Crazy Cyclists !!

Gavin

I've to cycle through the city center on my way home, going from Ballymun to Dundrum. Lalala, lovely cycle all the way until I get to O Connell St, D'olier St, Dame St, Georges St etc. As well as nutter busses, taxis which I expect to be nutter, there are totally stupid cyclists !

I can completely understand how people percieve cycling as dangerous, and how there are so many accidents. Cyclists weaving in and out of moving traffic, shooting through redlights, abrubtly stopping in a cycle lane to chat to a mate on the side of the road, cycling the wrong way up a cycle lane, pulling out onto a cycle lane with no respect for oncoming cyclists. Holy cow !! It's unreal. I am never cycling through the city center between 5 & 6 o clock again. I think I'll leave work at around 6 or 7 from now one.

Terrified Gav

Trojan

Yeah, they're out there. Cycle defensively and let Darwin take care of it.

leeroybrown

I cycle to work quite a bit and I find that some days I have as many awkward moments with the few cyclists I meet as with the motorists. I've met cyclists on the wrong side of the road who treated me as if they had the right of way. On numerous occasions I've been stuck behind cyclists who ponderously weave back and forth while I'm trying to minimise my work commute time. As someone who drives too I think these are probably the same people who cause the same problems in a car on the road. Lack of respect and attention...

That said I do encounter plenty of cyclists who know how to get from A to B safely, quickly and with respect for others.

Civilian_Target

OK - I think I'm going to make a web**** about this when I get time.

I would avoid O'Connell St., Quays near river and anywhere around D'Olier,Dame,Grafton or Nassau St. on a bike, its just buses, mad cyclists and ignorant pedestrians there. Going across town, I usually either go down Gardener St and across towards Pearse Stn. or else down through Smithfield and across through Christchurch. This minimises the risk of running into insane cyclists.

My 3 general cycling rules would be:
1) Be aware of whatever's in front and behind you. If changing road position, always look over your shoulder.
2) Don't be afraid to take the centre of a car lane if you have to, particularly on roundabouts, that way they won't try stupid overtaking manouvres.
3) Avoid trucks and busses wherever possible. In the case of particularly big trucks at junctions, its often easiest to dismount and wait until they're gone. Also, remember that left-turning cars have priority over an inside cycle lane, so if there's a left turning lane and you're going straight ahead, make sure you're in the middle of the lane to stop cars turning left onto you.