Drivers, please think about how your actions may impact cyclists

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

I popped out for a quick 10k, round cycle after work today. I finish work at 3 and arrive home at 3:30 ish I was cycling in the middle of the lane (to stop drivers squeezing by) with traffic coming on the other side. It was rush hour so traffic was busy on the other lane, but not so busy on my side.

A white transit van flew up behind me, well in excess of the 60 km/h limit blaring the horn, nearly skimming my handlebar and almost scraping off oncoming traffic. I didn't think anyone would be so selfish and idiotic.

I nearly sh1t myself. These things would discourage people from taking up cycling.
Take your time, keep your distance and overtake when safe and legal to do so.

I know most motorists are respectful and law abiding, so this doesn't apply to them, but please be careful.

cnocbui

I was cycling in the middle of the lane (to stop drivers squeezing by)

Not long ago, I was driving on a narrowish country road, and ahead was a a gaggle of cyclists who had arranged for a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle of about the effective length of a long semi-trailer, Thus creating a situation where no safe overtaking situation could occur.

It would have been nice if those cyclists had given motorists some consideration, instead of being belligerent.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

cnocbui wrote: »

Not long ago, I was driving on a narrowish country road, and ahead was a a gaggle of cyclists who had arranged for a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle of about the effective length of a long semi-trailer, Thus creating a situation where no safe overtaking situation could occur.

It would have been nice if those cyclists had given motorists some consideration, instead of being belligerent.

Whataboutery at its finest. What does your situation have to do with mine?

If it wasn't possible to overtake a car, then it wouldn't have been possible or safe to overtake a cyclist. You need to picture a cyclist as a car and overtake accordingly with the same space.

Wait until the road widens then overtake safely and calmly.

bladespin

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I was cycling in the middle of the lane (to stop drivers squeezing by)

Red rag to a bull, not condoning it but that only brings out the worst in those who would.

07Lapierre

This might help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJHXzt7TC2k

cnocbui

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

If it wasn't possible to overtake a car, then it wouldn't have been possible or safe to overtake a cyclist. You need to picture a cyclist as a car and overtake accordingly with the same space.

Wait until the road widens then overtake safely and calmly.

Bulldust. It would have been perfectly possible and safe to pass the cyclists, but the vehicle tripled the effective distance. The vehicle was not leaving a gap in front of it which could be overtaken into. The road doesn't have a wide part for it's 6-7 km length, where it terminates at a major road.

Mc Love

cnocbui wrote: »

Not long ago, I was driving on a narrowish country road, and ahead was a a gaggle of cyclists who had arranged for a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle of about the effective length of a long semi-trailer, Thus creating a situation where no safe overtaking situation could occur.

It would have been nice if those cyclists had given motorists some consideration, instead of being belligerent.

This might help

https://twitter.com/OConnorOisin/status/1270711391989542912?s=20

tossy

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I was cycling in the middle of the lane (to stop drivers squeezing by)

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I didn't think anyone would be so selfish

Nail on the head. It's not up to you to try prevent traffic from passing you, it's up to you to cycle responsibly and hope drivers drive responsibility, the fact one didn't doesn't justify your actions.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

tossy wrote: »

Nail on the head. It's not up to you to try prevent traffic from passing you, it's up to you to cycle responsibly and hope drivers drive responsibility, the fact one didn't doesn't justify your actions.

If I keep left I would have been squeezed.

Taking the middle of the lane forces drivers to move over to the opposite lane to overtake and allows me room to swing left if anything bad happens. I didn't have time to react because the maniac sped by so fast.

The opposite lane was chock a block with traffic so I had to take the lane to prevent being squeezed.

It’s never like the pictures though, so that tweet above is horse****e.

PCeeeee

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

If I keep left I would have been squeezed.

Taking the middle of the lane forces drivers to move over to the opposite lane to overtake and allows me room to swing left if anything bad happens. I didn't have time to react because the maniac sped by so fast.

The opposite lane was chock a block with traffic so I had to take the lane to prevent being squeezed.

You were squeezed anyway though?

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

PCeeeee wrote: »

You were squeezed anyway though?

I thought by taking the lane the driver behind would get the picture. Obviously not.
The only outcome of this is that I'll cycle further out in the lane.

Before anyone asks, yes, I do drive. I've driven buses and cars. And no, I don't pay road tax and neither do you.

the_syco

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I was cycling in the middle of the lane (to stop drivers squeezing by)

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

A white transit van flew up behind me, well in excess of the 60 km/h limit blaring the horn, nearly skimming my handlebar and almost scraping off oncoming traffic.

So you failed to stop people overtaking you, and increased the chances that they'll give you less room?

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I thought by taking the lane the driver behind would get the picture.

You're going slow, so you will be overtaken. The less room you give, the less room you get.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

The only outcome of this is that I'll cycle further out in the lane.

