Legal or not?

kevgaa

Hi,

I have a query which you maybe able to help me out with, I was cycling home last week down Nutgrove avenue on the cycle lane as normal but half way down it was blocked by parked cars so I moved onto the road / bus lane.

Just after the parked cars a Taxi came up behind me and proceeded to blow the horn and give out yards to me for cycling on the road. ( I wouldnt mind if I was blocking traffic but the road was clear so must be a pet hate of this particular taxi driver)
To which I replied as a cyclist I have right of way regardless if the cycle lane was present or not. Needless to say he wasnt happy so I cycled off and while stopped at the lights at nutgrove he continued on his rant.

Just wondering was I right in what I said and since this taxi driver has blow me out of it a few times since even when on the cycle lane what can I do about it??

Thanks
Kev.

blorg

You have to use a cycle track if there is one provided. The government has committed to repeal this but it hasn't happened yet.

If it is obstructed you may have an exemption to leave it to go around the cars.

This doesn't mean the taxi driver is right to "blow you out of it" which sounds like an illegal use of his horn to me.

That particular cycle track I know well and it is a nightmare.

Gavin

As it stands presently, if there is a cycle lane present and marked correctly, you are required to use it. This law is apparently being repealed soon, but who knows.

kevgaa

Thanks Lads,

I always use the cycle track but I reckon 90% of the days its blocked by parked cars ( generally the same cars to be honest ) or covered in broken glass, so when its blocked I have two choices 1). go round the cars on the footpath which I'm sure is illegal or move down onto the road which I do. Alas as the path is quite high I usually dont go back onto the lane until the I get a break in the path and it was during this that the incident happened.

Thanks for the help and info.

kev.

Chips Lovell

What does he expect you to do? Do an Evil Knieval and jump over parked cars?

Cycle lanes are mandatory, but the government has announced that it will repeal this law shortly, having acknowledged that most of them are inadequate.

It's also worth noting that a cycle lane is mandatory only if it is marked with the correct signage and lines on the ground. Most of the off-road ones aren't.

This seems to be a particular bugbear of some taxi drivers. I've had more than one shouting at me over this over the one in Fairview, at times when the cycle lane itself was covered in road works.

dario28

Foook the taxi driving w@nker pri$ck to$$pot coont

Im so sick of this its not funny, I'll bet this guy was 40's plus , they seem to be the ones who think they have sole right to drive in the bus lane , I have seen instances where the other lane has no traffic and he could easily can go into that but insists in blowing his horn scaring the cyclist just cause he thinks he can

I hate them they really think they own the roads

I gurantee ya stupid cycling lane law or no law if a Garda saw that he'd be pullin in the taxi driver not the cyclist

dario28

el tonto wrote: »

What does he expect you to do? Do an Evil Knieval and jump over parked cars?

Cycle lanes are mandatory, but the government has announced that it will repeal this law shortly, having acknowledged that most of them are inadequate.

It's also worth noting that a cycle lane is mandatory only if it is marked with the correct signage and lines on the ground. Most of the off-road ones aren't.

This seems to be a particular bugbear of some taxi drivers. I've had more than one shouting at me over this over the one in Fairview, at times when the cycle lane itself was covered in road works.

My nemises is taxi plate 20246 , silver mercedes , he is evil , blasted me for being in the middle of the bus lane just after parnell park where there is a huge pothole heading towards town ya cannot possible cycle over,we exchanged words, mine started by trying to explain that i have to go round the pothole but he was having none of it and every time now he has a go as he passes !

droidus

Report him to the guards and the carraige officer for aggressive and intimidating behaviour and lack of care towards other road users.

cdaly_

+1 on that. There's penalty points to be had for driving in an inconsiderate fashion.

kevgaa wrote:

90% of the days its blocked by parked cars ( generally the same cars to be honest

Of course they're parked illegally. If you're being forced off the cycle lane (which you would prefer to use if you could by your account), report the cars to the Gardai and they'll be ticketed or towed. I suspect they'll stop parking there after a while...

Oh, and report the taxi driver for harassing you every time it happens...

CarlosK

You get his license plate number and his taxi number and report him. This is bad form and seriously dangerous to cyclists. If he's you're enemy you can be assurred that he has a few other enemies on the road. I hate to generalise things but most taxi's think they own the roads outright. Thats what drives me insane, even when you're driving they reckon they have the divine right to do whatever they want.

The only way forward is to stay safe (obviously) and report this guy so that the attacks on you and others dont continue.

daymobrew

kevgaa wrote: »

or covered in broken glass

Report this to the county council, possibly the Environment section.

Beasty

dario28 wrote: »

I'll bet this guy was 40's plus , they seem to be the ones who think they have sole right to drive in the bus lane ,

We do .....

Special rules apply to anyone over 40. They are due to be repealed later this year. Similar rules will then be applied for the over 50s:D

Hungrycol

Taxi's can only use the bus lane if they are on their way to a call or have a passanger on board.

rp

el tonto wrote: »

It's also worth noting that a cycle lane is mandatory only if it is marked with the correct signage and lines on the ground. Most of the off-road ones aren't.

