Buffalo & Doozerie - The mild musings of two grumpy old men!

Eamonnator · 26-07-2016 10:01PM

Brevity is the soul of wit.

rollingscone · 26-07-2016 10:36PM

dreamerb wrote: »

Brakes are Tektro R358 (Giant dash 2). Wiggle says I compatible if I "have a suitable Shimano pad carrier". Can anyone translate this for me - do I need something extra?

They're compatible with the Swisstop pads but you might have bolt on brake pads (onè solid piece of rubber on a bolt as opposed to Cartridge brakes where you can just slide the replacement pads into the cartridges and usually lock them into place with a wire clip or tiny bolt.

buffalo · 17-08-2016 09:22AM

One of those incidents this morning that inches me ever closer to mounting a camera... descending Whitworth Road with zero motor traffic on my side of the road. There's a Dublin bus pulling in on the far side, with a car directly behind it, and a large dumper truck behind that.

The car driver isn't quick enough to overtake for the truck driver, and he risks getting crushed by the truck, who instead blares the horn. Car gets past the bus and pulls back in as I approach, I have to slow down as the truck follows. Not in the dangerous territory exactly, but not a manoeuvre I imagine the driver would've done if I was also an approaching truck.

As the truck returns to the correct side of the road, I proceed down my side, only to hit the brakes. A van has followed the truck, despite having zero visibility of what's ahead. Behind the van is another van, then a landrover, and finally one more car. All driving straight into oncoming traffic with no visibility, heading for the red light 250m up the road.

There was one wave of apology, but no way anybody was going to slow down, never mind stop!

MediaMan · 17-08-2016 10:30AM

buffalo wrote: »

As the truck returns to the correct side of the road, I proceed down my side, only to hit the brakes. A van has followed the truck, despite having zero visibility of what's ahead. Behind the van is another van, then a landrover, and finally one more car. All driving straight into oncoming traffic with no visibility, heading for the red light 250m up the road.

There was one wave of apology, but no way anybody was going to slow down, never mind stop!

This raises the issue of herd mentality on the road. For example, I've found that if one misguided driver squeezes past me when it's unsafe to do so, a whole load more will follow. This is a big factor in lots of careless and occasionally downright dangerous road use, across all categories of transport. Conversely, if enough people were to drive/cycle safely at all times, and it became socially unacceptable not to do so, what wonderful streets we would have!

Leroy42 · 17-08-2016 11:01AM

One thing I have worried about recently is the practice of cars, sitting in a line of traffic, letting cars on the opposite side turn right. It is a civil thing to do, but it seems that little regard is given to cyclists coming up the inside.

For the car turning right, they have very little visibility of a cyclist coming, especially if the vehicle giving them the space is a larger vehicle like a 4x4 or bigger.

Whilst that is bad enough, it also seems that if the first car does cross then it seems, and this ties back to the herd mentality mentioned above, that other vehicles in the que to turn right will simply follow without, in my experience, any additional checking.

magicbastarder · 18-08-2016 09:46PM

two peeves for this evening:
1 - people who lock their bikes to bus stops.
2 - when you've a lovely evening like we've had but you have to get up on the flat roof to fix holes in it instead of being out on the bike.

tigerboon · 24-08-2016 09:16AM

Maybe not the right place for this but twice in the last week saw cyclists using the M3 motorway. One evening last week some lad pedalling like crazy on a fold up type bike. This morning, in the fog, some guy stopped on the hard shoulder checking his phone/garmin/whatever. It's hard to know what to say about the complete stupidity of both of these

Chips Lovell · 24-08-2016 09:26AM

tigerboon wrote: »

This morning, in the fog, some guy stopped on the hard shoulder checking his phone/garmin/whatever.

There are probably rare Pokemon on the M3

Chuchote · 26-08-2016 10:41PM

tigerboon wrote: »

Maybe not the right place for this but twice in the last week saw cyclists using the M3 motorway.

Sounds like insanity, but may also be that they're using a satnav of some sort, having set it to cycle mode, and it's guided them onto the motorway. There are times you're safer with paper maps.

RobertFoster · 27-08-2016 07:27AM

With either paper or digital maps, there's still road signs telling you not to enter motorways on foot or pedal-cycles.

I passed two men walking side-by-side with their back to traffic on the M3 a few weeks back. Not the most comfortable of walking routes, so I wonder how they got there.

Chuchote · 27-08-2016 08:38AM

RobertFoster wrote: »

With either paper or digital maps, there's still road signs telling you not to enter motorways on foot or pedal-cycles.

I passed two men walking side-by-side with their back to traffic on the M3 a few weeks back. Not the most comfortable of walking routes, so I wonder how they got there.

Locals, maybe, and there's no easy way to bring a bike across?

