You know what really grinds my gears.................

Funsterdelux

I've noticed since I started cycling again how bad people in general are when over-taking cyclists, over 75% of them dont indicate.

Does anyone share my feelings?

roadmanmad

You have just started cycling again.

As you progress, you will see a bad piece of driving behaviour, discipline or otherwise approximately every 5 minutes. In some cases more often.

The important lesson for all of us is not to let our behaviour lead to bad cycling.

mockerydawg

What really annoys me is the c**ts with their power strollers using the cycle lanes as their own private paths. I wouldnt mind as much if the women made motor bikes noises as they speed walk along, but they don't, they just look snooty and orange.
And the old lads swinging their shopping as the meander down the single laned cycle path. They get so disgruntled when you interrupt them, how dare you use the dedicated cycle path!!!!
The worst at the moment is the dumb ass spainish students, taking over the path and both cycle lanes as they walk down to the luas/dumbdumb shopping centre. I dont think I'll slow down for them any more, or even look up. I've had enough.

kona

Funsterdelux wrote:

I've noticed since I started cycling again how bad people in general are when over-taking cyclists, over 75% of them dont indicate.

Does anyone share my feelings?

welcome to the party pal.
if some **** tries to kill me on the clcle path , i catch up with him at the lights and depending on the degree of muppet ness i warrant A-a torrent of abuse while i introduce my foot to his car. B- spit on his window(cycling is great for producing real disgusting spit)

beans

Two categories I can think of:

1) Dangerous drivers
Those who don't look in their mirrors / don't indicate / pull out in front of you on a roundabout / buzz past with a cm clearance etc. I think if you can it's best to speak with these drivers at a red light if possible. Ask them if they saw you, or if they knew how close they came to causing a crash. Kicking, spitting, breaking bonnets with U-locks aren't going to help cyclist/driver relations any, although yeah sometimes you just want to bust that side panel in and while screaming is a release, it's not as effective as a knock on the window and actual talking IMO

2) Idiots
While the two categories are not mutually exclusive, in this case I mean those drivers who will shout, honk, read riot act etc to cyclists who are in the right. Generally these drivers are so insensed by the fact that a cyclist thinks that they actually have a right to be on their piece of tarmac that they get all worked up and let the cyclist know about it. The only way to deal with these guys is a big happy smile and a friendly wave - I believe this is ten times as effective as shouting back. [edit - 'cos it brings them close to a rage-enduced stroke]

Prime example is when you have to position yourself in the right-hand lane to go right/straight at an intersection. When car-users see a bike that's not in the very far-left of their field of vision they can flip out, regardless of the piece of road they're on. Most recent offender was an undercover Gard :rolleyes: who shouted me down on the Quays when I was in the only safe road position for the manouvre I needed to make. I was praying that he would try to pull me over. Once you're obeying the rules of the road you've nothing to fear from anyone

Both these situations should be points-on-license offences IMO, but how do you even begin to enforce either without a traffic cop on every junction?

Funsterdelux

beans wrote:

2) The only way to deal with these guys is a big happy smile and a friendly wave - I believe this is ten times as effective as shouting back. [edit - 'cos it brings them close to a rage-enduced stroke]

QUOTE]

I do that too, even playing football,
i dunno but I think a lorry driver honked at me this morning, and when he passed me was waving out his window, I was just in the right hand lane for turning right and he was in the left for going straight on, didnt pull out in front of him, still bewildered about it, maybe he knew me.

Be The Holy

What I cant understand about other cyclists is: You pass them out, usually an awkard move, cycle on and the come to a traffic light stop. They arrive and proceed to overtake you at the traffic light stop and then you are obliged to overtake them again once the lights go green. Or they acting the p***k or just plain thick and ignorant?

Raam

Be The Holy wrote:

Or they acting the p***k or just plain thick and ignorant?

Thick and ignorant by my reckoning. Encounter them all the time. Some etiquette rules need to be drawn up!

