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

12357…41

Comments

  • #202
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    Also, in shocking news, I had a calm conversation with a taxi driver on the way home from the race on Sunday. Around the same patch of road - bus lane, lots of room to overtake - myself and CillianL were two abreast having a chat, when a taxi driver said something as he passed.

    He was stuck at the lights up ahead, so I rolled up to him.
    "Lads, you shouldn't be cycling two abreast, you could cause an accident."
    "There's plenty of room to overtake in the next lane."
    "I know, but I might not see that car (motions to someone in the next lane), it might not be safe."

    wut? So we can't have a chat because you might not check your blind spot while performing your professional duties as a driver? :rolleyes:


  • #203
    route66
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭route66


    buffalo wrote: »
    Heading to Beaumont Hospital this morning, moseying along the Swords Road. Sitting behind a bus at Griffith Avenue junction red, light goes green, he drives off, I follow. Move around his outside as he pulls in at the bus stop, slight incline, I'm riding along steadily though.

    Bus comes up behind me, driver beeps once. I turn around and motion him to over take me. There's a standard traffic lane beside the bus lane, plenty of room for him to move out and around. Head back down, keep pedalling. He doesn't over take though, sitting behind me for another short while, and I realise with a sinking realisation what's coming next... he rumbles by, slowly enough, but leaves only inches to spare. I focus on not deviating from my completely straight line, let off the pedals to slow down and let him past quicker.

    *sigh* ****ing hell. He gets caught straight away at the Regency lights. Up to the window, 'what was that?' "You should be using the cycle lane." "This is the bus and cycle lane." Window closes, I'm exasperated as he drives off.

    Sitting behind him as he drives off? A Garda car! Oh happy days! This is going to be great! (Following conversation is paraphrased.)

    "Garda, can you have a word with that guy, he just used his bus to intimidate me and perform a dangerous overtake!"
    "I saw the whole thing, it was grand. He indicated and pulled out, and pulled back in when he passed you. Sure you should be in the cycle lane anyway. I could charge you for holding up traffic."
    "..." "He left a few inches, that's not a safe overtake. And I'm allowed use the road here - I can show you the sign designating it a bus and cycle lane back there. And I need to make a right turn up ahead, which is hard to do from the left-side footpath."
    "Look, you're clearly a sensible man, you're wearing hi-viz*, Would you not just use the cycle lane on the path? It's safer for you."
    (I've realised there's no point talking to this Garda.) "So you're going to let him use his bus to threaten other people? What if he hits the next guy?"
    "Well sure, if that happens we'll charge him. Take care now!"

    *I was wearing a chartreuse jacket, no reflective details.

    And with that, my faith in the Gardaí as ever being able to take the perspective of a cyclist died. This is exactly why there should be a 1.5m safe passing law. Time to email Leo again.

    Dunno ...

    Not knowing the area too well, I had a quick look using Google Street maps.

    @ the junction at Griffith Avenue, this Google Street view link clearly shows that the Bus lane is dual use. 50-75 metres further on, this street view shows a sign that indicates the cycle path is now on the left of the bus lane and this link @ the Regency - 200 metres on again - shows a sign indicating the bus lane is not dual use with another sign repeating the earlier one: the cycle path is on the left of the bus lane.

    I'm not too well up on the specifics here - i.e.
    • Are cyclists always allowed to use a bus lane or is it only when it is marked as dual use.
    • Does a sign showing the cycle lane as being on the left of the bus lane also dictate bikes may no longer use the bus lane.
    • Is there a sign that states cyclists may not use the bus lane.
    But, whatever about the legal situation, why not just use the cycle lane for the sake of your own comfort & safety? And then when you get to your junction, stop, and cross the road at that point? I'm not saying the bus driver was right to intimidate you, or to do such a close overtake, but was he right about your use of the bus lane? It can't be very nice having a bus beeping inches behind your back wheel :eek:

    Reading you posts, if your experience is representative it appears that urban cycling is really not a very nice thing, is dangerous and stressful. As much as possible, I try to do my cycling on quiet roads, mostly in rural areas; easy enough for me to do because most of what I do on the bike is for fitness and recreation only. Other than when I'm using my bike - purchased on the BTW scheme - cough to, eh, cycle to work every day, I rarely commute on my bike...

