Cyclists, Go use the footpad.

randylonghorn · 05-12-2008 12:32am

fletch... wrote: »

now if i was to bump into or over a cyclist in my gigantic 4x4 while on a road which is made for cars it would be a different story alltogether.

Roads are NOT just "made for cars" ... there's the basic flaw in your thinking right there.

Deleted User wrote: »

i give up

\o/

Deleted User wrote: »

i don't know where this me being a bad driver thing came from? just cause i think it's dangerous passing out cyclists sometimes.

It might be the demand that cyclists cycle illegally on the highwayman, sorry, pavement ... or your admission that you have been constantly "getting caught behind a guy on a bike and having to overtake him dangerously" rather than waiting until you could overtake him safely.

Btw, I would acknowledge that there are some really scary / stupid cyclists as well as some really scary / stupid drivers ... but the existence of eejits in one group doesn't give the other group carte blanche to ignore the rules of the road.

And when all is said and done, in a confrontation between a bicycle and a car, the bicycle is at a disadvantage to say the least!

RacoonQueen · 05-12-2008 12:35am

Niallface wrote: »

i live in the city and i'm sick and tired of having to squeeze past the long line of idiling cars in traffic on my bike when their squashed into the cycle lane
It works both ways fourwheels

Me too, having to slow down, put one foot on the footpad and scoot yourself along. Annoying as hell.

Mint Sauce · 05-12-2008 12:36am

Deleted User wrote: »

again, i specifically said many times.. outside city centre on empty footpaths.

becuase no one lives outside the city centres?

all that wasted money making footpaths could have gone to better use if their empty

Sharpshooter · 05-12-2008 12:39am

Deleted User wrote: »

hey roundtower, i'm a tard now? it's a pretty legitimate argument that i think footpaths are safer for cyclists

and wishing me to get into a minor accident? and get owned in court? fuck you.

and boards.ie used as evidence? what exactly is written in this thread that caused me to get into that minor accident? in the future?

Well some of what's written in this post by you could get you
banned Op , people in here are trying to take you seriously , and help to get certain things through to you .
Try to take it on board.

towel401 · 05-12-2008 12:40am

In Soviet Russia, the footpad uses you!

4zn76tysfajdxp · 05-12-2008 12:40am

The cyclists on Shop Street in Galway annoy me. It's a pedestrianised street damn it, get out and fúcking walk. Hippies.

randylonghorn · 05-12-2008 12:42am

Kyleigh Sparse Lambaste wrote: »

The cyclists on Shop Street in Galway annoy me. It's a pedestrianised street damn it, get out and fúcking walk. Hippies.

Aaaah ... now THERE I totally agree with you!!

johntreacy · 05-12-2008 1:00am

One Cold Hand wrote: »

Don't blame the cyclists, the vast majority are safe competent cyclists.

Blame our retarded incompetent government for not building more cycle lanes while the ecomony was booming and we had the money. Now that we're in recession we're stuck with shit road and no cycle lane

Also why should cyclists pay tax? There's no carbon emissions from a bike so their not polluting the atmosphere. And they do basically zero damage to the roads, not like the soccer moms driving their fat SUV's 50 yards down the road to drop their fat kids to school.

I as a motorist pay road tax for building new roads and the upkeep of existing one's, therefore cyclists should pay tax for making cycle lanes. I don't expect something for nothing so why should you.

DirkVoodoo · 05-12-2008 1:02am

johntreacy wrote: »

I as a motorist pay road tax for building new roads and the upkeep of existing one's, therefore cyclists should pay tax for making cycle lanes. I don't expect something for nothing so why should you.

Might want to do some research there and realise how exactly roads are paid for.

johntreacy · 05-12-2008 1:10am

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Might want to do some research there and realise how exactly roads are paid for.

Fair point, but from what i have read here is that cyclists want more cycle lanes and don't want to contribute in anyway towards them. There has been a good point made that the government wasted money in the good times and no cycle lanes created where they should have been but then again there was a lot thing's not done correctly in the past few years.

DirkVoodoo · 05-12-2008 1:18am

What about footpaths, street lighting, bins, etc. Where do you draw the line on what people should be taxed for separately that is provided by the government and paid for by other taxes (VAT, income, etc.)? Motorists get to use the most expensive roads in the country, exclusively: motorways. You are taxed on a luxury, no one forces you to drive and maybe it would be better if you walked/cycled for shorter trips?

Also a lot of cyclists would argue that most cycle lanes/paths are inherently dangerous, poorly designed and woefully maintained and would be happier (and safer) sharing the bus lane.

It was a stupid thread to begin with. I'm a pedestrian/cyclist/motorist and not one group is perfect or has the right to impose themselves on the other, we all share the same transport system and a bit of respect from ALL sides would not go amiss.

