Cyclists

tinkerbell

What is it with certain cyclists? They think they own the road AND the pavement. Now, I know that a slight tangent of this is that car drivers and pedestrians can be as equally ignorant, but this is purely about some cyclists that I have come across.

Case 1:
My bf and I were out in the car one evening (twas around 6:30 p.m.) and there were two cyclists up ahead. There is also a cycle track provided so that traffic flow is obviously not interrupted.

Now, there was a lot of traffic on the road that evening coming towards us, and I could see that there were quite a few cars beginning to appear behind us.

So what is the problem here? The two cyclists decided that "Hey! We don't pay roadtax by using this bike, so we'll just take over one whole side of the road!" And so they were cycling two abreast. One of 'em wasn't even in the cycle track, the other was nearing the white line.

Could we overtake? No! Because there was traffic coming in the opposite direction. What did we have to do? Drive at a cyclist's pace, because we couldn't overtake, and the bloody eejits wouldn't move in. In the meantime, there is a huge line of traffic behind, just because of these two morons! Aaaaaargh :mad:

Case 2:
On the bus one day, and there was a cycle track near the bus lane. Where does the cyclist go? The bus lane of course! So the bus was crawling at a cyclist's pace, because the eejit wouldn't use his own lane.

Case 3:
This happened today actually. I was walking along the footpath, minding my own business when out of nowhere, a cyclist mounts the pavement, gave me the fright of my life coz it was almost like the gob****e was trying to run me over, and continues to cycle on the footpath for over 50 metres!

Now ... there was a petrol station up ahead. So I thought "gee thanks for trying to run me over". I assumed that he was gonna turn into the petrol station, and maybe for some ungodly reason, decided that he needed to mount the pavement 20 metres in advance before turning in.

He went flying past the petrol station, and continued on up the footpath, before finally getting back onto the road.

A few points that I would like to make:
1. The road was empty, there was no traffic on that road during the stage before he mounted the footpath, and when he got back on the road again.
2. There is a cycle track provided FOR THE USE OF CYCLISTS so they don't injure pedestrians! My god, how thick can you get!
3. There was another cyclist up ahead who was happily using the cycle track.

:mad: What the hell is wrong with these idiots? I am not giving out about cyclists in general, I am giving out about these particular individuals that I have come across.

On a side note about pedestrians vs. cyclists:
I was standing at the end of O'Connell St waiting for the green man to show so that I could cross over onto O'Connell Bridge. Traffic was insane (it was evening rush hour). So what do people do? Run out in front of traffic!

This poor cyclist was coming from the bridge and turning right, so that he was gonna go straight past me, where I was standing, and down towards North Wall Quay. What happens? An extremely dumb woman runs out in front of the guy, knocks into him, and he goes flying! He smashes the light on the bike, and yer wan just looks at him as if he has two heads!

So the guy yells something at her, and she doesn't even give him a second glance. The poor guy, he hit the ground with an almighty thud. Then he managed to pick himself up, got back on his bike and cycled away.

Some people are so damn ignorant!

petes

I fooking hate people that cycle on footpaths. Especially when they are behind you. Have seen a number of times peple nearly hitting people and hitting people. Get on the road backstards.

Cianan2

Some of the cyclists are awful eejits,alright, but then again alot of pedestrians (like aformentioned women) are just plain selfish. People never stop and realise the blame is on them....I am assuming that the light was red,right?

whiskeyman

tinkerbell wrote:

What is it with certain cyclists?

Some people are so damn ignorant!

what is it with certain car drivers?

Just ignorant people on different forms of transport...

Rant away, but anyone could rant just about anyone else in the same vain...

rob1891

Some people are so damn ignorant!

got it in one :P

bringitdown

DITTO: What is with certain motorists?

"Well, animals are not like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they've had a hard life, or have been mistreated...but, like people, some of them are just jerks. Stop that, Mr. Simpson."

pickarooney

I've never seen a cycle path and a bus lane in Dublin. I thought they were the same thing there?

bringitdown

Cycling infrastructure is often not used as it is...

