cyclist too, but they were creating dangers not only for themselves but for drivers as well.

Aka Ishur

Not wanting to get in a mods way but yes they are allowed go two abreast but manners would suggest moving into the hard shoulder for a spell to let any queue go past.

edit- and they are not 'creating any danger' by the way, danger is only created when an impatient driver takes a unwise decision.

Laundry_Hamper

On the Belgooly to Kinsale road this evening, some prick in the passenger seat of a panel van leaned out the window and literally tried to punch me in the head. Didn't make contact as he didn't seem to take the van's speed into account, relative to myself I don't think his fist ever actually started moving towards me. Shouted "get off" as the van drove away. I didn't react as my brain was trying to process all of the WTF that just took place.

Astala

Aka Ishur wrote: »

Not wanting to get in a mods way but yes they are allowed go two abreast but manners would suggest moving into the hard shoulder for a spell to let any queue go past.

edit- and they are not 'creating any danger' by the way, danger is only created when an impatient driver takes a unwise decision.

I understand, but when they travel two abreast, they block the road. The line of cars were hardly going to keep at 20kph on a 100 kph road without overtaking. They were ignorantly keeping two abreast.

Thanks for clearing that up. They were indeed lacking in manners!

rollingscone

It must have been a hell of a narrow road? I'm from rural Wicklow and there are no roads so narrow that you couldn't get 1.5m clearance.

It is polite to let traffic past if you can, but there seems to be an expectation by motorists that cyclists throw themselves in the ditch and let themselves get trapped in it for the next twenty minutes while people speed by (West wicklow, where Speed limits are treated as minimums).

Callipo

keithdelahunty wrote: »

Out for my Saturday Cycle this morning and out at back of airport (Naul Rd) and an idiot in a white van drove by me and hit me with a half full coke bottle in the head. Luckily he did not hit bike as I would have been off as traveling about 28km/hr

Pretty sh1tty thing to happen. But it is just because some people are assh0les, not because you are on a bike.

I was walking down Walkinstown Road a few days ago and some sh1thead passenger in a van decided to blast me with one of those rifle type water pistols.

Idiot missed too.

As a cyclist I am seriously considering carrying some ball bearings with me, for no real reason.

For the drivers out there, I drive 90% of the time and I like to think I am considerate and OBSERVANT regardless of my mode of transport, or even walking.

No Pants

Astala wrote: »

We had to wait until we actually got to a wider part of the road and there were no dangerous bends to overtake them.

Can you imagine...

Squidgy Black

Yeah they're allowed by the R.O.T.R to cycle two abreast, however it's common courtesy to pull into single file if there's traffic behind you and there's no space for them to overtake.

People cycling two abreast on the cycle path in Clontarf is another situation altogether now, especially when they're going at a snails pace. Blocking up a two way path, tut tut.

enas

Astala wrote: »

We had to wait until we actually got to a wider part of the road and there were no dangerous bends to overtake them.

I could even go as far as speculate that this was indeed the intended purpose. But of course, without knowing the specifics of the road, and without being in their mind, that's pure speculation.

EDIT: Sorry, should have seen somebody already made a similar point

on_the_nickel

Laundry_Hamper wrote: »

On the Belgooly to Kinsale road this evening, some prick in the passenger seat of a panel van leaned out the window and literally tried to punch me in the head. Didn't make contact as he didn't seem to take the van's speed into account, relative to myself I don't think his fist ever actually started moving towards me. Shouted "get off" as the van drove away. I didn't react as my brain was trying to process all of the WTF that just took place.

Woah, hate that stretch. Would the Virgin Mary statue be a witness?

magicbastarder

Astala wrote: »

We had to wait until we actually got to a wider part of the road and there were no dangerous bends to overtake them.

you had to wait until there were no dangerous bends before you could overtake, and you're *complaining* about that?

Stark

Hmm, if there was a good hard shoulder, then it would have been rude not to use it. Although I'm not familiar with the road, so there could have been issues there, some hard shoulders aren't safe to use. As for forcing you to overtake when it was safe to do so and not on a dangerous bend, sounds like they were doing the exact right thing by cycling two abreast. What would you have done if you were overtaking cyclists cycling single file and someone came against you round the bend, run the cyclists into the ditch?

No Pants

Astala wrote: »

they were creating dangers not only for themselves but for drivers as well.

Could you please elaborate on the dangers they were creating for drivers?

Gone Anon

keithdelahunty wrote: »

Out for my Saturday Cycle this morning and out at back of airport (Naul Rd) and an idiot in a white van drove by me and hit me with a half full coke bottle in the head. Luckily he did not hit bike as I would have been off as traveling about 28km/hr

What did you do to deserve this ? We're you swerving about like a lunatic like most cyclists?

Idleater

Gone Anon wrote: »

We're you swerving about like a lunatic like most cyclists?

