Dr Ferrari's Camper Van (off-topic discussion)

Here we go again.

http://www.irishtimes.com/letters/

Time to make bike helmets mandatory
A chara, – I have been a cyclist for almost 20 years and have been very fortunate until recently to have avoided being in any accident on the road. However, I was involved in a road traffic accident on December 8th and if I had not been wearing a helmet I have no doubt I would have been killed.

Cycling is becoming one of the fastest growing sports, yet there is no legislation in relation to protective equipment for cyclists. A motorist may not drive his/her car without wearing a seatbelt. A construction worker may not enter a site without obtaining a safe pass course or the correct personal protective equipment; yet cyclists, who are the most vulnerable of all road users, are permitted to enter the public roads without even wearing a helmet.

I am astonished by the increased number of cyclists on our roads who do not wear a helmet. I am also astonished by the number of parents who allow their children to cycle a bicycle without any head protection.

In the event of an accident, wearing a helmet significantly reduces the chances of a brain injury in the same way as a seatbelt does in a car. I feel there has to be a change in legislation in relation to this to make our roads safer for everyone. – Is mise,

CIARÁN McPHILLIPS,
Kilmessan,
Co Meath.

buffalo

Dónal wrote: »

Here we go again.

http://www.irishtimes.com/letters/

I've already written three different responses, trying to decide what line of attack is most likely to get published:
a) rambling discourse on disadvantages of mandatory helmets
b) sharp and witty comment about helmets for other specific groups (pedestrians, motorists, drinkers)

triggermortis

Lance: You want answers?
Oprah: I think we're entitled to.
Lance: *You want answers?*
Oprah: *We want the truth!*
Lance: *You can't handle the truth!*
[pauses]
Lance: My dear, we live in a world that has alps, and those alps have to be ridden by men with lycra. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Ms Winfrey? I have a greater ego than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Cadel Evans, and you curse the Peleton. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Cadel constantly came runner up, while tragic, probably saved lies. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lies. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at times trials, you want me on that bike, you need me on that bike. We use words like bidon, domestique, maillot jaune. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent deceiving something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a woman who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very arrogance that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you don some lycra, grab some titanium and carbon, and get me some bidons. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.
Oprah: Did you do drugs?
Lance: I have only one nut...
Oprah: *Did you do the drugs?
Lance: *You're Goddamn right I did!*

manwithaplan

buffalo wrote: »

I've already written three different responses, trying to decide what line of attack is most likely to get published:
a) rambling discourse on disadvantages of mandatory helmets
b) sharp and witty comment about helmets for other specific groups (pedestrians, motorists, drinkers)

c) Imagine my surprise at, when out walking with friends, I heard the first cuckoo of spring. PS Helmets are for weenies.

doozerie

buffalo wrote:

I've already written three different responses, trying to decide what line of attack is most likely to get published:
a) rambling discourse on disadvantages of mandatory helmets
b) sharp and witty comment about helmets for other specific groups (pedestrians, motorists, drinkers)

Sometimes a provocative letter to the Irish Times is just so ridiculously simplistic and annoying that it merits no tact or diplomacy whatsoever in the response. This is just such a case, so I suggest:

c) Dear Mr. McPhillips, Will ya ever just feck off ya sh1te-hawking plank. Thanks.

thebouldwhacker

When I was cleaning my bike the other day I was singing away '... Shiny bike like a diamond....'

el tel

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Words, I have none.

Who says girls can't write their names in the snow now.

petethedrummer

thebouldwhacker

Great pic.
Gotta give it to The King he always entertains. Doing the TdeM a few years back he started doing such tricks every chance he got.

Beasty

Cheap DVDs anyone?

t'bear

I wonder would they keep the fire going :-)

seamus

"Plonker" is putting it mildly. There's a reason they were being sold to him at £1 each in the first place.

manafana

I know myself i might not be talking today if i had not helmet, they do more good than harm

Delboy should bought into OWN, be booming after figures they got for viewing both nights.

furiousox

What's Kelly using there, speedplays or spds?

colm_gti

furiousox wrote: »

What's Kelly using there, speedplays or spds?

His handlebar...

Wishbone Ash

furiousox wrote: »

What's Kelly using there, speedplays or spds?

Speedplays I'd say. The left one doesn't look recessed enough to be SPD's.

