Those damn cyclists again!

Spook_ie · 23-07-2014 05:31AM

yes there wrote: »

On dame street this morning a car decided to take a left turn and clattered into a cyclist. No great damage done except to the bike. Completely the drivers fault and acted as if it was the cyclists fault. Not the first incident ive witnessed where cyclists are completely ignored and are just an afterthought to motorists. in saying that I hate cyclists that run red lights, sneakily edging out. Grinds my gears that does. So to sum up there are gob****es on both sides.

As long as none of this applies then yeah the cyclist was clattered by the car, otherwise it's the other way around and the cyclist clattered the car.

(b) A pedal cyclist may overtake on the left where vehicles to the pedal cyclist’s right are stationary or are moving more slowly than the overtaking pedal cycle, except where the vehicle to be overtaken—

(i) has signalled an intention to turn to the left and there is a reasonable expectation that the vehicle in which the driver has signalled an intention to turn to the left will execute a movement to the left before the cycle overtakes the vehicle,

(ii) is stationary for the purposes of permitting a passenger or passengers to alight or board the vehicle, or

(iii) is stationary for the purposes of loading or unloading.”,

RainyDay · 23-07-2014 10:48AM

I overtook a cyclist holding his phone to his ear along the narrow Marlborough Road in Ranalagh yesterday evening coming home. When I stopped at the lights, he flew past me, through the red light, with the phone still held to his year. Nice...

SMacX · 23-07-2014 11:08AM

RainyDay wrote: »

I overtook a cyclist holding his phone to his ear along the narrow Marlborough Road in Ranalagh yesterday evening coming home. When I stopped at the lights, he flew past me, through the red light, with the phone still held to his year. Nice...

Do you know that idiots exist in all walks of life?

How many drivers have you seen on a phone?

How many drivers eating, putting on makeup, staring out the window, breaking lights etc.....

One twat on a bike with his phone to his ear and breaking a light does not mean all cyclists are the same. Please don't let people jump on this as evidence we are all like him.

I have had "conversations" with cyclists who have disobeyed the rules of the road, up to being physically threatened.

I have had similar "conversations" with other road users.

Stop blaming the mode of transport and instead focus on the idiocy of the users of that mode. You'll probably find that it is the same idiots across all modes of transport who perpetrate the offences.

blackwhite · 23-07-2014 11:16AM

SMacX wrote: »

Do you know that idiots exist in all walks of life?

How many drivers have you seen on a phone?

How many drivers eating, putting on makeup, staring out the window, breaking lights etc.....

One twat on a bike with his phone to his ear and breaking a light does not mean all cyclists are the same. Please don't let people jump on this as evidence we are all like him.

I have had "conversations" with cyclists who have disobeyed the rules of the road, up to being physically threatened.

I have had similar "conversations" with other road users.

Stop blaming the mode of transport and instead focus on the idiocy of the users of that mode. You'll probably find that it is the same idiots across all modes of transport who perpetrate the offences.

I think if you actually took the time to read back even one page of posts you'd see that RainyDay isn't here to try and have a pop at cyclists or to "blame the mode of transport" (more so the opposite if anything)- try actually reading more than one post before jumping in with a two-footed lunge.

Reactionary posts and attitudes like the above are exactly why its so difficult for any civil debate on road behaviour to be had.

SMacX · 23-07-2014 11:24AM

blackwhite wrote: »

I think if you actually took the time to read back even one page of posts you'd see that RainyDay isn't here to try and have a pop at cyclists or to "blame the mode of transport" (more so the opposite if anything)- try actually reading more than one post before jumping in with a two-footed lunge.

Reactionary posts and attitudes like the above are exactly why its so difficult for any civil debate on road behaviour to be had.

I have done, and it was a generalised reaction that I should not have directed at Rainyday.

@RaindyDay, my apologies.

But my point still stands and is valid, idiots on roads cross all mode of transport boundaries

magicbastarder · 23-07-2014 11:25AM

i spotted a cyclist the other day who was cycling and texting with both hands, and my gut reaction was one of admiration for his co-ordination...

RainyDay · 23-07-2014 12:04PM

SMacX wrote: »

I have done, and it was a generalised reaction that I should not have directed at Rainyday.

@RaindyDay, my apologies.

But my point still stands and is valid, idiots on roads cross all mode of transport boundaries

No offence taken - yes, there are idiots all around us. Sometimes I feel like the kid in the Sixth Sense - I see stupid people.

I forgot to add one other aspect of the Marlborough Road story - there was a Garda car coming the opposite way, who completely ignored the dangerous idiot cyclist. I was kicking myself for not being quick enough to flag down the Gardai and ask them to take some action.

yes there · 23-07-2014 12:10PM

RainyDay wrote: »

No offence taken - yes, there are idiots all around us. Sometimes I feel like the kid in the Sixth Sense - I see stupid people.