    Anyway, with all that harassment going on, did you get a KOM on the segment? ;)


  • #204
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    route66 wrote: »
    I'm not too well up on the specifics here - i.e.
    • Are cyclists always allowed to use a bus lane or is it only when it is marked as dual use.
    • Does a sign showing the cycle lane as being on the left of the bus lane also dictate bikes may no longer use the bus lane.
    • Is there a sign that states cyclists may not use the bus lane.
    But, whatever about the legal situation, why not just use the cycle lane for the sake of your own comfort & safety? And then when you get to your junction, stop, and cross the road at that point? I'm not saying the bus driver was right to intimidate you, or to do such a close overtake, but was he right about your use of the bus lane? It can't be very nice having a bus beeping inches behind your back wheel :eek:

    - All with flow bus lanes are open to cyclists and the only legal sign for a with flow bus lane includes a bicycle symbol.
    - It used to be that contra-flow bus lanes were not open to cyclists but I can't remember if that was changed recently.
    - Cycle lanes are not compulsory for cyclists
    - Is a cycle lane that requires you to stop not self-evidently unsafe or have some other problem?
    - Whether or not the cyclist was in the right or wrong - is it OK to threaten someone with a bus?


  • #205
    route66
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭route66


    galwaycyclist wrote: »

    <SNIP>

    - Whether or not the cyclist was in the right or wrong - is it OK to threaten someone with a bus?

    As I already said above: "I'm not saying the bus driver was right to intimidate you, or to do such a close overtake"
    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    - Is a cycle lane that requires you to stop not self-evidently unsafe or have some other problem?

    Hardly ideal, but at least buses won't harass or intimidate you when you use it.

    To (re)clarify my point, I'm just saying it's better to be pragmatic and alive than all righteous and dead. Nobody would disagree that more could be done to improve cycling infrastructure.


  • #206
    galwaycyclist
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,912 ✭✭✭galwaycyclist


    route66 wrote: »
    than all righteous and dead. Nobody would disagree that more could be done to improve cycling infrastructure.

    Surely this story shows that fastest, cheapest and easiest way to improve cycling infrastructure would be to address the attitudes, training and behaviour of bus drivers and members of the Garda (among others)?

    Or am I missing something?


  • #207
    Zyzz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭Zyzz


    Ive found there is a hefty majority of Dublin Bus drivers that are absolute scumbags when it comes to cyclists. Punishment passing is becoming a serious issue, just because there is a cycle lane (which a lot of the time is in rag order), we HAVE to use it, otherwise we have our lives put at risk by an arsehole with a 10 tonne piece of metal..

    Unless something is done, I fear that in the very near future there will be a headline involving Dublin Bus and a cyclist who was seriously injured or killed.


  • #208
    doozerie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭doozerie


    route66 wrote:
    Reading you posts, if your experience is representative it appears that urban cycling is really not a very nice thing, is dangerous and stressful.

    I don't think that urban cycling is dangerous, and whether it is stressful depends on the day in my experience. I certainly don't find it as relaxing as my "fun" rides that I do at weekends, but that's mainly just because commute cycling is by nature typically done when lots of other people are commuting too so you are having to keep your eyes on so many more road users at any one time. And because people are usually in a rush either to get to work or get home tempers can be a bit more frayed along a commute route versus along a quieter route that you might choose if you didn't have any particular destination or deadline in mind. That fraying of tempers, and the impatience that often goes hand in hand with it, can mean that an extremely minor occurrence (like a bus driver being delayed by a few seconds) can yield an exaggerated and fiery response and as an onlooker in particular you can be left with the impression that urban cycling is routinely hostile and dangerous. It mostly isn't though.

    While I don't find it dangerous, as such, commuting by bike is very much a utilitarian exercise for me and it's not the kind of cycling that I enjoy best. Having said that though, of the various commuting options available I consider cycling to be far and away the best and most appealing so I'm happier commuting by bike than by any other means. There are certainly aggressive people out there, and unfortunately some of them are behind the wheels of some large vehicles, but they are not representative. There are quite a few more careless people out there though, who you have to be just as wary of, but cycling with awareness will usually see you safely through any encounters with them.


  • #209
    nomdeboardie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭nomdeboardie


    buffalo wrote: »
    Heading to Beaumont Hospital this morning, moseying along the Swords Road. Sitting behind a bus at Griffith Avenue junction red, light goes green, he drives off, I follow. Move around his outside as he pulls in at the bus stop, slight incline, I'm riding along steadily though.

    Bus comes up behind me, driver beeps once. I turn around and motion him to over take me. There's a standard traffic lane beside the bus lane, plenty of room for him to move out and around. Head back down, keep pedalling. He doesn't over take though, sitting behind me for another short while, and I realise with a sinking realisation what's coming next... he rumbles by, slowly enough, but leaves only inches to spare. I focus on not deviating from my completely straight line, let off the pedals to slow down and let him past quicker.

    *sigh* ****ing hell. He gets caught straight away at the Regency lights. Up to the window, 'what was that?' "You should be using the cycle lane." "This is the bus and cycle lane." Window closes, I'm exasperated as he drives off.