What's that in his rear pocket?

Lusk Doyle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Speedplays I'd say. The left one doesn't look recessed enough to be SPD's.

What's that in his rear pocket?

A rain jacket.

Hungrycol

Came off the motorbike this morning on the Naul Road, icy patch :-(. All's well with me, motorbike on the other hand is not happy at all.

If in doubt use the bus. I've just spent the guts of €600 on insurance excess and a new helmet just getting to work. Nothing macho about putting yourself in danger on hazardous roads on two wheeled transport.
I walked away this time.

manwithaplan

Hungrycol wrote: »

Came off the motorbike this morning on the Naul Road, icy patch :-(. All's well with me...

Glad to hear you're alright, Col. I now declare you done with bad luck.

manafana

No down under thread te return of cycling season, anyone with betvictor account i have a great bet lined up on Rojas Gil

not long till classics season at this rate.

buffalo

doozerie wrote: »

Sometimes a provocative letter to the Irish Times is just so ridiculously simplistic and annoying that it merits no tact or diplomacy whatsoever in the response. This is just such a case, so I suggest:

c) Dear Mr. McPhillips, Will ya ever just feck off ya sh1te-hawking plank. Thanks.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2013/0122/1224329141717.html

Suggesting that helmets are necessary for cyclists is scare-mongering – there is nothing inherently dangerous about cycling on Irish roads.

The danger is created by careless motorists. Rather than promoting helmets, which puts the onus on the victim, why don’t we promote considerate driving? Introduce a mandatory safe passing distance for overtaking for a start.

Mandatory helmet laws have caused cycling levels to collapse in other countries (Australia, Canada), which increases the danger to the individual remaining cyclists. With our rising levels of obesity, and bad track record when it comes to heart disease, we should be doing everything we can to encourage more people to cycle, not portraying cycling as a high-risk death-defying activity. – Yours, etc,

Kinda wished they'd published my letter about drinking helmets being more logical based on the TBI data. Ah well!

Kurtosis

Quick question - had a wobble in the cranks of my commuter bike, dropped it in to the LBS to be fixed, bearings in the BB gone apparently, how much should a repair cost? Is €55 a bit steep?

lennymc

depends on the type of BB you need. BBs can range from 10 quid up.

doozerie

I see that the Healy-Rae family continues to get Kerry a bad name with Danny's call for people to be allowed drink and drive. When I heard this reported this morning I initially thought I couldn't find the arsehole any more offensive, listening to him being interviewed on RTE Radio1 proved me wrong as he plumbed ever deeper depths of stupidity every time he opened his mouth.

The Lord Mayor of Kerry was also interviewed and tried to introduce an ounce of common sense, but Healy-Rae was having none of it. How that man manages to make it outside of his own house without doing himself harm is a complete mystery to me, he should really be supervised by a responsible adult at all times.

couerdelion

doozerie wrote: »

I see that the Healy-Rae family continues to get Kerry a bad name with Danny's call for people to be allowed drink and drive. When I heard this reported this morning I initially thought I couldn't find the arsehole any more offensive, listening to him being interviewed on RTE Radio1 proved me wrong as he plumbed ever deeper depths of stupidity every time he opened his mouth.

The Lord Mayor of Kerry was also interviewed and tried to introduce an ounce of common sense, but Healy-Rae was having none of it. How that man manages to make it outside of his own house without doing himself harm is a complete mystery to me, he should really be supervised by a responsible adult at all times.

Heard him on the radio this morning (think it was Newstalk) and wasn't surprised that he is a publican. He did have a point about it helping to combat loneliness and increase of suicides in rural areas due to isolation, but why can't people drive to the pub and have a pop/soda/mineral?

CramCycle

penguin88 wrote: »

Quick question - had a wobble in the cranks of my commuter bike, dropped it in to the LBS to be fixed, bearings in the BB gone apparently, how much should a repair cost? Is €55 a bit steep?

I'd say about 20euro for the BB (assuming its a newer one, Shimano and your not looking for super light although to be honest there is little difference between the high end and the low end IMO) then 30euro for labour.

Seems OK, my LBS didn't charge me labour the last time but then, they see me enough with mashed wheels

Doctor Bob

doozerie wrote: »

How that man manages to make it outside of his own house without doing himself harm is a complete mystery to me

He just watches how his dad leaves the house and copies it.

