Calling out fellow cyclists for illegal or dangerous behavior

Pinch Flat · 31-10-2019 11:06AM

I weave through traffic every morning. What am I meant to do - sit behind the car in front? Might as well drive then. In weaving I weigh up the risks, never take chances and I’m super observant of what’s going on around me - frequent shoulder checks.

Yeah it can look dangerous to a tin canner, but until segregates lanes that are respected (sometimes I’m weaving to avoid cars and other vehicles plonked bike lanes), then I’ll continue to weave thanks very much.

dubrov · 31-10-2019 11:11AM

Pinch Flat wrote:

Yeah it can look dangerous to a tin canner, but until segregates lanes that are respected (sometimes Iâ€™m weaving to avoid cars and other vehicles plonked bike lanes), then Iâ€™ll continue to weave thanks very much.

Be careful, you could be in for a lecture from the self appointed Gardai on this thread

plodder · 31-10-2019 11:18AM

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I weave through traffic every morning. What am I meant to do - sit behind the car in front?

I do it sometimes, but for me I get the benefit of cycling in traffic mostly from being able to pass stationary traffic on the left. If I was carrying a child, I think I'd cycle on the path ahead of actual weaving/filtering.

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 11:19AM

plodder wrote: »

I do it sometimes, but for me I get the benefit of cycling in traffic mostly from being able to pass stationary traffic on the left. If I was carrying a child, I think I'd cycle on the path ahead of actual weaving/filtering.

But is that not 'weaving' also.

Especially as you inevitably get one punter that leaves a 6cm gap to the footpath, and you have to go around them.

plodder · 31-10-2019 11:29AM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

But is that not 'weaving' also.

Well maybe it's a definition problem. For me 'weaving' involves lots of sharp turns. If you are just passing stopped traffic in a mostly straight line, that's just 'cycling' for me.

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 11:33AM

plodder wrote: »

Well maybe it's a definition problem. For me 'weaving' involves lots of sharp turns. If you are just passing stopped traffic in a mostly straight line, that's just 'cycling' for me.

Without getting into the definitional thing - the rear of some buses and trucks have signs telling cyclists not to overtake on the LHS - which confuses me a bit. So if bus is stopped in traffic - what am I supposed to do?

Duckjob · 31-10-2019 11:39AM

plodder wrote: »

Well maybe it's a definition problem. For me 'weaving' involves lots of sharp turns. If you are just passing stopped traffic in a mostly straight line, that's just 'cycling' for me.

Exactly my point - highly subjective language that is wide open to abuse based on bias.

I've had abuse roared at me at by a taxi-driver that I "wasn't allowed on the motorway" while going around the Dublin Airport roundabout and into the Airport.

I've no doubt he joined in a cyclist moan with his mates down the pub afterwards with his little anecdote of the cyclist he had to roar at "cycling on the motorway near the airport".

It's all too easy to twist the truth out of a situation with words.

Wishbone Ash · 31-10-2019 11:49AM

Duckjob wrote: »

...I've had abuse roared at me at by a taxi-driver that I "wasn't allowed on the motorway" while going around the Dublin Airport roundabout and into the Airport....

It also happens on the N1 northbound between the Santry turnoff and Santry Lane junction. A lot of motorists think that's part of the motorway when it's clearly marked with green signage and a yellow line along the edge.

Pinch Flat · 31-10-2019 11:52AM

Duckjob wrote: »

I've had abuse roared at me at by a taxi-driver that I "wasn't allowed on the motorway" while going around the Dublin Airport roundabout and into the Airport.

Sure, because motorways regularly have roundabouts on them :rolleyes:

I always find taxi drivers to be the least qualified to lecture people on road safety.

Stark · 31-10-2019 11:54AM

Careful guys, say the t word too many times and we'll have Spook_ie in here ranting.

Stark · 31-10-2019 11:57AM

plodder wrote: »

I suppose weaving through traffic always looks more dangerous to onlookers, and carrying a small child makes it look way worse.

Not my favourite thing in the world to do but try making your way through the quays on a busy morning/evening without "weaving".

magicbastarder · 31-10-2019 12:02PM

cycled past a woman on a bike on the rock road earlier whose coat was hanging down over the back of the saddle and obscuring the (probably not present) rear light. i briefly considered mentioning this to her, but decided that a bloke striking up a conversation with a woman on a dark enough road was probably not what she needed.

