Cyclist on N4 this evening

CramCycle

beachhead wrote: »

Ye,you're right.Wasn't paying attention to the M designation.But cyclists have been seen on the motorways before this crisis.Also,fruit pickers.......

I have cycled the old N4 and the current N4. It is an awful road to cycle, despite the width of the hard shoulder, it is not uncommon to have cars tipping well north of 120kmph on the approach to longford, with some not far off 180 based on the distance covered.

fat bloke

CramCycle wrote: »

I have cycled the old N4 and the current N4. It is an awful road to cycle, despite the width of the hard shoulder, it is not uncommon to have cars tipping well north of 120kmph on the approach to longford, with some not far off 180 based on the distance covered.

I'd understand 180 km/hr for traffic leaving Longford, but approaching ???

:pac:

Rodin

Do you think he was within 5k of home?

AndrewJRenko

Rodin wrote: »

Do you think he was within 5k of home?

Dunno, the driver has stopped posting on the thread so we'll probably never know.

CramCycle

fat bloke wrote: »

I'd understand 180 km/hr for traffic leaving Longford, but approaching ???

:pac:

Quicker to get through it :pac:

Rodin wrote: »

Do you think he was within 5k of home?

Yes, Im pretty sure I know who it is

Daroxtar

Smaller cattle trucks are great for drafting. They don't have the raw power of tractors to maintain speed on hills, bigger frontal area so huge draft area behind them, mostly chugging along in the 50-60 kph range so if you get in behind one you're sorted.

MojoMaker

Have a soft spot for a draft from An Post vans myself. Tip your hat (helmet) to the driver in advance and jump on - bliss!

eeeee

Love a good draft.
Buses are the best, you can see the lights and them indicating and can predict their stops.
I don't do cars because they're too unpredictable.
Really loud little moped things are good too, albeit unpredictable. The noise of them gets me eventually. The rider has to sit up really straight, it's almost like a derney if you get a good one.
I have never drafted a tractor, and as a farmer its' a personal shame that I haven't. Some day...

I did get caught going up a horrible drag right behind a bin lorry that was doing the exact same speed as me once at the end of a spin. That was grim.

Lumen

Rodin wrote: »

Do you think he was within 5k of home?

My 2km-limited loop included a section of N road, so it's not impossible.

Now I have 5km, LUXURY!!!!

Don't really like crossing junctions on N roads but since I was coming off at the first one it was safe enough.

NamelessPhil

I got a decent draft once on a 400km audax behind a tractor, it was fabulous for 4km or so!

I was 300km into a 600 once when I encountered a battered old tractor stuck together with baling twine and hope on the ****ty road into Ballynahown. I was fecked anyway and the farmer's dog (a black and white collie, obviously) was going nuts on the seat beside his flat-capped master. Unfortunately the tractor was going the same pace as I was, so no drafting, just me choking on diesel fumes and my presence sending the dog crazy for a few km. I don't know who was happier, me or the dog when the tractor finally turned off the route.

swarlb

Many moons ago, before the N7 (and long before the M7) was a dual carriage way (apart from a small section between Rathcoole and Naas). Coming from Inchicore I'd keep an eye out for trucks heading towards Naas, and try to keep up as they, some then were very slow to take off, and by the time they got rolling I could easily slip in behind, 53/13 was the highest I'd use at the time, and it was a pure thrill to tuck in hoping we'd get the lights green as there were so many on the roads at the time. Not once did I ever consider the danger, or the traffic, each for their own as they say.
I can only imagine what the response would have been if someone had 'reported' me to my club.....
It certainly wouldn't have been a negative one !

TGD

Lumen wrote: »

I bought a specific drafting bike a few years back. Disc brakes to eliminate the 2m of water clearance when drafting buses in the wet.

Tractors also not an issue but cars is antisocial as it can stress the drivers out having someone pinned to their bumper. Or through the back window.