Kurtosis

CramCycle wrote: »

I'd say about 20euro for the BB (assuming its a newer one, Shimano and your not looking for super light although to be honest there is little difference between the high end and the low end IMO) then 30euro for labour.

Seems OK, my LBS didn't charge me labour the last time but then, they see me enough with mashed wheels

Thanks for that! It's a Giant Rock MTB, about 6 years old now but think the BB may have been replaced on it before so not sure what type it is. Thankfully I haven't had to visit the LBS much for repairs lately so I'll give them labour!

ThisRegard

couerdelion wrote: »

Heard him on the radio this morning (think it was Newstalk) and wasn't surprised that he is a publican.

3 of them that voted for it were publicans. The rest that didn't bother turning up were probably in the pub.

thebouldwhacker

I don't agree with drink driving but the removal of a large part of peoples way of life and and the shift in social patterns which resulted in the recent drink driving laws has been all but ignored by local and national government. it has resulted in real isolation, the shutting of pubs which served as community centres and a decrease in social unity.
Healy Rae's actions are not a solo run as can been seen in how the vote went, its a reaction which shows the deep feeling on the topic in rural parts of the country.
If a solution to the negative effects of such laws is not constructed then solutions such as this will continue to be sought not only in Kerry but all over the country. Its not only a culture shift to ban drink driving but also a generational divide which many people don't know exists not to mind understand, removing it without replacing the practicality of it leaves a vacuum which will continue to cause real problems.

doozerie

@thebouldwhacker, I agree that there is an issue there, though in my view the issue goes back to the fact that the pub and alcohol consumption have long been considered essential elements of social interaction in Ireland. In my opinion the problem that needs solving is not how to facilitate people consuming alcohol "safely", it's how to encourage people to understand that social interaction needn't be entirely dependent upon alcohol. That's a much tougher problem to solve and one that people like Healy-Rae are happy to ignore (not least, perhaps, because as a publican it's in his own interests to promote alcohol consumption as being somehow fundamental to peoples' needs and human rights).

ROK ON

I think the problem with the Healy Rae type of politician is that they are in fact not stupid - I would say that they are exceedingly clever when it comes to suiting themselves.

The real issue of rural isolation of the elderly maybe the problem. The issue for our politicians and policy makers is that given much of them are from the same ilk they are incapable of framing a solution other than a narrow self serving solution.

That said, this is a regular catch cry from the Healy Raes and other vested interest groupings of politicians. I think it is very sad that many people feel isolated. However what is as depressing is that many rural men can only frame kinship with neighbours around a pint.

What about visiting friends and doing something in the community as a win win way to reduce isolation and foster community spirit.

Hungrycol

doozerie wrote: »

@thebouldwhacker, I agree that there is an issue there, though in my view the issue goes back to the fact that the pub and alcohol consumption have long been considered essential elements of social interaction in Ireland. In my opinion the problem that needs solving is not how to facilitate people consuming alcohol "safely", it's how to encourage people to understand that social interaction needn't be entirely dependent upon alcohol. That's a much tougher problem to solve and one that people like Healy-Rae are happy to ignore (not least, perhaps, because as a publican it's in his own interests to promote alcohol consumption as being somehow fundamental to peoples' needs and human rights).

Perhaps thebouldwhacker is referring to an older generation that rather would stay at home than go down to the pub for a mineral. New laws are being forced by the younger law-makers onto the older generation without consideration of them. A one size fits all approach.

Sure tis the younger generation that are spending their beer money on exhaust pipes and drag racing country lanes, wrapping their cars around trees and all that sans alcohol.

Hungrycol

ROK ON wrote: »

I think the problem with the Healy Rae type of politician is that they are in fact not stupid - I would say that they are exceedingly clever when it comes to suiting themselves.

The real issue of rural isolation of the elderly maybe the problem. The issue for our politicians and policy makers is that given much of them are from the same ilk they are incapable of framing a solution other than a narrow self serving solution.

That said, this is a regular catch cry from the Healy Raes and other vested interest groupings of politicians. I think it is very sad that many people feel isolated. However what is as depressing is that many rural men can only frame kinship with neighbours around a pint.

What about visiting friends and doing something in the community as a win win way to reduce isolation and foster community spirit.