Go out far enough, and they'll undertake you. :pac:

cnocbui

Mc Love wrote: »

This might help

https://twitter.com/OConnorOisin/status/1270711391989542912?s=20

No, but then you you either didn't read my post, or failed to comprehend it, so I am not surprised.

Seth Brundle

cnocbui wrote: »

Not long ago, I was driving on a narrowish country road, and ahead was a a gaggle of cyclists who had arranged for a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle of about the effective length of a long semi-trailer, Thus creating a situation where no safe overtaking situation could occur.

How many times have you posted about a tractor pulling a trailer delaying you? How many times have you posted about a person on horseback delaying you?

cnocbui wrote: »

It would have been nice if those cyclists had given motorists some consideration, instead of being belligerent.

Beligerent? How were they being beligerent? I'm assuming that they were moving and pretty much minding their own business so how is doing that the same as being beligerent?
Or are you just impatient?
What made your journey more important than theirs?
In what way should those cyclists have given motorists some consideration over what they were already doing?
They have as much right and entitlement to be on that road as you do. That is not an opinion: that is the law!

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

the_syco wrote: »

So you failed to stop people overtaking you, and increased the chances that they'll give you less room?

No, they just took a selfish risk

You're going slow, so you will be overtaken. The less room you give, the less room you get.

Appreciate that. I would give more room if I was guaranteed that they'd take it. They most likely won't though. You have to force them over the other side of the road.

Go out far enough, and they'll undertake you.
Dangerous and illegal

:pac:

...

kenmm

07Lapierre wrote: »

This might help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJHXzt7TC2k

That is truly horrific viewing. One of the worst examples I've seen..

https://youtu.be/lJHXzt7TC2k?t=84

Like, he choose to wear that shirt, knowing he was being filmed.

Shocking.

kenmm

Sorry - on topic:

Blah blah blah - All motorists are super aggressive ars3holes and don't know how to overtake.

Blah Blah road tax, blah stick to cycle lanes, blah blah parking on cycle lanes and they are not fit anyway. Blah blah, blah blah bla, yes dont even wear helmets, bal blah red light jumping.

Did I get them all?

cnocbui

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

If I keep left I would have been squeezed.

Taking the middle of the lane forces drivers to move over to the opposite lane to overtake and allows me room to swing left if anything bad happens. I didn't have time to react because the maniac sped by so fast.

The opposite lane was chock a block with traffic so I had to take the lane to prevent being squeezed.

Aw, poor you. I spent 5 years of my life, riding to and from school, with one section of the route being on a major 4 lane highway. Even on the 4 lane bits I kept well left and never tried to own the lane. But the killer was where the 4 lanes merged to two for a bridge crossing a river. Trucks and buses and everything else would squeeze past me, being just a few cm from being pulped on the railing to my left. I think it would have been even more suicidal to try your tactic of owning the road, trying to hold up two lanes worth of traffic in rush hour.



Amazingly benign looking these days, with a lot of the traffic now using new bridges with higher capacities. Back in the day, that bridge was solid with traffic at rush hour. Just getting on to it from the side road was a feat of patience and frantic peddling and gear changing.

Suck it up, mate.

ednwireland

cnocbui wrote: »

Not long ago, I was driving on a narrowish country road, and ahead was a a gaggle of cyclists who had arranged for a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle of about the effective length of a long semi-trailer, Thus creating a situation where no safe overtaking situation could occur.

It would have been nice if those cyclists had given motorists some consideration, instead of being belligerent.

err sorry about that.

07Lapierre

07Lapierre wrote: »

This might help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJHXzt7TC2k

So they do it because they've been trained to do it. So why are they trained to do it? Why not move over so cars can pass? I understand at a junction it's necessary, but what we see is cyclist freewheeling along the middle of a road for mo good reason other than they are entitled to do it.

kenmm

and we are off!

cnocbui

Seth Brundle wrote: »

How many times have you posted about a tractor pulling a trailer delaying you? How many times have you posted about a person on horseback delaying you?


Beligerent? How were they being beligerent? I'm assuming that they were moving and pretty much minding their own business so how is doing that the same as being beligerent?
Or are you just impatient?
What made your journey more important than theirs?
In what way should those cyclists have given motorists some consideration over what they were already doing?
They have as much right and entitlement to be on that road as you do. That is not an opinion: that is the law!

How about not having a support vehicle tail them with the express purpose of preventing other road users from overtaking? The situation doesn't even begin to approximate with your examples, so I'll ignore that nonsense. I have no problem with tractors, trailers and horses, they don't present a problem. I commented about this situation because it was a problem on a whole other level and it was deliberately engineered to be that way.

07Lapierre

kenmm wrote: »

Sorry - on topic:

Blah blah blah - All motorists are super aggressive ars3holes and don't know how to overtake.

