Cam commuting from Maynooth area to Dublin?

bemak

I drive into work from Maynooth area every morning and as traffic is just mental at the moment I'm getting very jealous of the people with motorbikes and scooters zipping in between cars.

I've seen a lot of riders with cameras - would love to see what my commute is like as a biker on my commute if anyone has a video they wouldn't mind sharing. I've been tempted a few times to get a bike but I don't think I'd be "allowed" :rolleyes:

D3V!L

bemak wrote: »

I drive into work from Maynooth area every morning and as traffic is just mental at the moment I'm getting very jealous of the people with motorbikes and scooters zipping in between cars.

I've seen a lot of riders with cameras - would love to see what my commute is like as a biker on my commute if anyone has a video they wouldn't mind sharing. I've been tempted a few times to get a bike but I don't think I'd be "allowed" :rolleyes:

Have you driven a bike before and do you have a licence ?. Whilst i wholeheartedly recommend them for commuting, its going to be a trial by fire for a newbie.

bemak

I've only really driven quads so I'd know the mechanics of it but driving a bike would be completely different. The Leinster Driving Campus near Maynooth do a Motorbike Taster Course for €120 which I think I'll do just to see if I like it.

I sent them an email last week but haven't heard back yet. Maybe they've stopped doing it. Do people know of other places that do it? I haven't really seen similar courses elsewhere? I suppose the fact that they have their own private 'road network' allows them to do this.

antiskeptic

bemak wrote: »

I drive into work from Maynooth area every morning and as traffic is just mental at the moment I'm getting very jealous of the people with motorbikes and scooters zipping in between cars.

I did Bray to Finglas through town for maybe 10 years and zipping isn't quite the word I'd use. Once you hit traffic you're into a situation where there is an almost limitless number of avenues down which danger will approach.

Car doors open (school kid alighting or drivers emptying ashtrays). Car's switch to what they think is the faster moving lane. Car's u-turn. Car's nip into bus lane early to take that left turn ahead, more focused on whether there's a cop up ahead. Car's jam on just as your cutting in behind them to get to the next part of the maze, car drivers looking at their mobiles and unexpectedly drifting off line, people appear out in front of vans and buses.

Every week or so, I'd see bits of bike debris on the ground from an hour old bike crash. Or see a motorbike/scooter propped against a wall with it's front stove in. On more than a few occasions, I'd see the crash itself, biker thrown into the air, shoes flung off by the impact for those who reckoned to commute in office gear, a veritable explosion of plastic and glass.

You cut your speed, you take wide berths where possible, you accept nails in your rear tyre whilst riding in the hard shoulder - versus travelling between two lines of traffic in a twitchy section of tailbacked motorway, you eye passenger seats for untoward movement, you trail a sacrificial lamb biker intent on zipping through cars.

Biking on open roads is one thing. Commuting is quite another: an exercise in survival. You will certainly not be bored doing it. But neither will you be zipping. At least, hopefully, not for long.

antiskeptic

My advice when considering biking for commuting in traffic would be:

1. Realise it's a dangerous activity at any time. And exponentially dangerous for the inexperienced. You've to set the attractions (less time wasted commuting, which add to quality of life) against the pitfalls (risk of death or serious injury subtracting from your quality of life). Is the potential price worth the benefits?


2. Focus on training. Get some top quality, sustained training - something which targets the route you've to travel, as well as basic bike and road craft. The budget focus of a newbie tends to sway more towards bike than training.

3. Spend time away from commuting until you've a decent command of the bike: cornering, braking, etc. And an decent appreciation it's more important brother, roadcraft. Don't go headlong into commuting

4. Pick optimum conditions for commuting: good weather, bright. Avoid bad weather/dark and suffer the car. You've enough areas of risk to encounter and learn from in ideal conditions, without adding bad weather and the dark into the mix.

5. Stick to defensive riding from the start. Forget the idea of zipping anywhere (where zipping indicates a care-free view of commuting biking)

bemak

antiskeptic wrote: »

I did Bray to Finglas through town for maybe 10 years and zipping isn't quite the word I'd use. Once you hit traffic you're into a situation where there is an almost limitless number of avenues down which danger will approach.

This is exactly why I was wondering if anyone had a cam of their commute. I realize it's a completely different kettle of fish compared to driving a car to work so I'd like to see first hand what it's like from someone who know's what they're doing. Wouldn't have to be the M4. Any Dublin commute would be interesting to see

Lumen

My son has a go pro and a chest harness. I might see if I can get it working. Give me a day or so.

