Sinister Pete's Gripe of the Week: Bicycles VS Cars

Sinister Pete

Here's the deal. A lot of things piss me off so what better way to get them off my chest than here in our forum THE PEOPLES COURT!!

Sorry, thought I was somewhere else for a second. Anyway I thought I'd look into a particular issue and see what you, yes you, have to say. Then you can tune in in Thurs Heavy Traffic for the definitive answer to today's tough problems.

I ride a bike and I am overwhelmed by the amount of rude, angry and damn dangerous drivers out there. I know a few people who have been knocked off their bikes by a car and the driver hasn't even bothered to stop. What are your thoughts?

Are Dub drivers insane?

Do cyclists take foolish risks?

Speak now...

Leona

That exact thing has happened to me twice. Once in Ballsbridge when some ****ing bitch (ahem) in a big silver merc (or something) pulled out of a road on my left right in front of me giving me NO time to stop. I bashed into the back driver side of her car (hopefully denting it) and fell off... was kinda catapulted off actually. She didn't stop for a second. And I didn't get the reg or anything cos while she was driving away I was lying face down on the pavement listening to the "tic tic tic tic" of my spinning bike wheel as it lay upside down somewhere beside me.

And another time, about two years ago, near the North Circular Road me and a car were both at a crossroads and both turning left. The car was going far too fast to give me enough space and sort of forced me up against the kerb. The bike slid out from under me and both me and my bike skidded up the road on our arses.... and the right peddle was smashed right off my bike. The car didn't even slow down.

So.... DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED about Dublin drivers and their attitude to cyclists :mad:

o sleep

i don't drive a car or ride a bike (although i wish i did, kind of. but when i was around 11 my mum saw a cyclist getting decapitated - aparently - and so would never let me ride a bike. sniff); i take buses (don't get me started). but i have seen incidents of incredibly rude and just plain dangerous drivers with no respect for anyone else on the road. it's like once they're in their car it's their own world, anybody else who enters into their little bubble 'deserves' whatever happens to them.

having said that, some cycylists have been really rude and stupid to me as i walk my way to work/college/whatever. riding on the path and sometimes when drunk going into me. they stoped, but only because i took most of the weight of the bike and the bike stopped, etc. couriers are cool, though, no matter what they do..

insomniac

i'm in a cycling club so i've seen it all. a car once stopped right in front of me and i went straight into it-at least i put a dent into it with my chin. taxi drivers are the biggest dicks on the road- they constantly try to drive me off.

anyway hopefully drivers who read this will reconsider their methods.

b20uvkft6m5xwg

As a fellow cyclist Pete I too am aggrieved @ the shocking behaviour and total disregard for cyclists that all too many drivers have for us 2 wheelers. I mean you'd swear we were drivers worst enemy... Its not like we are one less car on the road and helping the environment. DUHHH!!!
There is a distinct lack of cycle lanes on important throughfares-ie-
Wheres the Cycle Lane on through Dundrum and Up the Sandyford Road like it has been promised since the year dot.

Its a disgrace. Unless we invest in more cycle friendly solutions ppl will never get out of their cars or get off the buses:(

Oh & BTW sometimes I do think I'm crazy to keep cycling- I recently bought a helmet but then again if some dumptruck ploughs into me (God Forbid) it will be like a pimple on a hippo!

God Speed the cyclists...
Gluck Pete & others

SimonMaher

Like everything here, theres at least two sides to every story!

I drive my little car around the city, and yes, I see the inconsiderate acts of drivers every day and their behaviour towards cyclists, other motorists and everything else in their vicinity.

I also see cyclists weaving between cars (which as far as I know is illegal as cyclists are bound by the same lane rules as the rest of us) as well as their total disregard of traffic lights (which I know is illegal) along with the amazing allergy to using lights.

The real problem in my opinion is that motorists and cyclists are behaving like idiots because they get away with it. Even the most basic rules of the road are not enforced in this country and until they are, we will continue in this mess.