    Sitting behind him as he drives off? A Garda car! Oh happy days! This is going to be great! (Following conversation is paraphrased.)

    "Garda, can you have a word with that guy, he just used his bus to intimidate me and perform a dangerous overtake!"
    "I saw the whole thing, it was grand. He indicated and pulled out, and pulled back in when he passed you. Sure you should be in the cycle lane anyway. I could charge you for holding up traffic."
    "..." "He left a few inches, that's not a safe overtake. And I'm allowed use the road here - I can show you the sign designating it a bus and cycle lane back there. And I need to make a right turn up ahead, which is hard to do from the left-side footpath."
    "Look, you're clearly a sensible man, you're wearing hi-viz*, Would you not just use the cycle lane on the path? It's safer for you."
    (I've realised there's no point talking to this Garda.) "So you're going to let him use his bus to threaten other people? What if he hits the next guy?"
    "Well sure, if that happens we'll charge him. Take care now!"

    *I was wearing a chartreuse jacket, no reflective details.

    And with that, my faith in the Gardaí as ever being able to take the perspective of a cyclist died. This is exactly why there should be a 1.5m safe passing law. Time to email Leo again.

    Registered letter to

    Public Affairs Department
    Dublin Bus
    59 Upper O’Connell Street
    Dublin 1

    gets their attention, as I said here
    (response to second incident includes the words "I have requested mobile CCTV footage of the incident and the driver will be identified and spoken to subject to our Internal Disciplinary Procedure. We will also be monitoring the route closely in the coming weeks to try to ensure there is no repeat of such an incident.", for what they're worth.)

    These days I try to remember my little folded-up copy of the of the 2 attached documents, one printed on each side of the paper, in case I have to try to argue again "in the wild"...


  • #210
    nomdeboardie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭nomdeboardie


    buffalo wrote: »
    Also, in shocking news, I had a calm conversation with a taxi driver on the way home from the race on Sunday. Around the same patch of road - bus lane, lots of room to overtake - myself and CillianL were two abreast having a chat, when a taxi driver said something as he passed.

    He was stuck at the lights up ahead, so I rolled up to him.
    "Lads, you shouldn't be cycling two abreast, you could cause an accident."
    "There's plenty of room to overtake in the next lane."
    "I know, but I might not see that car (motions to someone in the next lane), it might not be safe."

    wut? So we can't have a chat because you might not check your blind spot while performing your professional duties as a driver? :rolleyes:
    After all those screenings of that new RSA clip about overtaking cyclists, including the pointed reference to two-abreast, and the sinister smiling cyclist-in-red and all :eek::confused:


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  • #211
    Zyzz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭Zyzz


    buffalo wrote: »
    Also, in shocking news, I had a calm conversation with a taxi driver on the way home from the race on Sunday. Around the same patch of road - bus lane, lots of room to overtake - myself and CillianL were two abreast having a chat, when a taxi driver said something as he passed.

    He was stuck at the lights up ahead, so I rolled up to him.
    "Lads, you shouldn't be cycling two abreast, you could cause an accident."
    "There's plenty of room to overtake in the next lane."
    "I know, but I might not see that car (motions to someone in the next lane), it might not be safe."

    wut? So we can't have a chat because you might not check your blind spot while performing your professional duties as a driver? :rolleyes:

    :confused:


  • #212
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    nomdeboardie wrote: »
    Registered letter to

    Public Affairs Department
    Dublin Bus

    tbh, it's the attitude of the Garda that's of more concern to me. I had a run-in with a taxi driver before Christmas that was dismissed by the Gardaí because there was no witnesses. Which, as tough as it is to swallow, is fair enough - it'd be a lot of resources on a my-word-against-his-word case if they did pursue it.

    But here we have a Garda witness, who dismisses it out of hand as 'grand'. 1.5 metres? The bus wasn't 1.5 metres from the kerb, never mind me.
    nomdeboardie wrote: »
    After all those screenings of that new RSA clip about overtaking cyclists, including the pointed reference to two-abreast, and the sinister smiling cyclist-in-red and all :eek::confused:

    To be fair, we were at that point in an urban environment, and there were only two of us, so we lacked the reasoning of group safety. If we'd been heading other way (i.e. not /from/ the countryside), I wouldn't have been cycling two abreast. I just thought his logic was hilarious.

    Zyzz wrote: »
    :confused:

    Now I'm confused... "A professional is a person who is engaged in a certain activity, or occupation, for gain or compensation as means of livelihood." Is driving a taxi not a profession?


