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

Dubliner23 wrote: »

After alighting from a bus today on the N11 I was roared at by a cyclist for being in his way about 1 metre from the stop. The cyclist had passed a clearly painted Yield sign but still took the high ground.

He acknowledged seeing the sign when I pointed it out to him but still got quite thick. His line was that I was "deliberately being a c***" by not immediately moving to facilitate his passage. From where I was standing he should have given way to me.

I am a cyclist but walk a lot also so I see this from both perspectives. I would always give way to pedestrians on a shared space as is laid out in the National Cyclist Manual.

I think it really doesn't help relationships between cyclists and pedestrians when the few create unnecessary tensions like this (when in the wrong) given both sides just want to get home efficiently and safely. I think shared lanes are a disaster for this reason but a sense of perspective and cordiality never goes amiss.

He was being a dick, I often stop at these yield signs if a bus has just pulled up or doors are open. Very simple.
Should have asked him to call a garda, you'll happily wait and see which one of you is on the right side.
I hate shared spaces with pedestrians but most cyclists know common courtesy and right of way when they pop up. This guy was not a cyclist, a motorist or a pedestrian. To be one of these you must be human. He was an asshole. Assholes are not human and deserve none of the benefits that are associated with being accepted as one.

Kaisr Sose

No doubt he was an ass, but he was defintely human! So a bit harsh there. Lots of low life's in court every day with no decency in them and they get treated as human beings by the system, as not to do so means society is lowered to their level and nobody wins then.

Chuchote

He was having a baaaad day. Did you ever get on your high horse and scold, then realise after walking away that you'd been an idiot? Happens to us all occasionally.

Driving home from Wesport yesterday (in hindsight, the day of a Mayo semi-final was not the best pick for journey to Dublin), and the driver behaviour along the N5 was appalling. Speeding at 10, 20, 30 and I'd say 40-50kph over the limit, overtakes on bends, approaching blind summits, of multiple cars at a time. At one point approaching a climb, it looked like the motor traffic was three abreast, with cars in the hard shoulder (pulled in to reduce the risk of an accident from a lunatic overtake), cars in the actual lane, and cars overtaking. At a roundabout near Longford, someone overtook the line to take the right-hand turn lane to go straight through (with the traffic), forcing his way in on the far side.

As we approached Edgeworthstown, the traffic was nearly at a standstill. Wing mirror shows a car rapidly approaching with an overtake of the line of traffic, probably the guts of a kilometre long. As it passes, we cop it's a hearse. A hearse, flying down the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic - but it's okay, he's got his hazards on.

At that point we decided to get off the road for a while to leave them to it. Humans though, they're awful people altogether sometimes.

plodder

buffalo wrote: »

Driving home from Wesport yesterday (in hindsight, the day of a Mayo semi-final was not the best pick for journey to Dublin), and the driver behaviour along the N5 was appalling. Speeding at 10, 20, 30 and I'd say 40-50kph over the limit, overtakes on bends, approaching blind summits, of multiple cars at a time. At a roundabout near Longford, someone overtook the line to take the right-hand turn lane to go straight through (with the traffic), forcing his way in on the far side.

As we approached Edgeworthstown, the traffic was nearly at a standstill. Wing mirror shows a car rapidly approaching with an overtake of the line of traffic, probably the guts of a kilometre long. As it passes, we cop it's a hearse. A hearse, flying down the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic - but it's okay, he's got his hazards on.

Late for his own funeral maybe?

At that point we decided to get off the road for a while to leave them to it. Humans though, they're awful people altogether sometimes.

That carry on reminds me of the bad old days prior to the motorways being built. All the main roads were like that Fridays going out of Dublin and Sundays on the way back. Bank holidays being the worst of all. Accident rates were much higher back then, unsurprisingly.

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

No doubt he was an ass, but he was defintely human! So a bit harsh there. Lots of low life's in court every day with no decency in them and they get treated as human beings by the system, as not to do so means society is lowered to their level and nobody wins then.