Case closed...

johntreacy · 05-12-2008 1:32am

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Motorists get to use the most expensive roads in the country, exclusively: motorways.

And for that we pay toll's on those as well.
I drive because I have to, traveling almost 80 miles per day for work, not for the luxury.

DirkVoodoo · 05-12-2008 1:36am

You don't get paid to work?

randylonghorn · 05-12-2008 1:44am

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

What about footpaths, street lighting, bins, etc. Where do you draw the line on what people should be taxed for separately that is provided by the government and paid for by other taxes (VAT, income, etc.)? Motorists get to use the most expensive roads in the country, exclusively: motorways. You are taxed on a luxury, no one forces you to drive and maybe it would be better if you walked/cycled for shorter trips?

Add to which that many new road projects have been significantly subsidised by the EU; that income from "road tax" wouldn't even make a dent; that there are many good policy reasons for promoting (AND improving) both public transport and cycle-routes, not all of them purely "green", though our government like many others is too afraid to put the votes of the motorists at risk ...

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

... and not one group is perfect or has the right to impose themselves on the other, we all share the same transport system and a bit of respect from ALL sides would not go amiss.

But yes: + 100

DirkVoodoo · 05-12-2008 1:48am

Anywa, I'm off, but like a LOT of people I know who cycle I do so by choice. When I pass by cyclists on the way home I know that a lot of them aren't cycling because they are "hippies" or can't afford a car, they are doing it for other reasons like health/enjoyment/convenience (for me, all 3) so maybe as motorists you should be thanking them for taking more cars off the road.

And so what if you have to pass one out, how much of a delay could that possibly be? I would imagine a few seconds at the very most.

Danbo! · 05-12-2008 2:12am

I've only had a quick scan over this thread, so hopefully the points I make haven't been discussed already.

johntreacy wrote: »

I as a motorist pay road tax for building new roads and the upkeep of existing one's,

NO YOU DONT!!!!!!

Common misconsception amongst motorists here... 'Oh I paid my road tax, I own the road.' So tell me john, did you pay that road tax in a road tax office? No. You paid it in the motor tax office. I am sick to death of car drivers giving out that all their 'road' tax isnt going to roads. It's bloody motor tax, not road tax

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

they are doing it for other reasons like health/enjoyment/convenience (for me, all 3)

Same here. I pay over €300 a year to tax my car, and never use it to get to and from work (D24 to city centre). I always cycle fort the 3 reasons above. So some (most I know) cyclists have paid 'road' tax.

IMO, every road user in this country really needs to learn the rules of the road. The whole cyclist vs motorist vs pedestrian argument will go on forever. There are idiots on bikes, on foot and behind the wheel of s car.
If you drive, you notice the idiot cyclists and peds.
If you walk, you notice the idiots drivers and cyclist.
If you cycle, you notice the idiot drivers and peds.

Simple as that.

krudler · 05-12-2008 3:07am

mp1972 wrote: »

Hey, I can play this too.

1. Cycle lanes are for bikes, once you stop parking and driving on them we won't have to swerve out onto the 'road'.

2. Cycle lanes are lanes on the road like any other. If we are on it, it is NOT OK to turn left and cut us out so we have to jam on our breaks and nearly kill ourselves.

3. Some cycle lanes end abruptly, There's nothing we can do.

4. On roundabouts, if you are behind us/ahead of us it is NOT OK to cut accross us.

5. On roundabout, it is NOT OK for you to zoom out of your entrance just as we get to it, we are on the roundabout first, WE have right of way.

6. You don't get to honk your horn at us just for the sake of it. Stop being a c**t.

7. Roads without cycle lanes are usually wide enough for both of us, stop hugging the curb so that we can't get by. Move the f**k over, if we hit your mirror because we can't slow down on time, tough s**t.

8. We have as much right to be on the road as you do. Stop acting like c**ts.

9. Stop sitting behind us for ages, driving slowly when we're over as far as we can be, not swerving and being safe. Driving slow behind us is just annoying/makes you nervous and makes things more dangerous. (This mostly applies to older women)

10. When we're in the right hand lane, because we're turning right, it's not OK to beep at us. We're allowed to be there.

11. Most of us try to be as safe as possible, every time WE go out on the roads, we take our lives into our hands. You lot break the rules of the road as do we. Everyone does it but you f**kers do it WAY more than us. Anytime I do something remotely dangerous 99% of the time it's because I'm trying to avoid something some moron motorist has done. You lot REALLY need to learn the rules of the road.

I have LOADS more, if you want.

More to this from a motorists pov

1. Red lights mean stop, that doesnt mean slow down, then pedal yourself into oncoming traffic making a nuisance of yourselves

2. my car is not a ****ing rest to lean up against/balance yourself/steady against while you drink from your little lucozade sport bottle fixed to the handlebar, next time someone does it I'm going to reverse over them

3.Cars have indicators, when they blink it means we're going in that direction, looking over your shoulder then veering off to the other side of the road is not indicating you want to turn

4.cycle shorts should never be worn by anyone, ever, you're not Lance Armstrong, just stop it.