  • #213
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    galwaycyclist wrote: »
    - All with flow bus lanes are open to cyclists and the only legal sign for a with flow bus lane includes a bicycle symbol.
    - It used to be that contra-flow bus lanes were not open to cyclists but I can't remember if that was changed recently.
    - Cycle lanes are not compulsory for cyclists
    - Is a cycle lane that requires you to stop not self-evidently unsafe or have some other problem?
    - Whether or not the cyclist was in the right or wrong - is it OK to threaten someone with a bus?

    All correct. All bus lanes are cycle lanes, including contra-flow since Oct 1st 2012. Same date also saw the end of compulsory cycle lanes.

    I had used the cycle track along the Drumcondra Road (despite having to stop at three side roads to yield), but the one along the stretch in question I'm not fond of, mostly because people walk in it. Also I missed the on-ramp because the bus was at the stop - http://goo.gl/maps/FxGAu - woeful design there.

    http://goo.gl/maps/uEN4v - this sign is not legal, and occurs at the point after the incident anyway. http://goo.gl/maps/n9uax - this was the sign I had seen and passed, and offered to show to the Garda.

    But the heart of the matter is that he intimidated me with a large bus. If I had waved my fist around the Garda's face, but not actually hit him, I'm pretty sure I'd be in a little cell tonight. And if I can't do it with my fist, why is it okay for someone to do it with a bus?

    Unfortunately I didn't take note of the time, I was so exasperated with the Garda, so I have no details to pass on to Dublin Bus. :mad:


  • #214
    nomdeboardie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭nomdeboardie


    buffalo wrote: »
    Also, in shocking news, I had a calm conversation with a taxi driver on the way home from the race on Sunday. Around the same patch of road - bus lane, lots of room to overtake - myself and CillianL were two abreast having a chat, when a taxi driver said something as he passed.

    He was stuck at the lights up ahead, so I rolled up to him.
    "Lads, you shouldn't be cycling two abreast, you could cause an accident."
    "There's plenty of room to overtake in the next lane."
    "I know, but I might not see that car (motions to someone in the next lane), it might not be safe."

    wut? So we can't have a chat because you might not check your blind spot while performing your professional duties as a driver? :rolleyes:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzw1_2b-I7A


  • #215
    doozerie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭doozerie


    My commute this morning was a little more entertaining than usual. The strong tailwind made it a bit more interesting but the main source of interest were fellow commuters.

    There was the guy on a bike who tried to squeeze between me and the taxi to my right that was clearly moving into our lane (the taxi was mostly in the lane already). The fact that I was on the brakes and soft pedalling to leave space for the taxi in no way dented the determination of yer man to basically put himself in the increasingly dwindling gap between the taxi and the kerb, an overtake which would also have likely taken out my front wheel.

    There was the extremely loud bang from just behind me as I moved off at a junction. I glanced back to see a cyclist stopped by the kerb and I think he was laughing. I assume that his tube literally blew apart. That happened to a tube of mine once when I overinflated it while off the wheel - the noise this morning brought back memories of my being deaf in one ear for an hour afterwards. It's funny looking back on it now, less so at the time though.

    There was the car that pulled out of a long traffic jam, cutting in front of a cyclist in the process, to drive 50 metres along unoccupied parking spaces/cycle lane, only to stop when she met the empty bus lane ahead and sat there with her indicator on trying to get back into the same line of traffic again. Full points for optimism though, for thinking that the empty lane immediately to the left is only empty because the drivers of the numerous cars in the traffic jam haven't actually spotted it yet, or something.

    But the main entertainment was a little further ahead while I was stopped at a red light. Pedestrians were crossing on green. At least 2 cyclist passed, quite closely, on my right and weaved between the pedestrians. They were outdone though by the guy who passed on my left, on the footpath, before cutting back onto the road at the pedestrian crossing itself, skimming past one woman who was crossing at the time. I've seen this guy on my commute before, he seems utterly heedless of everything around him, he just puts his head down and barrels (slowly) through. On this occasion though the pedestrian obviously either took offence or got a fright and reacted to that 'cos she shoved him on the shoulder as he passed within an inch or so of her. He wibbled and wobbled a little, but otherwise seemed not to notice or react until a few metres further on when he half turned his head back to her and muttered something unintelligible from where I was. I don't think it was an apology somehow. At the next few junctions he barrelled on through, as ever, completely unfazed. "If only she'd used the clothesline technique", I found myself thinking as I watched him skim past another pedestrian. Maybe next time.

    'Twas great to be riding in sunshine though, with only a single thin layer of gloves, I felt almost reckless leaving my thicker gloves at home this morning. G'wan Spring! (...and g'way headwind for my ride home!).


