Bad cyclist/s

Jabel

Hi all
first time poster here but here's a bit of a rant anyway.
I cycle to work about 3 days a week from Rathfarnham (Southside)
to Santry (Northside) through the city centre.
Yesterday on crossing the Liffey going up Parliament Street (sorry for the non Dubs) the lights were with me turning onto Dame Street going up towards Christchurch and a motorcycle was ahead of me but not causing me any problems.
On the turn a cyclist comes flying from my left (I'm turning right) and starts cursing the motorcyclist for slowing down. I said to him "you're breaking the lights pal not him" to which he says nothing but pulls in behind me (we're now approaching the pedestrian lights which are red for us) and then shouts "watch this" and moves out to the middle of the road narrowly avoiding crossing pedrestrians and speeds up towards Christchurch where he mounts the footpath where I lost sight of him. I just thought to myself how intelligent and wished him a early meeting with a Garda/Bus/Broken bottle.
From cycling regularly I know this is not commonplace but there are an awful of cyclists who blatantly disregard traffic lights to dangerous degrees.
Also what is with slower cyclists who, after you overtake them, at the next set of lights do their best to manoeuvre themselves in front of you again?
This is a bugbear of mine but there you are.
Any thoughts on this issue? Do any of you do the same?
Is it every man/woman for themselves regardless?
J

tomasrojo

There are a lot of people with no manners in every walk of life. Throw the thick, the evil and the selfish into the mix and you've a lot of people.

Chips Lovell

Jabel wrote: »

Also what is with slower cyclists who, after you overtake them, at the next set of lights do their best to manoeuvre themselves in front of you again?

It makes little sense from their point of view (and can often result in bizarre situations with cyclists moving further and further out into a junction in order to be first in the queue), but it doesn't really bother me. If you want to go to the trouble of wiggling your way past me to be overtaken again straight away, it's no skin off my nose.

As for the other guy, occasionally you do meet tossers who take tosserdom to a new level.

OldPeculier

Jabel wrote: »

Also what is with slower cyclists who, after you overtake them, at the next set of lights do their best to manoeuvre themselves in front of you again?
J

I find this very annoying. It can be difficult enough to overtake someone, without having them pass you at lights, held up behind then and having to try overtake them all over again:mad:

Boardnashea

Look after yourself and let them off.

OldPeculier

OldPeculier wrote: »

I find this very annoying. It can be difficult enough to overtake someone, without having them pass you at lights, held up behind then and having to try overtake them all over again:mad:

I tend to go in the middle of the lane (usually at the front, but not always) when waiting at traffic lights to allow the RLJs go ahead. Usually when the lights go green I've overtaken then again in the first 100m or so. Don't find anyone in a car is too annoyed as at the start you're accellerating quicker than them.

tomasrojo

el tonto wrote: »

It makes little sense from their point of view (and can often result in bizarre situations with cyclists moving further and further out into a junction in order to be first in the queue), but it doesn't really bother me. If you want to go to the trouble of wiggling your way past me to be overtaken again straight away, it's no skin off my nose.

As for the other guy, occasionally you do meet tossers who take tosserdom to a new level.

Shoaling, BSNYC calls it.

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/10/indignity-of-commuting-by-bicycle.html

cipo

Lots do it, lots don't!

I ride & wear Lycra everyday on my commute... I try to make a point of stopping at all lights & obeying rules of the road in the hope that I might influence / change the views of a few drivers that all cyclists pay no heed to rules of the road!

It's sad but I think I'm making a difference!!

Not a lot can be done to stop someone jumping reds etc.....

Definition of a cyclist has changed a lot with all shapes & sizes commuting by bike so I do my bit for Lycra wearing racers by trying to let other road users know that not all cyclists jump reds, ride pavements etc

I agree I hate seeing people going through lights and generally not sticking to road rules but not a lot can be done and so I just laugh and enjoy my spin!!

07Lapierre

OldPeculier wrote: »

I find this very annoying. It can be difficult enough to overtake someone, without having them pass you at lights, held up behind then and having to try overtake them all over again:mad:

Maybe thats why the cyclist in the OP's post breaks red lights. (Doesn't want to be overtaken by cyclists he's just passed)

Lumen

OldPeculier wrote: »

I find this very annoying. It can be difficult enough to overtake someone, without having them pass you at lights, held up behind then and having to try overtake them all over again:mad:

I use it as an opportunity to sit on their wheel shouting encouragements.

DirkVoodoo

I was going down to the post office a few weeks ago on my way home from town. I stuck out my arm to indicate that I was making a right turn, moved to the centre of the road and made the turn. The post-mistress was outside having a cigarette and when I pulled up she commended me on my indicating, saying she doesn't see a lot of cyclists do the same.

Then it began...

She started asking my do all (yes, she said all) cyclists break the rules and do what they want before regaling me with a story of two cyclists who harassed some woman in a car as they undertook her just outside the post office while dear post-mistress was on another fag break. I just kept nodding and smiling.

I mean, I'd feel a bit stupid if I went up to a guy getting out of his car: "Oh, that's a nice car, it's nice you used your indicators, tell me, why do all drivers break the speed limit and run red lights?" I should have said to her "I ride a bike, that's it, I can't be held responsible for what every other idiot on a bike does".