CramCycle · 31-08-2016 09:06AM

Interesting experience this morning. You would know the schools are back as some people were more stupid than normal. Heading through Sandyford Industrial estate, I stay out on the road as I take a right turn up ahead and I am also keeping up with traffic.

There is a BMW a few yards in front of me, enough for me to slow and stop if the brake lights come on but they are not pulling away or dropping back. I can hear a car behind me getting close but the road is about to split into the right turn/straight ahead and there is not enough space in front of me to pass so it is what it is.

Needless to say the guy pulls up beside me in his very shiny 08 Jag, and very politely, points sidewards, like a garda trying to pull you over. He then shouts, but calm and politely, that there is a cycle lane over there. I shout back, I know but i am turning right just up ahead. He doesn't do it intentionally but he is now drifting in on top of me. I really don't think it was intentional anyway. He said you can turn right from the bike lane (you actually can't, you have to dismount and walk or go up the road and do a U turn). It just shocked me that he had no realisation of the absurdity of what he was doing. He obviously felt I was obstructing him but had paid so little attention that he had not realised there was nowhere to go. The lane fully splits and he has to tap on the brakes, I indicate, merge over. Still keeping up with the car in front. So much so that I actually make it to the solid white line at the same time as the car in front.

I realise none of this will register with the driver, I know it was not malicious (or I hope so). He will hold a grudge all cyclists on the road for the rest of the morning, probably tell his workmates what a selfish wanker he came across. I just hope, that maybe he does realise, maybe he will just shut his mouth and think, that was pointless, probably should not do it again.

Chuchote · 31-08-2016 09:15AM

CramCycle wrote: »

Interesting experience this morning. You would know the schools are back as some people were more stupid than normal. Heading through Sandyford Industrial estate, I stay out on the road as I take a right turn up ahead and I am also keeping up with traffic.

There is a BMW a few yards in front of me, enough for me to slow and stop if the brake lights come on but they are not pulling away or dropping back. I can hear a car behind me getting close but the road is about to split into the right turn/straight ahead and there is not enough space in front of me to pass so it is what it is.

Needless to say the guy pulls up beside me in his very shiny 08 Jag, and very politely, points sidewards, like a garda trying to pull you over. He then shouts, but calm and politely, that there is a cycle lane over there. I shout back, I know but i am turning right just up ahead. He doesn't do it intentionally but he is now drifting in on top of me. I really don't think it was intentional anyway. He said you can turn right from the bike lane (you actually can't, you have to dismount and walk or go up the road and do a U turn). It just shocked me that he had no realisation of the absurdity of what he was doing. He obviously felt I was obstructing him but had paid so little attention that he had not realised there was nowhere to go. The lane fully splits and he has to tap on the brakes, I indicate, merge over. Still keeping up with the car in front. So much so that I actually make it to the solid white line at the same time as the car in front.

I realise none of this will register with the driver, I know it was not malicious (or I hope so). He will hold a grudge all cyclists on the road for the rest of the morning, probably tell his workmates what a selfish wanker he came across. I just hope, that maybe he does realise, maybe he will just shut his mouth and think, that was pointless, probably should not do it again.

Cram, you have just had the mansplaining* experience. All women salute you, comrade.

* http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174918/

PaulieC · 31-08-2016 12:16PM

CramCycle wrote: »

Interesting experience this morning. You would know the schools are back as some people were more stupid than normal. Heading through Sandyford Industrial estate, I stay out on the road as I take a right turn up ahead and I am also keeping up with traffic.

There is a BMW a few yards in front of me, enough for me to slow and stop if the brake lights come on but they are not pulling away or dropping back. I can hear a car behind me getting close but the road is about to split into the right turn/straight ahead and there is not enough space in front of me to pass so it is what it is.

Needless to say the guy pulls up beside me in his very shiny 08 Jag, and very politely, points sidewards, like a garda trying to pull you over. He then shouts, but calm and politely, that there is a cycle lane over there. I shout back, I know but i am turning right just up ahead. He doesn't do it intentionally but he is now drifting in on top of me. I really don't think it was intentional anyway. He said you can turn right from the bike lane (you actually can't, you have to dismount and walk or go up the road and do a U turn). It just shocked me that he had no realisation of the absurdity of what he was doing. He obviously felt I was obstructing him but had paid so little attention that he had not realised there was nowhere to go. The lane fully splits and he has to tap on the brakes, I indicate, merge over. Still keeping up with the car in front. So much so that I actually make it to the solid white line at the same time as the car in front.