Admittedly my blood sugars were through the roof which makes me a bit more unapologetic in my view of the world, and there have been times where i have been in the wrong and only fell off my horse when the other party were gone.

You are of course correct, but sometimes, it does not feel like you are correct, that is why as they say, individual cases make bad laws.

odyssey06

buffalo wrote: »

Driving home from Wesport yesterday (in hindsight, the day of a Mayo semi-final was not the best pick for journey to Dublin), and the driver behaviour along the N5 was appalling.

Fair warning... avoid it next Saturday... the match has gone to a feckin replay!

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2017/0820/898710-replay-details-confirmed-after-thrilling-croker-draw/

One of the aspects of commuting on a hybrid that I find amusing is how I occasionally get exposed to the elitist "I'm on a road bike so I'm faster than you" attitude. This morning I slow down and ring the bell as I come under one of the bridges across the canal towpath, and as I come up the ramp on the other side to turn back I get passed tightly on the inside. It's on!

I stick about 10 metres behind him along the canal, and as we pass under another bridge with a blind corner I ring the bell again. For the next stretch he increases the pace. There's a bit more traffic here, so I keep my distance but close in again inexorably. I pull up next to him as we wait to cross the road.

I let him go then because I know I'll catch him at the next set of lights. I duck down a shortcut, but he's past me as I come back onto the main route. I have a strong suspicion that means he's jumped at least one if not two red lights - a clear violation of commuter racing rules*.

So I'm a little bit further back, but I've got the distance pegged and am just two bikes behind him when we stop at the last major crossroads of the journey. The lights go green, and I slip in behind the car traffic to accelerate. BOOM! I'm past, before I come to a stop to take my right turn. The pedestrian lights just after the junction go red, giving me the gap I need to take it, and as I turn I see road bike man go zipping straight through the red lights. boo-urns!

TL;DR: I'm awesome, and have a severe sense of superiority this morning.

*I wasn't actually racing him of course

Got beeped on the N11 by a Merc. I can only assume he was pointing at the beautiful scenery, and not telling me to get onto the cycle path that is completely segregated and I have no access to from the road I am on.
The former is most likely as I had merged out of his way as he drove across the bus lane, so he could clear it quicker. In the end, he would have been where he was going (stopping a few 100m down the road) quicker, if he had not slowed down to show me the wonderful scenery.

I am glad he did, it made me feel good. He certainly couldn't have been giving out about my speed as the limit is 60kmph and I was doing 53kmph

Kav0777

Weepsie wrote: »

A car this morning turning right onto Ballymun road broke a red light. Aargh I thought. The next light goes red, straight on through. I get up to another light and see at least 2 vehicles that were well ahead of it stopped at a red light yet this car has managed to escape it. I end up passing it as it's stuck in traffic and see the driver checking his phone.

It must've been a cyclist who forgot he was in a car, 'cos ye know, only cyclist break lights.

Chuchote

Kav0777 wrote: »

It must've been a cyclist who forgot he was in a car, 'cos ye know, only cyclist break lights.

Whereas in France…

Kav0777

Chuchote wrote: »

Whereas in France…

Not only were they running red lights, they were cycling on the wrong side of the road, it's a disgrace Joe!

we get the irish times delivered to the house on saturday, and i was passed by the delivery guy this morning. usually i don't pay much heed to people cycling on the footpath, but this guy was towing a trailer, and instead of waiting till i'd passed the tree in front, he passed me and cut in on me abruptly to avoid hitting it and immediately did the same about 50m ahead with another pedestrian, who had to jump aside to avoid being clipped. 15 minutes later, i spotted him cycling the wrong way down the road - a road with a median separating the north and southbound sections - in the overtaking lane. was just a little bizarre to see someone so blissfully unaware of basic manners and roadcraft.

rollingscone

People on bicycles blasting through pedestrian lights makes my skin crawl so you'd imagine being told off by a pedestrian that "the light is red for you" would be cause for despair and self flagellation.