Depressing? Yes, but changing the mind of the older generation gets harder the older they get!

Wishbone Ash

doozerie wrote: »

...... I initially thought I couldn't find the arsehole any more offensive, listening to him being interviewed on RTE Radio1 proved me wrong as he plumbed ever deeper depths of stupidity every time he opened his mouth.......

But you're playing right into his hands. The Healy Rae dynasty are anything but stupid. Nothing gives them more pleasure (i.e. votes) than being ridiculed by those outside their county - especially the Dublin 4 media mindset. The good people of South Kerry won't have any of us telling them what way to vote.

CramCycle

I think its idiotic, in my home village, they solved the problem quite easily. Now while there are those that still drink and drive, and I don't approve. There was the more sensible option from the two publicans in the area now to drop people home after there pints, they just get a family member or staff member to step in for 10/15 minutes and drop the customers home for free. Another guy set up a taxi service and drops anyone any distance for 2/3euro for local and 5euro for anything over 10minutes per person. I think he actually got a taxi license this year as well after being warned by the Gardai.

Simple solutions, publicans keep business by giving back to their customers, another local gets a job, the world spins on. The only detriment to this is the minimum charge on the taxi meters, which he never uses as its wholly unrealistic to pay that much with one person in the car and gets messy with more than 2 in the car.

thebouldwhacker

Agreed however its important to remember that this generation is the first to have such a problem with alcohol.
Certainly over indulging in alcohol was not invented by us but 1950's rural Ireland was no place for a lay about alco, the priest and vet had a lot of sway in rural Ireland. While the contemporary view of our parents/grandparents/great grandparents time was hot summers and free pints every night at the cross roads the reality is that rural Ireland for the last generation was a frugal life of moderation in everything but work. The vast majority of social activities were fueled by strong 'tay' rather than shots at the bar.
Suddenly 'we' grow up all full of political correctness and health and safety and tell these people that they don't respect alcohol, they don't need pubs to socialise and if they refuse to take this message and find other social outlets in their retirement tough,then the ability to access this social outlet is removed from them.

I wouldn't be happy, would you?

Wishbone Ash

ROK ON wrote: »

However what is as depressing is that many rural men can only frame kinship with neighbours around a pint.

What about visiting friends and doing something in the community as a win win way to reduce isolation and foster community spirit.

The continued closure of livestock marts around the country has also exacerbated the problem. It was common for batchelor farmers to visit marts as a social occasion whether buy/selling or not but now it's not feasible for many to travel a long distance to their nearest one.

doozerie

thebouldwhacker wrote:

Suddenly 'we' grow up all full of political correctness and health and safety and tell these people that they don't respect alcohol, they don't need pubs to socialise and if they refuse to take this message and find other social outlets in their retirement tough,then the ability to access this social outlet is removed from them.

It has nothing to do with political correctness, it also has nothing to do with telling people they don't respect alcohol. It has everything to do with requiring people to adjust their behaviour to give consideration to others - in this case, it's getting people to take responsibility for their actions and not drive in an alcohol-fuelled state that might endanger others on the road. That's a responsibility that many in Irish society have shirked for a long time, and far too many continue to do so.

Peoples' ability to access the social outlet, the pub, is not removed, the pub is still there and they can still go there, they are just required not to consume alcohol if they are driving afterwards. They could choose to drink something other than alcohol. If they find themselves unable to do so, then that suggests an addiction, in which case we are being asked to selectively allow certain alcoholics to drive. When you take the emotive stuff away, it's really as simple and distasteful as that.

doozerie

Wishbone Ash wrote:

But you're playing right into his hands. The Healy Rae dynasty are anything but stupid. Nothing gives them more pleasure (i.e. votes) than being ridiculed by those outside their county - especially the Dublin 4 media mindset. The good people of South Kerry won't have any of us telling them what way to vote.

I agree, to a point. I do believe that they are very canny in how they market themselves, and their continued success in being elected as public officials removes any doubt about whether they are successful in that. However, Danny Healy-Rae couldn't put a coherent argument together at all in the interview with him that I heard.

He succeeded in getting himself on national radio, no mean feat when there are lots of other politicians who regularly fail to do so, but once there he portrayed a picture of a man that had no idea of what to do or say and to my mind came across as a complete idiot. Having said that though, he almost certainly won a few more fans amongst those that, as you say, see issues like this as an "us versus them feckers in Dublin" battle The fact that the local Lord Mayor was arguing against him might count for something even amongst the most blinkered, but probably not enough.