I realise none of this will register with the driver, I know it was not malicious (or I hope so). He will hold a grudge all cyclists on the road for the rest of the morning, probably tell his workmates what a selfish wanker he came across. I just hope, that maybe he does realise, maybe he will just shut his mouth and think, that was pointless, probably should not do it again.

was it a gold coloured Jag ? If so, I might have had a run in with him. Similar situation I was in the outside lane as I was turning right up ahead into South County Business Park. He was on the inside lane, but drifting out of his lane and into mine. As I passed him, I could see he was looking at his phone and not paying attention to his driving. As his window was opened I mentioned that he should get off his phone as I passed him.

He caught up with me at the lights as I was waiting to run and told me that I should be in the cycle lane. I pointed out that I was turning right and was in the correct place to do so. He kept repeating that I should be in the cycle lane. I was getting p1ssed off at this stage so I asked him was he justifying his bad driving by insisting that I should be in the cycle lane. His response to that was to offer to fight me at the side of the road

. When I declined his offer, he said I was it was because I was a cycling pussy and drove off...

Chips Lovell · 31-08-2016 12:18PM

Why does nobody ever want to fight me?

Chuchote · 31-08-2016 12:18PM

A cycling pussy :pac:

CramCycle · 31-08-2016 12:43PM

PaulieC wrote: »

was it a gold coloured Jag ? If so, I might have had a run in with him. Similar situation I was in the outside lane as I was turning right up ahead into South County Business Park. He was on the inside lane, but drifting out of his lane and into mine. As I passed him, I could see he was looking at his phone and not paying attention to his driving. As his window was opened I mentioned that he should get off his phone as I passed him.

He caught up with me at the lights as I was waiting to run and told me that I should be in the cycle lane. I pointed out that I was turning right and was in the correct place to do so. He kept repeating that I should be in the cycle lane. I was getting p1ssed off at this stage so I asked him was he justifying his bad driving by insisting that I should be in the cycle lane. His response to that was to offer to fight me at the side of the road . When I declined his offer, he said I was it was because I was a cycling pussy and drove off...

It was black, XF, as my boss would say (a car fanatic), the slow ones (they are and can be extremely fast, and so far my experience of XF drivers is that tjhey tend to be quite polite, my only other experience being a gold one, who wound down his window to tell me I was quite fast). The man was very polite, only raising his voice so that I could hear him explain where I should be. He was not angry or aggressive, although if I was in the mood i could have taken it that way when he drifted over. He was quite rudely talking over his passenger.
I have never understood the offer of fighting. Why would you offer the choice? If the person wishes to fight, they might give warning but if they are not that committed on the first place that they ask you if you would be interested, I tend to feel that they are not really going to give it their all and I promptly leave. I do like to be an ass and try and look smug / superior, which normally probably has the effect that they think me a cycling "pussy". Such an astonishing insult, it is locked away as I have not heard anyone use it for 25 years.

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

Why does nobody ever want to fight me?

Your face is too pretty.

Chuchote wrote: »

A cycling pussy :pac:

A tag I would be happy for anyone to call me, it tends to make me giggle inside at their immaturity and just want to leave, so they can cry to themselves when they arrive home alone to look in the mirror and realise that, deep down, they have nothing to offer humanity.

Alek · 31-08-2016 01:11PM

A tag I would be happy for anyone to call me, it tends to make me giggle inside at their immaturity and just want to leave, so they can cry to themselves when they arrive home alone to look in the mirror and realise that, deep down, they have nothing to offer humanity.

Badum-tssss!

Rogue-Trooper · 20-09-2016 10:18AM

So, cycling down East Wall Road yesterday evening, a white Hiace Van came out of one of the side roads on the left just slightly ahead of me. The driver didn't even glance to her right to see if there was anything coming as she turned left onto the main road and slowly came out across my path. I hauled on the anchors and one of her passengers obviously copped me bearing down on them and she jammed on, coming to a stop half way around the corner. I swerved around the van shaking my head in disbelief only to have the passenger lean out of the window and roar at me to "Watch where you're fookin going"!!

Oops. My bad. Soz..............:rolleyes:

Chuchote · 20-09-2016 10:22AM

Bloggsie · 20-09-2016 10:49AM

leaping lasgane's Chucote, attacked by a moustache loving flying cat, lucky to escape with your whiskers intact!

Chuchote · 20-09-2016 10:50AM

Heh, not me, that's just a #CyclingPussy

Bloggsie · 20-09-2016 10:55AM

PaulieC wrote: »

was it a gold coloured Jag ? If so, I might have had a run in with him. Similar situation I was in the outside lane as I was turning right up ahead into South County Business Park. He was on the inside lane, but drifting out of his lane and into mine. As I passed him, I could see he was looking at his phone and not paying attention to his driving. As his window was opened I mentioned that he should get off his phone as I passed him.

