cyclists - road sense

shezzie · 03-05-2009 12:52AM #1

is it just me or do cyclists think that there are rules of the road for cars/vans/buses/motorbikes and another rule book for them. i can not understand for the life of me why they very rarely indicate when going in front of other road users, they never stop at the red light and if you dare comment to them after they nearly run you over crossing at the lights they are the most rude and ignorant so and so..

my suggestion would be simple - if every other road user has to have a licence why shouldnt cyclists - as with their lack of road sense, indicating etc they can just as easily cause a car to crash trying to avoid them while the just veer in front of vechiles..

Shacklebolt · 03-05-2009 12:55AM

Thats why I stick the footpath so I can say the same thing about pedestrians

soups05 · 03-05-2009 12:58AM

i totally agree, i passed a cycling test when i was ten years old ( a long time ago now ) and i spent most of last year on a health kick cycling to work.

while some are willing to obey cycle lanes,lights etc,most are not.
i received a torrent of abuse from a fellow cyclist when he nearly ran into me while traveling the wrong way down a cycle lane. i pointed out that he should have been in the lane on the other side of the road and he just rode off. still on the wrong side.

in thier defence however i have to say i was nearly run over by cars,walked into by pedistrians and generally treated like i should not have been on the road by everyone.
most people think you should be in a car.thats part of why i gave up and went back to the car,that and the weather

Senna · 03-05-2009 12:59AM

Irish cyclist = a cold and wet kamikaze

javaboy · 03-05-2009 01:04AM

I hate when they cycle on the footpad.

damonjewel · 03-05-2009 01:18AM

I have absolutely no problem with commuter cyclists. But why is it everytime I drive from tallaght to roundwood (across the wicklow mountains) there is always a bunch of cyclists, usually riding abreast (ooh er') at a speed of 1 mile a year, and never ever pull in? utter nobs

missbaker · 03-05-2009 01:19AM

Cyclists = Cychos

phasers · 03-05-2009 01:23AM

I blame the immigrants.

Crann na Beatha · 03-05-2009 01:25AM

This post has been deleted.

shezzie · 03-05-2009 01:28AM

yeah i know them bleeping culchies....(ha ha)

SoWatchaWant · 03-05-2009 01:29AM

It's a vicious cycle

stovelid · 03-05-2009 01:49AM

if you criticize them, you're a fascist gas-guzzling environment-killing bastard, so i don't.

humbert · 03-05-2009 02:02AM

There are a lot of idiot cyclists out there, a bigger percentage than there are idiot drivers and idiot pedestrians, but neither drivers nor pedestrians have to endure there safety put at risk by the idiots in the other two groups as often as cyclists.

I do agree that the rules of the road should be more strictly enforced on cyclists.

03-05-2009 02:04AM

javaboy wrote: »

I hate when they cycle on the footpad.

ffs.. i thought that was forgotten about

Calibos · 03-05-2009 02:13PM

Any time I hear about another cyclist crushed by a lorry turning left I am afraid I can think of nothing but the Darwin Awards.

<indignant Cyclist>I have a right to be here. That lorry driver is supposed to check his wing mirrors. He is supposed to indicate. He is supposed to have a mirror covering the blind spot</indignant Cylist>

Sqwueelsch!!

Remember people. Assume everyone else on the road is a moron. Don't be a moron and bet your life on the other person not being a moron.

If it was me, as soon as a lorry pulled up alongside me at a junction, I'd be off that bike up onto the footpath and walking across the junction after the lorry moved on or turned left as the case may be. I would not continue riding alongside the %##ing steamroller because 'it is my right, and the lorry driver should know I am there'

thelordofcheese · 03-05-2009 04:02PM

shezzie wrote: »

is it just me or do cyclists think that there are rules of the road for cars/vans/buses/motorbikes and another rule book for them. i can not understand for the life of me why they very rarely indicate when going in front of other road users, they never stop at the red light and if you dare comment to them after they nearly run you over crossing at the lights they are the most rude and ignorant so and so..

my suggestion would be simple - if every other road user has to have a licence why shouldnt cyclists - as with their lack of road sense, indicating etc they can just as easily cause a car to crash trying to avoid them while the just veer in front of vechiles..

Yes, all cyclists are dangerous loons while every driver is a saint....

03-05-2009 04:20PM

The goverment are always going on about saving energy.
I tried turning my lights off to save some..
I ran over a cyclist.

biko · 03-05-2009 04:52PM

Cyclists are better than drivers

Firetrap · 03-05-2009 06:06PM

I am a cyclist and a driver, though not at the same time

I try to stay on the road if there's a cycle lane but I do cycle on footpaths in certain if they're clear because I don't want to be flattened by motorists. I do get off and walk certain parts because it's too dangerous.

Húrin · 03-05-2009 06:49PM

I'm a regular cyclist and I regret that it's true that most of the others treat the rules of the road as casual guidelines. To be fair though, there are a lot of annoyances that shouldn't be there. For example most road designs take no serious account of cyclists. The classic is the car lane and a cycle lane that are together the width of a car lane.