1: Full of pedestrians
2: Rediculously poor
3: Dangerous
4: All of the above.

Cianan2

pickarooney wrote:

I've never seen a cycle path and a bus lane in Dublin. I thought they were the same thing there?

Ive seen some cycle paths that go along side bus lanes,but then when the buslane moves in at a stop,the cycle path stays the same,going directly through the buslane! Kinda dangerous,i often thought...

Sangre

A lot of cycle paths are actually because they're so badly potholed or full of pedestrains.
Many times I've had to mount the foothpath to avoid pedestrains and I don't back down for a while because there is no one ahead of me. Either that or vear into traffic.

I'll admit I do sometimes use footpaths to save but this is in very residential areas because keeping on the right side of thefoothpath is a lot of hassle with loads of turns. Also with residential roads they are quite narrow and often have cars parked on the side of the road so for me to cycle on the road would cause a backlog of cars....meh.

Stick to cycle paths/roads on the main/busy roads

Stark

Actually a reasonable enough original post, despite my initial reaction to the thread title - "here we go again, what is it with car drivers and thinking they exclusively own the road?"

The bottom line really is Dublin's transport infrastructure is absolute **** when it comes to cycling. In my opinion, cyclists should be properly seperated from main traffic. Physical boundaries that stop cyclist from "drifting" in front of cars and also stop cars from parking in cycling lanes. Also the cycling infrastructure at turns and junctions needs to be VASTLY improved. In most cases the cycling lanes just stop before a junction comes up.

JP Mulvano

Here we go again Motorists complaining about cyclists in dublin. What I think you all fail to understand is we're the scum of the roads, or rather we're treated that way. when it should be the opposite. We cause the least amout of road wear and tear, the least amount of accidents, and the least amount of traffic yet we're treated like lepers

It's actually technically illegal to cycle anywhere but a cycle lane in dublin yet most of them are full of potholes/glass/cars/parked vechicles etc. So how exactly are we supposed to use the facilities provided?? Tell me that!!


Oh yeah and btw I take great amount of pleasure in cycling as slowly as possible in the bus/cycle lane in front of vechicles that are not PSV i.e. Buses and taxis. I will always pull over for buses and taxis but not Ass Hats driving their cars in the bus lanes.

Steveire

Probably the worst cycle lane i use is along the dual carraigeway between Nutley Lane(i think) and Ucd gate. It's simply ridiculously potholed. Dodging the potholes could send you out into the path of a bus. Pedastrians really annoy me sometimes too. When they want to cross the road, the cycle lane is just an extension of the footpath. Have to scare them back up there.

tinkerbell

JP Mulvano - I am not a motorist in Dublin so I am "not a motorist complaining about cyclists in Dublin".

Someone asked if the light was red in my original post (the part about the woman knocking over the cyclist). The light was red for pedestrians, green for traffic. She just ran out in front of the guy and knocked him off his bike. Not even an apology!

The cycle track that I was talking about today was in perfect condition. There was absolutely no logical reasoning why that muppet cycled onto the footpath, nearly knocking me over when (a) there was a perfectly fine cycle track on the road, (b) nobody else was occupying said cycle track except for another cyclist about 50 metres ahead of him, (c) there was no traffic on the road, (d) there were no pedestrians on the cycle track.

Pyr0

I cylcle on the footpath on the way to school as I pass through housing estates and I find it easier...on the other hand I could cycle down the main road where cars fly down the clycle/bus lane at I don't know what speed,so again I use the path.....

floyd.pepper

I've being cycling in dublin as my main mode of transport for the past
6 years now, and i would class my self as a considerate and law abiding
where possible.

You see, cycle lanes are a luxury that a cyclist cannot depend on. They
appear and disappear from along side traffic in the worst places leaving
the cyclist with nowhere to go, except try to merge with the traffic, in
some cases suicide or hop onto the footpath.

What makes it worse, is that some footpaths are designated cycle paths
as well, with poorly marked lines separating both. I was once repremanded
by some old wagon for being on the footpath in Drumcondra cycling out of
town, only to show her that I was directed by roadmakings to take to the
footpath.