Pete Reed

slash99

Couldn't agree more............
Motorists have to obey the rules of the road so why don't cyclists!!!

Aspro

I also see cyclists weaving between cars (which as far as I know is illegal as cyclists are bound by the same lane rules as the rest of us) as well as their total disregard of traffic lights (which I know is illegal) along with the amazing allergy to using lights.

Cycling in the city and cycling anywhere else are two different kettles of fish imo. I used to live in Rialto and cycle in and around town most days and I have to say, you would want to be insane to cycle in town. You take your life in your hands trying to avoid 1. Cars 2. Buses 3. Blind pedestrians.
It's as if a cyclist is a blind spot for all three of these. Therefore to survive as a cyclist in the city centre you have to be a bit mad and flaunt the "rules". I don't advocate dangerous cycling but when forced into a crazy situation you have to be a bit crazy.

Outside of the city centre is still fairly anti-cyclist, made slightly better by cycle-paths. However, the upkeep of these is desperate. They are almost always covered in stones, glass, tree branches, pedestrians or parked cars.

The problem is that most of the roads/paths are too narrow so they create a cycle path by cutting an already narrow road/path in two. Answer: Extend the road width, don't divide it.

A few questions for motorists out there:

1. Why don't you look in your left hand mirrors?

2. Why do see the need to drive more dangerously when it's raining? It's not as if you're the ones getting wet.

3. Why do some of you drive almost right on top of the kerb?

Are you looking for prostitutes? Cyclists can't get past you. That's why we have to weave in and out of lanes.

Anyway just to say, I'm not blaming every driver out there. Some of you are very courteous. Unfortunately a minority. Probably ex-cyclists.

Trev M

Good topic ....

Speaking as ex cyclist then motorcyslist and now car driver I can sympatise will all you cyclists......

People on the road are in general ...completly bonkers.....anyway cars are bonkers when you think about ...

Picture this ..
You're in the patent office with the following idea

I would like to patent a large lump of metal , approx weighing between 1-2 tonnes, it will be capable of propoelling itself at speed over 100mph and will be carried on four bags of air"

Cars are mad, drivers are mad, cyclists are mad .......the whole system is....well you know where Im going, in general people lack respect for each other when it comes to getting from a to b..

Aspro ..Im gonna git you sucka, are ya about later by the way?

Heeheee

thedrowner

i stopped being a cyclist when i went up a hill on a bike....then went back down the hill in reverse just about still on the bike, and then the back of my head hit the pavement and the bike came back down on top of me. i dont use bikes that have the ability to travel anymore. yeah...i'd feel a bit to open to being hurt on a bike. but cyclists really piss me off when they dont stop at traffic lights and blame you when you get wrapped around their front wheel while trying to cross the road
im a bus person myself...*shudder*...if i was to start going onm a hot them we'd be here all day, week month....but the 123 bus is where i have had most of my major life experiences!!!!
im a bit frightened of cars too, but not as frightgtend of them as bikes. i think walking is the way to go!

lamda

Ha!! If you think you gain a lot of "life experience" on the 123 you should try the 27- the bus from hell...... junkies, drunks,crazy men who sit on your lap, escaped mental patients,scary scumbags,huge clouds of hash smoke covering the top deck.......all human life is here.. God I cant wait to get a car!!! As for cyclists it really pisses me off how most of them don't think that traffic lights apply to them. But I got hit by a bike as a child and am bitter towards them ever since grrrrrrr

Aidan Lynch

Just got back into town and saw that I was missing a good discussion thread! I've been a big cyclist for years and I've had my share of accidents, including one time where a driver actually rear-ended me coz he didn't have enough space to overtake me!

There's rarely a day on the bike where I don't have to burn rubber on the road to avoid a stupid driver, but I've been lucky of late (touch wood!).