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 12:11PM

The most dangerous thing I have done personally - and something I've completely stopped doing - is carrying shopping on the handle bars. Cycling along with a heavy-ish bag hanging off the handle bars.

Its something on the face of it looks harmless enough; in my view (as daily cyclist commuter for several years) I'd rate it more dangerous than cycling at night time on well lit city streets without a light.

silverharp · 31-10-2019 12:21PM

Happened a couple of times now on the canal around Rathmines, blokes cycling out of side roads taking left turns onto the canal road at full speed and not a glance to the right. First guy did apologise , second didn't see me so I yelled at him and he looked a bit sheepish but just kept going.

The other one is cyclists passing me in the cycle lane, same area funnily, if I am in the middle of the cycle lane there isn't room for a second bike inside the line, next time it happens the person will get an earfull

CramCycle · 31-10-2019 01:51PM

I weave all the time, in fact at several points on the N11 I find myself in the driving lane on the bike as the bike lane is blocked with white vans, the bus lane is blocked with left turning vehicles and stopped buses. For the most part I get no hassle, I look, I indicate, I look again and if safe move over. Weaving is just a word to imply that the cyclist is acting without due caution and consideration, it should not be used as the negative connotations paint an untrue picture to the reader/listener in many cases.

CramCycle · 31-10-2019 02:10PM

jim o doom wrote: »

He responded in a thick country accent that he hadn't, I replied yes you did, I was right beside you before you did it.. he goes "so what next? are you going to give me a warning?" I looked at him flabbergasted.. "A warning? dude I'm telling you that you are a f&*ing idiot".. he looked doubly confused and went "oh right?" and I cycled off. I had a zipped up high viz jacket on, so maybe he thought I was a gard.. but I really don't look like one, beard and the like.

What a muppet, I can imagine the conversation if you were a Garda.
Garda: FPN so, whats your name and address?
Muppet: Dave from town,
Garda: Do you have ID to prove that, No, oh well, bike seizure it is so.

magicbastarder · 31-10-2019 02:15PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

The most dangerous thing I have done personally - and something I've completely stopped doing - is carrying shopping on the handle bars. Cycling along with a heavy-ish bag hanging off the handle bars.

one of my first jobs, when i was about 16, was working in an ice cream factory. when the owner wasn't there, the manager used to send me home with 16 litres of ice cream (four 4 litre tubs). i used to cycle home with two tubs in two bags hanging off the ends of the bars. i had to plan any turns well in advance. and my poor mother didn't know what to do with all the ice cream.

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 02:22PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

one of my first jobs, when i was about 16, was working in an ice cream factory. when the owner wasn't there, the manager used to send me home with 16 litres of ice cream (four 4 litre tubs). i used to cycle home with two tubs in two bags hanging off the ends of the bars. i had to plan any turns well in advance. and my poor mother didn't know what to do with all the ice cream.

About three years ago, I had bought a jigsaw for the kids. Wouldn't fit in the back pack so I was carrying it along.

It got jammed between my knee and the handle bar which made the handlebar turn very sharply. I lost balance and swerved right into middle of the road. For me - I was so fortunate there was no oncoming traffic.

Anecdotally - straps from bags getting caught in spokes is a frequent cause of accidents.

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 02:22PM

on a separate note -

four 4 litre tubs. You'd have made a lot of money setting up an ice cream stall with that.

hesker · 31-10-2019 02:26PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Without getting into the definitional thing - the rear of some buses and trucks have signs telling cyclists not to overtake on the LHS - which confuses me a bit. So if bus is stopped in traffic - what am I supposed to do?

Have you considered waiting behind?

Seriously. It’s not a good idea to go up the inside of buses or trucks.

magicbastarder · 31-10-2019 02:28PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

on a separate note -

four 4 litre tubs. You'd have made a lot of money setting up an ice cream stall with that.

i forgot to include - this was just on fridays.

Ready4Boarding · 31-10-2019 02:30PM

rubadub wrote: »

I have very often broken reds and illegally cycled on (completely empty) footpaths for my own safety, I have had gardai give me waves and nods of approval for doing so too.

This is the type of defiance that I detest in cyclists. "Nods of approval"?! Lol, that hasn't happened.

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 02:31PM

hesker wrote: »

Have you considered waiting behind?

Seriously. It’s not a good idea to go up the inside of buses or trucks.

As you know - cyclists are advised in the rules of the road to keep to the left.

Frequently, there is a marked cycle lane to the left as a designated area for cyclists.

Trucks and buses should be to the right of this, not in it.