It's also worth noting that, according to Dutch, German and UK studies, you are something like 30% more likely to be killed or injured if you use a cycle lane rather than the road (on the basis of this study, the Dutch went off and redesigned all their cycle lanes to fix this)

DirkVoodoo

rp wrote: »

It's also worth noting that, according to Dutch, German and UK studies, you are something like 30% more likely to be killed or injured if you use a cycle lane rather than the road (on the basis of this study, the Dutch went off and redesigned all their cycle lanes to fix this)

I can believe that. Cycle lane/left turn intersections have to be one of the most poorly understood systems on the roads. Cars never yield so I never use them. They seem to be too busy putting up ads on TV about how to use roundabouts correctly to worry about this.

kevgaa

thanks for the replies...

I'll take the taxi number and report it to the local station next time it happens along with the parked cars (luckily for me a mate has just been assigned to Rathfarnham station so that will help with all compalints)

As for the glass I never crossed my mind to ring the council but it maybe worth a call.

Kev

ED E

That cycle lane also abruptly stops at those council apartments. Forces you onto the path:rolleyes:

Tell drivers like that to shove it. Utter bullsh1t!

blorg

CarlosK wrote: »

I hate to generalise things but most taxi's think they own the roads outright.

Most taxi drivers, like most car drivers, most bus drivers, are perfectly decent and courteous. Think of how many you encounter in any given day without any incidents. There is a small but very visible minority that act like a$$holes and give them all a bad name.

Believe it or not there are even taxi drivers who are also cyclists! :pac:

funkyjebus

forget whether you where wrong and start yapping at him for illegal use of his horn. you can only use in case of an emergency when you need to make someone aware or your presence. at the lights ignore what he says take out your phone take a pic of his reg / car and tell him that your reporting him to the taxi regulator ( who look into these matters seriously and have a stike system) and the gardai. if he continies to rant tell him over the next month, you get all your friend to report him as well and with any luck you'll have him out of job by xmas.

thats shut up a far amount to taxi men for me.

of all the things drivers do on the road. there assumptions that i have no right to use the road or must stick to the side, really winds me up, so i like to slow down!!

ever noticed that when your having these arguments that you're always at a disadvantage front the get go considering your barly able to breath no mind speak when it seems to occur!! arrragh! that and you dont have window to roll up, thats an argument winner there.

jaqian

blorg wrote: »

Believe it or not there are even taxi drivers who are also cyclists! :pac:

No! Say it ain't so :eek:

blorg

jaqian wrote: »

No! Say it ain't so :eek:

They may even lurk on this very forum! :eek::eek:

Peetrik

Hungrycol wrote: »

Taxi's can only use the bus lane if they are on their way to a call or have a passanger on board.

Is this true?

Chips Lovell

Peetrik wrote: »

Is this true?

I don't think so. It was examined in a previous thread, which I'll try and dig up later.

bcmf

blorg wrote: »

They may even lurk on this very forum! :eek::eek:

jesus they are everywhere....

bcmf

Peetrik wrote: »

Is this true?

Almost... if they are on their way to a job or to a rank in the course of their duty.They may also have a package for delivery or on their way to pick up a package.

calex71

kevgaa wrote: »

Thanks Lads,

I always use the cycle track but I reckon 90% of the days its blocked by parked cars

Used to cycle that road everyday , and every day it would have cars in the cycle lane with out fail. The worst part though was where the cyclelane ended at the spar / chipper , had more than one near miss with people reversing out of the parking spaces into the bus lane without seeing me.

ipodrocker

another good one is on leopardstown road the annoying merc and audi drivers park full on the cycle path and you have to be very alert!

onimpulse

Tell him you're going to report him for dangerous driving to the carriage office / regulator & the guards.

I had a taxi driver go on a rant at me there a few weeks ago - there was no cycle lane on the road I was on & it was very narrow (rathgar ave). The taxi passed me a few hundred meters before the red light & then pulled on top of me pushing me to the kerb. I actually had to pull the brakes & stop to avoid being hit. So, I went up to the window & knocked on it - and politely told him he nearly knocked me off my bike & to be more careful of cyclists.

I soon regretted that! He went on a rant - so I moved away from the window & got back on the bike ready to move off when the lights went green. Next thing he's revving the engine & pushing closer & closer to by back wheel & keeps revving the engine - all the while yelling at me through the open window.

The light went green & I pulled my bike off the road & stood on the footpath - no way I was going in front of him. But he kept ranting & revving the engine. The cars behind at this stage were beeping... so I shouted over to him that I had memorised his taxi licence no & his reg no & I was going to report him for dangerous driving. He drove off then...

SerialComplaint

When things get nasty with taxi or other other drivers, I find it helpful to take out my phone and let them know that I'm taking photos or video of the incident - it tends to make them think.

Lumen

el tonto wrote: »

I don't think so. It was examined in a previous thread, which I'll try and dig up later.

It's something vague about them being used "in the course of business", which doesn't go as far as specific exactly what that covers.

IMO it means "not taking the piss".