There are, though, some things you can do to make your cycling experience a lot safer:

* ALWAYS wear a helmet. I know it won't protect you from a ten tonne truck if it decides to plough into you, but the skid lid will save you from injury in most accidents

* Watch the traffic - you can often spot the eejits and guess what they're about to do, for example, be ready when you're approcaching a side road for a git to sail out in front of you; if a car is overtaking you, EXPECT him to turn left before he's finished passing you

* Give yourself plenty of room on the road. Don't cycle with your wheels nearly touching the kerb - keep out a bit so the driver has to actually pull out a bit when passing you. Otherwise, you're guaranteed to be hit by a mirror or worse. You're more in the line of sight of drivers and it gets you noticed. It also gives you somewhere to go if someone forgets to give you enough space.

* Don't expect people to use indicators (remember those quaint little things?). If there's no indicator, it normally means the car is about to turn left or right.

* Don't get all self-conscious about lights. I look like a christmas tree when I'm cycling at night, with a good front light, a full back light plus a little flashy jobby and a reflector belt. You have to be easily able to catch the driver's eye. Tinsel is optional.

* Keep your breaks in good condition - an obvious one really, but I'm always amazed to see people stopping their bikes with a foot on the ground.

* Don't be afraid to (politely) point out to a driver his error if he's done something to put you in danger (you can normally catch up at the next red light if you're in the city). A lot of the time they're in blissful ignorance of the danger they put people under. If he tells you to feck off, get his reg number and report his dangerous driving to the police. Don't under any circomstances pick up your bike and throw it through his windscreen. That sort of carry on doesn't benefit anyone except Fast Fit Windscreens (tm).

Don't forget, cycling is actually a lot of fun, especially if weather is good to us. There are some cool parks and areas that are cyclist friendly - the Phoenix park or the coast road from Clontarf to Howth, for example.

Right so, that's my rant. Back to the scheduled programmes.

b20uvkft6m5xwg

Very Enjoyable and Informative post Paul:)

The only thing I think you forgot was...

**Beware of eejits in parked cars and stopped in traffic who inadvertently decide to open their car doors w/out checking to see if theres anything coming!

A friend of mine had a very nasty incident because of such:(

Gray

I agree with the sentiments of most of the drivers in this thread, cycalists don't seem to think the rules of the road aplie to them.
Please all you cycalists follow Pauls advice and look out for yourselves caus us car drivers are busy trying to avoid Bus's, Lorrys, Taxis & White Van Man. These stop without warning, pull out from the kerb in font of you don't indicate ARRRR!!! I'm starting to sound like a cycalist

thedrowner

Originally posted by Paul Clarke
I've been a big cyclist for years

i love that phrase!!! a big cyclist for years. most of the phantom dj's seem to cycle-well...3 out of how many??? i know very few people who cycle anywhere!
lamda> yeah, apparantly the 13b goes to hell and back. the 49 and 16 are more of the junkie type busses. i saw someone smoking cocaine (well...i think it was cocaine). but the 123 is the worst, ive been felt up on that bus, ive had t call the police because of a fight, someone had a heart attack on it, this convict guy got on it, and started telling my friend how to steal money from a payphone. i seem to have a freak sign on my head when it comes to busses and strange passenegers

Sinister Pete

Originally posted by thedrowner

...yeah, apparantly the 13b goes to hell and back. the 49 and 16 are more of the junkie type busses. i saw someone smoking cocaine (well...i think it was cocaine). but the 123 is the worst, ive been felt up on that bus, ive had t call the police because of a fight, someone had a heart attack on it, this convict guy got on it, and started telling my friend how to steal money from a payphone....

Err... Drowner. I don't want to bust your bubble but we are talking about bicycles and cars here not busses but I'm sure there are plenty of people who would like to if you started a thread.

thedrowner

i know that sinister pete, and i apologised for it further up the page (and if i didnt...someone else did) but i had to answer lamda back about the bus!!

Kopf

I don't cycle around the city, but my only experience with cyclists has been bad; this scenario has unfolded many a time:

Approaching a set of traffic lights, and suddenly some fscking geezer on a bicycle decides to cut across your car, going at his own slow pace, letting himself through the green light, but holding all the cars up to the extent that they get caught on the red light.

Truely enraging.