Probably on the phone like most drivers :rolleyes:

Ffs

Chips Lovell

Gone Anon wrote: »

What did you do to deserve this ? We're you swerving about like a lunatic like most cyclists?

Trolling isn't tolerated here. Carded

Jack Kyle

Astala wrote: »

Some really unacceptable behaviour from drivers here.

Of course, cyclists are not all angels.

I'd like to get your opinion on something which happened to me a week ago. Being a cyclist myself, I always take care not to encroach or risk them in anyway when I'm driving. Yet, are cyclists allowed to go two abreast when cycling on a main road? We were driving behind two cyclists who were literally taking up the whole road. There was a huge tail-back and they refused to go single file, or even move into the hard-shoulder. It seemed incredible at the time. We had to wait until we actually got to a wider part of the road and there were no dangerous bends to overtake them. It was like they had the attitude, "Well I'm a cyclist, I have rights!"

Now, like I said, I'm a cyclist too, but they were creating dangers not only for themselves but for drivers as well.

You should have blasted them out of it with your horn.

Inconsiderate people.

Surveyor11

Jack Kyle wrote: »

You should have blasted them out of it with your horn.

Inconsiderate people.

More insightful posts jack. A car horn is not there to express your ignorance towards other road users. Do us all a favour and blow your horn somewhere else.

Surveyor11

No Pants wrote: »

Could you please elaborate on the dangers they were creating for drivers?

In fairness a level of cop on needs to be exercised. If we're on a group spin on a narrow stretch, we will single up to let cars pass. Wider road, it's back to 2 abreast. A lot of motorists need to chill out, it's not all about you and your car, but cyclists need to recognise where potential dangerous situations can arise as well. Last thin you want is some clown overtaking into on coming traffic on blind corners, which more than often is the case

thesimpsons

theres a good wide hard on my regular route but its terrible for cycling on (rough surface littered with debris and glass) so I cycle on main road. even though its dual carriageway cars will still virtually refuse to move into their outside lane to overtake me instead preferring to wind blast me as they pass beeping and gesturing into the hard shoulder.

No Pants

Surveyor11 wrote: »

In fairness a level of cop on needs to be exercised. If we're on a group spin on a narrow stretch, we will single up to let cars pass. Wider road, it's back to 2 abreast. A lot of motorists need to chill out, it's not all about you and your car, but cyclists need to recognise where potential dangerous situations can arise as well. Last thin you want is some clown overtaking into on coming traffic on blind corners, which more than often is the case

I agree, but the poster stated that they had to wait until the road widened before they could overtake, which suggests that the road wasn't wide enough to overtake. Moving into single file would only encourage close overtaking.

By the way, I'm generally out on the bike on my own, so this situation doesn't arise for me. However, the hard shoulder is not always usable, part of the N2 being an example and I still get the occasional close overtake.

on_the_nickel

I don't know why these threads always descend into them vs us. It's a road, we all use it and a bit of cop on, respect and patience will make everyone's day a little easier.

Anyone I ride with, we go single file when it's safe to do, (i.e not inviting cars to nudge past us when there's no room). When I'm on my own, if I'm aware I'm holding cars up, I'll wave them through when I can see it's safe. When it's not (e.g. approaching a blind corner/hidden dip), I'll move well out to make sure they don't try to overtake - I've seen enough near misses first hand, thanks. Otherwise, I'll stick a healthy distance from the hedge/kerb so I don't have to ride over or around the glass, gravel and litter.

What I won't do, and hello to the gentleman in the Merc on the South Ring last Friday angrily telling me to do so, is move to the other side of traffic cones where roadworks are taking place just so you can get past me (doing 40kph in a 60 kph zone) without having to experience that critical, day-spoiling 5 second delay.

hueylewis

on_the_nickel wrote: »

I don't know why these threads always descend into them vs us. It's a road, we all use it and a bit of cop on, respect and patience will make everyone's day a little easier.

Anyone I ride with, we go single file when it's safe to do, (i.e not inviting cars to nudge past us when there's no room). When I'm on my own, if I'm aware I'm holding cars up, I'll wave them through when I can see it's safe. When it's not (e.g. approaching a blind corner/hidden dip), I'll move well out to make sure they don't try to overtake - I've seen enough near misses first hand, thanks. Otherwise, I'll stick a healthy distance from the hedge/kerb so I don't have to ride over or around the glass, gravel and litter.

What I won't do, and hello to the gentleman in the Merc on the South Ring last Friday angrily telling me to do so, is move to the other side of traffic cones where roadworks are taking place just so you can get past me (doing 40kph in a 60 kph zone) without having to experience that critical, day-spoiling 5 second delay.