People who carry on like that aren't going to change until they get a summons and even then they may just shrug it off. I get annoyed by guys breezing through red lights or not having a basic (and cheap) set of lights on, but what can you do?

billaustin

At the end of the day it's a manners thing isn't it? If you don't have them in normal life you probably won't have them on the bike either. Shame. Ah well no one is perfect, I have plenty faults and have done silly things ont he bike, but deliberate stupidity especially in traffic is crazy!

seamus

I will admit to "shoaling" at lights because the vast majority of people waiting at the lights are not going to overtake me. However, I never move in front of anyone just in case they are quicker than me, I tend to sit in the middle of lane, in front of the cars instead. If I've been sucking on someone's wheel for the last km, then I don't go in front of them when we have to stop at the lights, because that's against the rules.

DirkVoodoo

Manners, you are right, that's it.

I remember going to school there was a long tail back on the dual carriageway for the right turn onto Nutley avenue. Cars would sit there patiently for 15-20 minutes at a time. Of course, there were always tossers in the outside lane, sneaking up and either waiting for a gap in the line or else they simply went to the top of the outside lane and turned right across the right turning traffic.

It's the same mentality as these guys, they don't care about anyone else. They probably wouldn't skip you in a line at the cinema, but put them in traffic and they feel they can do what they want.

daymobrew

cipo wrote: »

I try to make a point of stopping at all lights & obeying rules of the road in the hope that I might influence / change the views of a few drivers that all cyclists pay no heed to rules of the road!

It's sad but I think I'm making a difference!!

I do the same, for the same reasons.

the_syco

Jabel wrote: »

wished him a early meeting with a Garda/Bus/Broken bottle.

By th sound of it, tehy are the least of his worries. A 16 tonne truck not seeing him when he crosses its path is what he should worry about.

OldPeculier

Lumen wrote: »

shouting encouragements.

I hope they are grateful for that!:D

cdaly_

seamus wrote: »

If I've been sucking on someone's wheel for the last km, then I don't go in front of them when we have to stop at the lights, because that's against the rules.

Ah no, you're supposed to do it then so they can suck your wheel until the next light...

mloc123

The world is full of dickheads, some of them cycle.

Captain Havoc

Darwin will take care of him eventually.

pprendeville

I'm not great for staying put if lights are red and there's nothing coming. Guess I should pay more respect to the law.

Gavin

At the lights the other day, some guy didn't just shoal, he circled right around me !! It was just like bike snob described, bizarre !

manafana

i wheel sucked for while one day and would taken my turn at front but he never gave me elbow or the look, so i was quiet happy to take the break and let him do work.

Chips Lovell

Gavin wrote: »

At the lights the other day, some guy didn't just shoal, he circled right around me !! It was just like bike snob described, bizarre !

I had a guy shove me one morning in a bid to get past me at the lights.

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

I had a guy shove me one morning in a bid to get past me at the lights.

Was he bigger than you or suicidal?
What did you do in return?

Chips Lovell

ROK ON wrote: »

Was he bigger than you or suicidal?
What did you do in return?

Smaller. He seemed like a very impatient man. I used some rude words in response but he seemed to think I was the one in the wrong for stopping at the stop line.

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

Smaller. He seemed like a very impatient man. I used some rude words in response but he seemed to think I was the one in the wrong for stopping at the stop line.

Yep, I get that going along cycle lane by the canal. Slowing to stop at lights invariably attracts wheelsuckers, who dont seem to comprehend that if the bike in front is stoping at the junction/lights and there is no way around due to cars, then they too must slow to a stop.
I am pleasantly surprised that cycling is as safe as it is given the craziness one witnesses.

ROK ON

What I would like is the type of cyclist that I could cycle behind from D15 thru the Phoenix Park to the Quays on very windy mornings.

I would need someone broader than me (not too many of those on bikes), who can hold a steady tempo pace until we get to Parkgate street.

Must be willing to start in D15 end of the park at about 640am on Tues, Wed and Thursday mornings (or 5pm at Parkgate street on Tues and Wed evenings if the wind is coming from the North).

It would be nice if you could bring along some coffee, toast and a banana also.

Thanks.

Jawgap

RLJ'ers is just God's way of sending you interval training opportunities.

As a rule I don't tend to wheelsuck unless I've caught an RLJ'er and I'm bored and fancy amusing myself by putting some pressure on him.

About 2 weeks ago coming in along the pscho-path from Sutton I felt compelled to wheelsuck. A lycra-ed up individual overtook me so I caught him up and offered him a cheery "good morning" - reasoning that a pleasant chat on a sunny morning is a very nice way to commute to work.

Anyway, he looked over at me, said nothing and lifted his arse out of the saddle and accelerated away from me. I made a point of catching him and sitting on his wheel all the way to Fairview where he was turning off - at which point I thanked him for the tow!

Hungrycol

Wearing lycra and stopping at red lights won't stop drivers opinions of cyclists one iota.

All cyclists are in the a**hole melting pot as much as all cage drivers are. As in all walks of like it's the few that riuns it for everyone.

Chips Lovell

ROK ON wrote: »

Yep, I get that going along cycle lane by the canal.

It was on the canal, as it happens.

cdaly_

Jawgap wrote: »

About 2 weeks ago coming in along the pscho-path from Sutton I felt compelled to wheelsuck. A lycra-ed up individual overtook me so I caught him up and offered him a cheery "good morning" - reasoning that a pleasant chat on a sunny morning is a very nice way to commute to work.

Anyway, he looked over at me, said nothing and lifted his arse out of the saddle and accelerated away from me.

Oops, sorry, didn't hear you with me headphones on...

Actually I had something similar some time back where I'd put in a fair effort to catch somebody and was just settling in for a bit of wheel suck when he glanced around and put the hammer down and left me standing!