Blah Blah road tax, blah stick to cycle lanes, blah blah parking on cycle lanes and they are not fit anyway. Blah blah, blah blah bla, yes dont even wear helmets, bal blah red light jumping.

Did I get them all?

You missed hi viz but good effort.

Spook_ie

kenmm wrote: »

Sorry - on topic:

Blah blah blah - All motorists are super aggressive ars3holes and don't know how to overtake.

Blah Blah road tax, blah stick to cycle lanes, blah blah parking on cycle lanes and they are not fit anyway. Blah blah, blah blah bla, yes dont even wear helmets, bal blah red light jumping.

Did I get them all?

Nah you forgot HI viz, helmets, road tax, riding on footpaths and probably a whole myriad of other things. Has AJR been in yet with his cars kill 2 or 3 people a week spiel.?

kenmm

Spook_ie wrote: »

Nah you forgot HI viz, helmets, road tax, riding on footpaths and probably a whole myriad of other things. Has AJR been in yet with his cars kill 2 or 3 people a week spiel.?

ye - it was a poor effort.. must work harder if I'm ever to level up at boards.

I'm off to practice my Landlords vs Tenants and knowledge about part IV tenancies.

Deebles McBeebles

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

A white transit van flew up behind me, well in excess of the 60 km/h limit blaring the horn, nearly skimming my handlebar and almost scraping off oncoming traffic. I didn't think anyone would be so selfish and idiotic.

I've had that happen plenty of times as I cycle at the edge of a normal, 2 lane road. Handlebar has been very nearly clipped by speeding dickheads with no thought for anyone else's safety. It makes you appreciate the drivers who actually pay attention to the road and do the right thing when overtaking.

cnocbui wrote: »

Not long ago, I was driving on a narrowish country road, and ahead was a a gaggle of cyclists who had arranged for a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle of about the effective length of a long semi-trailer, Thus creating a situation where no safe overtaking situation could occur.

You got held up for a few minutes by one of the very few groups who would do something like that. I wouldn't be one to do it but when I've nearly been knocked into the ditch (best case scenario) multiple times, I can see why they would. The 2 situations are not comparable.

Toyotafanboi

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I popped out for a quick 10k, round cycle after work today.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

It was rush hour

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I was cycling in the middle of the lane (to stop drivers squeezing by)

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I didn't think anyone would be so selfish and idiotic

On the off chance you arent trolling us OP. You'd want to take a look in the mirror IMO.

martyc5674

cnocbui wrote: »

Aw, poor you. I spent 5 years of my life, riding to and from school, with one section of the route being on a major 4 lane highway. Even on the 4 lane bits I kept well left and never tried to own the lane. But the killer was where the 4 lanes merged to two for a bridge crossing a river. Trucks and buses and everything else would squeeze past me, being just a few cm from being pulped on the railing to my left. I think it would have been even more suicidal to try your tactic of owning the road, trying to hold up two lanes worth of traffic in rush hour.



Amazingly benign looking these days, with a lot of the traffic now using new bridges with higher capacities. Back in the day, that bridge was solid with traffic at rush hour. Just getting on to it from the side road was a feat of patience and frantic peddling and gear changing.

Suck it up, mate.

Your comparing a highway with highway speeds (which very often you are not permitted to cycle on) with an urban 60 kmh situation. 2 different things.
Suck it up- try tell that to someone whose lost a loved one to a selfish speeding motorist.

Wailin

I smell a troll lads....

07Lapierre

cnocbui wrote: »

Not long ago, I was driving on a narrowish country road, and ahead was a a gaggle of cyclists who had arranged for a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle of about the effective length of a long semi-trailer, Thus creating a situation where no safe overtaking situation could occur.

It would have been nice if those cyclists had given motorists some consideration, instead of being belligerent.

Yep... I had a car like that. Wouldn't pull you out of bed! I now drive a 2.0 petrol
Which makes overtaking much easier! I used to have a 2.0 turbo which was even better.

If I come across a group of cyclists on a narrow, twisty road, I change into 3rd, get the revs upto about 3000rpm, then once I come to the first straight bit of road, it's mirror, indicate, accelerate, into 4th, then 5th, revs up to about 6,000 rpm and go for it.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

cnocbui wrote: »

trying to hold up two lanes worth of traffic in rush hour.

What two lanes are you talking about?
I was only in one lane... in the middle of it.

I wasn't holding up traffic. I WAS traffic.

07Lapierre

kenmm wrote: »

That is truly horrific viewing. One of the worst examples I've seen..

https://youtu.be/lJHXzt7TC2k?t=84

Like, he choose to wear that shirt, knowing he was being filmed.

Shocking.