  • #216
    NeedMoreGears
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,419 ✭✭✭NeedMoreGears


    'think I met the same genius (or perhaps just one of his tribe) this morning. Stopped at a red and the lights go green - lot's of beeping from a car that had been signalling left. Boy wonder tried to pass on the inside as the car was making the turn. He was also a "slow barreller" so I passed him and was waiting to turn right at the next tee-junction (another red light). Lights go green and who appears on my right hand side only himself - unfortunately in the process of making a left turn. I hit the brakes hard and let out a quick FFS! He responded with something equally articulate (it sound like "great trick" or something like that) and continued on his merry idiot way.


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  • #217
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/finishing-homework-on-the-bike-ride-to-school/

    Why can I never not read the comments?


  • #218
    doozerie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭doozerie


    @NeedMoreGears, Ha, you've just reminded me of another incident this morning, and it was with the very same guy that was jostled by the pedestrian. He was stopped at a red light just ahead of me, I suspect the only reason he was stopped was due to the volume of cars passing left and right through the junction so he felt vulnerable. There were other cyclists stopped ahead of him so he was back a few car lengths from the junction. The car in front of him, and to his right, had its left indicator on.

    Lights go green, front cyclists move off, cars move off, Mr Barrely Man was slow to find his pedals, slower still to figure out what to do with them to get his bike moving. The left turning car was at the junction and, having waited for the front cyclists to clear, started to slowly turn. Mr Barrely Man, about 2 car lengths back, put the head down and mashed his bike forward, up the left of the turning car, and skimming past the front left wing as the car driver stopped. I'm amazed he has actually lived this long.


  • #219
    doozerie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭doozerie


    buffalo wrote: »
    http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/finishing-homework-on-the-bike-ride-to-school/

    Why can I never not read the comments?

    Irresponsible parenting? Helmets?

    Christ! To the outrage cave Robin, my current supply is completely inadequate to fend off those comments!


  • #220
    doozerie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭doozerie


    A turbo trainer session last night was a reminder to me of a few things:

    * The time leading up to a hard session on a turbo trainer races by. You think of all the useful things you could fill this time with, essential stuff like starching and ironing your chamois, or watching the latest appalling Steven Seagal movie which is on a loop on the ScyFy channel (or ITV4, its classy sibling) but before you know it it's so late that you can't postpone climbing on the bike any longer.

    * Time during a hard turbo trainer session slows down. That 45 minutes. Feels. Like. Hours.

    * 1 minute is a long time, something which 1 minute all-out intervals hammers home. Next time someone tells me "Be with you in 1 minute", it's a toss up as to whether my lungs or my legs scream first due to an unhealthy fixation with, and fear of, that particular time period.

    * Listening to music casually is very different to using to it drown out your inner screams. Those slow and silent intros to tracks might be all very artistic and worthy when you are listening while relaxed or distracted, but jaysus they don't half annoy you when your next interval is only fractions of a second away from starting and you are frantically searching for the next nose-bleed inducing track only to hear a contemplative silence for several seconds first. I'm, like, dyin' here, I don't want silence, if I actually take a quiet moment to contemplate what I'm doing I'm just gonna get off the bike and never return, GIVE ME THE DAMN MUSIC!

    * Timers are hateful merciless things. The timer shows 60 seconds, you put your head down and go like the clappers for what seems like at least 50 seconds. You look up at the timer expecting to see 10 seconds remaining, which you reckon you can limp through with a last ditch effort. Timer smugly shows 55 seconds left. Hateful things!

    * My legs lie a lot, and they do it well. Interval starts, legs tell me that I should give it absolutely everything from the very start, they'll carry me through no problem. I believe them, I go flat out. 5 seconds in and my legs report back that we've made a mistake, we over-estimated our awesomeness. We? Legs distance themselves from the whole affair leaving my heart and lungs to limp through the next 55 seconds. Legs remain tactfully silent during recovery interval. Next hard interval starts, legs tell me that I should give it absolutely everything from the very start, they'll carry me through no problem… For every feckin' interval. Accomplished liars!

    * Cats are arseholes. They wait until you are mid interval before threatening to jump onto the laptop and obliterate the data that you are recording. Once they've got your attention, confirmed by your waving breathlessy at them, they then nip to the back of the bike and threaten to stick a paw into the spinning spokes. They eventually settle for dashing under the bottom bracket, taking a glancing blow from a pedal to the head as you are giving it everything and unable to stop. Then they stand and glare at you, looking both sad and disappointed that you *chose* to hurt them. Your heart goes "awwww!", your head screams "BASTARD!".