I forgot to add one other aspect of the Marlborough Road story - there was a Garda car coming the opposite way, who completely ignored the dangerous idiot cyclist. I was kicking myself for not being quick enough to flag down the Gardai and ask them to take some action.

Theres no need for that. Its not your job to police the roads. Would make you look like a dick to other people and more than likely to the guards themselves.

RainyDay · 23-07-2014 12:24PM

yes there wrote: »

Theres no need for that. Its not your job to police the roads. Would make you look like a dick to other people and more than likely to the guards themselves.

I gave up worrying about 'looking like a dick to other people' sometime around 5th year in secondary school. Cycling while holding a phone to your ear is dumb and illegal, and is most definitely a matter for the Gardai. I've reported others to the Gardai for dangerous driving, usually after the fact rather than when it happens.

blackwhite · 23-07-2014 12:44PM

yes there wrote: »

Theres no need for that. Its not your job to police the roads. Would make you look like a dick to other people and more than likely to the guards themselves.

Or maybe the guards would be happy that you pointed out some dangerous behaviour on the road that they weren't aware of?

I've felt the need to call Trafficwatch on a number of occasions - never once have they told me not to call them because it's not my job.

If they didn't want people to inform them about dangerous road behaviour, why on earth would they have a dedicated phone line for that exact purpose?

Spook_ie · 23-07-2014 12:44PM

RainyDay wrote: »

I gave up worrying about 'looking like a dick to other people' sometime around 5th year in secondary school. Cycling while holding a phone to your ear is dumb and illegal, and is most definitely a matter for the Gardai. I've reported others to the Gardai for dangerous driving, usually after the fact rather than when it happens.

Is it?
Dumb yeah, illegal, not so sure unless you can be charged with not being in control of the bicycle, certainly in the UK it's not illegal
https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q604.htm

Grandpa Hassan · 23-07-2014 12:52PM

RainyDay wrote: »

No offence taken - yes, there are idiots all around us. Sometimes I feel like the kid in the Sixth Sense - I see stupid people.

I forgot to add one other aspect of the Marlborough Road story - there was a Garda car coming the opposite way, who completely ignored the dangerous idiot cyclist. I was kicking myself for not being quick enough to flag down the Gardai and ask them to take some action.

This gets to the crux of the matter. We wouldn't be having debates about licencing and insurance and other proposals that are next to impossible to implement if the Garda just enforced the rules that are already in place.

RainyDay · 23-07-2014 01:12PM

Spook_ie wrote: »

Is it?
Dumb yeah, illegal, not so sure unless you can be charged with not being in control of the bicycle, certainly in the UK it's not illegal
https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q604.htm

Good question. I assumed that it was illegal. ROTR says "Don’t ever use a mobile phone while cycling"

check_six · 23-07-2014 01:17PM

RainyDay wrote: »

Good question. I assumed that it was illegal. ROTR says "Don’t ever use a mobile phone while cycling"

It isn't illegal, it's just not a great idea. In a similar vein, speed limits do not apply to bicycles as they do not require calibrated speedometers by design.

check_six · 23-07-2014 01:21PM

Maybe someone will look up the exact wording, but bells are required on bicycles, unless the bike has been adapted for racing (try defining that!). So maybe a bell inspector grade in the Traffic Corps should be instituted to catch all the non-bell weilding hooligans?

rubadub · 23-07-2014 01:26PM

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

the Garda just enforced the rules that are already in place.

that is a big ****ing "just", if they only tackled jaywalking alone, and gave up all other duties, there wouldn't be enough garda in the country to deal with them all. Courts would be brimming.

The gardai rightfully ignore lots of crimes, thanfully they are not pedantic little hitlers which many here would seemingly like them to be.

RainyDay wrote: »

Good question. I assumed that it was illegal. ROTR says "Don’t ever use a mobile phone while cycling"

ROTR also say for pedestrians.

More than two-thirds of fatal pedestrian collisions happen at night. Although you can hear a car coming and see its lights, the driver may not see you (and certainly won’t hear you).

To protect yourself make sure you:

Always wear a pair of reflective armbands, high-visibility belt or other reflective or fluorescent clothing which will help you to be seen from a distance

Carry a torch on country roads

So if people are giving out about others not following the rules of the road I hope they will acknowledge if they are hypocrites.

Grandpa Hassan · 23-07-2014 01:27PM

check_six wrote: »

Maybe someone will look up the exact wording, but bells are required on bicycles, unless the bike has been adapted for racing (try defining that!). So maybe a bell inspector grade in the Traffic Corps should be instituted to catch all the non-bell weilding hooligans?

I'm almost certain that that law applied to retailers, who cannot sell bikes without a bell fitted.