There are a lot of other examples. When the planners treat cyclists as an afterthought, it should not be a surprise when the cyclists treat the planners' rules as an afterthought too. Also, a lot of cyclists think of themselves as pedestrians with two wheels, so the jay-walking just extends onto that.

None of this justifies the rule-bending, but it does explain it. Also, being belligerent when caught doing something they shouldn't do is not particular to cyclists though.

Overheal · 03-05-2009 06:52PM

stovelid wrote: »

if you criticize them, you're a fascist gas-guzzling environment-killing bastard, so i don't.

But they are in front of you, bringing you down to a meager 10mph. Thats awful for gas mileage. If anything these cyclists are doing more harm to the environment than good.

dny123456 · 03-05-2009 07:30PM

100% agree Calibos... i would add, if it were safer for me to break the light (or anticipate the green like), in order to get out of the way of the lorry, I'll make no apologies. Been run over too many times to worry about the likes of the OP.

Overheal · 03-05-2009 07:35PM

Anyone ever been run over as a cyclist before?

I had my front wheel completely chewed up before. Im sure I've posted this before. But anyway the driver was a giant douche who tried to pretend he had no fault in the incident even though I was cycling with the flow of traffic - the asshole just took for granted that his blind spot was clear when he pulled into the petrol pumps.

shezzie · 03-05-2009 07:36PM

dny123456 wrote: »

100% agree Calibos... i would add, if it were safer for me to break the light (or anticipate the green like), in order to get out of the way of the lorry, I'll make no apologies. Been run over too many times to worry about the likes of the OP.

what is the likes of the op

i am not a driver but nearly been knocked of my feet by cyclists and while on a motorbike as a pillion cyclists just think they own the road - is it too much to ask to indicate - a basic rule of the road for the cyclist no - dont get me wrong there are many foolish drivers but cyclists get my goat for the arrogance they portray on the roads in my experience - there are obviously good cyclists i just dont come across many

hopalong85 · 03-05-2009 08:25PM

i hate those cyclists that cycle 3 abreast on a main road holding up traffic, while having a leisurely chat. wtf is with those guys? single file a$$holes!

Overheal · 03-05-2009 08:29PM

thats why every car is equipped with an obnoxiously loud horn.

The Mad Hatter · 03-05-2009 08:53PM

hopalong85 wrote: »

i hate those cyclists that cycle 3 abreast on a main road holding up traffic, while having a leisurely chat. wtf is with those guys? single file a$$holes!

Strictly speaking, cyclists are supposed to cycle in the centre of the lane, not at the side, so it shouldn't make any difference whether there's one or three.

Am on a provisional driving license and I'm constantly at a loss to believe how ignorant and rude drivers are. I prefer cycling (though sometimes a car is necessary), but when I do either I'm sick of it feeling like I'm taking my life into my hands because some people are too careless to know that what they're driving is a dangerous tool.

stovelid · 03-05-2009 09:42PM

All the talk of Cyclists vs Drivers misses the point somewhat. Motorcyclists are the real enemy.

shezzie · 03-05-2009 09:48PM

stovelid wrote: »

All the talk of Cyclists vs Drivers misses the point somewhat. Motorcyclists are the real enemy.

i am not gonna say there are not dangerous motorcyclists but i dont see that they are the worst culprits as they have to be more aware as drivers than car/lorry/bus drivers as if they are hit they are hurt badly - yes they can interweave through traffic cause they can and most cases safely and with indication - cyclists hold up traffic rarely indicate and just cycle in front of vechiles - most dont wear appropriate safety gear and alot listen to the music - why do that you will never hear anyone beep the horn at you and by the time you switch music of or take the earphones out the accident they causes has happened

there definately should be courses for cyclists to become better road users like they do for car drivers and bikers etc - equal and fair rule for all road users

phill106 · 03-05-2009 10:29PM

Overheal wrote: »

Anyone ever been run over as a cyclist before?

I had my front wheel completely chewed up before. Im sure I've posted this before. But anyway the driver was a giant douche who tried to pretend he had no fault in the incident even though I was cycling with the flow of traffic - the asshole just took for granted that his blind spot was clear when he pulled into the petrol pumps.

Yes, though i cant really remember it. Was rolled over, bike and all by a taxi at a traffic light. Not fun!
scars rock though.

Ps

I hate cyclist on dual carriageways who use the left lane. I dont care if they have a right to be on it, common sense says they should use the hard shoulder.

Overheal · 03-05-2009 10:32PM

I'm less worried about a motorcycle causing an accident as I am a car causing an accident with a motorcycle. You have to imagine how very few drivers are looking out for motorcycles in their blind spots and such. Its the lack of driver awareness that makes motorcycles so dangerous.

Though occassionally I've seen Hell's Angels roll through my main street. They get a healthy berth from motorists.

cyclists - road sense

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