As someone posted on the other thread, motorcycling punishes incaution severely, but it is possible to do safely whilst still arriving faster than by car (and you get free parking!).

Richard tea

I commute that section (M4) I delete footage every day so I have nothing at the moment. Giving my shift work all early commutes, it will be in the dark now so footage is not great. Joining at Maynooth it will take you 15 mins to hit the quays even in bad traffic. Where the bike really pays off is when there is a crash on the M4 and cars are at a stand still. You can proceed at extreme caution and only add a slight delay to your commute. I find 90% of drivers will give you plenty of room to pass by. There is the odd driver that will purposely drive in the center line blocking your pass but this is easily circumnavigated when a gap appears. Like everything in the biking world plan every manoeuvre and no crazy stuff.

Just to add I have spot led lights fitted to the bike also and I found these great for filtering.

bemak

Richard tea wrote: »

I commute that section (M4) I delete footage every day so I have nothing at the moment. Giving my shift work all early commutes, it will be in the dark now so footage is not great. Joining at Maynooth it will take you 15 mins to hit the quays even in bad traffic. Where the bike really pays off is when there is a crash on the M4 and cars are at a stand still. You can proceed at extreme caution and only add a slight delay to your commute. I find 90% of drivers will give you plenty of room to pass by. There is the odd driver that will purposely drive in the center line blocking your pass but this is easily circumnavigated when a gap appears. Like everything in the biking world plan every manoeuvre and no crazy stuff.

Just to add I have spot led lights fitted to the bike also and I found these great for filtering.

Traffic probably isn't too bad for you either at that hour in the morning. 15mins from Maynooth to the quays is something else though. I think I might have done that once at 6am one Sunday morning! :rolleyes:

Richard tea

It can be busy from 0630 onwards.

Pugzilla

A big loud f*ck off exhaust helps when filtering.

curiousb

antiskeptic wrote: »

... you trail a sacrificial lamb biker intent on zipping through cars...

Love this! And so true, I hate being in front of other bikes when filtering. It's great when there is someone else in front alerting drivers to their (my) presence. THey're like my personal outriders

Cienciano

Just to add some balance, it's not that bad. When you start commuting you'll take up a cars position at first and take no risks. Slowly you'll start filtering and getting to the front of lights. You'll start to notice other guys doing things that look a bit risky, just don't do them till you're ready. Stuff like driving fast past lines of traffic when a pedestrian or car might be pulling out or doing a U-turn. Or trying to get in front of a car at the top of the lights just as lights are changing.
I don't commute much anymore, but the amount of dangerous incidents in well over 10 years of daily commuting was tiny. I had one off, not much damage. 2 incidents I had which were closest to big accidents were both cyclists going through a red light, one I missed by a hair and I swear she didn't even notice.
One thing I reckon is that you learn through experience. Just take her handy, when doing stuff like filtering just go slowly and it's grand. It's a form of transport, it's not base jumping, it's not that dangerous.

bemak

Cienciano wrote: »

Just to add some balance, it's not that bad. When you start commuting you'll take up a cars position at first and take no risks. Slowly you'll start filtering and getting to the front of lights. You'll start to notice other guys doing things that look a bit risky, just don't do them till you're ready. Stuff like driving fast past lines of traffic when a pedestrian or car might be pulling out or doing a U-turn. Or trying to get in front of a car at the top of the lights just as lights are changing.
I don't commute much anymore, but the amount of dangerous incidents in well over 10 years of daily commuting was tiny. I had one off, not much damage. 2 incidents I had which were closest to big accidents were both cyclists going through a red light, one I missed by a hair and I swear she didn't even notice.
One thing I reckon is that you learn through experience. Just take her handy, when doing stuff like filtering just go slowly and it's grand. It's a form of transport, it's not base jumping, it's not that dangerous.

I think this is exactly what I'd be like. I wouldn't mind going with the flow of traffic at all. It's when it comes to a standstill that would get me filtering. It's not like I'm trying to get the quickest way to work, just the most consistent. I think that's what bothers me most about the car. Leaving at 7:45 from Maynooth might get me to work at 9:00 on the nose one morning and then 8:20 on another!

Reindeer

bemak wrote: »

I drive into work from Maynooth area every morning and as traffic is just mental at the moment I'm getting very jealous of the people with motorbikes and scooters zipping in between cars.