I've cycled in other cities in europe, amsterdam being a great example, to
see how they just don't think of cyclists as a after-thought if the road is
wide enough, and i can see why some of my friends come here and think
that you would have to be mental to cycle in dublin.

So basically, don't blame the cyclists, its the system man!

iregk

I am a motorist but cycle as a past-time for recreation. Last summer I got into what I must admit was a rather needless argument with some scanger of a mother out walking with her kid. Cycling up the firhouse road opposite ballyboden st enda's in the cycle lane I see the woman walking in the cycle lane up in front of me.

Now there is about 6 - 8 foot of path between the cycle lane and the fence around the park so your not exactly tied for space. Plus the path was empty.

Wanting to make a bit of a point I cycled right up behind her and asked her move over, onto the footpath if she wouldn't mind. What I got was "f**k off I am on the bleedin pa righhh, wha you doin on it on a bike?" My response was that if you look down you will see that this is a cycle path and the foot path is there (point beside us). Again "you f**k off cycle pa and a foot pa are the same thing"

She went on but I cycled away after calling her stupid. What it boils down to is ignorance. Some people are so ignorant that they walk in them, others are ignorant that they park in them and some cyclist are ignorant that they prefer the foot path than the cycle path.

breadmonkey

I hate cyclists, they scare the sh!t out of me when I'm driving

Pyr0

I hate motorists the scare the Sh!t out of me when I'm cycling.

tinkerbell

And a cyclist today scared the crap outta me when I was walking!

Ya can't win

Wertz

floyd.pepper wrote:

I

I've cycled in other cities in europe, amsterdam being a great example, to
see how they just don't think of cyclists as a after-thought if the road is
wide enough...

Yup. Amsterdam is a prime example of how an inner city should work. Cyclists>Pedestrians>Vehicles(except trams/buses)
Takes some getting used to, walking round the place though.

I cycle exclusively as I've just never learnt to drive, and lets face it, I can get to most anywhere I need to go faster than a car these days.
Pet peeves with a lot of motorists?
If I have no cycle lane, then FFS make some space down your left hand side so I can pass. Same goes for if it's windy outside; we need space.
I obey traffic lights and most every other road sign, but I'll admit I do use footpaths if I can't get out at a junction.
I try never to be ignorant of either pedestrains or motorists, but they don't make it easy...

KdjaCL

petes wrote:

I fooking hate people that cycle on footpaths. Especially when they are behind you. Have seen a number of times peple nearly hitting people and hitting people. Get on the road backstards.

You only need to fill in a form to drive, why the **** would i cycle on the road with retards driving cars that only filled in a form to drive?

Try looking from the opposite side no way in hell i ever cycling on a road the mere sight of a Micra with go fast stripes scares the **** outta me.

kdjac

seamus

Moved from AH.

BrianD3

KdjaC wrote:

You only need to fill in a form to drive, why the **** would i cycle on the road with retards driving cars that only filled in a form to drive?

And what do you need before you head out on the road on a bike? NOTHING. There's no age limit, no form to be filled in, no licence, no insurance, no registration of bikes, no training, no theory test. Any ****in eejit can hop up on a bike and go out on the public road and mow a few pedestrians out of it. How many cyclists have ever read the Rules of the Road.

BrianD3

Victor

BrianD3 wrote:

And what do you need before you head out on the road on a bike? NOTHING. There's no age limit, no form to be filled in, no licence, no insurance, no registration of bikes, no training, no theory test. Any ****in eejit can hop up on a bike and go out on the public road and mow a few pedestrians out of it. How many cyclists have ever read the Rules of the Road.

In six years, cyclists have killed two pedestrians, four cyclist have been killed in single bicycle accidents and one in a two-bicycle accident.* In that time motorists have killed more than 2,000 people.

Now who are you frightened by? Cars or bicycles.