Except this was at Leeson st bridge. The one junction where the pedestrian and cycle crossings are synchronous.

Of course at every other crossing people will try and cycle through your spokes in their desperate struggle to get by you if you dare to obey the cyclist lights ðŸ˜”

something in the air this evening, three idiotic manouevres by car drivers on one leg of my commute. two pulled out in front of me, within a few hundred yards of each other on newtownpark avenue, and a woman cut in on top of me in the cycle lane in ringsend, and i think i hurt her feelings by shouting a warning.

Alek

I've been noticing increase in road idiocy for the last few days...

crosstownk

I haven't posted in this thread before so I hope I'm in the right place.

I was commuting home this evening minding my own business and cycling along Lower Kimmage Road (towards Sundrive from Harold's Cross). As I approached the Sundrive crossroads, I head a siren. I looked ahead and saw a large Garda van with blues and twos on taking the wrong side of the road to cross the junction. I figured they'd just gotten a call and were responding.

As I approached the junction just a few seconds later the lights went green saving me from having to stop and unclip.

I crossed the junction and noticed the same Garda van parked on the kerb about 100m ahead and three cyclists stopped behind it. "Balls", I thought, "Don't tell me someone has been knocked of the bike here". I find encountering accidents quite unsettling.

As I got even closer, I couldn't see any signs of anyone injured. The two Gardaí were out of the van approaching the cyclists.

When I passed I heard one of the Gardaí say "Three of you! Straight through a red light!"

I carried on minding my own business and thought "Wow. Things do come in threes".

More of this please.

Hanging head in shame today. Coming southbound on the N11, there is a (another) woeful patch of cycle path just after Foxrock church, they type that makes cyclocross look comfy. I usually take the lane before the church anyway, through the junction. Stops cars cutting across me. I then often stay in the bus lane for about 100m just to pass this section. I then go back in the bike lane and continue on.

I have been doing this for a year now, I have had 100s of passes, buses behind me, cyclists around me and taxis, as well as quite a few regular cars queue jumping. They all seem to get what I am doing and happy to slow (although they shouldn't need to as with the speed carried from the hill, I am not far off the limit) or give space.

Last night a taxi driver, in quite light traffic, I mean he could have went into the driving lane and overtook with ease, decided that beeping the horn and skimming my back wheel where the way to go.

I gave him the finger, I had trained myself out of this before, I usually wave, or turn and look, try and imply it will only be a second but to hell with it. Then the anger set in, I had not been pushing myself but then I felt that moral outrage used by Maude Flanders. I was working up a speech in my head, demanding explanations, explaining with indignation what I was at, and even if I wasn't, that is not what a horn is for (could have worked some crass jokes in here). I had built up a head of grand ideas and posturing, then he got a green light before I reached him. By the following junction I had calmed down.

CramCycle wrote: »

Hanging head in shame today.

I gave him the finger

i think you need to book yourself in for anger management classes.

Chuchote

magicbastarder wrote: »

i think you need to book yourself in for anger management classes.

Do anger management classes include traffic lights in the room, with a heart rate monitor set up for participants, and biofeedback training?

crosstownk

Chuchote wrote: »

Do anger management classes include traffic lights in the room, with a heart rate monitor set up for participants, and biofeedback training?

Interesting you should mention this. Like CramCycle above, I have had instances where I lost the cool with a given situation. Although in recent years it's an extremely rare occurrence. I've learnt carry on with maybe a shake of the head or an arm out type of gesture. Maybe I'm just getting old.

One thing I always noticed that if I lost the rag my heart rate would shoot from a handy 120 - 130 bpm up to 180+ and take a few minutes to slow back down.. So, simply put, I'm only stressing myself so it's one reason why I don't really bother getting agitated anymore. But sometimes it just happens - reflex style - and afterwards I always think to myself "why did I even bother? I achieved nothing other than looking like an ass".

Kav0777

CramCycle wrote: »

Hanging head in shame today....