I've seen a lot of riders with cameras - would love to see what my commute is like as a biker on my commute if anyone has a video they wouldn't mind sharing. I've been tempted a few times to get a bike but I don't think I'd be "allowed" :rolleyes:

I'm on the other side of Dublin from you(pardon the poor sound):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq2KsL90ZAw

bemak

Reindeer wrote:

I'm on the other side of Dublin from you(pardon the poor sound):

That's great!

Rory28

If you want to see what filtering is like at advanced levels look up RoyalJordinian on youtube. Man is a beast.

antiskeptic

Rory28 wrote: »

If you want to see what filtering is like at advanced levels look up RoyalJordinian on youtube. Man is a beast.

I remember going on an advanced rider training course with a pal. We asked that a leg of it be around Dublin city so the trainer could advise on what constituted the bulk of our riding. The arrangement was for him to ride behind and observe - us just doing our daily thing.

At one point myself and my pal winked at each other, then haired off through the traffic, exactly like this RJ fellow, aiming to lose the advanced trainer.

Which of course we did.

Just like RJ however, our efforts brought us, post-haste, up to the next set of red lights. Inevitably, the trainer would trundle up behind us whilst we waited for the lights to turn.

All that extra risk for nothing more than the thrill of pitting your skills against the jaws of death. Squeezing between moving trucks wheels and vans with inches to spare? Or taking your front brake hand off the bars to "thank" a driver who's moved aside for you ("Look mom, no hands") :rolleyes:


Advanced in terms of unnecessary risk taking and lack of basic observation (I mean, it's not exactly hard to notice that traffic lights likely aren't going to be green by the time you get to them). And how well can you observe emerging events when your focus is on high speed wiggling through adjacent car mirrors

Not very advanced in terms of optimal risk management and smooth progression through traffic.

Synthol

bemak wrote: »

I think this is exactly what I'd be like. I wouldn't mind going with the flow of traffic at all. It's when it comes to a standstill that would get me filtering. It's not like I'm trying to get the quickest way to work, just the most consistent. I think that's what bothers me most about the car. Leaving at 7:45 from Maynooth might get me to work at 9:00 on the nose one morning and then 8:20 on another!

There are a few things in this world more joyful than flying past miles of stationary traffic and seeing their miserable faces. I smile everytime I pass them, but I show no sympathy as it is their choice to use a cage instead of the superior mode of transport which is a motorcycle. It baffles my mind as to how can someone spend so much time sitting in cages all day.

gerrowadat

Maynooth into town is ripe for filtering, there's a stupid crash most weeks and it depends on what time you're doing it. This is it sped up :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sekTDThYlsc

bemak

gerrowadat wrote: »

Maynooth into town is ripe for filtering, there's a stupid crash most weeks and it depends on what time you're doing it. This is it sped up :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sekTDThYlsc

deadly! when and what time was this... might spot myself in the gridlock!

gerrowadat

It was uploaded around this time last year, couldn't tell you the time.

scarebus03

One thing new bikers forget when filtering is what's coming behind them. I found the biggest danger was other bikers 'zipping up behind you. Always look behind you physically before moving out. This is easier said than done as being a newbie you will be so focused on what's in front and not getting creamed by a car changing lane.

Filtering is slow and steady but faster than being stopped. A lot of us have learned that the hard way but once you get the flow and are comfortable with the width of your bike it becomes seamless.

On saying all of that my commute is now 22' and it used to be 50+ in the cage

Cyclists in the city is a whole other story.......

Good luck!

Reindeer

Exactly. If you check out my video you'll see me taking quick looks to the side here and there. I'm not really too worried about the cars - what I am doing is checking my mirrors to make sure one of you crazy bastards isn't parked on my wheel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1_yA4HKflg

The good news is I cleaned up the audio a bit - the bad news is you can hear me rambling. I need to get a helmet that has less of a chipmunk effect on my face so it's easier to understand me.

scarebus03 wrote: »

One thing new bikers forget when filtering is what's coming behind them. I found the biggest danger was other bikers 'zipping up behind you. Always look behind you physically before moving out. This is easier said than done as being a newbie you will be so focused on what's in front and not getting creamed by a car changing lane.

Filtering is slow and steady but faster than being stopped. A lot of us have learned that the hard way but once you get the flow and are comfortable with the width of your bike it becomes seamless.

On saying all of that my commute is now 22' and it used to be 50+ in the cage

Cyclists in the city is a whole other story.......

Good luck!

Reindeer

bemak wrote: »

deadly! when and what time was this... might spot myself in the gridlock!

SHoulda used Daft Punk's 'Derezzed" on that vid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4cgLL8JaVI