* There may be a small number of incidents where cyclists have killed motorists, but the vast majority of vehcile-bicycle accidents are caused by motorists and the cyclist receives the more severe injury. Two further cyclists were killed in multi-vehicle accidents.

jman0

There's a footpath i mount while cycling in the morning on route to work,
It is a spagetti junction and i am turning Right.
It is a legal right turn.
However There is no turning lane provided, or "advanced box" or whatever. Due to the stream of oncoming traffic i find myself waiting for a gap; all the while cars, buses, and HGV's stream past me to my left heading straight.
The traffic going straight has to manueovre around me a little, like less than 1 metre but because they are going straight, they stream past at around 25-35 mph. I find this predicament way way too dangerous. I'm putting my life on the line trusting that the traffic behind me notices my reflective Sam Browne belt and blinking red light at 7am and turn in time to avoid me.
This is suicide, i'm mounting the footpath approaching this junction and going thru it like a pedestrian. Thankfully there's no pedestrians using it at this hour but even if there were, screw em, i'm not going to kill them with my bike, but those motorists are going to kill me at their speeds.

BrianD3

Victor wrote:

In six years, cyclists have killed two pedestrians, four cyclist have been killed in single bicycle accidents and one in a two-bicycle accident.* In that time motorists have killed more than 2,000 people.

Now who are you frightened by? Cars or bicycles.

* There may be a small number of incidents where cyclists have killed motorists, but the vast majority of vehcile-bicycle accidents are caused by motorists and the cyclist receives the more severe injury. Two further cyclists were killed in multi-vehicle accidents.

How many cyclists have died/been injured in collisions with motor vehicles where the cyclist was partly or fully to blame? Cyclists need to be protected from themselves as much as anything else. Just because the cyclist usually comes out worse in a collision with another road user doesn't absolve the cyclist of blame.

BTW a few years ago an elderly aunt of mine received a broken hip after being hit by a cyclist tearing along the footpath. Pr1ck didn't even have the decency to wait around and check if she was alright, he just legged it leaving his mangled bike at the scene.

I can honestly say that in all my years as a pedestrian I have had more "scares" due to cyclists than due to motor vehicles. I've never once encountered a motorist travelling along the footpath at 20-30 mph :rolleyes:

BrianD3

jman0

BrianD3 wrote:

BTW a few years ago an elderly aunt of mine received a broken hip after being hit by a cyclist tearing along the footpath. Pr1ck didn't even have the decency to wait around and check if she was alright, he just legged it leaving his mangled bike at the scene.

I can honestly say that in all my years as a pedestrian I have had more "scares" due to cyclists than due to motor vehicles. I've never once encountered a motorist travelling along the footpath at 20-30 mph :rolleyes:

BrianD3

I'm sorry to hear about your eldery aunt, however reading your post it sounds as if your implying encountering cyclists on a footpath traveling 20-30mph, which imo is a gross exaggeration.
Which in turn, makes me suspcious of the remainder of your post.

BrianD3

Nah, it's perfectly possible (but dangerous) for a bicycle to go along a path at 20 or even 30 mph. Pedestrians walking on the path would be going around 2-4 mph. Runners would be doing around 8-12 mph. I have encountered cyclists going significantly faster than this, so I don't think it's a gross exaggeration at all.

On the road and going downhill, a bike could go 40+ mph.

BrianD3

jman0

BrianD3 wrote:

Nah, it's perfectly possible (but dangerous) for a bicycle to go along a path at 20 or even 30 mph. Pedestrians walking on the path would be going around 2-4 mph. Runners would be doing around 8-12 mph. I have encountered cyclists going significantly faster than this, so I don't think it's a gross exaggeration at all.

On the road and going downhill, a bike could go 40+ mph.

BrianD3

As an experienced cyclist, on a quality racer, i have only reached 30mph cruising downhill. In the highest gear, i cannot turn the pedals fast enough to reach that speed under my own power.
Often when I "FLY" around a major roundabout, while i easily can pass other cars i check my speedometre and i am not even traveling 20mph.
So yes, your 20-30mph footpath cyclist is surely an exaggeration.