NeedMoreGears

penguin88 wrote: »

Thanks for that! It's a Giant Rock MTB, about 6 years old now but think the BB may have been replaced on it before so not sure what type it is. Thankfully I haven't had to visit the LBS much for repairs lately so I'll give them labour!

I replaced the BB on a Giant Rock. I cost me about €15 for a new BB. I think I need to buy a pullers to remove the crank and another tool to remove the BB itself. (€25 between them). It took me about an hour.

Lumen

Lets be clear, Healy-Rae wants people to be able to drive TRACTORS to and from the pub whilst substantially over the current legal limit. He's a complete moron.

ROK ON

Drive tractors down the roads that I am likely to be cycling on any weekend that I could actually be bothered cycling outdoors.

I think if this come to pass it will vindicate my decision to do most of my cycling on the turbo trainer!

thebouldwhacker

doozerie wrote: »

Peoples' ability to access the social outlet, the pub, is not removed, the pub is still there and they can still go there, they are just required not to consume alcohol if they are driving afterwards. They could choose to drink something other than alcohol. If they find themselves unable to do so, then that suggests an addiction, in which case we are being asked to selectively allow certain alcoholics to drive. When you take the emotive stuff away, it's really as simple and distasteful as that.

This is overly simplistic and misses the entire point of my earlier post. It's the removal of 'the emotive stuff' that has caused the problem in the first place. Removal of emotion leaves only statistics which leads to bad social policy. It's easy legislate to figures, no so much when the human factor is put into the equation.
Like I said in my first post this is a complex issue which few understand, rural decay can be seen in most 'developed' countries all at different stages. We are nothing special but our law makers and social planners are ignoring the lessons which can be learned.

DirkVoodoo

Have people from rural areas ever considered car pooling with people close by to them? I mean, the way I see it, if you get four of your friends and head to the pub five nights a week, you get four of those drinking and one of those driving.

If it's about the social element and just being able to talk to people, why do they need to drink at all.

This is open to all sorts of abuse, much like cross border grocery shopping, people will probably start driving 40 minutes further to get to a rural pub before negotiating rural roads they aren't familiar with to get home after their few pints. What are the bets that the accident rate will suddenly climb?

Lumen

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Like I said in my first post this is a complex issue which few understand, rural decay can be seen in most 'developed' countries all at different stages. We are nothing special but our law makers and social planners are ignoring the lessons which can be learned.

This issue is not at all complex. A bunch of people used to drive back from the pub pissed after spending a load of money on overpriced drinks. Now they can't drive pissed, they've decided that they neither want to spend the same amount of money on soft drinks nor spend even more money on taxis/buses, and that they'd rather stay at home and drink with friends and family.

Publicans are obviously not keen on this development, and start banging on about their pub being the centre of society in an effort to affect government policy. A politician-publican like Healy Rae, irrespective of his idiotic views on the safety of drunk tractor drivers, has a massive conflict of interest and should STFU.

Beasty

Does anyone really think the law would be changed to accomodate this?

Sure, it gets the Healy-Raes back in the papers and maybe makes them a little more popular with some of the "locals", which is probably more of what this is really about.

Wishbone Ash

Beasty wrote: »

Does anyone really think the law would be changed to accomodate this?

The RSA said it's a total non-runner and that discussing it was a waste of time.

Dermot Illogical

Beasty wrote: »

Sure, it gets the Healy-Raes back in the papers and maybe makes them a little more popular with some of the "locals", which is probably more of what this is really about.

It just shows that he considers his constituents gob****es.
He gets himself on the radio playing the buffoon, gets (rightly) ridiculed and then plays on the "us and them" row he manufactured. He obviously believes the locals are stupid enough to fall for it. Given their track record in elections he may be right.

Doctor Bob

Whenever I hear rural politicians bleating on about rural isolation, I can't help wondering how many of them have supported planning applications for one-off houses in the countryside unrelated to agricultural activity.

If they were serious about rural isolation, they'd write to planning authorities objecting to one-off houses. As they don't, I can only assume the current posturing is populist, vote-grasping hot air.