I gave him the finger...

I'm not even angry, i'm just..... disappointed.

crosstownk wrote: »

One thing I always noticed that if I lost the rag my heart rate would shoot from a handy 120 - 130 bpm up to 180+ and take a few minutes to slow back down.. So, simply put, I'm only stressing myself so it's one reason why I don't really bother getting agitated anymore. But sometimes it just happens - reflex style - and afterwards I always think to myself "why did I even bother? I achieved nothing other than looking like an ass".

Same here, mine could jump north of 200. I really don't do it anymore but yesterday I forgot my insulin with lunch and had high bloodsugars so it can really alter my typical state of mind. It also affects my energy levels so as annoyed as I get, I am actually too tired to do anything.

Kav0777 wrote: »

I'm not even angry, i'm just..... disappointed.

I'd prefer if you were angry with me

rollingscone

This morning I partook in the great commuter tradition of being lectured by some wrongheaded yet well meaning motorist.

A guy pulled up beside me at a set of lights and (taking out his earphones that he needed to be wearing while driving his car...informed me that it was quite dangerous the way I ride on the outside edge of the cycle path as his car had passed quite close to my bars.

I noted that as someone who investigates road traffic accidents for a living I was quite sure that he is in fact responsible for avoiding things in front of him.

He went back to basically saying I should hug the kerb, and I politely informed him that this was dangerous behaviour as it would leave me likely to get pinned by cars or forced to suddenly weave from obstructions or pedestrians.

"But still" he started to reply at which point I intervened - "you shouldn't treat cyclists like static objects and you have to account for the possibility that they'll change course".

Left it at that, A few minutes later he caught up to me in the left turning lane where I was stopped in the queue at lights for the straight on lane. He passed danger close to me on my left.

I think he was fixating a la Frasier Crane.

Much love to the woman who decided to overtake the Luas over double continuous white lines on Mayor Street into oncoming traffic (me). She slowed down just enough to give me the finger (with some vehemence) before accelerating away to the red light about 100m up the road.

robyntmorton

Driving parents to the airport this morning. Leaving Shankill at the ambulance station, a cyclist in front of us glances over, indicates and moves across to take the protected cycle lane. My dad, the front seat passenger states "look at that, he didn't even look, and put his arm up as he moved"

If it was who I think it was, I personally know the cyclist in question. I know him to be unbelievably competent, well able to take a group of cyclists out safely, and I would (and have) followed him anywhere. I pointed out the fact of him glancing over to check it was safe, and that it was a perfectly fine move. No dice. Cue complaint that if it was an electric car he wouldn't have heard it, and that he can't be that competent and so on.

Earlier in the week, dad as front seat passenger, going up the climb into Ballybrack. I'm hanging back to allow a cyclist space, as I'm coming up to a curve and can't see clear around to know it's safe to go. I state this. Cue exasperated "just go!"

I've heard complaints about cycle lanes not being used, about cyclists doing stupid things (which may or may not be true) and so on. My dad is not a cyclist, but I am, so I would tend to present the other side of the story, yet I never get anywhere with him.

Sigh!

Lumen

buffalo wrote: »

Much love to the woman who decided to overtake the Luas over double continuous white lines on Mayor Street into oncoming traffic (me). She slowed down just enough to give me the finger (with some vehemence) before accelerating away to the red light about 100m up the road.

There's something wonderful about a woman flipping the bird. Context is important though...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/29/hail-to-the-chief-cyclist-gives-trump-the-middle-finger

It's a wonder that people who park their car so it blocks most of the cycle lane and half the footpath are grand ordinary decent folk, but a person who points out such parking is a "****ing prick". :rolleyes:

crosstownk

robyntmorton wrote: »

Cue complaint that if it was an electric car he wouldn't have heard it

Just to point out that depending on speed, an electric vehicle is just as 'noisy' as a petrol/diesel car as most of the noise comes from the tyres. Obviously at very slow speeds the EV is eerily silent.