Metrobest

BrianD3 wrote:

Nah, it's perfectly possible (but dangerous) for a bicycle to go along a path at 20 or even 30 mph. Pedestrians walking on the path would be going around 2-4 mph. Runners would be doing around 8-12 mph. I have encountered cyclists going significantly faster than this, so I don't think it's a gross exaggeration at all.

On the road and going downhill, a bike could go 40+ mph.

BrianD3

In width, cars are far more conspicuous than bikes. If a car's on the foothpath, it's a case of 'nowhere to run, nowhere to hide' for the pedestrian, whereas a cyclist should be able to swerve to avoid the person in its path. Of course cyclists should not have to use foothpaths. The fact that, in some cases, they do, is a measure of the shoddy nature of Dublin's cycling infrastructure. How come cyclists in Amsterdam don't use foothpaths? Because there is a proper network of cycle lanes! BrianD3, I challenge you cycle from Dublin 3 via the O'Connell Bridge to, say, Rathmines, and decide for yourself if you think the 'cycle lanes' are up to scratch. They aren't. You'd be hard pushed to meet a cyclist in Dublin who's happy with the road provisions for cyclists!

dalk

I've biked around Dublin for the last 7 years or so as my primary mode of transport. Its a small percentage of people on the road that make life awkward. This goes for cyclists as well as motorists.

I personally think cycling 2 abreast in Dublin is suicidal. I mean really, whatever about being the guy on the inside, who wants to cycle in the middle of the road?

Cycle lanes can be like an assault course sometimes... Cross here... Now go on the footpath, now off the footpath, then it dissappears, reappears across the road But they are better than nothing and that strip of red is mostly clear of motorists.

I do hop on and off of footpaths when the road ahead isn't clear, and then when on the footpath i cycle at walking pace. So I *try* to be consientous and not scare the **** out of people. (I see cyclists on footpaths obviously cycling to wherever they are going completely on the footpath. I can understand why. They are scared to cycle on the road or feel safer on the footpath or whatever. But really if you are spending 90% of your journey on the footpath than don't cycle and get the bus).

I do have a gripe with impatient motorists though. In some situations you are blocking traffic and you can't help it. (I really do try and avoid traffic as much as possible). But really, chill out in the car. The average speed during rush hour is in the 8mph range. And it isnt because of the cyclists on the road. Some people blow the horn, make a big deal (with high rev'ing engine and acceleration) passing you out... cause YOU on the BIKE! have slowed them down sooo much. Well, 90% of the time, within a few minutes i pass them out, because they are now stopped at traffic lights. So why the big hurry to get to the next set of traffic lights? There is a perception of being held up because you can see some clear road ahead of the cyclist, but ahead of that clear patch is gridlock....

(Recently, i got blown out of it by a driver for holding him up or 'getting in his way' or he didnt like the look of my seat post or something. It transpired that he worked across the road from where i work. I got to work before he did. I recognised his car arriving. So basically, even if he had sat on my wheel for the whole journey blowing his horn he would have gotten there in the same time...)

People assume too much as well. Some motorists assume you are going left, so they cut in in front of you on a left turn. They assume that the nice person in the car who is waving them through stopped traffic at a junction has looked in their mirrors for cyclists. They assume the road is empty when they swing the car door open onto the road without looking behind. Some cyclists seem to assume that the car behind them can read their minds and knows that the rightward drift of the bike means that they want to turn right (no need for hand signals). They assume that wandering down the centre of the road at 4mph is ok. They assume that cycling isnt actually dangerous to other people so onto the footpath at full speed they go. As for pedestrians... They love to assume that, because the traffic has stopped or because they cant hear a car, that therefore there is no need to look left or right, as there couldn't possibly be a quiet and fast moving object moving through stopped traffic...

thats enough ranting... i love cycling though

MorningStar

I cycle on the path because;
1) Cars block my way. I see them do it intentionally on many occasions.
2) The road is unsafe to cycle on due to road surface.
3) Cars parked in the cycle lane (daily)
4) People walking in the cycle lane
5) The cycle lane is dangerous (both surface and layout)
6) To get out of the way of traffic (Buses)