    * Those endorphins that come to party after you stagger off the bike are consistently unreliable. Well hey there, they say, we'll take it from here. Why not stay up for ages, sure the night is young, there's that Steven Seagal tripe on ScyFy until the wee hours of the morning that really deserves your attention (yes you saw it last week and it was rubbish, but it'll be better this time, honest). Don't worry about the morning, we'll still be here and buzzing by then so we'll get you up and in to work on time, no problem, and besides, you'll be awesome on your commute tomorrow after that session and you'll turn the clocks back you'll be cycling so fast. Next morning, no endorphins, everything is a slow and sleepy struggle, my commute is not fast, I am not awesome, awesome is even further beyond reach than ever. Curse you endorphins, but much as I hate you right now, I'll want you back again later, endorphin junky that I am.


  • #221
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,777 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    Our cats for some reason don't seem to properly appreciate the Dead Kennedys at volume 11*, which avoids two of your above problems. Turboing myself last night and all my virtual stats from my virtual reality system are virtually lower than earlier in the year, even though I was getting a distinct taste of barf in my mouth about half way through the session, and nearly cracked my head open slipping on the very real sweat pool in the floor after getting off. Time to start hitting the real hills in the evenings methinks.

    *you may have an extra gear or two but I have one more volume on the boom box


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  • #222
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    ugh. Nearly ploughed into the side of someone this morning when they pulled out in front of me on a roundabout. She just blasted through without even a glance to her right. One of those roundabouts that's more like a speedbump - I got complacent I guess, started thinking everyone would treat it as a roundabout.

    I think she heard me yell, as the car slowed *after* the roundabout, and after threading my way carefully around a little old lady crossing the road, I turned off to find where she was rejoining the main road. She was very apologetic, but my trousers were already long soiled at that point.


  • #223
    doozerie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭doozerie


    On my way in this morning, a cyclist who had moved out to overtake a line of stopped cars on their outside, cut back between two of the cars and popped out directly in front of me without even a brief glance to his left. Thankfully I'd spotted him slowing before the gap, so although he was largely obscured from view when he was between the cars, I hedged my bets and was on the brakes already before he appeared in front of me. I yelled that he should open his eyes, and in fairness to him he stuck his hand in the air in acknowledgement and turned his head to apologise while on the move. He apologised once more a moment later actually.

    So no harm done, and I presumed what I normally presume in such situations, that when someone is reminded of the fact (and acknowledges) that their judgement is fallible they'll probably be conscientious enough to exercise more care next time. But he then proceeded to break at least 2 sets of traffic lights further along, pulling to the outside of stopped cars to cut back across in front of them to turn left and weave between pedestrians at one of those sets of lights. …and a little bit of my optimism curled up and died.


  • #224
    rollingscone
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,477 ✭✭✭rollingscone


    I've noticed that a lot of cyclists generally don't check for other cyclists. In fact, the fact that I notice this, makes me more aware of checking for other cyclists. Especially since on my route I'm often required to take the centre lane or be trapped while a million aspiring diabetics trundle by in their cars.


  • #225
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,167 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    rollingscone wrote: »
    I've noticed that a lot of cyclists generally don't check for other cyclists. In fact, the fact that I notice this, makes me more aware of checking for other cyclists.

    I just expect people not to notice me, so I always either give a full lane or call excuse me if I am within 2 meters, that said, i messed up this morning where the guy in front of me, looked behind, merged out, for the next right but as I started to overtake on the left, he swung back in. The taxi behind me gave a look at him that screamed you sir, are mentally deficient but he didn't seem to notice me.
    Especially since on my route I'm often required to take the centre lane or be trapped while a million aspiring TYPE 2 diabetics trundle by in their cars.

    FYP


  • #226
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,777 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    Found out last night that LIDLs notion of water resistant jacket would be closer to my idea of water absorbant jacket, and arrived for training in UCD last night like a drowned rat. Wonder is there something I can spray on it to help matters, as it's not a bad commute jacket outside of that.


  • #227
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    No musings today, just that I finally underwent my first cycling-related visit to A&E. Someone pulled out in front of me this morning on the way to Sundrive, I managed to swerve around them, but rear-ended the car ahead. Shattered the rear windscreen using my face, think the helmet left a dent in the top of the frame. Or else that was my nose, which hasn't really stopped bleeding since. So, so much blood. Bike's in Kevin St Garda station, told it's okay. Ambo folks were lovely, as were the staff in St James, though the tales of waiting on trolleys for a few hours turned out to be true, but tolerable today. Have to go back on Monday to make sure they got all the glass out of my face.

    Bit pissed off with myself - if I'd braked hard instead of swerved, might've avoided it. But I didn't see her 'til the last second, so maybe braking would've sent me over her bonnet and faceplanting into the ground with horrible bone breakages. Who knows? And if I wasn't wearing a helmet, maybe I wouldn't have been going at 30kmph or so. Just a hassle, won't be racing tomorrow, and not sure if I'll be ready for the Randonée.