Civilian_Target

Be The Holy wrote:

What I cant understand about other cyclists is: You pass them out, usually an awkard move, cycle on and the come to a traffic light stop. They arrive and proceed to overtake you at the traffic light stop and then you are obliged to overtake them again once the lights go green. Or they acting the p***k or just plain thick and ignorant?

Yes, that really annoys me. I always stop before the white line and some gob****e always lines up right in front of you. He clearly can't move anyway, he'll get dead, but somehow his ego needs that position, and he's going to be a pain in the ass to pass again.

My two pet peeves are bad road surfacing (Cabra Rd - would break any bike) and drivers pulling out from lanes or driveways without looking.

Almost got apexed by some twat coming out of his driveway in a Toyota on monday - hammered on the brakes and screeched the tyres but still hit his car at 5 mph or so, and the guy had the cheek to say "Have you not got any brakes?" I felt like putting my lock through his door, but instead asked him "Have you not got any eyes? Because you definitely have mirrors."

daymobrew

Civilian_Target wrote:

My two pet peeves are bad road surfacing (Cabra Rd - would break any bike)

Is this the downhill section on New Cabra Road, towards Phibsborough? You have to cycle 2 metres out from the kerb to avoid the bumpy trough. Of course, this is not always possible.

Civilian_Target wrote:

Almost got apexed by some twat coming out of his driveway in a Toyota on monday

That deserves a visit to the Gardai. Cabra station is conveniently on the corner of Nephin Road and Navan Road. It beckons me as I cycle by
I'm due a visit from Blanch after a recent call to Traffic Watch (I saw some undertaking on the hard shoulder on the M50 recently).

RainyDay

daymobrew wrote:

I'm due a visit from Blanch after a recent call to Traffic Watch (I saw some undertaking on the hard shoulder on the M50 recently).

Do they come out to see you? They have always made me call into them (usually at inconvenient times) anytime I've made reports through Traffic Watch.

Mind you, I've tried about 5 times tonight to get through to report the boy racer who almost ploughed through my 2 year old at a pedestrian crossing, but it seems that they are 'handling a large number of Traffic Watch calls' all evening.

Civilian_Target

Yep - I meant that downhill section. It's terrible, particularly at the very bottom by the pedestrian crossing.

Might start reporting these people, why the hell not. And for the unenlightened, what's traffic watch?

daymobrew

RainyDay wrote:

Do they come out to see you? They have always made me call into them (usually at inconvenient times) anytime I've made reports through Traffic Watch.

I normally call into the station (with varying levels of enthuasism for my report) but this time I was directed to TrafficWatch by the Garda in Blanchardstown. No contact yet.
I'll ring them tomorrow about a red light runner (Alfie Byrne Rd at East Point - very frequent occurance, very annoying for those using ped/bike crossing).

Civilian_Target wrote:

And for the unenlightened, what's traffic watch?

It's mentioned in the bottom of the Garda Safe Driving Tips

Safe Driving Tips wrote:

If you witness dangerous driving, suspected drunken driving etc., call the Gardaí on 999 or 112, or on Traffic Watch Lo-call 1890 205805. Try to get the make, colour and registration number of the vehicle and the direction in which it is heading. Don't leave it to others to call us - your call could save a life.

Your call will be forwarded to the relevant local station so you might be quicker going direct to it. If I remember I phone the Garda Inspector (of Traffic) in Store St to ask for his recommendation (TW or local station).

oflahero

Be The Holy wrote:

What I cant understand about other cyclists is: You pass them out, usually an awkard move, cycle on and the come to a traffic light stop. They arrive and proceed to overtake you at the traffic light stop and then you are obliged to overtake them again once the lights go green. Or they acting the p***k or just plain thick and ignorant?

Ha, that's hilarious. I thought that was just me that felt that way. So irritating watching the slow wobble 1mph takeoff in front of you that seems like an eternity...

cavedave

You use the road you have the same rights of way as a car. You use a cycle path it stops every 20 metres. You lose right of way and cars turn in on you.
Your better off cycling on the road.