He caught up with me at the lights as I was waiting to run and told me that I should be in the cycle lane. I pointed out that I was turning right and was in the correct place to do so. He kept repeating that I should be in the cycle lane. I was getting p1ssed off at this stage so I asked him was he justifying his bad driving by insisting that I should be in the cycle lane. His response to that was to offer to fight me at the side of the road . When I declined his offer, he said I was it was because I was a cycling pussy and drove off...

"do you wanna fight" funny.

does anyone remember snagglepuss from their childhood days, "put em up, put em up!"

check_six · 20-09-2016 11:06AM

Arrived at a slight squiggle in the road yesterday to notice that, even though I was squiggling to keep a constant line on the road, the car beside me was decidedly *not* squiggling and was, in fact, ploughing straight into the space I was about to occupy. A quick look at the driver revealed that they were too busy applying mascara to be bothered with the fripperies of driving such as holding the wheel to steer, or even looking out the windscreen to see where they were going.

Happily, a simple, shuddering, emergency, pull the levers through the handlebars and scream blue murder, gentle deceleration manoeuvre prevented me from interrupting the drivers morning routine.

I blame the radio and the tales of the self driving uber taxis. It's gotta be that, right?

BoardsMember · 20-09-2016 12:01PM

Drove to work this morning. Came out a sidestreet, only pulled out gently as visibility to my rught was bad but the pedestrian lights 20 yards to my right were red so was happy I could progress. Proceeding with caution, a twit on a bike bombs through the lights. We bith hit the brakes, no collision. I continued to proceed, so I could get out of the middle of the road, but your man on the bike decides to proceed too, then hits his front brake and nearly took the nuts off himself. When I pointed out he'd sailed through the red lights he scfreamed at me to f off. So I did.

CramCycle · 20-09-2016 12:07PM

Seen a car run through a flashing amber at a decent clip, coming onto a T junction yesterday, on their phone. Thankfully the driver who was driving along the junction, and had a green light copped what was happening and swerved out (no way brakes would have stopped either in time). The driver who swerved stopped, while the mobile phone, light running driver just continued on. One caught the other at the the next lights and the driver who swerved got out to give the other one a bollicking for using her phone, the driver who nearly killed/seriously injured the other just shrugged her shoulders and said, no I wasn't. The other driver got back in their car and nearly broke down crying.

The sooner we have cameras on every traffic light junction, the better. Poor girl looked like she had just had enough of it all.

Makes my story of the guy on the off white/red Bianchi on the Clonskeagh road seem more tame. Dear Sir, your a cock. When a pedestrian light, outside a school is turning red, it is not an appropriate time to dig in and hammer it. Your a pr*ck, every other cyclist managed to stop. The guy had a flair for it already, weaving at speed between people who were just taking off at the lights at the goat.

'68 Fastback · 20-09-2016 01:49PM

I love this thread. Makes me feel less alone out there.:)

DaithiMC · 20-09-2016 04:14PM

CramCycle wrote: »

Makes my story of the guy on the off white/red Bianchi on the Clonskeagh road seem more tame. Dear Sir, your a cock. When a pedestrian light, outside a school is turning red, it is not an appropriate time to dig in and hammer it. Your a pr*ck, every other cyclist managed to stop. The guy had a flair for it already, weaving at speed between people who were just taking off at the lights at the goat.

I agree, both a cock and a prick!

Bloggsie · 21-09-2016 12:20PM

DaithiMC wrote: »

I agree, both a cock and a prick!

that is some feat to be both, akin to be being both the chicken and the egg!

BoardsMember · 27-09-2016 03:01PM

Last week...having dropped the kids to school via the pedestrian crossing right outside the school, I used the crossing to get back to town-ward direction of road, wheeling my bike. There were others using the crossing, mostly in front of me. The light sequence is quite short as a green man/red light to traffic, though there is a generous orange. Still on the green man I notice lycra clad man on carbon bike eye up the situation as he approached the lights. I know the look, he was looking to avoid unclipping by picking a gap in the pedestrians crossing the road. the gap he identified was in front of me, he sped up so was going through the red light at a reasonable pace while people were still crossing. So I decided to take one for the team and closed the gap. He bent my front wheel right around, and went down. I lost it completely with him. I didn't curse or hit him, but it was all I could do not to. I roared at him for several minutes, holding him all the time, marching him from the middle of the road while still grabbing him. I was absolutely livid. My own kid has been knocked down crossing on the green man here by a cyclist, as have other kids. I made a huge scene. Not my finest moment, but I was so incensed. It takes a special kind of tosser to break the red light outside a school with kids/parents/prams crossing on the green man. I eventually stopped roaring abuse at him and let him go when he promised not to do it again. In my enraged state, I thought I might hang onto him and call the Gardaí but I decided to just let the scene come to an end. Several parents and teachers saw the aftermath, I think my new nickname is Walter White.

Buffalo & Doozerie - The mild musings of two grumpy old men!

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