5.Wearing a cycle helmet may be safe, but will never, ever, ever make you look anything other than a prat

6.Squeezing yourself through spaces between traffic annoys the **** out of everyone, bumping off cars and scratching them will get you killed one day, stop it

7. We have as much right to be on the road as you do. Stop acting like c**ts.

flyton5 · 05-12-2008 3:15am

i saw a cyclist trying to hand signal a right turn into UCD last week at the water tower enterance.....1st of all he was in the left lane even though there's a right hand lane specifically for turning into UCD....but forget that....the bastard almost killed himself when he stuck his and out.....gave the funniest wobble on his bike and cracked his nuts off the crossbar when he jumped off the bike to steady himself.....funniest thing i'd seen in a while.....all the cars in the right hand lane were pissing themselves at him....cheered my hungover day right up....

monument · 05-12-2008 3:17am

taconnol wrote: »

Actually the DTO don't think that cycle lanes are the best solution

Oh, so that's why they published a map of the apparently great looking cycle lane network in Dublin. You know, the one that's not real.

Sean_K wrote: »

It's the same as riding a motorbike on the footpath.

No, it's not.

Deleted User wrote: »

is boards.ie legal documentation now?

Deleted User wrote: »

not actually true before people start saying this thread can be used as legal evidence.. again.

It's simply evidence. Something does not have to be a "legal document" to be evidence. Emails have been used in court cases, so all that would be needed is it link you with your account.

Deleted User wrote: »

cyclists break rules constantly by the small fact that only about 1% of cyclists .... wear luminous clothing.

You need to read the rules of the road. Making up rules for others is nearly always a sign you don't know the rules you should be following.

swingking wrote: »

Also, the cyclist groups give out so much about not having enough safety when cycling in the city and how they fear for their lives. how many do you see wearing helmets. Do they not realise that as soon as they are thrown off their bikes they could fall on their unprotected heads and suffer brain damage.

You start wearing one while walking around anywhere and while in cars, and then I'll wear one cycling. Because there's lots to say it'd help you more.

swingking wrote: »

1. Please use the cycle lanes when there are cycle lanes available to use. The other day I was driving along and some tosser thinks he would rather cycle on the road even though there was a perfectly good cycle lane beside him...

Please keep in mind the following reasons why cyclists won't use many of our badly designed and maintained cycle lanes in Ireland...

there's always cars parked in them (even in clearways etc)
they are unsafe by design
they are unsafe due to lack of maintenance
they are unsafe due to people walking in them
they are not legally cycle lanes (often the case with "footpad" cycle lanes)

swingking wrote: »

...AND there was a footpath.

So what?

BraziliaNZ · 05-12-2008 3:51am

leave cyclists alone. They aren't clogging the city with disgusting cars, and for that they should be respected and allowed cycle wherever they want. Eff off with your horrible polluting cars. I don't know how many 1000s of people I used to cycle past in Dublin every morning who were happy to clog up the roads in their cars and sit in traffic for 90 mins to travel 5k to work. Take your traffic frustration out on someone else, or get off your lazy fat polluting arses and cycle yourselves.

flyton5 · 05-12-2008 3:53am

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

leave cyclists alone. They aren't clogging the city with disgusting cars, and for that they should be respected and allowed cycle wherever they want. Eff off with your horrible polluting cars. I don't know how many 1000s of people I used to cycle past in Dublin every morning who were happy to clog up the roads in their cars and sit in traffic for 90 mins to travel 5k to work. Take your traffic frustration out on someone else, or get off your lazy fat polluting arses and cycle yourselves.

is this Eamon Ryan?? god i hate the green party....

BraziliaNZ · 05-12-2008 4:50am

Domo230 wrote: »

If I stop wearing my helmet will you think im cool?

I got a fine in NZ for not wearing one on my way to work. I never used to wear them in Dublin though and nothing ever happened. Are you supposed to wear them by law? Here in Oz and in NZ everyone wears the things, like 100% of people.

nobodythere · 05-12-2008 4:54am

Deleted User wrote: »

don't see cyclists paying "cycle tax"..

Nobody asked them to.

BraziliaNZ · 05-12-2008 4:58am

Domo230 wrote: »

I rarely see people wearing them. Im one of the few college students who wears one anyway.

But id rather be safe and look like a prat than risk taking a knock to the head.

do you not get like inner city kids throwing bottles at you and sh*t and shouting abuse at you?