    Thankfully it's all semi-superficial facial lacerations with a cheekbone fracture. Nose was close to breakage, but nothing spinal, etc. My eye socket is an impressive shade of purple. Hoping for a quick recovery.

    buffalo out

    8687606998_63fd5c0b88_z.jpg


  • #228
    nomdeboardie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭nomdeboardie


    :mad: Ouch!
    (but glad you're not more seriously injured, or worse)
    Heal with speed


  • #229
    daragh_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,124 ✭✭✭daragh_


    Sorry to hear that Buffalo. Hope you are back up and out on the road in no time.


  • #230
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 77,515 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Christ buffalo - did you have have to miss the Sundrive session?

    Seriously though - something like that can be a bit of a shock to the system. I hope you're back on the bike soon but make sure you take it easy for a while

    There's no point in dwelling too much on what might have happened if you did things differently - you only ever have a split second to react in that type of situation and usually instinct takes over

    Wishing you a speedy recovery

    (chalks you off list of threats for track league on Wednesday)


  • #231
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,167 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    +1 on what Beasty said, I done the exact same myself a few years ago, think over it all you want, if your still here and relatively intact, you made the best call you could have in the situation. Speedy recovery.


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  • #232
    BofaDeezNuhtz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 589 ✭✭✭BofaDeezNuhtz


    Ouch gws


  • #233
    Keep_Her_Lit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 725 ✭✭✭Keep_Her_Lit


    Sorry to hear about that buffalo. What a downer. On the plus side, at least you're able to post about it a matter of hours later. Get well soon.


  • #234
    cdaly_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭cdaly_


    get well soon Buffalo...


  • #235
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    Keep_Her_Lit wrote: »
    Sorry to hear about that buffalo. What a downer. On the plus side, at least you're able to post about it a matter of hours later. Get well soon.

    Thanks lads and lasses. Definitely considering myself lucky - vision is alright, nose wasn't broken, spine and legs etc. in one piece - everything injured should heal relatively quickly.


  • #236
    Mycroft H
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,313 ✭✭✭Mycroft H


    buffalo wrote: »
    Thanks lads. Definitely considering myself lucky - vision is alright, nose wasn't broken, spine and legs etc. in one piece - everything injured should heal relatively quickly.

    Good to hear your alright so :)


  • #237
    rollingscone
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,477 ✭✭✭rollingscone


    Here's to a speedy recovery.

    There's probably some sort of interval session joke I should make here...


  • #238
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 77,515 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Actually I think I may have sussed out what went wrong - get those glasses cleaned buffalo - that way you may be able to see where you're going ...:P


  • #239
    JMcL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,274 ✭✭✭JMcL


    Aiieee.... not nice. Still the main thing is ye don't appear to have done any major damage, and it could easily have been so much worse. All I can say is get well soon!


  • #240
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    Back to James' yesterday morning, X-ray showed more glass in my face. Spent the day waiting around for a bed, got one around 5pm, told at 6pm definitely no surgery today, finally ate something! Fasted again today, under the knife at around lunchtime, now home and resting up. In an amusing coincidence, turned out the plastics intern dealing with me was the second first aider at the scene of the crash. And one of the porters was racing A4 u/a - hey Patrick! o/

    Got the bike back, seems okay, but will have a careful look at the front forks. GPS actually saved the data: http://app.strava.com/activities/51558752


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  • #241
    Zyzz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭Zyzz


    Good to see your recovery is going well buffman!

    Question for you, who has to pay for the smashed window/other damage? :/


  • #242
    nomdeboardie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭nomdeboardie


    buffalo wrote: »
    ... more glass in my face ... waiting .. Fasted... under the knife...
    Blech :P
    buffalo wrote: »
    ... In an amusing coincidence, turned out the plastics intern dealing with me was the second first aider at the scene of the crash. And one of the porters was racing A4 u/a
    :pac:
    buffalo wrote: »
    ... GPS actually saved the data: http://app.strava.com/activities/51558752
    HR says you flatlined at the scene :eek: (just kidding)


  • #243
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    Zyzz wrote: »
    Good to see your recovery is going well buffman!

    Question for you, who has to pay for the smashed window/other damage? :/

    I amn't sure yet. I haven't had a chance to have a detailed talk with the Garda. He was on the scene and apparently took plenty of driver and witness statements, and came to see how I was doing in A&E, which was sound of him.

    I'm pretty certain I'll have to pay for the windscreen initially, but I'd covered under CI insurance as I was on a training spin. Whether that is transferred onto the woman who pulled out in front of me... I don't know. There might be full liability, the blame might be split, the Garda might decide I was going too fast and brought it on myself... I really have no idea.