Fair enough. I thought he explained the primary and secondary cycling positions pretty good myself, but each to their own I suppose.

cnocbui

martyc5674 wrote: »

Your comparing a highway with highway speeds (which very often you are not permitted to cycle on) with an urban 60 kmh situation. 2 different things.
Suck it up- try tell that to someone whose lost a loved one to a selfish speeding motorist.

The speed limit on that Hwy, at that point, was 60kph, and despite the appearance, that is urban and only 10k from the city centre.

cnocbui

07Lapierre wrote: »

Yep... I had a car like that. Wouldn't pull you out of bed! I now drive a 2.0 petrol
Which makes overtaking much easier! I used to have a 2.0 turbo which was even better.

If I come across a group of cyclists on a narrow, twisty road, I change into 3rd, get the revs upto about 3000rpm, then once I come to the first straight bit of road, it's mirror, indicate, accelerate, into 4th, then 5th, revs up to about 6,000 rpm and go for it.

I drive an EP3, Honda Civic Type R.

07Lapierre

cnocbui wrote: »

I drive an EP3, Honda Civic Type R.

? And you couldn't overtake a van and a few cyclists? Post a link to this road will ya? Was their grass growing down the middle of it? How fast were these cyclists travelling?

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

Wailin wrote: »

I smell a troll lads....

Check the near misses thread in cycling. In posted there about it too.

Class MayDresser

Mods, do the right thing.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

Class MayDresser wrote: »

Mods, do the right thing.

It's a discussion simply asking the minority of dangerous motorists to show some respect and consideration.

gmacww

Class MayDresser wrote: »

Mods, do the right thing.

Ah come on it’s just getting started!

I’ve a book open on how many pages before the lock:
3/4 - page 5
2/1 - 6
4/1 - 7-9
8/1 - 10+

kenmm

07Lapierre wrote: »

Fair enough. I thought he explained the primary and secondary cycling positions pretty good myself, but each to their own I suppose.

I just had time to watch it there, was good - I was going for humour to divert from the usual, mind-numbing boring arguments and generalisations about all sorts of hypothetical situations.

micar

cnocbui wrote: »

gaggle of cyclists who ..
...........had.a support vehicle to tail them to present an overtaking obstacle.

You honestly think the group of cyclists deliberately had a support vehicle just to annoy you.

Pathetic to use the word gaggle........had to look in up ......means a "a disorderly group of people."

A group of cyclists are generally bunched together two abreast........hardly disorderly.

You want to know what it is like to cycle in Ireland, read the near misses thread on the cycling forum.

Squatman

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

I popped out for a quick 10k, round cycle after work today. I finish work at 3 and arrive home at 3:30 ish I was cycling in the middle of the lane (to stop drivers squeezing by) with traffic coming on the other side. It was rush hour so traffic was busy on the other lane, but not so busy on my side.

A white transit van flew up behind me, well in excess of the 60 km/h limit blaring the horn, nearly skimming my handlebar and almost scraping off oncoming traffic. I didn't think anyone would be so selfish and idiotic.

I nearly sh1t myself. These things would discourage people from taking up cycling.
Take your time, keep your distance and overtake when safe and legal to do so.

I know most motorists are respectful and law abiding, so this doesn't apply to them, but please be careful.

Did you, in all honesty, think that wouldn't happen? honestly? because you'd be very naive to think it wouldnt. you can talk about legalities, rights and wrongs till the cows come home, and id agree with you, but, face facts, on a bike, you are at risk, but now place your bike in the middle of the road, and you become a target,.

Say for example i was the driver behind you, and im in a hurry /

I'm held up behind the lycra brigade, who i now know to be out on a leisure spin, have decided that their leisurely cycle, is now so much more important than me getting about my business, that they have decided to hold me up behind them, while they cycle at 30-40k per hour. you dont have places to go, but i might.

legally, ethically, morally, its always wrong, but if im in a hurry, and can squeeze past, i might.#

solution - revert to safer roads for your exercise. Keep to the left on your way there.
Dont put elevate your risk, and complain that something happened. be sound, keep in or pull over.

P.s. im an avid cyclist. but when a ahole on 2 wheels meets an ahole on 4, as alfie solomons would say "big always phucks small"

Wailin

Ah seriously op you're the type of person that gives cyclists a bad name with that carry on. A bit of cop on and common sense always prevails. This is coming from someone who's taken up cycling the last few months. I'd never dream of blocking the entire lane just to force motorists to the other lane to overtake. That's feckin stupidity imo.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS!

micar wrote: »

You honestly think the group of cyclists deliberately had a support vehicle just to annoy you.

Pathetic to use the word gaggle........had to look in up ......means a "a disorderly group of people."

A group of cyclists are generally bunched together two abreast........hardly disorderly.

Two abreast makes it easier to over take. Shorter queue of cyclists.

It's "easier" to overtake a single file bunch of you want to dangerously barge through.