La Flamme Rouge off topic discussion

magicbastarder · 11-09-2023 1:01pm

@MojoMaker - never visit that spot, ever.

CramCycle · 11-09-2023 6:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121096114#Comment_121096114

I doubt they even think that much, they don't know it is contra flow and stare left just hovering over the brake in case there is a car coming, and speed up once they see no one down the road. Same for car coming up the road and turning in, they don't look or acknowledge up the road as in their mind, the rules their mind has set up say there can't be anyone there, those are the rules so it isn't even perceived.

A sign might at least help a few realise that there is traffic from both directions, I'd say most of them thought the cyclist was in the wrong as they never even realised it was contra flow (not that that excuses it).

Idleater · 11-09-2023 8:15pm

The last few posts in the journalism thread ("you could buy a car for the price of that bike") inspired me to post this, though it is very off topic/tangential for that thread.

I've been away on holidays and one country visited was Luxemburg. We spent 4 days there. Luxemburg has free public transport, for everyone in the country, visitors included.

That meant 2 day trips length and breath of the country (combined with a day and a bit on bikes) the car was parked up, stationary in the campsite.

Now, ignoring the fact that this shouldn't happen and has to be investigated, our first expenditure outside of meals/camp pitch was to pay a breakdown van to jump the car so we could go to our next destination.

Seth Brundle · 25-09-2023 9:54am

Some Russian influencers advert for Bentley is being parodied by many including this...

https://twitter.com/OutOfCycling/status/1706198933486129562

magicbastarder · 25-09-2023 12:37pm

some interesting technology, being trialled in Tilburg; a smartphone app which beams your speed and GPS location to the traffic light system, and tweaks traffic lights to suit cyclists.

https://eur-elec.gr/beyond/assets/brochures/cits/DYNNIQ_CROSSCYCLE_BROCHURE_EN.pdf

Seth Brundle · 25-09-2023 1:04pm

I recall being at a Dublin Transport Improvements launch maybe 30 years ago, where it was said that traffic lights would change to green when they sense a bus approaching. Still hasn't hapened here or at least not in any meaningful way so, cool as it is, I can't see Dublin City Council or any other councils implementing the technology to suit cyclists unfortunately

loyatemu · 25-09-2023 2:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121154502#Comment_121154502

the bus thing has been trialled here AFAIK, but was discontinued when it caused traffic problems (i.e. slightly delayed people in cars).

crosstownk · 25-09-2023 9:46pm

I think Luas drivers can press a 'signal request' to have traffic signal sequences alter to favour the tram. I'm not sure how prevalent it is but it seems to be effective at the junction of Kylemore Road/Naas Road/Walkinstown Avenue. Most times (not always) when a tram is approaching, the filter lights skip a sequence to allow a tram to cross the junction.

JMcL · 26-09-2023 4:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121154366#Comment_121154366

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121154502#Comment_121154502

I actually did some research on this very thing about 9 years ago for a local authority (I won't say which one as the results are theirs and I'm not sure it was ever officially made public). Phone location services weren't up to much at the time, so I worked with Bluetooth, an Android app and static beacons placed on and around roundabouts. We we able to thus put a bike into a zone, and by the passage from zone to zone tell whether it was approaching/leaving the junction and notify the server which could then take some action (unprescribed). They didn't proceed as they felt that there was the possibility of them being open to litigation if it failed, and that there were issues around not everybody having it (again smartphone penetration wouldn't have been as high)

The system was however subsequently adapted and trialled for the use case Seth mentioned - actually changing the signals to facilitate buses. I didn't work on that one personally, but AFAIK it worked as a proof of concept, though don't think it went beyond that.

magicbastarder · 26-09-2023 9:58pm

i think i recall that a few years ago ford announced a system which allowed vehicles to talk to each other, one that i'd already thought was reasonably simple in concept; though a system where a device or vehicle could ping out their location and velocity say five times a second to anything within a 50m range would be the gist of what i'd wondered about. it would mean that someone sitting in a HGV might get a ping that there's a cyclist 5m away on their left, e.g. a cyclist who they might not otherwise see because they're in a blind spot.

Weepsie · 26-09-2023 10:32pm

Isn't that sort of what Garmin, bryton and magicshibe do with their radar devices

JMcL · 27-09-2023 12:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121161331#Comment_121161331

There a huge amount of research and funding going into that area for the past 10 years at least and ongoing. Vehicle to vehicle, vehicle to infrastructure, etc. Volvo had some sort of a similar system prototyped for their trucks (then with the French went ahead and lobbied - successfully - for a derrogation on the phasing out of the current unfir for purpose cab design)

cletus · 28-09-2023 2:36pm

This doesn't seem to be a place for this, so I'll stick it here.

Just used the new protected cycle lane in Naas,running from the Kilcullen roundabout to Swan's on the Green. It's really very pleasant, raised curb for protection, nice and smooth, and you don't cede priority at every entrance.

You still have to come off the cycle lane before the roundabout if you don't want to have to dismount and cross at the traffic lights with pedestrians. Considering there is a protected bike lane on both sides of the road, on all four roads leading to the roundabout, it seemed like an ideal candidate for one of those Dutch style roundabouts.

Wishbone Ash · 28-09-2023 8:40pm

I've seen a few riders around north Co Dublin in recent weeks wearing Keogh Crisps jerseys/gilets. Does anyone know if they are sponsoring a club? I'm open to correction but don't think there are any clubs in their immediate heartland (Ballyboughal/Oldtown).

joey100 · 01-10-2023 2:49pm

Know some of the owners of Keoghs are cyclists themselves and had jerseys made up. Might be them and their friends your seeing. They kindly sponsored the Velo Club Balrothery Ras team this year and think they used to sponsor the Ras itself a few years back.

Wishbone Ash · 03-10-2023 7:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121181006#Comment_121181006

Ah that probably explains it alright. Thanks.

CramCycle · 03-10-2023 8:06am

Credit where credits due, they do good crisps. Be great if they had a stand at the CX this year. Bag of Keogh's and a can of Wicklow Wolf.

magicbastarder · 03-10-2023 8:31am

whatever happened the uncle who was growing cannabis on or beside their site?

magicbastarder · 03-10-2023 8:32am

by the power of google...

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/former-crisps-company-executive-grew-cannabis-plants-in-gardening-experiment-1.4691146

you can bet your bottom dollar that if it was some lad from the north strand, he wouldn't have awalked away without a conviction.

Squidgy Black · 03-10-2023 1:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121187563#Comment_121187563

The 39 plants would’ve had a street value of 78,000 instead of 7800 as well…..

magicbastarder · 06-10-2023 6:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121021540#Comment_121021540

you can all relax, it's turned up.

Idleater · 06-10-2023 7:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121202555#Comment_121202555

1.5 months later. Neat. How many times through the washer is that?

Or is that the last time you hoovered under the couch?

magicbastarder · 06-10-2023 7:15pm

it was somehow in a folded up blanket one of the cats had been sleeping on. we're not sure if she put it there.

Squidgy Black · 07-10-2023 1:59pm

On today’s edition of “how out of touch are the Tories”, Sunak posts about how he’s going to boost transport in the UK, accompanied by a photo of him in his private jet