I got a £1,000 mountain bike not too long ago, for serious off road riding, and it came with the most ridiculous and out of place bell. Doesn't ring at all....rather just makes a kind of clunking noise. And it fell off pretty quickly anyway. Obviously fitted just to tick the box.

rubadub · 23-07-2014 01:28PM

check_six wrote: »

Maybe someone will look up the exact wording, but bells are required on bicycles, unless the bike has been adapted for racing (try defining that!)

Pretty sure that is only up the north, we do need back reflectors on bikes here though.

Mensch Maschine · 23-07-2014 01:53PM

Irishcrx wrote: »

I'll probably get bashed by the fitness fanatics on here , but I have a serious pain my ass with cyclist entitlement when I'm driving to work in the morning. Twice in the last week I've been forced to swerve into an outer lane and nearly collide with another car because someone was cycling to far on the inside on the road , they ask all motorists to be aware of cyclists and that's fine, but cyclists also need to be aware of motorists and the danger they are causing in busy morning periods.

It's also grinds my gears that they slow down my trip into work by 5-10 minutes everyday by taking up the lanes , slowing down traffic , slowing down crossing lanes and they have free use of the roads while the rest of us have to pay for them.

Surely with the ammount of cyclists now they should be paying something to use the public roads even a flat fee of €30 a year or something. Don't even get me started on breaking red lights or cycling out in front of cars , I know there's laws taking action against this now but from what I see it hasn't really stopped it.

Haha, you just gave yourself away there. The pure self-entitlement cockery coming from you. Exactly the same thing can be said about you or anyone else using the road. How is it that just cyclists take up the road? Other people using the road is not exclusive to just cyclists. What makes you think you're more important? Because your car is more expensive than a bike?

looking_around · 23-07-2014 01:55PM

check_six wrote: »

Maybe someone will look up the exact wording, but bells are required on bicycles, unless the bike has been adapted for racing (try defining that!). So maybe a bell inspector grade in the Traffic Corps should be instituted to catch all the non-bell weilding hooligans?

according to http://dublinbikeblog.com/understanding/cycling-and-the-law-in-ireland/
yes bells are required.

All bikes are legally required to have a reflector on the back and a working bell

and the law, I think.

S.I. No. 190/1963 - Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963.
93. (1) Every pedal cycle (other than a cycle constructed or adapted for use as a racing cycle) while used in a public place shall be fitted with an audible warning device consisting of a bell capable of being heard at a reasonable distance, and no other type of audible warning instrument shall be fitted to a pedal cycle while used in a public place.

However the majority of "road bikes" used would be mountain bikes and racers, and these are exempt, lolz.

Not that anyone would pay attention to a bike bell, anyway.

looking_around · 23-07-2014 01:58PM

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

I'm almost certain that that law applied to retailers, who cannot sell bikes without a bell fitted.

I got a £1,000 mountain bike not too long ago, for serious off road riding, and it came with the most ridiculous and out of place bell. Doesn't ring at all....rather just makes a kind of clunking noise. And it fell off pretty quickly anyway. Obviously fitted just to tick the box.

Go up a little higher to the 1400€ + bikes, and you'll get no bell :P no pedals either, nothing that would be considered "extra's"

CroatoanCat · 23-07-2014 02:08PM

I'm sure cyclists have many quite legitimate complaints about driver behaviour; I would personally be far too nervous to cycle in Dublin city centre. It seems like a good thing in general that more people are cycling. As other posters have pointed out, it reduces the volume of motorised vehicles on the road and has health benefits for individuals and the overall environment from reduced traffic emissions.

However, as someone who walks to work in the city centre every morning, I am increasingly pissed off at having to exercise ever greater caution before proceeding to cross any busy junction. The green man is certainly not adequate assurance that all is safe; more and more, it is necessary to pause for three or four seconds to accommodate the two or more cyclists sailing through the red light. This is reckless, selfish behaviour and seriously fupping annoying at junctions with lengthy signal sequences.

Cyclists, as vulnerable road users, deserve respect and consideration from motorists. Pedestrians, as the most vulnerable road users of all, deserve the same- from motorists and cyclists.

papu · 23-07-2014 02:19PM

Just ordered a GoPro for my Bike , one too many near misses yesterday.

More people should have Dashcams in this country , and they should be sampled by the insurer for recklessness , speeding , and used as evidence in accidents. Then maybe they'd cop on and drive properly.

looking_around · 23-07-2014 02:27PM

CroatoanCat wrote: »

I'm sure cyclists have many quite legitimate complaints about driver behaviour; I would personally be far too nervous to cycle in Dublin city centre. It seems like a good thing in general that more people are cycling. As other posters have pointed out, it reduces the volume of motorised vehicles on the road and has health benefits for individuals and the overall environment from reduced traffic emissions.