AFC_1903 · 05-12-2008 7:40am

Everyone is free to use bicycles on the road. We do so as taxpayers. The taxes we pay are used for many things - including roads. Roads are not excusively for the usage of those who choose to pay for a car, petrol, and road tax - they're for everyone. You choose to drive - fair enough, that's your decision, but don't attack or intimidate other road users (either on here or with your car) because they don't want to drive. I personally choose not to. It's quicker to get around cities in this country by bike than it is by car, and you don't need to worry about finding for a parking space.

Ads by Google - even IF you are, as you claim to be, a perfect driver, I can assure you that the majority of motorists aren't. On a daily basis I see cars run lights, squeeze past me when there is not the space to do so safely, both park and drive in the cycle lanes, drivers who are incapable of using indicators, who don't know the correct way to indicate on a roundabout, etc etc.

Cycle lanes are often in a terrible state too, as they are often covered in glass etc. Especially true of those further from city centres, as there are less likely to be street sweepers there on a regular basis. Clipping a branch or jaggy bushes overgrowing the road/lane with a car wheel isn't a worry if you're driving, likewise wet leaves, but if you're cycling it's a different (more dangerous) story). This is of course assuming they are not being used as parking spaces by cars. All cyclists know of areas where this happens all the time. In Cork it's beside CIT. Outside the Centra EVERY lunchtime, and usually along Rossa Avenue in the evenings, from motorists with evening classes who are too lazy to use the free off-road parking because it involves driving round to the back of the building. This means that often the cyclist is forced to ride in the road that their taxes paid for!

When it boils down to it, in a collision between a bike and a car there will be only one winner. And it's not the cyclist. I know this, due to motorist lack of skills/knowledge etc i've had several accidents (none of which I was to blame for) and even been pushed off my bike by an outstretched hand from a car's passanger seat once. God knows how many more accidents I would've had due to bad motorists were it not for quick reflexes and good brakes.

Examples of terrible accidents in which the cyclists most definitly did not win:
http://autoworld.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/terrible-accident-car-crashes-into-bike-race-in-mexico/
http://www.thestar.com/article/541694

And was this Irish one you?
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/road-rage-driver-rams-13-cyclists-then-drives-away-1544687.html

The roads are for all of us to use, as we all pay for them. Nobody has the right to endanger, gambol or attempt to take another persons life. So please drive carefully, be considerate, and remember that Irish roads were cycled on long before they were ever being driven.

Lumen · 05-12-2008 9:26am

Ads By Google,

I understand your point of view. It is nonetheless wrong.

Please try to understand the following:

1. Cyclists have a right to use the road.

2. Cycling on the footpath is illegal and often dangerous. Trying to increase road safety (your stated aim) by encouraging such behaviour is illogical.

3. You are never "forced" to make a dangerous overtake. The fact that you decide to make a dangerous overtake means you are an unsafe (read "bad") driver. Read "Roadcraft" (police driver training book) if you want to understand how to be fast and safe.

As an aside, cyclists are easier to overtake than cars, because they are slower. If every cyclist instead used a car, your journey would therefore take much longer.

Sam Vimes · 05-12-2008 10:34am

you want cyclists to cycle on 19th century thieves specialising in pedestrian victims? to teach them a lesson like?

tunney · 05-12-2008 10:43am

swingking wrote: »

Few things about "some" cyclists.

1. Please use the cycle lanes when there are cycle lanes available to use. The other day I was driving along and some tosser thinks he would rather cycle on the road even though there was a perfectly good cycle lane beside him AND there was a footpath.

In your opion it was "perfectly good", knowing the state of "cycle lanes" in Dublin it probably went through three bus stops and stop completely in random places. Mostly cycle lanes are dangerous and unsafe to use.

TheIrishGrover · 05-12-2008 10:45am

Deleted User wrote: »

don't see cyclists paying "cycle tax"..

and the point of my post is that it's still dangerous. In europe, they have cycles lanes on footpads in the middle of cities like.. that in my opinion is a much better option.

You provide me with a cycle lane exclusive network that can get me from the front door of my house to anywhere I want in the country, devoid of cars, busses and taxis. Maintain it. Keep it lit and safe and, once again, car free.......... THEN I'll pay a cycle tax.

Noopti · 05-12-2008 11:00am

As far as i'm concerned until the government builds extensive and proper cycle lanes I will never get pissed off or give out to someone cycling on a footpath.

My girlfriend cycles to work, and even though it is mostly through a housing estate and is only 10 minutes away, I always say to her that she should just cycle on the footpath. I have seen how some of the people drive around the estate at crazy speeds and without any consideration for anyone but themselves.

In Amsterdam the cycle lanes are fantastic. In Dublin/Ireland....they are ****e. I would cycle on the road in Dublin, but I wouldn't suggest my fiance does. She is already half scared of cycling after having an accident and fracturing her arm trying to avoid a motorist turning left beside her and not even knowing/not caring that she was there.

Cyclists, Go use the footpad.

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