I will continue to do this because as it is the safest option. The road laws aren't enforced for any road users. There are a hell of a lot more drivers out there who break laws that as far as I can see (yellow boxes, red or amber lights, parking illegally etc...) All the minor annoyances from cyclists don't mount against this.
General points mentioned in this thread
1) It is not illegal for cyclists to be on the road other than cycle paths
2) A QBC (bus lane) is for the use of Buses,taxi, emergency vehicals and cyclists. Not just for buses just named baddly
3) Nobody pays road tax it's motor tax charged based on the motor in your vehical the roads are for everybody
4) Any blame for cyclist on in a fatal metting with a car is a little extreme both are involved. Considering cars crash into each other regularly I think it could easily suggest the car is more likely the problem.
5) I have yet to see a cycle path older than a year in good condition.
6) Many of the cyclist people complain about aren't adults. Drivers are with very few exceptions

RasTa

BrianD3 wrote:

On the road and going downhill, a bike could go 40+ mph.

BrianD3

Haha where did you did this quote from ? Oh wait you just made it up. How many accidents with cyclists have you had ? Where do you live ?
Tax all cars coming in Dublin i say. People from Dublin 15 should get the bus into town or the train. Unless you live an hours drive from the city and theres no cheap transport(i.e kildare or balbriggan) you should use public transport.

BrianD3

Haha where did you did this quote from ? Oh wait you just made it up.

Unfortunately for you, no I didn't. Google it if you don't believe me. There are numerous reports (from cyclists themselves, not big bad evil motorists) of cyclists hitting 40 mph on steep downhill gradients. These are not professional racers either. There are also some reports of cyclists hitting 50 mph. Recumbent bikes/trikes with fairings are reported to be faster still.

BrianD3

Trojan

There are numerous reports (from drivers themselves!) of cars hitting 130 mph on normal roads. These are not professional racers either (more's the pity). There are also some reports of drivers hitting 500 mph. Those with turbofan power systems are reported to be faster still.

Wertz

dalk wrote:

They assume the road is empty when they swing the car door open onto the road without looking behind.

Another gripe. I've cheated multiple fractures/fatal collision due to this many many times. Luckily I'm young(ish) so I have good reflexes. FFS cars have wing mirrors; use them.

Trojan wrote:

There are numerous reports (from drivers themselves!) of cars hitting 130 mph on normal roads. These are not professional racers either (more's the pity). There are also some reports of drivers hitting 500 mph. Those with turbofan power systems are reported to be faster still.

Burn!

50mph on a pushbike?!?! LMAO. Lance Armstrong on crystal meth would have his work cut out, let alone the average Irish cyclist on an Irish road/street.

BrianD3

There are numerous reports (from drivers themselves!) of cars hitting 130 mph on normal roads. These are not professional racers either (more's the pity). There are also some reports of drivers hitting 500 mph. Those with turbofan power systems are reported to be faster still.

:rolleyes: How smart. But you forgot to mention that there are numerous reports of cyclists having actually read the rules of the road, obeying traffic signals, lighting up at night etc.

Regarding the speeds, as I stated already, recumbent bicycles/tricycles with fairings have been clocked at over 50 mph on downhills. Posters who dispute this might want to have a look at this page which show pics of recumbents being cycled at ~80 mph on a FLAT track
http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/whpsc2001/resultsSaturday.htm

As for speeds of upright bicycles, I am basing my opinion on what cyclists themselves have stated. People here seem to think these claims are a load of sh1te. Frankly, I don't particularly care either way.

BrianD3

Victor

BrianD3 wrote:

How many cyclists have died/been injured in collisions with motor vehicles where the cyclist was partly or fully to blame? Cyclists need to be protected from themselves as much as anything else. Just because the cyclist usually comes out worse in a collision with another road user doesn't absolve the cyclist of blame.

This is known as "Blame the Victim" syndrome.

The proportions of "blame" are about 80:20. Motorists saw they "didn't see", in reality, they just didn't look.

cyclopath2001

BrianD3 wrote:

As for speeds of upright bicycles, I am basing my opinion on what cyclists themselves have stated.BrianD3

They were probably bragging.