Agree with this, but I'd offer a word of caution for anyone waving cars on. I used to do it quite a bit - thinking, I know it's clear ahead where the cars behind might not, so I'll wave and leave it up to them if they want to trust me and pass considerately. Last week climbing a hill, a guy in his 4x4 BMW was right up behind me for a few corners, so when I exited a corner to a section that I know is quite straight with a large enough distance of visibility of the opposite lane, I waved him on out of courtesy. Guy revs up, squeezes past me within a foot of my right side, only to stop as soon as he got past me (about 5 seconds after originally waving him on) to turn right into a house. Not sure what his thinking was at all. If he didn't trust that I knew it was safe to overtake and leave space, he should have stayed where he was, especially so close to his destination.

Surveyor11

hueylewis wrote: »

Agree with this, but I'd offer a word of caution for anyone waving cars on. I used to do it quite a bit - thinking, I know it's clear ahead where the cars behind might not, so I'll wave and leave it up to them if they want to trust me and pass considerately. Last week climbing a hill, a guy in his 4x4 BMW was right up behind me for a few corners, so when I exited a corner to a section that I know is quite straight with a large enough distance of visibility of the opposite lane, I waved him on out of courtesy. Guy revs up, squeezes past me within a foot of my right side, only to stop as soon as he got past me (about 5 seconds after originally waving him on) to turn right into a house. Not sure what his thinking was at all. If he didn't trust that I knew it was safe to overtake and leave space, he should have stayed where he was, especially so close to his destination.

In the motorists eyes you'll never regain those 5 precious seconds.

Wary about waving cars on myself. What's even worse is where a car pulls in left across you after you've waved them on.

Jack Kyle

The biggest problem on this forum when it comes to the motorist / cyclist debate is that the motorists and cyclists that are a menace aren't present.

We're all talking about the knobjockeys that we meet on a regular basis while they're off causing mayhem.

Surveyor11

Jack Kyle wrote: »

The biggest problem on this forum when it comes to the motorist / cyclist debate is that the motorists and cyclists that are a menace aren't present.

We're all talking about the knobjockeys that we meet on a regular basis while they're off causing mayhem.

Well you're stock reply has been to 'blow cyclists of the road with your horn' on the commuting forum, so not sure where you're going with this?

It boils down to common respect for all road users. As a nation we do this poorly. People need to chill out.

feck sake lads

yeah but it boozers like these freds that give the rest of us a bad name.:mad:

Wishbone Ash

on_the_nickel wrote: »

I don't know why these threads always descend into them vs us. It's a road, we all use it and a bit of cop on, respect and patience will make everyone's day a little easier.

Anyone I ride with, we go single file when it's safe to do, (i.e not inviting cars to nudge past us when there's no room). When I'm on my own, if I'm aware I'm holding cars up, I'll wave them through when I can see it's safe. When it's not (e.g. approaching a blind corner/hidden dip), I'll move well out to make sure they don't try to overtake - I've seen enough near misses first hand, thanks. Otherwise, I'll stick a healthy distance from the hedge/kerb so I don't have to ride over or around the glass, gravel and litter.

What I won't do, and hello to the gentleman in the Merc on the South Ring last Friday angrily telling me to do so, is move to the other side of traffic cones where roadworks are taking place just so you can get past me (doing 40kph in a 60 kph zone) without having to experience that critical, day-spoiling 5 second delay.

Very poor practice and known as 'misplaced courtesy'. You should never make a gesture to another motorist which may encourage them to make a particular manoeuvre. You could fail a driving test for doing something similar. Always leave it up to the other person to decide - regardless of how safe you may think it is.

a148pro

I met an idiot on the path last night. Along the canal luas tracks at inchicore - boardsies please note, this area is NOT a cycle lane, though there are cycle lanes either side of the stretch.

So I'm walking along with my one year old on my hip showing him flowers, ducks etc when I hear a grunt of 'right' from behind me. Now not being in a peleton at the time this actually has the effect of arousing my interest and causes me to turn to the right to see what it is. The fact i've a reasonable weight on my right hip means that the turning effectively causes me to swerve right a small bit also. But there was prob at least a foot between me and the lycra clad twat who whizzed past me so it was fine. On what is actually a footpath.

I cycle a lot but imo the cyclonazis are as bad as the driving nazis. Don't cycle at speeds on footpaths. And if you think you are on a cycle land, or are on an actual cycle lane which pedestrians use, like in the phoenix park where no one really realizes it's a cycle lane, rather than being indignant and aggressive just slow down, it's easier for everyone.

enas

a148pro wrote: »

I cycle a lot but imo the cyclonazis are as bad as the driving nazis.

I do sympathise with you on this one. But when you start using such terms, you're losing me, and probably other people too.

brayblue24

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Very poor practice and known as 'misplaced courtesy'. You should never make a gesture to another motorist which may encourage them to make a particular manoeuvre. You could fail a driving test for doing something similar. Always leave it up to the other person to decide - regardless of how safe you may think it is.

+1

Couldn't have put it better myself. Watch any emergency services driver on the road. they are trained never to gesture like this for exactly that reason