Drapper

Drifters on the quays!

Every evening I get drifters crossing the road when cars are stopped but don't expect bikes! and people who walk along the keys and drift off the path and into the cycle lanes! (a little shout tends to frighten!!)

BTW where can I get one of those frog horns for em bike!!

Civilian_Target

Halfords.

kona

people who abuse HALFORDS.
sure they might be pricey, some staff may know nothing but have you ever paused to think that the staff who know noting are only starting and that you pay more for quality??

ciaranr

Big scary dogs that chase you down the road.

I remember passing by a hillbilly's house and getting the most ferocious chase ever off an alsatian, I actually had alsatian spit on my legs. A call to the Gardai got the usual "We'll send a car out" but hopefully they did something. If it was a child or elderly person cycling by, I dunno what would have happened. Been tempted to drop a strychnine sandwich over the fence some evening but have resisted so far... Anyone have any similar experiences?

daymobrew

ciaranr wrote:

Been tempted to drop a strychnine sandwich over the fence some evening but have resisted so far

Contact the Dog Warden in the local county council. Such a dog should be under control.
My neighbour had a dog that barked a lot at all hours. I contacted the Dog Warden who visited the owner. Things changed for the better after that.

billyk

get a pump up airhorn for your bike and no-one will cut you off again its probably cause they think there about to be hit by a train
got one of these things about 3 weeks ago and its wildly entertaining to see the reaction these things get, also good off-road like cliff path howth, gangs of tourists in the way one shot of this airhorn and everyone dives out of the way

best 27 euro ive spent in a while and fits any pump or compressor in a garage

Drapper

billyk wrote:

get a pump up airhorn for your bike and no-one will cut you off again its probably cause they think there about to be hit by a train
got one of these things about 3 weeks ago and its wildly entertaining to see the reaction these things get, also good off-road like cliff path howth, gangs of tourists in the way one shot of this airhorn and everyone dives out of the way

best 27 euro ive spent in a while and fits any pump or compressor in a garage

lmoa......... where can I get one of these? does it include ear plugs?

Civilian_Target

kona wrote:

people who abuse HALFORDS.
sure they might be pricey, some staff may know nothing but have you ever paused to think that the staff who know noting are only starting and that you pay more for quality??

Lol! No, he was asking where to buy a horn, and I replied "halfords"

And actually, I generally have no objection to Halfords service staff, I've always found them to be reasonable, but the quality of some of the bike gear in there is absolutely shocking, for example, every single inner tube I've bought there has been leaky and required pumping every week, and I bought a cyclists spanner there once too, the head broke off it while I was changing the back wheel!

And AFAIK, because the blanchardstown branch (last time I went) had only one fully trained mechanic, it took about a week to get your bike serviced, and it was a quick job at that because he must have been overworked. Maybe things have improved, I dunno. When I'm in Dublin I always go to cycleways to get serviced now, they're just better.

billyk

got mine in the bike shop in donaghmede shopping centre


and ear plugs are an optional extra

GlennaMaddy

billyk wrote:

get a pump up airhorn for your bike and no-one will cut you off again its probably cause they think there about to be hit by a train
got one of these things about 3 weeks ago and its wildly entertaining to see the reaction these things get, also good off-road like cliff path howth, gangs of tourists in the way one shot of this airhorn and everyone dives out of the way

best 27 euro ive spent in a while and fits any pump or compressor in a garage

I'll be out in Howth next weekend, can't wait until you show up with your horn so I can shove it where the sun don't shine

Pillocks like you give everybody on two wheels a bad name.

ciaran76

Civilian_Target wrote:

Lol! No, he was asking where to buy a horn, and I replied "halfords"

And actually, I generally have no objection to Halfords service staff, I've always found them to be reasonable, but the quality of some of the bike gear in there is absolutely shocking, for example, every single inner tube I've bought there has been leaky and required pumping every week, and I bought a cyclists spanner there once too, the head broke off it while I was changing the back wheel!