I ride a racing bike to work & can comfortably reach 30kph in approprate conditions. At 40kph, things get scary around town as neither motorists nor pedestrians can judge the speed of a cyclist & this can lead to lots of swerving & braking So, I tend to average 20-25kph in the city centre, it's easier to deal with surprises, such as illegal over-taking by cars & trucks or having to dodge power-walking women with hot coffee in one hand and a cell-phone in the other.

Not many people pass me on bikes & certainly not at 60kph. The only time I acheived this speed myself was coming down the Wicklow Gap with a strong tail-wind.

BrianD3

Victor wrote:

Motorists saw they "didn't see", in reality, they just didn't look.

And this is the sort of thing that non-driving cyclists often say. You don't drive, right? If/when you do, come back and see if you are quite so clear cut about the whole "not seeing" and "not looking" issue.

Of course, drivers can be lacking when it comes to observation but cyclists can also be lacking when it comes to basic cop on eg assuming that drivers have a constant 360 degree field of vision.

All cyclists should take a trip down the Quays in the passenger seat of a 40 tonne artic to see things from the other side.

BrianD3

parasite

RasTa wrote:

Haha where did you did this quote from ?

40mph is very achievable, i've got 40mph on a mountain bike wearing baggy clothes, but it was a very steep hill, you don't have much control though so never again ... :rolleyes:

jman0

I don't see anybody agruing that it's a physical impossiblity to reach speeds of 30 or 40 mph on a push bike. Particulary coasting down a mountain.

The point is, BrianD3 alledges he saw a cyclist going 20-30mph on a footpath and that my friends, is an exaggeration.
The fastest average speed of the Tour de France is just 25mph.
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=45315
So that's the best cyclist riding the best racing bike made, on the best performance enhancing drugs still only reaching a best avg speed of 25mph.

Yet BrianD3, apparently saw Lance Armstrong cycling on an irish footpath, and what: was this the one that knocked your elderly aunt?
Now THAT is something! :eek:

jlang

The cyclist may not have been doing speeds like that, but from the perspective of the knocked down person, he may as well have been. Therefore, he was going too fast.

I admit, I too have cycled on the footpath for short stretches on occasion, but the important thing to remember is that on the footpath, the pedestrian has all the rights and the cyclist is the invader. If the cyclist is in any other state of mind (up to and including attempting world speed records) they are dead wrong!

MorningStar

Drivers don't stick to speed limits. That simple. Bike may possibly get up to 30mph at points in a journey but by no means is it constant. The main culprit for speeding in ireland is the car. The main vehical to polute is the car. The main culprit for killing people on the roads is the car. CYclist might do stupid things but there are more drivers doing stupid things. Everyday I see everybody breaking rules.

Metrobest

jlang wrote:

the important thing to remember is that on the footpath, the pedestrian has all the rights and the cyclist is the invader. !

By the same token, on the roads the car driver has all the rights and views the cyclist as an irksome invasion on his roadspace. So where does that leave cyclists?

robfitz

My maximum speed ever was just over 64 km/h going down the hill at Newtownpark Avenue a few years back. I cyclied it again a few weeks ago and got over 55 km/h the speed limit on that road is 50 km/h.

Given a bit of a downhill, on a nice strech of road and good weather getting up to about 50 km/h isn't that hard, some of these roads include on footway cycle tracks.

On a flat road or cycle track with a good surface I can get up to 30 km/h easily.

jlang wrote:

but the important thing to remember is that on the footpath, the pedestrian has all the rights and the cyclist is the invader

Yes, the pedestrian is king on the footpath (and should be), but what about an on footway cycle track?

Roads Act, 1993
"footpath" means a road over which there is a public right of way for pedestrians only, not being a footway;
"footway" means that portion of any road associated with a roadway which is provided primarily for use by pedestrians;
"roadway" means that portion of a road which is provided primarily for the use of vehicles;
Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations, 1998
'cycle track' means part of a road, including part of a footway or part of a roadway, which is provided primarily for the use of pedal cycles;


Cyclists should never have to use the footpath or on footway cycle tracks, the roadway should be safe enough place to cycle.

robfitz

Metrobest wrote:

By the same token, on the roads the car driver has all the rights and views the cyclist as an irksome invasion on his roadspace. So where does that leave cyclists?