The situation I describe above is where cyclists are along the left, while the motor traffic is in gridlock and not moving. A very common, almost normal scenario in Dublin city centre.:rolleyes:

So are you suggesting that as I cycle along the LHS of the road, and I come upon a bus telling me not to overtake on the left, which in practice is straight ahead for me, that I should just stop?

Its certainly not in the rules of the road.

Why?

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 02:35PM

Ready4Boarding wrote: »

This is the type of defiance that I detest in cyclists. "Nods of approval"?! Lol, that hasn't happened.

The type of defiance you detest 'in cyclists'.

All cyclists? Some cyclists? That cyclist you saw that one time? Me?

I'm a cyclist.... so I can only extrapolate here that I have qualities you detest...that's what you're telling me.

Thanks pal.

No doubt you detest it equally in drivers and pedestrians.

Of course not.

Tombo2001 · 31-10-2019 02:36PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

i forgot to include - this was just on fridays.

enough for the weekend then:P

Ready4Boarding · 31-10-2019 02:39PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

The type of defiance you detest 'in cyclists'.

All cyclists? Some cyclists? That cyclist you saw that one time? Me?

I'm a cyclist.... so I can only extrapolate here that I have qualities you detest...that's what you're telling me.

Thanks pal.

No doubt you detest it equally in drivers and pedestrians.

Of course not.

Good god, you're hysterical.

Fian · 31-10-2019 03:00PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

As you know - cyclists are advised in the rules of the road to keep to the left.

Frequently, there is a marked cycle lane to the left as a designated area for cyclists.

Trucks and buses should be to the right of this, not in it.

The situation I describe above is where cyclists are along the left, while the motor traffic is in gridlock and not moving. A very common, almost normal scenario in Dublin city centre.:rolleyes:

So are you suggesting that as I cycle along the LHS of the road, and I come upon a bus telling me not to overtake on the left, which in practice is straight ahead for me, that I should just stop?

Its certainly not in the rules of the road.

Why?

Imo the most dangerous situation you can get into on a bike (in traffic) is passing up the inside of a long vehicle.

Not saying I don't ever do it, but I don't do it unless I am confident I will be able to quickly pass it and certainly don't do it unless I am certain I can get past it before there is any chance it will turn left. They are massive, heavy and I always assume the driver has no idea I am there. Not willing to gamble my life on the driver understanding the purpose and importance of using his indicators.

Often I swing around outside one, if traffic is gridlocked both ways, especially if there are any left turns coming up.

This is the one thing I emphasise more than any other to my kids when they are on their bikes as well.

magicbastarder · 31-10-2019 03:14PM

Ready4Boarding wrote: »

Good god, you're hysterical.

mod note - if you cannot engage in a civil manner, please do not post in this thread.

Stark · 31-10-2019 03:16PM

Fian wrote: »

Imo the most dangerous situation you can get into on a bike (in traffic) is passing up the inside of a long vehicle.

Not saying I don't ever do it, but I don't do it unless I am confident I will be able to quickly pass it and certainly don't do it unless I am certain I can get past it before there is any chance it will turn left. They are massive, heavy and I always assume the driver has no idea I am there. Not willing to gamble my life on the driver understanding the purpose and importance of using his indicators.

Often I swing around outside one, if traffic is gridlocked both ways, especially if there are any left turns coming up.

This is the one thing I emphasise more than any other to my kids when they are on their bikes as well.

/gives out to Fian for "weaving".

hesker · 31-10-2019 04:34PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

As you know - cyclists are advised in the rules of the road to keep to the left.

Frequently, there is a marked cycle lane to the left as a designated area for cyclists.

Trucks and buses should be to the right of this, not in it.

The situation I describe above is where cyclists are along the left, while the motor traffic is in gridlock and not moving. A very common, almost normal scenario in Dublin city centre.:rolleyes:

So are you suggesting that as I cycle along the LHS of the road, and I come upon a bus telling me not to overtake on the left, which in practice is straight ahead for me, that I should just stop?

Its certainly not in the rules of the road.

Why?

Are you talking about situations where a cycle lane exists or doesn’t or both. Your original post didn’t specify.

Where a cycle lane is present I would proceed provided the bus or truck is not blocking or half blocking it. If it is I would stay behind.

Where there is no cycle lane I would also stay behind.

To do otherwise is risky in my opinion regardless of whatever interpretation you apply to the ROR.

Calling out fellow cyclists for illegal or dangerous behavior

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