    Anyone any experience with this scenario - two cars and a bike? A rare sort of ménage à trois.


  • #244
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,167 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    nomdeboardie wrote: »
    HR says you flatlined at the scene :eek: (just kidding)
    He does appear to have jumped about 50metres straight up during the collision, so thats something to tell the kids.
    buffalo wrote: »
    I amn't sure yet. I haven't had a chance to have a detailed talk with the Garda. He was on the scene and apparently took plenty of driver and witness statements, and came to see how I was doing in A&E, which was sound of him.

    I'm pretty certain I'll have to pay for the windscreen initially, but I'd covered under CI insurance as I was on a training spin. Whether that is transferred onto the woman who pulled out in front of me... I don't know. There might be full liability, the blame might be split, the Garda might decide I was going too fast and brought it on myself... I really have no idea.

    Anyone any experience with this scenario - two cars and a bike? A rare sort of ménage à trois.

    It really depends on the witnesses, try and get down what you remember on paper, include everything you can remember, the more attention it appears you were paying, the better. By your description it would appear the woman who pulled out is at the most fault but if the witnesses don't tell good stories, then it could come down to a you versus her story. I wouldn't stress over it though, on the basis your CI insurance covers the costs.

    Hope the recovery is going well.


  • #245
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    CramCycle wrote: »
    He does appear to have jumped about 50metres straight up during the collision, so thats something to tell the kids.

    I return from spins to often discover the house has subsided a hundred metres or so while I've been out. And my climbing training is legendary among my training buddies - we'll do the same spin, but I'll git in a a few extra hundred metres when they're not looking. :cool:
    CramCycle wrote: »
    It really depends on the witnesses, try and get down what you remember on paper, include everything you can remember, the more attention it appears you were paying, the better. By your description it would appear the woman who pulled out is at the most fault but if the witnesses don't tell good stories, then it could come down to a you versus her story. I wouldn't stress over it though, on the basis your CI insurance covers the costs.

    Hope the recovery is going well.

    Aye, did that Saturday night as soon as I got home. Starting filling out the CI report form yesterday, but it needs reg numbers and things. I'll bring it with me when I go see the Garda. And thanks!


  • #246
    rollingscone
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,477 ✭✭✭rollingscone


    If the witnesses will attend court to say that the driver who pulled out caused an emergency situation you should be in the clear.

    But that's if.

    As you were travelling straight and had right of way it's normally a clear cut case that when someone is pulling out from a side road or entrance they are liable.

    I'd argue that their actions were the proximate cause of you hitting the rear of the 2nd car - ergo there was no negligence on your behalf and there was clear negligence on the behalf of the person who pulled out in front of you.

    But since you didn't actually hit the car that pulled in front of you it's trickier, really you need a clear witness statement or two in your favour (ones that actually outline a set of circumstances in which you were correct rather than, "He was right cuz...he was").

    In the unlikely event that the car you hit saw the whole thing, they might actually be your best witness, since as an innocent party they in theory have nothing to gain from either outcome (i.e. you or the other driver being found negligent).


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  • #247
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    rollingscone wrote: »
    In the unlikely event that the car you hit saw the whole thing, they might actually be your best witness, since as an innocent party they in theory have nothing to gain from either outcome (i.e. you or the other driver being found negligent).

    heh, he got a big shock! Sitting in traffic, then his rear windscreen shatters. When he turned around, I was already on the ground, so he couldn't see anything! Just looked like the thing shattered spontaneously. :pac:


  • #248
    Dipsomaniac
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 218 ✭✭Dipsomaniac


    buffalo wrote: »
    GPS actually saved the data: http://app.strava.com/activities/51558752

    I think the suffer score of 4 is a bit inaccurate


  • #249
    Kav0777
    Registered Users Posts: 549 ✭✭✭Kav0777


    Dipsomaniac wrote: »
    I think the suffer score of 4 is a bit inaccurate

    Just beat me to it.....bah...

    Hope you have a speedy recovery, Buffalo.


  • #250
    doozerie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭doozerie


    buffalo wrote: »
    Got the bike back, seems okay, but will have a careful look at the front forks. GPS actually saved the data: http://app.strava.com/activities/51558752

    You should create a segment from that, that's one KOM that'll never be at risk of someone else taking it. …mind you, given the competitiveness that Strava seems to bring out in some, never say never!


  • #251
    buffalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,095 ✭✭✭buffalo


    Dipsomaniac wrote: »
    I think the suffer score of 4 is a bit inaccurate

    hahahaha! Thanks for that, made my day. You had me in stitches - BOOM BOOM!


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