I can imagine some motorists believe that is the case but it isn't.

Road Traffic Act, 1961
"mechanically propelled vehicle" means, subject to subsection (2) of this section, a vehicle intended or adapted for propulsion by mechanical means, ...
"pedal cycle" means a vehicle which is a pedal bicycle or pedal tricycle;
Roads Act, 1993
"roadway" means that portion of a road which is provided primarily for the use of vehicles;

BrianD3

jman0 wrote:

I don't see anybody agruing that it's a physical impossiblity to reach speeds of 30 or 40 mph on a push bike. Particulary coasting down a mountain.

The point is, BrianD3 alledges he saw a cyclist going 20-30mph on a footpath and that my friends, is an exaggeration.
The fastest average speed of the Tour de France is just 25mph.
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=45315
So that's the best cyclist riding the best racing bike made, on the best performance enhancing drugs still only reaching a best avg speed of 25mph.

Yet BrianD3, apparently saw Lance Armstrong cycling on an irish footpath, and what: was this the one that knocked your elderly aunt?
Now THAT is something! :eek:

Okay, okay - perhaps 20-30 mph was an exaggeration. It was just an estimate, I didn't clock these cyclists with a laser gun or anything However, as I already stated I perceived that the cyclists I saw were travelling *significantly* faster than a person would run i.e. significantly faster than about 8 mph. Also, I can't estimate how fast the cyclist that hit my auntie was going as I didn't witness the incident. But he hit her hard enough to knock her over, cause cuts and bruises and break her hip (which is something that can happen very easily in an elderly person)

Happy now?

Gavin

In general on the stuff raised.

I was cycling down Mobhi Hill the other day, there is a cyclelane on the footpath, which I don't cycle on. Why not ? Because people are walking on it. Instead I cycle down the buslane at a reasonably fast speed. Some bus driver started honking his horn at me, for perhaps slowing him down for maybe 1 or 2 minutes ? No patience.

When I'm cycling through town, Georges st in particular, I will sometimes take the center of the road, because there are cars blocking the cyclelane and there's not enough room for a car to overtake me. Rather than encourage the driver to overtake me with no room, I make certain that they can't overtake me by getting into the middle of the lane. I'll do the same in Ranelagh where people park in the cycle lane.

Occasionally I'll mount the kerb as well, but only if there are no pedestrians on it, and it's safe to get back on the road after I get around whatever obstacle is in the way.

Having said all that, in the short time I've been cycling through town, maybe 6 months, I've seen really stupid cyclists and done some stupid things myself. Cyclists that veer all over the road, cycle whilst talking on a mobile -- no hands free kit, pull out into the middle of the road without even looking over their shoulder etc.

Occasionaly people do stupid things do, people make mistakes, there's no getting around it. Everyone on the road has to be totally on the ball, watching out for people that might make a mistake. As my Dad says to me, just assume that everyone else on the road is stupid and out to kill you, and you'll have the right mindset.

I do think though that there should be some sort of cycling license, or at least training before cyclist are allowed on the road. Gardai should enforce cyclists having bike lights, stop em for going through red lights etc. I've nearly gone into cyclists overtaking me, because when I looked behind me before pulling out to the right, couldn't see anything. No lights on the bike !

Anyway. I better do some work.

Gav

Metrobest

Verb wrote:

. I'll do the same in Ranelagh where people park in the cycle lane.Gav

This is a key issue. Parking in the cycle lane should not be allowed at anytime; those who break this law should be given four penalty points. It seems as if the government can have an advertising campaign for almost every road safety issue under the sun, but never about cycling. The media is no better. All this ridiculous high moral ground prophesising about the unfortunate Jim McDaid and never a word about the disgraceful road conditions cyclists have to endure.