And AFAIK, because the blanchardstown branch (last time I went) had only one fully trained mechanic, it took about a week to get your bike serviced, and it was a quick job at that because he must have been overworked. Maybe things have improved, I dunno. When I'm in Dublin I always go to cycleways to get serviced now, they're just better.

Speaking of Halfords. Last Thursday I bought a new tube with the green slime inside it from there. I attached it to the wheel as normal and cycled 20kms and no problems. Next day I noticed the tyre and gone down slightly so i pumped it up again and started cycling when suddenly all the green slime started spraying out of the valve. :mad: :eek:


I haven't the heart to go and check whats wrong with it as I have been the family puncture repair man for the last few weeks and can't bear to look at my poor bike at the moment.

Raam

billyk wrote:

get a pump up airhorn for your bike and no-one will cut you off again its probably cause they think there about to be hit by a train
got one of these things about 3 weeks ago and its wildly entertaining to see the reaction these things get, also good off-road like cliff path howth, gangs of tourists in the way one shot of this airhorn and everyone dives out of the way

shouldn't really need those things off-road there. I've done those tracks plenty of times on my bike and never felt the need to use an airhorn (don't own or want one anyway). Nevermind the fact that they would ruin the tranquility of the place.

Explosive_Cornflake

Civilian_Target wrote:

Yes, that really annoys me. I always stop before the white line and some gob****e always lines up right in front of you. He clearly can't move anyway, he'll get dead, but somehow his ego needs that position, and he's going to be a pain in the ass to pass again.

My two pet peeves are bad road surfacing (Cabra Rd - would break any bike) and drivers pulling out from lanes or driveways without looking.

Almost got apexed by some twat coming out of his driveway in a Toyota on monday - hammered on the brakes and screeched the tyres but still hit his car at 5 mph or so, and the guy had the cheek to say "Have you not got any brakes?" I felt like putting my lock through his door, but instead asked him "Have you not got any eyes? Because you definitely have mirrors."

I have to say I do this but in my defence,but I always balance on the bike at lights. I'm extermely quick at pulling off. With cleats I can get up to 20 miles an hour in under 3 seconds. That's my defence.

kona

Civilian_Target wrote:

Lol! No, he was asking where to buy a horn, and I replied "halfords"

And actually, I generally have no objection to Halfords service staff, I've always found them to be reasonable, but the quality of some of the bike gear in there is absolutely shocking, for example, every single inner tube I've bought there has been leaky and required pumping every week, and I bought a cyclists spanner there once too, the head broke off it while I was changing the back wheel!

And AFAIK, because the blanchardstown branch (last time I went) had only one fully trained mechanic, it took about a week to get your bike serviced, and it was a quick job at that because he must have been overworked. Maybe things have improved, I dunno. When I'm in Dublin I always go to cycleways to get serviced now, they're just better.

okay ill give you the tubes coz they are ****, but they do stock michelin and slime tubes.

sombody was complaining about a slime tube, halfords have nothing to do with that prob its the manufacturer of slimes problem, also what psi did you put in the tube??did you check the tyre for sharp pieces before you fitted the tube???did you inflate the tube a little so it doesnt pinch the rim when being fitted?? what condition is your rim tape in?? as i said its not halfords fault.
slime in tubes is ****ty tbh,way too heavy the strips are better but a bit messier.

Explosive_Cornflake

Just a FYI CRC do free postage, even on tubes.

Civilian_Target

Explosive_Cornflake wrote:

I have to say I do this but in my defence,but I always balance on the bike at lights. I'm extermely quick at pulling off. With cleats I can get up to 20 miles an hour in under 3 seconds. That's my defence.

Hey - if you're faster I really don't mind! As long as you're not going to wobble in front of me for a small eternity as soon as the lights go green, its OK