This is bike specifically for drafting - see here for more details

TGD

You are not really a proper drafter until you leave some tyre rubber on the rear of the vehicle. This is also a good way to brake - as the vehicle slows down (e.g. a bus), your bike will slow accordingly just from the friction. (I have done the first bit - the driver was an old cyclist and knew how to give a tow - but I chickened out on the second bit)

Thelonious Monk

I saw a guy in Malta turn around on a motorway and go back up the slip road once on a motorbike

cletus

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I saw a guy in Malta turn around on a motorway and go back up the slip road once on a motorbike

That's nothing. I was in a car with a mate one time, and he reversed up a slip road just outside Naas, when he realised he had taken the wrong one

eeeee

TGD wrote: »

This is bike specifically for drafting - see here for more details

Stayer bikes are class, I've seen them and the special derney's in the flesh. They duct tape the tubulars onto the rims ont he outside so they don't roll off if they flat. The smell of petrol! The races are so long the velodrome still stank of petrol when we went in the next day. I love derney smell. The smell of Saturday mornings on track!
The derney's are cool too. They have a rolling bar on the back so when the front wheel touches it doesn't come to a full stop. They do up to 100kph! In a velodrome with a heap of other derney stayer combos. It's crazy. The derney drivers are class too, all former riders.

Wishbone Ash

07Lapierre wrote: »

Toptip: Listen to the engine. As soon as the driver takes his foot off the gas, the engine revs drop...that's your Q to apply brakes and expect the tractor to slow and/or turn....

Even more distinctive in older tractors that just had a hand throttle. The throttle wasn't spring loaded so had to be pushed back up before braking giving a distinctive 'groan' from the engine.

My Top Tip: Make sure the driver knows you are there. It depends on the load/implement but if you are hidden, move out to the right occasionally so that he can see that you're still there and are OK. Much more likely to co-operate that way and use his indicators. It can be disconcerting driving a tractor and not knowing where the cyclist has gone.

Avoid getting in behind large square balers especially if they have just baled straw. You'll be choked with dust. Hay is not as bad.

magicbastarder

my wife can tell the difference between a hay bale and a straw bale with barely a glance. it's a skill i've only learned in the last few years.

Large bottle small glass

magicbastarder wrote: »

my wife can tell the difference between a hay bale and a straw bale with barely a glance. it's a skill i've only learned in the last few years.

Knots down and out baby!

eeeee

magicbastarder wrote: »

my wife can tell the difference between a hay bale and a straw bale with barely a glance. it's a skill i've only learned in the last few years.

They look completely different!
Although if you're not used to looking at them they're just big off yellow rectangles I suppose.

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

my wife can tell the difference between a hay bale and a straw bale with barely a glance. it's a skill i've only learned in the last few years.

Chalk and cheese!

What people commonly refer to as 'hay bales' are usually straw bales. Hay is dried grass - straw is the stalks of cereals. Hay bales are much heavier than straw bales. Hay is a dull colour - straw is bright yellow (when fresh).

magicbastarder

my wife has a horse now, so as mentioned, i've learned the difference!

NamelessPhil

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Chalk and cheese!

What people commonly refer to as 'hay bales' are usually straw bales. Hay is dried grass - straw is the stalks of cereals. Hay bales are much heavier than straw bales. Hay is a dull colour - straw is bright yellow (when fresh).

Much heavier when you're a 10 year old helping out with the haymaking in the 80s. Does anyone else remember the small old rectangular bales?

magicbastarder

NamelessPhil wrote: »

Does anyone else remember the small old rectangular bales?

sure don't all the rich hippies use them to build their houses these days?

Wishbone Ash

NamelessPhil wrote: »

... Does anyone else remember the small old rectangular bales?

Still popular with the horsey set as they are much easier to manoeuvre. (Generally referred to as 'square' bales.)

eeeee

NamelessPhil wrote: »

Much heavier when you're a 10 year old helping out with the haymaking in the 80s. Does anyone else remember the small old rectangular bales?

I have a stacking record! Me and a friend stacked 300 of them in a day - we were both 14 and female :cool:
I didn't even use gloves. I can't lift a single one these days without gloves.

And stacking them in the shed! The bale throwing chain, I used to love being at the top. Catch and stack!

My strength has gradually depleted with every year I live in Dublin.

We still make some at home but we bale rushes for bedding the dry side of the slatted shed. They're even heavier than hay. I have yet to apply rose tinted spectacles to square bales of hay - they're hard work.

07Lapierre

Enough with the bales lads! Off to the farming/agriculture forum with that stuff!

eeeee

07Lapierre wrote: »

Enough with the bales lads! Off to the farming/agriculture forum with that stuff!

*throws rushy bale at 07Lapierre

NamelessPhil

*prongs him in the backside with a pitchfork.

Don't mess with country girls!

magicbastarder

07Lapierre wrote: »

Enough with the bales lads! Off to the farming/agriculture forum with that stuff!

i've mentioned here before, but a friend used to house share with senator alice mary higgins (well, she wasn't a senator then) who somehow found some hay bales somewhere in dublin, and carried them home on the bike, i think while slightly tipsy.