However, as someone who walks to work in the city centre every morning, I am increasingly pissed off at having to exercise ever greater caution before proceeding to cross any busy junction. The green man is certainly not adequate assurance that all is safe; more and more, it is necessary to pause for three or four seconds to accommodate the two or more cyclists sailing through the red light. This is reckless, selfish behaviour and seriously fupping annoying at junctions with lengthy signal sequences.

Cyclists, as vulnerable road users, deserve respect and consideration from motorists. Pedestrians, as the most vulnerable road users of all, deserve the same- from motorists and cyclists.

My partner dislikes that I cycle on the road, the other day we were driving on back roads, and a guy, must've been doing 110km coming towards us on a bend.
Narrowly misses us, had there been a cyclist on that road, there's no way the oncoming car would've been able to avoid him.

My partner just looks at me and says "that's why it's dangerous to cycle on the roads.".

Personally though, I find lorry drivers the worst. They rarely ever properly over take and seem totally oblivious to the fact they're passing a tweeny bike that could be sucked up under them.

MajesticDonkey · 23-07-2014 03:07PM

looking_around wrote: »

Personally though, I find lorry drivers the worst. They rarely ever properly over take and seem totally oblivious to the fact they're passing a tweeny bike that could be sucked up under them.

In my experience, it's the complete opposite. I find lorry drivers to be the most courteous on the roads.

Daith · 23-07-2014 03:15PM

looking_around wrote: »

My partner dislikes that I cycle on the road, the other day we were driving on back roads, and a guy, must've been doing 110km coming towards us on a bend.
Narrowly misses us, had there been a cyclist on that road, there's no way the oncoming car would've been able to avoid him.

He narrowly misses a car but would have hit a cyclist? How big are bikes these days?

You are right there are alot of terrible road users, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

My particular dislike at the moment are cyclists who are in row of traffic stopped by traffic lights who decide to cycle along the pavement to get to the top of the queue.

Cantona's Collars · 23-07-2014 03:20PM

Can I be the one to congratulate the very many cyclists on the main road from Enniscorthy to Wexford last Sunday,all kept in on the hard shoulder and nobody driving or cycling had any hassle.
The only problem were the 2 women jogging down the road at Ferrycarrig.Cars were having to suddenly swerve into the overtaking lane to avoid them as there's no hard shoulder - there's one at the other side of the road but why would they want to use that?

Grandpa Hassan · 23-07-2014 03:22PM

Daith wrote: »

He narrowly misses a car but would have hit a cyclist? How big are bikes these days?

You are right there are alot of terrible road users, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

My particular dislike at the moment are cyclists who are in row of traffic stopped by traffic lights who decide to cycle along the pavement to get to the top of the queue.

The problem is with the "I hate cyclists / drivers who do XXXX" is that there is always a counter.

My dislike right now in my commute home in London is drivers who stop in the cycle box, leaving nowhere for cyclists to go, and motorcyclists who drive down the cycle lane and then block it when they get to a gap which is too narrow (hence cyclists cycling along the pavement to get to the safety of the front of the line)

Like you said, there are a lot of terrible road users.

Daith · 23-07-2014 03:31PM

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

My dislike right now in my commute home in London is drivers who stop in the cycle box, leaving nowhere for cyclists to go, and motorcyclists who drive down the cycle lane and then block it when they get to a gap which is too narrow (hence cyclists cycling along the pavement to get to the safety of the front of the line)

The cyclist shouldn't be cycling along the pavement though? He should at least get off his bike and walk his bike down in this case?

Spook_ie · 23-07-2014 04:59PM

check_six wrote: »

Maybe someone will look up the exact wording, but bells are required on bicycles, unless the bike has been adapted for racing (try defining that!). So maybe a bell inspector grade in the Traffic Corps should be instituted to catch all the non-bell weilding hooligans?

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

I'm almost certain that that law applied to retailers, who cannot sell bikes without a bell fitted.

I got a £1,000 mountain bike not too long ago, for serious off road riding, and it came with the most ridiculous and out of place bell. Doesn't ring at all....rather just makes a kind of clunking noise. And it fell off pretty quickly anyway. Obviously fitted just to tick the box.

looking_around wrote: »

according to http://dublinbikeblog.com/understanding/cycling-and-the-law-in-ireland/
yes bells are required.

and the law, I think.

However the majority of "road bikes" used would be mountain bikes and racers, and these are exempt, lolz.

Not that anyone would pay attention to a bike bell, anyway.

S.I. No. 190/1963 - Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963.
93. (1) Every pedal cycle (other than a cycle being used for an authorised organised cycle race ) while used in a public place shall be fitted with an audible warning device consisting of a bell capable of being heard at a reasonable distance And regulatory lighting , and no other type of audible warning instrument shall be fitted to a pedal cycle while used in a public place.

Amended to something like would make so much more sense

Those damn cyclists again!

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